The Death Loop

The balcony door suddenly swung open.

A gust of cold wind rushed in, rain and leaves slapping against Emmett’s face, making him shiver. He looked at me standing there with a bloodstained blade, half my face smeared red.

His legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees.

"Honey… India… there’s no one else in this house besides us. I would never hurt you! Did you have a nightmare? We’ve been together for ten years, married for five. Don’t you trust me?"

I said nothing.

He broke down, pointing shakily at our wedding photo on the wall. "Honey, don’t you remember? The year we met, I fell in love with you at first sight…"

I glanced at my phone.

11:30 p.m.

Impatience cut through me. I interrupted him coldly, "I just killed something. That means prison. I’m planning to kill myself before the police arrive. Since you love me so much, take the blame for me."

He froze and even forgot how to cry.

Then, as if he had made up his mind, he stepped forward and took the knife from my hand.

"Move aside. I’ll wipe off your fingerprints. You don’t know anything. Everything that happened tonight… it was me. You were just scared and hiding."

He muttered as he worked, tears glistening in his eyes, "I already had a lawyer transfer the house and the car fully to your name. After this, just live well."

He carefully wiped away every trace—footprints, fingerprints—everything. He even mimicked my movements, rehearsing how he would have wielded the knife.

I stood there the entire time, silent.

Finally, he straightened up, his face resolute. "Alright. Call the police."

I pulled out my phone and dialed. The waiting tone stretched unbearably long.

Still, from beginning to end, Emmett didn’t try to stop me. He didn’t change his mind.

The call finally connected.

"Hello, Sunshine District Police—"

I studied his expression for a moment. Then I spoke slowly, "My husband killed—"

I paused.

He sat on the bed, staring blankly at the blood, lost in thought.

Silence stretched.

The voice on the other end grew urgent. "Hello? Are you alright? Are you being threatened?"

I changed my words. "My husband killed a bird. Is that illegal?"

After I hung up, he stared at me in shock, unable to understand why I had backed out.

I smiled faintly. "I was lying. There was a bird behind the curtain. Look. Feathers everywhere."

He hurried over to check. Sure enough, there was a small pile of brown feathers.

He let out a breath and looked at me with mild annoyance. "Then why scare me like that? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

I didn’t respond. Instead, I turned away, a flicker of confusion crossing my face.

If it wasn’t Emmett…

Then how had I died?

All four previous times, no one had been near me except him.

Even the fourth time, when I forced him out, he could have come back with a key. However, after everything I had just seen, that didn’t seem possible.

I crossed my arms, scanning the room.

A strange thought surfaced.

Could there be a ghost in this house?

No.

If there were a ghost, I wouldn’t be resurrecting.

Then what was it?

A hidden illness? Was I dying in my sleep?

If I found the cause of death, would the loop finally end?

My eyes lit up.

I grabbed Emmett, who was still catching his breath.

"Honey, I’m going to the hospital."