ARIA'S POV
My eyes fly open.
I suck in a huge, ragged gasp of air, like I've been drowning.
My heart slams in my chest so hard it feels like it might burst through my ribs. My skin is slick with sweat. My stomach churns with raw panic.
It takes me a second to realize where I am.
I'm on a couch. A warm couch, squishy and battered, my cheek pressed against the armrest. The faint glow of a television flickers across the room, casting shadows over the coffee table littered with red Solo cups, half-empty bottles, and crumpled napkins.
There's a movie playing—an old slasher flick, the kind with shrieking violins and a masked killer stalking a blonde girl through a dark hallway.
Beside me, Ray's arm is draped loosely around my shoulders. He's slumped sideways, eyes half-lidded, stifling a yawn.
Amber is curled up in a chair across from us, still in her maid costume, her eyes drooping shut.
Chloe is leaning against Austin's chest, her angel wings bent at an awkward angle as she giggles at the movie.
Austin's hand is splayed protectively over her waist, his head lolling back against the couch cushion.
Josh is sprawled on the floor with a blanket thrown over his sailor costume, kicking his feet and muttering something about "final girls."
The smell of stale popcorn, weed, and sugary booze fills the air.
My chest rises and falls in ragged breaths as I stare around the room.
I blink several times, trying to clear my vision.
This…
This can't be real.
I shoot upright, nearly knocking Ray off the couch.
"Aria?" he mumbles, blinking blearily. "Babe… you okay?"
I stare at him, my whole body trembling.
"You're alive."
Ray frowns, leaning closer. "Uh… yeah? Pretty sure."
Amber lifts her head. "Aria, what's wrong?"
She's smiling. Bright-eyed. No blood. No gaping slash across her throat.
My stomach lurches.
I spin around, searching the room.
No bloodstains on the floor.
No body on the couch.
No killers in black hoodies lurking in the corners.
Everything looks… exactly like it did before.
Before the screaming.
Before the knives.
Before all of them died.
Ray's brow furrows. "Babe. You're freaking me out. What's going on?"
I'm breathing so fast I feel like I might pass out.
"I—I don't know," I stammer. "You—you were dead. All of you. You were dead."
Chloe scrunches her nose. "Okay, morbid much?"
Austin frowns. "Who was dead?"
"You guys!" My voice cracks. "All of you! The killer… the knives… oh my god, Josh, your chest…"
Josh blinks at me from the floor. "Uh. My chest is fine, thanks for asking."
He pulls his sailor shirt aside to reveal smooth, uncut skin.
My vision swims.
I press my palm to my mouth, fighting the urge to throw up.
Ray reaches for me. "Aria, talk to me. Did you have a bad dream or something?"
"I—I don't know. I think… I think I was stabbed. I remember dying. I remember all of you dying."
Amber tilts her head. "Aria, maybe you fell asleep during the movie. Those slasher flicks get in your head."
Chloe lets out a soft laugh. "God, she's more dramatic than me."
Austin chuckles under his breath, pressing a kiss to the top of Chloe's head. "It's okay, Aria. Just a nightmare."
But it wasn't a nightmare.
I can still feel the burning pain in my stomach.
The weight of Ray's blood spraying across my hands.
The gurgle in Josh's throat as he bled out on Austin's bed.
Chloe screaming while the knives sank into her chest over and over.
My body goes cold all over.
"No. It wasn't a dream. It was real. I was there. I died."
Ray takes my hands gently, his voice calm. "Babe, look at me. You're here. You're safe."
I clutch his fingers so hard it hurts.
"But it was Halloween. We were here. Watching movies. And then everything went to shit. The power went out. The killers came in. They—they killed everyone."
Amber glances nervously at Chloe. "Should we… like… call someone?"
Chloe rolls her eyes. "She's fine. Just a bad trip or whatever."
Josh props himself up on one elbow. "Dude. Are you on shrooms? I told you not to mix shrooms and tequila."
Ray brushes my hair back from my face. His brown eyes are worried but gentle. "Listen to me. It's still Halloween night. We've just been chilling, babe. Nothing happened."
I shake my head frantically. "No. It did happen. You were stabbed in front of me. Your throat was cut. There were two killers. One of them said they were doing it because they could. I—"
Ray's jaw tightens. "Babe, I think you need some water."
He glances at Austin. "Hey man, can you grab her a water bottle from the fridge?"
Austin nods, untangling himself from Chloe and heading into the kitchen.
I twist around, watching him go.
The kitchen.
That's where the back door was open.
My pulse thunders in my ears.
Amber reaches for my hand. "Aria, I promise, you're safe. Nothing happened. Look at us. We're all good."
Josh waves his arms like a game show host. "See? Not a single slit throat in sight!"
But all I can see is blood.
Blood on the floor.
Blood soaking the couch.
Blood dripping from Ray's throat as he fell beside Tre's SUV.
Austin comes back with a water bottle. "Here you go, Aria."
I take it with trembling fingers. My throat is so dry I can barely swallow.
Ray rubs my arm. "Babe… can you try to breathe for me? In and out. Come on."
I suck in a shaky breath. Let it out.
Inhale. Exhale.
For a split second, I almost convince myself maybe they're right.
Maybe it was a nightmare.
A really vivid, messed-up dream.
But then my eyes drift to the clock on the wall.
3:57 AM.
The exact time everything went wrong before.
I grip Ray's arm. "We have to leave. Right now."
He blinks. "What? Babe, why?"
"Because it's happening again."
The room falls silent as they all stare at me.
And deep in my chest, a cold certainty curls like a knife.
This is real.
It's starting over.
I'm shaking so hard my teeth chatter.
The group is staring at me like I've lost my mind.
Ray rubs his thumb over my knuckles. "Babe, breathe. Just breathe."
I clutch his hand, trying to keep from screaming.
Chloe lets out an exasperated sigh. "Aria, you're scaring the shit out of me. You know there's nobody here."
Austin mutters, "It's cool, it's cool… let's just chill…"
Amber leans closer. "Aria, please. Just talk to us. You're okay."
I pull away from them all. "No. You don't get it. They're coming. They're coming. Two killers. Black hoodies. Butcher knives. They're going to slaughter everyone!"
Josh groans, throwing his head back. "Can we not do a live-action horror LARP right now? I'm too high for this shit."
I look around at all of them, my voice trembling. "I watched you all die. One by one. Amber… then Tre… then Austin… then Josh… then Chloe… then Ray… and then me."
Josh claps a hand over his chest. "Girl, rude."
Ray runs both hands through his hair. "Babe, you're exhausted. You're freaking yourself out."
Chloe rolls her eyes. "Can we just please finish the movie?"
Austin pulls her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Yeah. Let's just chill, Aria."
Amber gives me a nervous smile. "Look, it's late. Maybe we're all just tripping out a little."
I shake my head violently. "No. I'm not crazy. I saw everything. We're gonna die if we don't get out of here!"
Ray opens his mouth to answer me.
But I freeze.
Because over Ray's shoulder…
In the faint glow from the kitchen…
A black shape emerges from the shadows.
A man steps into view.
Black hoodie pulled up. Face hidden in darkness.
Knife glinting faintly in his gloved hand.
He moves soundlessly, creeping closer.
My entire body goes ice cold.
"Oh my god…" I whisper.
Nobody notices him. They're all too busy looking at me.
I can't even breathe.
"Ray," I croak. "Behind you."
Ray blinks. "What?"
"Behind you!" I scream.
The killer lunges.
Before anyone can react, the blade slashes across Josh's throat.
Blood explodes outward, spraying across the couch, the coffee table, the TV screen.
Josh's eyes go wide. He lets out a wet gurgle, hands clawing at his neck as blood gushes through his fingers.
Amber screams.
Chloe shrieks, clutching Austin.
Austin shouts, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Ray grabs me, shoving me backward, eyes wide in horror. "Holy fuck!"
Josh stumbles forward, blood pouring from his mouth. He collapses onto the floor, crimson pooling around his sailor costume.
The killer stands over Josh's twitching body, chest rising and falling under the black hoodie.
Ray shouts, "GO! RUN!"
The entire group bolts for the front door, screaming.
Chloe fumbles with the lock, hands slick with blood.
"GET US OUT, AUSTIN!" she sobs.
Austin wrenches the door open—
And the second killer is standing there.
Another black hoodie.
Knife already raised.
Austin freezes. "FUCK!"
The second killer slams a gloved hand into Austin's chest, shoving him backward into the living room.
Blood from Josh's body smears under their feet as the group trips and falls over one another.
The first killer steps forward, motioning with the blade.
"Sit down."
Chloe shrieks, "NO!" but the killer slashes the knife through the air, so close the tip grazes her cheek.
Ray shoves Chloe behind him. "Don't fucking touch her!"
The second killer grabs Austin by the hair and yanks him back toward the couch.
The group stumbles back into the living room, trembling and sobbing.
We're herded onto the couch like cattle.
Blood soaks the cushions beneath us, sticky and warm.
The killers stand over us, knives gleaming.
One of them tilts his head, staring directly at me.
"How'd you know we were here?"
My lips tremble. "Fuck you."
The killers let out soft, mirthless laughs.
"Wrong answer," the first killer says.
And before I can even move—
The killer lunges at Ray.
Ray tries to stand up, fists raised. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!"
But the killer slams him back into the couch, plunging the knife into his side.
Ray grunts, eyes wide, blood spraying across his costume.
The killer stabs him again. And again.
I scream, grabbing at the killer's arm.
"STOP IT!"
The killer jerks the blade upward, slicing Ray's throat in a single, savage motion.
Blood bursts across my chest and face.
Ray's eyes go glassy.
He gurgles once, then slumps sideways across the couch, limp and bleeding out onto my lap.
My scream echoes through the house.
The killers barely pause.
They turn on Austin.
Austin raises his hands, shaking his head. "Please, please, don't—"
The second killer grabs his chin, tilting his face upward.
The first killer plunges the knife into Austin's chest.
Blood splashes across Chloe's angel wings.
Austin coughs, red foam bubbling on his lips.
The killers shove him back into the couch, stabbing him over and over.
Austin makes a choked gurgling noise, spasming under the onslaught.
Chloe screams beside me, clawing at the killer's arm.
"STOP IT, STOP IT!"
Austin's head lolls to the side. Blood streams from his mouth. His body goes limp, slumping against the cushions.
The killer wipes the blade on Austin's jersey.
"Wrong answer," he says again, voice cool and almost bored.
I'm sobbing so hard I can barely see.
Ray's blood is still soaking my lap, warm and sticky against my skin.
Chloe is clutching Austin's lifeless arm, shaking him. "Austin, baby, wake up. PLEASE."
Amber is curled into a ball on the far end of the couch, whispering prayers under her breath.
The killers turn toward us.
Their knives glint under the flickering TV light.
And I know—
No matter how many times this resets…
I'm going to keep watching them die.
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Ray's lifeless body is still slumped across my lap, his blood soaking into my skirt.
Austin's corpse is slumped beside Chloe, his football jersey dark red and glistening.
My throat is raw from screaming.
One of the killers wipes blood off his knife on Austin's jersey.
Then he turns his masked face toward me.
"How did you know we were here?"
My lips tremble. My chest heaves.
"I already told you," I rasp. "Fuck you."
Both killers let out soft, humorless laughs.
One tilts his head, voice muffled through the mask. "She's crazy."
The other one steps closer.
Then they look at each other.
"Let's make this fun," one says.
The other nods. "Yeah. We'll give you guys a head start. Run. If we catch you…"
He lifts the knife, blade glinting under the flickering TV.
"We kill you."
Amber lets out a whimper. "Oh my god…"
Chloe sobs, "No… please…"
One of the killers makes a shooing gesture with the knife.
"Go on. RUN."
Tre is the first to bolt. He charges toward the hallway,
"FUCK THIS!" he shouts.
Amber grabs my hand, pulling me up.
"Come on, Aria!"
We stumble toward the front door.
Chloe is right behind us, sobbing hysterically.
Behind us, one of the killers laughs. "TEN… NINE…"
They start counting.
"EIGHT… SEVEN…"
We burst outside into the cold night air.
Tre sprints across the lawn ahead of us, feet pounding the grass.
But the first killer lunges after him, moving fast as a shadow.
I glance and scream.
The killer tackles Tre to the ground, driving the knife into his back over and over.
Tre thrashes, screaming, blood spraying across the grass.
"NO! NO!"
Amber yanks me forward. "Don't look, Aria! DON'T LOOK!"
We sprint across the yard, heading for the cars.
My feet slip on the early morning dew.
I stumble toward Tre's SUV, frantically trying the handle. Locked.
I slam my fists against the window.
"FUCK! The keys! We don't have the keys!"
Chloe grabs my shoulders. "We'll get in my car!"
We race toward her silver kia parked a few houses down.
But it's locked, too.
Chloe claws at her pockets. "My keys… I left my fucking keys inside!"
Suddenly the second killer barrels into Chloe from behind, tackling her to the asphalt.
She screams, clawing at the pavement.
"NO! GET OFF ME!"
The killer straddles her chest, pinning her arms.
Chloe thrashes wildly, shrieking.
"ARIA, HELP ME!" she screams.
I rush forward.
But the killer shoves the knife upward, plunging it under Chloe's jaw and into her brain.
Blood bursts from her mouth in a crimson spray.
Her eyes roll back as her body goes limp beneath him.
"NO!" I scream. "CHLOE!"
Amber yanks me back, both of us sobbing.
We sprint away, slipping between two houses.
My heels slam against the concrete, echoing like gunshots.
We duck behind a row of trash cans, panting, holding each other.
Amber sobs into my shoulder. "Oh my god… oh my god…"
My hands are shaking so hard I can barely hold her.
"We have to stay quiet," I whisper. "Just breathe…"
Amber's phone rings in her bra.
She pulls it out, trying desperately to silence it .
"i notice It's Chloe's number…"
My stomach drops.
"Amber, —"
But it's too late.
Amber manages to silence it eyes wide"
A soft laugh crackles behind us.
"Peekaboo."
Amber screams.
The first killer steps around the trash cans, blood dripping off his knife.
Amber stumbles backward. "NO! PLEASE!"
She tries to run, but the killer grabs her by the hair and wrenches her backward.
I rush at him, screaming.
"LET HER GO!"
The killer slams a fist into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.
I collapse to my knees, gasping.
Amber thrashes in his grip. "Aria! HELP ME!"
The killer wraps his arm around her neck.
Amber claws at his sleeve, choking trying to scream.
The killer leans close to her ear.
"Shhhh."
He jerks her head sharply to the side.
A sickening crack echoes through the night.
Amber's body goes limp.
He lets her drop in a boneless heap onto the ground.
I scream so hard my throat tears.
The killer wipes his knife on his hoodie.
Both killers step toward me, knives gleaming.
I stagger to my feet, trembling.
I yank off my high heels and hold one like a weapon.
"COME ON, MOTHERFUCKERS!" I scream. "COME FUCKING GET ME!"
They laugh softly.
The first killer lunges.
I swing the heel at his face.
The stiletto tip grazes the mask, scratching plastic.
He slashes me across the arm. Pain explodes through my skin.
Blood pours down my arm, warm and sticky.
I swing again, smashing my heel into the second killer's shoulder.
He grunts and slashes my stomach.
I stumble backward, clutching my bleeding gut.
The killers circle me slowly.
The first one laughs. "Look at her fight."
The second one flicks blood off his blade. "She's fun."
They dart in and out, slicing my arms, my sides, drawing thin rivers of blood.
I'm sobbing, staggering, my legs threatening to give out.
"STOP IT!" I scream. "STOP FUCKING WITH ME!"
The first killer tilts his head. "But we're having so much fun."
I swing the heel again, screaming in rage.
But I'm too slow.
The second killer grabs my wrist and twists until something snaps.
Pain explodes through my forearm.
I drop the heel.
The first killer steps in.
He slams the knife into my stomach, twisting it.
A choked scream tears out of me.
He stabs me again. And again.
My blood splashes across the pavement, hot and steaming in the cold air.
I sag in his arms, my vision tunneling.
The second killer leans close, mask brushing my cheek.
"If the day's repeating…" he whispers, voice low and playful, "…next time when we kill you, make it more fun."
They shove me away.
I collapse onto my side in a spreading pool of blood.
My vision blurs into blackness.
My last thought is of Ray's face.
Of Chloe screaming.
Of the way blood smells like rust and pennies.
Then I die.