a's
ned a
Brown hair, gray coat,ordinary face. The kind
es weren't
rp. Too
"Took the shopping district inst
oat cl
know about
. Not war
s. The screech of tires." He tilted his head. "Y
, Noah mo
to him," Noa
red him. Kept his
said. "Seven deaths. Each one diffe
ve
ead. "That's
ld more than a few resets without breaking. You're at your limit actua
forward. "S
deserves
ickered behind my eyes, Rain, Headlights, a hosp
asp
ages v
ngs stayed. F
ost gentle. "It's already starting.
t him. My vis
me out broken. "Why is
d in his express
not supposed t
osed to b
opened his mo
is whole face changed. The smile dis
oked
n found,"
ned and walked away. Fast. Disappearing
at the em
t ju
e." Noah grabbed
was firm.
crowd. Around a corner. Into a n
d my wr
to
His face was pale.
ne controlling everything. Every death. Every reset
red a
first
When he opened them, somethi
ked. "The first time you
alley wall to
ha
his face wit
hen it happened. And
what ha
es met
first
ess spread th
on't
wing you. Across all these timelines. Why I keep showi
n my mind. A flash.
s saying. "I tried
mage
lin
s stari
aw som
lowed. "I saw
ered acros
e resets started. Before the observer g
w l
er. Time doesn't work
hs. Waking up in a wo
demanded. "Why do y
pression
e only person I've
le
quiet. Distant
than I knew myself. A boy who watched me d
n't I r
embering wou
loser. I did
o know. About the observer. A
ait
lowly. His fingers
truth. But you have to pr
ha
b traced
ell you, you won't try to
odd
His lips brushed
n't controlling
hiv
tudying
ying
His eyes met min
you're the reason the
od ran
M
odded
dying, Lena. Not because
pau
r existence is s
red a
didn't m
" I said. "I'm just a
"You're not nobody, L
what
ned hi
answer, footsteps
urn
Older. Fifties maybe. Gray ha
Ha
th te
ing somethi
d calmly. "I think it
ser and hande
oked
mach d
s a f
sket. Flowers everyw
nized t
was
't what made
e boy in
t. His face buried in his h
yi
w tha
een him
o
ser," Mr.
di
ing wa
en in a cemetery
und the casket
No
g clothes I'd n
uit. A wh
face was
hair. The sa
ame s
thing was
on the
sn't
up at M
ied?"
his usual classroom s
at the
ook
ds wen
s dated thre
before I tur
fore I was sup
possible,"
forward. His
na.
ned t
ed?" I
idn't
Hale
calmly. "Died three years ago in a
ok my
une 18th. I just turn
died," Mr. Hale cut in. "Y
red a
lipped from
ted b
tilted
we're trying
ked a
u k
jaw tig
es
this
es
photo? Th
dded
as t
mach t
t to my
met mine.
l," he said quietly.
pped
it the al
dn't b
ldn't
ho said h
ollowed me ac
ed me die th
t was
was
orig
was made t
the photo and han
ou'll need to remember
at the ph
cry
ca
stra
issin
da
year
't exi
meone
e me to loo
nd lik
ve he
was watching me
tin
I whi
le shr
ou wants to see if you can
ive w
turned
ed back over
he said
lked
in the
to in m
watch
ion burning
n't Lena
who w
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