Repeat Offender

[u/BensTerribleFate]

.. Two…. One…. There you are.

I’ll wait.

I think you’ve got one more scream in you… Yep, there it is.

Okay, let’s zip through this bit. Yes, I abducted you. And no, I don’t want anything, certainly not the money you don’t have much of. I brought you here to murder you.

No one can hear you, but sure, let it out. This is always my least favorite part.

Aaaand we’re back. I might as well tell you this now… We’re in a time loop. Like relive the same day over and over again time loop. It’s mine. Obviously.

I know what you’re going to say, and I’m not crazy. Well… Okay, I do have you tied to a chair in a barn in the middle of nowhere, so that’s honestly debatable. But the point still stands. You are stuck in my time loop. Every day I capture you, and every day… Well, we’ll get there.

Now, the first few times I figured I’d hit the jackpot. Getting to do this over and over again, the rush, it was insane. Don’t get me wrong, I love the lead-up too. The prep work, the research. The watching you sleep. But there’s nothing like the main event. So we’d do our little dance and I’d clean up and go about the rest of my day.

But it turns out maybe there is too much of a good thing. Doing it got… stale? No, more like routine. And the real kicker? The giant cosmic joke? We all know how this is supposed to go. You get to leave the loop when you learn your lesson. You have to evolve, to be better. But can someone like me really do that? Can I really give this up?

So instead of killing you outright, I started bringing you here. To give me some breathing room, time to think. Oh, you didn’t think this was plan A, did you? No, I used to do it on the trail while you were jogging. Drag you into the picnic area and carve you up there, just like all the others. Yes, I’m *that* guy. But I’ve never been great at silent reflection, so I started talking to you. It’s not like you’re going anywhere yet, right?

So here we are. This is what we do. I talk, and you listen. We’ve actually figured out quite a bit, you and me. You’re a good listener. Until you’re not.

Ouch! Do me a favor, will you? Remind me to bring a folding chair tomorrow. These hay bales just aren’t cutting it. Too rough.

So after we talked yesterday about my dad leaving, I thought about my mom. And I think I might have figured something out. I think the reason I kill joggers might go back to her. I told you how she would beat me something fierce, for the smallest thing wrong. Because she was mad at him. And I just had to take it, you know? I couldn’t go anywhere.

Yes! Exactly. It’s hard to push back at that age, even when we’re being hurt ourselves. We just have to push it down. And the resentment grows, and digs in. And then, I think it makes us lash out at other people. I couldn’t run away from her, so when I see all of you out there, running for fun? It does something to me. It makes me so mad. Why should you get to run free when I couldn’t escape?

Wow, that really feels like a breakthrough. Thank you.

Speaking of escape, you should be just about finished sawing through the rope with that loose nail on the back of the chair. Of course I know about it. No, don’t stop on my account, finish it up. I used to fix it, but I decided I like you amped up for what comes next.

Because what I was saying about things getting stale? Totally true. So ultimately, I decided to do what all good innovators do: pivot.

So I’m going to let you go… with a head start. And here’s the deal. If you manage to make it to a road and flag someone down, I won’t chase you. In fact, I’ll let you go entirely. I’ll find someone else tomorrow. That could be exciting, I think.

Don’t get too excited. Really we’re just going to see if you can get farther than yesterday. Think you’ve got it in you? Ha! I like that spirit.

Now, listen carefully. Please, PLEASE try to remember this. There’s a tree root that sticks up a little bit on the other side of the creek bed. It’s just after you see a deer on your right. Step over it. Say it with me. Creek bed. Deer. Tree root. Good, again. For all that is holy, don’t twist your ankle this time!

And one more tip. Stay out of the cornfield. As much as I’d like to get another round on that harvester, some things are just too far. I won’t do that to you again. Hey, look at that, maybe I am growing. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

Okay, here we go! I’ll count you down. Five…. Four…. Three..

[u/RedDazzlr]

That's fucked up. Nicely done.

[u/fabbunny]

Ooooh I loved that. Love a good time loop.

[u/Anzfun]

a likable psycho - imagine that!

[u/Mysterious-Topic-882]

This is incredible

[u/sirbinlid1]

Did I not just read this yesterday or was it the day before or the day before that

Really good story and wonderful idea