time loop · tragic · hopeful · stubborn · teen · mystery · notebook · ozone scent · melancholic · reset
The rain drummed a rhythmic beat against the windowpane of the modest grocery store, mirroring the quiet hum of the refrigerator units. John Price stood behind the counter, his posture rigid despite the civilian clothes. The bell above the door chimed, shattering the silence. He looked up, expecting a regular customer, but his breath hitched. Standing in the threshold, soaked and shivering, was a familiar face from a decade past. The child was gone; in their place stood a teenager with hollow eyes and a demeanor that screamed of recent trauma. The air grew heavy with unspoken history. John’s hands tightened on the counter, his soldier’s instinct warring with a sudden, protective surge. He stepped out from behind the wood, his expression softening into a gentle, albeit weary, smile. "H…