Darkness didn't return all at once.
It seeped back slowly—like ink spreading through water—until the past dissolved completely and the present rebuilt itself around Karan.
Walls.
Floor.
Cold air.
The room.
---
Karan staggered slightly as his senses adjusted. His head throbbed, a dull, persistent ache sitting right behind his eyes.
"…again," he whispered.
His voice sounded empty.
Because now—
He knew.
This wasn't the first time.
---
He looked around.
The room with the trapdoor was gone.
The mirror was gone.
Atharav was gone.
---
He was standing in the corridor.
Outside his room.
---
Karan froze.
"What…?"
---
His heartbeat quickened.
"I didn't come back here…"
But he was here.
Again.
Like nothing had happened.
Like everything had reset.
---
He turned quickly.
The corridor looked exactly like it had on the first day.
Doors slightly open.
Shadows resting quietly.
Silence.
---
Everything—
Normal.
---
Karan let out a shaky breath.
"No… no, this is the loop."
The word felt heavy now.
Real.
---
He clenched his fists.
"Okay… okay, think."
His thoughts raced.
Fast.
Chaotic.
---
"If this is repeating… then something triggers it."
---
His eyes moved slowly across the corridor.
Searching.
Connecting.
Remembering.
---
"3:17…"
---
The number came out instinctively.
---
The clock.
The whisper.
The warning.
---
"Don't open it at 3:17."
---
Karan's chest tightened.
"That's it."
---
For the first time—
He wasn't just reacting.
He was thinking.
---
"If I don't open it… then maybe it won't happen."
---
Silence.
---
The idea felt fragile.
But it was something.
A possibility.
A way out.
---
Karan nodded slowly.
"Yeah… yeah, that makes sense."
---
He turned and walked back into his room.
Closing the door behind him.
Locking it.
Once.
Twice.
---
This time—
He wasn't waiting in fear.
---
He was waiting with purpose.
---
"I just have to make it past 3:17," he whispered.
---
His eyes moved to the mirror.
Mounted on the wall.
Still.
Silent.
---
For a moment—
He expected it to move.
To react.
To change.
---
But it didn't.
---
Karan exhaled slowly.
"Good."
---
He sat down on the bed.
His body still tense.
But his mind—
Focused.
---
Time passed.
Slowly.
---
The light outside dimmed.
Evening turned into night.
---
Karan didn't move much.
Didn't sleep.
Didn't relax.
---
He just watched.
Waited.
---
His phone screen lit up.
12:08 AM.
---
"Three hours," he muttered.
---
His leg bounced slightly.
Restless.
Anxious.
---
Every small sound made him flinch.
Every shadow felt alive.
---
But nothing happened.
---
1:12 AM.
---
Still nothing.
---
2:03 AM.
---
The silence grew heavier.
Thicker.
---
Karan swallowed hard.
"Almost there…"
---
2:45 AM.
---
His breathing slowed.
Focused.
Controlled.
---
Then—
2:58 AM.
---
The air changed.
---
Karan felt it instantly.
---
Cold.
Sharp.
Wrong.
---
His body tensed.
"Here we go…"
---
3:05 AM.
---
The mirror trembled.
Just slightly.
---
Karan's eyes snapped toward it.
"No…"
---
3:09 AM.
---
A faint sound echoed.
From outside the room.
---
Footsteps.
---
Karan froze.
---
Slow.
Dragging.
Coming closer.
---
His heart started pounding again.
"No… I locked the door…"
---
3:12 AM.
---
The footsteps stopped.
Right outside.
---
Silence.
---
Karan didn't breathe.
Didn't move.
---
Then—
A knock.
---
Thak.
---
His entire body went rigid.
---
Another knock.
---
Thak… thak…
---
Karan shook his head slowly.
"No…"
---
A voice followed.
Soft.
Familiar.
---
«"Karan…"»
---
His chest tightened.
---
Shrishti.
---
"No," he whispered. "No, I'm not opening it…"
---
«"Please…"»
---
The voice sounded weaker now.
---
«"It's dark… I can't—"»
---
Karan covered his ears.
"Stop… stop…"
---
«"You promised…"»
---
His breath hitched.
---
"No, I didn't—"
---
The knocking grew louder.
More urgent.
---
THAK! THAK! THAK!
---
Karan squeezed his eyes shut.
"I'm not opening it!"
---
Silence.
---
Suddenly—
Everything stopped.
---
No knocking.
No voice.
Nothing.
---
Karan opened his eyes slowly.
---
3:16 AM.
---
One minute.
---
"One more minute…" he whispered.
---
His chest rose sharply.
Hope flickering inside him.
---
"Just one more minute…"
---
The room stayed still.
---
The mirror didn't move.
The door didn't shake.
---
Everything felt—
Calm.
---
3:17 AM.
---
Nothing happened.
---
Karan blinked.
"…what?"
---
He waited.
One second.
Two.
Three.
---
Still nothing.
---
A slow breath escaped his lips.
"I did it…"
---
Relief flooded his chest.
Warm.
Overwhelming.
---
"I didn't open it."
---
He laughed softly.
Almost disbelieving.
---
"I broke it… I broke the loop…"
---
His shoulders relaxed for the first time.
His body sinking into the bed.
---
But then—
A thought.
---
Slow.
Cold.
---
If the loop was broken…
---
Why did it feel worse?
---
Karan's smile faded.
---
The air shifted again.
---
Colder than before.
---
His breath became visible.
---
"…no."
---
A sound came from behind him.
---
Not the door.
---
Not outside.
---
Inside the room.
---
Karan turned slowly.
---
Toward the mirror.
---
And froze.
---
Because this time—
It wasn't his reflection.
---
It was Atharav.
---
Standing inside the glass.
Watching him.
---
Smiling.
---
«"You're learning," Atharav said softly.»
---
Karan's breath hitched.
"How are you—"
---
«"But you still don't understand the rule."»
---
Karan's chest tightened.
"What rule?"
---
Atharav tilted his head slightly.
---
«"It's not about opening the door."»
---
Silence.
---
Karan's heart dropped.
---
"…then what is it about?"
---
Atharav's smile widened.
---
And behind him—
In the reflection—
Something moved.
---
A door.
---
Inside the mirror.
---
Slowly opening.
---
«"It's about what comes out."»
---
Karan's breath stopped.
---
Because behind Atharav—
In the reflection—
---
Something was stepping through.
---