The air felt heavier than before.
Not because of them.
But because of the choice.
Aarav stood still.
Between two versions of truth.
Meera.
And… himself.
"…One of us stays," Aarav repeated quietly.
The words didn't feel real.
But the weight of them did.
"…You don't have to decide now," Meera said quickly.
Her voice—
For the first time—
Carried fear.
The thing smiled faintly.
"…He does."
Aarav's eyes shifted to it.
"…Why?"
"…Because the longer you exist like this," it said calmly,
"…the more unstable everything becomes."
As if responding—
The world flickered.
Just slightly.
Like a glitch in reality.
A streetlight above them blinked.
Then stayed dim.
"…You see?" it continued.
"…You're not just choosing for yourself."
A pause.
"…You're choosing for everything."
Aarav clenched his fists.
"…So either I disappear…"
He looked at it.
"…or I become you."
"…No," it said softly.
"…You become complete."
Silence.
Aarav laughed quietly.
"…That's just a nicer way of saying it."
Meera stepped closer.
"…Don't listen to it."
Aarav looked at her.
"…Why not?"
That question—
Hit harder than expected.
Meera froze.
"…Because that's not you," she said.
"…And you are?" Aarav asked.
Silence.
A flicker passed through her expression.
"…What does that mean?" she asked carefully.
Aarav stepped closer.
"…If I've been through this before…"
"…Then where were you?"
The air shifted.
The thing behind him—
Smiled.
"…Careful," it said quietly.
"…You're getting close."
Meera's jaw tightened.
"…Aarav, this isn't the time—"
"…Answer me," he said.
His voice—
Different now.
Sharper.
Controlled.
"…How many times have you done this?"
Silence.
"…Meera."
She looked at him.
And this time—
She didn't look away.
"…More than you," she said.
Aarav's heart skipped.
"…So you remember everything?"
A pause.
"…Most of it."
"…And you didn't tell me."
"…You wouldn't have believed me."
"That's not your decision," Aarav snapped.
The world flickered again.
Stronger this time.
A crack formed in the air beside them.
Like glass under pressure.
"…It's happening faster," the thing said calmly.
"…He's destabilizing."
Meera turned sharply.
"…Then stop pushing him!"
"I'm not pushing," it replied.
"…I'm revealing."
Aarav stepped back.
"…What are you hiding from me?" he asked Meera.
She hesitated.
And that was enough.
"…You knew," Aarav said slowly.
"…About me."
"…From the start."
Meera's silence confirmed it.
"…Why?" he whispered.
Her voice dropped.
"…Because you're the only one who ever gets this far."
The words hit harder than anything else.
"…What?"
"You're different," she said.
"…Every loop…"
"…You resist longer."
"…You notice more."
"…You break the pattern."
Aarav's mind raced.
"…So I'm just an experiment to you?"
"No," she said quickly.
"…You're a chance."
"…For what?"
Meera looked at him—
Deep.
"…To end it."
Silence.
The world around them trembled again.
More cracks.
More distortion.
"…End what?" Aarav asked.
She didn't answer immediately.
Because the thing behind him did.
"…The system."
Aarav turned.
"…System?"
The thing nodded slightly.
"…This loop."
"…These rules."
"…All of it."
A pause.
"…You created it."
Everything stopped.
"…No," Aarav said instantly.
"…Yes," it replied calmly.
"…You were the first to see us."
"…The first to understand."
"…And the first to try to control it."
Aarav's chest tightened.
"…That's not possible."
"…Then why do the rules listen to you?" it asked.
Silence.
"…Why do they change when you change?"
Aarav couldn't answer.
Because—
It made sense.
Too much sense.
"…You built the loop," it continued.
"…To trap us."
"…And yourself."
Aarav staggered back.
"…Why would I do that?"
The thing smiled faintly.
"…Because you were afraid."
A pause.
"…Of becoming us."
Silence.
"…So you created rules…"
"…to delay it."
"…to fight it."
"…to win."
A long pause.
"…But you never did."
The world cracked louder this time.
Reality tearing at the edges.
Meera grabbed Aarav's arm.
"…Listen to me."
He looked at her.
"…You can end this," she said.
"…But not by becoming them."
The thing tilted its head.
"…And how would you know?"
Meera's expression hardened.
"…Because I've seen what happens when he tries."
Aarav's heart stopped.
"…What?"
She hesitated.
Then—
"…You chose it once."
Silence.
"…You became one of them."
Everything went quiet.
"…And?" Aarav whispered.
Meera's voice broke—
For the first time.
"…You destroyed everything."
🔥 END OF CHAPTER 11