Jeanne's hands and fingers trembled violently, the pain and the memory of her death.
"N-No... impossible..." Jeanne fell from her chair, her eyes widened, her heart told her to scream but her mind felt numb, making her lips feel heavy.
"Jeanne what's wrong?" Bone was slightly shocked then quickly stood up from her chair and helped Jeanne, helping Jeanne get up.
"What is actually happening... a-am I revived again? or a dream—NO! this feeling and pain is so real!" her mind kept searching for answers but the more she thought, the more her head throbbed.
For a moment Jeanne took a breath and tried to calm herself with Bone's help. After she was slightly calm Jeanne was given a glass of water, then she drank it.
"What happened Jeanne?" Bone asked, her expression worried. Jeanne observed the surroundings, her coworkers glanced at her for a moment but soon returned to their own work.
Jeanne tried to smile. "S-Sorry... I'm just tired... sorry for making you worried Mrs. Bone," Jeanne immediately stood up and sat back on her chair.
Bone sighed. "Don't push yourself too much," Bone returned to her task.
Jeanne nodded slowly, she looked around at the bank queue area. "That wasn't a dream... I revived again. It doesn't make sense, but what is happening... is that some kind of power?" Jeanne's mind kept searching for various answers, occasionally she observed the customers she saw before. It made her even more confused that she revived again or maybe she was just exhausted.
Then Jeanne took her flip phone and checked the time. "10:23..." her fingers were still trembling slightly.
"The same feeling, the same atmosphere... this. I have revived back at the starting point?" Jeanne calmed her irregular breathing. "If that was a dream but the pain felt so real, but if this is real... it doesn't make sense..." those thoughts kept filling her head.
"Maybe this is a power or a miracle? even though it doesn't make sense I can claim that I revived back to the starting point," Jeanne tapped the table softly with her fingers.
After enough consideration and a claim she was quite sure about. Jeanne continued her work even though sometimes she lost focus, the pain in her ears and head still haunted her.
Thump-Thump
Jeanne's heart beat fast, she almost stood up from her chair. Her eyes looked toward the entrance door, a man, none other than the man who killed Jeanne before.
Jeanne's body trembled slightly, she tried to calm herself. "Him!" Jeanne bit her lip. Anger, fear, and confusion mixed together, along with nausea.
"What should I do..." she whispered in her heart, Jeanne lowered her head, slightly unwilling to make eye contact with the murderer sitting in the queue seat. "Report to the police? no... there's no strong evidence... my head hurts..." Jeanne complained while rubbing her temple, trying to remember what happened that night when she died.
"When I was chased by the hooded murderer and met that man at a time not too far apart." Jeanne rubbed her temple, and added. "Most likely, they are two people working together, the hooded man acts as the wolf chasing the sheep and that man acts as the shepherd as well as the hunter, a two-faced shepherd!" Jeanne instantly concluded and formed a deep hypothesis.
"The hooded man is the murderer who only wants to kill, while that man only wants his crazy fetish!" Jeanne nodded slowly while serving customers. Both her hands were still trembling slightly, sometimes she lost focus.
"Most likely that man is a doctor! at that time I smelled alcohol and phenolic, hanging surgical knives and a hospital bed," Jeanne became even more sure of her hypothesis.
After several customers, it was the murderer man's turn, he walked closer. Jeanne's heart beat faster and she became nervous. "Good afternoon, sir. What can we help you with?" Jeanne asked in a professional tone, her legs trembling slightly under the teller desk.
"I want to withdraw money from my savings book," the tone of the blond-haired man who killed Jeanne was still the same. "Now I'm sure! I can revive again from death but time repeats... and dying feels very painful..." Jeanne muttered after being sure of her conclusion.
After repeating several words from her previous death, Jeanne's expression became more nervous. "What's wrong miss?" the blond-haired man asked, noticing Jeanne's nervous attitude.
"Ah..." Jeanne was startled. "No, no..." she answered softly and slightly hurried. "I'm too tense," she tried to regulate her breathing.
The man smiled. And said. "Have you been working here for a long time?" asked the murderer man. Then he continued. "My name is Karl Ryker," Karl introduced himself. Then he glanced at Jeanne's name tag.
"I don't want to know!" Jeanne replied cynically in her heart. Before Jeanne answered, Karl added. "Your name is Jeanne Weels? such a beautiful name.." he praised.
"T-Thank you.." Jeanne slightly lowered her head. then muttered in her heart. "Don't say my name with your mouth, murderer. I died because of you!" Jeanne cursed Karl. Then she smiled. "Y-Yes... I have only worked here for three months," Jeanne answered softly.
Then Karl praised Jeanne's hair like he did in the time before Jeanne's death, Jeanne replied with a similar answer.
"Right, I have to make sure," an idea appeared in Jeanne's mind. Jeanne's lips felt heavy to open, after considering and gathering courage she asked. "Mr Ryker... are you a Doctor?" Karl smiled. "Great... how did you know?" Karl praised.
"Because you showed it yourself," Jeanne didn't forget to grumble in her mind, she smiled. "From your identity card," Jeanne answered with a confused expression. "In the previous time I didn't notice small details like this," Jeanne said in her heart.
Karl cleared his throat and nodded and tried to smile. After thanking her and finishing withdrawing his money Karl left. And she saw the same plot where the second hooded murderer passed by.
Jeanne sighed in relief. "The evidence is strong enough, if they are the same person, the timing doesn't make sense. If they are different… then there is a possibility they work together," she said in her mind. Jeanne then continued her work, she intended to analyze further during break time.
...
Break Time, 1 PM
Jeanne sat in the employee break area, she ate a sandwich while thinking. "I already know the truth but, how should I prove it? if I don't need to interfere, I only need to go home early—no... then another girl will die if I'm selfish..." Jeanne's thoughts were still thinking about various possibilities and hypotheses. She bit her sandwich while her fingers tapped the table.
"What are you thinking about Jeanne?" asked Mira, a coworker sitting beside her.
Jeanne was startled and almost choked.
She shook her head slowly, and answered. "No... I'm just thinking about the latest detective movie" Jeanne lied, and tried to hide her expression.
Mira beside her adjusted her glasses. "That... I know it, I didn't expect you to be thinking about that, usually if I talk about that film series you would change the topic." Mira commented.
Jeanne smiled bitterly and scratched her cheek softly. "Well... i-it's actually a good movie, I underestimated it," Jeanne made an excuse.
Mira shifted her chair slightly closer to Jeanne's chair, her eyes sparkled. She adjusted her glasses and said. "Right!! I have watched that series almost twelve times this month, the main character can make me fall in love, the plot is also amazing, the cruel antagonist full of plans successfully makes the protagonist confused, even though the protagonist is a great detective" Mira explained enthusiastically.
Jeanne could only smile bitterly while eating her sandwich and listening to her coworker. "My stomach hurts a little... sorry Mira I need to go to the toilet for a moment" Jeanne smiled while holding her stomach.
Mira nodded enthusiastically, about to continue her story when Jeanne returned. Jeanne immediately stood up from her chair.
"Sorry Mira I lied.. I didn't watch the series, besides I can't lie to a movie maniac," Jeanne walked toward the women's toilet.
She sat on the toilet and started considering what she should do. Jeanne supported her chin with her hand while thinking. "Ryker that murderer targeted me from the beginning... but he works together with another murderer, if I don't interfere I will still die, because that man is crazy... he will secretly follow me and dig out my eyes while I'm sleeping—no... what are you thinking Jeanne!!" she slapped both her cheeks.
"Should I write a letter and send it to the police station anonymously that at 23:48 at night the serial killer will appear.. will they believe it and think it's just a joke, no... there's nothing wrong with trying!" Jeanne immediately stood up and left the bathroom, then took paper, a pen, paper and an envelope from her locker then returned to the break area.
She began to write, her hands slightly nervous while listening to Mira continuing her admiration for the detective movie and series. Sometimes she glanced at Mira who was focused on talking.
"She is so focused," Jeanne smiled.
"The savage murderer will appear in District 2 at 23:48 at night," Jeanne folded the letter then put it into the envelope.
"I forgot I have to send a letter to my distant relative, wait a moment Mira," Jeanne stood up from her chair, Mira nodded without asking or suspecting anything.
"Luckily the post office is right next to the bank, so it won't look too suspicious..." she muttered softly while walking toward the exit.
...
She walked out of the bank, she glanced at the sky still filled with industrial pollution smoke, Jeanne headed to the post office, a bell sound was heard when Jeanne pushed the door. "I just realized there is a bell on the door," she said softly. Then she walked to the mailbox, put her letter in, and paid the fee to send an express message.
After that she walked away leaving the post office, and returned to the bank and casually entered the employee break room and sat on her chair.
"Done?" Mira asked, while putting the remaining bread into her mouth. Jeanne nodded, then started a topic and said. "Mira what do you think if the protagonist in that detective movie is in the real world and he investigates a serial killer case in District Two," Jeanne asked, she took her black coffee then drank it.
Mira thought for a moment after hearing Jeanne's question. "If he is in the real world maybe he will investigate it, and he can find it in just one night," Mira answered.
Jeanne raised her eyebrows, confused. "How?" Jeanne glanced at Mira curiously.
"Hehe... I don't know for sure, but I'm sure he will reveal the murderer," Mira answered proudly.
Jeanne sighed, she already knew the answer would be like that. Realizing Jeanne's expression, Mira felt slightly embarrassed and covered her face with her teller hat.
"But that is not completely wrong, I think that detective would make a bait, by asking another girl to be the bait" Jeanne explained calmly, while opening the newspaper.
"Isn't that too dangerous?" Mira asked in surprise.
Jeanne lowered her newspaper slightly, her smile reflected on Mira's glasses lens. "Right, but would a murderer who only targets girls be interested in a man? of course not, using bait is the only effective way. That murderer won't come out if his prey is slightly stronger than him, what he wants is a weak girl who can't fight back." Jeanne answered, she glanced at Mira who was thinking.
"But would there even be someone who wants to be the bait?" Mira asked again, her expression became tense and serious.
Jeanne only smiled. "The bait is me... I will try if I can revive again and repeat from the starting point even though this is extreme and dangerous I have already decided, but if it fails. I can only depend on the police response that receives that letter." Jeanne emphasized in her heart, she flipped the newspaper, then showed something in the newspaper to Mira.
"Try to think, in the newspaper news only young girls disappear and are found dead in a horrible condition. That murderer only kills young girls, there are no male victims," Jeanne drank her coffee, Mira's expression became serious and nodded, then Jeanne continued, "So the only way is bait, then who wants to be bait? the answer is the detective's partner. She is a woman, she rarely appears in public news and only the protagonist and his detective partner know her identity." Jeanne explained calmly, while folding the newspaper in her hands.
Mira's eyes sparkled and she couldn't believe Jeanne's answer. "You're right, but you said if the detective is in the real world why is his partner also in the real world?" Mira asked in confusion. Her fingers touched her chin.
Jeanne chuckled. "Yes, that's because 'If'. If I use 'Only' then it's only the detective who is real, not his partner." Jeanne answered calmly, and ate her last sandwich.
Then she added in her heart. "Luckily Anna once told me that detective has a partner... if not, I wouldn't be able to make an analogy like that." Jeanne closed her lunch box.
And continued. "Just like me, I am not recognized by that murderer, yes in his eyes I am just an ordinary bank employee, but I know him because I am the bait who revived again." Jeanne muttered, when thinking about that, Jeanne cold sweat slightly appeared.
...
22:02 at night.
After working all day, Jeanne changed her clothes like the night before the repetition, she said goodbye to Mira and her coworkers.
When walking toward the bus station, her steps stopped. "I forgot something... at that time Karl Ryker opened his hood, his voice became different..." Jeanne crossed her arms, her fingers touched her chin while thinking. "That hooded man's voice was a little hoarse, while Karl Ryker wasn't, why would Karl Ryker do that? did he pretend to be the hooded murderer at the end of my life, then showed his real identity to me? or maybe the previous victims were treated like that?" Jeanne thought, she continued walking while thinking.
"Is that strange? no... a crazy psychopath like Karl Ryker would do that to all his victims he enjoys his victim's shock and fear..." Jeanne's back felt cold and goosebumps appeared when thinking about that. Then she continued. "At that time I didn't see the second murderer, only Ryker... are they partners who are not close?" Jeanne made a rough guess.
When she arrived at the station and waited for the bus to come, Jeanne looked around. "This is almost the same as before." she said softly. She glanced at an old woman, two male students and a man around thirty-two years old.
A few minutes later the bus came, Jeanne entered the bus, then the driver gave the same information, Jeanne sat in the same seat, observing the bus that started moving.
After almost half an hour, she took her phone from her coat pocket, and saw Anna's message, unconsciously Jeanne shed tears. "I thought I wouldn't be able to see this message again..." Jeanne wiped her tears, she leaned forward and bowed her head while crying and replied to her best friend.
Her tears fell on the screen of her flip phone. Her fingers started pressing the keyboard.
[[Anna: Jeanne will you be coming home late again?]] 20:19 P.M
[[Jeanne: Yes.. today was quite heavy.. sorry I replied late..]] 22:56 P.M
[[Anna: What happened Jeanne? it's so rare to see you complain? did something happen??]] 22:58 P.M, Anna asked in the message while sending a cat sticker with a question mark.
[[Jeanne: It's okay... I'm just a little tired,]] 22:59 P.M
Jeanne sent the message like before, a few minutes passed until the bus stopped at the border station of District Two.
Jeanne got off the bus, she stayed still for a moment, observing the quite quiet street. Slowly Jeanne took a breath and exhaled.
"I have to do it, r-right?" Jeanne asked softly, to herself, her hands trembled while closing her eyes, then Jeanne slowly started walking.