68 See you next year, dear Santa

Misha watched his sister sleep until visiting hours ended. Then he went back home with his father, while Gabriel went back to his stepmother's villa.

Once in his bedroom, Misha sat on his bed, absently looking at the golden watch while the tragic night replayed in his mind. As he had wished, the denouement had been different, but not the way he wanted; it was far worse than in his previous life.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. In the aftermath of the accident, some elements were still the same. For instance, the police quickly caught the drunk driver, and their heartbreaking story made the headlines, letting everyone know that his mother had died horribly and that his sister was now disabled.

Given the events that had taken place, Misha couldn't help but wonder if it was wrong to try to change his past, wrong enough to make him go through hell a second time. The thought made him sneer. He just wanted to save his mother's and sister's life, not change history. So why was it so hard? Why was fate mocking his efforts so much?

The words Santa Claus had told him before sending him back in time appeared in his mind. Now, they made a bit more sense to Misha. Thinking back on them, weren't they as ominous as they were vicious?

In a whisper, he repeated them: "If, after one year, you want to come back in 2019 and erase the alteration you have caused to the original timeline, then press this button and say that you want to go back in 2019, December 24th, 23:59… Wasn't it?"

With this, Misha was left with the possibility of going back to the first timeline. It would erase what he had done until now, and everything would fall back in the right order.

—His sister wouldn't have to spend her life in a wheelchair, but she would die in a few years, while his mother's fate wouldn't change much, still dead in both timelines. He wouldn't meet Vanessa ahead of time, and she wouldn't get into a car accident.

There was also his father and Gabriel to take into account.

Alexey would become a violent drunkard, and as for Gabriel, Misha didn't know what his past life was like, but it didn't seem to have been an easy one.

It made him grit his teeth. Both timelines were awful, and he wanted none of them.

What should he do then?

Misha squinted his eyes, remembering the sadness looming in Santa Claus' eyes when he wished him a nice trip. That kind of gentle yet pitying gaze was striking, yet Misha had long forgotten it. At least, until now.

Did Santa Claus know what awaited him but nevertheless decide to send him back in time? If so, then he was a very cruel man.

A self-mocking smirk found its way to the boy's lips. Cruel or not, that man was his only glimmer of hope.

Although Misha didn't know how to use the watch, Santa did, and that old man should be visiting his house next Christmas Eve, meaning that he could always ambush him and make him spill the beans.

Misha already went back in time once, so why not a second time? Perhaps, he would lose his mind in the process, but he didn't care. As long as his family was safe, the price Misha had to pay didn't matter. He could even sell his soul to the devil if he had to.

His mind made up, Misha hid the wristwatch and said to himself, his voice low and sinister, "Well, see you next year, dear Santa."

__________________________

Chapter revised on 2022-05-24

Edited by Clozed! ♥

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