Elias felt a cold prickle on his neck. He leaned closer. He had never been to India. He didn't know anyone named Soumya. Yet, as the video played, he saw a reflection in a window behind her. It was him.
: A 42-second MP4 that deletes itself after one viewing. soumya.mp4
The video jumped. Now they were in a garden. The light was golden, that specific honey-hue of a dying summer. Soumya was laughing, tossing a handful of marigold petals into the air. The audio was distorted, turning her laughter into a melodic, metallic chime. Elias felt a cold prickle on his neck
"You're late," she said. The audio was crystal clear. "The door is closing, Elias. Find the bridge." The player crashed. The file vanished from the folder. He didn't know anyone named Soumya
with themes of parallel universes or time loops. Write a longer version focusing on his journey to find her.