The Monster’s Code

I opened my eyes and felt a sharp pain in my arm.

I rolled up my sleeve and saw a line of densely packed words carved into my right arm:

"Some kind of monster has infiltrated this house!

Every time the monster kills me, I get trapped in a loop and lose all my memories.

Each time I die, I make a mark on my hand."

Beneath those words, three crooked tally marks had been carved.