Everyone is in a time loop but he’s the only one aware (and also the only one aging).
The bicycle is there to show that he’s been in the loop a long time, enough that he is confident to leave and explore so to speak.
As he goes through puberty, his parents will start panicking at his sight. Eventually, he will most likely be blamed for his own disappearance and each loop will start with his parents finding a grown stranger instead of their 12 year old boy and calling the cops. The time loop becomes his tomb as he dies of old age.
That’s where I was going with it for the most part!
Everyone is in a time loop but he’s the only one aware (and also the only one aging).
The bicycle is there to show that he’s been in the loop a long time, enough that he is confident to leave and explore so to speak.
As he goes through puberty, his parents will start panicking at his sight. Eventually, he will most likely be blamed for his own disappearance and each loop will start with his parents finding a grown stranger instead of their 12 year old boy and calling the cops. The time loop becomes his tomb as he dies of old age.
That’s where I was going with it for the most part!
Not quite the same concept but it reminds me of Jeffty is Five by Harlan Ellison.
Thanks for the explanation! Makes sense!