The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)(38)

Even though my apartment is only an eight-minute walk away, I’m nervous as we’re walking down the sidewalk. For all I know, that litter on the ground is concealing manholes that can drop me into the sewers or an actual land mine that will blow me up. The options are endless. I’m tempted to walk on the street instead, but this could become a self-fulfilling prophecy where a car kills me and— “Look alive,” Orion says.

“Look alive?” I ask.

“Look. Alive. You’re walking like a zombie.”

“Still. That’s a pretty heartless thing to say.”

“Is that a knock on my heart?”

“Only because you told someone who’s dying to look alive.”

“You right, you right.”

Orion is quiet, though I really like him best when he’s talking.

“When did everything start with your heart?” I ask.

Orion lets out a whistle. “Oh man. It’s funny because I grew up watching my mom in and out of the hospital. That’s not, like, funny in and of itself, obviously, but I was so stupid that I never even considered that I could inherit heart issues too. Like, not once did that cross my mind.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing. You didn’t spend your time dreading that problem.”

Sort of like how I’m dreading my death.

“For sure, I guess I just wish I had taken it more seriously. Gotten some advice.”

“You were a kid.”

“A kid who swore my mom was going to die because of her heart. Then I got hit with that plot twist of . . . Well, you know the story now.” Orion tucks his hands into his pockets, slouching as he walks. It’s like the weight of the world is literally on his shoulders. “I had my first bad heart attack a couple days after my sixteenth birthday.”

“What caused it?”

“Everything? Sophomore year was not great. I was failing classes left and right, and I was stressed all the time, and I swore I was going to get left back. Then during my earth science final the hypertension was too much and I collapsed.”

“That sounds horrible.”

“It was, but at least the teacher liked me enough to give me a passing grade.”

“You were probably their first student to have a literal heart attack during an exam.”

“Oh yeah, heart attacks are so damn rare for teens, I’m like a unicorn—and not just because I’m gay!”

“You beat me to it.”

Orion is laughing as a couple people up ahead are shouting. One swings a bat into a car, shattering the window and setting off the alarm. Orion’s laugh dies down as the attacker’s comes to life. Then I think I’m about to have a heart attack of my own when I see they’re both wearing skull masks. I grab Orion’s arm, dragging him behind this Jeep that’s parked along the sidewalk. We crouch for cover.

“What the fuck—”

I shush Orion.

For all we know one of those masked men is the same one who tried shooting me.

Is this how destiny works in a world of Death-Cast? Is my death actually written in stone but when it happens is the only thing that changes? Have I been marked to be killed by this man who missed me earlier?

I jump when I hear another window shattered, another alarm going off. Surely this means the police will arrive on the scene soon to help, right?

Orion wraps his arm around my shoulders and holds me close like he’s a bulletproof vest. I don’t even push him away. Maybe he can save my life. If even for a bit longer.

Another shattered window, another alarm, another laugh echoing down the street.

The men in the skull masks are getting closer.

What’s their deal? I’m guessing they must be among those people who have no concerns about committing crimes because they believe Death-Cast is the beginning of the world ending. If the cops could arrive and arrest them before they beat us with that bat, that would be wonderful.

Another window, another alarm, another laugh.

They’re so close. One car away.

Orion looks really scared for someone whose head isn’t on the chopping block, according to Death-Cast. A whimper escapes his lips, and I press my palm to his mouth to silence him. I don’t think either of the men heard Orion, but I’m still terrified. Orion’s hazel eyes are so apologetic. Then the Jeep’s window is smashed in, glass raining down on the other side of the car. Orion’s nails are digging into my arm, and I keep my breath sucked in as if it could be heard above this chorus of alarms.

As the next car is attacked, I lead Orion to the front of the Jeep, where we can’t be seen.

I finally breathe as police sirens can be heard in the distance, approaching us.

“We got to go,” Orion whispers.

I shake my head.

“Yes. What if they think we did it?”

He’s right. Best-case scenario, we’re taken into custody and I lose valuable hours of my End Day. Worst case . . .

I peek around the Jeep to find the attackers fleeing down the street, back toward the hospital. “Let’s go.”

Orion and I get up and run, and all I can think about is how my heart is racing hard like one of my more intense workouts and wondering how Orion’s is holding up. We turn the corner and my boot slams right into the curb and I’m falling forward and Orion sees me and there’s nothing either of us can do to stop gravity.