The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)(81)

Valentino laughs. “You can always come back and leave one in honor of me.”

“Nah, I want to make moments while I have you.”

It’s not the end of the world, since Valentino and I have the pictures, but I want to commemorate the journey we’ve taken since being on this bridge. From our starts to our stops to our new beginnings to bracing our ending. If I had a marker, I could write our names into the steel. Then I spot a wooden bench, there for any tired travelers. I grab my key and get down on my knees and begin carving—V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-O—as he takes a picture of me vandalizing the city. When I’m done with his name, he pulls out Scarlett’s home key and starts scratching mine into the bench. It doesn’t take him as long to finish. It all reads like one word: VALENTINORION

I like how his O flows into mine, as if he’s passing it on along with his heart. I’ll take every letter and kiss and breath from him before it’s time to live without him.

“I know where I want to go for our first date,” Valentino says.

“Where?”

“Times Square.”

“But that’s where—”

“Where I found out I was going to die.”

“And almost did.”

“It’s also where we met. I’d like to go back.”

“You sure it’s about us and not because you want to find your phone?”

“See? You know me well.”

I sigh. I can’t deny a dying guy’s wish. “Let’s go back to where it all started.”





Joaquin Rosa


2:00 p.m.

Joaquin stands in front of the camera, a mic pinned to his collar.

He’s sitting in one of Death-Cast’s privacy booths, intended for heralds who need a moment to themselves once the weight of the job begins crushing them. Joaquin himself is very tempted to scream right now after having read many of the ugly things being said about him and his company online. No, they didn’t have a flawless launch, but all their predictions have been accurate. Unfortunately, some slipped through the cracks because of . . . he can’t get into it. He must compose himself as his broadcast on the Death-Cast website goes live.

“Hello. This is Joaquin Rosa coming to you from the Death-Cast offices with some news. It has been brought to our attention that there was a flaw in our system, and while I can’t disclose what caused this error, I must own that it has happened, and as a result, we not only betrayed the very promises made to our users, but we failed our mission to begin this new age of no longer worrying about unexpected departures. I will be haunted by those losses until the day I die. I offer the deepest apologies and will be reaching out to the affected parties personally in the very near future. If they’ll take my call, that is.”

Some might say Joaquin shouldn’t apologize for something that isn’t his fault. He certainly believes that he’s not fully responsible for everyone in his company as if he’s hovering over everyone’s shoulder and proofing their work. But he can’t divulge any details as to what happened so just like Death-Cast’s successes, he must also be the face of its failures.

“But Death-Cast won’t die today. While we have failed to call some Deckers to alert them that today was their End Day, we are tracking a one hundred percent success rate in the predictions we have made. Unfortunately, those we’ve called have died, or we believe, will be dead by day’s end. We can hope to be wrong there, but ask that you continue to operate as if we aren’t.”

Joaquin takes a deep breath, giving any viewer a chance to let that sink in.

“As for today’s error, I believe the issue has been resolved for all our users, beginning tomorrow. For the next ten hours, I ask you all to remain mindful. Live life to the fullest, but don’t live it as if you’re invincible.”





Valentino


2:02 p.m.

Life moves fast when you stop waiting around for what you want. When you go for it.

To think Orion and I started our trip on the Brooklyn Bridge talking about why love is hard for boys like us to coming out the other side holding hands is as amazing as our first kiss.

Now the only time I’m able to spend in Brooklyn before I die is walking to the Court Street station so Orion and I can return to Manhattan for our first date in Times Square, where we first met.

Am I concerned I’m destined to die in Times Square? Maybe a little. But I don’t want to keep giving power to things that are beyond me. This is a choice I am making. This isn’t part of some higher being’s grand plan.

I’m going back to Times Square, where my life should’ve ended, and I’m going to enjoy my first date with the boy who saved my life.

Maybe after, we can go back to my place for some alone time and safely wait for Scarlett to arrive as the hands on my clock keep moving forward.

We board the R train and the car is packed. I’m pressed against the door with Orion’s back leaning into me, my hands locked around his waist. He rests his head on my shoulder. I’m glad his eyes are closed because he can’t see the passengers stealing glances at us as if we’re doing something wrong. This city can be scary, but I’m not going to show fear. I won’t get a long life of little moments like this one with Orion, and I want to embrace the feeling of someone’s body against mine while I can.