No one slept that night.
Carmen's blood still stained the porch, a rust-colored shadow they hadn't had the strength to scrub away. It soaked into their thoughts. Every whisper, every movement now felt like something else was watching.
Jonas sat at the far end of the living room, gripping a baseball bat like it could stop Death. He hadn't spoken in over an hour.
Zeke paced near the kitchen, muttering to himself. Imani stared at her reflection in the dark window. Maya hugged her knees on the couch.
Eva stood in the hallway, gripping her notebook like it was gospel.
Rafi — Drowned
Maya — Skipped
Carmen — Impaled
Jonas — Next
Zeke —
Imani —
Eva — Last
She was tired. So tired. But her mind kept spinning.
"Maybe," Zeke said suddenly, "maybe we're doing this wrong."
Everyone looked up.
"Maybe someone caused this."
Jonas narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Zeke's voice rose. "The vision. Eva's vision. The moment she screamed, everything changed. We left the pier because of her."
Eva blinked. "You think I caused the collapse?"
"No. I think you saw it because you're part of it." Zeke's eyes burned now. "What if this isn't Death? What if it's you? What if you're the trigger?"
"That's crazy," Imani said sharply.
"Is it? We're dying in her order."
"That's not her fault!" Maya snapped. "She warned us!"
Jonas stood slowly. "But what if Zeke's right? If we're just following her script—"
Eva held up the notebook. "You think I want this?"
"No," Zeke said. "But that doesn't mean it's not happening because of you."
Silence.
Tension cracked the room like a floor under too much weight.
Eva's voice was cold. "Then leave."
"What?"
"If you think I'm the cause—go. But when Death comes for you, don't run back to me."
Zeke stared for a long moment.
Then turned, grabbed his jacket, and walked out into the storm.
2:13 AM
The house was quiet now, but it didn't feel safe.
Maya made tea with trembling hands. Imani sat next to Jonas, trying to keep him grounded.
Eva locked her notebook away.
She felt eyes on her everywhere.
They weren't alone.
Something had changed.
It wasn't just Death anymore.
It was doubt.
It was paranoia.
It was fear wearing a friend's face.
Outside – Meanwhile
Zeke lit a cigarette under the overhang of an old bus stop. His jacket soaked through. Rain pounded the road.
He checked his phone. No messages.
He stared at the puddles forming in the cracked concrete, watching distorted reflections of passing cars—
Until a third reflection appeared behind him.
He turned.
No one.
He stepped into the street.
Suddenly—brakes screeched.
A truck swerved to avoid him, slamming into a telephone pole.
Zeke froze.
That… should've been me.
But it wasn't.
He took a breath, backing away—
And then heard a low whine.
The downed powerline above sparked, hissing in the rain.
Before he could run—
SNAP.
A coil of live wire whipped down—
And wrapped around his neck.
Zeke's scream never came.
Just a flash of light.
And silence.
Back at the House
Eva's phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number again:
"You can't run from pattern."
"You can only delay."
"Zeke. Gone."
Her breath caught.
She turned to the others.
"Zeke's dead."
Jonas stood up like a ghost.
Maya wept.
And Imani finally asked what none of them wanted to say:
"What if this ends only when we're all gone?"
Eva said nothing.
She just looked at her notebook.
And at Jonas.
Because he was still next.
End of Chapter Five