Alano

4:38 a.m.

Why did fate wait so long to bring Paz and me together?

We’re the same age. We grew up in New York. I know for a fact that we were supposed to meet on August 15, 2010, because my

father wanted to apologize for Death-Cast’s error in person like he had other affected families, but Gloria Medina canceled

at the last minute because she didn’t think it was the right time and she never rescheduled. The closest Paz and I have been

around each other before tonight was during his trial. My mother originally didn’t want me to go, but I overheard my father

saying that it was good for Death-Cast’s case to appear as a family. All I wanted to do was help out Paz, who looked so scared

on the stand, just like he was tonight on top of the Hollywood Sign.

The stories you hear about End Days are phenomenal. Deckers fall in love before dying. Extraordinary sacrifices are made so

others can live. The stories that have always moved me the most are the ones where people have spent their lives orbiting

each other, only to finally connect at the end thanks to Death-Cast. It reminds me that for all the harm that’s been caused

by the company, so much beauty was created too.

Tonight was not the end of Paz’s story. It’s the start of a new chapter for him—for us.

I’m proud of Paz for choosing to live and myself for helping him get there. Though if he had called on me to kill him, I would’ve

done it, as unfortunate as it would’ve been.

If people are this terrible to Paz for killing one person, what would they do when they discover I have far more blood on

my hands?

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