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And saving Levi’s life.
Jasper’s blood poured into the channels, and the hatch opened wider still.
Four feet between the walls now.
“Let’s go,”Asher said, grabbing Levi’s arm with blood-slicked hands. His fingerswerewarm and sticky against Levi’s skin, and the contact sent an unwanted shiver through him.
Levi couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think. His mind felt broken, split between horror at the murders and something darker—gratitude, maybe, or worse.
He killed them for me. To save me.
The wallswerethree feet apart and still closing as Asher pulled him toward the hatch thathadbeen purchased with his friends’ lives.
I should resist. I should fight him. I should—
But he followed.
God help him, he followed.
32
Quick Time Event
Thehatchledtoa ladder that descended into what looked like another storage room, but this one was different. Well-lit with steady fluorescents instead of flickering lights. Shelves lined with supplies—water, energy bars, basic medical equipment.
Another safe room. Maybe theywerecloser to the atrium than they realized. Maybe therewasstill hope.
But as soon as his feet hit the floor, the reality of whathappened crashed over him like a physical weight.
Levi sank down right where he stood, his back against a wall, and just stared.
Blood. Therewasblood everywhere. On his clothes, his hands, his face where it splashed when Asher—when Tyler and Jasper—
They’re dead.The three people whohadbeen working with him, joking with him, trying to figure out the map together. Gone. Brutally murdered while he watched.
And I followed him down here like a fucking lamb.
The tears came without warning, harsh sobs that shook his shoulders as he buried his face in his bloodstained hands. At least when the othershadbeen there, it felt like there was an inkling of hope.They cameupwith the map idea, worked together, and made him feel less alone. Now theyweregone, and he didn’t even know if dying again would bring them back.
What if this time they stay dead?
The thought terrified him almost as much as the possibility of endless loops. Either way, hewastrapped—doomed to watch people suffer, or doomed to be alone with Asher forever.
“I miss home,”he said aloud, the words coming out broken and desperate.“I miss my t-tiny apartment. I miss the rude customers at the coffee shop who complained about m-my foam art. I miss my stupid 178 subscribers who actually gave a shit about my streams. I miss Ethan. God, I miss my brother s-so much.”
Warm hands settled on his shoulders, firm but careful. Asherhadsatdown beside him, close enough to offer solace but not crowding. He didn’t say anything for a moment, just let his thumbs rub small circles against the tension in Levi’s shoulders.
“Tell me about Ethan,”Asher said.“Your brother.”
“He’s dead,”Levi said bluntly, his voice cracking.“He killed himself and I’m the one who f-f-found him.”
Asher’s hands stilled for a moment, then resumed their careful motion.“I’m sorry. That must have been devastating.”
Therewassomething in his voice, authentic sympathy, maybe, or at least what sounded like it. No platitudes about how Ethanwas“in a better place”or how “everything happens for a reason.”Just acknowledgment of the loss.
“Hewasthe only family Ihadleft,”Levi sobbed, the words spilling out now that they started.“The only person who really knew me. And I miss him so f-fucking much it feels like dying.”
Asher’s touch grew more tender, one hand moving to card through Levi’s hair with careful attention. Theywereboth still covered inblood, but the comfort felt real, and he wanted the comfort, even if just for a few minutes.
