What happened with the old man the day before lined up a little too well with what Astrid had said. Now she stood there with that twisted look on her face, warning us again.

A few people couldn't help but take it seriously.

Still, something about it didn't sit right with me.

Last time, we picked the blue bus, and she said that one would crash. This time, I skipped the blue one entirely and chose the green bus first. Suddenly, the green one was the problem too.

A thought started forming in the back of my mind.

Before I could speak, Melanie shut Astrid down. "Astrid, I already told you yesterday. We don't do this. We're medical professionals. We trust science."

With her speaking up, the tension eased. People started nodding along.

"Yeah, Astrid. You're new, so maybe you don't get it yet. What happened yesterday was rare, but it happens."

"Both of these buses are from reputable companies. Nothing's going to happen. Relax."

Some tried to reason with her.

Others were already getting annoyed.

"Why do you keep saying stuff like this? We're trying to enjoy a day off, and you're killing the mood."

One of the more blunt coworkers didn't hold back, and someone else piled on.

"If you've got time to scare people, maybe spend it studying. Yesterday, you kept trying to step in during surgery and didn't actually help."

Astrid's expression darkened when she saw no one was on her side. She let out a cold laugh.

"Fine! If you all trust Ruth so much, then take her green bus. Live or die, that's on you. I try to warn you, and this is what I get."

That shut everyone up for a second.

Colin stepped in, smoothing things over.

"Alright, everyone, relax. Let's just pick the blue one. If something really is wrong with the green one, why take the risk? We've got a choice, so let's go with the safer option. Call it playing it safe."

He handed them an easy way out, and they took it. One by one, people agreed.

I just looked at him.

He felt it. His eyes flicked away for a second before he forced a smile at me.

With him leading, the rest quickly switched sides.

I crossed my arms. "Go ahead. If none of you want the green one, I'll take it myself. I want to see how I'm supposed to die. I don't buy any of this."

"Ruth, don't do this. I know you're upset about last night, but this isn't the time to dig your heels in." Colin frowned, trying to talk me down.

The others joined in.

"Ruth, just ride with us. No need to risk it."

I didn't budge. "No. I'm taking the green bus tomorrow. That's final."

Astrid's face went cold, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "If you insist, I guess I'll be the one arranging your funeral."

My temples started pounding. I snapped back at her without hesitation.

"You won't be doing anything for me. Did you finish your rounds today? Charts updated? Or are you too busy standing here, wishing something bad happens to me? Get back to work!"

Astrid's expression hardened, and she turned on her heel without another word. By the time our shift ended, the look she gave me was sharp enough to cut.

I brushed it off. I had no interest in getting involved with someone like her.

The next morning, I went straight to the green bus.

A few coworkers stood off to the side, watching me with worried looks.

I waved it off. "I'm good."

The driver leaned out the window. "Ms. Johnson? If everything's set, we'll head out."

He was reaching for the key when I stopped him. "Hold on. When was the last time this bus got a full inspection? We've got a long mountain route today. Let's check it again."

He looked reluctant at first, but I had booked the entire bus.

After a bit of back-and-forth, he gave in and started another inspection. By then, the rest of the department had already left on the blue bus.

A few minutes later, the driver suddenly shouted.

I walked over.

The moment I saw it, anger surged straight up my chest.

At the campsite, the concern about me kept building. Voices overlapped one after another.

"Dr. Brooks, we still can't reach Ruth!"

"Yeah, every call goes straight to voicemail. What if something actually happened to her?"

Melanie frowned, dialing my number again and again. After several failed attempts, she looked at Colin. "Can you get through to Ruth?"

Colin paused, then put on a worried look. "I tried. Nothing. Ruth's just too stubborn. She never listens."

Astrid let out a quiet laugh. "No need to keep calling. Just check your phones. You'll probably see the accident in the news soon enough."

Someone snapped back immediately, irritation clear. "What's wrong with you? Ruth might be strict, but she's always looking out for us! Why are you talking like that?"

Astrid's expression shifted, playing hurt.

Colin stepped in right away, frowning. "That's enough. This isn't all on Astrid. Ruth's got a temper, too. If she had listened to us yesterday, would we even be in this situation?"

On the surface, he sounded calm and reasonable. In truth, he was clearly siding with Astrid, as if they were the ones together.

I watched all of it from a distance, a cold smile tugging at my lips.

"Enough," Melanie cut in sharply. "Right now, we need to reach Ruth. Stop arguing."

That finally shut everyone up.

Astrid still looked certain, her tone steady. "For all you know, your precious Ruth is already dead. What's the point of all this fake concern…"

"Who exactly are you calling dead?" I stepped forward, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"Ruth!"

My sudden appearance sent a wave of relief through the group.

Astrid's eyes widened for a split second. Panic flashed before she forced it down, replacing it with confusion.

"Y-Your death countdown… Why is it gone?"

I met her gaze, my voice calm and edged with mockery. "Yeah. Guess I beat death this time."

As I spoke, I tossed what I was holding onto the ground in front of her. It hit with a sharp clatter.

"Is that…a brake line?"