On our Christmas break road trip, my cousin Felix Lloyd spotted some high-powered speakers at a highway rest stop. He had to have them—said he wanted to "blast it."

"It's Christmas. We finally get to see everyone! We need some vibe!"

My wife, Lana Ramsey, smiled and helped him pay. "Young people have energy. They know how to enjoy life."

I yanked the power cord out. "Those aren't for regular cars. This is an EV. Overload it, and the whole system fries. Then what—just stuck in the middle of nowhere?"

Lana's parents, Vincent and Donelia, booed me, calling me a buzzkill.

Felix cranked the volume all the way up. Lana glared at me. "Say one more word and get out. I'll drive."

Later, the speakers fried the battery system. We were stranded in total darkness on a rough mountain road.

They finished the last of the food, then shoved me out to "go find help." I slipped, rolled down the slope, and died.

When I opened my eyes, I was back—right when Felix jammed the speaker plug into the charging port.

I grabbed a few more subwoofers and handed them over. "One isn't enough. Add more. That's how you really crank it."

The second Felix saw the subwoofers in my hands, his eyes lit up.

"Well, well, Landon. Looks like you finally get it!"

Lana glanced over and smirked. "What's this? You've changed? No more nagging?"

I forced a smile and said nothing.

Vincent leaned in. When he saw the stack of speakers, he perked up. "Felix knows what he's doing. Maybe we can feel young again."

Donelia patted Felix's shoulder, then shot me a glare. "Seriously, look at you—so boring. Zero fun. Same last name, and you're still nowhere near Felix."

I acted like I didn't hear and helped Felix sort the wires.

At the same time, I picked out the cheapest extension cords—no fuses—and hooked them up, one by one.

Once the last wire hit the charging port, everyone piled back into the car.

This time, Lana skipped the front seat. She slid into the second row next to Felix.

I didn't react. I hit the gas.

Simple goal—make the car break down fast. Before the mountain road, it was all open highway. Whether I had to go for help or wait it out, it'd be safer.

I still got in the car with them because I had questions.

Last time, after I died, my consciousness just... drifted. I saw Lana show up with the rescue team to collect my body.

She looked wrecked—but I heard her whisper to Felix, "Thank God."

Right up until I faded out, I never understood why.

This time, I would.

"Alright, everyone—let's crank it!"

Felix shouted, and harsh DJ music exploded through the car.

Vincent and Donelia got excited instantly.

In the back, they bobbed to the beat, arms in the air, slapping their thighs, yelling along.

Lana went even harder.

She squeezed in next to Felix, swaying with the bass, hair whipping across her face.

I glanced at them in the rearview mirror.

Her chest kept brushing Felix's arm.

He leaned in on purpose.

My heart dropped.

Scenes from last time slammed back.

Back then, I did everything to stop them from buying the speakers.

Lana paid without a second thought.

And the way Felix looked at me after—straight-up smug.

But I was too focused on avoiding danger to think about it.

Now it hit me.

The cousin I'd raised... and the woman I'd loved for five years—were they together?

***

The car tore down the highway.

Music slammed so loud the windows rattled.

They kept yelling, laughing, acting like idiots.

My grip tightened on the wheel, knuckles going white.

After who even knows how long, Felix killed the music and dropped back. "I'm done. I'm wiped."

Vincent and Donelia crashed too, slumped in their seats, breathing hard, faces finally losing that stupid flush.

Silence.

No music now.

And just like that, the cold started creeping in.

Lana shivered, then punched me from the back. "Landon Lloyd, you dead or what? You don't know how to turn on the heat? Trying to freeze us?"

I gave a faint smile and tapped the heat button in front of her.

The screen flickered—then died.

"It won't start. Deal with it."

They lost it.

Donelia snapped first. "Landon, you did this on purpose!"

Felix jumped in, dripping sarcasm. "You agreed to buy the speakers. Now you're getting payback? That's petty."

Lana didn't bother playing nice. She grabbed my jacket. "Give me your coat! I'm pregnant, remember? You don't care about me at all! Why did I ever marry someone this cold?"

I locked my grip on the collar and didn't budge.

"Whoever caused this can deal with it," I said, eyes on the road. "I'm driving. It's slick. I'm not taking it off."

That set them off.

Vincent and Donelia started yelling, slapping the seats, calling me heartless, ungrateful—same old garbage.

Lana snapped. She clawed at my coat, nails dragging bloody lines down my neck.

"Take it off! If anything happens to my baby, you'll regret it!"

She yanked.

The wheel jerked.

The car swerved hard, tires screeching, almost kissing the guardrail.

I wrestled it straight and slammed the brakes.

"Enough!"

Lana kept yanking at me.

Fine.

I ripped off the jacket and tossed it back.

Cold air punched through my sweater, straight to the bone.

Good.

It cleared my head.

I started the car again.

Lana wrapped up in my jacket, finally satisfied, and left me alone.

They busted out snacks and drinks, laughing, talking, eating like it was a party.

Not one of them said a word to me.

Like I was just the driver.

My heart sank.

So that's what all those years meant—nothing.

I freed a hand, pulled out my phone, and shot off a message.

All four phones buzzed at once—same unknown number.

They glanced down.

Then swore and deleted it.

"What the hell. So much spam."

I smirked.

The car rolled on.

The sky darkened.

The wind picked up.

They got colder.

In the back, Vincent and Donelia shivered, sneezing nonstop.

I was freezing too.

My body locked up. My hands on the wheel went numb.

At this rate, I'd freeze before the car even died.

I glanced at the bag on the passenger seat.

Reached for it, about to grab some bread for warmth.

We left that morning. Not a drop of water all day. I'd been driving the whole time. I was drained.

Then Lana yanked the bag away.

"Don't touch it." She shot me a look. "You let us freeze like this. You don't get to eat. Drive. Find a rest stop."

Vincent and Donelia jumped in.

"Our daughter got cursed marrying a loser like you. You still wanna eat? Fix this first."

***

"Wanna warm up? Easy." I stayed calm. "Turn the speakers back on. Move a little. You'll heat up."

Felix brightened right up.

He hit the power again.

The DJ music blasted back—rough, weaker, laced with static.

No one cared. They started moving again.

We were getting close to the mountain road.

My chest tightened. My palms got slick.

Night dropped fast.

Snow started falling.

Then—

A sharp crackle.

The music died.

Every light on the dash blinked out.

The car jerked—then stopped cold.

Total darkness swallowed the cabin.

"Ah!"

Lana, Vincent, and Donelia screamed.

Then—silence.

Lana snapped first. She kicked my seat. "Landon! What now? Do something!"

I rubbed my frozen fingers. "What else? Call roadside."

Last time, Lana made the call.

Not this time.

All their phones were dead.

That "spam" text?

Not spam.

I had Tech Ops slip in a Trojan.

Drained their batteries fast.

Now I was the only one who could get them out of this.

This time, they weren't kicking me out of the car.

I pulled out my phone, lit up the screen.

In the dim glow, something flashed in the rearview.

Lana and Felix—quick glance.

My heart skipped.

Next second, Lana snatched my phone.

"I'll call!"

She dialed, said a few words, hung up.

"Roadside says the roads are iced over. Two hours," she said.

I reached for my phone.

She shoved it under her, then winced.

"Oh... my stomach. Landon, it hurts. Go check if anyone's nearby. If we wait two hours, the baby and I will freeze..."

Same exact lines.

Last time, I bought it—pregnant, freezing, in pain. Didn't think twice. I got out.

A hundred yards later, I slipped on the ice and went off the cliff.

So this time, I didn't move.

"I'm not going. If anyone's going, Felix should. He's young. I haven't eaten or had water all day. I'm freezing. I can't walk."

Lana froze—then broke into tears. "I'm carrying your child! You're this cold? You want us to freeze to death?"

Vincent and Donelia jumped out, rushed the driver's side, grabbing at me.

"Get out!" Vincent roared. "Lana's pregnant with your kid, and this is how you act? What's wrong with you?"