Let's Get The Game Started 😎

Cynthia

I woke up gasping.

My arm was not burned.

There was no yellow rain. No hissing. No smell of rotten eggs.

I was in my bedroom. In my big soft bed. In Miles Estate.

And something wet was licking my face.

Biscuit.

My golden retriever was alive. His golden fur was clean. No burns. No smoke. He was whining and licking my cheeks like he knew I had a nightmare and he was trying to comfort me.

"Biscuit!" I grabbed him and hugged him so tight he yelped. Tears poured out of my eyes. "You're alive! You're alive and you're safe!"

Last time I saw him, his back was smoking. He was howling in acid rain and I couldn't save him or save myself.

Now he was here. Warm and alive.

"Miss Cynthia? Are you okay? I heard you scream."

It was Agatha. She ran into my room wearing her kitchen apron. Her face was perfect. No blisters. No burns. She was alive and well.

I stared at her. In the old timeline, she died in my arms in the guard room. Her last words were _make them pay_ and I had damn well swore that they were going to pay.

"Agatha!" I jumped out of bed and hugged her so hard she almost fell. I couldn't stop crying. "You're alive! You're really alive and there's…no burn on you!”

Agatha hugged me back, confused.

"Of course I'm alive, my baby. Did you have a bad dream? You are sweating. Your birthday party is close. Remember? You're turning twenty-five, don't let any nightmare get to you, dear child."

My birthday.

I looked at the calendar on my wall.

September 12th.

Three days before the acid rain.

Three days before I die.

Everything rewinds. Time rewinds. I am back. I am reborn three days before the end.

I let go of Agatha and looked at my hands. My wrists. No red marks where Robb twisted them. My body was still ninety-five kilos. I was still in my dark green A-line dress that I wanted to wear. Not the pink dress Shae forced on me.

Wait. The pink dress was yet to arrive with Shae. She would bring it and she would expect me to wear it, and then I would get humiliated at my own birthday party.

I chuckled bitterly.

“No way in hell, bastards,” I muttered under my breath.

The party didn't happen yet. Or it happened and now it's happening again.

Biscuit barked and I saw my phone blinking on my bedside table.

One new message.

I picked it up. My hands were shaking.

Unknown number: _I I just need you to know that if you ever need anything, I'm here to help. I'm here to serve you, Cynthia. D.M._

D.M. Daniel MacPherson.

In the old timeline, his black SUV was parked across the street while I burned. He was watching through binoculars but he was too far to save me.

This time he messaged before the party even started.

I didn't know what to reply yet. I wasn't sure I wanted to send him a D.M.

Then my head exploded with pain.

"AHH!"

I fell to my knees, holding my head. It felt like someone poured ice and fire into my brain at the same time.

A cold, robotic female voice spoke inside my head. Not outside. INSIDE.

[HOST DETECTED: CYNTHIA MILES. DEATH CONFIRMED IN TIMELINE 1.]

[REBIRTH SUCCESSFUL. BINDING HOARD SYSTEM... 100%]

[WELCOME TO THE END OF THE WORLD, CYNTHIA.]

I gasped. "Who... who is that? Who is talking in my head?"

Agatha looked scared. "Baby, who are you talking to?"

"Not you, Agatha! In my head!"

The voice continued, cold and clear.

[I AM THE HOARD SYSTEM. YOU DIED ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2:03 PM, FROM ACID RAIN EXPOSURE, pH 1.0.]

[YOUR HATRED SCORE: 999/1000. YOUR REGRET SCORE: 999/1000. YOU ARE QUALIFIED.]

[MISSION: SURVIVE THE ACID APOCALYPSE. HOARD SUPPLIES. BUILD A TEAM. TAKE REVENGE.]

[YOU HAVE 72 HOURS BEFORE FIRST ACID RAIN.]

[YOUR FATHER'S VAULT UNDER WEST WING: 80% STOCKED. AIR FILTERS CAN BLOCK pH 1.0 FOR 2 YEARS. BUT YOU NEED MORE.]

[YOU HAVE A GIFT FROM YOUR MOTHER: CHEMISTRY KNOWLEDGE. YOU CAN MAKE ANTIDOTE.]

[SYSTEM STORE UNLOCKED. YOU HAVE 100 NEWBIE POINTS.]

Then, in front of my eyes, a blue transparent screen appeared. Like a video game. Only I could see it.

HOST: CYNTHIA MILES

AGE: 25

WEIGHT: 95 KG

SKILL: CHEMISTRY LVL 7 (FROM MOTHER)

SPACE: 0 / 1000 CUBIC METERS (EMPTY)

POINTS: 100

TEAM: 0/7

And a list:

- 1 Bottle Antidote Base - 10 points

- 1 Ton Stainless Steel Water Tank - 20 points

- Infinite Space Ring (Storage) - 50 points - RECOMMENDED

- Vault Upgrade - Air Filter LVL 2 - 100 points

I understood instantly. My father taught me. My mother taught me. And now this system is my second chance.

In the old timeline, I was stupid. I trusted Robb. I signed papers without reading. I let Shae pick my dress. I didn't call Daniel.

This time, I will not be stupid.

"Agatha," I said, standing up. My tears stopped. My voice was calm now. "Listen to me very carefully. In three days, on September 15th, yellow rain will fall. It will burn skin. It will melt the grass. It will kill everyone outside. My mother was right. Genesis Biotech made it. Dr. Croft Kennedy made it."

Agatha stared at me like I was crazy. "Yellow rain? Baby, what—"

"I know it sounds crazy," I said, grabbing her hands. "But you have to trust me. I died once. I saw you die. I saw Biscuit die. This time I will save you. We need to get into dad's vault. Today."

Agatha's eyes filled with tears. "You... you had the same dream as your mother. She said yellow rain too before she died."

She believed me. She always believes me.

"Good. Now, I need you to do three things for me," I said fast, my brain working like never before. Chemistry, survival, revenge — all at once.

"One, call Chloe Hart. Tell her to come now. Tell her to bring her truck. She is the only friend I trust."

"Two, pack all the food from the kitchen. All canned food, all water, all medicine. Don't leave anything."

"Three, don't let Robb or Evelyn or Shae into this house today. No matter what. If they come for the party, lock the gate. When Robb comes back from his fake meetings, let him stand outside.”

Agatha nodded, scared but nodding.

Biscuit barked.

I looked at my phone again. Daniel's message.

I typed back with shaking fingers:

_Daniel, it's Cynthia Miles. I need you. Come to the estate now. Bring your guns. And I need the second code to my father's vault. I know you have it. - Cynthia_

I sent it.

Then I looked at the blue system screen again.

[NEW TASK: FIRST HOARD - 24 HOURS]

[GO TO GENESIS BIOTECH WAREHOUSE. THEY HAVE 10 TONS OF NEUTRALIZER BASE THAT CAN MAKE ANTIDOTE. STEAL IT BEFORE THEY LOCK IT.]

[REWARD: 500 POINTS + TEAM MEMBER CLUE]

[WARNING: ROBB KENNEDY AND SHAE COLLINS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO YOUR ESTATE NOW FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY. THEY PLAN TO MAKE YOU SIGN THE PAPERS TODAY, NOT ON THE 15TH.]

What?

Today? They are coming today?

I ran to the window and looked down the long driveway.

A black Mercedes was speeding toward my gate. Too fast.

It was Robb's car.

And behind it, a smaller red car. Shae's car.

They were early. Three days early.

And in my head, the system voice turned red and loud.

[WARNING: HOST, THEY ARE HERE TO STEAL YOUR HOUSE BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS. WHAT WILL YOU DO?]