Chapter 2

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the hallway as Josie collapsed to the ground.

William, Leon, and I trembled in fear.

Josie had always been very kind to us. She knew that we didn't have much money right after graduating, so she didn't charge us much rent. Not only that, but she would also frequently share the food that she made with us.

My hands were shaking when I picked up my phone. I had a hard time getting my fingers to work, and it took several tries before I managed to dial 911.

"Hello, officer—"

I heard the sound of the door being unlocked before I could finish my sentence.

The deliveryman pushed the door open. He shot a sinister smile at me and asked, "What are you doing?"

Goosebumps erupted all over my body.

Josie suddenly crawled toward the deliveryman and grabbed his leg. Using the last of her waning strength, she shouted, "Run!"

The deliveryman impatiently stabbed Josie a couple more times. He then kicked her corpse aside and stalked toward us while brandishing the machete.

Leon lunged at him, hoping to fight him off, but the deliveryman took him out with a single swing of his machete.

Excruciating pain exploded all across my body as the deliveryman plunged the machete's cold blade into my chest.

I blinked in confusion and found myself in the bathroom again.

Leon rushed out of his room at the same time I ran out of the bathroom.

William's voice was thick with tears when he stammered, "W-We traveled back in time again?"

"This is the second time," Leon mumbled, frowning and looking somber.

"We have to come up with a plan this time. We can't let him kill us again," I said while sinking down on the couch and letting out a deep sigh.

The three of us got lost in our thoughts, trying to find a link between our two deaths.

It was obvious that the deliveryman's target was the person who placed the delivery order. He killed William, Leon, and me because we weren't the people he was looking for. The question was—who was his target?

"He's really skilled," Leon said suddenly. "I graduated from a sports academy, so I work out all the time, but I was no match for him just now. His movements make me think that he's a professional. He's probably gone through extensive training."

Just then, someone rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, that terrifying voice resounded in the apartment once again.

"Excuse me, did someone order delivery?"

I quickly glanced at my watch. There were two minutes left before Josie would show up to collect the rent.

"Call Josie now!"

William immediately dialed Josie's number. "Hi, Josie. Zack, Leon, and I caught a cold. We don't want you to catch it, so can you collect the rent from us another day?"

I also hastily called someone whom I didn't get to during my past life. It didn't take long for the call to connect.

"Jane, did you order delivery for me?"

I could hear Jane Quinton chuckling on the other end of the line. "I wanted to thank you for helping me with my reports today. It was supposed to be a surprise. How did you find out?"

So, Jane was the person that the deliveryman was looking for!

I looked at William and Leon. The three of us breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you know the deliveryman? He seems to be adamant about looking for you."

Jane was momentarily stunned. She sounded a little troubled when she replied, "A deliveryman? I only placed my order a few minutes ago. The app hasn't even assigned a deliveryman to the order yet. Is something going on, Zack?"

I was wrong. The deliveryman wasn't looking for Jane.

Time was of the essence at that moment. I immediately hung up on Jane without explaining the situation to her.

"Oh no!" William suddenly exclaimed. "Josie just sent me a voice message."

Josie's voice echoed from the receiver when William tapped the play button.

"All three of you caught a cold? I bet you haven't had dinner yet. I just made some chicken soup. I'll bring some over for you. I'm already on the fifth floor."

The color drained from our faces. It was too late for us to stop Josie.

The elevator doors slid open with a ding.

Josie's voice resounded through the door then, asking, "Oh, are you here to deliver something?"

"Excuse me, are you the one who ordered delivery?" the deliveryman asked in his familiar, low tone.