I never thought a sunny afternoon hike would lead to this. Wen was catching grasshoppers near the cabin when a man appeared—gentle voice, calm eyes. Leonard. He knelt, talked to her like an old friend. Then the others came. Now Eric’s bleeding on the floor, tied up, and these four strangers are telling us the oceans are rising because of us.

They say we have to choose. One of us has to die. Not them. Us. And if we don’t? The world ends. I thought it was a sick joke—until the news came on. Tsunami waves swallowing cities. A flu spreading like fire. Planes falling from the sky.

Redmond’s dead. Adriane’s dead. Sabrina’s gone. Leonard just cut his own throat, and now the sky’s on fire. Eric’s holding me, whispering, 'It has to be me.'

He looks at Wen, asleep in the corner. Then at me. 'You have to do it, Andy. For her.'

The gun’s in my hand. My husband’s on his knees. The world is ending.

Do I pull the trigger?