In this life , too , he hated me for no reason , I looked up , and in one swift movement , the metal skewer was in his neck . I pulled it out and stabbed again . Caleb staggered back , clutching his throat . The laughing students screamed and fled . He opened his mouth , trying to speak , but only a gurgling sound and a stream of blood came out . Chapter 2 09.57 I walked slowly toward him . " See you in a minute , Caleb . " The world dissolved . I was in the driver's seat of a car . Caleb and one of his friends were standing by the passenger door , waiting . The second life . His friend had been drunk driving and hit someone . He killed them . They wanted me to take the fall . In that life , I did . I spent ten years in prison . When I got out , the victim's family found me and beat me to death in an alley . Caleb and his friend never faced any consequences . I lost everything . Now , I saw Caleb standing directly in front of my car , gesturing impatiently for me to get out . My phone rang . It was him . " Hello ? " " Ava , what the hell are you waiting for ? Get out of the car ! The cops will be here any second . You get in the driver's seat of that car , you tell them you did it ... " hung up . He stared at the phone , his face contorting with rage , and started walking toward me . I looked at him through the windshield , my expression a blank slate . " Time to die , Caleb . " I shifted into drive , released the brake , and stomped on the accelerator . The car surged forward , pinning him against the wrecked vehicle in front of us CRUNCH . I shifted into reverse , then back into drive . The car slammed into him again . He looked at me through the spiderwebbed glass , his eyes wide with a dawning , horrified understanding . In the distance , I heard sirens . I kept hitting him . Again and again . For three solid minutes . By the time I was done , Caleb was a broken heap on the asphalt , his blood and brains painting the street . 10 The world twisted again , space and time folding in on themselves . I was standing on a mountain peak , looking out at a brilliant blue sky . For a moment , I felt a sense of peace . This was the first time I came to this world . The very first life . The sterile , synthesized voice crackled in my head . Bzzzt ! You have to stop killing him ! Don't you want to go home? It was getting desperate . So , it did have emotions . It just watched , silent , as I was tortured and murdered over and over again . Cal- eb dies , and suddenly you find your voice ? I was tormented for nine lifetimes and you didn't make a peep . You deserve to die , too . Across the clearing , Caleb was joking with his friends . We hadn't even met yet in this timeline , but it didn't stop him from being a predator . He whistled loudly in my direction . " Hey , gorgeous ! All alone up here ? Come hang out with us ! " " Yeah , it's dangerous out here . Come on over , let us protect you ! " His friends roared with laughter . " Dude , I think you're the danger here ! " Chapter 2 09:57 Caleb's expression hardened . He was serious now . Just like the first time . He was going to walk over , drag me into his tent , and rape me . As he took a step toward me , I spoke , my voice clear and carrying in the thin mountain air . " Don't move . I'll come to you . " " That's more like it , " he started to say , a greasy smile spreading across his face . " There's enough of us to go around , you ... " I walked toward him , my steps quick and purposeful . The voice in my head was screaming now . No ! Don't do it ! Don't you want to go home ? BOOM ! I slammed into him with my entire body , pushing him backward over the edge of the cliff .