The First to Die at the End

At 12:01 a.m., Death-Cast calls. Orion believes it is calling him, and he begins to panic. He doesn’t want to die. However, it is not his phone ringing; it is Valentino’s.

Valentino believes there has been a mistake. However, when he answers, Joaquin Rosa explains that he is calling from Death-Cast, and shock ripples through him. Joaquin explains that he’s going to die, and even as Valentino resists, still thinking it must be a mistake, Joaquin adds that this is the first official call.

Joaquin asks how he can help Valentino and if he is alone. Valentino says that he’s with people. Then, Joaquin points him to resources on Death-Cast’s website, but Valentino can only think of his sister. He says that he has plans.

Just before he hangs up, there is a gunshot.

At 1206 a.m., Orion, Dalma, and Valentino spot the gunman. Orion knocks Valentino to the ground just as the man shoots at the other boy. Then, Orion tries to get up, but his chest hurts. The shooter is chased away by the police, and Orion wonders if he saved Valentino or if he just doomed himself.

At 12:07 a.m., Joaquin thinks about a quote from T.S. Eliot that reads “This is the way the world ends / Not with a bang but with a whimper” (86). However, he thinks that instead, the bang ended the first Death-Cast call. He tells the heralds—the people who make the calls for Death-Cast—to begin their work, aware that Death-Cast will be blamed for the violence that occurred, even if it isn’t Death-Cast’s fault. He wonders if the photographers caught the look in his eyes after hearing the gunshots, a sound they didn’t hear since they couldn’t hear the other side of the phone. Otherwise, “it would be a waste of a tragic moment” (88).

Valentino is having a hard time convincing himself to move. However, Dalma yells for help, explaining that Orion is having a heart attack. The fact that Orion saved him is ultimately what causes Valentino to get up. He picks up Orion and they decide to go to a hospital in a taxi.

In the taxi, Valentino goes to call his sister but then realizes that his phone fell out of his pocket when Orion tackled him.

Joaquin imagined the calls being easier. He expects that people will call to praise Death-Cast for encouraging them to live differently. His wife, Naya, tries to comfort him, explaining that people are still trying to understand Death-Cast. Joaquin wonders if Death-Cast is a bad idea after all. He looks at his son, Alano Angel Rosa, thinking about how difficult it was to conceive him.

Joaquin hopes that people will realize that he’s the hero after all.

At 12:29 a.m., Valentino begins to wonder what will kill him. Briefly, he wonders if being around Orion will cause him trouble but then shakes away the thought.

Orion, Dalma, and Valentino arrive at the hospital. Dalma and Orion are in an area marked off by a curtain that is for family only, and Valentino hears the nurse ask if Death-Cast called Orion. It makes Valentino think about the debates over whether resources should be used to save Deckers on their End Day. He wonders if doctors will try to save his life.

Orion wakes up. He’s not sure his heart attack is over and thinks about all of the money his medical bills will cost his family.

Twenty heralds operate the Death-Cast call center, and Joaquin watches them work. The hiring process for heralds involved three stages to vet candidates. He sees people working efficiently, but he tries to hurry along one herald named Rolando who is spending a lot of time on the phone. After the call, Joaquin tries to move faster, but Rolando insists that it’s more difficult than Joaquin understands, insulting him. He reminds Rolando that the more time he spends on the phone with one Decker, the less time he has to let others know that they’re going to die.

The narration shifts to Rolando, whom Death-Cast has not called. However, he also realizes that he might not be fit for his role as a herald. His first call was with an elderly man who was lonely and wanted to share his story with Rolando.

He wishes that he could call Gloria Dario, who would tell him a story about her son Paz and would make him feel better. However, Gloria’s husband, Frankie, would be upset, and Rolando doesn’t want to get her in trouble. He wishes Frankie would get called by Death-Cast.

Andrea Donohue is another herald safe from Death-Cast’s call. She is moving very quickly through phone calls and recommends that Rolando stop thinking of Deckers as people. She feels confident that she has a future as a herald at Death-Cast.

In the waiting room, Valentino thinks about the time he spent waiting for Scarlett while she was in surgery after her accident. He wishes he were like a parking meter and could buy more time alive. He also has tried calling Scarlett from the hospital’s desk phone, though she has not answered.

Eventually, Dalma comes out, surprised that Valentino is still there. She explains that Orion will be okay; their parents are driving from Ohio. She also lets him use her phone to call Scarlett. She still does not answer.

At 1:28 a.m., Valentino thinks about how Death-Cast wouldn't have called him yet if he’d stayed home since it was in a different time zone. He wonders if he would still be a Decker.

He is very worried about Scarlett. When her accident happened, he felt as though something had happened, and he worries about how she’ll be without him.

The nurse returns, inviting them to see Orion. He says he’s alright, and Valentino notes that the Death-Cast calls will end around 2:00 a.m. Orion wonders if maybe they changed Valentino’s fate by dodging the shooter’s bullet. Dalma looks online and discovers that three Deckers have already died.

Valentino says that he will act like this is his last day and thanks Orion for saving his life.

Orion feels wealthy in terms of luck. He hopes he can pass some along to Valentino.

The doctor comes in, and Valentino and Dalma explain what happened. The doctor is shocked that Death-Cast called Valentino, and they ask her if it’s possible that Valentino might live. She thinks it is, even though she also sees that Death-Cast can be useful. It is a refreshing change from Orion’s usual doctor, who claims not to believe in the service. They debate the benefits of Orion waiting for a transplant heart or getting a ventricular heart device, which would make his need for a transplant lower but still existent.

Orion wants something to change and doesn’t want his life to be about his struggle to stay alive and spend so much time in hospitals. He holds his nose and mouth closed to help steady his heart rate. When his eyes are closed, Valentino leaves. When he opens them again, the doctor encourages them to tell Valentino to listen to Death-Cast.

This leads Orion to get up, despite the protests. He spots Valentino in the waiting room. The other boy explains that he needed to think and then says he wants to stay around Orion and Dalma.

When Orion looks at his phone, the clock strikes 2:00 a.m., meaning that Death-Cast calls are over for his time zone.

Valentino feels like a photographer, learning to focus on Orion. He tells the other boy that he’s going to live for a long time. Valentino feels like they were meant to come together so Valentino could give him his heart.

Orion thinks about the fairytale he once wrote about a man named Orionis whose heart is failing. One day, Death appears and taps Orionis’s heart, making it begin to crumble. Death tells him that he can live if they dance together, and at first, Orionis says no. However, one day, a piece of his heart withers away, and he begins to dance with Death.

Trying to get answers while they dance, he constantly asks Death why he is marked to die. Whenever he stops, another part of his heart breaks away. Eventually, only a piece remains.

One day, as they dance, Orionis comes across an elder with a golden heart, and he tries to cut in, but Death refuses. Then, the elder pulls out his own heart to give it to Orion and begins dancing with Death. Orionis lives happily ever after.

Never thinking that this would happen to him, Orion is shocked that Valentino wants to give him his heart. He tells Valentino that he hasn’t thought this through, but Valentino points out that he’s going to die that day and that he won’t need it anymore. He’s also a universal donor since his blood type is O. Valentino is even confident that Orion would survive the surgery since Death-Cast hasn’t called.

Orion wishes it was more like a fairytale because Valentino should be able to live a long life.

Still at the hospital, Valentino puts his plan into action, and the doctor tests whether he and Orion will be a match.

Alone, he wonders how he will die. He also thinks that he needs to get in touch with Scarlett. She should be going to the airport soon. The doctor tells him how important it is that he’s doing what he’s doing but apologizes when Valentino points out that he won’t be around to see it.

He wishes he could call Joaquin Rosa and get more answers. He wants to know how he will die. He’s sure that Death-Cast must somehow know both.

The doctor returns with his test results, but Valentino is sure that he already knows what they’ll say.

Orion has seen his X-ray before, disliking how different his heart looks. While he contemplates his latest one, Dalma admits that she’s worried about his heart, both physically and romantically. She reminds him that Valentino is going to die today and that he should protect himself. However, Orion is grateful for the chance to get to know someone who is willing to donate a heart to him. Dalma says that she understands.

When Valentino and the doctor come in, Valentino comments that he’s happy that something good will come out of his death. Orion will get to live, even if Valentino has to die first.

Valentino is moved by Orion’s reaction to learning that he’s going to live.

Dalma goes to call their mother, and then Valentino asks if his sister has called. She replies that there’s been no word from Scarlett. Valentino begins to worry that his sister is also a Decker, even though he’s not sure that she signed up for Death-Cast.

Dr. Emeterio sits Orion and Valentino down, noting again the historic nature of this heart donation. Orion thanks Valentino.

Valentino asks if he needs to die first, and the doctor notes that he’ll have to be in a coma. Since this is the first day of Death-Cast, it will be difficult for people to sign off on a transplant, and so the doctor is going to discuss the situation with the board. Valentino will likely have to sign a document saying that he authorizes a transplant if he goes into a coma. The doctor cannot guarantee that it will work out.

Starting to feel overwhelmed, Valentino asks what he should do. The doctor recommends staying at the hospital so that if something happens, they can first try to save him, and then if he experiences brain death, they can perform the surgery. Valentino knows that once that happens, it’s over for him. The doctor also notes that it’s possible that Orion’s body will reject his heart.

Dalma then comes in as Scarlett is calling. Valentino takes the phone and then FaceTimes his sister. He tells her about Death-Cast, and she doesn’t believe it. She doesn’t think that Death-Cast will be right and begins to cry. She tells him that she’ll be there by morning, and Valentino suggests that maybe she shouldn’t come. She refuses. Then, she asks where he is, and he explains about Dalma and Orion. Before they hang up, he asks her to sign up for Death-Cast, and she agrees.

By now, it is 2:38 a.m. Orion thinks about how there are so many stories he never thought of telling because he never thought he’d get to live. He is also exhausted and thinks that Dalma must be too. He’s grateful that their family will never have to be interrupted by his health again.

Valentino returns, updating them on Scarlett. They ask if he’s hungry, and while he craves linguini, he isn’t sure he should eat before the surgery. Orion doesn’t want Valentino’s death to be about him. He insists on getting him some food. Valentino also admits that he wants to go to his apartment and then to his photo shoot.

Dalma cuts in, apologizing for saying that she’s worried that the operation could be endangered if Valentino leaves the hospital. Orion doesn’t care and tries to convince Valentino to come with him.

Dalma asks him to talk outside and tries to convince him that he should just let Valentino stay in the hospital, not only for his heart but also because they can’t be sure whether or not his death will be painful if he leaves the hospital. Orion, however, insists that Valentino should live his life while he can. He also explains that he wants to get to know him. He also admits that he thinks he should spend the day with Valentino alone. She reluctantly agrees.

He knows that his heart is going to break today.

Orion returns, telling Valentino to get ready “[t]o live” because they’re going to do what he’d like to do for the day (167). They joke about Orion harvesting his heart, and Valentino is struck by how the other boy brings out his sense of humor.

Valentino thinks about how Deckers are called that because Death-Cast wants them to remember that they’re the captains of their lives. He’s grateful to have Orion as a “co-captain” (169).

In his office, Joaquin Rosa watches the footage of the shooting in Times Square when one of his employees comes in. She explains that the server is having a problem. One of the people killed in the shooting was signed up for Death-Cast but never received a call.

The employee, Joaquin, and his wife contemplate the ramifications of the problem, as it means that it’s possible there are other Deckers unaware of their End Day.