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I Can See How Everyone Will Die
I Can See How Everyone Will Die
Author: Dream of Songs

Chapter 1

Author: Dream of Songs
At the diner, my daughter, Hailey Coleman, kept placing fries on my plate. "Eat up, Daddy. You've gotten so skinny."

She was only six, but she already knew how to read the room.

I had just picked up my fork when my phone buzzed again. It was a text from my ex-wife, Caroline Meyer.

"Figure out Hailey's school fees yourself. I have a car payment to worry about."

Funny how she could afford flights to Marencia, though.

I didn't reply and turned my phone face down on the table.

Right then, Hailey asked quietly, "Daddy… does Mommy not want us anymore?"

"Mommy doesn't want to be with me anymore. But she'll always be your mom."

The words sounded hollow even to me. After all, what kind of mother wouldn't even pay for her own daughter's education?

Halfway through the meal, my phone rang. This time, it was Caroline's father, John Meyer.

The instant I answered, he started tearing into me. "Listen carefully, Gavin Coleman! My daughter did you a favor by letting you walk away with nothing. The house is in my name, so don't think you're getting a single dime!

"Also, don't bring Hailey back here again! The Meyer family doesn't need a granddaughter. Caroline will be giving me a healthy grandson soon enough."

He went on for three minutes, but I never said a word. All I could think about was the line of text above his head—"62 years old. Carbon monoxide poisoning in three months."

"Cat got your tongue?" John barked.

"Yeah. Guess it did."

With that, I hung up.

By then, Hailey had already finished all her food. Her little hands were covered in grease as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Daddy, did Grandpa yell at you again?"

"No. Grandpa said he misses you."

Hailey tilted her head and thought for a beat. "But Grandpa said I was a burden last time he saw me."

Unfortunately, six-year-olds remembered everything.

After I paid the bill, I took Hailey's hand and walked her home.

As we reached the package lockers at the apartment entrance, my phone buzzed with a notification from a delivery app.

My application to become a driver had been approved. So, starting tomorrow, I'd be a delivery driver.

Being a security guard didn't pay enough, and the factory shifts gave me no flexibility. I wouldn't be able to pick Hailey up after school.

Food delivery was the only option that gave me flexible hours. Besides, the more I worked, the more I could earn.

When we got back to the apartment, Hailey fell asleep almost immediately.

I sat beside the bed and opened my photo gallery. Our wedding photos were still there.

Caroline had worn a borrowed wedding dress that day, her smile bright. Back then, she'd said, "Gavin, someday things will get better."

Seven years of marriage…

Just when the hard times were finally behind us, she walked away.

Without hesitation, I deleted every photo of Caroline from my phone. Then, I opened the delivery app and checked tomorrow's weather forecast. A light rain was expected.

Rainy days meant more orders. It was time to get to work.

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  • I Can See How Everyone Will Die   Chapter 11

    While I prepared lunch, I kept checking my phone. Every ten minutes, I'd glance at it. Noon came, but Caroline didn't show. By 12:30 pm, she was still nowhere to be seen. Even at 1:00 pm, there was no sign of her.I started calling her. The first call went unanswered, and so did the second. By the third call, her phone was off. I set the knife down, dried my hands, and turned to Hailey. "Stay here and wait for me. Don't open the door for strangers."Then, I rushed downstairs, jumped on my scooter, and sped toward Caroline's apartment complex. When I arrived, I heard the wail of fire engine sirens. A bright red fire truck was parked outside her building, and people were shouting from the upper floors.A window on the sixth floor stood open. Caroline was standing on the windowsill with the baby in her arms. A crowd had already gathered below. Some were shouting, "Don't jump!" Others held up their phones and recorded.I pushed my way to the front of the crowd and looked up.

  • I Can See How Everyone Will Die   Chapter 10

    Three days later, Caroline came to pick up her son. She looked even more exhausted than before. She stood outside my door for a long moment before saying, "Thank you, Gavin."I handed the baby over without a word. Caroline took him, turned, and started walking toward the stairs. Just as she reached the landing, she glanced back. In that split second, I didn't know what came over me, but I looked up at her. Above Caroline's head was a line of red text. "35 years old. Suicide in seven days."I grabbed the doorframe to steady myself. Seven days… That was all she had left, and then she'd choose to end her own life. By then, Caroline had disappeared into the stairwell, the sound of her footsteps growing fainter and fainter.I stood frozen in the doorway. My lips parted, and the words I'd seen seared themselves into my mind."35 years old. Suicide in seven days."I wanted to call after Caroline and tell her not to do anything reckless. I wanted to tell her that 800 thousan

  • I Can See How Everyone Will Die   Chapter 9

    Caroline never came back after that, but her debts kept piling up. Three months later, she gave birth to a baby boy. She was overjoyed, and John was even happier. But the celebration barely lasted two days before debt collectors came knocking.The moment Louis realized how bad things had gotten, he packed his bags and disappeared in the middle of the night.He'd only been after Caroline's money in the first place. So, once she went bankrupt, he wasted no time disappearing. Just like that, Caroline was left to shoulder an 800-thousand-dollar debt, care for her partially paralyzed father, and raise a newborn son. Paul was the one who told me. He was well connected, so it didn't take much for him to find out what was going on.Paul took a sip of his coffee, then said, "Your ex-wife is in pretty bad shape.""Not my problem.""She's been asking around about you. Heard you're reading people's fates and charging tens of thousands of dollars per consultation. She wants to get back t

  • I Can See How Everyone Will Die   Chapter 8

    A week later, on Hailey's birthday, Caroline showed up at my door.I'd cooked a full spread in our newly rented apartment—roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn on the cob. They were all Hailey's favorites. Just then, the doorbell rang. Hailey ran to answer it."Mommy!" she chirped excitedly.Caroline stood in the doorway holding a large box. She hadn't come alone. Behind her, Louis stood with his hands in his pockets, looking thoroughly annoyed. John sat in a wheelchair, which Louis pushed.Ever since the injury, one side of his body had been paralyzed. Unfortunately, his mouth still worked just fine. "So this is where you're living? This place makes a shack look luxurious," John spat.Louis snorted as he looked around the apartment. In an instant, Hailey's face fell. I stepped into the middle of the living room, putting myself between them and Hailey. "What are you doing here, Caroline?""It's Hailey's birthday. I came to see her.""You've seen her. Now leave."Ca

  • I Can See How Everyone Will Die   Chapter 7

    After John was hospitalized, Caroline started calling me every few days. Sometimes, she asked if I could take care of him. Other times, she wanted to know if she could pay less in child support.Caroline was eight months pregnant, and her due date was just around the corner. On top of that, her business had hit a rough patch. Between that and supporting Louis' expensive lifestyle, she was strapped for cash. "Your father's caregiver is your responsibility," I said. "That money is for Hailey, and you're not paying a penny less.""Gavin Coleman! When did you become so heartless?"I shot back, "Funny. You didn't think you were heartless when you took another man to Marencia."Caroline had nothing to say after that.Not long after hanging up, I got another referral courtesy of Paul. My new client was a real estate developer named Ryan Sullivan, and he wasn't here for himself. He wanted me to take a look at his business partner, Dave Morris. "I've worked with Dave for 12 years,"

  • I Can See How Everyone Will Die   Chapter 6

    Paul set me up with a position in his company's administrative department. It paid eight thousand dollars a month and offered flexible hours. In reality, I wasn't expected to come in at all. The job was just a cover. What Paul really wanted was my ability. On my first day, Paul led me into his office. He closed the door behind us and said, "Gavin, I'll get straight to the point. I did a background check on you. "Even back in high school, you had a record of making accurate predictions about when people would die. When Mrs. Campbell passed away, your prediction was accurate to the hour."My heart sank. So, he'd investigated me. "What exactly can you see?" asked Paul. I said nothing."I'm not trying to hurt you," he reassured me. "You saved my son, and you saved me. But I need to know what you're capable of."I thought it over for a while before answering, "I can see when and how someone is going to die."Paul leaned back in his leather chair and let out a long breath. "Any

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