They Both Die at the End

The perspective shifts in this chapter from the first-person point of view of Mateo/Rufus, to a third-person point of view that follows Andrea Donahue, the Death-Cast employee who called Mateo to deliver his news. Andrea leaves the Death-Cast office building, limping and walking with a cane. She hopes that HR does not review her calls tonight, given that she mixed up several of the clients’ names, which may subject her to punishment. Andrea also does not want to lose her job because this is one of the only jobs in which she has been able to truly excel. She developed a “hack” that makes her a great Death-Cast employee: “Rule number one of one: Deckers are no longer people” (84). She does not waste time consoling them; she simply tells them that they are dying, and moves onto the next call. As Andrea sees it, her notifying Deckers about their death gives them a final chance to “really live” (84).

Rufus bikes toward Mateo’s house thinking: “He better not be a serial killer or so help me…Nah, he’s chill” (85). Rufus sees that, clearly, Mateo spends a lot of