No Second Chances for the Wicked Chapter 1

My roommate, Kendall Price, intentionally slipped into the deep campus retention pond, and in my past life, I tore my muscles fighting the freezing water to drag her back onto the embankment.

During mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, her split, bleeding lip pressed against mine. That single act of mercy infected me with HIV.

The moment she was stable, she turned around and put me on blast across every social media platform she had.

“Nora Hayes deliberately pushed me into the deep water, then put on a sick show of playing hero to save me.”

“She did it just so she could infect me with HIV during CPR.”

“She couldn't stand seeing me succeed, so she decided to ruin my life forever.”

The internet tore me apart with a savage fury. Without even running a basic investigation, the university board expelled me to protect their public image. It was only much later that I uncovered the hideous truth: the entire tragedy had been an orchestrated performance by Kendall. She had already contracted HIV months prior after recklessly juggling eight different partners. Her theatrical dive into the dark water was nothing more than a desperate attempt to drag someone down to hell with her.

I gathered medical timelines and proof, pleading my case to anyone who would listen, but the public had already cast me as the monster. Nobody believed a word. My parents, desperate to clear my name, were killed in a violent highway collision on their way to the state prosecutor's office.

Drowning in grief and rage, I tracked Kendall down into the secluded mountains, doused us both in gasoline, and struck a match.

When I opened my eyes again, the damp night air of the campus quad hit my lungs. I was standing right beside the stone railing of the retention pond.

A few feet ahead of me, Kendall was casually staring down at her phone, subtly edging her heels closer and closer to the slick, moss-covered verge.

The next second, her foot slid.

Kendall let out a piercing scream, tumbling headfirst into the black water.

She thrashed wildly, sending violent ripples across the surface as her heavy winter coat began dragging her down.

"Help! Somebody help me!"

"I can't swim!"

Hearing that familiar, terrified shriek sent ice water straight through my veins.

In my previous life, the moment I saw Kendall plunge into the pool, I didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second. I had been a competitive swimmer since childhood and served as the captain of our varsity swim team. Within seconds, I had sliced through the water and reached her flailing arms.

“Nora… save me…” she had sputtered, before feigning unconsciousness in my grip.

I hauled her dead weight back to the slippery stone bank, collapsing on my knees to start rescue breathing. I had only given her two breaths when her eyes fluttered open. Before I could process anything, a sharp, metallic warmth smeared across my mouth. I wiped my lips and saw dark crimson—Kendall’s lower lip had been freshly torn open.

“Nora… am I alive?” she had whispered, reaching out a trembling hand.

I squeezed her fingers, out of breath and naive: “You’re safe. I got you.”

Crowds of students rushed over, tossing their jackets over our shivering shoulders, and campus emergency services swarmed the scene within minutes.

That single impulse of pure goodwill became the catalyst that burned my entire existence to ash.

A few days later, Kendall went live on TikTok, sobbing hysterically into the camera:

“My roommate pushed me into the freezing pond on purpose.”

“After she forced mouth-to-mouth on me, the hospital ran blood work… and I tested positive for HIV!”

“She destroyed my future!”

Her tear-streaked accusations detonated across the student body and viral algorithms alike.

“Jesus Christ, is she even human?”

“The rescue was totally staged! She weaponized a virus!”

“Rot in prison, psycho!”

The university issued an immediate summary expulsion. My parents, driving through a torrential downpour to petition the district attorney’s office, were crushed when an eighteen-wheeler jackknifed across the median. They died before paramedics could even pry open the sedan.

Standing in the morgue, looking at their mangled remains, something inside my skull shattered completely. Under cover of darkness, I kidnapped Kendall, dragged her deep into the dense woods behind the county line, and poured fuel across the cabin floor.

Staring into my bloodshot, hollow eyes, Kendall didn't look afraid. She threw her head back and laughed—a high, manic screech that rattled the timber.

“You had it coming, Nora Hayes!”

“Who told you to play the righteous savior?”

I gripped the lighter, silent, my knuckles white.

“I jumped on purpose!” she sneered, her eyes gleaming with venom. “I wanted a scapegoat. I wanted someone to suffer with me! I never dreamed my lucky victim would be you. Tell me, Nora, how does it feel knowing my blood is rotting inside your veins right now?”

“Blame your own stupid, bleeding heart!”

“You didn't just ruin yourself. You killed your mommy and daddy, too!”

“Hahahahaha!”

Her cackling echoed through the trees until the flame dropped. As the roaring inferno consumed our skin, the only thing left in my soul was a suffocating, boundless regret.

If God ever gave me another breath, I promised myself I would never show a shred of mercy again.

Bzzzt.

The vibration of my phone in my coat pocket snapped me back to reality.

I looked up.

The dark pond was right in front of me. Kendall was still in the middle of the water, splashing frantically, screaming for a savior.

Without a single word, I spun on my heel and walked briskly toward the dormitory quad.

A sudden autumn drizzle began to fall, pattering against the pavement, quickly turning into a heavy shower. Groups of students walking along the path pulled their hoods up and broke into a jog.

Someone in the crowd slowed down near the tree line: "Hey, did you hear something back there?"

"Forget it, man, the rain is pouring! If we don't run now, we're gonna get soaked!"

"Yeah, come on, let's go. I'm not catching a cold out here."

Footsteps hurried into the distance. Nobody turned back.

The roar of the downpour completely swallowed the muffled splashing and desperate cries coming from the pond.

Since Kendall Price loved throwing herself into deep water so much, she was more than welcome to stay down there and enjoy every single drop.