Allegra is running on her father's treadmill in her parents' garage in North Ryde, Sydney, following a virtual trainer named Jay through a Basics of Running series set in a virtual Portugal. Her enthusiastic dad keeps checking on her, thrilled she's using his treadmill. Allegra has never been into fitness or sports before, and her mother notes she's never seen sweat on Allegra's forehead. Allegra told her parents a doctor recommended running for her back, but her real motivation is protecting her mental health after the Death Lady's prediction that she would die of self-harm at age 28.

Allegra reflects on why the prediction unsettles her despite seemingly being easy to avoid. She has never felt a desire to self-harm and considers herself emotionally stable—a "solid little tugboat." Her colleague Anders has been sending her obsessive daily messages checking on her wellbeing after sending her the video of the Tasmanian girl's car accident and the article about elderly doctors' deaths. Her parents remain unaware of the predictions coming true, and Allegra regrets ever telling her mother about the prediction in the first place.

Allegra's personal life is cautiously progressing: First Officer Jonathan "Jonny" Summers has been courting her with walks, movies, and dinners after the lattice-topped pie, but Allegra is holding back emotionally. She fears that the prediction might relate to a future heartbreak from Jonny that could spiral her into depression and self-harm. Even more troublingly, she imagines a catastrophic event—like surviving a car accident that kills her family—that could overwhelm her supposedly steady temperament. She recalls her family's Hindu blessing ceremony when her parents bought their silver Volvo, a fond memory involving coconuts, mantras, and incense that exasperated her father.

Allegra has created a personal "Stay Happy This Year" plan based on online advice about preventing depression: exercising regularly, spending time with family, reducing alcohol, and occasionally appreciating nature. She reflects on her grandmother, who never seemed sad but apparently suffered, wondering whether depression could ambush her the same way. During her treadmill run, Allegra receives a call from her crew manager Trina Tanaka, who asks about the Hobart-Sydney flight where the passenger made death predictions. Trina explains the media is picking up the story and the airline is receiving calls. Allegra, caught off guard and defensive, begins to explain what happened as the treadmill displays an error message: "Uh-oh, looks like your treadmill has stopped."