Of Pixels and Dying

Chapter 5: Friendship and a Loss

When I awoke from my depression nap it was already night. I began panicking; my essay was due in exactly 24 hours and I had little more than an introductory paragraph. Should I cheat and just find someone's essay online to copy from? I chewed on my lip, considering it for a moment before deciding to not risk it. I played Vikings of the North again in hopes that a writing epiphany would come to me while I built a Viking ship.

My heart swelled happily when I saw that the player who helped me last week was online.

[Hey there,] I greeted.

[Hi Alice!] He responded, acknowledging me by my character's name. [How's it going?]

[Not so great, I haven't started on this essay that's due tomorrow. I'm working on getting my Viking to level 25 instead. Smart, aren't I?]

[Lol, I've definitely been there before. What's the essay on?]

That's a good question, I thought wryly to myself. Truth was I didn't know exactly what the assignment entailed either.

I typed back, [It's a personal statement of some kind. I'm fucking awful at writing about myself.]

[Oh, those are the worst. I had to write a couple for my college applications.]

I frowned at the prospect of being required to write more essays like this in the future.

[Hey, why don't I help you with it?] he asked.

[How?]

[Let me add you on Discord, and I can help you figure out what to write.]

[What's Discord?]

Turns out it's a messaging platform popular amongst gamers. He guided me through making an account and then adding him. We spent the next couple of hours discussing the essay's requirements and coming up with ideas for me to write about. Before I knew it, he had helped me complete a rough draft. Even though the transitions were choppy and my analyses weren't fully developed it was a draft nonetheless. I was speechless; this random internet stranger had sacrificed his own time just to help me out. I was beyond grateful.

[Thank you so much,] I messaged him. [You have no idea how much you just helped me. I've been having such a hard time getting everything done this week.]

[Of course,] he replied. [Just doing for you what someone did for me once.]

I sent both a smiling and crying face emoji.

[Now all you have to do between now and the deadline is fix up the draft and make the paragraphs flow. Text me if you need any help with that.]

I shook my head to myself in disbelief, more relieved than I'd ever been in my life. [Seriously, I appreciate this so much,] I texted. [Thank you thank you thank you, Johannes.]

[Call me Louis, it's my real name,] he replied. [I actually hate Johannes, I really screwed myself over by picking that name for my Viking.]

I grinned through tears of gratitude. [Okay, thank you, Louis. I'm not a fan of my character's name, either. Just call me Kelsey.]

[Alright Kelsey, I'm gonna head to bed now. Best of luck with your finals tomorrow!]

I can't believe it. I won't be failing this class now thanks to him, I thought to myself, slightly in shock by how generous he'd been. I wiped away my tears and decided to cram study for the calculus and history exams in the remaining 4 hours before I had to leave for school.

In all honesty I'm baffled at how I even survived that last day. Both final exams were pretty difficult, and I barely passed my French horn performance. All I know is that I was absolutely exhausted by the end of the day.