Convergence III: Fulfillment In Becoming

Chapter Eleven: Official Note-Taker

It is July in the year 2061, and it is the last three days of Nick Althorne's life.

At this point, Nick was well aware they wouldn't have much time left if they didn't do something. So, here they were, doing something. Or, rather, writing two different things at once.

The first thing was nearly illegible chicken scratch that was mostly composed of ideas coming to their mind.

The second thing was more of a failsafe option.

Today, July 16th, they had the collar of their shirt covering their neck, which was now completely overtaken by the darkness on their skin. Nick didn't think it would be getting this bad, but that morning was the day they started to go blind in the eye that was changing color. Purple.

"Whatcha doin?" Ella popped up behind them from the hallway, where they sat at the kitchen counter.

"Ah!" Nick quickly grabbed the papers, flipping them over. "You didn't see my handwriting."

"I know, I know."  Ella deepened her voice, and pulled her hair up with her fist. "I don't have clearance or a Ph.D.!"

"Oh, shush!" Nick laughed, setting their pencil down.

Ella sat down on the stool next to them. "Are you still writing with your left hand?"

"Yeah," Nick responded, sounding more deflated. "I haven't tried to move it or anything."

"Maybe it'll get better with time!" Ella proposed, seeming optimistic. "Is that what you're doing? Trying to figure out how to fix it?"

Nick shrugged, staring down at their limp arm. "You could say that."

Ella felt her throat tighten a bit, hesitating. "You remember last Friday? Not yesterday, but the Friday before yesterday."

"Uh..." Nick flapped their lips in thought, squinting up to the ceiling. "Vaguely. Isn't that the day you came home from your sleepover smelling like Pop-Tarts?"

"Yeah," Ella laughed, hiding the fact that she didn't know how to bring it up. "I, uh... I told you I found semifluid matter in my room."

"Oh." Nick acted clueless. "Did you find more or something?"

"Nick, did you know I was telling the truth?"

Nick sighed deeply, staying quiet for a moment and then resting their face in their hand. "...Yeah. I did. I do."

"I know it has something to do with your arm." Ella seemed more sure of her statements now. "You can tell me why, you know. I'm not a child."

Nick turned to her now, putting their hand down as they stayed leaning. "I know you're not a child, Ella, I just—how long have you really known?"

"Long enough to know that you need serious help." She leaned in, taking Nick's shoulder. "How bad is it?"

They didn't respond.

"Nick. How bad is it?"

"...I'll die if I don't fix it."

Ella looked surprised, her chest feeling heavy all of a sudden. "...Holy shit."

"That doesn't mean I won't fix it! I know I can fix it, I know I will fix it. Don't even worry about it." Nick's better at foreshadowing than I am. Stop stealing my fucking job.

Ella tilted her head barely, still trying to understand. "You're sure?"

"Yeaaaah!" Noooo. "I'll be fine. I promise."

Ella wanted to tell them not to promise anything, but now wasn't the time for pessimism. After all, she did just get told her parent might die. By said parent. It's an understatement how shitty she was feeling, but she couldn't show it.

"Okay." Ella smiled, nodding. "But you can't stop me from helping you. No handwriting excuses."

"Ella..."

"Nick. I'm helping." Ella grabbed a blank piece of paper from the drawer, and a pencil. "I will be your official note taker. Okay?"

Nick laughed shortly, maybe feeling just a little bit better. "Yeah, okay. Sure."

This was a surreal feeling to Ella. She didn't know this would be happening this early.

Nick is 27 years old. Twenty-seven. Their 28th birthday was nearly two months from now.

There was no way Ella would lose someone else in her life on such short notice. When they'd barely been a family for two years.

That night, after trying to help Nick a bit, she went to her room and let it all out. Every tear she suppressed.

She didn't know. But if she knew before this, what could she have done?

It is midnight, July 17th, 2061, and it is the last two days of Nick Althorne's life.