The Bucket List

funeral

Nolan and I are just on the verge of finishing filming again. For the last week, him and I had been working together on this secret project for all of our friends.
It's going to be great. I can already tell. Nolan is an amazing director and I know that he'll do so well in film school.

"Okay, lastly I just want you to say what you would tell people dealing with similar struggles." The difference between director Nolan and normal Nolan is insane. Director Nolan is serious and intense. He would tell you exactly what you're doing wrong, but he's still kind. Regular Nolan would never hurt a fly and always has something nice to say.

"I want to tell people going through the same struggles that they're not alone. I'm going through it, you're going through it, thousands of people around the world are going through it, but you know what? We can't change it. We have to face it, accept it and make the time we have left count. That's what everyone else is doing, they just have a little more time than us. And that's okay. You're going to be okay."

"Okay, that was good, I just need you to be a little bit more sympathetic..."

"I'm not very good at that."

"Come on, I've seen it. Just, instead of telling people that they have to accept it and move on, tell them-"

"I said that they weren't alone! Does that help?"

"A little, yeah." He says, "it's just that-" my phone starts to ring.

"Hello?" I say, answering it.

"It's Riley." I hear a raspy voice say to me. "Come here, please. Bring Kevin."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes. Okay?" She gives me the okay and I hang up the phone. "I'm sorry, Nolan. I have to go. It's an emergency."

"Sure, no problem. I'll see you later?"

"For sure. Okay, um, bye." I grab my stuff and run out, calling Kevin.

"Hello?"

"It's Riley. She needs us."

"Okay, where are you?"

"Coming to get you. I'll be there in five." I say, and hang up before he can say anything else.

Nolan, Kevin and I all live on the same road so it's pretty convienient that I was nearby.
I drive for a while and pull up to his front door, and he comes outside without me even needing to text him. He hops inside and I speed down to the hospital, terrified.

"What's wrong?" He asks. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know. She seemed really sick... And she said she had two weeks to live-"

"Two weeks ago."

"Do you think...?"

"I don't know." I pull into the hospital parking lot and take Kevin's hand as we walk into the building together, back up to Riley's room. She's laying in her bed, and I'm utterly appalled by what I see.

Her skin is so fair that you can see every single one of her veins from within, her eyes grey and not showing any emotions. Her arms are over the blanket, her bones so frail that I'm afraid they might snap. Her lips are pale and chapped and her fingernails have been completely chewed away.

"Riley..." I say, putting a hand over my mouth. The sight almost brings tears to my eyes.

"Don't say anything." She says, her voice hoarse and low.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." She looks down at her fingers for a moment before looking back up to us.