Blake, Marin, and Celeste sat crowded around the plywood-and-concrete excuse for a table occupying the middle of Blake and Ryan’s living room.Celeste held their forehead in one hand and a bowl of pasta in the other.In front of them was the poster board that they’d written on originally, flipped over to reveal its second side, where Celeste had written every possible condition that the diary had proposed:
-Be taken to the place of death (confirmed)
-Have last wish fulfilled (confirmed)
-Person who wakes them is worthy of their love (unconfirmed)
-Choose to continue living (unconfirmed)
-Be dead for less than ???amount of time (unconfirmed)
“Look,” they croaked after an extended pause.“I’m not getting any hits on this Brilhart guy online.There’s no way to find out if he had another journal, or if he ever figured out the requirements.
“The most we can do is get Marin to where he died and fulfill his last wish,” Celeste whispered.“If what Brilhart wrote and what Paul said are anything to go by, he’ll remember both by tomorrow.”
“Maybe Noel has an idea?”Blake offered.Celeste shook their head.
“I texted him like an hour ago and he still hasn’t replied.”They sighed.
“We didn’t even end up finding a loophole about my wish,” Marin spoke up.“And if it’s impossible, then…”
It was the first time he hadn’t had anything positive or optimistic to offer about the situation and the change was chilling to Blake.But in the end, Blake couldn’t blame him—Eric Brilhart’s hypothesis about the amount of time a pygmalion had been dead could very well have been Marin’s death sentence.No amount of fulfilling requirements could alter time.
“Then we try regardless,” Blake decided, reaching over to take Marin’s hand in his.If Marin wasn’t able to be the voice of optimism, then Blake would be it for all of them.Marin deserved that from him.“That’s been the plan from the beginning, right?To try.”
Marin and Celeste were silent.Celeste speared a meatball with a fork and tore it open with their teeth.Blake looked over at Marin, who was staring down at his food, expression caught between pensive and anxious.His eyes flicked over to Blake and he produced a weak smile, finally speaking:
“What if—?”
Marin was cut off by the front door flying open with a resoundingbangas it bounced off of the stopper.The group leapt in place, staring at Matt and Noel, who were standing in the doorway, their arms laden with bags.
“Have no fear, the cavalry is here!”Matt cheered, marching into the living room and dumping a duffle bag on the floor, where it landed with a suspiciously plastic rustle.He stared down at the table, eyes glittering with desire.“Ooh, is that spaghetti?”
“Matt?”Blake balked, looking from between his ex and Noel, who was awkwardly inching in behind him.“Noel?What are you—?”
“Noe said you guys were sad so we came with surprises to cheer you up!Also, you should really put your spare key somewhere that isn’t under the doormat, it’s super conspicuous,” Matt declared, dropping into a crouch beside his bag and unzipping it.“I brought an escape room game, Parcheesi, myentireMagic the Gathering collection, my Switch—”
“I wanted to drop off some treats,” Noel confessed beneath Matt’s ranting, awkwardly indicating the bag in his arms.“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to show up unannounced.”
“—Call of Duty, Jackbox Party Pack, and—if you hate yourself—Monopoly!”Matt reached into the bag and pulled out the aforementioned game, holding it above his head with a spinning flourish.“Don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair in a hot sec.”
“Wait—” Marin said, reaching out for Matt and setting a hand over his sneaker.“You don’t have to leave.Please, sit and stay.”
“Really?Awesome!”Matt cheered, plopping down at the table and promptly helping himself to one of Blake’s meatballs using his bare fingers.Blake made an indignant noise, trying to swat his hand away.“Don’t worry, we already ate so I won’t have to taketoomuch.Goddamn, this is good!”
“I’m not surprised—it’s my tantine’s boles de picolat recipe.”Celeste glowed, prancing right back into their prideful persona.
“Would it really be okay if we stayed?”Noel asked, closing the door behind himself.“I’m really sorry, I wanted to call ahead but Matt insisted it be a surprise.”
Blake glanced between Marin and Celeste—the latter was soaking up Matt’s attention, their spirits immediately restored, and the former had a genuine smile as he went through the bag of games that Matt had presented them with.Hehadbeen the one to insist on the company, but still—
“Are you sure?”Blake asked Marin in a low voice, pressing a light touch to his shoulder.
“Absolutely,” Marin nodded.“The gallery doesn’t open until tomorrow and until then there’s nothing else we can do.I’d… I’d rather have fun with my friends than mope the night away.”
“I have no idea what’s going on, but that’s the spirit!”Matt cheered.
“As long as it’s what you want,” Blake told him, his smile tender.
