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Description
One week.
One week before he dies.
Cillian Elise Murtagh, or "Ellie, as his friends call him, has been told by his doctor that his artificial heart will only last for one more week. "Ellie," Doctor Burns told him, "This might be a bit harsh, but your heart is failing slowly. Judging from those chest pains that you've told me about, it's really possible that this following week would be your last."

Ellie hung his head low as the doctor told him this, thinking about what he'll do this week.
Thinking about the stuff that he hasn't done all his life.
Thinking about his friends Tollie and Al, and their shop Wetwired Video.
The future.
The past.
His childhood.
He closed his eyes.

"Ellie?" Doctor Burns asked, touching his shoulders. "We can still try and order a replacement---"

"Doc, really, thanks, but..." Ellie cut him off, looking right in his eyes, smiling painfully. "Even if we get a new heart, I don't have the money. And for me, this body needs to take a break already."

Doctor Burns then closed his eyes and nodded. "I understand, Elise. You've gone through a lot and..." He drifted off, his voice cracking, eyes opening again. Tears rolled down his cheeks. "I agree that you need to rest." The doctor hugged his patiend close, Ellie limp and tired on his seat.

Doctor Burns is his father figure, his guide throughout the nine years of living with an artificial heart. "Now, now, doc..." Ellie said, patting Doctor Burn's back. "I really want to thank you. I wanna return the favor, so I'll come back around Saturday. Okay?"

Doc pulled away from him, wiping his tear-streaked face. "I suppose that will be your last visit. Do you want me to make it an extra special clinic session?" he asked, laughing. Ellie smiled back. "Your call, Doc. I gotta go. Need some planning to do, you know?"

Doctor Burns nodded, and touched his hand. "I wish i could do more for you, Ellie. I really wish I could." he squeezed it, and it felt unusually cold. The hands of a dying guy...

"Doc, you've done more than enough," Ellie replied, smiling back at his handsome doctor. "Wait for me, okay? I'll see you Saturday."

"Alright, kid," Doc replied, trying to smile back, but it looked like a grimace. A tear began forming itself on his right eye. "I'll wait for you."

***

While walking home, Ellie passed by a lot of people he knew. He waved at them, greeted them, made some small talk and continued walking. Suddenly he missed all those people he haven't talked to for quite some time now...

He sat in front of his desk, listing some things to do on his last week on earth. He found it amusing, for he always wanted to live his life unplanned. "Go with the flow," he used to tell Tollie, because Tollie is an organized neat-freak. He smiled at the thought.

He never got to finish his list, though.
By the time he got to Wednesday, he dropped his Parker Pen and went to his bed.
He buried himself under the covers and cried himself to sleep.

Description
One week.
One week before he dies.
Cillian Elise Murtagh, or "Ellie, as his friends call him, has been told by his doctor that his artificial heart will only last for one more week. "Ellie," Doctor Burns told him, "This might be a bit harsh, but your heart is failing slowly. Judging from those chest pains that you've told me about, it's really possible that this following week would be your last."

Ellie hung his head low as the doctor told him this, thinking about what he'll do this week.
Thinking about the stuff that he hasn't done all his life.
Thinking about his friends Tollie and Al, and their shop Wetwired Video.
The future.
The past.
His childhood.
He closed his eyes.

"Ellie?" Doctor Burns asked, touching his shoulders. "We can still try and order a replacement---"

"Doc, really, thanks, but..." Ellie cut him off, looking right in his eyes, smiling painfully. "Even if we get a new heart, I don't have the money. And for me, this body needs to take a break already."

Doctor Burns then closed his eyes and nodded. "I understand, Elise. You've gone through a lot and..." He drifted off, his voice cracking, eyes opening again. Tears rolled down his cheeks. "I agree that you need to rest." The doctor hugged his patiend close, Ellie limp and tired on his seat.

Doctor Burns is his father figure, his guide throughout the nine years of living with an artificial heart. "Now, now, doc..." Ellie said, patting Doctor Burn's back. "I really want to thank you. I wanna return the favor, so I'll come back around Saturday. Okay?"

Doc pulled away from him, wiping his tear-streaked face. "I suppose that will be your last visit. Do you want me to make it an extra special clinic session?" he asked, laughing. Ellie smiled back. "Your call, Doc. I gotta go. Need some planning to do, you know?"

Doctor Burns nodded, and touched his hand. "I wish i could do more for you, Ellie. I really wish I could." he squeezed it, and it felt unusually cold. The hands of a dying guy...

"Doc, you've done more than enough," Ellie replied, smiling back at his handsome doctor. "Wait for me, okay? I'll see you Saturday."

"Alright, kid," Doc replied, trying to smile back, but it looked like a grimace. A tear began forming itself on his right eye. "I'll wait for you."

***

While walking home, Ellie passed by a lot of people he knew. He waved at them, greeted them, made some small talk and continued walking. Suddenly he missed all those people he haven't talked to for quite some time now...

He sat in front of his desk, listing some things to do on his last week on earth. He found it amusing, for he always wanted to live his life unplanned. "Go with the flow," he used to tell Tollie, because Tollie is an organized neat-freak. He smiled at the thought.

He never got to finish his list, though.
By the time he got to Wednesday, he dropped his Parker Pen and went to his bed.
He buried himself under the covers and cried himself to sleep.