Two

Summary

• The protagonist struggles with complex feelings surrounding the death of Athena, a friend and fellow writer they weren’t particularly close to, but whose death has had a profound impact nonetheless.
• Her guilt at having been present for Athena’s death weighs heavily, leading her to seek out support groups and therapy, though neither prove useful in her particular situation.
• She begins to write a social media thread detailing her reactions to Athena’s death, which garners unexpected and overwhelming attention and sympathy from followers and even strangers.
• Struggling with her emotions whilst attending the funeral, she speaks of Athena’s vibrant personality and impact whilst also wrestling with her feelings of not fully belonging or understanding her place in the situation.
• Saddened and reeling, she throws herself into the task of working on Athena’s unfinished manuscript, pouring all her energy and time into it.
• Confident and proud of what she's achieved with Athena's manuscript, she sends it to her own literary agent, without disclosing that it was originally Athena's work.
• After much anticipation and worry, her agent replies with high praise and plans to submit the manuscript for wider publication.
• The manuscript is accepted and sold at a significant price to a reputable publisher, all the while the protagonist continues to keep the origin of the manuscript a secret.
• She enjoys the ensuing successes, and despite feeling guilty about the dishonesty, remains adamant that this was for the best as she believes it would have been what Athena wanted.