Nexus

by rikkilucario7

(The third in the Connections series, can be read by itself, but better off with the other two.) Austin and friends are forced into action again when someone from their past comes back to haunt them around the same time the legends, freshly reincarnated, are found to have lost all memory. On top of that, the Key isn't where it should be, around Austin's neck... T for language.

1. Malignant

Well, my friends, I do believe it is time to begin the third book in my series, the third to Connections and the second to Links.

Google says:

nexus plural of nex·us (Noun)

1. A connection or series of connections linking two or more things.

2. A connected group or series: "a nexus of ideas".

I hope you all enjoy!

P.S. I won NaNoWriMo :) I hope some of you try it next year, it's pretty awesome!

Chapter One

Jay

Some of the nurses trusted my opinion. They said that I would know when it was my time.

I felt strong. I knew I wasn't going to leave this planet anytime soon.

The Make-A-Wish foundation had been worrying over me for five years, quite a long time. Not that they wanted for me to die a little faster, but they would send people at least once a month asking me what I would want.

The first time, when I was five years of age, I told them, "I wish to graduate college."

The lady took a deep, sad breath and responded, saying, "Honey, I don't know-"

"They don't think I'll live that long, do they?" I asked, looking away.

"No..." she said. She didn't continue with "I'm sorry" like most people. I liked that. I didn't like the pity most people put on me.

"I want to learn," I told her honestly. "I want to read and write and understand what the doctors are talking about when they use big medical words."

She put a hand on my shoulder and said, "I'll try to do that. I will. Would your parents help?"

"No," I said. "They're not coming back."

"What do you mean? They only went out to lunch," she said, looking confused.

"They're not coming back," I repeated. "But Lily will help."

Lily was the girl, five years older than me, who lived there at the hospital. She was an orphan, just like I soon would be. She had short red hair that fell just short of her shoulders and bright red, caring eyes. She was tall and skinny. She wasn't sick, or I didn't think so, anyway. She would help out here in any possible way she could. She liked to sing to people; her voice was beautiful.

Lily had been at an orphanage before something happened. I didn't know what, but for that reason the nurses let her stay in the room next to mine.

"Okay," she said. "I'll let them know." She got up and opened the door. She turned once more to look at me and she said, "Good luck."

I said back, "Thanks."

(MALIGNANT {jay} TNANGILAM)

They thought I would die. They, of course, being the doctors with the fancy machines and the nurses with my tests. "Malignant," they'd say.

It was small. About the size of a dime. Still, it was there.

And it was lodged right between my eyes, on the surface of my brain.

Cancer.

Hope you enjoyed!