They Both Die at the End

The Dawn of Last Days

Dear Stranger, you don't know me, and there's no reason you should. My name is Mateo Torrez, and I'm just another soul among the billions, a speck of dust in the grand cosmos.

But I've lived a life, albeit a short one, and in that life, I've stumbled upon shards of truth that have cut me deep enough to leave a mark. You see, I come from a world not unlike yours, where every day is a gamble, and nobody knows when their luck will run out.

But in my world, we have something called Death-Cast—a service that calls you on the day you're going to die. Imagine that, a phone call heralding your final act.

It was on such a morning, with the sun barely stretching its golden fingers across the sky, that I received my call. The final day was upon me.

Now, I know you might not relate to the idea of knowing your end, but haven't you ever felt that tightening in your chest? That silent whisper that tells you, you're not living enough, not loving enough, not being enough? We're not so different, you and I. We both wrestle with the brevity of existence, the weight of unspoken words, and the paths untaken.

Reflections in a Shattered Mirror

With the last grains of my life's hourglass slipping away, I did what anyone would do—I reflected. I thought of my father, lost to the same unknown fate that now claimed me, and of my mother, a distant memory.

I was an island, isolated by my own fears and insecurities. But consider your own life, the relationships you hold at arm's length, the love you withhold out of fear.

We are mirrors, you and I, reflecting our insecurities and doubts, cracked by the same hesitations and what-ifs. As I pondered the friendships I never cultivated, the risks I never took, the world I never explored, I realized that I was living in a shell, safe but constrained.

You, too, might find comfort in the familiar, in the safety of routine. But in that cocoon, are you living, truly living? Or are you merely existing, postponing life for a tomorrow that is never guaranteed?

Embracing the Inevitable

Death is a great equalizer, indifferent to our pleas and bargains. When I was told my end was nigh, a curious thing happened—I felt free.

The shackles of indecision fell away, and what remained were the raw desires of my heart, unfiltered and urgent. On this final day, I chose to live.

I reached out to a stranger, someone like you, who was also living their last day. His name was Rufus, and together, we embarked on our End Day, determined to fill each moment with life.

You might not have a Rufus, or a Death-Cast to push you, but you have today, a series of moments waiting to be claimed. In the mundane, find the magic; in the ordinary, seek the extraordinary.

Life is not a rehearsal, and regret is a heavy chain to carry into the night.

The Power of Connection

Rufus and I, two dying boys, found solace in each other's company. We were just a couple of teenagers, grappling with the looming end, finding laughter amidst the tears, and strength in our shared vulnerability.

Our connection was a beacon in the dark, a testament to the human spirit's relentless search for companionship and understanding. Look around you; there are people yearning for connection, for a kind ear, a shared burden.

Don't let pride or fear keep you from reaching out. The most profound bonds are often forged in the crucible of shared struggles.

Your story, like mine, can be a lifeline to someone drowning in silence.

Lessons from the Brink

In the waning hours of my existence, I found clarity. Each breath was a treasure, each heartbeat a drum of war against the creeping silence.

I learned to embrace the present, to dance in the rain, to speak love loudly and without reservation. I found courage, not in the absence of fear, but in its defiance.

And I loved, oh how I loved, with the ferocity of a storm against the dying of the light. Perhaps you're waiting for the right moment, the perfect conditions to pursue your dreams, to tell someone you love them, to forgive.

But the right moment is a myth, a mirage that leads you further into the desert. The time is now, and it is fleeting.

Do not wait for death to teach you how to live.

The Final Sunset

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of fire and regret, Rufus and I faced our final moments. We had lived a lifetime in a day, and though our hearts were heavy, they were full.

We had touched eternity, not through the quantity of our years, but through the quality of our moments. You, too, can touch eternity.

Every act of kindness, every word of truth, every gesture of love ripples through the fabric of time. Your life, however ordinary it may seem, is a brushstroke in the grand masterpiece of existence.

Legacy in the Echoes

In the end, it's not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years. I leave behind no monuments, no grand achievements, but I leave a legacy of moments, of connections made and life embraced.

I hope my echoes reach you, stranger, and remind you to live with purpose, to seek joy, to cherish love. And now, as I step away from my role as Mateo Torrez, I urge you to discover the full journey in "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera.

It's a masterpiece that will unravel more of these threads, of love and loss, of living and dying. There you will find not just my story, but reflections of your own, a chance to witness life through the eyes of two boys who faced the end with open hearts.

Read it, and may it inspire you to live each day as if it were your last, because one day, it will be.