Draft Night I
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~~~(POV: Ulysses Kennedy)~~~
~~~(Date: June 23nd, 2026)~~~
~~~(Location: Madison Square Garden, Manhatten, New York)~~~
~~~(Time: 4:19 PM)~~~
We've been escorted to our table, and there are cameras all over the place getting close-ups of all the players that are present. I look around and see different booths and desks with famous talk show hosts and analysts talking to cameras.
Hannah and Ellie are calmly talking to one another, and I look to the giant border with the top 30 picks. It's empty right now, but by the end of the night. It'll be filled with names, and I already see the spot where I'll be heading.
New York Knicks hold the First Pick.
It's all a little surreal to be here. In a nice suit with my future peers in the NBA. I'm really excited for the start of the season in October, and it's all that's really on my mind for the last 12 hours.
A couple of minutes go by, and a camera makes its way to our table and zooms in on me, and I give a small wave with a half smile. On the other hand, Ellie and Hannah are glowing as the camera turns to them. They really take the spotlight, and I'm thankful for that.
I don't like having a camera shoved in my face, and I know Hannah and Ellie are loving the attention. They're both beautiful and confident.
"C'mon, Ulysses... This is a time to be beaming that smile I know and love to the world!!"
Ellie reaches over to me as the cameras go away, but she doesn't even care they're gone cause I'm her sole focus. She scoots her chair closer, so we can talk without being loud over the many voices around the area.
"I'm happy, don't get me wrong. Getting cameras shoved in my face is bringing that happy mood down, just a bit..."
My Aunt just smiles and kisses my cheek before getting back to her conversation with Hannah. If I'm being honest, I'm tempted to just go into The Simulation Space and practice until The Draft actually starts.
That's actually a great idea. I close my eyes, and the world disappears as I'm on a holographic court floating above Earth. The Simulation Space has become a safe haven for me, mostly when I'm bored, or I don't want to do anything.
The system will warn me if someone is trying to talk to me. If I don't respond in 5 seconds in The Simulations Space, it'll pull me out.
After a couple of practice shots, I get something I haven't seen in a long time. A message from The System.
[Congratulations on making it this far.]
It's not as programmed as it usually is. It's like it's trying to have a conversation.
"Thanks... I'm grateful to God for giving me this second chance, and I'm grateful to you for helping me get this far."
I've never had a full-blown conversation with The System before.
[This will be the only time I talk to you like this. And I wanted to let you know you'll be getting a lot more quests when the NBA season starts. If you have anything to ask me, do it now.]
There is only one thing I'd want to know.
"How are they?"
My parents... And my teammates...
I'm assuming The System would have some insight into how they're doing since it was created by God. But this is really just a shot in the dark.
[They're fine. Eternal Paradise and all. What's there not to like?]
Smartass system.
"Is there anything I can do to prevent Ellie's death? She's going to be diagnosed with cancer by the time I'm 26."
It's a few years from now, but she fought like hell for a good 12 years before getting taken by it. If I can, I'd like to stop it.
[I wouldn't know. I'm not a Medical System, and I can't see how you've changed the future in this life. Maybe she won't get cancer. Maybe she will. Who knows. Stay on top of it just in case.]
Figures as much.
"Were you the one that created the events that stopped me from getting on that bus?"
I want to know what happened that night. And this is where I can get some answers. It might be the only time I can.