Worm (Parahumans #1)

Subject: Your Nilles University Application

August 21st, Y1

Dear Applicant (Point_Me_@_The_Sky@mail)

We regret to inform you that your application for graduate study in our department was turned down. We look at each application and applicant as a whole and decisions are based on a composite of information including your previous academic performance, referrals, relevant professional activities, proposed research statements, and test scores.

Due to a high volume of applicants, this message has been partially automated. Your application was received by paper and email and discussed by me and one other faculty member. We responded by email as per your preference. We would like to stress, for your particular application:

• That we would very much like you to apply again in future years.

• That we would encourage you to use the same email address, as we can easily tie it back to this application.

• We felt your academics were very strong.

• We felt your extracurriculars were exceptional.

• We felt your references were exceptional.

• In a time when records are often lacking and references may be hard to identify or contact, your application stood above and beyond in how complete and thorough it was.

Nilles is one of three Universities serving an estimated population of fifty million on Earth Gimel and its associated territories, and it is the sole post-secondary institution offering graduate studies. Over one and a half million bright and eager minds have applied to Nilles in avid hope of starting or resuming their educations, and regretfully, with our current facilities, we cannot accept more than twenty thousand.

Although these circumstances mean we must regretfully send you an unfavorable response, we appreciate your application. We wish you the best in your future endeavors and look forward to hearing from you next year.

Yours truly,

Dr. Marilyn Ginbar

Graduate Advisor

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♦ Private Messages from Glitzglam:

Glitzglam: Friend said emails out today

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: I got mine this morning.

Glitzglam: And? ? ?

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Same as last year.

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Glitzglam: : (

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: We have completed a review of your applic’n. Paperwork good. Grades good. X’lars good. Refs good. You’re perfect.

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: But the world ended two years ago, sorry! No place for you now. Please apply next year. We’ll keep track of your applic’n and the fact you applied last year, we promise!

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: no mention in this yrs letter about me applying last year so I do have my doubts

Glitzglam: aw hon 😦

Glitzglam: why tho? My friend got in and I know his ap wasn’t as good

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: why do you think?

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: That’s a serious Q’n btw. Because I don’t know

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Rational part of me thinks high demand program + only so many grad students allowed in

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: That part of me outnumbered 14 to 1 tho

Glitzglam: hm hm

Glitzglam: very specific #

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: I’ve been thinking about it all day. Made a list. Lots of unreasonable answers that are semi-possible. sentiment / reference backstabs me / people with ties to uni staff get in first / uni tied to gov + gov wants specific focus for research

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: I could go on. I know some of those sound crazy

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: + all of that? If true then no reason to think next year will be different. Last year was a third the number applicants, they accepted 2.5%. This year, what? 1.4%?

Glitzglam: um

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Could be multiple of above. could be none.

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Enough about me. How is training going?

Glitzglam: is fine. not important.

Glitzglam: Im going to visit as soon as possible

Glitzglam: k?

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: No need to treat me with kid gloves. We all suspected this would happen.

Glitzglam: honestly ?

Glitzglam: we all were saying 2 temper expectations

Glitzglam: but we would wink as we said it

Glitzglam: we thought u would get in

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: That doesn’t make me feel better

Glitzglam: have u told everyone?

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: no

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Today I have stuff to do. I work and think.

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Might go for long trip before h.school semester starts + I get busy with work. Visit home.

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Share after I get back I think.

Glitzglam: K. Im visiting 2. field exercises today tomorrow. team want to meet for drinks on day off. I think I might take off nstead. home 4 sure. m/b u?

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: I’m okay. But do me a favor?

Glitzglam: anything

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: If you stop by? I set up tarps by house. Make sure they still there & no water getting through? Lost cause maybe

Glitzglam: can do

Glitzglam: u sure u ok?

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: I’m not. But I’m the ok sort of not ok. I’ve gotten good at effective brooding

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Our little parcel of humanity is sprawled haphazardly across 15+ alt earths. Has to be a place for us somewhere right?

Glitzglam: right

Glitzglam: and speaking of places. I got 2 take off becuz my place is 2 be doing drills

Point_Me_@_The_Sky: Be safe. Say hi to the family for me. I’ll drop by soon.