“Don’t you find this world boring? The people live their brief lives searching for something that cannot be found. The limitations of being a part of reality are countless and unbreakable. If life were a dream, a fantasy where the laws of reality were just guidelines, I would enjoy that.” I said as we walked to class.
“Always a dreamer, you know you would have graduated by now if you would work on something else. Why don’t you help me finish my thesis and we can graduate together next month?” Chris asked.
“Just don’t get jealous when I walk the stage before you.”
“Only because of your name.” he yelled back as we went our separate ways.

I had gotten my Masters from Harvard at the age of 20, but I had failed to win my final defense last semester. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a sufficient understanding of my research; it was that I had failed to prove how my research agreed with the accepted laws of physics. I had argued that my research was like several great discoveries that simply discarded previous knowledge to introduce new, more accurate information. However, only two of the five professors agreed that my argument was sufficient. Since then I had developed even more mathematical proofs demonstrating why my magick was possible and surmised methods to create such a device. Technically it wasn’t magick but a method of interacting with prana, which is capable of distorting the behavior of matter.

As the weeks leading up to my final defense approached I could only further strengthen my case and help my faculty advisor with his research. “I’m so glad you’re here Alexander, I need a sharp mind to help me with this problem.” said Dr. Black.
It was a simple problem, but I was regarded by those who knew me as one of the best mathematicians. After around forty minutes I had finished the equation to discover it was a proof arguing against my thesis.
“Why did you have me solve this?” I asked.
“Because I couldn’t, I believed the equation was unsolvable. I would have shared it with you sooner but I wanted to attempt the equation from all angles first.” said Dr. Black.
“Still to have me ‘disprove’ my own work is an insult.”
“I agree, but I never imagined you would be able to solve it, I thought you could add it to your defense when you decided it was unsolvable.”
“Now what?” I asked while growing anxious.
“I will review it to make sure it’s accurate, but if it is I am obligated to use it at your defense.”

I stormed out of the room throwing the marker on the ground. All the way back to my room I was disgusted, I had just solved an equation that would keep me from getting my doctorate again. For the next three weeks I worked countless hours trying to find something to counter the equation. I knew that my theories were correct, but I no longer held sufficient evidence to win my defense. During this time I hardly ever left my study, which caused me to get fired from my job and even Dr. Black grew upset with me since I quit showing up for our bi-weekly meetings. The final defense went as expected; I presented a strong argument for my case and answered all of the professors’ questions brilliantly until Dr. Black presented his counter-argument, to which I had little.

It was three days before I heard from the graduate dean; I received a letter that read “We regret to inform you…” the same crap I heard last time, but since this was my second failure I would have to terminate my doctoral studies. I was weeping with anger as I threw the letter in the fire. I began to pack my things so I could leave this place of devastating memories.
 

To Mr. Alexander Lasry,

Dean Woods