A Life Lived in Isolation

In early 2016, Charlie, a severely obese English professor, conducted online writing classes from his apartment in Moscow, Idaho. His camera remained off during each session, a choice made out of shame for his physical appearance. Outside of his virtual classroom, Charlie lived in near-total seclusion, never stepping beyond the threshold of his apartment. His routine was supported by Liz, a nurse and his only friend, who brought him food and helped manage his declining health.

Although Liz urged him to seek immediate hospital care for congestive heart failure, Charlie repeatedly refused, citing financial limitations. Every night, pizza was delivered to his doorstep by a driver named Dan. The arrangement required no direct contact—Dan left the food on the porch and collected the cash payment from the mailbox, never seeing the man inside.

A Missionary’s Visit and a Daughter’s Return

Charlie’s days were interrupted by the arrival of Thomas, a young missionary from the New Life Church. His presence was met with skepticism, but he returned often, claiming a divine mission to help. At the same time, Charlie attempted to reconnect with Ellie, the teenage daughter he had not seen in eight years. His departure from the family had come after he left his wife, Mary, for a younger male student named Alan.

Charlie offered Ellie the $120,000 he had quietly saved over several years if she agreed to visit him regularly without telling her mother. She accepted, on the condition that he complete her school assignments. In return, Charlie requested she write in a notebook he provided, though she showed little interest in doing so. As his health continued to decline, Liz brought him a wheelchair to aid his movement within the apartment.

Buried Guilt and Confessions Shared

Liz’s relationship with Charlie was shaped by deeper pain. She was the adopted daughter of the head pastor of New Life Church and Alan’s sister. Alan’s suicide, driven by internalized religious guilt, had devastated her. In her eyes, Charlie’s spiral into compulsive eating had been both grief and penance.

Thomas’s persistence brought further conflict. Liz, protective of Charlie, confronted the missionary. Despite her warnings, Thomas continued his efforts to convert Charlie, insisting spiritual salvation was still possible. Meanwhile, Ellie, operating on her own terms, slipped crushed Ambien into her father’s food and waited until he was unconscious. When Thomas arrived, she persuaded him to smoke marijuana. During their conversation, he admitted to stealing money from his youth group and running away from his life. Unbeknownst to him, Ellie recorded everything.

Confrontations and Consequences

Concerned by Charlie’s worsening condition, Liz contacted Mary and arranged a visit. The meeting between Charlie and his ex-wife brought buried tensions to the surface. Mary learned that Charlie had saved the entirety of his funds for Ellie, choosing to forgo treatment. Feeling betrayed and angry, Liz left in silence.

Mary and Charlie revisited their past—the pain of abandonment, the shared failures in parenting, and their differing views of Ellie. While Mary expressed frustration at their daughter’s cynicism and volatility, Charlie clung to hope. He believed Ellie might still grow into someone good and kind, proving that he had done at least one thing right.

Later that night, Dan, the delivery driver, came face-to-face with Charlie for the first time. His visible shock prompted Charlie to descend into a self-destructive binge. He sent an email to his students, telling them to ignore the coursework and write something honest.

Thomas returned one final time. Ellie’s secret recording had been sent to his former community. Surprisingly, they had forgiven him and invited him home. During their last exchange, Thomas tried to quote scripture, but Charlie rebuked him, angered by the implication that Alan’s death had been a punishment for his sexuality.

An Honest Goodbye

Charlie’s final online class began with a confession—he had been dismissed from his position. Before signing off, he read some of his students’ responses to his unusual writing prompt. In a final act of vulnerability, he turned on his webcam. Their reactions varied. Then, with quiet resolve, he declared that sincerity mattered more than academic structure. With those words, he hurled his laptop at the refrigerator, severing his last connection to the outside world.

Liz returned and held Charlie as his condition grew critical. Soon after, Ellie arrived, furious that the essay Charlie had submitted on her behalf had been replaced. In its place was an old piece she had written on Moby-Dick in eighth grade. Charlie had always considered it the most honest thing he had ever read.

Initially resistant, Ellie gave in to his request and read it aloud. As her voice filled the room, Charlie struggled to his feet—something he had failed to do during their earlier visits. He walked, unassisted, toward her. As she finished the essay, their eyes met. A smile passed between them.

Then, he rose from the floor, levitating as a soft white light enveloped him.