Archivist here..
[Jon sits down with what seems to be a personal journal. He flips to the first page, which has a sketch of a cupcake with a single candle on it. The drawing is entirely in pencil, with the exception of the candle's flame being coloured in with a yellow highlighter]
Another year has passed, just to be filled with more fear. A year of.. chaos, and problems, really. I don't know why or how I am still here.
[He picks up some correction tape and begins to block out the flame quite inefficiently]
I can't say I've grown to change for the better.. but I haven't changed for the worse, either. It's kind of stagnant, really. I didn't think I'd live to see today, but.. here I am. Whether I like it or not.
[He finishes after a minute or two and sets the correction tape aside. He stares at the drawing for another minute in thought]
.. I can't fix what I've done. I can't change anything. I can't undo.
[He picks up a cheap eraser]
... But maybe this year, things will be different. It won't be wishful thinking this time.
[He erases a bite-sized bit out of the edge of the cupcake sketch]
Things will be better.
[He sets the eraser down and stares out his window at the stars]
Because I'm trying to care, if the universe hasn't, doesn't, and never will.
[He shuts the journal]
Happy birthday to me.
