…Alternate Ending if he survived…
Then the ghost's eyes widen in horror as he loses his grip on me. I let out a yelp as the full force of gravity and pain hits me. I hug the wall like my life depends on it, I chuckle at the irony. The sun and the top of the hole are right there. I reach up again and look around for the ghost but it’s completely silent and empty. I feel my heart wrench and start to lose hope again. My legs and arms shake violently. I feel spent.
‘He’ll never forgive me if I give up now.’ I let out a scream as I reach up again then bring up my good leg using all the strength in it to lift me up higher. Only a few more times. I already feel myself slipping but I keep moving.
‘I know he’ll be mad.’ I lift myself again.
‘I know he’ll never forgive me.’ I reach out a bloody trembling hand testing the rock at the entrance knowing it needs to hold all my weight. I lift my good leg holding myself up on just the one rock and my bad leg. One final lift with my good leg.
I can’t describe what it felt to suddenly hear the sounds of the mountain. To feel the wind and sun on my face. I pull myself out of the hole a little bit at a time. Finally able to double over, resting on the grass. I gasp in fresh air. I pull myself the rest of the way out with fistfulls of grass. I look around wildly, ‘I’m alive, I’m alive!!!’ I let out a throaty laugh and then screamed, lifting my arms in the sky.
“Yes! Yes! Take that you fucking hole! I survived!” My voice breaks. The bright blue sky goes blurry. I lower my arms slowly and start sobbing. Sobbing so much fucking harder than I ever have in life before. “D, damn it, damn you.” I cover my face as the sobs wrack my poor body, “Why did you have to save me, I left you, I left you all alone again.”
The ghost sits on the grass melancholy as he watches the hiker sob, he’d never left his side, pulling him up out of the hole cheering and whooping with him only to realize he couldn’t see him anymore. But that was a good thing, ‘cause it means he’s alive, he’s gonna live.’
“I’m sorry,” I sob, rolling over, “I’m sorry.” I look up, “If you can hear me I never thought I’d actually make it… I never thought I’d-”
The ghost watches as the sobbing hiker is finally rescued by the team searching for him. He couldn’t follow them off the mountain. He feels tears start tracing down his cheeks as the hiker is soon helicopter lifted and disappears into the sky no longer able to be seen. He can’t bring himself to be sorry for himself. He managed to save him. And he was sure that when the hiker eventually passed at a ripe old age, he’d come back for him.
I run/limp up the mountain, “here!” I say pointing to the hole. I grin to myself, ‘I wasn’t about to leave his remains unfound and go about my life.’ The news asked for my story and I told them how I started hallucinating and that the ghost boy had helped me through everything. Whether it were real or not I wanted him to get a proper burial. I was easily able to find his family through all the publicity too. When the proper procedures are complete and they lift his remains out of the hole I tear up a little. I wipe my eyes and think, ‘Told yeah I wasn’t going to leave you alone.’
I squat next to his tombstone stiffly, placing some flowers down. I rub my scarred leg, “Guess it’s gonna rain, you know the doctors were really surprised about how well I was able to stitch myself up. Especially how I’d been so reckless and clumsy while trying to cauterize it. They managed to save it and my ability to walk, thanks to your sewing skills.” I place some flowers on the graves of his parents who had passed before him. “Hopefully you guys are all able to reconcile.” I look at the name for a long time, “I kind of miss you.” Sighing I look into the woods, “I’ve kept hiking, I feel like you would tell me that I should be more careful. But…I feel lonely in a way that only the woods can fill the whole. At least I’m no longer scared to die, it just means I get to see you sooner.” I laugh, “Don’t worry I don’t want you getting mad about squandering my life. I’ve been living for the both of us. Trying food I would never try before, traveling…” I gasp excited having forgotten, “I looked into your life by the way, I feel like I know a lot more about you now. I watch the same movies you would have seen growing up, the same ones we would have gone to see if,”I look around a little nervously. “If we were to go on a date…” I clear my throat. “I’m asking you out. I laugh at myself as a ghost, well you have plenty of time to think about it. I’ll ask for your answer once I see you again.
On my deathbed everyone thinks I’m crazy rambling about how I couldn't wait to reunite with the ghost boy who saved my life. I hadn’t gotten married or raised any children but his family had taken me in as one of their own ever since I met them. I chuckle to myself. I thanked everyone for a good life and told them I’d see them around but if they didn’t live as long as they could and to the fullest then, ‘I’d never forgive them.’
“That’s my line.” The ghost boy says sitting on the edge of my bed, except now he’s aged up to at least his thirties. I look down, seeing double, feeling like whatever was tethering me to life just snapped.
“I waited a long time to see you again.” I say eyes tearing up.
“You should have at least dated someone!” He exclaims but he can’t stop beaming. When he takes my hand I see that I’m young again, “My golden years?” I laugh, touching my muscles, and running a hand through my luscious hair. I pose dramatically, “How convenient I’m not stuck in an 87 year old body.”
He pulls me and I feel so young and light again. I look at myself for a long second and then him. “You’re more handsome then I remember.” I grin cheesily. I’m not waiting any longer. “So will you go out with me, ghost boy?”
“Yes.” He snorts, “You could have got your answer earlier with a seance or a wigi board.”
“Wait, those work?” I ask.
He shrugs, “Maybe.”
“I have one more question.” I ask admiring him and the world with my new ghostly vision, “Why in our thirties and not when we met?”
“I have no fucking clue.” He laughs and pulls me through the hospital wall where we are suddenly at his grave, “Nothing makes sense.”
“Were you watching me the whole time?” I ask him. A little mind blown that he was able to teleport us.
“Whenever I could.” He beams up at me and I lean down slowly. “Kissing me in front of my grave? How very romantic.”
“Oh I’m sorry, would you rather I?” I pull him towards me, eyes closed tight trying to envision the beautiful sunset and trees. I peek an eye open and instead of more romantic I gasp. We’re back in the cave.
“Well this is nostalgic.” He says a little deadpan. He goes to the cave-in looking at it.
“I’m sorry this isn’t…” I worry I try to grab his shoulder but he shrugs it off and then turns and I see that he’s not upset. He gives me a pained smile.
“Let’s not forget.” He lets out a long breath and gives me a brave smile, “Thank you, for coming back, for saving me. For talking to me every opportunity. I wasn’t lonely.” He tears up, “Thank you.”
I pull him into a hug.
“Let go,” I say again deeply.
“Wait!” he drags me up through the air to my shock and we go through the hole. I remember the first time so vividly. Then settling in the grass he looks out over the hills. I slowly sit down next to him. “I’m so selfish.” He says wiping his eyes, “I took your chance to move on and I’m happy.” He wraps his arms around his legs.
“Who ever said we still can’t?” I say laying back to watch the sun start to set. I put my hand over his and he looks over quickly in fear.
“But I think I could enjoy this for a long time.” I smile at him. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
He presses his lips together, “You mean that?”
I nod and gasp as he throws himself onto me kissing me passionately, longfully, 70 years worth of waiting.
I break the kiss for air first and then lay back so we can cuddle.
“It’s the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.” I breathe. He plays with my hair and beard. Then works his hands down my chest.
“I don’t want to move on.”
“Okay then we won’t,” I say a little flustered, “there’s a whole world to explore.” I grab his wrists and pull him in to kiss him again. “And it’s always changing.”
“Do you want to go on that movie date now?” He asks suddenly excited.
“Hell, yeah!” I exclaim, “But first.” I roll over on top of him, “I want to enjoy this moment.” I unzip my jeans.
He lets out a whimpering, “Oh, god yes.”
…Funny Endings/ Additions…
1.
A stormy night, thunder rumbles threatening the oncoming wave of darkness.
The sun and wind feels so good. I take a deep breath, it smells amazing. A rumble in the distance gets my attention. I turn and shrug, it's really far away. I have plenty of time to finish my hike. I get to the top of the hill and check on the approaching storm.
“Ha I knew it.” I exclaim as I still have at least an hour. I take a little break sitting on a rock. Eating and drinking, enjoying everything about being alive I finally give in and turn to leave. My shoelace is untied. I pause crouching to tie it and then notice something weird about the ground in front of me. I pull the scarce foliage out of the way to reveal a gaping hole.
“Oh my god that was so close.” I gasp looking down into it. Standing brushing myself off I mutter, “That could have been bad, imagine if I fell? Welp, time to go home.” I turn on my heel and make double time down the mountain beating the storm.
Safe and warm inside I look out the window at the crazy storm. A warm cup of cocoa in my hand as I can’t wait to go back and explore that cave I found, with some proper equipment of course.
I turn and scream, “What the fuck?!” as someone is standing there. The ghost looks just as confused as I am.
2.
The ghost watches as the sobbing hiker is finally rescued by the team searching for him. He couldn’t follow them off the mountain. He feels tears start tracing down his cheeks as the hiker is soon helicopter lifted and disappears into the sky no longer able to be seen. He can’t bring himself to be sorry for himself. He managed to save him. And he was sure that when the hiker eventually passed at a ripe old age, he’d come back for him.
Only to jump as the hiker blips back into existence next to him. They blink surprised at each other and then the hiker shrugs, "Least I tried."
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