An Alternate History of the Universe
It doesn’t end well, the story of you and your friend, so you rewrite it. This way, you get the ending where your heart doesn’t break; this way, you never have to write your friend’s eulogy, and the world is as it should be.
In your story, Switzerland isn't a place, and she never tries white water rafting. In your story, freak waves and capsized boats don’t exist.
You never receive a gasping-and-shaking call on a Monday morning; you never have the feeling you’ve been ripped up from the inside out. At no point do you yell at a florist for screwing up an arrangement, nor cradle her mum in your arms. There is no need for others to tell you to stay strong.
In your story, she was never dragged under the heartless river. You don’t lie awake and wondering at night, thinking about the water, or how scared she must have felt, or punish yourself for not seeing her off at the airport because you were sick. In your story, you are not numb, you don’t forget your mother’s birthday and there is no need for antidepressants. You never call her phone to hear her voicemail and you never, ever, stand at her grave and whisper ‘I miss you’, into the autumn wind.
The story you write has a different ending.
In your story, you take a trip to the coast together. The air is warm and salty; the sun drenches you both as the sand squirms between your toes. You daydream about Ryan Gosling and you fight over which flavor of Boost juice is the best. There is a sunset, and there is the drive home, and there is the promise of tomorrow.
In your story, tomorrow comes.
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Really beautiful and heartbreaking.
🙂 thank you. This one means a lot to me, so I’m very glad you liked it.
Oh Whirly! *hugs*
This is beautiful. I know how much it means to you and I have to tell you what a great job you did with this.
*more hugs*
🙂
You are lovely. Thank you.
Nicely done. And I shall.
Thank you! Good luck this week 🙂
This was so sad. I think it’s something many people can relate to, and you captured that feeling well. You just feel so hopeless and would do anything to change things… To have them back…
Nicely done!
Thank you so much for this comment, it means a lot to me 🙂 Best of luck this week!
I’m glad to see you back in the main competition!
Thank you! It’s good to be back 🙂 Don’t know how long for…;)
So sad!
Awww! Didn’t mean for it to be too sad. Thanks for reading 🙂
Beautiful, sad, and the simplicity and brevity of it actually strengthen the message, at least for me. There’s a starkness about it that utterly matches how stripped-down and devastated a person feels in a situation like this.
This comment means so much to me. Thank you for putting so much thought behind it. Thank you 🙂 Best of luck this week.
This is really beautifully written, for all the pain it contains. *hugs*
wow thank you 🙂 What a lovely thing to say.
I love how concise and beautiful this is – not a wasted word, and so powerful. Absolutely lovely. So pleased you’re back!!
Wow thank you that means a lot from you! I’m glad to be back too 🙂
The promise of a new world and new tomorrow. A very whistful and sweet entry I can strongly relate to as well. If only we could have our best friends back again!
Dan
Thank Dan! If only is a very powerful thought.
Wow. So intense… you’ve packed this with such power.
Thank you so much. Your comments are always so lovely.