Emily Under The Weather

Alternate Ending 1-There is no escaping Death

THIS ENDING IS A REWRITE STARTING WITH CHAPTER 5-DEATH ON THE FLOOR. EVERYTHING BEFORE THAT REMAINS THE ROUGHLY THE SAME. 

This ending was requested by Stay_1992 and I am so happy to finally have a request I enjoyed writing. (Usually I get some weird superhero stuff so thank you😅) I actually really like this ending as sad as it is and I almost wish it was the original one I wrote. Anyways it's still broken into chapters just read the ones that are labeled 'Alternate Ending 1' 

Sue opened the door and starred in. She knew the smell of death too well. The look of the still dust hovering in the room's morning light, undisturbed by ragged breath or breath of any kind. Only now did that dust stir, Sue's actions, the simple opening of the door, it had disturbed the settling death that enveloped the room. Sue scanned the room, her eyes wandering everywhere but to her beloved Emily. Finally she forced her gaze upon the brilliant poet, the light of her life, now extinguished. Emily lay still on the bed. The sheets did not rise, nor did her chest. No sweat sparkled on her forehead, relaying the fever that had stricken the dear girl. She walked to Emily and fell into the chair by her bedside. She took her hand and felt the ice of her temperature almost transfer into her veins as her blood suddenly ran cold. Never did she imagine Emily's skin to be so chilled. She'd felt this before, all her family had the same hand but none was like Emily's. Her Emily. The Dickinson's would be waiting for confirmation, but Sue wasn't going to leave her. Not again. Sue let the piling tears silently fall down her face as she rhythmically rubbed Emily's hand. Her limp arm was heavy and Sue was reminded all over again, how heavy a motionless corpse was. Emily, not a corpse. Emily.

It was all denial, Sue logically knew that. Emily was dead in her bed, the covers wrapped around her as a final hug. Her lips frozen, partially parted as they gave up their will and hoped the air would naturally keep coming. Her other hand rested on her heart as if Emily had felt the end and wanted to feel it in a poet's way. The last beat, distantly pounding beneath her fingers and past the wall her chest. It was all over now. Emily had known. Did she call out? Did she realize that she was alone? Or was her last thought not of Sue, but of some poetic line never to be scratched upon a page? That would be classic Emily, Sue mused. Maybe, she thought, maybe it was both. Sue let herself hope that Emiy's last line of brilliant poetry had been of her. She already knew that Emily's drawer was overflowing with love letter poetry all destined for Sue's eyes and heart.

"She's gone." Sue spun around, startled from her faded trance. Austin's cheeks glimmered with tears as he leaned on the doorway. A distant look in his eyes as they fell from Emily to the floor. Sue looked at Emily's brother, the man she once considered marrying because of the toll death had taken on her life. Now, it had taken even more, but Sue couldn't fathom marrying Austin now. Maybe not ever. "Emily's gone." Austin's hollow tone ended the remaining peace held with Sue's love's last breath. The tortured state Sue was in, was shaken from her.

"Yes," her voice barely stayed steady enough to be understood. Sue turned away from Austin and lifted Emily's hand to her lips. She knew how dangerous it was, she could easily catch Emily's illness and meet a similar fate, but Sue didn't particularly care by this point. "I love you Emily," she whispered it so quietly she doubted it reached Austin's ear. Emily heard it though. She used to go for carriage rides with death, and he wouldn't keep this last declaration of love from her. Sue stood up, her instincts telling her to go, her heart ignoring her. Sue brushed some of Emily's hair from her face and then kissed her cool lips for the last time. Then she drifted past Austin. It didn't feel like she was grounded in her body, she felt separate, like none of her actions were consciously her own. Like her soul was still tied to Emily's breathless lips. Sue didn't acknowledge Austin further as she shakily descended the stairs.

The Dickinsons sat around their table in distraught silence. Sue hovered in the doorway, each of the family were too consumed in their thoughts to even notice her presence. Maggie was the first to smile in Sue's direction, her face overflowing with pity and sadness. She was nice. Emily liked her, and got her employed in the first place... Sue hoped that she would be allowed to keep her job. Maggie cleared her throat and everyone looked around, their eyes eventually all landing on Sue. She was pale and sickly balanced by her hand and forearm on the doorframe. She tried to give a quivering smile, but it collapsed before it truly had a chance to fully form.

"Is she-" Mrs. Dickinson couldn't bring herself to finish and Sue didn't want to break the news. Austin's absence was enough, but they needed to hear the words out loud. They needed to hear it be said to accept it as reality. Sue needed to hear it too, but she didn't want to hear it from her lips. She didn't want to do this, but she was the only practiced bringing of death. It was expected of her; it was her job.

"Emily's dead." Sue tried to keep her voice steady, but it fell away as Sue began to study the floor in great detail even if her vision blurred with her tears. Mrs Dickinson cried out and stood up from the table leaving the room. Mr Dickinson pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning on the table. Subtle tears fell onto his empty plate though it was clear he wanted them to go unnoticed. Lavinia's bottom lip was shaking as she looked between Maggie and a devastated Sue. She shook her head.

"But, but--" Lavinia's voice failed her as her denial wore off completely, accepting that Emily really did have yellow fever. Sue knew the feelings bombarding the youngest Dickinson and she absentmindedly walked to Lavinia's side and drew her up from the chair and into her arms. The tight embrace did little to comfort the raging storm inside the young girl. Sue knew that. She was Lavinia once. Lainia cenched the fabric of Sue's clothes into her fists as she squeezed her eyes shut and leaned into the experienced mourner. Mr Dickson rose during this time and rushed into his office locking the door without a word. Sue stood there holding Lavinia until Maggie graciously nodded at her and the shaking sister was transferred to Maggie's comforting arms. Sue left the kitchen and looked around the empty entreeway to the Dickinson household. You could hear crying from several individuals and angry being let out within a small office down the hall. Sue didn't feel the need to speak to anyone so she walked out the front door. 

Part 1 on the rewrite is complete, but I'm posting them all at once so no need to wait. As always, thanks for reading