Alternative Endings

Chapter Three

“Now, I expect you’ll be wondering who I am,” The man in front of me said, His overcoat drenched from the rain, “But that is of no importance. The question you should be asking is what I do. You have never seen me before, yes?”

“Yes.” I responded, unsure of what was happening. I was working in my maths class when I was called through to the History staffroom.

“Good. Well, I work and run a certain business. Alternative Endings Inc. I believe you rang yesterday?” The man continued. He let no emotion or sign leak onto his face, and as he spoke his face was blank.

“Uh… Yes, I did. I was wondering~”

“You don’t need to wonder. You need to listen. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“Good. Well, first things first. You can call me Div-Inter. I am here to organise somewhere to meet. Your mother has agreed for this to happen. But the location is up to you. Where would you like to meet?”

“Er… Tannersworth Park, near the local police station.”

“Very well. I will meet you there in three days. Is that alright with you?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I’ll need to tell my mum where I’ll be going, though.”

“Oh, about that. She already knows.” And with that, he left.

On my way home that day I started going over the things that man had said. Everything about him was strange, but foremost was how he knew everything, had done everything and his name. His name was Div-Inter, which only until I was out of school did I realise stood for the Divine Intervention, something in which I did not believe. I decided to remember this cryptic alias in case it was needed for something that was yet to happen. But how he knew everything and had done things before even I had known about them, well, I just couldn’t figure it out.

When I had arrived home I immediately noticed the difference in my Mum. Instead of the normal scruffy pullover she was wearing a long, blue dress. Her black hair was loose, falling around her shoulders. She was wearing high-heels, instead of the usual gumboots. This only meant one thing. Mum was going on another blind date.

“Hey Mum. I see you’re going on a blind date?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.

“Yes, but this is the last one,” she added in quickly, “After this, I promise not to go on a blind date ever again. All right?

“All right. But you could have told me earlier.”

“I know, but I didn’t want you to freak out.”

“Ok, ok. Well, I need to go do something. I’ll be in my room if you need me.” I then headed back down the hall and into my room. I dropped everything in a heap, took off my shoes, and sat down at the computer.

After my computer was turned on and I had opened up the Internet, I decided to do some more research. But this time I looked up various different key words that revolved around “Alternative Endings Inc.” What came up was what really scared me. Instead of seeing different websites that had nothing to do with what I searched for, all the links consisted of one word. And it was those words that truly struck fear into my heart.

WE.net

SEE.gov

YOU.com

I suddenly stiffened. My muscles tensed, my hands were no longer relaxed, and it felt like whatever I did was being watched. Consequently, I was paranoid for the rest of the night. I flinched at every noise, tensed at every draught of air, and not even sleep could deprive me from the terror.

The next day, after I had woken up, I felt different. But not in a good way. It felt as if my hands had been tied to a pole and I had been dangled over a cliff, my body swinging with every breeze, my body drenched by every rain, my skin cracked from hours in the sun.

“Must have been from all the tensing,” I told myself, even though I knew it wasn’t true, “Couldn’t have done my body any good.”

After I had had my breakfast and had gotten to school, a series of even stranger things happened. Firstly, and probably the most frightening of them all, was that all the school posters and advertisements, stuck on walls and doors, bear three words. “We. See. You.” Now I was starting to feel paranoid once again, and it didn’t help when Johnny appeared at my side from out of nowhere.

“Hey man.” He said, in his usual laid back voice. Even though I had expected him to come up to me, like everyday, I suddenly flinched.

“Oh… Hey Johnny.” I said, my voice wavering a bit from the fright.

“Hey, are you okay? You seem a bit… Scared.” He said this as if he was unsure what was really going on, but I assured him that I was all right.

The next day passed quickly. Our class was strangely given no homework for the weekends, which for most people was a relief. And we finished early due to a wet day timetable. It was weird though, because that day I didn’t see any hidden messages on posters or on the Internet. I didn’t feel as if I was being watched. I got some sleep finally, and didn’t feel like crap afterwards. I don’t know why it was like that, but I do know it had something to do with the day to come.

Tannersworth Park, named mainly because of how much it used to cost to get into the gardens, was one of my favourite places. It was in the middle of our suburb, and was probably the most beautiful place there as well. It had bright green trees outlining the rectangular Park, with bustling oaks scattered throughout. In the centre of the Park was a large flowerbed, with daffodils flowering in spring to early winter and carnations flowering in late summer to autumn. Also there was a police station near the park, so there wasn’t much violence. This is where I had decided to meet the man, going by the name Div-inter, because it was safe and beautiful. Or so I thought.

The man came about half an hour after I had arrived. He started asking if I was sure that I wanted his help, in which I stupidly replied, “What's the worst that could happen?” If only I had known what was to come. So then he started getting something out of his pocket. As he was doing so, he started talking to me.

“Now, these words will seem strange to you, but remember them for the future. No harm will come to you if you follow what “It” says. You will understand what “It” is when you wake up.”

“When I wake up?” I asked, starting to panic. But the man said nothing more, but instead pulled out what looked like a needle, and pushed the point into the side of my neck. But before I blacked out, he left me with a few words. “This is how it’s meant to be.”

And then… nothing.