Okay, I got positive response for the last chapter! I can't believe I got like any reviews for this story. I thought it was lame but if you all like it, then here we go with the epilogue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About two hours after leaving the hospital in the city, Zack and Marta pulled up to Zack's house. He had his own little bachelor pad which was practically wallpapered inside with posters and memorabilia of his never-ending list of favorite rock groups. Zack's blood red, customized car crunched on the driveway as they parked in his driveway. He and Marta were both grinning, ready to burst with happiness. As soon as Freddy had told them he was being released, they immediately started planning his party.
The pair had gone shopping in search of everything they needed for a kick-ass party tomorrow. Well, Marta really had the last say in picking the supplies out, but nevertheless it still was going to be awesome. "Freddy's gonna be so happy tomorrow! We have to call everyone from the band and try to get them to come up here for tomorrow," Marta thought aloud.
"Like he hasn't figured it out," Zack laughed. "He's not dumb, he knows us better than that."
"I really hope so," Marta replied. "I really hope he truly realizes he is worth something."
Neither of them knew what to say to carry on the conversation, so in silence they unloaded the party goods from Zack's trunk and carried them into his kitchen. He had a nice big yard so they were just gonna have the bash there, nothing fancy.
"I'm gonna call up the others now," Marta said as she picked up the phone. She was just about to dial Frankie's number because he and Freddy had been good friends too, when it rang in her hands. "It's the hospital again," she said with an extremely puzzled look on her face. She handed the phone to Zack.
"Zack Mooneyham, how can I help you?"
"You're Mr. Jones' friend aren't you?" someone briskly snapped at him.
"Yeah, that's me. Why?"
"Well it seems that Mr. Jones has self-overdosed on his medication, he's on the brink of dying-"
"WHAT? OH MY GOD YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME WHAT-"
"Mr. Mooneyham, there is no reason to raise your voice-"
Zack had it. He clicked the phone back into its receiver, he stood stock still, not believing this. *No way. They're just messing with me. Freddy's better he wouldn't do that…*
Marta stepped over to Zack, her eyes wide. "Oh Zack, what's wrong? Is Freddy okay?"
Zack looked up at her. His eyes were stormy pools, threatening to spill over with tears. Marta had only seen him cry once, at Katie's funeral. It took a lot to get to Zack, growing up with a man like Zack's dad hardened your heart to some things. But this crushed Zack, another best friend gone…
"Marta, Freddy…Freddy's probably dead by now. He overdosed on sleeping medicine…" Zack's voice trailed off, giving way to his tears and shuddering breaths.
Marta was in disbelief. She had tears silently tracing lines on her cheeks, but her heart refused to believe it. "Zack, maybe by the time we get there, they'll have saved him, can't they give him other medicine to counteract the-"
"MARTA," Zack was yelling now. "DON'T YOU GET IT?? HE'S GONE. FOR REAL THIS TIME. IT'S TOO LATE, WE CAN'T SAVE HIM NOW, HES GONE…HE'S GONE…."
"Dammit Zack, stop it, come on, let's go NOW. I want to be there for Freddy…come ON!" Marta said.
When she, driving Zack's car, pulled up to the hospital about 20 minutes later, it still hadn't hit her. She wouldn't believe it. She would not believe that Freddy was gone too. After persuading Zack to move, they raced through the lobby and didn't even bother waiting for the elevator. They ran up six flights of stairs and arrived, out of breath, at his room's door. They could hear murmured voices and the soft beep of machines from inside. They braced themselves and pushed the door open.
About 7 or 8 doctors and nurses had crowded themselves into the room, surrounding Freddy's bed. Not one head turned to look as Zack and Marta went in, so they assumed it was okay to stay. Peeking through the shoulders of the doctors, they could see him on the bed. He looked so happy, so normal. So peaceful and content.
The impact of what had happened fully hit Marta for the first time, and a wave of emotion washed through her, sobs suddenly erupting from her. She turned away from the bed, she couldn't bear to see Freddy like this. Zack hugged her close, assuring her that everything would be fine. Their roles had switched now. Zack saw the content expression Freddy died with. *He must have been happy for a reason,* he thought.
Finally a nurse noticed they were there, and stepped away from the huddle of doctors to talk to Marta and Zack.. "Friends of Mr. Jones?" she asked them. Too distraught to speak, they just nodded yes. "I'm terribly sorry, we tried all we could, but he's gone. I'm so, so sorry," she said, a grim smile set on her face.
This just sent Marta and Zack over the edge again. They sat on a bench out in the hallway, unable to stay in the same room as their beloved friend. They sat in silence for quite a while, until Zack said, "Marta, do you think maybe he's happier this way?"
"What? Zack are you crazy? What are you talking about, this is horrible for us!"
"But I'm not talking about us. I'm talking about Freddy. Do you think maybe he's better off this way."
Marta glared at him, her face showing that she was completely not understanding.
"Maybe this is kinder for him, you now? In all the years I've known him, I've never seen him like this. Marta, he changed the day of that accident, you can't deny that."
She refused to give in. "But when something's broke you're supposed to fix it!" she stubbornly insisted.
"What if it can't be fixed…"
Marta looked Zack in his chocolate-brown eyes and the crying started all over again. A few more tears even escaped from Zack as he hugged Marta on the stiff, cold, unwelcoming bench of that hospital. Marta cried herself to sleep as they sat together on that bench.
Zack was about to fall asleep himself when the sudden brush of someone walking past him brought him out of his stupor. He looked up to see who it was, and for a second he thought was dreaming. He blinked a few times, but the two people holding hands and walking down the hall still looked strangely familiar.
*No way…*
The figure on the right turned his head to look at Zack for a moment. Freddy flashed Zack a grateful smile, and turned back to Katie, holding her close as they walked further and further away, fading out of this life together.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The end! For real this time…I hope! I really, really hope you guys like it, I wasn't going to do this, but your reviews inspired me. I love you all!
~Kaitlin