Closing Time

The Second End

"If I didn't ask him to stay that night, he would still be here," Curtis wiped his eyes. "The boy was Patrick."

~oOo~

Pete stared at the white-washed walls, unblinking. He was waiting. Patiently.

A thump on the cold, steel door signalled that it was time.

A lady no more than thirty, stood at the entrance. With her hair up in a bun, black pencil skirt and crisp cream blouse, she chased the two guards away.

"I want privacy with my client," she told them.

The guards looked at her with concern, but left anyway.

Once the door was closed, she turned around to face him.

"Hello, Pete. Hello, Patrick."

Pete chuckled to himself. "I suggest you'd better leave, missy." His voice was hoarse from all the screaming.

The lady stood her ground. "I'm not going anywhere, Pete. In fact, I am here to talk to you about Patrick."

"No one talks about Patrick, except me," Pete replied. He was getting tensed.

"Pete, please. This is not the first time I'm seeing you," the lady pleaded.

He couldn't take it anymore. This woman was just wasting his time. And Patrick's.

Without warning, he pounced on her.

She shrieked and pushed him away. He fell hard on his butt.

"Guards! Let me out!" she fist-palmed on the metal door.

She was immediately hauled outside and the guards rushed in, batons ready.

"No! Stop! Don't!" the lady yelled. "I'm fine. I'll come again once he's in a better mood."

Pete was sprawled on the floor, eyeing the guards and the lady. He grinned at them.

Once he was confined and alone again, he made his way to the door and sat, back pressed against it.

He looked to his left and smiled. A genuine, toothy smile.

"Hey, Trick. Bitch was being a bitch. Lucky I had my arms in this fucking jacket. Otherwise, she'll be a goner."

The other boy didn't reply. He simply sat there beside Pete, gazing.

"No one can have you, Tricky. You're mine and mine alone. Stupid bitch pretended she could see you. Fucking liar!" Pete stomped his foot.

Patrick gave Pete a smirk.

"Sing for me?"

♠ ♠ ♠

And there you have it. This is the alternate ending to this story. This ending is more wicked than the original one.

For those who do not understand, let me explain.

In the original ending, Pete came to terms that Patrick was indeed, dead. However in this ending, Pete couldn't fathom the fact that what he saw in the bookstore was a spirit or ghost. So basically, he's in denial. And that led to people thinking that he's a nutter.

The lady in this story is of course, a psychiatrist. She played along with Pete's antics, so that's why she "greeted" Patrick. She knew there wasn't anyone there, but wanted to make Pete feel more at ease and open up and talk freely to her. Unfortunately, Pete's the angsty, violent type. Hence that explains why he's in a straitjacket.

As for "Patrick" in this ending, I can say it's up to your imagination, readers. Whether he's a wandering spirit which only Pete can see, or he's just a figment of Pete's imagination which had gone awry.

If you guys couldn't figure out who said the last line, it's Pete.

Comments on what you all think about this ending? Please? Much appreciated! :))