A Love For Winter (Part Five)A Chapter by Brian M. Peeples Fifth and final part of my multi-part romance short story. Parker was speechless at what he’d just witnessed. Marilyn, the girl he fell in love with, the one woman who had the power to bring him back to life...was dead. He couldn’t believe it, nor could he even fathom the idea! It was too painful for him to see, her lifeless body lying there in silence. He didn’t know what to do. He panicked. Lifting Marilyn’s body up off the ground, he ran towards town, hoping someone could help. But the quicker he ran, the more tiresome he became. It wasn’t a normal occurrence for someone to be hauling a lifeless body across a snowy landscape in hopes of reaching answers back at the town, but he had several doubts that anybody would be of any help either way. He figured he would try though. Nearing the outskirts of the town where Marilyn grew up, he raced towards the entrance. There were several people walking around, and they noticed a boy running towards them. But what was he holding? A girl. Yes. It was faint, but they realized he was holding a girl. and the look in his face showed signs of sheer panic. Something was very, very wrong. “Help, help!” The young boy cried, “I need help. She isn’t breathing!” With the last few words, a couple of citizens ran up to help Parker, but as they raced over, he dropped to his knees, Marilyn’s body hitting the ground. He hunched over, crying, not able to hold it in any longer...he’d broke down completely. It was painful the first time, to lose a loved one, but the second time...was by far his worst experience ever. His pain was unmatched by any known emotions in the world. His spirit was broken, and he could no longer go on. A few others made the attempt to pull him off of her, but he pushed them back, shoving them until they let go. He would not leave her side, no matter what. He would stay by her. She was his soul mate...she was his everything. “There’s nothing you can do, boy!” A stranger from out of nowhere chimed in, while all the commotion was still going on. It was her father. “But...but…” Parker couldn’t speak. His words would not come out as he was in too much pain. Each word he spoke would cause more mixed emotions, and he would eventually explode and soon after, would be destroyed by his own anger towards the world. Why had this happened to him? What was the reason for such torture? He had given up everything to be with this girl...only to have her ripped away from him in the end. He would not have it. But Marilyn’s father had something else in mind. The large, stocky man slowly walked over to where Parker was sulking, grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, and yanked him off of his daughter. “You need to come with me,” he calmly said, “there is something I need to show you.” Parker was a little confused, but he only nodded and went along with what the man said. After all, it was her father. He brought Parker into her apartment, sat him down on the couch, and sat across from the boy on the other couch. The room wasn’t very decorative, somewhat vague. He began to speak, not really caring whether or not Parker was ready to listen. “Boy, you have to listen to me,” he said with a stern voice, trying not to hide the sadness he was holding up inside, “Marilyn...she was ill. Very ill. An illness that the doctors couldn’t cure. It wasn’t cancer, or anything like this. It was an unknown disease. She may have appeared healthy on the inside, but the poor girl’s inside were deteriorating. She was dying ever since she was born. The doctors are actually surprised she lasted this long...I’m sorry. I truly am.” Parker said nothing. He didn’t move. There was nothing left for him, nothing more to fight for. Why was he even alive in the first place? But he knew one thing. He knew that he would find away to be with her, forever and always. But this was tricky, you see. Marilyn’s ghost was now in the afterlife, and he’d already tried to kiss her earlier, in hopes of true love’s kiss, but it was no use. It didn’t work. Marilyn’s father stood up from his seat, in order to pat him on the shoulder, showing the boy he understands. It was his daughter, after all. But Parker took it the wrong way, and quickly stood up and ran out the door. He didn’t care where he went, or what he did. He knew he had to find a way back...back to where he came from. It wasn’t long until he reached a lake he’d passed earlier, after dashing through the snowy field, and before reaching the tree hill. It was frozen with ice. He wondered what would happen if... Parker quickly brushed the thought away and slowly stepped onto the ice. He slowly inched his way further and further into the middle of the lake. It was risky, and he knew it, but the thought of losing his beloved...it didn’t matter to him. Not anymore. He had gone mad with rage to the point where he’d take his own life if it meant that he could see Marilyn one last time. He became unpredictable, unstoppable, and nothing could change his mind about what was to come next. Now standing there, on top of the frozen water of the lake, it was a decision between life or death for the broken hearted man...but he already knew his answer. And without any hesitation, he stomped on the ice as hard as he could, breaking it to the point where he fell in. He began to drown. There was no going back now. And there was no mistake that his short life had little meaning to him if Marilyn was not a part of it. After all, she was the reason he was alive once more. And he...he couldn’t cope with the pain and misery he’d endure knowing that she was going off to the next life, where that was. He would chase after her simply because he was in love with her. Moments had passed as all of the memories of his life flashed before his eyes. Both past and present, thoughts of Maren and Marilyn, collided, causing the memories to merge. Eventually, there was only one memory left. It was the memory of the love he’d felt for both girls. It was the same. A love so pure that nothing could keep him and his lover apart, not even the barrier between the life and death. And in a few short minutes, he’d be with her once again, following her into the afterlife...he would also leave this world, leaving what little he had behind. Parker, the man who’d hopelessly fallen in love with a woman he had no chance to be with, in the first place, would also take his own life...for her. As if it were all a dream, Parker had woken from a nap. But it wasn’t a nap. He’d drowned and was back in the afterlife. But for what? As he looked around, Marilyn was nowhere to be found...but there was someone else, someone so, so familiar. But who? And how? It was Maren. She was standing in front of Parker, smiling, happy, and glad that she’d finally been reunited with her first and only love. But what troubled her was how could her beloved fall for someone else? How could a man so dedicated to her...love somebody else...? But, then again, it wasn’t really somebody else. “M-Maren…?” Parker called out, still dazed and confused from waking up as a ghost so suddenly, “Is...is that you?” He thought it was just a dream at first, but then realized it was all too real. “Yes, it’s me.” she said, happy he remembered her. “I-I’ve missed you…” he stuttered, shocked that she was really there. But where was Marilyn? “You’ve never been away from me.” she said, but Parker had no idea what that meant. He plainly stared at Maren while waiting for some answers. “Let me further explain. I’d died two-hundred years ago, yes, but I did not end up like you. I simply took the form of another human being...Marilyn. I was her all along, which is why you developed such moving feelings for her so quickly. Because you had the same feelings for me all those years ago. I hadn’t realized who you were, truly, until I died. And to think some say love can’t conquer all, huh?” Parker stood there, speechless, unable to make a sound. What had he just heard? Both Maren and Marilyn were the same girl? Was that possible? Well, at this point, anything was possible. But now he was there, with Maren, the one girl he loved, the one that he adored and cherished, no matter what life they were in. The two always found a way back to each other, somehow. Even through time and space... between the barrier of life and death, there was no way to prevent one’s true love from ever coming together. When Parker realized this, he only smiled. The two remained quiet after that, and she held out her hand. Parker took it, and as they walked down a road that mysteriously appeared out of nowhere, Parker, the man who’d accomplished all he could in the attempt at true love, knew that his forever was only just beginning. Now...now he wasn’t alone. And he would never be alone from that day forward. He would only...be happy.© 2014 Brian M. PeeplesAuthor's Note
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Added on December 11, 2014Last Updated on December 23, 2014 Author
Brian M. PeeplesNorwich, CTAboutI am a twenty-three year old writer & poet. My passion for writing comes from all over. I love to write, and I love to inspire others. Hopefully when I'm gone one day, I'll leave behind all my writin.. more..Writing
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