Grey walked into town, headed for the flower shop. As he walked there his eyes searched hungrily for the pink haired angel that brightened his life, the beautiful daughter of the flower shop owner, Popuri. Not seeing her, he walked into the flower shop a bit dejected, but perked up a bit once he saw all the flower seeds. If I plant these on my farm Popuri will like me for sure, he thought. Quickly, he bought 10 boxes of moondrop seeds, payed 300 dollars to Lillia, the florist, thanked her, and left quickly to his farm. He had to plant those seeds, and the sooner the better.
As he walked toward his barn to get the hoe, he noticed Ann talking with someone. The closer he got, the easier he could tell who it was… Popuri! His breath caught in his throat as he came toward them. The way Popuri was standing in the light made it look like she had a halo around her head. She looks just like an angel, he said to himself.
“Hello Popuri,” he said as he passed her and Ann.
“Hi Grey!” She chirped. Her cheerful voice made his heart melt. He increased his pace as he walked to the barn. I need to get those flowers planted now. If I can’t marry her I’ll die! Grey thought.
“Now where is that hoe?” He said, looking around the barn. He looked under bales of hay, in the toolbox, behind the fodder spout, everywhere he could think of.
“Where is the damn thing?!” He shouted, then spotted a glint of metal in the dung heap. He went over and cautiously pulled on the corner sticking out. It came further out of the dungheap to reveal a flat metal surface with an edge that faced down. The hoe. He pulled it the rest of the way out. It was completely covered in dung. Sighing, he took it to the pump behind the barn and washed it off. Damn thing, he thought. It’s slowing me down. I have to get those flowers planted now!
When he came out from behind the barn, he noticed Jack walking toward Ann and Popuri, moondrop flowers in one hand, the other hand behind his back. He figured it was for Ann, and decided to see what was up, so he hid behind a tree. As he watched, Ann walked away, leaving Jack and Popuri alone. He figured Jack would go after her, but he made no move to. Instead, he handed the moondrop flowers to Popuri, then pulled his hand out from behind his back. Grey could just make out something blue, which Jack handed to Popuri also.
Is that what I think it is? Grey thought wildly.
Popuri froze for a moment, then kissed Jack passionatly. Grey couldn’t believe his eyes. I think it was…. He stayed behind the tree a moment more, then came out from behind the tree just as Jack was leaving. Ann ran up to Popuri.
“I can’t believe it!” Grey heard Ann squeal. “I’m soooo happy for you, Popuri!”
“What is going on?” Grey asked, approaching the two girls. He had an idea of what it was, but he didn’t want to believe it. He wouldn’t let himself believe it.
“Jack just asked Popuri to marry him! And she said yes!” Ann said excitedly.
“We’re having our wedding on Sunday. I’d like it if both you and Ann came, Grey,” Popuri told him.
“Oooooh, I’d love to come!” Ann said. Grey was silent.
“Grey? Will you come?” Popuri asked again.
“Yeah, sure, I’ll come,” he said in a flat voice.
Popuri and Jack were married that Sunday at the church. Grey showed up, as he promised. Throughout the whole thing all he thought about was how much he wanted to die. Popuri was Jack’s now, and nothing wold change that. No matter how many boxes of moondrop seeds he planted, she would never marry him, and knowing that drove Grey crazy.
For two days after the wedding Grey didn’t do anything. He just sat there and watched the weather channel. No matter how much Ann and his father tried to cheer him up, he wouldn’t move. He was too depressed. I wish I could die, he thought. I wish I could die. Popuri married Jack. I wanted to marry her. She was supposed to be mine. But now she’s Jack’s. The only thing that ever meant anything to me is gone. Gone. Gone, but still here, which is the worst type of gone she could be. At least if she was completly gone – if she moved out of the city, or died or something – I wouldn’t ever see her again, and the pain could heal. But now she’s gone, but still here, and I still have to see her every day, and every day it makes the wound in my heart open again. It’s so painful. I just wish I could die.
He wasn’t sure when it happened. It just did. He got up from his spot on the couch, walked out the door, and headed toward Moon Mountain. With each step the word echoed in his head. Die… die… die… die….
He slowly climbed the mountain, each step he took bringing him closer to his wish. He passed old Saibara, who was up by the hotspring. Saibara said, “Hi,” but Grey ignored him. He thought if he stopped he might lose his nerve. He walked, faster and faster, until he reached the summit. He walked to the edge of the cliff, and looked down. It’s a long way down, he told himself nervously. Maybe I shouldn’t do this…. It’ll hurt a lot when I hit. Then a bigger, louder, more confident voice came in and said, Yes, but living with the pain forever is a longer and more agonizing pain. The fall will kill you instantly. It will only hurt for a second.
Grey made up his mind. He took a couple steps back, then ran toward the edge and jumped. As he fell, he thought, Well, I won’t have to live with the pain much longer….
He hit the ground with a sickening crunch, and would have been killed instantly, had he not hit a branch right before he landed. It slowed his fall, and he landed hard, but not hard enough to kill him right away.
The pain! Grey thought. I can’t take it! But at least it will be over soon, both the physical pain and the emotional pain…. With that thought, Grey’s spirit left his body, and he was dead.