Alternate Ending
Taylor and Zac had built a ropeswing together next to their childhood treehouse. It consisted of an old black tire and one long piece of frayed looking rope. A tight knot kept their new toy attached to a thick brown branch that was covered in green leaves that had grown with the arrival of Spring.
Red and blue flowers were scattered in the bushes that marked the edge of the woods and the steady hum of bumble bees could be heard loudly as they gathered the nectar of the sweet smelling roses and buttercups.
The treetops and the luscious grass still had dewy drops of rain clinging to them from the previous night's showers but the sun was shining gently on that perfect afternoon in the old house.
Taylor laughed gleefully as he pushed his younger brother higher and higher on the ropeswing. Zac clung on for dear life, giggling none the less.
You wouldn't think that they were over the age of twenty, thought Jamie. They're so perfect together.
Zac jumped off of the swing and landed on the ground with a thud. Taylor dropped down on top of his brother's body, cuddling him and laughing happily. After a few breath taking moments, their laughter died down and they gazed at eachother dreamily, glad to be in eachothers presence once again.
Zac moved his hand to his brothers chest, only touching the fabric gently at first. When Taylors gaze didn't falter, and he didn't flinch, Zac moved his hand beneath the material, touching the damaged skin that was there, running his fingers along the scars that held such painful memories. He lifted Taylor's shirt up, and looked for the first time at the markings that would never fade. Red lines stained the perfect skin and stitches looked strange and out of place.
After a moment, Taylor pulled down his shirt and looked away, ashamed of his body for the first time in his life. His eyes began to water but he didn't let himself cry, not again, not after all of the crying that he'd done for Zac.
He lifted up his younger brothers shirt and looked at his damage as well. The scarring was much worse than his own, and it had effected Zac more than him as well. Zac had been in a coma. He'd had a branch through his stomach, like Taylor, but much much worse. Zac had nearly died, and at one point, the docters had been certain that he was going to die.
A miracle had happened though.
Jamie had stayed with Zac the night that he finally woke up, and Zac had been scared and delerious. He'd screamed that Taylor was dead, and it had shocked everybody. He'd thought that he was in Jamie's bedroom, but they were in a hospital room.
Together again.
Jamie stood far away from his two friends, not hiding, just watching them. They didn't know he was there, but he was. He was happy for them, but something told him that he'd lost out somewhere along the line ... after all, he was alone now that they were back together. He had just been their shoulder to cry on.
Even happy endings arn't all that happy.