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"Friend"

Breathlessly, Alan looked over the edge. He was tired, and felt a little faint, but it was all worth it. The long, seemingly unending trek upwards, with no food and only a small amount of water for both of them.

“Wow…it’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Jacob said, a look of delight spreading across his face. Alan tried to reply, but it came out as meaningless mumbles. He didn’t have the physique for this sort of pastime. Hiking up massive cliffs had never really been one of his hobbies, especially when there were so many different types of food to saviour.

Alan loved eating. He couldn’t get enough of it. His belief, was that taste was a gift from God, a gift that shouldn’t be wasted. Taste buds can provide amazing sensations and experiences, so why not use them fully? Alan had tried all kinds of food, most of which he liked. Occasionally he came across something that tasted bitter in the mouth, or had a disgusting aftertaste, but after a while he would become used to it. This was one of the ‘rules’ he lived by. If he didn’t like something, he would continue to eat it until he liked it. People he knew were sceptical. After all, if you don’t like something, you don’t like it. Maybe after a few years you could grow to enjoy different types of food, but in a few days? And by repeatedly eating it? No, surely that’s not right. But with Alan, it was.

Thanks to this adoration of food, he didn’t have too many friends. As could be expected, he was very overweight, and those who are that overweight are always going to repel quite a lot of people. Fortunately, not everyone was like this. Especially not Jacob. Jacob was very different from Alan. He had a muscular, toned body, and loved exercising. Whether it be playing sports, or just heading off on a long run, he felt happy. In his mind, a body was a gift from God, and something that also should not be wasted. Much of the time he would preach his view to Alan, but secretly, he respected Alan. He didn’t care what others thought about him, and he was using his body to it’s fullest extent. Only in a different way from Jacob.

Alan and Jacob had been best friends since their teenage years. They met at senior school, and were inseparable. They got together almost everyday, and each of them was willing to do what the other wanted. Sometimes they would stay in, eat a lot, and watch TV. The sort of day Alan would live if he were on his own. And sometimes, they would go and play football at the park, or ride around town on their bikes. The type of day that Jacob would live, if he were on his own. As time went on they became closer, and soon it was like they were held together by some sort of invisible rope. A rope that was unbreakable, and became stronger by the minute.

Alan didn’t think he would have survived the past few years without Jacob. His parents had passed away in a very short space of time, and his sister had married and rushed off to Spain with her husband, without even letting him know. That was until he received a postcard, two months after she’d gone ‘missing.’ He never felt alone, however. Jacob was always there, by his side, and this helped Alan through all of it. During this time their friendship became stronger than ever, and even though they had their own jobs, they still managed to see each-other everyday.

Today was Saturday. On Saturday, they would do whatever Jacob wanted. So, they’d gone hiking up the cliffs that resided only half an hour’s drive from their town. Of course, it was tough for someone like Alan, but he had to make it. Not for himself, but more for Jacob. And now they stood at the tallest peak, looking down. It was picturesque. A small river ran all the way through the landscape, and in the north a small forest was situated. A small valley lay to their left, and all around them was countryside. There were no roads, no buildings to be seen, and Jacob felt at harmony with the World. This was what life was all about. Alan smiled at his friend, one hundred percent sure that the pain he went through to get here was worth it.

But, it felt even better when he shoved Jacob off the cliff. It was a good, hard shove, and there was no stopping Jacob as he tumbled. Alan leant over, and for just a split second, as Jacob turned in mid-air, he caught a glance of his best friend’s face. He wasn’t screaming, and there was no look of horror on his face. It looked strangely as though he was…surprised. Yes, that was the only way to describe it. There was also an element of sadness, as realisation entered Jacob. As Jacob realised, that Alan had killed him. After what seemed like an eternity, he hit the ground, and lay in a crumpled heap. For a moment, everything was silent. The birds were not singing. The air was still. It was as though nature had stopped with shock, at the sudden death of a wonderful friend.

Alan wiped his brow, and tried to calm himself. His heart was beating like a jackhammer, and he had to sit for a minute. Finally though, he stood, smiling. He had done it. He was a survivor. He had proved himself.

He took one more look at his most beloved friend, and said, “Goodbye Jacob. Thank-you for everything.”

_________________________

Thanks for reading, Ant.

Excellent. You have joined us in our fascination of writing about death. :0D

I would have done something stupid, like put Alan pushing Jacob off the cliff... then showing it was only a thought, a dream, almost, and then let the two of them walk off together, being friends. But that's just me. :0D

Fantastic ending, wasnt expecting that at all.

Breathlessly, Alan looked over the edge. He was tired, and felt a little faint, but it was all worth it. The long, seemingly unending trek upwards, with no food and only a small amount of water for both of them.

“Wow…it’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Jacob said, a look of delight spreading across his face. Alan tried to reply, but it came out as meaningless mumbles. He didn’t have the physique for this sort of pastime. Hiking up massive cliffs had never really been one of his hobbies, especially when there were so many different types of food to saviour.

Alan loved eating. He couldn’t get enough of it. His belief, was that taste was a gift from God, a gift that shouldn’t be wasted. Taste buds can provide amazing sensations and experiences, so why not use them fully? Alan had tried all kinds of food, most of which he liked. Occasionally he came across something that tasted bitter in the mouth, or had a disgusting aftertaste, but after a while he would become used to it. This was one of the ‘rules’ he lived by. If he didn’t like something, he would continue to eat it until he liked it. People he knew were sceptical. After all, if you don’t like something, you don’t like it. Maybe after a few years you could grow to enjoy different types of food, but in a few days? And by repeatedly eating it? No, surely that’s not right. But with Alan, it was.

Thanks to this adoration of food, he didn’t have too many friends. As could be expected, he was very overweight, and those who are that overweight are always going to repel quite a lot of people. Fortunately, not everyone was like this. Especially not Jacob. Jacob was very different from Alan. He had a muscular, toned body, and loved exercising. Whether it be playing sports, or just heading off on a long run, he felt happy. In his mind, a body was a gift from God, and something that also should not be wasted. Much of the time he would preach his view to Alan, but secretly, he respected Alan. He didn’t care what others thought about him, and he was using his body to it’s fullest extent. Only in a different way from Jacob.

Alan and Jacob had been best friends since their teenage years. They met at senior school, and were inseparable. They got together almost everyday, and each of them was willing to do what the other wanted. Sometimes they would stay in, eat a lot, and watch TV. The sort of day Alan would live if he were on his own. And sometimes, they would go and play football at the park, or ride around town on their bikes. The type of day that Jacob would live, if he were on his own. As time went on they became closer, and soon it was like they were held together by some sort of invisible rope. A rope that was unbreakable, and became stronger by the minute.

Alan didn’t think he would have survived the past few years without Jacob. His parents had passed away in a very short space of time, and his sister had married and rushed off to Spain with her husband, without even letting him know. That was until he received a postcard, two months after she’d gone ‘missing.’ He never felt alone, however. Jacob was always there, by his side, and this helped Alan through all of it. During this time their friendship became stronger than ever, and even though they had their own jobs, they still managed to see each-other everyday.

Today was Saturday. On Saturday, they would do whatever Jacob wanted. So, they’d gone hiking up the cliffs that resided only half an hour’s drive from their town. Of course, it was tough for someone like Alan, but he had to make it. Not for himself, but more for Jacob. And now they stood at the tallest peak, looking down. It was picturesque. A small river ran all the way through the landscape, and in the north a small forest was situated. A small valley lay to their left, and all around them was countryside. There were no roads, no buildings to be seen, and Jacob felt at harmony with the World. This was what life was all about. Alan smiled at his friend, one hundred percent sure that the pain he went through to get here was worth it.

But, it felt even better when he shoved Jacob off the cliff. It was a good, hard shove, and there was no stopping Jacob as he tumbled. Alan leant over, and for just a split second, as Jacob turned in mid-air, he caught a glance of his best friend’s face. He wasn’t screaming, and there was no look of horror on his face. It looked strangely as though he was…surprised. Yes, that was the only way to describe it. There was also an element of sadness, as realisation entered Jacob. As Jacob realised, that Alan had killed him. After what seemed like an eternity, he hit the ground, and lay in a crumpled heap. For a moment, everything was silent. The birds were not singing. The air was still. It was as though nature had stopped with shock, at the sudden death of a wonderful friend.

Alan wiped his brow, and tried to calm himself. His heart was beating like a jackhammer, and he had to sit for a minute. Finally though, he stood, smiling. He had done it. He was a survivor. He had proved himself.

He took one more look at his most beloved friend, and said, “Goodbye Jacob. Thank-you for everything.”

_________________________

Thanks for reading, Ant.