Great Gatsby Alternate Ending
The Chauffer- he was one of Wolfsheim's protégés- heard the shots. I was in my dining room looking for something to eat. That's when I heard the shots. I ran across my yard over to Gatsby's. This cannot be happening I thought to myself. I ran through the gates to the pool in Gatsby's backyard.
The scene was surreal. Screaming people running around the pool. Everything was going in slow motion. The breeze was blowing just right and there was the sound of feet crunching the fresh autumn leaves that had fallen that afternoon. You would have believed it was a normal day if it wasn't for the feet of Policemen making the leaves crunch on the ground, heading for the blood-soaked pool. I would have believed it too.
I walked up to the pool and all goes quiet. I can no longer focus on the hustle and bustle going on around me and just focus on the bloody body floating in the pool. The world began to spin and the last thing I remember was the lifeless eyes of Jay Gatsby looking at me, as my head collides with something sharp and the whole world goes dark.
The world is fuzzy and dark. I feel as if I am floating on a cloud. All I can hear is a faint beeping and hushed whispers. I feel a slight pinch in my forearm and cold air in my nose. I began to fall deeper into the cloud and all goes quiet again.
The next time I try to open my eyes the world is bright. I squint a little allowing my eyes to adjust. As everything comes into focus I see a white room with a lot of machines and tubes. I must be in a hospital room I think to myself. As I look around the room I begin to recall why I am here. I see a younger man in a white lab coat. He must be my doctor.
"Welcome back Mr. Caraway, how are you feeling" the doctor asks.
"I am a little sore, what happened? Why am I here?" the doctor looked at me with a sad expression across his face. That's when it hit me; Gatsby had been shot in his pool, but by whom? I began to scramble out of the bed; I ripped the IV out of my arm and jumped off the bed. The doctor rushes towards me as my feet hit the ground and, unable to bare my weight, I crumble to the floor. Mass hysteria had taken over my body, as I lay slumped on the floor in the doctor's arms, crying.
"Easy son, it's going to be ok" the doctor said to me as we lay on the floor.
"NOOOO. HE'S DEAD. HE'S DEAD. HE'S DEAD. HE CAN'T BE, BUT HE IS. I SAW IT. HE DIED. HE'S DEAD" I cried harder, not wanting to face the unbearable pain.
"It's ok Old Sport, I am ok" I looked around as I saw a man standing in front of me with a pole and tubes.
"Gatsby?" I looked up "but how... how are you alive" I asked.
"He shot me, yes but in the lower abdomen. They were able to stop the bleeding. I leave tomorrow afternoon" Gatsby stated as he walked towards me.
I feel myself getting hoisted up back on the bed. I try to move my feet, legs, anything to get out of here. Gatsby put both of his hands on either of my shoulders and pushes me back onto the bed. I begin to feel heavy, my eyelids begin to drop and I am once again out.
I am not sure how long I was out this time, or even the first time, but I was ready to go home. I open my eyes slowly and adjust to the world. I haven't been a part of in a while. The world comes into view but all I can see is a small blinding light. The light dims out and suddenly I can see again. The doctor's face comes into view.
"Well son, you are very lucky it wasn't worse." He said flipping through my chart. "You have a pretty nasty gash on your forehead and a level 2 concussion. I want you to take it easy for the next 3 days. Stay with a friend, or relative, until you are cleared by me" he said signing the discharge papers.
Where was I to go? My family lived in California. "Hey there Old Sport, the doc said you are going to be staying with me for the next 3 days. It will be fun" Gatsby exclaimed with such excitement.
On the way to Gatsby's house I fell asleep in the car. When I awoke we were at his house, where once lay Jay Gatsby and the shooter who took his/her own life. I never did find out who did it.
"Who did this" I asked Gatsby who was parking the car,
"It was poor old George Wilson. Daisy must have told him I was driving" Gatsby replied.
"Daisy?" I asked questioning if it was the Daisy I knew. "Did she come back to you" I asked.
By the look on Gatsby's face, I realized Daisy was really gone. She had chosen Tom and Tom had chosen her. I may never know how much pain she felt making her decision, but I do know this... Daisy was a lovely lady who deserved the very best. Gatsby was just that.
"I called her the other day when I found out you were in the hospital. I wasn't allowed out of bed to see you so I was going to see if she would come visit you. Jordan answered and said that Tom and Daisy left without any word. I haven't heard anything since" Gatsby replied.
Jordan? Was she at the hospital? Did she come see me I thought for a minute? I looked up at Gatsby and by the look on his face; he knew what I was going to ask.
"Jordan came to the hospital Old Sport. She sat by your bed side for two days, you were out for four, till her Coach came by and said she had to go to her tournament. She gave me this letter and told me to give it to you next week. Now you know about it so I guess it couldn't hurt to give it to you now." Gatsby handed me the letter. "I'm sorry Old Sport" he said as if he already knew what it said. I read the note. When I was done I put it back in the envelope and headed inside Gatsby's house. I went straight to his guest bedroom and fell asleep.
I slept more peacefully that night than I ever had. Maybe it was because I had found a real friend. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't dead. It could have been that letter Jordan left me. All I know is I dreamt of Jordan, Gatsby, and me all together in this house.
After I began to feel a little better I took a plane to Cleveland to clear my head and look for a new beginning. I wanted to tie up some loose ends and make a fresh start, meet up with someone, and accept a proposal.
Gatsby and I both recovered well and soon were back to our usual activities. I had quit my job and became a psychologist for couples with marital problems. Gatsby got a job as a party planner. He traveled every other week in his private jet to another group wanting the party of their lives planned. I had moved on from my previous life and so had he.
In the Years following the deaths of Myrtle and George Wilson, many things have changed. Gatsby met a young woman, while planning her wedding. On the eve of the wedding she ran away, later to meet up with Gatsby. She said she had loved him more than any other man in the world. Her fiancé later accepted the fact that she ran off, because he discovered that he had no interest in women.
Tom and Daisy were out on the town one night and Tom had gotten really drunk. He ran around the park near them naked and singing
I hate my wife. I hate me wife
Daisy left him. Tom was arrested for public indecency. While in jail he met a security guard. They married after he got out and had a child.
Daisy did not remarry, and confessed to the murder of Myrtle Wilson. She was sentenced to 25 years to life. After just 2 years in prison, she hung herself leaving a note saying:
I am sorry for what I have done. I know that it may be hard for some to comprehend what happened, but it was an accident. I see her everywhere I turn. She tells me things. What she will do to me if I live to see another day. I couldn't take it. I am so sorry to everyone, especially my lifelong lover. Jay Gatsby.
Some say she went crazy, but others say she just wanted attention. I don't believe either. I think she couldn't handle the truth of what she had done. I think all the stress had piled up. Year after year she had the thought of I am a murderer go through her head. I am surprised she didn't do it sooner.
I love my new job. It defines me and helps me cope with what happened only 6 years ago. My friends being killed, one being shot. My cousin going to jail, where she ended up dying. At least I had my beautiful wife. Without her life would not be worth living. We married immediately. She got pregnant, and I was so happy. When she went into labor she asked me, with a sparkle in her eyes "What shall we name her Nick".
I looked at her and without any hesitation I said "Let her first name be after the women I love, you."So on November 23, 1931 our daughter was born. Jordan Jay Caraway.
The End.
Nick, October 12, 1925
I'm sorry I must leave before you wake up. I have a tournament I must go to. I left you and realize that I miss you. Every day I thought about you. Dreamt about you. I didn't realize how much I really cared about you until I almost lost you. I hope you will forgive me. I have left a ticket to Cleveland in this envelope. If you come to my tournament I know that you still love me. Nick, I want to be with you, have children with you, I love you. If you come I will know that we can restart our relationship and plan for the future, possibly get married. If you don't come I will understand. I screwed up and I now know that my actions have consequences. Hopefully I will see you soon.
Love You So Much,
Jordan Baker
P.S. I took a driving class. I hope to show you what I have learned the past week.