Loss, Grief, and Afterlife
The years had worn on him, after Haddock passed away it was all Tintin could handle. The loss of his immediate family, took a toll on his mental sanity. First it was poor Professor Calculus. Tintin watched how his mind began to go during his last years, at times fading in and out of reality until he barely recognized any of them.
Captain Haddock wasn't a very patient man, as they had two live in nurses that took care of Professor Calculus who was 77. Dementia became worse for Cuthbert during his last year. Nestor was slow as he was 65 and Haddock was 60. Tintin had to remind Haddock that he too would be in the same predicament as the professor and that he should be more compassionate. This was hard on Haddock watching someone he cared much for slip away…
Three days later Professor Calculus died in his sleep. The funeral took a toll on the morale of all in Marlinspike Hall. Chang, Castafiore, Wagg, and Captain Chester had sent their condolences, as many of the professor's colleagues who were still alive came. This was one of the first hardest times Tintin had dealt with.
Snowy was the first to go, at 14 years old. Tintin took it really hard. It took weeks of grieving to get over it. Haddock thought Tintin may get sick and took him to Australia to forget about it. A statue dedicated to Snowy was erected on the grounds of Marlinspike. That Christmas Haddock had brought Tintin Snowy the second, but he didn't live as long as Snowy the first did, after 9 years he too passed away. Another statue was put next to Snowy's. Unable to bear anymore loss Tintin did not want another pet.
Years went by and then the ordeal with the professor, washing and having to bathe him during his last year. A statue of Cuthbert was erected next to Snowy and Snowy the 2nd's Statue. Both Tintin and Haddock left Marlinspike for three months to try to move on traveling the world as if they were in search of some lifelong answer. His funeral was a dignified one as he was recognized for all of his wonderful contributions to science. It was two years later dear old Nestor caught pneumonia and never recovered.
Haddock took his passing hard, Tintin had to be strong one this time. Only Nestor's younger brother and a few local friends who knew Nestor well came and mourned for him. All of Nestor's savings was willed to Tintin and Master Haddock. Haddock couldn't believe it so he and Tintin donated all of Nestor's savings which was an equivalent of about one hundred thousand US dollars today, to the orphanage Tintin came from. Haddock had another statue, this time of Nestor erected next to the Professor Calculus statue.
Tintin and Haddock found themselves walking hand in hand at night to visit their friends. Even a visit from old annoying Madame Castafiore was welcomed as she was able to lighten them up with her loud singing. Times were rough but Tintin and Haddock stuck it out together. Haddock had even quit drinking at the end because he didn't want to leave Tintin all alone. He knew either way one of them would suffer greatly so there would be no happy ending no matter who went first.
A few more years passed as Haddock finally reached 67. He had a long talk with Tintin telling him he didn't think he had much more time left. At the thought of it Tintin began to melt into tears, Haddock became angry with Tintin and told him he had to be stronger, that he had to finish living for both of them. Tintin himself was about to turn 49.
Finally Haddock got on the phone one night and called an old friend of Tintin, it was Chang. He told Chang that he knew he didn't have much time left and that Tintin needed someone strong to carry him through and Chang agreed bringing his wife and only son. Tintin was elated to see Chang but slightly a bit jealous of his wife. The mood livened up for a short time as they reminisced over times gone by.
It was that night Tintin and Haddock got into bed and Haddock held on tightly to Tintin and made him fall asleep. The next morning to Tintin's horror the Captain passed away… he had a smile etched on his face and there was a note by the night stand which Tintin read "If you're reading this I have passed on now, and you will live on the best you can, I will wait for you when your time comes...my love". A tirade of mournful cries came from Tintin; and, in an irrational fit of grief Tintin threw himself down the main stair case trying to commit suicide.
He came to two days later after the Captain had already been buried. Chang and his wife brought Tintin back home. Chang told Tintin how selfish his actions were, how he still didn't think about others who were living. He said, "Don't pity the dead, pity the living". Tintin's sanity was touch and go for the next year. Chang saw him having breakfast with a ghost of the captain in an empty chair and would go on long walks as if Haddock was right next to him while having long conversations. It broke Chang's heart to see his dear friend in so much pain. His wife told him that there was nothing he could do and that he would just have to let his friend mourn and that only time would heal him.
A statue was erected of Haddock next to the others, and Tintin spent most of his days around those statues. Chang wanted to hold Tintin in his arms but knew their time had passed when Tintin made his vows to Haddock. Chang and his wife permanently relocated to Marlinspike afraid Tintin may try to commit suicide again. Two more years had passed and Thompson passed away at 65. Tintin was 51, Chang and his wife were both 49. Their son was already through secondary school which brought life back into Marlinspike Hall. Tintin began to date Thomson as to keep each other sane, for 3 years their relationship was not the best but as far as they both saw it, it was better than being alone. The clumsy personality of Thomson seem to draw irritation from Tintin as poor Thomson would be dumbfounded by his sudden emotional outbursts. Chang found himself in the middle of most of their arguments. Tintin found himself sexually dead as Thomson would try to make love to him but Tintin simply didn't feel anything, and as a matter of fact, Tintin became more cold as a pang of guilt would hit him afterwards thinking that he was cheating on his captain.
Thomson too felt his release was short lived as Thompson always seemed close by, but the company of Tintin seemed to keep him grounded in reality marginally.
Tintin had willed everything to Chang and his wife. Chang's wife was so touched she burst into tears and swore they would not let Tintin go quietly in the night. Chang's son called him Uncle Tintin. Chang and his wife were so busy with the mundane tasks that Nestor would do that sometimes dealing with Tintin's emotional issues would be dealt with at the end of the day.
Thomson took ill to pneumonia and passed on later that year. Tintin began seeing Haddock in his sleep almost every night as if he was waiting for him by a lighthouse and a boat. Tintin would tell Chang each day that Haddock had come to visit him and that it wouldn't be long until they were together again. Tintin was so grief stricken, his constitution suffered and he too came down with a horrible flu that would claim his life. This wasn't the first time they came close to losing Tintin. Chang and his family stayed by Tintin's side in hope of his recovery. Chang noticed how toward the end it was almost as if Tintin had made a full recovery… he kept waving saying "Hi Captain".
Chang knew Haddock was waiting for him, Chang's wife knew as well that sometimes loved ones waited for their spouse so they could cross over together. Chang and his wife were sad, but they were really spiritual people but happy at the same time for they knew Haddock would be there when Tintin finally passed on. It finally happened, Tintin passed away as Chang and his wife thought he would.
The Captain stood patiently smoking his pipe waiting for Tintin, he looked the same way he did when he first saw him. Tintin was again a youthful 21 year old as he stepped out of his old body as Chang and his wife grieved over him.
"Take my hand landlubber" Haddock smiled.
"Captain! Is it really you?" Tintin said feeling his hand in his.
"I told you I would wait for you" Haddock beamed.
"Where are we going?" Tintin asked.
"We're going home Tintin…Cuthbert, Nestor, Chester, and… your mom and dad… many other old friends are waiting for us…we must not keep them waiting" Haddock laughed.
Tintin glanced back at his lifeless body and poor Chang and his wife. "Oh Chang, thank you for taking care of me my friend, I love you too..." Tintin said one time reaching out to him.
"Oh Captain, I missed you so much, I never want to lose you again" Tintin said embracing the captain as he returned a loving embrace. A ghostly barking could be heard off in the distance.
"How my arms have waited to hold you again...we will never be apart ever again…ever! Something much more beautiful awaits us than anything this world can offer, come now my love!" he said leading Tintin by the hand toward a bright light. Tintin was going home.
A statue of Tintin was placed beside Haddock's with a small stone which had engraved. "Two souls are now eternally united" in Chinese, French, and English. Chang turned Marlinspike into a private orphanage and moved to the United States with his son and wife where they lived peacefully the rest of their days until the day came they were reunited with their friends and family as well. Chang's son Didi finally understood that life is only temporary here and that it was always important to be a good person, and that true wealth was found in love and friendship.