18 Years Ago
A phone starts ringing. Russell goes and picks it up.
"Is this Russell?"
"Yeah, who is this?" Russell asks.
"I am Dr. Williams. I am calling on behalf of Carl Fredricksen. He told me to call you."
Russell drops the phone.
"I will be right over there soon."
Russell rushes to his stepmom.
"Mr. Fredricksen is in the hospital. Can we go to the hospital and see him?"
"Oh my gosh of course."
Russell's stepmom grabs the keys. On his way to the car, Russell grabs a book on a shelf. Russell's mom drives as fast as she can to the hospital. Russell sprints through the hallways, nearly tripping a doctor.
"Sorry," Russell tells the doctor.
Russell rushes into the room where Carl is being held.
"Are you alright Mr. Fredricksen? Can I provide any assistance?"
"No thank you Russell I am fine. The doctors are taking good care of me. Come here. Do you still have that scrapbook that I gave you of our adventures?"
Russell pulls out a scrapbook and hands it to Carl. Carl looks at it smiling. Tears start to fall out of his eyes. He reaches for Russell's hand and places it on the book.
"It has been a wonderful journey watching you grow up and I couldn't ask for a better son."
Russell starts crying.
"It's been nice for me too Mr. Fredricksen."
Mr. Fredricksen reaches for Russell's face and wipes the tears off of his eyes.
"Now now. No tears please."
"Please don't leave Mr. Fredricksen."
"I don't want to go either but death is an adventure that we all have to take. We just need to have the courage to take it."
Carl wraps his arms around Russell and hugs him.
"Thank you for the adventure. Now go have your own."
