Good news, Eddie McDowd finally became human again.
The bad news, the guy responsible for his transformation had died.
After accomplishing his 70th good deed, the Drifter found himself attacked by his old enemies who were able to negate his magical abilities using a sword to do just that. Eddie managed to rescue him from them, but it was too late. He was mortally wounded from the sword. As much as he wasn't much of a crier, Eddie cried for him not to die because he can't become human again if that were to happen. The Drifter reassured him that he will become human again when he dies due to his magic in him. If the connection were to be broken, Eddie will become human again. The human turned dog tried to resuscitate him, but there's nothing he could do to save him. He gave him his last words of wisdom in continuing to finish 100 good deeds and showed him that he only got 30 left through a card before passing away peacefully.
Before he knew it, Eddie found himself transformed back into his human self, though naked.
"Eddie?" a familiar voice called for him. It was his mother, and beside her was his father.
"Mom? Dad?" he approached them slowly before realizing they were indeed his parents. So when the Drifter died, not only he became human again, but he also got back the people that he erased from existence. Guess his magic died with him, indeed. He rushed them, and they hugged him back. "Oh, Mom, Dad. I miss you guys."
"Eddie, why are you naked all of a sudden?" Mr. McDowd asked the obvious.
"It's a long story, Dad. I need to go home and get dressed first," Eddie said in relief.
The McDowds went to their home, and Eddie didn't see a 'for sale' sign in the front yard. Another reminder that the Drifter's magic died with him, indeed. Once they got home and he was dressed in a shirt and pants (he missed wearing clothes, indeed), he told them about his encounter with a man who turned him into a dog for his bullying. He would turn him back to normal if he completed 100 good deeds, but he had harsh methods in doing so such as erasing his parents from existence. Mr. and Mrs. McDowd were enraged of what that man did, but what's the point in doing that now that he passed away before they could punish him?
When they asked him if anyone else knew about his secret, Eddie told them about him being friends with a boy named Justin Taylor, the only person he could hear him talk in his dog form for the last person that he bullied before his transformation. Speaking of Justin being the only one who could hear him talk, there was his friend Tori.
"Well, that is quite a story, son," Mr. McDowd said calmly as he believed in the story, and his wife did the same.
"I know, Dad. I'm just happy you guys were back, but it's going to be a new normal for us," Eddie commented with a smile.
"Indeed, a new normal," his mother said in agreement.
Two days later, there was a funeral, but it was a lonely one since not much people knew about the guy who turned Eddie McDowd into a dog. The only visitors there were Eddie, his parents, Justin, and Tori.
Speaking of the last two, they were surprised to see him as a human without completing his 100 good deeds and managed to make good impressions with his parents. They were happy that their son found new friends to get through with his predicament. Justin and Tori were happy that Eddie still wanted to complete his mission, despite that he fact that he was back in being human.
"So this was guy who turned you into a dog?" Tori asked the obvious question.
"Yes, he was," Eddie replied.
"We may not agree to his methods, especially erasing my wife and I from existence, but he was a good guy who only wished our son to change for the better," Mr. McDowd commented next.
"Indeed, he was a good guy, and he died being a good guy," his wife said in agreement.
"I'm glad I got to become Eddie's friend because of him," Justin said the good thing about the experience.
"I'm happy to hear that, Justin," Mrs. McDowd smile at him, in which he blushed in response.
"I think we should go," Tori suggested, and everybody left the grave that they were visiting.
Speaking of the grave, Eddie was by himself looking at it solemnly for its description.
The Drifter
"Better get started on them good deeds, Eddie."
"Because of you, I'm changing for the better. I hope you continued watching me from above completing my 100 good deeds. Rest easy now, my friend," he said with tears from his eyes, mourning at the loss of the man who changed his life for the better before leaving with his family and friends.
It may be sad today, but there will be a better tomorrow.
Author's Note: You heard the recent tragic news, right? Richard Moll, the actor who portrayed the Drifter, has died. This short story is my tribute to him. May he rest in peace.