NOTE: This story is in no ways canon to the current main story of Peanuts: The Teenage Years.
Inside an apartment, or at least a tiny one, there was a sagging sofa. In the apartment flew odours, a blend between flatulence, sugar scents, mildew, bad breath and fast food scents. This apartment was all her parents could afford for her. In walked Emerald Green, morbidly obese, and disappointed. She had hoped to get a decent job, unfortunately, upon showing her resumé, the job searchers didn't think Emerald was qualified for any of the listed jobs. Emerald's parents gave her an allowance once a week to pay off her debts and for any groceries she would buy. Unfortunately, all that allowance was gone, wasted on too many nights of fast food and fancy lunches and dinners whenever Emerald didn't feel like using groceries, all of which were at least a week expired.
"I hate to cook. I'd rather go out to lunch or dinner to eat." Emerald thought to herself as she sat down in a sagging second-hand sofa.
Emerald thought herself above menial work. But the reason she didn't like to cook was because of how much work that required; Dishes to lay out, wash, and then put away, repeat. This was one of the reason she had failed all her cooking classes in middle school.
"How I wish I could write down how everyone screwed up." Emerald said to herself.
Emerald spent the rest of the evening watching a movie for the 30th time due to her parents no longer paying for cable.
"I'll just find someone else to frame for crimes…." Emerald said to herself.
But nobody could reach her mind.
"I'll try and get the money by solving any crimes instead." thought Emerald.
She was desperate to pay off all the bills, like 5000 in debt, a product of too many shopping sprees, too many fancy dinners, a laptop she'd broken out of anger when she'd infected it with a virus. How was she going to explain that to her folks? The shortest job she had was shortly after she graduated from Sparkyville High School. She worked at KFC in Sparkyville Mall: For a week until a combination of bad attitude, slow walking and body odour made even the most patient employee decide they didn't want someone like her handling food. But the longest job she had was when she turned 21; Toys W Us, for 3 weeks. She was fired from that when even the most patient employee decided they didn't want her handling children's play things.
Emerald was slow because she weighed in at about 450 pounds. The previous year, she went to a doctor, he told her "You'll die if you don't start eating well or walking."
It hurt for Emerald to do anything let alone walk. All she was good for was sitting down, eating, struggling to the bathroom, thinking about lack of progress to her parents, repeat.
"I just need that job!" Emerald groaned. "But how should I get it?"
The only thing Emerald could show were bad grades. Bad grades in primary school, bad in elementary school when she moved to America, worse in middle school, even worse in high school, the worst in university when she stopped caring altogether; She didn't even last a week in Sparkyville University. Emerald was 23 years old, and had nothing to show for it except a stack of credit card bills.
"How should I do this stuff?" Emerald asked again. "How will I show Eugene?"
Eugene was tired of his big sister's abuse. He'd moved out when he turned 18 a couple of years ago. Eugene was expected to suffer the consequences whenever Emerald attacked him. He was even Emerald's Punching Bag. Emerald's parents paid more attention to her than Eugene and Jasmine.
Emerald wanted to show Eugene; She'd slim down, get a decent paying job, and sell books, videos, DVDs, even Tommy would see….
No more begging Tommy Halverson to do her chores, no more framing Tommy.
The lowest point in Emerald's life came when Tommy tore into her one afternoon at high school, saying she was heavier than a Groudon and a Giratina combined, and all she lived for was to tear everyone down. Tommy dismissed Emerald as success free. That was due to the stuff she'd said to Charlie Brown right after Snoopy had passed on.
"I wonder what that little blockhead Tommy is up to now?" wondered Emerald. "And Charlie Brown? And Violet? And Patty? And Rita? What about Scarlet, Eugene and Jasmine?"
Tommy had spoken at the graduation, but Emerald couldn't be bothered to attend because she couldn't find a gown large enough to fit her large frame. All she did know was that Tommy wasn't the same blockhead he was when they were kids. Where was he? Will he come over to her apartment to gloat about whatever success he'd gotten?
The answer was…. he wasn't.
Everyone but Emerald's parents had dismissed her as a waste of time and space. She knew what her parents were going to say when they saw her 5000 dollar bill spent on lavish dining, unwearable clothes, useless technology, soiled furniture, and now dim lights they'd wonder how much more they were willing to help her.
"Good grief! I'll be out on the streets soon!" Emerald gulped. "Now who'll look after me?
Yep. Out on the streets, almost unable to walk, on her own, nothing left in her bank account, Emerald started to cry, now knowing she can't even solve any of her problems.
Emerald decided she'd eat a cheesecake for her lunch that day. She waddled over to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and got out the cheesecake.
"Maybe a cheesecake will kill my sorrows." Emerald said to herself.
Emerald sat down and ate her cake. Not slice by slice, but the entire cheesecake whole.
"Oh, that was so good." Emerald sighed to herself.
Suddenly, Emerald heard a ring of the doorbell.
"I'm coming." Emerald sighed.
Emerald answered the door, and it was Dr. Melendez.
"Hey, Doc." said Emerald.
"Hello, Emerald." said Doctor Melendez.
Emerald had gotten a blood test a week ago, just to see how her blood was going.
"I'm here with the blood test results." said Dr. Melendez.
"How are my results?" asked Emerald.
"Appalling." said Dr. Melendez. "Shocking. Atrocious. You, Emerald Green, have Type 1 Diabetes."
"GOOD GRIEF!" cried Emerald. "Diabetes?!"
"I'm afraid so." said Dr. Melendez. "You're almost at the brim of your skin in diabetes."
"What do I do?!" cried Emerald. "What do I do?"
"Emerald." said Dr. Melendez. "I suggest you don't eat so many jelly doughnuts, and only eat portions of cheesecake instead of the whole cheesecake. Don't stop eating them altogether. And use some insulin."
Emerald didn't dignify that with a response.
"Diabetes?" Emerald said to herself.
"Yes you do." said Doctor Melendez. "Remember to keep everything in balance."
"I can't believe I have diabetes!" Emerald said again as Doctor Melendez left her apartment.
Emerald jumped back onto her sofa, still upset about her diabetes diagnosis. As she landed, something snapped, but Emerald was too upset to care. Her life had turned upside-down.
"Diabetes?" Emerald said to herself again.
Emerald thought there was something else she could do about it. She thought and then….
"There's only one thing for it."
Emerald waddled over to her bathroom and filled the bathtub all the way to the brim with nothing but boiling hot water. Then, she picked out another purchase she made; Sleeping pills to help her sleep better in case she had gastro reflux from eating too much.
"Just two pills…." Emerald said to herself. "Nobody but my parents will care. Not Eugene. Not Jasmine. Not Tommy. Not Violet. Not Rita. Not Patty. Not Charlie Brown. Not Thickmint Fatty. Especially not Spearmint Sammy. Not even Scarlet. Goodbye, cruel world!"
Emerald landed headfirst into the bath, taking away her universe, sending it into a black hole, followed by starless darkness.
Down at the reception desk, the receptionist heard a splash.
"What was that?" the receptionist asked.
She walked into the elevator, and reached Level 4, the floor Emerald's apartment was, and noticed some water seeping from under a door. She opened the door, walked to the bathroom, and…..
"OH MY GOODNESS!"
The receptionist telephoned Riley and Anya Green.
Riley was relaxing on the sofa, watching TV when the phone rang. Riley got up and answered the phone.
"Hello?" he said. "Yes. I'm her father. WHAT?! DROWNED HERSELF?!"
"What happened, Riley?" asked Anya.
"Emerald…. Dead." Riley cried.
"OH MY BLOODY GOODNESS!" Anya exclaimed. "Emerald's dead?"
"Yes." said Riley sadly.
"Why am I not surprised?" asked Anya. "Given how overweight she'd gotten."
"Her weight had nothing to do with how she died." said Riley. "She filled her bath tub with hot water, took her sleeping pills, and….."
""You mean…. Suicide?! I knew Emerald had issues, but not to the point where she'd lose all joy in life and…. OH MY GOODNESS, RILEY!" Anya exclaimed.
And both Riley and Anya broke down crying, knowing their eldest offspring was no more.
Anya phoned up Doctor Melendez, who had just returned to his office.
"Hello." said Dr. Melendez.
"Hello, Doc." said Anya.
"Just got back from Emerald's apartment." said Dr. Melendez. "I have diagnosed her with diabetes."
"Diabetes?!" cried Anya. "I'm not surprised considering how overweight she was."
"Was?!" exclaimed Dr. Melendez.
"The receptionist at Emerald's apartment building told us Emerald had drowned herself just now." Anya explained.
"Drowned herself?!" cried Dr. Melendez. "You mean….. She's dead?!"
"I'm afraid so." said Anya sadly. "And by the looks of things, Emerald didn't want to go through living the rest of her life with diabetes."
"Oh dear….." Dr. Melendez said. "I was worried this would happen. Thanks for letting me know."
At the Halverson place half an hour later, Karina was preparing dinner for herself, Cora and Boco when the telephone rang.
"Hello?" said Karina.
"Hello, Karina." said Anya.
"Oh, hello, Anya." said Karina. "How are you?"
"Atrocious!" answered Anya.
"What do you mean atrocious?" asked Karina.
"Emerald passed away!"
"Really?! How?"
"She committed suicide just then." Anya answered
"OH MY GOODNESS!" shouted Karina.
"Karinie baby! What happened?" asked Boco.
"Bo!" said Karina. "Emerald killed herself!"
"Whoa! Seriously?!" Boco exclaimed.
"I believe so." said Karina. Then she got back on the phone. "How did Emerald end her own life?"
"She drowned herself!" Anya answered, now hoarse from crying. "She got diagnosed with diabetes today, and by the looks of things, she didn't want to go through with living the rest of her life with it, so she filled her bath tub with hot water and….. well, the rest writes itself."
"How's Riley taking it?" asked Karina.
"He's horrified." said Anya. "So am I! We'll let you know when the funeral is. I suggest you tell Tommy."
"Okay." said Karina. "Bye."
Cora walked into the kitchen, puzzled by what her parents were talking about.
"What's going on, Mum?" asked Cora.
"Cora." said Boco. "Do you remember Emerald Green?"
"Yes." said Cora. "She would always insult my big brother!"
"She committed suicide." answered Karina.
"What's suicide?" asked Cora.
"It's when you cause yourself to die." said Boco.
"OH MY GOODNESS!" Cora exclaimed.
"I know." said Karina.
"Come on! I may not have liked Emerald especially after what my big brother told me about her, but even she didn't deserve to die so soon! Especially not that way!" Cora retorted.
"Greens said they'll let us know when the funeral is." said Karina. "Boco, you might want to let Tommy know."
"No." said Boco. "Let one of Tommy's closest friends tell him, and maybe he'll call us."
An hour later, over in Moonah, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, at roughly 6:30 AM EST Australian time, there, in a house, lived Eugene Green, 20-almost-21 years old, now a resigned navy admiral. He lived with his 9-month pregnant fiancée Lydia. The sun had just risen, and Eugene answered the phone.
"Hello?" Eugene demanded. "What is it, Mum?"
"It's Emerald." Anya said sadly.
"What about Emerald?"
"She's… dead!"
"So?" asked Eugene.
"Your big sister is no more!"
"And?"
"Good grief, Eugene!" cried Anya. "I know how hard your sister was to get along with!"
"Look, Mum! I'm not going to cry for Emerald, especially for what she did to me, Jasmine, Tommy…."
"You know Emerald had issues, Eugene…."
"So did I! I had to return home to a war-zone that made Syria look like sunshine and rainbows every day as a kid! Do her chores, patch up Jasmine when Emerald attempted to kill her over a Ritz cracker!"
"Son, that was once."
"True! Only once! Understandable!" Eugene retorted. "Look, Mum. I need to go now."
"Will you come to the funeral?" asked Anya.
No answer. Eugene just hung up. Nobody from Eugene's family showed up for his navy graduation, went to hospital when he recovered from almost drowning when his submarine was leaking, or came to his engagement party after he'd asked Lydia for her hand in marriage.
"Of course!" Eugene said as he got out his mobile phone again.
Eugene quickly put in a text message.
"The cow is deceased."
Eugene turned off his mobile and went back to the woman of his dreams.
"Are you okay, Genie?" asked Lydia.
To be continued…..