This week our short story, The Ultimatum, leads into a discussion on fate, fortunetellers, and what you would do to save a loved one.
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Want to read Amanda’s story “The Ultimatum” in full? Think you can identify the moral or theme for this episode? Read it below, and then take a listen to the podcast.
The Ultimatum
Jessie’s had a bad year. Up until 8 months ago, he had never lost anyone. But first, his brother died, and then 3 weeks ago his sister did – both at 32 years old. They were all always really close growing up. Their parents and friends knew them as the three musketeers. They’re all the same age, adopted as babies, due to Mom being unable to carry to term.
His brother Jamie was the smartest one. He had a job with NASA, had a wife, kids, and a pet calico named Juliet, but unfortunately also had prostate cancer which was caught a bit too late to be able to save him.
His sister Jasmine was the sweet one. She was the nurtuting backbone of the family, which is probably why she became a registered nurse. It never shocked anyone when she decided that’s the path she wanted to pursue cause it was such a ‘Jas’ thing to do. She wasn’t married – beautiful girl, just didn’t have the time to date – so it was just her and her cat, Jess, who happens to be the sister of Jamie’s little cat Juliet. She had finished a double at the hospital and was heading home in the rain when a semi lost control and crashed into her head on- killing her on impact.
Jessie’s been a wreck between the two deaths, as you can imagine. He’s trying to be there for his folks, but he was never the star child. He made it by, finished school and got a decent job, but never made an effort to get married or have kids. In fact, he was still living with his parents. Now with Jasmine’s cat, Jess, in his hands, he’s reminded even more about them being gone and him still being here.
One day, Jessie stumbles across this Facebook ad that talks about communicating with the dead. Distraught and guilt-ridden that he’s the sibling still alive, he decides to go see her.
She tells him that she can reach them both, exchanges secrets with him from his siblings so he knows it’s real, and offers him a choice seeing his frazzled nature. “To give one life will cost one life”, she says. If he sacrifices himself, he can choose to bring the dead back to life.
“Yes. Take me. Bring them back, please.” Jessie exclaims.
“Oh, no, no, no, no, my dear. You must choose, for your life is the price of one”.
Jessie has an outburst, but ultimately relinquishes and accepts his fate. He must choose.
“I love them both so much, and they both were so pure, always helped people. But… Jasmine didn’t have a family… I choose Jamie. My life for Jamie.”
She nods her head, grabs his hands, and tells Jessie, “your wish has been granted.”
The next morning, the family are up in the living room. Everything has been switched. Jamie is back with his kids and wife, Jasmine is still dead, and now Jessie is gone. But… It’s not all thought Jessie thought it would be, because the family is still mourning, but now they mourn the youngest of them, and the one closest who had become closest with their parents.