Life and Death

"Rick? What's going on...?", Tommy caught up to Rick and he was surprised seeing Rick was a crying mess.

"This isn't a joke, Tom! You're going to die! You're still young and you're going to...", Rick choked up, unable to bear to look at the empty casket.

"Rick, Rick, oh buddy", Tommy hugged Rick as he cried his eyes out on Tommy's shoulder.

"I know you're never okay with this death thing. But I'm okay with it..."

Tommy patted Rick gently on his back as he felt Rick's tight yet loving embrace on him. He felt Rick not wanting to let him go.

"And I know that you know I wasn't okay with it the first time those numbers appeared on my arm. I was crying for days! But you know what? I was okay with it in the end, even looking forward to it! You know why?"

Rick pulled himself away and shook his head, red-faced and biting his lips.

"Because it made my life all the more meaningful! Remember when we decided to circle the globe the week after these numbers popped up?", Tommy raised his right arm. "Wasn't that the best time we've ever had?"

Rick nodded.

"And remember when we went on a roadtrip through all states, tasting every restaurant we came across? Wasn't that a precious memory we did together?"

Rick again nodded.

"All those were possible because I knew in the end it was all to celebrate this short life of mine! And all of it was possible because I had you, bud. My best friend in the whole world. Because I knew you're there I wasn't afraid. Because I knew you're there I was able to be happy in celebrating the rest of my life", Tommy said.

"And for the last time, Rick. The fact that you're here makes me the happiest I've ever been"

Rick was still crying, but at least this time he could smile seeing his best friend so happy.

It was never easy for Rick, knowing his death day was still decades in the future while Tommy's was about to end. That was why he was not okay with it. But for Tommy...for his best friend-- Rick was not there to mourn Tommy's death, but to celebrate his life.

Rick finally nodded.

"Attaboy!", Tommy ruffled Rick's neatly combed hair.

"Oh come on, man! I spent 30 minutes on that!", Rick laughed and Tommy laughed even harder.

"I still wished I have that orchestra though...", Tommy still lamented.

"Well, bud...", Rick gave a cheeky smile.

"No...", Tommy's eyes bulged. "No, you didn't"

"Yes, I very much did", Rick nodded towards the entrance.

As Tommy quickly turned, he was jumping in joy seeing not only a string quartet, but a full orchestra entering the room and setting up their instruments on one corner of the room.

"You're the best!", Tommy jumped and hugged Rick.

As the celebration continued and the clock ticked down, it was finally 5 minutes before Tommy's death time.

Everybody was seated and the orchestra played Tommy's favorite song-- Bittersweet Symphony. Like a bride being walked down the aisle, Tommy walked down the carpet with his mom, being applauded by all of his loved ones.

As they reached the end, where the casket sat, Rick awaited in the end to welcome Tommy. Tommy kissed and hugged his mother goodbye, whispering some personal words to her.

She was joyful and the whole room was joyful. But there's none happier at that moment than Tommy himself.

"This is it, bud", Rick gave Tommy one last hug before helping him stepping into the casket.

"Wow. We finally reached this stage eh?", Rick said, sitting inside the casket, feeling the cushion lining of the box. "God, I love this song", Tommy remarked, giving a thumb up to the orchestra.

Rick chuckled. "It's been one hell of a ride, man", Rick said, his tears were replaced by unending smile.

Tommy looked dearly at his friend before pulling him in for one last hug.

"I couldn't have gone through this without you", Tommy said. "Thank you for everything"

The two hugged for what felt like forever. But as the clock ticked down to the last minute, Tommy set himself down on the casket, shifting around for the most comfortable position.

"I'll see you soon, Tom", Rick said.

Tom smiled and he looked up at the clock, it was decorated with those skull balloons. It was 30 seconds before his death time.

The orchestra was still playing, the ever bittersweet intro melody of the song accompanied the bright young man who enjoyed his life, who did nothing but celebrate. No sadness, no regret, knowing everybody who loved him was there to send him off for the next chapter of his adventure.

"10 seconds...", Rick said.

Tommy looked up to Rick and Rick never saw a more peaceful face in his life.

"Those balloons are cool, aren't they?", Tommy remarked before he closed his eyes and passed away with a smile on his face.

"Yes, they are, Tom. They are", Rick grinned.

"Rick? What's going on...?", Tommy caught up to Rick and he was surprised seeing Rick was a crying mess.

"This isn't a joke, Tom! You're going to die! You're still young and you're going to...", Rick choked up, unable to bear to look at the empty casket.

"Rick, Rick, oh buddy", Tommy hugged Rick as he cried his eyes out on Tommy's shoulder.

"I know you're never okay with this death thing. But I'm okay with it..."

Tommy patted Rick gently on his back as he felt Rick's tight yet loving embrace on him. He felt Rick not wanting to let him go.

"And I know that you know I wasn't okay with it the first time those numbers appeared on my arm. I was crying for days! But you know what? I was okay with it in the end, even looking forward to it! You know why?"

Rick pulled himself away and shook his head, red-faced and biting his lips.

"Because it made my life all the more meaningful! Remember when we decided to circle the globe the week after these numbers popped up?", Tommy raised his right arm. "Wasn't that the best time we've ever had?"

Rick nodded.

"And remember when we went on a roadtrip through all states, tasting every restaurant we came across? Wasn't that a precious memory we did together?"

Rick again nodded.

"All those were possible because I knew in the end it was all to celebrate this short life of mine! And all of it was possible because I had you, bud. My best friend in the whole world. Because I knew you're there I wasn't afraid. Because I knew you're there I was able to be happy in celebrating the rest of my life", Tommy said.

"And for the last time, Rick. The fact that you're here makes me the happiest I've ever been"

Rick was still crying, but at least this time he could smile seeing his best friend so happy.

It was never easy for Rick, knowing his death day was still decades in the future while Tommy's was about to end. That was why he was not okay with it. But for Tommy...for his best friend-- Rick was not there to mourn Tommy's death, but to celebrate his life.

Rick finally nodded.

"Attaboy!", Tommy ruffled Rick's neatly combed hair.

"Oh come on, man! I spent 30 minutes on that!", Rick laughed and Tommy laughed even harder.

"I still wished I have that orchestra though...", Tommy still lamented.

"Well, bud...", Rick gave a cheeky smile.

"No...", Tommy's eyes bulged. "No, you didn't"

"Yes, I very much did", Rick nodded towards the entrance.

As Tommy quickly turned, he was jumping in joy seeing not only a string quartet, but a full orchestra entering the room and setting up their instruments on one corner of the room.

"You're the best!", Tommy jumped and hugged Rick.

As the celebration continued and the clock ticked down, it was finally 5 minutes before Tommy's death time.

Everybody was seated and the orchestra played Tommy's favorite song-- Bittersweet Symphony. Like a bride being walked down the aisle, Tommy walked down the carpet with his mom, being applauded by all of his loved ones.

As they reached the end, where the casket sat, Rick awaited in the end to welcome Tommy. Tommy kissed and hugged his mother goodbye, whispering some personal words to her.

She was joyful and the whole room was joyful. But there's none happier at that moment than Tommy himself.

"This is it, bud", Rick gave Tommy one last hug before helping him stepping into the casket.

"Wow. We finally reached this stage eh?", Rick said, sitting inside the casket, feeling the cushion lining of the box. "God, I love this song", Tommy remarked, giving a thumb up to the orchestra.

Rick chuckled. "It's been one hell of a ride, man", Rick said, his tears were replaced by unending smile.

Tommy looked dearly at his friend before pulling him in for one last hug.

"I couldn't have gone through this without you", Tommy said. "Thank you for everything"

The two hugged for what felt like forever. But as the clock ticked down to the last minute, Tommy set himself down on the casket, shifting around for the most comfortable position.

"I'll see you soon, Tom", Rick said.

Tom smiled and he looked up at the clock, it was decorated with those skull balloons. It was 30 seconds before his death time.

The orchestra was still playing, the ever bittersweet intro melody of the song accompanied the bright young man who enjoyed his life, who did nothing but celebrate. No sadness, no regret, knowing everybody who loved him was there to send him off for the next chapter of his adventure.

"10 seconds...", Rick said.

Tommy looked up to Rick and Rick never saw a more peaceful face in his life.

"Those balloons are cool, aren't they?", Tommy remarked before he closed his eyes and passed away with a smile on his face.

"Yes, they are, Tom. They are", Rick grinned.

Wonderful story by Buzzydagr8.

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