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“The Chaser” Ending

Directions:  After reading “The Chaser” by John Collier, write the ending. What happens after the protagonist, Alan Austen, leaves the potion shop with his love potion? Your continuation must have a clear ending (no cliffhangers).

Alan smoothed his thumb over the ice-cold glass. The Shirley Temple inside swirled, mixing with the potion. All he had to do was give it to Diana. But would she accept it? Would she drink it? Or would she chase him away?

He rubbed his clammy hands on his jeans to get rid of the perspiration and moved toward the center of the party, pushing through the cluster of pretty, popular people who made you hate your life and want one more like theirs. The models. The influencers. The heartbreakers.

And before he knew it, he was standing right behind her. Her long black hair dyed silver at the ends fell to her perfectly slim waist and swayed softly as she moved to the music. He gulped, his heart racing. They’d been friends forever, and the old man had promised that the love potion would work. But he was still terrified. 

“Hey, Di,” he called, plastering on a smile he hoped didn’t look queasy.

She spun around, her blue eyes sparkling with reflected light. “Hey, Alan! What’s up?”

“Got you a drink,” he told her, offering the drink.

“Aw, you’re the sweetest,” she replied, taking the cup and taking a sip. 

Yes. Yes. Drink it. “What do you think of this party? Crazy, huh?”

“Yeah, for sure. Food’s incredible, though.” She sipped from the glass again. “Wow, what’s in this?”

“Dunno. It’s a Shirley Temple, Di.”

“A what? I thought it was a fruit punch or something.”

“You’ve never had a Shirley Temple before?”

She shook her head and downed the rest, leaving the empty glass on a nearby table.

“Wow. I guess you’ve never really lived before, then.” 

She laughed. “First time for everything though, right?”

Alan nodded in agreement. “Yeah.” Come on, Di. This is your chance. Say something cheesy, like “Including kissing you!”. Make a move! This is your chance, Diana!

She didn’t do anything. 

Instead, a friend shouted her name from across the room. “Hey, sorry, Al. Soph’s calling.” She shot him an apologetic smile and bounced off to talk to Sophie Ingler, one of her best friends.

Alan’s shoulders slumped, and his heart shuddered. I should have known I couldn’t buy love for a dollar. I should have known. 

He turned to walk away but caught Diana’s gaze before he could leave the party. Her eyes begged him to stay. So he did, wandering the sidelines, secretly hoping she’d come and find him, tell him she loved him, kiss him. He tried to count the times that Di shot him glances, but he lost count at twenty-something-or-other.

Maybe the potion was working. Maybe it was just going to take some time.

*   *   * 

Oh, the potion had worked all right. Too well. 

Alan had tried to break up with her, tried to reason with her, tried to tell her that it just wasn’t going to work anymore. He’d tried So. Many. Times.

And it never worked.

So, after he’d had enough, he made his way up a certain creaky staircase, hesitating on the landing before knocking on the same door he’d come to three years ago. His hand closed around the cash in his pocket.

The door squealed open and the old man’s eyes widened with recognition. “Alan Austen! Come in, boy, come in.” 

A shiver clawed its way down Alan’s spine as he stepped into the potion shop. It looked the exact same as it had the last time he’d been there, almost as if he’d slipped into a memory.

The money seemed through Alan’s pocket, or maybe the old man could see right through the fabric. 

He raised a thin, scraggly eyebrow. “Five thousand–the glove cleaner? Is that what you’re here for?”

Alan gulped. “Well… no.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want a reverse. To the love potion.”

“Ah. Good thing you brought that sum, boy, because the reverse is just as expensive as that life cleaner. Five thousand whole, beautiful dollars. Is she really worth giving up?”

Alan nodded. “It’s just… it’s not real. And she’s too possessive. She can’t hear me and she doesn’t know how to let me go.”

“Well, boy, if that’s what you want, here you are.” The man handed Alan a very small vial and took the five thousand dollars.

Later that day, Alan slipped the cure into Diana’s lunch.

And the next day, Diana Rushheart was dead.