It Ends With Love

Craig loves a girl. But not just any girl, he loves Emily. She is not the brainless, childish girl who sits in class dreaming of the dress she will wear to prom. She is the kind of girl that makes you sit up and take notice; the kind you surrender to, completely and without hesitation. The kind that leaves you aching with nameless desire.

And not just any love. Not the “puppy” love of silly teenagers that gives you butterflies in your stomach when you think of her. His is an all consuming love. The kind that blinds you and makes you believe that a girl such as Emily could ever love a boy such as yourself. The kind you would die for.

Emily knows Craig is in love with her. Rather than repulse her, as her friends think it should, Emily is happy about it. She is very intelligent, in an able kind of way, and appreciates the kind of resource she has found in Craig. She wants something, and she knows Craig can get it for her. Will get it for her.

Emily wants cocaine. This has never been a problem for her -- until the car crash. With the squeal of tires and the shriek of twisted metal, Jennifer, her best friend, was gone; and with her Emily’s only way to feed her hunger. This is where Craig comes in. Poor, stupid, wonderful Craig. Emily knows where she can get the cocaine. It’s just that a girl like herself can never go into that area of town. But Craig will hardly be noticed in such a neighborhood. It is the perfect solution for Emily. An easy one too, she doesn’t even have to get Craig to fall in love with her. Not that that would be hard to do.

Emily can hear the excitement in Craig’s voice as they make plans for their date. “Emily, I am in heaven,” Craig tells her. “I have fantasized about this for a long time, but I never dreamed that you would ever go out with me.” “This is going to be easier than I even imagined.” Emily mutters to herself. She knows Craig is under her spell. It’s sad really the kind of power she has over him. She has given his life a new and exhilarating meaning. And because of this, he will do anything for her. It’s almost as satisfying as the release she is seeking.

“I don’t understand, Emily,” Craig says with confusion in his voice. “How can you ask me to do this? I don’t feel any more comfortable than you do going into that part of town. Besides, what are you doing messing with cocaine? You’re above that.” “No,” Emily thinks, “I am above you.” She smiles at Craig. “Craig, you know I’m in love with you, don’t you? I thought you knew that. I have been for awhile. You love me too, don’t you?”

And with that statement, it didn’t really matter what Emily asked Craig to do. She was what gave meaning to his life. She was his future. He was in love with her, and she was in love with him. And that is what he carried with him into the streets. It was all he could think about. He didn’t even see her drive away. He didn’t even run. He just felt the warmth of the blood as it ran down his face.

While Craig sat there in a thoughtless, vegetative stupor, completely surrendered to circulation, respiration, and the deep pulsation of his natural juices, there formed inside his perspiring body an unknown, unformulated future, like a terrible growth, pushing forth in an unforeseeable direction. (last sentence written by Bruno Shulz)