Bullet in the Brain (Alternate Ending)

By Audrey (Age 15, Chinese International School)

Editor's Note: This is an alternate ending to Tobias Wolff's short story, "Bullet in the Brain". 


"What's so funny, bright boy?"

"Nothing."

"You think I'm comical? You think I'm some kind of clown?"

"No."

"You think you can mess with me?"

"No."

"Mess with me again, you're history. Capiche?"

Anders burst out laughing, covering his mouth with both hands and said, "Capiche - oh God, capiche," and at that, the man with the pistol raised the pistol. As he was pulling the trigger, 'Whack!' The man fell to the ground, dropping the gun. Anders turned around to see the woman he hated holding her 'bruised' bag after hitting the man hard on his head. He was shocked as he didn't think it would be the woman. He then crouched down and picked up the fallen gun and pointed it at the man. When the man saw the pistol facing him, he began to cry, begging Anders not to kill him. As the begging noise became continuous, Anders' temper began to heat up and 'Bang!' He shot the man.

It was worth nothing what the man did not remember, given what he did remember. He did not remember the death of his lovely mother and the funeral where he cried uncontrollably. He did not remember the brutal treatment that he received from his stepmother and stepsisters, or his horrible father who pushed him aside and ignored him all the time. He did not remember the feeling of carrying his children when they were babies. The man did not remember his love for his former job, a policeman, before being fired after being rumored to be a murderer. He did not remember how he suffered and became extremely depressed after losing his job. The man did not remember the night when a man approached him and changed his life, turning him into a bank robber. He did not remember how or when his wife divorced him and seeing his children for the very last time before they parted.

This is what he remembered. Snow. An alley. Darkness. The hooting of an owl nearby, himself aiming a gun towards a criminal that he and his colleagues found while taking a night stroll. He looks at the criminal while the criminal looks back at him, making eye contact. Still, he didn't want to shoot him. He just held the gun to protect himself, in case the criminal, who in fact was also holding a gun, at some point shot him.

Around him, the other policemen that were with him when he saw the man were shouting and pointing at the criminal, wanting him to shoot the man. But he didn't want to kill the man, he would rather put him in jail instead of shooting him. Just then, 'Bang!' One of his colleagues shot the gun towards the sky. Beside them, all the birds flew away, scared from the loud gunshot. Even the gunshot made him nervous, and he pulled the trigger and 'Bang!' shot the man. As the man fell to the ground, he could see his cold green eyes still staring at him. He shivered as he saw blood dripping onto the snow. He regretted killing the man. In silence, he wept, tears dripping down his face as he knew he would never forget how he first killed a man.