This creative assignment – Keep the Story Going – is done by one of my grade 10 IB students. She has meticulously analysed the short story “The Necklace” and has tried to use the same style of writing in her ending of the story. Besides, the events also sound fair and believable, helping the ending fit the story well.
Matilde was speechless. Her mouth hung open as she stared at Madame Forestier in disbelief.
“How… how can this be? You must be joking!” said Mathilde in a shaky voice as her face grew pale.
“No darling, I’m serious… if only you had told me, you wouldn’t have had to endure so much suffering,” said Madame Forestier, keeping Mathilde’s hands gently in hers.
Suddenly, Mathilde started to feel faint, and her steps weakened. Madame Forestier gripped her arms, trying to prevent Mathilde from falling onto the pavement.
“Mathilde? Mathilde? Oh dear… Mathilde can you hear me…?” was the last thing Mathilde heard from Madame Forestier before she blacked out.
….
When Mathilde came around, she found herself under thick layers of expensive silk. Unaware of what had happened, she ran her fingertips on top of the lush covers and a warm smile began to spread on her face as she silently closed her eyes. For just a moment, Matilde rested in comfort as she inhaled the rose-scented air that filled the room. But she was interrupted from this dream-like trance when Madame Forestier walked into the room with her maid.
“Oh my, Mathilde! You’re awake!” said Madame Forestier. Swiftly, Madame Forestier approached her bed, holding her hands in hers. “Mathilde, are you feeling better?” asked Madame Forestier with her eyes full of concern.
“I am feeling much better. But, what… happened?” asked Mathilde.
“You collapsed in the park early today. I was very frantic and called for a doctor right away. Feeling like this was all my fault, I couldn’t leave you alone,” said Madame Forestier.
“Your fault? Why would you feel so?” questioned the confused Mathilde.
Madame Forestier turned anxious, “Mathilde, I am talking about the necklace…,” she responded as she waved her hand to the maid, who quickly went out the door.
As if she was struck by an arrow, Mathilde winced at the mention of the necklace. “The necklace…. What happened to it?
Both were silent for a while until the maid returned to the room, carrying the necklace on a lacquer tray. Madame Forestier took the necklace and while handing it to Mathilde, she said, “I believe that you should sell it to gain what you’ve worked for so harshly in the past ten years; it is yours!”
Astonished by what destiny was doing to her, Mathilde moved her hand over the necklace, feeling the smooth surface of the ten diamond beads, each of which had cost her a year of her life.
The end