The End of the End

   (When we last left Fred, Jonathan had just informed him of his imminent death)

   Fred laughed at Jonathan’s statement. “Ha!  That’s a lame bluff.  You can’t expect me to believe that you’d kill yourself.”
   Jonathan’s arms began to twitch, and his voice shook. “I-I told you, Fred.  I’v-ve planned for th-this day for a long time now.  And i-if I can’t have the world, n-no one will.”
   “What do you mean?” Anthony asked.
   Jonathan smiled a rather ghastly smile as his whole body began to shake. “I’ve launched a nu-nuclear strike.  I-it will land here, which will s-set off a chain reaction that will de-destroy the planet.” He cackled. “And there’s nothing you can d-do about it.”
   Fred looked wildly from Anthony to Alexander. “What do we do?”
   “There’s a missile headed right for us!” A voice screamed from somewhere.
   Anthony panicked. “We’re all gonna die!”
   “Do something, Alexander!” Fred yelled.
   “N-n-nobody can do a-anyth-thing.”
   With those last words, Jonathan smiled and sank to the ground.  Fred stared at his body, then at Alexander.
   “Alexander!”
   The alligator looked at Fred sadly, then gathered himself and leapt straight up into the air.  Fred stared after him.  Something twinkled in the sky.  Alexander was headed straight for it.  Realization dawned on Fred.
   “Alexander!  Nnnnnnnnooooooo!”
   Alligator and missile connected.  A massive explosion ripped the sky open.  Angry masses of red fire broiled in the air for a second, then began to fall.  It was going to come to earth.  It was going to hit.  Alexander’s sacrifice was in vain.
   A brilliant white light shot out from the middle of the red mass.  It burst out and formed a light barrier that completely surrounded the flames.  Then, with a flash, it was all gone.  The sky was clear.
   Fred stared up at the sky and fell to his knees. “Alexander…”
   Anthony stood next to him, also staring up. “He survived, right?  He’s invincible, right?”
   Fred dropped his gaze to the ground and shook his head. “I don’t think even Alexander could survive that.”
   Anthony dropped next to Fred. “But…but…but…”
   Fred patted him on the shoulder. “He’s—he’s gone on to a better place.”
   Anthony sniffed. “Alligator heaven?”
   Fred nodded. “Definitely.”
   Something fell from the sky and landed in front of them with a puff of dust.
   It was a baby alligator.


   And so the saga of Fred and Co. comes to an end. 
   With the destruction of the world averted, and Jonathan dead, peace returns to Earth.  Turns out that Jonathan had been behind everything.  The PEANUTs, The Terrorists, M007, the lot of it.  All pieces in his plan for global domination.  So, in the end, Fred succeeded in eradicating terrorism.
   In honor of Alexander huge statues of him were erected in all the capitols of the world and alligators were designated the World Animal. 
   Anthony was hailed a hero, taken back to England, and put in charge of foreign affairs.
   And Fred, well, he went back to the States with the baby alligator and got a job with the government (the alligator got one too).  But, being Fred, who knows how long that will last, and when we might see him again.  As for the alligator, his future is as uncertain as Fred’s.

                                                                       THE END

   STAY TUNED!  Next Thursday marks the beginnings of a new series.  What it is, well, you’ll just have to wait and see.  If you have any ideas of what you would like it to be, though, do tell.  I appreciate any and all input, and who knows, I might just use your idea.  But no promises.