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The Green Ribbon:
An Adaptation of the Horror Story
By Matthew Rose

The night was cold. Mike and his friends had just gotten used to the heat wave when this cold snap arrived. Everyone was caught off guard. Mike had gone to sleep with the windows open the night before. He had woken up in the middle of the night, shivering. He could see his breath fogging up the window when he went to close it. That was two days ago. This night didn't seem to be any warmer. Windows of cars had a layer of frost covering them; grumbling seniors quickly scraped at the glass, trying to free their escape.

"Mike."

Mike turned his head and saw his older brother coming. He had his girlfriend in his arm.
"Hey Bro. Get inside where it's warm. Mom wouldn't want you out here."

Mike took one last look around the parking lot and walked towards the Hall.

The Hall seemed enormous, larger than Mike had ever seen before. The lights were dim as couples danced a slow waltz, moving together as one. The freshmen watched each others' feet with care; the seniors looked up at their partners' face, watching the others' eyes with a silent intensity. Their movements were smooth, like storks dancing in courtship, each responding to the other's movements. Mike enjoyed watching them glide to the step.

He had not noticed that his friends were standing behind him. They bumped him, making him stumble forward. He turned quickly and faced them.

"Hey…" Mike started to say before Bill, his best friend, piped in.

"Hey yourself. Why ya standing here? You ain't dancing. Get going."

The rest of the group started to chant "Go Dance" over and over to Mike. He rolled his eyes and walked to the side of them. Bill walked over to him.

"Hey man, listen. You always come to these things and just watch. For once in your life, do something."

Mike turned sharply.

"You know I can't dance. Three left feet, remember?"

"Oh come on. You and I both know you can dance at least one song."

"Wow, one dance. That's amazing. So what if I can dance…"

"Alright," said the DJ into the microphone. "Three minutes 'till the Duke of Kent's Waltz."

People started coupling up. Mike's eyes darted, searching for a girl, any girl, as long as he knew her. Then he saw her. He had never seen her before. She was standing alone, staring at the people moving around her. She wore a blue dress, making her seem even more beautiful. She had a green ribbon tied tightly around her neck in a bow. It seemed off, but still entrancing. Mike could not move his head. He jumped when Bill touched his shoulder.

"She's a transfer dude. She hardly knows anybody. But hey, looks who's talking to her."
Mike turned his head and saw Bill's girlfriend Francis talking to the new girl. Mike turned back to Bill.

"Go on. Ask her to dance before your song starts. Hurry, go!"

Bill pushed him forward. Mike stumbled, and then quickly walked over to the two girls. Francis looked up and saw Mike.

"Oh, here he is now."

She winked at Mike as she hurried off to Bill, who escorted Francis onto the dance floor. Mike looked at the new girl and extended his hand. She looked at him and put her hand in his. He smiled and quickly led her into one of the dance lines. The DJ began going over the steps to the dance. Mike helped the new girl walk through. Then the dance started and it was only a few seconds before the conversation began, broken only by the other dancers:

"Hello."

"Hi."

"My name's Mike."

"I'm Natalie. I'm a transfer."

"Yeah, I thought I never saw you before."

"I get that a lot here."

"Well, you do stand out."

She looked at him.

"Oh wait. What I meant was…"

She lowered her eyes.

"It's ok. I was thinking the same thing about you."

She raised her eyes again.

The dance ended and the two of the walked off together. They pulled up chairs and sat next to each other, talking until the DJ announced the last dance. Mike asked her. She accepted, and as they danced close and slow, she rested her head on his shoulder. The dance ended and they walked to the coat racks. Mike fetched her coat and brought it to her. As she put the coat on, Mike noticed again the ribbon around her neck.

"I have a good question. Why did you wear that ribbon all night? It had to be painful."

"No, I'm used to it. I wear it all the time."

"Why do you wear it?"

She looked up at him. She had a slight smile on her face. Mike smiled too, unable to control his face.

"I'll tell you when the time is right."

"When's that gonna be?"

"You'll have to wait and see."

She turned and walked off with a group of girls into the cold, dark night.

* * *

The day was warm. The sun was shining brightly on the church. Birds tweeted and sang together about the miracle that was inside. The glory of beauty passed inside that meager building. Birds sang as the bells in the steeple rang out in joyous song. Then, down below, the buildings opened.

From the doors there was a blast of organ music, loud and clear. People passing in their cars, who heard the music, remarked to themselves, and drove on, for these people, knowing what had happened, rejoiced privately in the celebration of the day. In all the world of sorrow and death, misery and pain, there is this one happy moment.

Out these wide doors appeared the pure image of joy, of total love. The one, the man, wore a strapping tuxedo while the woman next to him had on a beautiful white dress. However, only one thing truly stood out on her person: around her delicate neck was a greenish ribbon, tied in a bow. It stood out, like an apple in a sea of oranges. She seemed oblivious to the members of the crowd whispering their thoughts on this pull of the eyes. She had heard it all before, and she did not want to hear it now. She was, for once in her life, completely happy.

* * *

The night was mild. A calm breeze flowed through the trees. The window was open but not a soul was around to hear the voices inside.

"Well, how do I look?"

"You look like a drunk groom."

"I told you, only half drunk. Besides, if I was drunk, I wouldn't be able to absorb your beauty."

"Stop it. We're married. You don't have to use cheap pick-up lines on me."

"This is true."

"Now, let me get ready. Wait here."

"Yes sir"

The sound of a door closing was on the beach for a moment, but was quickly taken away by the summer breeze. The door opened and closed again.

"Tada"

"Wow. Honey, you look like an angel."

"Well, I am your angel now."

The floorboards creaked and the bed shifted itself.

"Hi again."

"Hi."

Don't you wan to take that off?"

"It's not time. I told you, when the time is right. The time just isn't right yet."

"Come on. It's our wedding night. I've been with you for four years. Isn't it time to share?

Remember, 'No secrets.'"

"Mike, trust me. This is one secret that you don't want to know."

"But why do you always wear it? It's a simple question."

"It's not that I don't want to tell you. I do; I really do. The time is just not right, that's all."

"But when? When will the time be right?"

"Shhh, such fuss over one green ribbon. What if it holds something dear to me, like a remembrance of an old friend or my family?"

"Well, I wish you would tell me. So at least I wouldn't have to worry."

"Don't worry. Now where were we…?"

Her voice trailed off as the wind picked up. Far out to sea this wind carried her message: "Don't worry."

* * *

The night was cold. The car pulled away from the house cautiously, trying not to hit the fallen trashcans. The house was dark. All but one room blended in with the night. This one room glowed, but the light seemed to lack energy to continue. The light came from a single lamp, dimly lighting the bed, where therein was a shell of a person. By the side there was a man, old and frail. He looked with longing towards the woman in the bed. He took her hand in his. She made an effort to smile.

"It is time."

"What?"

"It's time to tell you why I wear this ribbon."

"Why now?"

"Mike, I'm dying. I don't want to die, not letting you know this."

"Oh."

"Here, I'll just show you."

She coughed. Her faced winced as she tried to catch her breath. He leaned forward to help her.

"Take the ribbon off."

He stared at her, then put her hands near her neck. Slowly he started to untie the bow, scared that there might be some scar from some horrible accident. He convinced himself that, no matter what, he would still love her. He undid the knot, unraveling and unwinding it carefully. He did the last bit of the ribbon.

Outside the dark house, the overcast sky started to fall, slowly. The snow fluttered down with beauty and grace. The world was calmed again, silent. Yet inside the room, that dimly lit room, there was a different kind of silence. Mike laid on the floor, holding one hand over his heart, the other over his mouth. On the bed, on the lap of Natalie's ancient body, was her own head, with a green ribbon lying gently on top.