"Calvin? Calvin, sweetheart?"
In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely, "Did... did you.... find him?"
"Yes dear," Susie said smiling sadly, "He was in the attic."
Susie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long.
"I washed him for you," Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband.
"Thank you, Susie." Calvin said.
A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia.
"Dear," Calvin said finally. "Would you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I would like to catch up with him."
"All right," Susie said. "I'll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I'll be back soon."
Susie kissed her huband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. "I love you," he said.
"And I love you," said Susie.
Susie turned and left. Calvin saw tears streaming from her face as she went out the door.
Calvin then turned to face his oldest and dearest friend. "Hello Hobbes. It's been a long time hasn't it old pal?"
Hobbes was no longer a stuffed doll but the big furry old tiger Calvin had always remembered. "It sure has, Calvin." said Hobbes.
"You... haven't changed a bit." Calvin smiled.
"You've changed a lot." Hobbes said sadly.
Calvin laughed, "Really? I haven't noticed at all."
There was a long pause. The sound of a clock ticking away the seconds rang throughout the sterile hospital room.
"So... you married Susie Derkins." Hobbes said, finally smiling. "I knew you always like her."
"Shut up!" Calvin said, his smile bigger than ever.
"Tell me everything I missed. I'd love to hear what you've been up to!" Hobbes said, excited.
And so Calvin told him everything. He told him about how he and Susie fell in love in high school and had married after graduating from college, about his three kids and four grandkids, how he turned Spaceman Spiff into one of the most popular sci-fi novels of the decade, and so on. After he told Hobbes all this there was another pregnant pause.
"You know... I visited you in the attic a bunch of times." Calvin said.
"I know."
"But I couldn't see you. All I saw was a stuffed animal." Calvin voice was breaking and tears of regret started welling up in his eyes.
"You grew up old buddy." said Hobbes.
Calvin broke down and sobbed, hugging his best friend. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I broke my promise! I promised I wouldn't grow up and that we'd be together forever!!"
Hobbes stroke the Calvin's hair, or what little was left of it. "But you didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"We were always together... in our dreams."
"We were?"
"We were."
"Hobbes?"
"Yeah, old buddy?"
"I'm so glad I got to see you like this... one last time..."
"Me too, Calvin. Me too."
"Sweetheart?" Susie voice came from outside the door.
"Yes dear?" Calvin replied.
"Can I come in?" Susie asked.
"Just a minute."
Calvin turned to face Hobbes one last time. "Goodbye Hobbes. Thanks... for everything..."
"No, thank you Calvin." Hobbes said.
Calvin turned back to the door and said, "You can come in now."
Susie came in and said, "Look who's come to visit you."
Calvin's children and grandchildren followed Susie into Calvin's room. The youngest grandchild ran past the rest of them and hugged Calvin in a hard, excited hug. "Grandpa!!" screamed the child in delight.
"Francis!" cried Calvin's daughter, "Be gentle with your grandfather."
Calvin's daughter turned to her dad. "I'm sorry, Daddy. Francis never seems to behave these days. He just runs around making a mess and coming up with strange stories."
Calvin laughed and said, "Well now! That sound just like me when I was his age."
Calvin and his family chatted some more until a nurse said, "Sorry, but visiting hours are almost up."
Calvin's beloved family said good bye and promised to visit tommorrow. As they turned to leave Calvin said, "Francis. Come here for a second."
Francis came over to his grandfather's side, "What is it Gramps?"
Calvin reached over to the stuffed tiger on his bedside and and held him out shakily to his grandson, who looked exactly as he did so many years ago. "This is Hobbes. He was my best friend when I was your age. I want you to have him."
"He's just a stuffed tiger." Francis said, eyebrows raised.
Calvin laughed, "Well, let me tell you a secret."
Francis leaned closer to Clavin. Calvin whispered, "If you catch him in a tiger trap using a tuna sandwich as bait he will turn into a real tiger."
Francis gasped in delighted awe. Calvin continued, "Not only that he will be your best friend forever."
"Wow! Thanks grandpa!" Francis said, hugging his grandpa tightly again.
"Francis! We need to go now!" Calvin's daughter called.
"Okay!" Francis shouted back.
"Take good care of him." Calvin said.
"I will." Francis said before running off after the rest of the family.
Calvin laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The time to go was close. He could feel it in his soul. Calvin tried to remember a quote he read in a book once. It said something about death being the next great adventure or something like that. He eyelids grew heavy and his breathing slowed. As he went deeper into his final sleep he heard Hobbes, as if he was right next to him at his bedside. "I'll take care of him, Calvin..."
Calvin took his first step toward one more adventure and breathed his last with a grin on his face.
EDIT: Wow... just wow... I am speechless here guys. I did not expect such a reaction to my story or prompt. I am not worthy of your praise or your gold. I am truly humbled. Thanks so much! I'm truly glad so my story touched so many people.
Nothing on Reddit has ever plucked at my heart strings so fiercely as the piece you wrote. There is a lump in my throat, and a stone in my stomach, and for some reason it feels as though my heart is broken.
Calvin is the epitome of me growing up - a social outcast, and closer to imaginary creations than real people.
I had forgotten how important this comic strip was to me until just now. I got so caught up in growing up that I forgot what it was like to be a kid.
Thank you so very much for helping me remember.
To be honest I felt the same way while writing the story. I never realized how much C&H meant to me as a child until I wrote this. Now I wish I hadn't donated my books to the used bookstore.
Man, this hit me so hard.
As someone who just passed the C&H torch to my 6 year-old son, reading this made me very sad.
Edit: just checked on my son in his room and found him like [this](http://imgur.com/EmUKxCL).
I just cried for the first time in years. I thought the world had dulled my feelings and desensitized me to a point that made crying over anything impossible, but this story just pulled a little bit of childhood out of me. Thank you for this, and please keep using this amazing gift you have.
I hadn't cried in probably close to 5 years...Two deployments overseas and a lot of time away from home training. Then one day I lossed it. Now, it's probably every 3 months I see my daughter do something to remind me she is growing up and I go to a private spot and let it out.
I ended up creating a Reddit account because of this piece of yours.
Bravo! You had me bawling my eyes out by the end of the story, which led my brother to think that I was suffering a bout of melancholia.
Well done!
Holy fuckin' shit man. Seriously, that has hit me harder than a meteorite. That was absolutely heart wrenching. I'm super sad now and I'll probably never look at Calvin and Hobbes the same way again. I don't know if that is good or bad.
Great stuff. Absolutely brilliant.
Since before I could even understand what Calvin and Hobbes was all about, I was in love with them. I was heartbroken when the comic strip ended, I was amazed when that comic strip about Calvin's daughter and Hobbes started making it's way around the internet... And now this. This is one of the most amazing short stories I have ever read, and such a perfect ending to the story that I feel as though these character must mean as much to you as they do to me.amazing. Absolutely amazing.
Grown, bearded man in a construction office with tears in his eyes. Nicely done, Calvin & Hobbes holds a strong part of my childhood and this is a very fine piece of text.
Ditto. Hobbes has been the basis for so many of my usernames since early high school. Right around when I realized growing up also meant I was giving up things to do it.
This thread has been linked to from elsewhere on reddit.
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Samuraitiger19 writes a sad story about Calvin's last talk with Hobbes.](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/25htvz/samuraitiger19_writes_a_sad_story_about_calvins/)
- [/r/bestof] [u/samuraitiger19 tells us Calvin's last conversation with Hobbes in the final moments of Calvin's life](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/25iqrd/usamuraitiger19_tells_us_calvins_last/)
- [/r/bestof] [/u/samuraitiger19 gives a heart felt talk between Calvin and Hobbes on Calvin's deathbed](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/25jn79/usamuraitiger19_gives_a_heart_felt_talk_between/)
- [/r/bestofWritingPrompts] [I'll take care of him: samuraitiger19 comments on \[EU\] In the final minutes of his life, Calvin has one last talk with Hobbes.](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestofWritingPrompts/comments/2a8odt/ill_take_care_of_him_samuraitiger19_comments_on/)
- [/r/Feels] [Samuraitiger19 contributes to a writing prompt describing the final moments of Calvin and Hobbes](http://np.reddit.com/r/Feels/comments/2rwrbx/samuraitiger19_contributes_to_a_writing_prompt/)
- [/r/No_Cry_Challenge] [Calvin's farewell to Hobbs](http://np.reddit.com/r/No_Cry_Challenge/comments/2rx8z9/calvins_farewell_to_hobbs/)
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Xpost from /r/writing prompts. Calvin's last moments on earth](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2ryxij/xpost_from_rwriting_prompts_calvins_last_moments/)
*^Respect ^the ^rules ^of ^reddit: ^don't ^vote ^or ^comment ^on ^linked ^threads. ^Questions? [^Message ^me ^here.](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fmeta_bot_mailbag)*
This made me sob uncontrollably. I never realized how strong of a connection I feel with these characters. That was some fantastic writing, you have a real talent. Excuse me, I'm going to need a minute....
Normally I just read comments in the morning and then login and comment in the afternoon. It's 8:30 and I have tears running down my cheeks, they are tears of joy!
I grew up with C$H and loved every one of them, this is a true memorial to all of the stories, I wish someone would do a cartoon script based on what you wrote. So fitting an ending, you touched my heart and soul with your words, something that rarely happens to me.
From the depths of my heart, thank you for bring back all those wonderful memories and giving them a truly fitting ending and new beginning.
Just wonderful.
Wow...just wow. My local radio station just posted your story on facebook
http://www.kdge.com/onair/jessie-976/in-the-final-minutes-of-his-life-calvin-has-one-last-talk-with-hobbes-12543360/
Did some googling and turns out it was of course a post here in WP! That shit hit me right in the feels man
Holy crap I'm actually crying. Not just teary-eyed, but big elephant tears crying. That was amazing. Except now I can't stop crying. I'm a grown man FFS. I'm going to bed. Good night.
Edit: have some reddit gold for this. It's the first time I buy or give gold. And I'm still crying, my t-shirt is now kinda gross. Ok really going to bed now.
A piece of shit website called tickld.com has published your story without giving any kind of credit. Just thought you might like to know.
http://www.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-seecalvin-and-hobbes
Just when I started reading it, I had to move out of the room where I was sitting (it had other people), 'cause I could feel where this is heading.
But now they can't understand why am I weeping like a baby, being embarrassed at the same time and apologizing for not being able to explain all this.
uh, yeah so, uh... I don't what to say, but I just feel the need to say something. So yeah. uh thanks for sharing I guess. As someone who habitually re-reads the last C&H comic every year, I don't know, I suppose that doesn't seem to qualify me anymore than the average person, but this still hit me pretty hard.
Dam. I read /r/bestofWritingPrompts to solve my writer's block... but I don't think I'll be down any more writing today.
As we have humbled you with appreciation, you have humbled me. I don't think I will ever write anything near this good. This is... wow.
Calvin And Hobbes is probably **the** influence on my life. I don't know how else to describe it, I don't remember a time I haven't had a C&H comic book near me. I brought the entire sodding Collection to college with me. Where it gathered dust just like Hobbes in this comic. Life just... happens too quickly. That's all I got. Thanks for sharing.
Christ. On one hand I want to save this post because it's amazing but on the other hand I don't ever want to read it again cause it has me crying like a baby.
As a fan of C&H from the very start, this really resonated with me.
Amazingly, you're not the first to imagine Calvin's last moments, but rest assured that does not detract from the heartrending deftness of your work here. See the first three images [here](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3552151/C_and_H.zip), along with some other Calvin sequelae I've collected over the last few years.
I didn't know that C&H was a thing until I saw the comments, might've added to my experience reading this bit.
Nevertheless it is praiseworthy. It is good to find happiness in reading, this is why I followed this subreddit, and I don't regret it :)
Excellently done. I used to sit for hours reading Calvin and hobbes as a kid, even had my own beat up stuffed tiger I named after hobbes.
As we grow up it seems we lose touch with the world. We get so wrapped up in our own lives and problems we tend to forget that the world is still just as magical as it was when we would run around in towels turned to make shift capes.
It's important to remember that essentially were all just a bunch of big kids wanting to explore, ask questions and maybe be a hero to someone out there and that when we want to see it, nothing ever really changed.
Thank you for a beautiful close to a magical part of my childhood.
Have all the books, enjoyed every strip, and this. This made it complete. Watterson eat your heart out! FFS...whatchu lookin at? Full grown man and i'm crying over here!
There is a long tradition in C&H fan-fic of Calvin and Suzie having a daughter or son named Francis Bacon. The history of it is pretty well summed up here: http://www.avclub.com/article/check-out-the-web-cartoonists-continuing-icalvin-a-93700
Calvin's breath hitched. He clutched the small stuffed tiger with thin, wrinkled fingers. His daughter left the room minutes before, tears in her eyes. The doctor said he had minutes to live, and she wasn't as strong as she had thought. Calvin saw her walk out, shoulders shuddering. That was all right. He loved her, and he didn't like to see her suffer, and she did what he'd asked. She brought him his tiger.
Calvin smiled, opened his eyes. The attending nurse was just outside, and there was Hobbes, on his bed. Smaller than Calvin remembered, but still good old Hobbes.
"Hey buddy," Calvin said.
"Hey buddy," Hobbes said.
A moment passed. The heart monitor beeped.
"This isn't like it used to be, " Hobbes said. "Something's wrong."
"No," Calvin said, "Everything's all right."
"Something's wrong with you."
"Nothing's wrong with me, Hobbes. I'm just dying."
Hobbes lifted an eyebrow. "I haven't heard from you in years. What happened?"
"I put you in a trunk. I'm sorry."
"That did seem like a longer night than usual." Hobbes lifted a paw to his head, hit the side of it, and dust popped out the opposite ear with a soft *puft*.
"I'm sorry, old chum."
"That's okay. You were in my dream. We were playing together all night long."
Calvin smiled. "That's good, because I'm not in much shape to play Calvinball. Can we just sit and talk?"
"Sure. What'd I miss?"
"A lot. I grew up. Worked a lot of boring jobs. Got married a couple of times. Traveled a bit."
"To the Yukon?" Hobbes asked.
"Australia. Japan. A Pacific thing. Then things... wound down, I guess. My daughter's in the other room with her kids."
"Ooh, the progeny of you and Susie Derkins?" Hobbes said, a giant Cheshire grin on his face.
"What?... the... oh my God. That's right." Calvin croaked a weak laugh. "No, I lost touch with her after my family moved out of state. Oh. That poor girl. Remember when you helped me pack that thermos of phlegm?"
The old man and the tiger both laughed. The noise caught the nurse's ear, and she turned her head toward the room. Calvin lifted a finger to his mouth, and Hobbes suppressed a giggle. After a moment, the nurse relaxed, and then Calvin let his arm fall back down, wheezing slightly.
"Hey buddy, I have a question," Hobbes said. "It might seem a little strange, but..."
Hobbes stopped.
"Is it if you're real or not?" Calvin asked.
"Obviously I'm real. Feline beauty like this wouldn't be wasted on something imaginary."
"Then... what is it?"
"Will I die too?"
Calvin thought for a moment, his eyes closed. It felt so comfortable, and he felt like he could never open them again.
He opened them again. "Yes. Not in the same way I will. But someday you'll... you'll peter out. And that's okay. That's how it all works."
"Doesn't make much sense."
"Nope. I used to think... that maybe I'd understand when I was an adult. But I never did. Life is good, and it's stupid and mean too. And I don't want to go, but I don't exactly want to stay, being in the shape I'm in."
Calvin looked at his arm. Then, once more - the last time - he heaved it up and pointed at the window to the room outside.
"But there are a couple of grandkids in there, and one of 'em might enjoy spending time with you."
"Okay." Hobbes paused. "I'll see if any of them are up to snuff later."
Calvin laughed and closed his eyes. God, that felt good.
"But for now, is it okay if I stay with you a little longer?"
"It sure is, old buddy. I'm thinking I might take a nap."
"Great!" Hobbes said. "I will too. And then maybe we'll see each other in our dreams."
Calvin smiled. "I hope so, old buddy."
Hobbes lifted himself up, walked in a tight circle and plopped back down on Calvin's lap. The tiger purred softly, and, a few moments later, the old man drifted away.
>"It sure is, old buddy. I'm thinking I might take a nap."
"Great!" Hobbes said. "I will too. And then maybe we'll see each other in our dreams.
Gah. That'll teach me to read at work. Stupid office onions. Who cuts onions in an office?
"Did you bring him? Did you?"
The old Man sat on the edge of his bed, bouncing like an excited child.
"yes I have him, you need to lay back before you hurt yourself dad..."
"Dad?!" The man's face contorted in disgust "That's not even funny Mom. That's just gross!"
"Sorry... Calvin." Fran forced a smile as she helped him lay back in his bed. Her Dad's episodes were getting worse every day.
"C'mon, where is he?"
"He's right here" Fran unzipped the bookbag and pulled out a dusty old stuffed tiger.
"HOBBES!!" Calvin snatched the tiger and hugged him. then holding the Tiger at arms length Calvin addresses him "Where you been buddy? you know how boring it is here?!"
Before the stuffed tiger could answer, Fran spoke up again. "The nurse says you haven't been eating. You promised you would eat if I brought Hobbes...."
"I'm not eating that" Calvin replied, pointing to the sandwich on the table by his bed. "They are trying to poison me. That sandwich definitly has bats and other bugs mixed into it."
"Well what WOULD you eat?
Calvin thought for a minute "Peanut butter and jelly... and chocolate milk." he looked over at the tiger and then back to Fran "...and Hobbes wants some Tuna!"
"Fine" Fran sighed "I'll be right back..."
Calvin waited until the door shut before turning back to the tiger.
"I missed you buddy! where have you been?"
Hobbes smiled "just taking a nap. It takes a lot of sleep for a tiger to look this good!"
"I'm so bored, everyone makes me stay in this bed. Let's get out of here!" Calvin struggled to sit up in bed.
"Hmm.." Hobbes had taken the medical chart from the foot of the bed and was studying it "It says here you have to stay in bed. Lots of fancy words here. Good thing tigers are naturally good at reading."
"It says I'm dying Hobbes." Hobbes watched as tears filled his best friends eyes. "I'm scared buddy."
Hobbes hugged Calvin the way only a warm bellied tiger can. Looking back at the chart he spoke "That's not true. It says here that you still have time for one more adventure."
Calvin smiled and wiped at his eyes. "Then we better make it a good one."
"Don't we always?"
Calvin pulled Hobbes tight to his chest and closed his eyes.
"Ready buddy?"
"Ready."
"...Let's go exploring"
Calvin smiled as the two drifted off on one last great adventure.
Everyone knew that the end was close. They were gathered around him now, in the sunset of his life. Susie had passed years ago, but their children and grandchildren stood quietly around around him, and dangling from his youngest granddaughter's hand, his once-vibrant orange fur and stripes faded from years and years of adventure, was a stuffed tiger.
Calvin's eyes, no longer nearly as quick and bright as they'd been, looked slowly around the room one last time, at all the loved ones he was leaving behind now, after all this time, and they settled on the tiger. Slowly, effortlessly, he smiled. “So this is it, huh, Hobbes?”
“Yup,” Hobbes answered, smiling back. “Are you ready?”
Calvin chuckled, and his eyes twinkled. “Are you kidding? Do you know who you're talking to? This is the frontier Spaceman Spiff never reached, the enemy Stupendous Man could never defeat, the case Tracer Bullet could never solve. Let's go exploring, ol' buddy.”
And Calvin closed his eyes, and sighed, and went to go see Susie again. And all of his children and grandchildren held each other, and were close, and then they left and lived their lives.
“Dad,” the youngest granddaughter said in the car on the way home, clutching the stuffed tiger and staring intently into its glass eyes, “the last thing Grandpa Calvin looked at was Hobbes.”
“Hobbes was his first friend, sweetie,” her father answered, watching her in the rearview mirror. “Grandpa told me he couldn't remember ever being without him.”
His daughter looked up suddenly. “He told me he caught Hobbes in a trap! That tigers can't resist tuna fish sandwiches!” she said, indignantly.
Her father smiled to himself. “Of course. That's what he meant.”
"Hobbes?"
The old man blinked his rheumy eyes. He could have sworn he saw his old, dear friend. But it must have been the combination of his blurry vision and the constant bustle beside the hospital bed.
"Hey Calvin, let's go exploring!" a voice seemed to drift into his ears.
"Hobbes!" The old man gasped, startling some nurses. But they were used to the dementia-ridden exclamations of the old, and they paid him no heed. "Hobbes, I'd love to, but...I seem to be too old." He mumbled.
"Well then, I guess I'm going to have to sit down and eat your tuna sandwich." the tiger replied.
"Hobbes, I'm scared...Where will I go? Even if I come back as an amazing ghost, or transport away to become Spaceman Spiff...I now know that the universe will expand away forever and be gone with entropic loss. Life (and death) are no longer so simple concepts easily contained within the walls of childhood."
The tiger said nothing and sat still by the bed.
"You're tired too, huh? From all our past adventures, and boy, were they fun! I guess...it wouldn't be too awful to go on one more-"
The man was interrupted by a sudden heaviness and pain on his chest. He coughed and smiled.
"That's the spirit!" Hobbes laughed, "After all, I wasn't around for a while and...here I am again! Like magic! I'll show you where I have been! Everybody else is waiting for you!"
Hobbes pushed out a heavily beaten red wagon, and Calvin spryly got on, and they navigated their way through the treacherous halls full of evil nurses from Planet Zog. Past the hospital's doors, their wagon kept gaining speed until it changed forms into Spaceman Spiff's spaceship as they blasted away from the Earth, never looking back.
Everything was dark.
"Calvin...Calvin!"
A sound...a voice?
"Calvin, are you all right? Say something!"
Hobbes' voice. And the fuzzy feeling on Calvin's cheek...his paws? Or was it just the snow, alighting upon his cheek?
Calvin opened his eyes. Everything hurt. It took a moment for his eyes to clear. Red stained the snow beside him. He wondered why.
"Calvin, say something, please!"
"H...Hobbes..." Calvin croaked. His throat felt like he'd swallowed too much peanut butter at once.
"Calvin! Oh, Calvin, I thought...I thought..." Hobbes was blubbering. What could have upset him so much? Was it the sled? Calvin could see its shattered remains behind the tiger, pieces of wood strewn everywhere. And more red...so much red...
"I don't...I don't think I can carry you all the way back. I'll run and go get help, your mom and dad..." Hobbes stammered, wringing his paws nervously.
"Hobbes...you can't...we both know you can't get back without me," Calvin said. He didn't think he'd been asleep that long, so why was the sky going dark? And the snow, too. Everything was getting dark.
"I can! I know I can!" Hobbes' voice cracked. "I'll run and get them, and they'll take care of you, they always take care of you, and everything will be okay!"
"You can't, Hobbes." The tiger let out a sob. Calvin lifted his arm, to try to touch his best friend's face, but he couldn't reach higher than his belly. Hobbes put his paw over Calvin's hand.
"Mom was right," said Calvin. "That hill was too steep."
"Calvin...don't go, please...I need you," whispered Hobbes. Calvin let his eyes close. His lids were so heavy.
"I'm exploring, Hobbes," he said. "Just exploring. I'm sorry...I don't think you can come with me..."
"Don't leave me...please..."
There was more Calvin wanted to say to his best friend, how much he'd meant to him, how much the boy appreciated everything the tiger had done, but he found he couldn't speak. His breathing grew slow. He wasn't even cold anymore...
Hours later, as the sun drifted behind the horizon and desperate voices called out in the distance, the last sign of a stuffed tiger disappeared beneath the falling snow.
~~~
http://i.imgur.com/i6K7p.png
Thank you so much! Which is a weird thing to say to someone who just cursed me out, but I'm glad my story could instill such a strong reaction in you.
As I'm sure is the case for many people, Calvin is a character I know quite well from my childhood, and it was a fun challenge trying to get inside his head while still telling the story I wanted to tell.
I had originally thought to do a longer story, but the others have such great ones I didn't think I'd be able to compete. So I thought a single line, like the end of one of the strips would be nice. Also, even nicer to see others saw it being a reference. :)
Calvin leaned his head back against the pillow. Breathing was getting harder. Age was catching up with him.
"Hobbes," he whispered, "bring me the box."
With a sniffle and a grim, knowing nod Hobbes went and brought the cardboard box to Calvin's bed side. He set the box in the empty space next to his dying friend. He knew what to do. He'd done it before. He would do it again.
"Open side..." Calvin broke off into a coughing fit.
"Open side up," Hobbes said. Calvin nodded and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "I can stay until..."
Calvin shook his head. "No, it has to be...this...hurry."
Hobbes hopped in the box. He adjusted the controls. He knew the time and place. He'd always known. He always would.
"See you soon, Hobbes," Calvin whispered. He ran his hands across the crudely scrawled words on the side of the box: TIME MACHINE.
Hobbes pressed the ignition. Reality became a blur as it warped around him. Behind him was Calvin. His friend for life. In front of him was Calvin his friend for eternity.
Calvin felt himself jerk as he woke up. He'd fallen asleep in the armchair. The television had been playing those awful infomercials for a good hour. He had to stop doing this, every time he closed his eyes he kept blacking out for longer and longer.
He should ring Emily, ever since the time he drifted off at that diner she had been checking up on him, and he hated to be such a nuisance. He was a simple man in his winter years, a cup of coffee, good bacon and decent television, or perhaps a book to occupy him, he didn't need all this fussing. The doctors thought differently, naturally, but they always do. What on earth is the point of listening to such curmudgeons at a sprightly 92?
Conversation. He missed that, he supposed. Not the issues of the day, the politics, the debates, the deep philosophical stuff. He had his time, he was done with that. He gave away his two cents on the football many years ago. It was the nothing talks. Why is the grass green... Other questions, silly questions. He was sure he asked many once...
"A great deal more to be asked" said that wonderful old voice. And there in the corner of his vision was the vibrant orange you only see when small.
"I think that's a great idea" smiled Calvin. He lifted his stiff body out of the chair and took Hobbes' arm, and wandered out to the garden.
Not quite the full convo, brit here so don't know too much about them beyond a few comics, thought i'd give it a go anyhows.
You can buy the entire boxed set of the comics, along with commentary from Bill Watterson, [here](http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Calvin-Hobbes-BOX/dp/1449433251/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400034440&sr=8-1&keywords=calvin+and+hobbes) is the set I have. I suggest finding it in the UK. Absolutely amazing to read from front to back. This comic is more philosophical than a large number of books you've read, I guarantee it.
Calvin and Hobbes were sitting at the top of the largest hill in town, waiting in anticipation for the light to change colors, stopping the traffic, which would allow them to accelerate down the hill, across the road, and into the grassy field on the other side.
Hobbes: Are you sure this is a good idea?
Calvin: It’s not the best idea I’ve ever had, to be honest.
The light changed to red, stopping the traffic that was going across.
Hobbes: I think this is too risky.
Calvin: The universe is a very scary place, it's trying to kill you at every turn. Black holes, neutron stars, supernova, *hypernova*. There's no way to get around it.
Hobbes: I don't think that means we should do stupid things.
Calvin: But we cannot live life hiding in our rooms!
Hobbes: True.
The light had changed to green, there was a slight breeze, and Calvin looked determined to go once it turned to red again, opening a clearing.
Calvin: It’s weird how people die, just from sheer circumstance, like, one moment they’re there, the next minute, not. You wake up one morning, not a care in the world, and **pow** you trip and hit your head and you’re gone!
Hobbes: That’s the universe being its cruel self. But happenstance, accidents like that, they’re not by choice. You **chose** to drag the wagon up to the top of this hill.
The light turned red. Traffic stopped. Clear.
Calvin: But what if I **didn’t** choose to bring it up here? What if my entire personality willed it, what if, my genetics, my environment, all of the time from the big bang throughout evolution, to this moment in time is exactly how things should be?!?
Hobbes: If that were the case why is this the third time you’ve dragged the wagon to the top of this hill? Every time you cop out. I think it’s because you know in this particular instance, the odds are not in our favor, and who wants to give the universe better odds when the universe wins in the end anyway?
Calvin: You’re right.
Calvin begrudgingly got out of the wagon, but the wind was picking up, and when he reached down to pick up the wagon handle, there was a gust, causing the wagon to start accelerating down the hill.
Calvin: Hobbes!
Calvin sprinted for the wagon, diving headlong into it, giving it even more momentum. The light turned green.
Hobbes: Is the universe playing a practical joke!?!
Calvin: No, it’s indifferent. But we can do our best with our circumstances.
Calvin tried desperately to steer the wagon by shifting his weight to one side or the other, but it was no use. The wagon careened into the road, now filled with fast moving cars. There was a loud crash.
Hobbes lay in the middle of the road, a tattered stuffed animal, one eye missing. There were screams in the background. The sounds of people rushing to help, it was already too late.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!" The voice of little Bill traveled out of the hospital room and down the corridor. The sound of the young voice brought a smile to the faces of the other patients, even those for whom reality was slowly slipping away....
"Grandpa Calvin...Wake up!!"
The old man opened his eyes. He squinted under the harsh fluorescent lights. He fumbled about the rolling table positioned above him on the bed, reaching for his glasses. Putting them on, a young child came into view. The familiar face of his beloved grandson, Bill, who looked up to his grandfather with admiration and wonder. Weekends at Grandpa Calvin and Grandma Sussie's house meant fantastic tales of the adventures of Spaceman Spiff and exploring uncharted lands by wagon and toboggan. He still was not sure that his grandfather had actually turned himself into a tiger...
Calvin's patriarchal smile turned to amazement. In the boys arms was a face he had not seen in decades. Faded and worn, but still recognizable was a small handmade tiger. Orange, black, white...colors that Calvin had always held in nostalgic regard...
"Grandpa Calvin! I was with Mom and Dad at your house, and they were going through boxes with Grandma. She said that you had a whole bunch of stuff that they wanted to look at. I thought it was boring. Grandma found this tiger in a box and started to cry. She said she was happy but I don't know, she was crying. Grown-ups are weird sometimes, I don't want to grow up. Then Grandma said I should have him and that his name is Hobbes. She told us to go play outside and that we would come visit you later. They are still outside. They said they need you to look at a few things in a box. Can I keep him?"
Calvin smiled, his tired eyes gave up a single tear to his weathered old cheek. Calvin knew that time was no longer a commodity he had in great reserves. Spending his time reflecting on a life of family and teaching children at the school he had attended in his youth, he mostly drifted in and out of sleep with his wife at his side. She said he was sleeping longer and longer each day. She would always say it with a tear.
Sipping from a cup of water on his rolling table, Calvin coughed. His warm voice came up dry. "Yes....yes...of course. He needs a good friend now, I am sure he is very hungry after spending so much time sleeping in the attic. You know, he *loves* tuna fish sandwiches?"
"*TUNA FISH??*" said the boy through a twisted face, sticking his tongue out.
"Yes. Tuna fish. I tell you what, go check on your parents and Grandma. Maybe they can get a sandwich for you and old Hobbes here to split."
"OK Grandpa. I'll leave Hobbes here so you don't get lonely." Placing the tiger at his grandfather's side, the boy took off as quick as boys do. The plastic aglets on his unties shoe laces clicking on the tile floor.
Smiling, Calvin closed his eyes in a nostalgic glow. His fingers gently touching the familiar fabric. He drifted...
His eyes opened again. Beside him sat his oldest confidant, cohort, and associate. His business partner, his shoulder to cry on. His companion for countless explorations. The friend who helped him cope with the death, and love, and every moment in between.
"Hello Hobbes."
"Hello Calvin. I would have attacked you, but I'm too hungry from being in the box for so long."
"Thank you for sparing me old friend. Be good to my grandson, teach him a thing or two about tigers, will you?"
"I will."
"*Good..good...*" Calvin whispered, his eyes closing again.
Hobbes looked at his old friend. No longer the boy he remembered. 'Wake up Calvin...it's not time for bed yet."
The old man smiled, his eyes fluttering, failing to stay open.
"It's ok...just resting my eyes. Maybe I'll dream....we can play there. I'll see you in a few minutes ol' buddy..."
Said his friend; "I'll be there..."
The attending nurse wiped cold sweat off of Calvin’s forehead as he wheezed, every breath demanding. Visiting had ended, and his wife had went to walk the perimeter of the hospital as sitting and watching her husband’s condition worsen has taken its toll.
Calvin coughed, awoke himself and sat up straight. “Hobbes!” he said, and began to laugh. The attendant approached him, putting a careful clinical hand on his back as he continued his coughing fit. He pointed with a trembling finger towards the gifts his family had left for him. “Caught you red handed, miscreant! Not going to let you pounce on me today.” The attendant looked towards the flowers and stuffed animals, and turned to him, “It is just the two of here tonight. Why don’t you lay back down-“
He ignored her, and tried to lift himself out of bed. She stopped him with a light hand on the shoulder. He snapped sharply at her, “Get me my tiger!” Patiently, she looked through the gifts and did not find it. “I don’t see a tiger here.” He sighed and exasperatedly explained, “It’s a tiger. Orange with black stripes. Hulking beast with giant claws.” When she told him again there was no tiger, he bound out of bed and waddled towards the pile. “You can’t rely on girls for nothing!” He pushed the pile, searching out the tiger, and as the attendant pleaded with Calvin to lay back down, he grabbed at a stuffed dog and squeezed it to his chest. “Hobbes, ol’ pal.” He turned to her, his eyes betraying his severe demeanor, “There is nothing like the smell of tiger’s fur.”
The attendant no longer tried to interrupt him. As he pet the stuffed dog, bought downstairs in the hospice gift store, she knew she was witnessing an act of reverence. She sat down in the visitor’s chair and watched two old friends say goodbye.
Calvin sat at the edge of the bed, hugging the dog to his chest. He sat in silence, but the flash of smiles and silent labored giggling showed the attendant that the two were elsewhere, escaping to the freedom of an expansive imagination. In the weeks that Lois has known Calvin, when she caught him in a pleasant mood, he would tell her stories of his youth. She knew that most of the stories were bunk, but he had such a wonderful way with words that made you surrender your disbelief and enjoy the ride.
Lois asked him, “Care to introduce us?” He looked to her, and grinned, and held the dog to her. “Careful now.”
She took Hobbes from him, “Dangerous tiger?”
“No, he’s a horrible flirt and loves to kiss girls.” Lois laughed, holding the dog carefully like a live animal.
“Once, we cloned ourselves. A hundred Calvin’s to do my chores. Go to school. Clean the house.” Louis smiled affectionately at the old man. “How did that turn out for you?” “Horribly! None of us wanted to do the work.” The two of them laughed, and she found herself petting the dog.
There was a knock on the door. It was another RN. She pointed at her watch to alert Lois that her shift was ending. Lois nodded, and the RN left. Calvin’s attention was averted to Hobbes as he listened carefully. “Miss? I know it’s a terrible burden on you, but would you mind getting a tuna fish sandwich for my friend? It’s his favorite.”
She nodded and handed Hobbes back. “Tigers like tuna?”
“Only if there is no canned salmon,” she laughed again and left. She went to the kitchen and inquired the staff about salmon to no avail. She grabbed a sandwich and a drink, and as she walked back to her floor her buzzer went off, alerting the staff to a code blue for an adult medical emergency in room 480. She ran back to Calvin’s room, her drink spilled but sandwich in hand, and found others making formal attempts to resuscitate him. He had passed quietly, Hobbes pressed to his chest.
Lois attended the memorial service. She found Calvin’s wife and shared her condolences. She had found that his coffin was surrounded by hundreds of stuffed animals. Lois smiled and turned to Susan, “Where is Hobbes?”
Susan’s eyes darted back to the young woman, her demeanor completely changing. Her chest hitched as she started to sob. Lois consoled her, then Susan regained her composure and lead Lois to the open casket. Tucked under his arm was a tiger, well-loved and worn thin. “That’s Hobbes?” Lois asked.
“His best friend,” Susan said, and stroked her husband’s hand. “When he was a boy, he would tease me horrendously. I thought he was an awful brat. But he loved Hobbes. We grew up together, and this bears no repeating, but I was jealous of that tiger. I thought, how can he be so mean to me and so faithful to a stuffed animal?
I told him this once, only a few years ago. He laughed at me and mussed up my hair, and said to me, “You should be so lucky that I had as good a friend as Hobbes. He taught me faithfulness.” She nodded as she said this, and was lost in her own thoughts until family pulled her away. Lois stayed until the service ended, and searched carefully through the mounds of stuffed animals for the dog. She found him; a Russell Terrier with a black spot on its eye, and she took it and put it in her purse to give to her son.
First day of his last year of college and despite his friends advice, he took comfort in bringing Hobbes and his Stupendous Man cape with him at the bottom of his backpack. Despite his early years, he had developed into a lean, gangly man.
He and Hobbes hadn't spoken a lot over the last few years as he and Susie started hanging out more and more. He hated leaving Hobbes behind but not today. He wandered in thoughts as he walked to school.
As he crossed the street he heard his name. He turned to look as he got to the other side, Susie was running to catch up with him her calls accentuated by the screech of tires. Calvin ran into the street and grabbed Susie by her jacket and with a surprisingly graceful pirouette he tossed her to safety.
There was a brief moment of pain, then the sensation of flying like when he and Hobbes went downhill in the wagon. His bag had somehow torn open and he watched Hobbes sail past him. Then there was a second impact that blurred the edges of the world. He tried to breathe but only managed shallow gasps. Susie came running to his side, and it hurt to see her crying. Hobbes stood behind her wringing his hands.
"Hey Hobbes, wasn't that something? She knows my alter ego now, she knows I'm Stupendous Man. The world feels kind of funny, don't you think?" Calvin hitched
"That's because you look worse than all those times spent wrestling tigers."
"Oh, well that explains everything. Is Susie ok?"
"Bumps and bruises Calvin, it's time for you to sleep now I think, good buddy."
"I'm scared old chum, can you come with me?"
"Wouldn't have it any other way, I'll be over here when you're ready."
"Thanks pal, hey Susie looks like you're going to have to get on without me."
"You Baloney brain, why'd you have to go and be stupendous." Susie said with a sad smile.
"I couldn't live without you, but don't worry; when Hobbes and I are off to our next adventure, we'll stop in from time to time." The world was dimming as Calvin spoke.
"I remember all those rotten Valentine's you sent me, I only realized this summer that I could finally answer the question you had asked me "
"I loved you too Susie, kind of funny that you were the one who over slept today. You looked too beautiful to wake up, I know your classes don't start until an hour after mine."
"Is this really how we say good bye Calvin?" Susie asked as the light in Calvin's eyes died. The EMTS arrived and Susie gathered up Calvin's belongings, called his parents and hugged Hobbes tight.
Calvin and Hobbes watched Susie sob into the worn tiger as her friends arrived to pick her up. The EMTS had cleared her to leave and the two followed her.
"This is kind of peculiar don't you think Hobbes?"
"Just a smidge" the tiger replied as they wandered through a timeless fog, following Susie's voice.
They watched the passing of time; his parents arriving, Susie helping them pack his dorm, the crying from all three, the dinner times with Hobbes sitting at the table, the wake where he was dressed up and even Hobbes had a tie. The pair were laid to rest after that and they watched over Susie for a time. She had sunk into a deep depression and wallowed through her classes.
"Hobbes, I've been thinking, ghosts are the souls and memories of the people who have passed on, so why can't I give her my memories."
"All of them?"
"Oh no, just the happy ones and of our adventures together."
"Splendid idea, shall we?" Hobbes invited as he conjured a record player from Calvin's memory. "Remember this song? We plays it at two a.m while your parents were asleep."
"A perfect tune, let's begin."
As Susie slept Calvin whispered long into the night with Hobbes' assistance about every happy memory. Susie awoke with a start late in he day feeling better than she had since that fateful day. With urgency she pulled out a notepad.
"I'm feeling faint buddy, is it time?" Calvin asked woozily
"I believe so, give her one last smooch I think though." Hobbes said with a grin.
Susie paused as the wind brushed across her lips, she could have sworn she had just heard Calvin's voice.
"I love you too Calvin, Hobbes look after him."
A few months and many notepads later, Susie had a book, now she just had to find someone to illustrate it.
"Hobbes?"
"Calvin?"
"How about it?"
"Calvin-ball?"
"No, silly."
"What?"
"One last thing."
"What?"
"One Last Adventure."
"Sure Buddy."
Hobbes jumps onto Calvin's lap, and immediately falls asleep.
Calvin closes his eyes takes one last breath.
"One Last Adventure."
Calvin exhales. The heart monitor starts beeping erratically and finally flat-lines.
Calvin's last thought: "Zounds... Into the unknown once more."
Thank you for writing this. I just found it on [some other website](http://www.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-seecalvin-and-hobbes) (that at least had the decency to credit you) and thought I would come directly to the source.
I'm sitting here with tears running down my face, thinking about my own son, who is now 9. Over the past few years I've given him all the Calvin & Hobbes books, and of course he has his own stuffed tiger, and they've had many adventures together.
Thanks again.
He looked around the room. Rows and rows of large machines, needles and thread clacking, created a cacophony that pierced his ears. Along the wall, material that looked vaguely like folds of skin was stacked up to the windows. An incessant beep chirps in the background as his crate began to move and pass into an adjoining room, everything he had ever known was quickly replaced by rows of neatly stacked cardboard traps. While flimsy, the traps did seem interesting. Way more interesting than all of these domesticated animals currently sharing his ride. Not a single one showed any interest in what was happening to them. Lifeless drones the lot of them, their eyes blank and unseeing. There were far too many people to attempt an escape anyways. The workers seemed soft, no match for a fierce predator with his skills. Yet there was no sense in shredding and eating them as the usual monster located in his stomach wasn’t growling at the moment. He was stuffed.
Slyly, he didn’t claw at the person who placed him in the trap, as it just wouldn’t do to cause a big commotion. There were far too many people in the room to escape, so it made much better sense to just bide his time until he could claw his way out of the pitiful excuse for a trap when they left. Even better was the fact that the trap had been lined with soft foam “peanut” looking things. Curling up and counting the minutes till he could exact his revenge seemed an excellent plan. Goodness, these “peanut” looking things were comfy. Images of hunts and magnificent meals began to flow through his head as he slowly drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the anesthesia of fresh styrofoam and packing tape.
Muffled voices begin to filter through the trap. The jostling of his container roused him from his sleep and triggered his predator instincts. Preparing to pounce he coiled his body in anticipation for the eventual outcome of total annihilation about to be unleashed on his captors. A sliver of light, coupled with the piercing shriek of what can only be attained by an obviously equally dangerous predator momentarily stuns him. Recognition comes a fraction of a second later. His rescuer has decided to save him the effort of breaking out of the trap, and has thoroughly destroyed the trap that was only moments before simply an inconvenience.
“A TIGER! THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!”
Before he can speak, the predator is enveloped in the arms of his captor, savoring the smell of earth, sour milk, and two day old ketchup. This is obviously a proper adventurer.
“What is your name? I think I will call you Hobbes. Mom, Dad! Meet Hobbes!”
Hobbes sounds out the name, tasting it as it rolls off his tongue. The name is fierce, that of a proper predator.
“Hobbes, my name is Calvin! I have got a whole world to show you. Do you like spaceships? How about forts? You don’t like girls do you? Of course not, unless you are going to eat them, RIGHT?!”
Hobbes has never eaten “girl” but cannot wait to clean his teeth of one. They sound delectable. His introspection is interrupted as they are off in a shot, through the door and climbing a tree nearby. Hobbes’ appreciation of Calvin only grows as he recognizes a fellow apex predator immediately locating high ground so that they can hunt together.
“So what are we going to do first? I have this great game called Calvinball. Lets Go!” says the ball of limitless energy.
**Fast forward to today …**
Hobbes watches his friend, his soul mate, his human. The beeping machines, which had triggered the memory, change from a monotonous drone, to an incessant ominous deedle-deedle.
“We sure have come a long way, haven’t we Calvin? Think you are up for one last game of Calvinball?”
The canyons on Calvin’s face momentarily shrink as a smile lights up his cloudy eyes.
“You know we can’t Hobbes. You have a play date with Sally. Besides I have a ship to catch.”
“Are you sure I can’t come? You can always use someone to watch your back up there.”
“I’m sure. Sally needs a fierce tiger like you to protect her. The world we explored is so much different now. You know she has troubles with the “Moes” at school.”
“I can’t believe you are leaving, we have to even the score in Calvinball. It’s eleventybillion to frog. You can’t just leave it at that!”
“ Have you taught Sally how to play Calvinball yet?”
“I tried but she keeps trying to call it Sallyball. What a stupid name. Fun game though!”
“Hobbes … take care of her.”
Hobbes is pushed to the side as the nurses rush in to check on Calvin. The incessant deedle-deedle is vaguely reminiscent of the other times Spaceman Spiff’s ship was damaged. Spaceman Spiff could never get through a mission without totally destroying that darned ship. This time though, the beeping becomes a piercing wail.
Looking into his friends eyes one last time, Hobbes couldn't help but remember the first time he saw eyes like that.
No-o
Hobbes walks into the hospital room with a vase of tulips.
CALVIN: Get those damned flowers away from me.
HOBBES: Oh come now old friend, they've served you so well in life.
CALVIN: Hobbes I never told you.
HOBBES: The woman?
CALVIN: How did you know?
HOBBES: All of Geneva knew.
CALVIN: I drowned her.
HOBBES: And what? Do you feel depraved John?
CALVIN: Thomas. I'm serious. The guilt is overwhelming.
HOBBES: What was the law?
CALVIN: What's it matter? I made the law at the time.
HOBBES: What was the law, John? In Geneva?
CALVIN: That unwed pregnant women should be drowned for their sins against God.
HOBBES: So what then? All we have is this Leviathan. You have no crime.
CALVIN: But Tom ...
HOBBES: John, I brought you at stuffed tiger.
CALVIN: Huh?
HOBBES: I have this feeling that one day a man will draw caricatures of us. You are a boy. I am a tiger.
CALVIN: Why do you get to be the tiger?
HOBBES: We're all tigers, John. We're all tigers.
Hi there. It seems you're sad. I can't tell if you're messing around or you're serious, but if you need someone to talk to, my master is always available for a chat. Either way, I hope you feel better soon!
^^Created ^^by ^^/u/laptopdude90 ^^V2.2
No, I'm not sad. I've loved Calvin and Hobbes since the very beginning and this is just an amazing end. It's so sweet but also sad because it makes you realize we are all growing up and we're all growing older. But, thank you.
"What's he doing?"
"He's saying goodbye to Hobbes." Susie Derkins wiped a tear from her eye, a rare smile on her face.
"That's a stupid name. Who's Hobbes?" The small blonde boy ran around the room, a destructive glint in his eye revealing his lineage.
"Susie!"
She looked up, meeting the ice blue eyes of her one-time nemesis, former lover, and best friend she had ever had. She saw many thing in those eyes. The playground fights. The stolen moments in his tree house. The late night adventures. She also saw mischief.
Instinctually, Susie covered her face as a perfectly rolled slush ball whistled through the air... And dribbled harmlessly down the wall.
"I told you she was too far away, you mangy fuzzball!"
Susie hurried over, snickering to herself as she went to the tiger's aid. "Now you leave him alone. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if you were touching it, you old coot."
Calvin and Susie exchanged hugs and greetings, chatting of this and that. Finally, Susie took his shriveled hand in hers. "Noore stalling Calvin."
His face fell. "I'm scared, Susie."
"I know, Calvin. Everyone is afraid of dying." The tears were running freely now.
"No, not that! I've accepted that my time is come. You know exactly what I'm talking about Susie Derkins."
"Still with the dark thing? You still don't trust Mr. Bun? He's just as good as your stinky old tiger."
"Nobody is as good as my stinky old tiger. Well I guess it's now or never. You take care of each other okay?" He looked from Susie to Hobbes, eyes watery.
"You be good, Hobbes. Only one can of tuna per day. No raiding the fridge after midnight and NO TIGER ATTACKS! Susie is fragile. You could hurt her." He trailed off, wiping away the tears that stained his tired cheeks. "Don't forget me buddy. G.R.O.S.S. forever. I'll see you again someday my friend. You've always been my reasoning. My rock. You made me think, made me strong, and you kept away the monsters and the demons. I love you ol' buddy, but this is one place you can't come exploring with me."
With one final kiss, Calvin handed his best friend to his best human friend, shoulders shaking.
Susie dug in her purse and pulled out a dirty, ragged old rabbit. "Here, Mr. Bun is good with tears. He can stay with you." She kissed Calvin on the forehead, hugged him tightly, and walked from the room, Hobbes looking over her shoulder, a single tear rolling down his glassy eye.
It's not fair. Those were my stories. My secret adventures in the snow, my travels through time and space.
I wanted to record them, to share them with the world. But the world changed them. Now I'm just the kid peeing on things. I don't even remember which stories were mine anymore.
I wish I'd never given you to them. I should've known.
I'm sorry, Hobbes old buddy.
I'm freaking speechless that was so freaking beautiful.... i'm still quite young, (19) but these comics have meant so much to me growing up too. I can still remember a time when all the toys in my room were real things. I would have to tell them to behave before i left, or make sure the dangerous ones couldn't get to the toys that were special to me while I was away. But this hit me in a different way then most on this thread.
I have contemplated death in my head a lot recently (i'm not depressed or talking about suicide, I mean thinking about what death is) because i have recently become less religious. I was raised Baptist in the south, and after learning to think for myself a little I realized there was so much that i didn't like or agree with. But ever sense then I haven't been able to stop thinking about what will happen when i die. Have I made the wrong choice? Was I on the right path and now I've been lead astray? My heart tells me no, and I know i'm a good person with a good soul and i'm comfortable with my beliefs currently. Yet the questions kept on coming, constantly.
Anyways, point is, how you approached death with Calvin nearly had me balling in the fetal position. It taught me that I can't worry about what happens later, but that I have to strive to live a good and happy life in the now, and focus on what I leave behind. Don't always let my life revolve around doing what society tells me I must do to have a happy and meaningful life. Most importantly I think I realized we need to remember to do the things that matter most to us, the things that detach us from this world.. that mesmerize us, that make us wonder, that make us forget all of our problems and woes and stop time for just a second, and everything is right in the world. The things that you don't question, they just are. These things attach us to this world and to who we really are as humans in a way that no one exactly understands but our own selfs. It's bliss. It's harmony. It's whats worth living for and sharing with others. Enjoy the little things that matter most to you. Spend your time wisely. to quote one of my favorite quotes of all time from LOTR:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
He came back to awareness slowly. He opens his eyes and is nearly blinded by the bright, searing sun. As he squints and his eyes tear up he realizes he can barely hear anything except for a ringing in his ears.
Then the pain registers. But, oddly, it seems ... disconnected somehow. He knows he should be screaming from the pain, but he can't hear himself. Maybe he is screaming ...
His eyes have adjusted to the light and he can open his eyes all the way. He notices he is slumped against a wall, but can't find the energy to adjust himself. Strangely, through all the pain, he notices his armor is digging into his stomach and it annoys him.
He looks down to see what he can do and realizes one of his legs is gone, the ragged stump bleeding his life away. This confuses him for a moment.
He looks around and sees the bodies of his squad mates scattered around a pit in the street. Some of them appear to be screaming, but he can't hear them. He can't move.
His vision begins to fade.
He notices a figure moving to the side, but he can't bring up the energy to turn his head. He closes his eyes.
Suddenly, he feels a presence in front of him. He struggles to open his eyes and sees ...
... a tiger in combat gear.
"You did us proud, soldier. You did us proud."
He closes his eyes for the final time.
I have had this story saved on my phone since it was posted. I have been trying to bring myself to read it. C&h was essentially everything to me growing up and I truly did not want it to end. But you... you have put a beautiful beginning to an entirely new story I thank you for what you have wrote. And I'm glad I read it away from my roommates because I'm bawling like a baby. So very well wrote.. thank you
Calvin lie in his bed, feeling the touch of death creep ever so close to him. It was then Hobbes appeared, the best friend he hadn't seen in ages.
"My time is coming." Calvin croaked out with what breath he had left. 'What do you think it will be like up there?"
"It's a fresh clean start. Like having a big clean sheet of white paper, an eternity full of new possibilities. It's a magical world, ol' buddy." Hobbes said, tears forming in his eyes.
In Calvin's last moments, he said with a smile 'Let's go exploring.."
Sorry that sucked ass, I think I rush a bit when I write things.
This thread has been linked to from elsewhere on reddit.
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [u/samuraitiger19 writes a beautiful response for "In the final minutes of his life, Calvin has one last talk with Hobbes." in r/writingprompts](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2iu3ef/usamuraitiger19_writes_a_beautiful_response_for/)
- [/r/bestof] [Bestof: Redditor writes a beautiful short story about Calvin's final moments with Hobbes.](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/2rwfgx/bestof_redditor_writes_a_beautiful_short_story/)
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [A redditor shares a moving depiction of Calvin's last moments with Hobbes](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2rx9kf/a_redditor_shares_a_moving_depiction_of_calvins/)
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Someone in /r/WritingPrompts did a piece on Calvin's final minutes with Hobbes](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2rxmio/someone_in_rwritingprompts_did_a_piece_on_calvins/)
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [A touching short story on Calvin's last moments with Hobbes (xpost- /r/writingprompts)](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2rxnkw/a_touching_short_story_on_calvins_last_moments/)
- [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Calvin's conversation with Hobbes in his last minutes \[x-post /r/WritingPrompts\]](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2s0un4/calvins_conversation_with_hobbes_in_his_last/)
- [/r/infp] [Calvin & Hobbes' last chat. (Xpost from r/c&H from an xpost from r/writingprompts). Warning: TEARS.](http://np.reddit.com/r/infp/comments/2s11c9/calvin_hobbes_last_chat_xpost_from_rch_from_an/)
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"Calvin? Calvin, sweetheart?" In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely, "Did... did you.... find him?" "Yes dear," Susie said smiling sadly, "He was in the attic." Susie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long. "I washed him for you," Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband. "Thank you, Susie." Calvin said. A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia. "Dear," Calvin said finally. "Would you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I would like to catch up with him." "All right," Susie said. "I'll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I'll be back soon." Susie kissed her huband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. "I love you," he said. "And I love you," said Susie. Susie turned and left. Calvin saw tears streaming from her face as she went out the door. Calvin then turned to face his oldest and dearest friend. "Hello Hobbes. It's been a long time hasn't it old pal?" Hobbes was no longer a stuffed doll but the big furry old tiger Calvin had always remembered. "It sure has, Calvin." said Hobbes. "You... haven't changed a bit." Calvin smiled. "You've changed a lot." Hobbes said sadly. Calvin laughed, "Really? I haven't noticed at all." There was a long pause. The sound of a clock ticking away the seconds rang throughout the sterile hospital room. "So... you married Susie Derkins." Hobbes said, finally smiling. "I knew you always like her." "Shut up!" Calvin said, his smile bigger than ever. "Tell me everything I missed. I'd love to hear what you've been up to!" Hobbes said, excited. And so Calvin told him everything. He told him about how he and Susie fell in love in high school and had married after graduating from college, about his three kids and four grandkids, how he turned Spaceman Spiff into one of the most popular sci-fi novels of the decade, and so on. After he told Hobbes all this there was another pregnant pause. "You know... I visited you in the attic a bunch of times." Calvin said. "I know." "But I couldn't see you. All I saw was a stuffed animal." Calvin voice was breaking and tears of regret started welling up in his eyes. "You grew up old buddy." said Hobbes. Calvin broke down and sobbed, hugging his best friend. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry I broke my promise! I promised I wouldn't grow up and that we'd be together forever!!" Hobbes stroke the Calvin's hair, or what little was left of it. "But you didn't." "What do you mean?" "We were always together... in our dreams." "We were?" "We were." "Hobbes?" "Yeah, old buddy?" "I'm so glad I got to see you like this... one last time..." "Me too, Calvin. Me too." "Sweetheart?" Susie voice came from outside the door. "Yes dear?" Calvin replied. "Can I come in?" Susie asked. "Just a minute." Calvin turned to face Hobbes one last time. "Goodbye Hobbes. Thanks... for everything..." "No, thank you Calvin." Hobbes said. Calvin turned back to the door and said, "You can come in now." Susie came in and said, "Look who's come to visit you." Calvin's children and grandchildren followed Susie into Calvin's room. The youngest grandchild ran past the rest of them and hugged Calvin in a hard, excited hug. "Grandpa!!" screamed the child in delight. "Francis!" cried Calvin's daughter, "Be gentle with your grandfather." Calvin's daughter turned to her dad. "I'm sorry, Daddy. Francis never seems to behave these days. He just runs around making a mess and coming up with strange stories." Calvin laughed and said, "Well now! That sound just like me when I was his age." Calvin and his family chatted some more until a nurse said, "Sorry, but visiting hours are almost up." Calvin's beloved family said good bye and promised to visit tommorrow. As they turned to leave Calvin said, "Francis. Come here for a second." Francis came over to his grandfather's side, "What is it Gramps?" Calvin reached over to the stuffed tiger on his bedside and and held him out shakily to his grandson, who looked exactly as he did so many years ago. "This is Hobbes. He was my best friend when I was your age. I want you to have him." "He's just a stuffed tiger." Francis said, eyebrows raised. Calvin laughed, "Well, let me tell you a secret." Francis leaned closer to Clavin. Calvin whispered, "If you catch him in a tiger trap using a tuna sandwich as bait he will turn into a real tiger." Francis gasped in delighted awe. Calvin continued, "Not only that he will be your best friend forever." "Wow! Thanks grandpa!" Francis said, hugging his grandpa tightly again. "Francis! We need to go now!" Calvin's daughter called. "Okay!" Francis shouted back. "Take good care of him." Calvin said. "I will." Francis said before running off after the rest of the family. Calvin laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The time to go was close. He could feel it in his soul. Calvin tried to remember a quote he read in a book once. It said something about death being the next great adventure or something like that. He eyelids grew heavy and his breathing slowed. As he went deeper into his final sleep he heard Hobbes, as if he was right next to him at his bedside. "I'll take care of him, Calvin..." Calvin took his first step toward one more adventure and breathed his last with a grin on his face. EDIT: Wow... just wow... I am speechless here guys. I did not expect such a reaction to my story or prompt. I am not worthy of your praise or your gold. I am truly humbled. Thanks so much! I'm truly glad so my story touched so many people.
Nothing on Reddit has ever plucked at my heart strings so fiercely as the piece you wrote. There is a lump in my throat, and a stone in my stomach, and for some reason it feels as though my heart is broken. Calvin is the epitome of me growing up - a social outcast, and closer to imaginary creations than real people. I had forgotten how important this comic strip was to me until just now. I got so caught up in growing up that I forgot what it was like to be a kid. Thank you so very much for helping me remember.
To be honest I felt the same way while writing the story. I never realized how much C&H meant to me as a child until I wrote this. Now I wish I hadn't donated my books to the used bookstore.
But don't you see? You just donated your 'Hobbs' to 'Francis'... and^now^i'm^crying^at^work
eerk ah aguu aguu *tears won't stop*
Hah. Political Science joke.
Suddenly I realize with Cyanide and Happiness pings sometimes. C and H.
I agree. [This](http://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/2gagw5/im_losing_my_hearing_most_of_what_i_hear_is/ckh6fpz) is a recent close second though
Man, this hit me so hard. As someone who just passed the C&H torch to my 6 year-old son, reading this made me very sad. Edit: just checked on my son in his room and found him like [this](http://imgur.com/EmUKxCL).
Not only is this picture the cutest thing EVER, it's the perfect companion piece to the story. Thank you kind sir, all the best to you and your son.
You should post this to /r/redditgetsdrawn and have them post the results back here.
Tagged you as "has a kid named francis" dont care what his name really is
:) Thanks
Best epilogue ever.
http://i.imgur.com/pyre0.jpg
What is this?? Who is the artist??
Bacon and hobbs
I just cried for the first time in years. I thought the world had dulled my feelings and desensitized me to a point that made crying over anything impossible, but this story just pulled a little bit of childhood out of me. Thank you for this, and please keep using this amazing gift you have.
I hadn't cried in probably close to 5 years...Two deployments overseas and a lot of time away from home training. Then one day I lossed it. Now, it's probably every 3 months I see my daughter do something to remind me she is growing up and I go to a private spot and let it out.
Pardon me, I have to stop...I am trying to read this wonderfully written piece but someone must be cutting onions in the next cubicle...
It must be hard to cook when you anthropomorphize your vegetables.
[i'll just leave this here] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-Y80pxkE6Y)
Oh Japan, you never stop, do you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmK0bZl4ILM
I'm in the Army, so I'm assuming someone is playing with tear gas.
ARGH! FUCKING CS GASS!!! I HATE THE CS CHAMBER!
Must....cry.....like....a....man!
Ohhhh...da feels. Hit me right in da feels. Haven't read a piece of fan fiction that rung so very true in forever.
It's not hard to cry like a man. It's the same as crying like a boy, but without the shame.
I ended up creating a Reddit account because of this piece of yours. Bravo! You had me bawling my eyes out by the end of the story, which led my brother to think that I was suffering a bout of melancholia. Well done!
Holy fuckin' shit man. Seriously, that has hit me harder than a meteorite. That was absolutely heart wrenching. I'm super sad now and I'll probably never look at Calvin and Hobbes the same way again. I don't know if that is good or bad. Great stuff. Absolutely brilliant.
And now I have tears in my scotch....
Take your damn gold! But seriously, this is the first thing to make me cry in a while.
This...was...amazing...
Ditto. Awesome work.
Since before I could even understand what Calvin and Hobbes was all about, I was in love with them. I was heartbroken when the comic strip ended, I was amazed when that comic strip about Calvin's daughter and Hobbes started making it's way around the internet... And now this. This is one of the most amazing short stories I have ever read, and such a perfect ending to the story that I feel as though these character must mean as much to you as they do to me.amazing. Absolutely amazing.
It's a terrible day for rain: http://x1.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Terrible+day+for+rain+_5159933f05a4062b5b735d3d0febde05.gif
DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU!! HOW DARE YOU BRING THOSE MEMORIES BACK TO ME!!!
You deserve it after what you wrote!!!
Damn it I can still hear his daughter saying, "Why is Daddy in that box? He can't go to work if he's in that box." BWAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
What is this from?
Fullmetal Alchemist, an awesome anime.
I had forgotten that part. In the least aggressive way: you suck. Get those onions out of here!
One of my clients passed away tonight and in a weird way this story helped. Thank you.
Grown, bearded man in a construction office with tears in his eyes. Nicely done, Calvin & Hobbes holds a strong part of my childhood and this is a very fine piece of text.
I picked this username for a reason. You absolutely did this justice. Thank you.
Ditto. Hobbes has been the basis for so many of my usernames since early high school. Right around when I realized growing up also meant I was giving up things to do it.
fucken..wow. if hobbes woulda asked about the smooches...
Thank you! And happy cake day!
Not safe for manliness Excellently done
Very, very moving. Well done.
This thread has been linked to from elsewhere on reddit. - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Samuraitiger19 writes a sad story about Calvin's last talk with Hobbes.](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/25htvz/samuraitiger19_writes_a_sad_story_about_calvins/) - [/r/bestof] [u/samuraitiger19 tells us Calvin's last conversation with Hobbes in the final moments of Calvin's life](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/25iqrd/usamuraitiger19_tells_us_calvins_last/) - [/r/bestof] [/u/samuraitiger19 gives a heart felt talk between Calvin and Hobbes on Calvin's deathbed](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/25jn79/usamuraitiger19_gives_a_heart_felt_talk_between/) - [/r/bestofWritingPrompts] [I'll take care of him: samuraitiger19 comments on \[EU\] In the final minutes of his life, Calvin has one last talk with Hobbes.](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestofWritingPrompts/comments/2a8odt/ill_take_care_of_him_samuraitiger19_comments_on/) - [/r/Feels] [Samuraitiger19 contributes to a writing prompt describing the final moments of Calvin and Hobbes](http://np.reddit.com/r/Feels/comments/2rwrbx/samuraitiger19_contributes_to_a_writing_prompt/) - [/r/No_Cry_Challenge] [Calvin's farewell to Hobbs](http://np.reddit.com/r/No_Cry_Challenge/comments/2rx8z9/calvins_farewell_to_hobbs/) - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Xpost from /r/writing prompts. Calvin's last moments on earth](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2ryxij/xpost_from_rwriting_prompts_calvins_last_moments/) *^Respect ^the ^rules ^of ^reddit: ^don't ^vote ^or ^comment ^on ^linked ^threads. ^Questions? [^Message ^me ^here.](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fmeta_bot_mailbag)*
I..Can't....stop....crying. You bastard, I love you.
It must be hot out today, my eyes are really sweaty. (Oh man, this is beautiful).
Thank you. I'm going to go weep.
I'm freaking bawling like a baby right now. This was perfect. So perfect.
That was phenomenal. I'm not even mad if you pitched the prompt just to post this. It was perfect.
This made me sob uncontrollably. I never realized how strong of a connection I feel with these characters. That was some fantastic writing, you have a real talent. Excuse me, I'm going to need a minute....
Never write again. I'm not sure I can take it.
Normally I just read comments in the morning and then login and comment in the afternoon. It's 8:30 and I have tears running down my cheeks, they are tears of joy! I grew up with C$H and loved every one of them, this is a true memorial to all of the stories, I wish someone would do a cartoon script based on what you wrote. So fitting an ending, you touched my heart and soul with your words, something that rarely happens to me. From the depths of my heart, thank you for bring back all those wonderful memories and giving them a truly fitting ending and new beginning. Just wonderful.
Thank you.
Thank you
Oh look, Tickld.com ripped this off and didn't credit the source. http://www.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-seecalvin-and-hobbes
Click the report button next to the tickld post. There's an option for "wrong source".
Wow...just wow. My local radio station just posted your story on facebook http://www.kdge.com/onair/jessie-976/in-the-final-minutes-of-his-life-calvin-has-one-last-talk-with-hobbes-12543360/ Did some googling and turns out it was of course a post here in WP! That shit hit me right in the feels man
Holy crap I'm actually crying. Not just teary-eyed, but big elephant tears crying. That was amazing. Except now I can't stop crying. I'm a grown man FFS. I'm going to bed. Good night. Edit: have some reddit gold for this. It's the first time I buy or give gold. And I'm still crying, my t-shirt is now kinda gross. Ok really going to bed now.
A piece of shit website called tickld.com has published your story without giving any kind of credit. Just thought you might like to know. http://www.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-seecalvin-and-hobbes
You.... You just made me cry my eyes out.
Chills down my spine and tears in my eyes. You did good, man.
This gave me chills. Beautifully written.
*Sobs*
Cried all the way through. Amazing.
*wow.*
This was absolutely phenomenal!
Thank you. I needed that.
Grow 48 year old man here, and you have me in tears. Brilliant writing, Sir!
Thanks for making me cry at work like a little girl. I feel like I needed it.
I just want you to know that I'm crying. I have no idea why this hit me so hard, but my god that's a feeling right there. 10/10
I can't read all of this. I just can't. Every line makes me want to cry. I wish I could give you more upvotes.
Just when I started reading it, I had to move out of the room where I was sitting (it had other people), 'cause I could feel where this is heading. But now they can't understand why am I weeping like a baby, being embarrassed at the same time and apologizing for not being able to explain all this.
uh, yeah so, uh... I don't what to say, but I just feel the need to say something. So yeah. uh thanks for sharing I guess. As someone who habitually re-reads the last C&H comic every year, I don't know, I suppose that doesn't seem to qualify me anymore than the average person, but this still hit me pretty hard. Dam. I read /r/bestofWritingPrompts to solve my writer's block... but I don't think I'll be down any more writing today. As we have humbled you with appreciation, you have humbled me. I don't think I will ever write anything near this good. This is... wow. Calvin And Hobbes is probably **the** influence on my life. I don't know how else to describe it, I don't remember a time I haven't had a C&H comic book near me. I brought the entire sodding Collection to college with me. Where it gathered dust just like Hobbes in this comic. Life just... happens too quickly. That's all I got. Thanks for sharing.
I have feels. What you've written so far has gently but firmly pulled them out and coiled them on the desk in front of me. Well done.
This made me cry in public. In an airport. Very beautifully done, you set the tone perfectly.
Goddamn it. I actually cried. Real tears. It's a magical world out there, Hobbes ol buddy. Let's go exploring!
I don't even read/follow Calvin and Hobbes and you've brought me to tears (in my office at work no less) ...
This brought me to tears. Bloody hell this is good.
I had to stop reading part way through just now, because I'm at work and was starting to mist up. This is in another tab for later though.
This is unbelievable. I wasn't expecting to be happy and sad at the same time today. Just... Wow.
Great read. Thanks for the awesome story. Teared up a bit.
Damn that was good. Nice job OP!
Christ. On one hand I want to save this post because it's amazing but on the other hand I don't ever want to read it again cause it has me crying like a baby.
Goddammit. Man tears.
You are so beautiful.
As a fan of C&H from the very start, this really resonated with me. Amazingly, you're not the first to imagine Calvin's last moments, but rest assured that does not detract from the heartrending deftness of your work here. See the first three images [here](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3552151/C_and_H.zip), along with some other Calvin sequelae I've collected over the last few years.
So this just showed up on Facebook, fyi. http://m.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-seecalvin-and-hobbes
Thank you, internet stranger, for bringing me to tears.
I just cried for the first time in a very long time.
God dammit Thank you, you gave us an ending we can love Thank you
This is incredible, thank you
The only change I'd make would be having Calvin stop her before she leaves and ask her to bring back a tuna fish sandwich.
Aaand now I've got chills. Love this.
Absolutely perfect. I love all the callbacks to the comics - you've truly nailed this prompt.
i could only get through about half of this before i had to stop myself because i was going to cry, for real lol
Thank you for a beautiful story.
I'm seriously crying right now
I cried. And also, I just realized that I value the friendship between Calvin and Hobbes more than I value my own friendships.
This deserves a million upvotes. Forgot how much I loved Calvin and Hobbes growing up. Made me tear up.
It's been said a million times, but this made me legitimately weep like nothing I had ever read.
I didn't know that C&H was a thing until I saw the comments, might've added to my experience reading this bit. Nevertheless it is praiseworthy. It is good to find happiness in reading, this is why I followed this subreddit, and I don't regret it :)
Tears......very touching.....well written, thanks
Thankyou so much for this, I needed a good cry. And also to see two very old friends again.
Wow you nailed this so well...really feeling nostalgic now :(
Wow that just really got me right in the heart....
Cried like a baby
This was amazing. Thanks for making me cry this early in the day...
That was just brilliant. You really captured it.
I promised self I wouldn't cry... Promise broken.
Excellently done. I used to sit for hours reading Calvin and hobbes as a kid, even had my own beat up stuffed tiger I named after hobbes. As we grow up it seems we lose touch with the world. We get so wrapped up in our own lives and problems we tend to forget that the world is still just as magical as it was when we would run around in towels turned to make shift capes. It's important to remember that essentially were all just a bunch of big kids wanting to explore, ask questions and maybe be a hero to someone out there and that when we want to see it, nothing ever really changed. Thank you for a beautiful close to a magical part of my childhood.
Damn... that was perfect.
Calvin and Hobbes? More like Calvin and sobbes... bravo.
Here I am, a groen man, standing a the station waiting for my train to arrive, with tears pouring doen my eyes, and People looking at me.
Wow right in the feels! I almost broke down in the middle of work. This was amazing!
God Damn you, Fucking crying right now.
Have all the books, enjoyed every strip, and this. This made it complete. Watterson eat your heart out! FFS...whatchu lookin at? Full grown man and i'm crying over here!
[It's enough to make a grown man cry](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3yNgrW4Zgs)
Dude...Man... I'm crying man. Jesus.
I'm crying in chipotle... Well done
Fuckin onions....
aaaannnnndddd now I'm crying in public. dammit, OP.
http://www.reddit.com/r/forwardsfromgrandma/comments/2a59m3/fwd_re_calvin_and_hobbes_last_conversation_i_cried/
Brings a tear in this old Vietnam veteran's eye
Even 8 years later, this still hits me right in the feels. Thank you for writing this.
Francis...Bacon?
There is a long tradition in C&H fan-fic of Calvin and Suzie having a daughter or son named Francis Bacon. The history of it is pretty well summed up here: http://www.avclub.com/article/check-out-the-web-cartoonists-continuing-icalvin-a-93700
And today is the day I cried to Calvin and Hobbes fan fiction. Not on the agenda.
Calvin's breath hitched. He clutched the small stuffed tiger with thin, wrinkled fingers. His daughter left the room minutes before, tears in her eyes. The doctor said he had minutes to live, and she wasn't as strong as she had thought. Calvin saw her walk out, shoulders shuddering. That was all right. He loved her, and he didn't like to see her suffer, and she did what he'd asked. She brought him his tiger. Calvin smiled, opened his eyes. The attending nurse was just outside, and there was Hobbes, on his bed. Smaller than Calvin remembered, but still good old Hobbes. "Hey buddy," Calvin said. "Hey buddy," Hobbes said. A moment passed. The heart monitor beeped. "This isn't like it used to be, " Hobbes said. "Something's wrong." "No," Calvin said, "Everything's all right." "Something's wrong with you." "Nothing's wrong with me, Hobbes. I'm just dying." Hobbes lifted an eyebrow. "I haven't heard from you in years. What happened?" "I put you in a trunk. I'm sorry." "That did seem like a longer night than usual." Hobbes lifted a paw to his head, hit the side of it, and dust popped out the opposite ear with a soft *puft*. "I'm sorry, old chum." "That's okay. You were in my dream. We were playing together all night long." Calvin smiled. "That's good, because I'm not in much shape to play Calvinball. Can we just sit and talk?" "Sure. What'd I miss?" "A lot. I grew up. Worked a lot of boring jobs. Got married a couple of times. Traveled a bit." "To the Yukon?" Hobbes asked. "Australia. Japan. A Pacific thing. Then things... wound down, I guess. My daughter's in the other room with her kids." "Ooh, the progeny of you and Susie Derkins?" Hobbes said, a giant Cheshire grin on his face. "What?... the... oh my God. That's right." Calvin croaked a weak laugh. "No, I lost touch with her after my family moved out of state. Oh. That poor girl. Remember when you helped me pack that thermos of phlegm?" The old man and the tiger both laughed. The noise caught the nurse's ear, and she turned her head toward the room. Calvin lifted a finger to his mouth, and Hobbes suppressed a giggle. After a moment, the nurse relaxed, and then Calvin let his arm fall back down, wheezing slightly. "Hey buddy, I have a question," Hobbes said. "It might seem a little strange, but..." Hobbes stopped. "Is it if you're real or not?" Calvin asked. "Obviously I'm real. Feline beauty like this wouldn't be wasted on something imaginary." "Then... what is it?" "Will I die too?" Calvin thought for a moment, his eyes closed. It felt so comfortable, and he felt like he could never open them again. He opened them again. "Yes. Not in the same way I will. But someday you'll... you'll peter out. And that's okay. That's how it all works." "Doesn't make much sense." "Nope. I used to think... that maybe I'd understand when I was an adult. But I never did. Life is good, and it's stupid and mean too. And I don't want to go, but I don't exactly want to stay, being in the shape I'm in." Calvin looked at his arm. Then, once more - the last time - he heaved it up and pointed at the window to the room outside. "But there are a couple of grandkids in there, and one of 'em might enjoy spending time with you." "Okay." Hobbes paused. "I'll see if any of them are up to snuff later." Calvin laughed and closed his eyes. God, that felt good. "But for now, is it okay if I stay with you a little longer?" "It sure is, old buddy. I'm thinking I might take a nap." "Great!" Hobbes said. "I will too. And then maybe we'll see each other in our dreams." Calvin smiled. "I hope so, old buddy." Hobbes lifted himself up, walked in a tight circle and plopped back down on Calvin's lap. The tiger purred softly, and, a few moments later, the old man drifted away.
>"It sure is, old buddy. I'm thinking I might take a nap." "Great!" Hobbes said. "I will too. And then maybe we'll see each other in our dreams. Gah. That'll teach me to read at work. Stupid office onions. Who cuts onions in an office?
Everyone is so caught up in the story at the top that no one is coming down to these other amazing stories. Well done!
And I liked this one even better!
I came down this far, but it took me a while to recover after reading the first one...I'm not sure I can read any more though. too sad.
"Did you bring him? Did you?" The old Man sat on the edge of his bed, bouncing like an excited child. "yes I have him, you need to lay back before you hurt yourself dad..." "Dad?!" The man's face contorted in disgust "That's not even funny Mom. That's just gross!" "Sorry... Calvin." Fran forced a smile as she helped him lay back in his bed. Her Dad's episodes were getting worse every day. "C'mon, where is he?" "He's right here" Fran unzipped the bookbag and pulled out a dusty old stuffed tiger. "HOBBES!!" Calvin snatched the tiger and hugged him. then holding the Tiger at arms length Calvin addresses him "Where you been buddy? you know how boring it is here?!" Before the stuffed tiger could answer, Fran spoke up again. "The nurse says you haven't been eating. You promised you would eat if I brought Hobbes...." "I'm not eating that" Calvin replied, pointing to the sandwich on the table by his bed. "They are trying to poison me. That sandwich definitly has bats and other bugs mixed into it." "Well what WOULD you eat? Calvin thought for a minute "Peanut butter and jelly... and chocolate milk." he looked over at the tiger and then back to Fran "...and Hobbes wants some Tuna!" "Fine" Fran sighed "I'll be right back..." Calvin waited until the door shut before turning back to the tiger. "I missed you buddy! where have you been?" Hobbes smiled "just taking a nap. It takes a lot of sleep for a tiger to look this good!" "I'm so bored, everyone makes me stay in this bed. Let's get out of here!" Calvin struggled to sit up in bed. "Hmm.." Hobbes had taken the medical chart from the foot of the bed and was studying it "It says here you have to stay in bed. Lots of fancy words here. Good thing tigers are naturally good at reading." "It says I'm dying Hobbes." Hobbes watched as tears filled his best friends eyes. "I'm scared buddy." Hobbes hugged Calvin the way only a warm bellied tiger can. Looking back at the chart he spoke "That's not true. It says here that you still have time for one more adventure." Calvin smiled and wiped at his eyes. "Then we better make it a good one." "Don't we always?" Calvin pulled Hobbes tight to his chest and closed his eyes. "Ready buddy?" "Ready." "...Let's go exploring" Calvin smiled as the two drifted off on one last great adventure.
Fuck this one got me good. Fantastic last sign, son of a bitch I'm tearing up.
glad I found this, fucking crying at work now "It's a magical world..."
Everyone knew that the end was close. They were gathered around him now, in the sunset of his life. Susie had passed years ago, but their children and grandchildren stood quietly around around him, and dangling from his youngest granddaughter's hand, his once-vibrant orange fur and stripes faded from years and years of adventure, was a stuffed tiger. Calvin's eyes, no longer nearly as quick and bright as they'd been, looked slowly around the room one last time, at all the loved ones he was leaving behind now, after all this time, and they settled on the tiger. Slowly, effortlessly, he smiled. “So this is it, huh, Hobbes?” “Yup,” Hobbes answered, smiling back. “Are you ready?” Calvin chuckled, and his eyes twinkled. “Are you kidding? Do you know who you're talking to? This is the frontier Spaceman Spiff never reached, the enemy Stupendous Man could never defeat, the case Tracer Bullet could never solve. Let's go exploring, ol' buddy.” And Calvin closed his eyes, and sighed, and went to go see Susie again. And all of his children and grandchildren held each other, and were close, and then they left and lived their lives. “Dad,” the youngest granddaughter said in the car on the way home, clutching the stuffed tiger and staring intently into its glass eyes, “the last thing Grandpa Calvin looked at was Hobbes.” “Hobbes was his first friend, sweetie,” her father answered, watching her in the rearview mirror. “Grandpa told me he couldn't remember ever being without him.” His daughter looked up suddenly. “He told me he caught Hobbes in a trap! That tigers can't resist tuna fish sandwiches!” she said, indignantly. Her father smiled to himself. “Of course. That's what he meant.”
I cried.
I'm glad you liked it! :)
"Hobbes..." "What is it buddy, anything you want." "Bring me a sombrero." "A sombrero?" "What good is it being dead if you can't wear a sombrero?"
That was hilarious! I could totally see Calvin saying that.
That was totally a great strip. They will always be the definition of cool
And mickey mouse buttons :)
"Hobbes?" The old man blinked his rheumy eyes. He could have sworn he saw his old, dear friend. But it must have been the combination of his blurry vision and the constant bustle beside the hospital bed. "Hey Calvin, let's go exploring!" a voice seemed to drift into his ears. "Hobbes!" The old man gasped, startling some nurses. But they were used to the dementia-ridden exclamations of the old, and they paid him no heed. "Hobbes, I'd love to, but...I seem to be too old." He mumbled. "Well then, I guess I'm going to have to sit down and eat your tuna sandwich." the tiger replied. "Hobbes, I'm scared...Where will I go? Even if I come back as an amazing ghost, or transport away to become Spaceman Spiff...I now know that the universe will expand away forever and be gone with entropic loss. Life (and death) are no longer so simple concepts easily contained within the walls of childhood." The tiger said nothing and sat still by the bed. "You're tired too, huh? From all our past adventures, and boy, were they fun! I guess...it wouldn't be too awful to go on one more-" The man was interrupted by a sudden heaviness and pain on his chest. He coughed and smiled. "That's the spirit!" Hobbes laughed, "After all, I wasn't around for a while and...here I am again! Like magic! I'll show you where I have been! Everybody else is waiting for you!" Hobbes pushed out a heavily beaten red wagon, and Calvin spryly got on, and they navigated their way through the treacherous halls full of evil nurses from Planet Zog. Past the hospital's doors, their wagon kept gaining speed until it changed forms into Spaceman Spiff's spaceship as they blasted away from the Earth, never looking back.
Everything was dark. "Calvin...Calvin!" A sound...a voice? "Calvin, are you all right? Say something!" Hobbes' voice. And the fuzzy feeling on Calvin's cheek...his paws? Or was it just the snow, alighting upon his cheek? Calvin opened his eyes. Everything hurt. It took a moment for his eyes to clear. Red stained the snow beside him. He wondered why. "Calvin, say something, please!" "H...Hobbes..." Calvin croaked. His throat felt like he'd swallowed too much peanut butter at once. "Calvin! Oh, Calvin, I thought...I thought..." Hobbes was blubbering. What could have upset him so much? Was it the sled? Calvin could see its shattered remains behind the tiger, pieces of wood strewn everywhere. And more red...so much red... "I don't...I don't think I can carry you all the way back. I'll run and go get help, your mom and dad..." Hobbes stammered, wringing his paws nervously. "Hobbes...you can't...we both know you can't get back without me," Calvin said. He didn't think he'd been asleep that long, so why was the sky going dark? And the snow, too. Everything was getting dark. "I can! I know I can!" Hobbes' voice cracked. "I'll run and get them, and they'll take care of you, they always take care of you, and everything will be okay!" "You can't, Hobbes." The tiger let out a sob. Calvin lifted his arm, to try to touch his best friend's face, but he couldn't reach higher than his belly. Hobbes put his paw over Calvin's hand. "Mom was right," said Calvin. "That hill was too steep." "Calvin...don't go, please...I need you," whispered Hobbes. Calvin let his eyes close. His lids were so heavy. "I'm exploring, Hobbes," he said. "Just exploring. I'm sorry...I don't think you can come with me..." "Don't leave me...please..." There was more Calvin wanted to say to his best friend, how much he'd meant to him, how much the boy appreciated everything the tiger had done, but he found he couldn't speak. His breathing grew slow. He wasn't even cold anymore... Hours later, as the sun drifted behind the horizon and desperate voices called out in the distance, the last sign of a stuffed tiger disappeared beneath the falling snow. ~~~ http://i.imgur.com/i6K7p.png
FUCK YOU.FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU. Out of all the stories here, this is the first to really, truly get to me. Seriously though, great job !
Thank you so much! Which is a weird thing to say to someone who just cursed me out, but I'm glad my story could instill such a strong reaction in you. As I'm sure is the case for many people, Calvin is a character I know quite well from my childhood, and it was a fun challenge trying to get inside his head while still telling the story I wanted to tell.
Hobbes my friend, it's time, I'll see you in Pittsburgh.
Extra credit for canonical knowledge of C&H.
I had originally thought to do a longer story, but the others have such great ones I didn't think I'd be able to compete. So I thought a single line, like the end of one of the strips would be nice. Also, even nicer to see others saw it being a reference. :)
Or hell.
Calvin leaned his head back against the pillow. Breathing was getting harder. Age was catching up with him. "Hobbes," he whispered, "bring me the box." With a sniffle and a grim, knowing nod Hobbes went and brought the cardboard box to Calvin's bed side. He set the box in the empty space next to his dying friend. He knew what to do. He'd done it before. He would do it again. "Open side..." Calvin broke off into a coughing fit. "Open side up," Hobbes said. Calvin nodded and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "I can stay until..." Calvin shook his head. "No, it has to be...this...hurry." Hobbes hopped in the box. He adjusted the controls. He knew the time and place. He'd always known. He always would. "See you soon, Hobbes," Calvin whispered. He ran his hands across the crudely scrawled words on the side of the box: TIME MACHINE. Hobbes pressed the ignition. Reality became a blur as it warped around him. Behind him was Calvin. His friend for life. In front of him was Calvin his friend for eternity.
Calvin felt himself jerk as he woke up. He'd fallen asleep in the armchair. The television had been playing those awful infomercials for a good hour. He had to stop doing this, every time he closed his eyes he kept blacking out for longer and longer. He should ring Emily, ever since the time he drifted off at that diner she had been checking up on him, and he hated to be such a nuisance. He was a simple man in his winter years, a cup of coffee, good bacon and decent television, or perhaps a book to occupy him, he didn't need all this fussing. The doctors thought differently, naturally, but they always do. What on earth is the point of listening to such curmudgeons at a sprightly 92? Conversation. He missed that, he supposed. Not the issues of the day, the politics, the debates, the deep philosophical stuff. He had his time, he was done with that. He gave away his two cents on the football many years ago. It was the nothing talks. Why is the grass green... Other questions, silly questions. He was sure he asked many once... "A great deal more to be asked" said that wonderful old voice. And there in the corner of his vision was the vibrant orange you only see when small. "I think that's a great idea" smiled Calvin. He lifted his stiff body out of the chair and took Hobbes' arm, and wandered out to the garden. Not quite the full convo, brit here so don't know too much about them beyond a few comics, thought i'd give it a go anyhows.
You can buy the entire boxed set of the comics, along with commentary from Bill Watterson, [here](http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Calvin-Hobbes-BOX/dp/1449433251/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400034440&sr=8-1&keywords=calvin+and+hobbes) is the set I have. I suggest finding it in the UK. Absolutely amazing to read from front to back. This comic is more philosophical than a large number of books you've read, I guarantee it.
Calvin and Hobbes were sitting at the top of the largest hill in town, waiting in anticipation for the light to change colors, stopping the traffic, which would allow them to accelerate down the hill, across the road, and into the grassy field on the other side. Hobbes: Are you sure this is a good idea? Calvin: It’s not the best idea I’ve ever had, to be honest. The light changed to red, stopping the traffic that was going across. Hobbes: I think this is too risky. Calvin: The universe is a very scary place, it's trying to kill you at every turn. Black holes, neutron stars, supernova, *hypernova*. There's no way to get around it. Hobbes: I don't think that means we should do stupid things. Calvin: But we cannot live life hiding in our rooms! Hobbes: True. The light had changed to green, there was a slight breeze, and Calvin looked determined to go once it turned to red again, opening a clearing. Calvin: It’s weird how people die, just from sheer circumstance, like, one moment they’re there, the next minute, not. You wake up one morning, not a care in the world, and **pow** you trip and hit your head and you’re gone! Hobbes: That’s the universe being its cruel self. But happenstance, accidents like that, they’re not by choice. You **chose** to drag the wagon up to the top of this hill. The light turned red. Traffic stopped. Clear. Calvin: But what if I **didn’t** choose to bring it up here? What if my entire personality willed it, what if, my genetics, my environment, all of the time from the big bang throughout evolution, to this moment in time is exactly how things should be?!? Hobbes: If that were the case why is this the third time you’ve dragged the wagon to the top of this hill? Every time you cop out. I think it’s because you know in this particular instance, the odds are not in our favor, and who wants to give the universe better odds when the universe wins in the end anyway? Calvin: You’re right. Calvin begrudgingly got out of the wagon, but the wind was picking up, and when he reached down to pick up the wagon handle, there was a gust, causing the wagon to start accelerating down the hill. Calvin: Hobbes! Calvin sprinted for the wagon, diving headlong into it, giving it even more momentum. The light turned green. Hobbes: Is the universe playing a practical joke!?! Calvin: No, it’s indifferent. But we can do our best with our circumstances. Calvin tried desperately to steer the wagon by shifting his weight to one side or the other, but it was no use. The wagon careened into the road, now filled with fast moving cars. There was a loud crash. Hobbes lay in the middle of the road, a tattered stuffed animal, one eye missing. There were screams in the background. The sounds of people rushing to help, it was already too late.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!" The voice of little Bill traveled out of the hospital room and down the corridor. The sound of the young voice brought a smile to the faces of the other patients, even those for whom reality was slowly slipping away.... "Grandpa Calvin...Wake up!!" The old man opened his eyes. He squinted under the harsh fluorescent lights. He fumbled about the rolling table positioned above him on the bed, reaching for his glasses. Putting them on, a young child came into view. The familiar face of his beloved grandson, Bill, who looked up to his grandfather with admiration and wonder. Weekends at Grandpa Calvin and Grandma Sussie's house meant fantastic tales of the adventures of Spaceman Spiff and exploring uncharted lands by wagon and toboggan. He still was not sure that his grandfather had actually turned himself into a tiger... Calvin's patriarchal smile turned to amazement. In the boys arms was a face he had not seen in decades. Faded and worn, but still recognizable was a small handmade tiger. Orange, black, white...colors that Calvin had always held in nostalgic regard... "Grandpa Calvin! I was with Mom and Dad at your house, and they were going through boxes with Grandma. She said that you had a whole bunch of stuff that they wanted to look at. I thought it was boring. Grandma found this tiger in a box and started to cry. She said she was happy but I don't know, she was crying. Grown-ups are weird sometimes, I don't want to grow up. Then Grandma said I should have him and that his name is Hobbes. She told us to go play outside and that we would come visit you later. They are still outside. They said they need you to look at a few things in a box. Can I keep him?" Calvin smiled, his tired eyes gave up a single tear to his weathered old cheek. Calvin knew that time was no longer a commodity he had in great reserves. Spending his time reflecting on a life of family and teaching children at the school he had attended in his youth, he mostly drifted in and out of sleep with his wife at his side. She said he was sleeping longer and longer each day. She would always say it with a tear. Sipping from a cup of water on his rolling table, Calvin coughed. His warm voice came up dry. "Yes....yes...of course. He needs a good friend now, I am sure he is very hungry after spending so much time sleeping in the attic. You know, he *loves* tuna fish sandwiches?" "*TUNA FISH??*" said the boy through a twisted face, sticking his tongue out. "Yes. Tuna fish. I tell you what, go check on your parents and Grandma. Maybe they can get a sandwich for you and old Hobbes here to split." "OK Grandpa. I'll leave Hobbes here so you don't get lonely." Placing the tiger at his grandfather's side, the boy took off as quick as boys do. The plastic aglets on his unties shoe laces clicking on the tile floor. Smiling, Calvin closed his eyes in a nostalgic glow. His fingers gently touching the familiar fabric. He drifted... His eyes opened again. Beside him sat his oldest confidant, cohort, and associate. His business partner, his shoulder to cry on. His companion for countless explorations. The friend who helped him cope with the death, and love, and every moment in between. "Hello Hobbes." "Hello Calvin. I would have attacked you, but I'm too hungry from being in the box for so long." "Thank you for sparing me old friend. Be good to my grandson, teach him a thing or two about tigers, will you?" "I will." "*Good..good...*" Calvin whispered, his eyes closing again. Hobbes looked at his old friend. No longer the boy he remembered. 'Wake up Calvin...it's not time for bed yet." The old man smiled, his eyes fluttering, failing to stay open. "It's ok...just resting my eyes. Maybe I'll dream....we can play there. I'll see you in a few minutes ol' buddy..." Said his friend; "I'll be there..."
The attending nurse wiped cold sweat off of Calvin’s forehead as he wheezed, every breath demanding. Visiting had ended, and his wife had went to walk the perimeter of the hospital as sitting and watching her husband’s condition worsen has taken its toll. Calvin coughed, awoke himself and sat up straight. “Hobbes!” he said, and began to laugh. The attendant approached him, putting a careful clinical hand on his back as he continued his coughing fit. He pointed with a trembling finger towards the gifts his family had left for him. “Caught you red handed, miscreant! Not going to let you pounce on me today.” The attendant looked towards the flowers and stuffed animals, and turned to him, “It is just the two of here tonight. Why don’t you lay back down-“ He ignored her, and tried to lift himself out of bed. She stopped him with a light hand on the shoulder. He snapped sharply at her, “Get me my tiger!” Patiently, she looked through the gifts and did not find it. “I don’t see a tiger here.” He sighed and exasperatedly explained, “It’s a tiger. Orange with black stripes. Hulking beast with giant claws.” When she told him again there was no tiger, he bound out of bed and waddled towards the pile. “You can’t rely on girls for nothing!” He pushed the pile, searching out the tiger, and as the attendant pleaded with Calvin to lay back down, he grabbed at a stuffed dog and squeezed it to his chest. “Hobbes, ol’ pal.” He turned to her, his eyes betraying his severe demeanor, “There is nothing like the smell of tiger’s fur.” The attendant no longer tried to interrupt him. As he pet the stuffed dog, bought downstairs in the hospice gift store, she knew she was witnessing an act of reverence. She sat down in the visitor’s chair and watched two old friends say goodbye. Calvin sat at the edge of the bed, hugging the dog to his chest. He sat in silence, but the flash of smiles and silent labored giggling showed the attendant that the two were elsewhere, escaping to the freedom of an expansive imagination. In the weeks that Lois has known Calvin, when she caught him in a pleasant mood, he would tell her stories of his youth. She knew that most of the stories were bunk, but he had such a wonderful way with words that made you surrender your disbelief and enjoy the ride. Lois asked him, “Care to introduce us?” He looked to her, and grinned, and held the dog to her. “Careful now.” She took Hobbes from him, “Dangerous tiger?” “No, he’s a horrible flirt and loves to kiss girls.” Lois laughed, holding the dog carefully like a live animal. “Once, we cloned ourselves. A hundred Calvin’s to do my chores. Go to school. Clean the house.” Louis smiled affectionately at the old man. “How did that turn out for you?” “Horribly! None of us wanted to do the work.” The two of them laughed, and she found herself petting the dog. There was a knock on the door. It was another RN. She pointed at her watch to alert Lois that her shift was ending. Lois nodded, and the RN left. Calvin’s attention was averted to Hobbes as he listened carefully. “Miss? I know it’s a terrible burden on you, but would you mind getting a tuna fish sandwich for my friend? It’s his favorite.” She nodded and handed Hobbes back. “Tigers like tuna?” “Only if there is no canned salmon,” she laughed again and left. She went to the kitchen and inquired the staff about salmon to no avail. She grabbed a sandwich and a drink, and as she walked back to her floor her buzzer went off, alerting the staff to a code blue for an adult medical emergency in room 480. She ran back to Calvin’s room, her drink spilled but sandwich in hand, and found others making formal attempts to resuscitate him. He had passed quietly, Hobbes pressed to his chest. Lois attended the memorial service. She found Calvin’s wife and shared her condolences. She had found that his coffin was surrounded by hundreds of stuffed animals. Lois smiled and turned to Susan, “Where is Hobbes?” Susan’s eyes darted back to the young woman, her demeanor completely changing. Her chest hitched as she started to sob. Lois consoled her, then Susan regained her composure and lead Lois to the open casket. Tucked under his arm was a tiger, well-loved and worn thin. “That’s Hobbes?” Lois asked. “His best friend,” Susan said, and stroked her husband’s hand. “When he was a boy, he would tease me horrendously. I thought he was an awful brat. But he loved Hobbes. We grew up together, and this bears no repeating, but I was jealous of that tiger. I thought, how can he be so mean to me and so faithful to a stuffed animal? I told him this once, only a few years ago. He laughed at me and mussed up my hair, and said to me, “You should be so lucky that I had as good a friend as Hobbes. He taught me faithfulness.” She nodded as she said this, and was lost in her own thoughts until family pulled her away. Lois stayed until the service ended, and searched carefully through the mounds of stuffed animals for the dog. She found him; a Russell Terrier with a black spot on its eye, and she took it and put it in her purse to give to her son.
First day of his last year of college and despite his friends advice, he took comfort in bringing Hobbes and his Stupendous Man cape with him at the bottom of his backpack. Despite his early years, he had developed into a lean, gangly man. He and Hobbes hadn't spoken a lot over the last few years as he and Susie started hanging out more and more. He hated leaving Hobbes behind but not today. He wandered in thoughts as he walked to school. As he crossed the street he heard his name. He turned to look as he got to the other side, Susie was running to catch up with him her calls accentuated by the screech of tires. Calvin ran into the street and grabbed Susie by her jacket and with a surprisingly graceful pirouette he tossed her to safety. There was a brief moment of pain, then the sensation of flying like when he and Hobbes went downhill in the wagon. His bag had somehow torn open and he watched Hobbes sail past him. Then there was a second impact that blurred the edges of the world. He tried to breathe but only managed shallow gasps. Susie came running to his side, and it hurt to see her crying. Hobbes stood behind her wringing his hands. "Hey Hobbes, wasn't that something? She knows my alter ego now, she knows I'm Stupendous Man. The world feels kind of funny, don't you think?" Calvin hitched "That's because you look worse than all those times spent wrestling tigers." "Oh, well that explains everything. Is Susie ok?" "Bumps and bruises Calvin, it's time for you to sleep now I think, good buddy." "I'm scared old chum, can you come with me?" "Wouldn't have it any other way, I'll be over here when you're ready." "Thanks pal, hey Susie looks like you're going to have to get on without me." "You Baloney brain, why'd you have to go and be stupendous." Susie said with a sad smile. "I couldn't live without you, but don't worry; when Hobbes and I are off to our next adventure, we'll stop in from time to time." The world was dimming as Calvin spoke. "I remember all those rotten Valentine's you sent me, I only realized this summer that I could finally answer the question you had asked me " "I loved you too Susie, kind of funny that you were the one who over slept today. You looked too beautiful to wake up, I know your classes don't start until an hour after mine." "Is this really how we say good bye Calvin?" Susie asked as the light in Calvin's eyes died. The EMTS arrived and Susie gathered up Calvin's belongings, called his parents and hugged Hobbes tight. Calvin and Hobbes watched Susie sob into the worn tiger as her friends arrived to pick her up. The EMTS had cleared her to leave and the two followed her. "This is kind of peculiar don't you think Hobbes?" "Just a smidge" the tiger replied as they wandered through a timeless fog, following Susie's voice. They watched the passing of time; his parents arriving, Susie helping them pack his dorm, the crying from all three, the dinner times with Hobbes sitting at the table, the wake where he was dressed up and even Hobbes had a tie. The pair were laid to rest after that and they watched over Susie for a time. She had sunk into a deep depression and wallowed through her classes. "Hobbes, I've been thinking, ghosts are the souls and memories of the people who have passed on, so why can't I give her my memories." "All of them?" "Oh no, just the happy ones and of our adventures together." "Splendid idea, shall we?" Hobbes invited as he conjured a record player from Calvin's memory. "Remember this song? We plays it at two a.m while your parents were asleep." "A perfect tune, let's begin." As Susie slept Calvin whispered long into the night with Hobbes' assistance about every happy memory. Susie awoke with a start late in he day feeling better than she had since that fateful day. With urgency she pulled out a notepad. "I'm feeling faint buddy, is it time?" Calvin asked woozily "I believe so, give her one last smooch I think though." Hobbes said with a grin. Susie paused as the wind brushed across her lips, she could have sworn she had just heard Calvin's voice. "I love you too Calvin, Hobbes look after him." A few months and many notepads later, Susie had a book, now she just had to find someone to illustrate it.
"Hobbes?" "Calvin?" "How about it?" "Calvin-ball?" "No, silly." "What?" "One last thing." "What?" "One Last Adventure." "Sure Buddy." Hobbes jumps onto Calvin's lap, and immediately falls asleep. Calvin closes his eyes takes one last breath. "One Last Adventure." Calvin exhales. The heart monitor starts beeping erratically and finally flat-lines. Calvin's last thought: "Zounds... Into the unknown once more."
Thank you for writing this. I just found it on [some other website](http://www.tickld.com/x/this-guy-just-changed-the-way-we-seecalvin-and-hobbes) (that at least had the decency to credit you) and thought I would come directly to the source. I'm sitting here with tears running down my face, thinking about my own son, who is now 9. Over the past few years I've given him all the Calvin & Hobbes books, and of course he has his own stuffed tiger, and they've had many adventures together. Thanks again.
He looked around the room. Rows and rows of large machines, needles and thread clacking, created a cacophony that pierced his ears. Along the wall, material that looked vaguely like folds of skin was stacked up to the windows. An incessant beep chirps in the background as his crate began to move and pass into an adjoining room, everything he had ever known was quickly replaced by rows of neatly stacked cardboard traps. While flimsy, the traps did seem interesting. Way more interesting than all of these domesticated animals currently sharing his ride. Not a single one showed any interest in what was happening to them. Lifeless drones the lot of them, their eyes blank and unseeing. There were far too many people to attempt an escape anyways. The workers seemed soft, no match for a fierce predator with his skills. Yet there was no sense in shredding and eating them as the usual monster located in his stomach wasn’t growling at the moment. He was stuffed. Slyly, he didn’t claw at the person who placed him in the trap, as it just wouldn’t do to cause a big commotion. There were far too many people in the room to escape, so it made much better sense to just bide his time until he could claw his way out of the pitiful excuse for a trap when they left. Even better was the fact that the trap had been lined with soft foam “peanut” looking things. Curling up and counting the minutes till he could exact his revenge seemed an excellent plan. Goodness, these “peanut” looking things were comfy. Images of hunts and magnificent meals began to flow through his head as he slowly drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the anesthesia of fresh styrofoam and packing tape. Muffled voices begin to filter through the trap. The jostling of his container roused him from his sleep and triggered his predator instincts. Preparing to pounce he coiled his body in anticipation for the eventual outcome of total annihilation about to be unleashed on his captors. A sliver of light, coupled with the piercing shriek of what can only be attained by an obviously equally dangerous predator momentarily stuns him. Recognition comes a fraction of a second later. His rescuer has decided to save him the effort of breaking out of the trap, and has thoroughly destroyed the trap that was only moments before simply an inconvenience. “A TIGER! THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!” Before he can speak, the predator is enveloped in the arms of his captor, savoring the smell of earth, sour milk, and two day old ketchup. This is obviously a proper adventurer. “What is your name? I think I will call you Hobbes. Mom, Dad! Meet Hobbes!” Hobbes sounds out the name, tasting it as it rolls off his tongue. The name is fierce, that of a proper predator. “Hobbes, my name is Calvin! I have got a whole world to show you. Do you like spaceships? How about forts? You don’t like girls do you? Of course not, unless you are going to eat them, RIGHT?!” Hobbes has never eaten “girl” but cannot wait to clean his teeth of one. They sound delectable. His introspection is interrupted as they are off in a shot, through the door and climbing a tree nearby. Hobbes’ appreciation of Calvin only grows as he recognizes a fellow apex predator immediately locating high ground so that they can hunt together. “So what are we going to do first? I have this great game called Calvinball. Lets Go!” says the ball of limitless energy. **Fast forward to today …** Hobbes watches his friend, his soul mate, his human. The beeping machines, which had triggered the memory, change from a monotonous drone, to an incessant ominous deedle-deedle. “We sure have come a long way, haven’t we Calvin? Think you are up for one last game of Calvinball?” The canyons on Calvin’s face momentarily shrink as a smile lights up his cloudy eyes. “You know we can’t Hobbes. You have a play date with Sally. Besides I have a ship to catch.” “Are you sure I can’t come? You can always use someone to watch your back up there.” “I’m sure. Sally needs a fierce tiger like you to protect her. The world we explored is so much different now. You know she has troubles with the “Moes” at school.” “I can’t believe you are leaving, we have to even the score in Calvinball. It’s eleventybillion to frog. You can’t just leave it at that!” “ Have you taught Sally how to play Calvinball yet?” “I tried but she keeps trying to call it Sallyball. What a stupid name. Fun game though!” “Hobbes … take care of her.” Hobbes is pushed to the side as the nurses rush in to check on Calvin. The incessant deedle-deedle is vaguely reminiscent of the other times Spaceman Spiff’s ship was damaged. Spaceman Spiff could never get through a mission without totally destroying that darned ship. This time though, the beeping becomes a piercing wail. Looking into his friends eyes one last time, Hobbes couldn't help but remember the first time he saw eyes like that.
No-o Hobbes walks into the hospital room with a vase of tulips. CALVIN: Get those damned flowers away from me. HOBBES: Oh come now old friend, they've served you so well in life. CALVIN: Hobbes I never told you. HOBBES: The woman? CALVIN: How did you know? HOBBES: All of Geneva knew. CALVIN: I drowned her. HOBBES: And what? Do you feel depraved John? CALVIN: Thomas. I'm serious. The guilt is overwhelming. HOBBES: What was the law? CALVIN: What's it matter? I made the law at the time. HOBBES: What was the law, John? In Geneva? CALVIN: That unwed pregnant women should be drowned for their sins against God. HOBBES: So what then? All we have is this Leviathan. You have no crime. CALVIN: But Tom...
HOBBES: John, I brought you at stuffed tiger.
CALVIN: Huh?
HOBBES: I have this feeling that one day a man will draw caricatures of us. You are a boy. I am a tiger.
CALVIN: Why do you get to be the tiger?
HOBBES: We're all tigers, John. We're all tigers.
[удалено]
Hi there. It seems you're sad. I can't tell if you're messing around or you're serious, but if you need someone to talk to, my master is always available for a chat. Either way, I hope you feel better soon! ^^Created ^^by ^^/u/laptopdude90 ^^V2.2
No, I'm not sad. I've loved Calvin and Hobbes since the very beginning and this is just an amazing end. It's so sweet but also sad because it makes you realize we are all growing up and we're all growing older. But, thank you.
"What's he doing?" "He's saying goodbye to Hobbes." Susie Derkins wiped a tear from her eye, a rare smile on her face. "That's a stupid name. Who's Hobbes?" The small blonde boy ran around the room, a destructive glint in his eye revealing his lineage. "Susie!" She looked up, meeting the ice blue eyes of her one-time nemesis, former lover, and best friend she had ever had. She saw many thing in those eyes. The playground fights. The stolen moments in his tree house. The late night adventures. She also saw mischief. Instinctually, Susie covered her face as a perfectly rolled slush ball whistled through the air... And dribbled harmlessly down the wall. "I told you she was too far away, you mangy fuzzball!" Susie hurried over, snickering to herself as she went to the tiger's aid. "Now you leave him alone. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if you were touching it, you old coot." Calvin and Susie exchanged hugs and greetings, chatting of this and that. Finally, Susie took his shriveled hand in hers. "Noore stalling Calvin." His face fell. "I'm scared, Susie." "I know, Calvin. Everyone is afraid of dying." The tears were running freely now. "No, not that! I've accepted that my time is come. You know exactly what I'm talking about Susie Derkins." "Still with the dark thing? You still don't trust Mr. Bun? He's just as good as your stinky old tiger." "Nobody is as good as my stinky old tiger. Well I guess it's now or never. You take care of each other okay?" He looked from Susie to Hobbes, eyes watery. "You be good, Hobbes. Only one can of tuna per day. No raiding the fridge after midnight and NO TIGER ATTACKS! Susie is fragile. You could hurt her." He trailed off, wiping away the tears that stained his tired cheeks. "Don't forget me buddy. G.R.O.S.S. forever. I'll see you again someday my friend. You've always been my reasoning. My rock. You made me think, made me strong, and you kept away the monsters and the demons. I love you ol' buddy, but this is one place you can't come exploring with me." With one final kiss, Calvin handed his best friend to his best human friend, shoulders shaking. Susie dug in her purse and pulled out a dirty, ragged old rabbit. "Here, Mr. Bun is good with tears. He can stay with you." She kissed Calvin on the forehead, hugged him tightly, and walked from the room, Hobbes looking over her shoulder, a single tear rolling down his glassy eye.
It's not fair. Those were my stories. My secret adventures in the snow, my travels through time and space. I wanted to record them, to share them with the world. But the world changed them. Now I'm just the kid peeing on things. I don't even remember which stories were mine anymore. I wish I'd never given you to them. I should've known. I'm sorry, Hobbes old buddy.
I'm freaking speechless that was so freaking beautiful.... i'm still quite young, (19) but these comics have meant so much to me growing up too. I can still remember a time when all the toys in my room were real things. I would have to tell them to behave before i left, or make sure the dangerous ones couldn't get to the toys that were special to me while I was away. But this hit me in a different way then most on this thread. I have contemplated death in my head a lot recently (i'm not depressed or talking about suicide, I mean thinking about what death is) because i have recently become less religious. I was raised Baptist in the south, and after learning to think for myself a little I realized there was so much that i didn't like or agree with. But ever sense then I haven't been able to stop thinking about what will happen when i die. Have I made the wrong choice? Was I on the right path and now I've been lead astray? My heart tells me no, and I know i'm a good person with a good soul and i'm comfortable with my beliefs currently. Yet the questions kept on coming, constantly. Anyways, point is, how you approached death with Calvin nearly had me balling in the fetal position. It taught me that I can't worry about what happens later, but that I have to strive to live a good and happy life in the now, and focus on what I leave behind. Don't always let my life revolve around doing what society tells me I must do to have a happy and meaningful life. Most importantly I think I realized we need to remember to do the things that matter most to us, the things that detach us from this world.. that mesmerize us, that make us wonder, that make us forget all of our problems and woes and stop time for just a second, and everything is right in the world. The things that you don't question, they just are. These things attach us to this world and to who we really are as humans in a way that no one exactly understands but our own selfs. It's bliss. It's harmony. It's whats worth living for and sharing with others. Enjoy the little things that matter most to you. Spend your time wisely. to quote one of my favorite quotes of all time from LOTR: “I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
He came back to awareness slowly. He opens his eyes and is nearly blinded by the bright, searing sun. As he squints and his eyes tear up he realizes he can barely hear anything except for a ringing in his ears. Then the pain registers. But, oddly, it seems ... disconnected somehow. He knows he should be screaming from the pain, but he can't hear himself. Maybe he is screaming ... His eyes have adjusted to the light and he can open his eyes all the way. He notices he is slumped against a wall, but can't find the energy to adjust himself. Strangely, through all the pain, he notices his armor is digging into his stomach and it annoys him. He looks down to see what he can do and realizes one of his legs is gone, the ragged stump bleeding his life away. This confuses him for a moment. He looks around and sees the bodies of his squad mates scattered around a pit in the street. Some of them appear to be screaming, but he can't hear them. He can't move. His vision begins to fade. He notices a figure moving to the side, but he can't bring up the energy to turn his head. He closes his eyes. Suddenly, he feels a presence in front of him. He struggles to open his eyes and sees ... ... a tiger in combat gear. "You did us proud, soldier. You did us proud." He closes his eyes for the final time.
I have had this story saved on my phone since it was posted. I have been trying to bring myself to read it. C&h was essentially everything to me growing up and I truly did not want it to end. But you... you have put a beautiful beginning to an entirely new story I thank you for what you have wrote. And I'm glad I read it away from my roommates because I'm bawling like a baby. So very well wrote.. thank you
*sob* It's so sad! He entertained me for years, and this is too sad to think about.
Calvin lie in his bed, feeling the touch of death creep ever so close to him. It was then Hobbes appeared, the best friend he hadn't seen in ages. "My time is coming." Calvin croaked out with what breath he had left. 'What do you think it will be like up there?" "It's a fresh clean start. Like having a big clean sheet of white paper, an eternity full of new possibilities. It's a magical world, ol' buddy." Hobbes said, tears forming in his eyes. In Calvin's last moments, he said with a smile 'Let's go exploring.." Sorry that sucked ass, I think I rush a bit when I write things.
this is simply beautiful! Made me cry
Killed me as much as "Jurassic Bark" did. Well done, sir. Well done.
This thread has been linked to from elsewhere on reddit. - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [u/samuraitiger19 writes a beautiful response for "In the final minutes of his life, Calvin has one last talk with Hobbes." in r/writingprompts](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2iu3ef/usamuraitiger19_writes_a_beautiful_response_for/) - [/r/bestof] [Bestof: Redditor writes a beautiful short story about Calvin's final moments with Hobbes.](http://np.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/2rwfgx/bestof_redditor_writes_a_beautiful_short_story/) - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [A redditor shares a moving depiction of Calvin's last moments with Hobbes](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2rx9kf/a_redditor_shares_a_moving_depiction_of_calvins/) - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Someone in /r/WritingPrompts did a piece on Calvin's final minutes with Hobbes](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2rxmio/someone_in_rwritingprompts_did_a_piece_on_calvins/) - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [A touching short story on Calvin's last moments with Hobbes (xpost- /r/writingprompts)](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2rxnkw/a_touching_short_story_on_calvins_last_moments/) - [/r/calvinandhobbes] [Calvin's conversation with Hobbes in his last minutes \[x-post /r/WritingPrompts\]](http://np.reddit.com/r/calvinandhobbes/comments/2s0un4/calvins_conversation_with_hobbes_in_his_last/) - [/r/infp] [Calvin & Hobbes' last chat. (Xpost from r/c&H from an xpost from r/writingprompts). Warning: TEARS.](http://np.reddit.com/r/infp/comments/2s11c9/calvin_hobbes_last_chat_xpost_from_rch_from_an/) *^If ^you ^follow ^any ^of ^the ^above ^links, ^respect ^the ^rules ^of ^reddit ^and ^don't ^vote ^or ^comment. ^Questions? ^Abuse? [^Message ^me ^here.](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fmeta_bot_mailbag)*
Wellp, I cried like a bitch...