Alternate Ending to a Tell Tale Heart

Read Summary
Summary

The narrator in the story has just murdered an old man and hidden his body under the floorboards in the guest room. While fixing the floors, he hears the old man’s heartbeat in his ear and it causes him pain for three days. The police come to investigate the old man’s absence, but find nothing suspicious and leave. However, the narrator continues to hear the old man’s heartbeat for two months, which drives him insane. He even cuts off his own ears in an attempt to get rid of the noise, but it doesn’t work. Finally, after three months of agony, he decides to end the noise by committing suicide.

Table of Content

As I released my grip on the pillow that I had used to smother the old man, a sense of relief had flown through the vein in my neck like a bird’s wings flowing through the midnight air. The thought of his eye no longer piercing my soul gave me a sensational chill that I have never felt before.

Truly I have done my justice in this world, but this feeling of justice only lasted yet a brief second. For now I have to hide what I have done. I look down at the boards on the floor that flow throughout the house, a great place to place the old man. I drag his body down the hall to the guest room and place him under the boards in there.

As I fix the floors a ring followed by a continuous thumping of the old man’s heart beat was playing in my ear like a million man orchestra. The pain lasted for three days, and just when I thought the pain was over a knock at the door came. Three men presented themselves as officers of the law. I guess the old man’s absence from society did not go unnoticed.

I opened the door a greeted the officers accordingly. They ask about the wellbeing of the old man and did a search of the house after I tell them how I have not seen him in days. I offer them tea and cake but they decline. They did a full search of the house and decided that I was innocent so they left me to be.

Finally, I was at peace and I could enjoy my life, so I thought. Two days later the thumping came back followed by the loud ring. The noise drove me insane! So I torched the body until it was nothing more than ashes; but that did not do anything about the noise; it went on for two months. It drove me so mad that I cut off my own ears.

Still the noise kept coming through. Finally, after three long months, I had more than enough of this agonizing pain. The days had become long but the nights were even longer. The heart beating sound interrupted the sound of even my own heart.

Finally, I could not take it anymore. I grabbed my blade; put it to my wrist.

Cite this page

Alternate Ending to a Tell Tale Heart. (2017, May 30). Retrieved from

https://graduateway.com/alternate-ending-to-a-tell-tale-heart/

Remember! This essay was written by a student

You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers

Order custom paper Without paying upfront