My own short ending to Franz Kafka's novel: The Castle

…never reached the ears of K. since she died right there on the spot. K. felt oddly relieved that she couldn’t deliver this “important” message to him. Gerstacker was still adding more wood to the cottage’s stove and had yet to notice what had happened. K. held her lifeless hand in his cold palms for a while longer. After that he stood up and left without saying a word to Gerstacker.

Outside of the cottage, it started to snow and right before the first flake hit K.’s head Gerstacker brusquely grabbed K.
‘You are cursed you damn janitor!’ he shouted ‘Why are you even here? We both know you’ll never reach the castle!’. K. jerked himself out of Gerstacker’s tight grip. The two looked at each other for a few seconds. K. broke the silence by telling Gerstacker that what his late mother told him was very useful. Unable to recognize the arrogance in K.’s voice and the fact that K. was merely taunting him Gerstacker calmly asked him
‘What did she tell you?’

K. covered his mouth with his hand to hide his snarky grin. Gerstacker asked K. what he had been told again. K. stood in the snow completely silent. ‘Answer me you cursed janitor!’ he yelled. K. revealed his grin and turned around then started heading back to the school. Gerstacker fell to his knees.

26

The snow began to pile up. K. noticed that no one was out side.
‘It’s getting cold out here.’ K. muttered to himself
‘Lets find an inn.’ K. closed his eyes in attempt to hear the noise from a nearby inn. He started to walk towards the noise. K. was close enough to see the inn’s silhouette; he zealously approached the building.

The inn’s entrance was on the other side of the inn. Annoyed, K. slowly walks to the other side of the building.

The light emitted from the windows sliced through the snowy fog it reminded K. of lighthouses, something he hasn’t seen since he arrived here in the village. He peered through the window and quickly looked away after cursing. ‘I never want to see her with that assistant of mine, well at least not with such a happy expression on her face’ whispered K. whilst lowering his head. He looked up at the grey sky, it strangely seemed more drab than usual, he thought.
‘Oh Frieda’

K. kept walking. The snow felt heavy and black as it engulfed K. He once again expected Barnabas to pop up, but he didn’t. K. kept walking. By the time he reached the next inn it was late and K. just wanted a good sleep. ‘What do you mean full?’ K. exclaimed. The owner started to give K. his explanation but K. left before he could start.

After visiting his seventh inn K. was allowed to sleep under a table in the dining area. He noticed that the inn was completely empty except for an old man who was staring at the black ceiling. Since it was very late and K. was feeling particularly melancholy he started to sleep.

K. woke up late. Still feeling dull, K. decided to go see Pepi.
‘The one person who still wants me’ he sighed. As he exited the inn he saw that same old man. K. chuckled and walked out the door.

27

Pepi was staying at their inn. K. entered the inn and saw Pepi sitting down. For the first time in days K. smiled. He enthusiastically approached her.
‘Hey Pepi’ said K. as he rested his hand on her shoulder.
‘Bastard!’ she screamed while abruptly turning to face K.
‘How dare you show your face to me again! I never expected this from you K.’ ‘What?’ said K. while smiling and reaching out to feel her hair.
‘Don’t touch me!!!!’ she screamed. Completely dumbfounded K. stood there looking at that supposed one person that still wants him.

Pepi’s scream directed the whole of the inn’s attention to the two of them. K. reached out once more.
‘Stop!’ she screamed. At this point two guys grabbed K. by the arms and pushed him out of the inn. K. didn’t struggle he just stared at her. Pepi broke out into tears.
‘And don’t come back!’ angrily expressed the two men. Alone again, K. sat in the snow and looked skyward.

K. bust right through the door and was immediately assaulted by the two men once more.
‘Pepi I love you! Why? What did I do?’ he screamed
‘Y-you’re the one who still wants me! Come on! Pepi…’ She looked at the man she loved for a brief moment before burying her face with her hands. ‘Take him away from me!’ she whispered. K.’s face became emotionless and his pupils grew opaque, he couldn’t believe it.

Once more K. found himself looking at the sky, it almost seemed black maybe darker.
‘How is it possible for me to be so ruthlessly rejected by this village?’ scowled K.

With nowhere to return to K. went back to the inn that he spent the night in. It was snowing. K. looked around searching for Barnabas. When K. arrived at the inn he sat down next to the old man.
‘I should have never come here, this damn village!’ murmured K.
‘Damn castle!’ The old man next to K. started to chuckle. K. also started to laugh. He somehow felt comfortable next to this man.
‘Since the very beginning this place has rejected me’ explained K.
‘The castle is just an illusion I can’t get there’ he chuckled.
‘How can I enter a place with no entrance?’
‘hahahahahah’ K. laughed. He started talking to the old man. Even though the old man didn’t contribute much to the conversation K. was glad someone listened to him.

‘So anyway, who are you old man?’ asked K. The old man faced the land surveyor and replied.
‘My name is K.’ K’s smile faded away as he lowered his chin. ‘I see…’

----The End----