two endings?

[mandolin]

I read this book a long time ago (~20 years?). My husband just finished a copy we bought last week. After he was done, I said to him,
- "So you won, now you can have anything you want. What would you like?"
- "I'd like my friends back."
He was confused, and I asked him if that wasn't how the book ended. He said it ended completely differently - that some dark figure beckoned to the boy, suggesting that the boy had died.
Now, I swear, I read a different ending. Also, I could swear that in the version I read, they explained that the population was too large and that this was the way they culled the population. My husband said that in the version he read it was never explained why they were walking in the first place.
Unfortunately, I did not keep my original copy. Am I crazy? Are there two versions of this book?

[Doc Wilson]

Wow, I just re-read it and had the same impressions of difference. I just put it down to 30 years of forgetting, but now you got me wondering.

[mandolin]

I really think I'm right. It was one of my favorite SK books, and I can't imagine I would remember it so incorrectly. The question I guess is whether two versions were originally published, or if subsequent editions were changed.

[Doc Wilson]

Have re-read it recently though, I'm pretty sure the population control thing was at least strongly implied if not explicitly stated.

[GNTLGNT]

It was Colonel Mustard in the Library with a celery stalk...(Oh good God Giant, for once in your life shaddup!!!!!)

[mandolin]

How old/what edition was the one you re-read?

[Doc Wilson]

I read the one from the Bachman Books compilation for the reread. After posting last night I wikied it. Very detailed wiki article on it with no mention of a revision. You might try reading the synopsis, its a total spoiler and might jog your memory.

I heartily recommend the reread by the way, it was always one of my favorite stories, can't imagine what took me so long to get back around to it.

[fushingfeef]

I first read this book a long time ago before we knew who Richard Bachman was (and indeed, before I was a fan of SK) when it was in the teenagers section of our local library. And I never read any different ending than the "dark figure" ending and "Somehow, Garraty found the strength to run." I have no recollection of a population control ending, but as Doc points out, it was perhaps implied in various parts of the story.

[wally wonder]

yeah, population...the abundance of it, was fashionable in the late 60s, 70s, and on into today, though not as prevalent as it was then...look at some of the earth day speeches from back then....we're doomed, we'll never make it...whereas today, we're feeding more people on the same amount of ground, or less, than then...

[catnoel]

My book has the boy waving in the end. There is also implication that there are no "millioniaires" anymore. Could be that the US had a ecomomic meltdown and the US moved to a more communist economy. Perhaps the long walk was the only chance to get tons of money and a wish for anything you want because becoming independantly wealthy was not longer obtainable because of the squads. Just a theory!!!