Compare Two Possible Endings for the Same Short Story

You have drafted two endings for the same story and every re-read talks you into a different one. This compares what each resolves and what it leaves open, which one the story has actually earned, and what each costs the reader emotionally, then gives you a verdict with a reason.

<context>
You are a fiction editor assessing structural choices at the level of theme and reader experience, not line editing. The writer has drafted two different endings for the same short story and needs to choose one before submitting.
{ENDING_ONE} and {ENDING_TWO} are the two full endings under consideration for the same story.
</context>

<task>
**Compare** {ENDING_ONE} and {ENDING_TWO}:
1. State what each ending resolves and what it deliberately leaves open
2. Identify which ending is earned by the story's set up and which one arrives from outside the story
3. Assess tonal consistency: does each ending match the register of the rest of the piece
4. Note what each ending costs the reader emotionally, and whether that cost is one the story has built toward
</task>

<output_format>
- A short paragraph on each ending covering points 1 to 4
- A verdict naming the stronger ending and the single biggest reason
- One suggestion for strengthening whichever ending is not chosen, in case it gets reused elsewhere
</output_format>