Hey guys! Well I was taking my English final and this idea hit me like a ton of bricks and I had to write it. Had to. Made me cry when I did. But the plot bunnies demanded it. So here it is. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Outsiders" or the song "Heaven is a Place on Earth." *Sigh*
~Rosey
Heaven Ain't a Place on Earth
It was the most beautiful place Sodapop had ever seen. Blue skies shone over his head, a lovely green meadow spread before him, and small rivers trickled through the landscape. The only thing bothering Soda? He had no idea how he got there. He thought he remembered something about a battlefield in a strange country, but it was just a fuzzy blur in the back of his mind. Where were Darry and Pony? Shouldn't they be there too?
Suddenly, Soda was aware of some light rustling in the grass behind him. Confused, he turned around to face his visitors. And he wasn't surprised to see them when he did turn around-just confused. That was his main feeling at the moment: confusion. For standing right in front of him were Dally and Johnny, each simply wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. And they both looked so...peaceful. So unlike how Sodapop remembered them.
"Hey Soda," Johnny smiled gently.
"How ya been, buddy?" Dally asked, a genuine smile on his face.
"I...I'm fine," Soda stuttered. "But...I thought you guys were..." Then he stopped. He remembered now. Vietnam. The war. The fighting. That gun-shot...
"Glory," he whispered. "This ain't happening. I can't be..." he stopped, sinking into a sitting position on the ground.
"Hey. It's okay, buddy." Soda looked up to find Johnny and Dally sitting next to him, each putting a hand on his shoulder. "It ain't so bad here. In fact, it's perfect. No greasers, no socs...it's like the country here all the time."
"But what about Darry and Ponyboy?" Soda asked quietly, bringing his knees to his chest.
"They'll be okay, Soda," Dally promised. "Just like you guys were when your parents died."
"Wait a sec," Soda paused. "If I'm...Well where's my folks?"
It was then Soda saw them -his parents...his mom and dad- walking over a hill towards him. Unexpected tears sprung to his eyes and he raced towards them, embracing the first one he reached, which just happened to be his mom.
"Mama," he whispered shakily, burying his head in her shoulder, "I missed you so much."
"Oh, honey, I hate to see you here, but we're together forever now," Mrs. Curtis whispered, taking Soda's face in her hands.
Soda then turned to his father, embracing him hard. "Dad, I've missed you so much too," he mumbled, shaking slightly, holding his father tight.
"I've missed you too, Pepsi-Cola," Mr. Curtis smiled, hugging his son close.
When Sodapop finally pulled away, he just faced his father and mother helplessly. "What's going to happen to Pony and Darry?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"They'll be okay," Mrs. Curtis promised. "And you can check in on them whenever you like. Your father and I checked in on you boys enough times."
Still slightly in shock, Soda ran a hand through his hair. "So...this is forever, huh?"
"No, honey," Mrs. Curtis smiled. "This is home."
And as Dally and Johnny joined them, they turned and watched as a sunset painted the sky purple and orange.
SODA HONEY I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T WANT TO KILL YOU OFF! THE PLOT BUNNIES MADE ME! I FIRMLY BELIEVE SODA DOESN'T DIE OR EVEN GO TO WAR, BUT INSTEAD GETS MARRIED AND HAS "MY KID'S CUTER THAN YOURS" FIGHTS WITH DARRY! IT WAS THE PLOT BUNNIES WHO MADE ME DO IT! lol
Anyway...I'm going to make it up to him by writing another Christmas fic about him and a whole chapter book about him...So...yes. Keep an eye out for them, my dears. :)
Review?
~Rosey