A/N: Hi everyone! This is my first story, probably one of the stories I'm most proud of. Thanks for taking the time to read it. I really appreciate it.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.
Heartbeat
Heartbeat. A single steady heartbeat masking over the hurt and the pain. Beep. Beep. Beep. The monitor keeps at a steady pace- like an old grandfather clock. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Hurt. That's all he feels inside. Hurt. Physically and emotionally. Worse than the sting of his father's hand. Worse than the screams from his mother. Worse than making his friends upset. A dull throbbing somewhere deep, deep down.
An eerie silence fills the room. No comforting voice. No angry calls. Nothing. Nothing but a thick quiet.
He wants so hard to cry. To let it all go. All the pent up worries, feelings, doubts. Everything. But he can't. That's weakness. It's been implanted in his mind not to show emotions. Not to be weak. So he doesn't. He holds it all in. Just like they would've wanted him to.
His friends come by every now and then. Bringing their news. An upcoming rumble. Last night's sunset. The newest item stolen. Whatever. To get his mind off the unthinkable. But it never works. Any of it. Because as soon as they leave and that silence fills once more, everything comes back. He'll never walk again. Never lay in the damp lot grass, smiling up at the stars with his best buddy. He won't be able to play football with the guys again. He would have to stay in that god-awful house for the rest of his life.
Hopes. Dreams. Wishes. Every night he lies awake praying. Praying to be better. Hoping to return to his friends, his idol. Dreaming that everything'll be okay. Wishing on little stars twinkling outside the window. Wishing he could've lived out his life. Saw what he wanted to see. Gone where he wanted to go. But it's too late now. Too late to love as though he's never been hurt. Too late to let everything go. Too late to speak his mind. Too late to go back. Too late to dream.
He feels it coming. Like a black hole sucking everything away. Closer, closer, closer.
His last wish. Wished. His last dream. Dreamt. His last hope. Hoped. His last prayer. Prayed. But it's all too late now. They won't do any good. They're just empty fantasies. And he knows it. He just doesn't want to admit it to himself.
He inhales slowly- unsurely, "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…" He lets out his last breath, darkness overtaking him. Their voices echo out like the rain at the end of a storm. Slowly fading away into nothing.
He opens his eyes into a bright, white light. There's no pain on his body. No pain in his heart. He watches as his idol goes about robbing a store. Breaking down. Getting himself shot. He realizes how much he really was cared for. That's when the pain sets in. He wants to go back. Back home, no matter how much hurt it caused him. Soon the blonde, tow-headed boy appears by his side. Together they watch down at the scene below, content up where they are. Together. Neither lonely anymore.
He has moments of his previous self. Flinching away at any raise of an arm, a hand. Backing away at any sign of trouble. Wanting to kill himself. Only then realizing that he's already gone.
It was too late for him. After saving all those kids. It was too late to do everything he wanted. It was too late to show his parents a high school diploma and- even for a second- make them proud. It was too late for him to show those Socs they didn't break him. It was too late- but he left gallantly. He left gold.
A/N: Thanks again, hope y'all liked it. It would be great if you reviewed. Tell me what you think! :)