(A.N. Woohoo! I added a lot more detail to this chapter! Hope you like it better!)
DISCLAMER: I do not own the Outsiders or any characters but Danielle!
Chapter 7 – If you Love him, Let him go
Ponyboy's POV
I looked over at Danielle, she had turned white as a ghost and she was incapable of talking, she kept trying to mumble words and just started shaking her head and saying "No," She started saying it calmy, but then she started screaming it,
"No! No!" I tried to hug her but she pushed me away,
"I want to see him," She said between her shouts and cries, I just gripped her hand and clutched it tightly, I will admit, I felt my stomach turning, I didn't like the thought of anything dying, it hurts just for me to think about it. We ran over and hopped into the back of the truck, Soda was sitting in the passenger's seat already. I simply acknowledged him and turned my attention back to Danielle, she was turning hysterical. She leaned onto me and gripped my shirt, soaking it with her tears,
"I can't, I can't lose him, Ponyboy, I can't!" I held her and let her cry until the tires stopped in the parking lot of the stables, we all saw the veterinarian's van and the large group of people leaning on the fence of the front pasture. We heard all of the sympethetic talk coming from the riders, and then all at once I saw Jack, he was throwing his head up, struggling to reach his feet, the vet couldn't get near him, he was thrashing too much.
Then all at once I saw it, his leg, it was flopping around at an unatural angle, it was broken, there was no doubt about it. The poor animal was letting out sounds that nothing should make, even if it's in extreme pain. He continued trying to get up for a few more seconeds before finally resting himself back down on the ground.
"Jack!" I heard Danielle scream. She hopped out of the truck and slammed the door shut. She sprinted to the fence, climbing it like it was nothing. The horse looked over at her with defeat, he was giving up. I followed behind her, scaling the fence as well. Darry and Soda forced everyone, even the vet, to let me and Danny say bye to him, but I don't think that was what she planned on doing, she wanted to save him.
She placed her hand on his sweat soaked hide, the tears that were coming out of her eyes freely splashed upon his body. It was cold, too cold outside, he wouldn't be able to last much longer in this weather, she was prolonging his pain.
"Jack, Cracker Jack?" He lifted his head and sighed at the sound of his name. I felt the tears coming from my eyes now, remembering how much this horse had been helping her recover, "Jack, you can't give up, you can't leave now, I need you boy, please, don't leave me too!" She leaned up against his neck and cried, I kept my hand on her back, feeling her sobs rack my own body. She sat back up and continued speaking, "It's gonna be okay boy, I promise, I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you," I heard the footsteps trudging over to us.
"Danielle," It was the vet, "He's in pain sweetie," She looked at the vet wide eyed and in horror, she knew what was being implied, she then looked at me and I just nodded my head,
"Danny, if you love him, you have to let him go," There was no way that horse would live if he couldn't even stand himself back up. She nodded to the vet,
"Will it hurt him?" She asked, the tears were falling onto my shirt as she leaned away from the horse, she was relying on me to keep her strong,her hand was wrapped tightly around my arm.
"No, just tell me when your ready." She turned back to the horse and began talking to him again,
"Okay boy, were gonna fix you up, make you better. Just make sure you say hi to Dally up there okay, and don't forget Johnny, Pony's parents too," The horse sighed in recognition of his fate. Danielle gave the vet a nod, letting her know it was okay to do it, to put him to sleep to never wake up again, to leave earth, to be like her brother, her best friend, my parents, everyone.
Soda and Darry had joined us, Darry, gave Danielle a quick hug and then backed away. The vet pulled two viles and a syringe from her black bag. At the sight of the viles of poison Danny gulped loudly, she was probably already regretting her decision, I whisperd, "Be strong, for him," I smiled at her through the tears. She smiled back, it was sincear. She stroked Jack's neck gently, singing a lullaby to him, her voice was sweet, quiet, but clearly calmed the animal,
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little ponies.
The first needle pierced his skin, I flinched,
Blacks and bays, dapples and grays,
Go to sleepy you little baby,
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
He began to get a little droopy, the anesthetic was beginning to work,
Daddy's boy Mama's joy
Go to Slumberland my baby
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little ponies.
The Final needle was ready, the poison drop that rested on the tip of the syringe glimmered in the sunlight,
Hush your cries Close your eyes
Dream of pretty little ponies
Hush a bye don't you cry
Go to sleep my little baby
I felt her nails digging into my arm,
Darkness falls and man calls
Go to sleep my little baby
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little ponies.
I held her hand as the final needle went into his skin, his breathing slowed and his sides ceased to move, he was gone, but she choked out the last lines in between sobs, her voice remained soft and sweet, but the emotion that was once in her singing voice quickly dissipated...
Up and down round and round
Dream of pretty little horses
Hush a bye don't you cry
Go to sleep my little baby
Go to sleep my little baby.
She put her hand on his neck and utterd loud enough that only I could hear, "I love you," If only letting go had been that easy...