Status: finished

That Fateful Year

Stay gold...

“Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold…” he managed to whisper before his eyes drifted closed and his heart stopped. He didn’t know what he expected, but he suddenly felt as light as a feather and was staring down at his body. Next to him were two people he thought he’d never see again.

“Mrs. Curtis?” he gasped, seeing her familiar, soft smile. “Hello, Johnny, sweetheart. Ready to go?” she asked, offering him her hand, which he took instantly. “Where we goin’?” he couldn’t help but ask. “You’ll see, Johnny,” Mr. Curtis answered and his wife added, “But we have to make a short stop first.” Mr. Curtis took her other hand and then suddenly they were outside in the street with gunshots and screams surrounding them.

The figure on the ground let out a final breath and fell onto his back. Dally’s spirit looked over his body in mild surprise then looked back at his friends who were just about to reach it. He felt a pang of guilt and regret but it soon left him. He heard a sigh and looked over at a sad-looking Johnny. “Johnny?” Dallas questioned, stunned. Next to him stood the Curtis parents. “C’mon, Dallas. We’ve got to go.” Mrs. Curtis said and he took Johnny’s hand without question.

“Don’t worry. You’ll see them again one day,” Mrs. Curtis told them, seeing the boys’ looks of sadness as their friends ran closer. She smiled at them before there was a bright flash and they all went home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Steve was the first to join them at just 18, only a year after Johnny and Dallas. He’d been drafted into the war and had been shot down in battle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next was Two-Bit five years later at the age of 24. He’d gotten into a car accident when his car had stalled on the tracks and a train came before he could react.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darry was 40 years later at 66. He’d gotten married, had 3 kids, and had a heart attack in his sleep. He’d lived a full life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sodapop met the same fate five years after Darry. He had gotten married, had four baby girls, and passed away quietly when he was 67-years-old.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last was Ponyboy. He lay in his hospital bed ten years later, thinking about his life. He’d went to college and married his high school sweetheart, Cathy Carson. They’d had two boys, Dallas Steven and Keith Jonathon, and a little girl, Crystal Ann, named after her grandmother Curtis. They’d all long since married and had children of their own.

There were no more Greasers and no more Socs. The gangs had died out years ago. People were just people in Tulsa, Oklahoma now. Johnny had been right all those years ago. Fighting was no good.

Seventy-five-year-old Ponyboy sighed sadly at the thought of his old friend. It wouldn’t be much longer now until he’d be seeing them again. Soon…

He looked over at the nurse in the corner and smiled. She smiled back and came over to take his hand. She knew what he was saying without him having to speak a word. “You do what you gotta do,” she told him. He laughed wheezily and closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw his family standing in the corner of the room, grinning at him. “Welcome home, Ponyboy,” his father told him and he raced into their arms. He was home with his family again, all of them looking no older than they did that fateful year in Tulsa.
♠ ♠ ♠
So, my first story guys. I wrote this about a year ago and I don't even know if anyone will read it. But on the off chance that people do, tell me what you think.