From Weakness to Strength

A Double Funeral

Darla was adjusting well to her new room. Before this was her room, it was Darry's and before it was Darry's it belonged to Mr and Mrs. Curtis. She knew having this room was a privilege and not a right so she made sure to keep it clean and organized.

She also knew that Johnny and Dallas were going to be having a funeral...at the same time. Pitching in the money was not easy. Darry and Soda had to work overtime, Ponyboy and Darla had to sell stuff like lemonade and even chocolate cake. Steve also worked overtime at the DX with Soda and even Two-Bit pitched in by washing cars. Buck pitched in quite a bit since he was room mates with Buck.
And what surprised the gang even more was when Tim Shepard and their outfit pitched in. And the most surprising part of it all was when Darry got envelopes of money in the mail from Dally's buddies in New York. 

Once they all got the money together, it was just enough to pay for the funeral. The location of the funeral was a small church at the corner of Tulsa. It was kind of like the one in Windrixville, except it was cleaner and still standing. 

The funeral was a week after they got the money put together. All together it took two weeks. 
The funeral was at 6:45 right as the sun was going down. This was timed for a reason. Ponyboy and Darla wanted the funeral to be at sunset, so that they could see it one...last...time. 

Darla wore jeans, her white laced shoes, a black t-shirt, Dally's leather jacket that he had given to her, and the earrings Johnny gave to her for her birthday. She had her hair in her normal greasy ponytail and a black ribbon that tied it together.
Both Ponyboy an Darla had speeches ready, for they were going to speak at the funeral, for they had the most to say. 

Everyone attending the funeral wore the usual black attire required for a funeral. The coffins the boys were held in were beautiful. The whole funeral was beautiful for a couple of Greasers. 
Dallas was held in a black coffin and Johnny was held in a pure white coffin. Dallas wore a white suit and Johnny wore a black suit. They both looked beautiful. 

The people who showed up besides the gang were Tim Shepard and his outfit, Cherry Valence, Marcia, Randy, Buck, Johnny's parents, some of the people that were at the church fire (the teachers and some of the students) and even the cops that shot Dallas. Darla hated the idea of them coming, but it was an open house funeral welcome for anyone who knew Johnny and Dallas. Apparently they had come to pay their respects and apologize for the incident. Darla was not all that forgiving, though. 

Before the funeral started, everyone had a chance to go up and pay their respects. Darla and Ponyboy were behind Johnny's parents and could hear them bicker when they approached Johnny's coffin. 
"Just look what you got yourself into. Humph," said Johnny's mother. "Well maybe you're better this way. But, I guess we'll miss you. Disappointment or not."
"That kid was no good. Always got himself into fights and couldn't stay out of em. It's their fault we're here," Johnny's father bickered to Mrs. Cade when they started walking past his coffin and slid by Dallas's coffin with an "Ugh."
Darla scoffed in disgust. She had two roses in her hands. A red rose and a white rose. She approached Johnny's coffin, hot tears streaming from her eyes. She took one last look at Johnny.
"It's all my fault, isn't it?" Darla asked. 
"No it's not, Darla," Ponyboy said, placing a hand on Darla's shoulder. 
"I tried to save him, but I couldn't," Darla said, her words turning into sobs. 
"You tried, Darla. That's all that matters. There was nothing else that could be done," Pony sniffled for he had shed a tear or two as well. Darla placed a kiss on Johnny's cold head and placed the red rose in his hands. It took all that she had in her to walk away from his coffin and on to Dally's. Darla leaned over across the coffin. 
"Why did you do this to yourself, Dal. We needed you...we still do," Darla said, placing the red rose in Dally's hands. 
"Oh, Ponyboy, I can't bear it," Darla engulfed Ponyboy into a hug and sobbed into his chest. 
"I know, Darla. Me either," Ponyboy sniffled. 

Darla and Ponyboy walked away from the coffins and took a seat as everyone finished walking by the coffins and waited for the preacher. 
When the preacher did come, all he talked about was was why God had taken these children and how he must've taken them for a reason and how they are in a better place. 
Once he had finally finished talking, Ponyboy walked up and did his speach. 
"Dallas Winston and and Johnny Cade were my buddies. We were all a family. We aren't looked as nice kids because of which side of town we live on, We're not much different. We're people too. And so were they," he pointed to the coffins that held Johnny and Dallas. "And their lives were taken. Johnny's life was taken as a murderer turned hero. And Dallas as a criminal. Dallas died not long after Johnny. We all guess he couldn't live with himself if Johnny wasn't there with him. Johnny and Dallas were very important to our family. And one day we'll all be together in the sunset. Thank you."
Ponyboy had tears streaming down his face. Darla stood up and engulfed Ponyboy in a tight embrace when he returned to his seat. Darla then walked over to the podium and spoke her piece. 
"I was ten when I first met Johnny and Dallas. They saved me from a few bullies. Little did I know that they'd become my best friends. They made me feel the happiest I've ever felt in my life. And now..." Darla trailed as she felt her voice shake. "...I lost the both of them," Darla wiped a few tears from her eyes. 
"Dally was like my big brother. We had our disagreements, but we still loved each other. He called me Honeybear and I grew quite fond of that name. Johnny was my best friend. He understood me. We felt each other's pain. I wonder...if he could still feel mine because I have no idea what he's feeling anymore. I hoped that together they'll be with me and the gang always. When we would watch Mickey Mouse, when we would eat chocolate cake for breakfast--" a few chuckles broke out within the audience. "--When me and Ponyboy would watch the sunset. When Johnny watched the sunset with us...I would like everyone to look out the church window as I say these words--"
Everyone glances out the window. "Johnny Cade's last words to us were Stay Gold. But, Ponyboy and I both learned that...nothing gold can stay."
Darla then recited the poem she had memorized that Ponyboy had told them in Windrixville. "Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold
Her early leaf's a flower
But only so an hour
Then leaf subsides to leaf
So Eden sank to grief
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing Gold Can Stay"
Everyone in unison looked away from the window and back at Darla. "Johnny wrote a letter to Ponyboy and I. He explained what the poem meant in his perspective. He said that we're gold when we're kids. Like green. When you're a kid, everything's new. Dawn. He said that whatever we love to do most, or our most cherished traits we have is gold. And I was taught that no matter what side of town you live in, you could always see the sunset real good. That should be the main similarity between the North and South side that no matter where you are or who you are, the sunset looks the same, so how are we all that different from each other? That's what I was taught and from now on and forever, that's what I will live by. Thank you."
Darla was surprised when almost everyone stood up and applauded. 
The boys all gave her comforting hugs as several men came in to close the coffins and carry them and drive them to the graveyard for the burial ceremony. 

Before the boys loaded up in the truck, one of the cops came up to Darla. Darla frowned. 
"I think the Winston boy left a letter for you. He addresses you as Honeybear, correct?" the cop asked. Darla nodded. The cop handed Darla the letter and merely just walked away. Darla opened the envelope. 

Dear Honeybear,
I'm sorry kid. I'll probably be dead by the time you read this. I did what I did for a reason. If Johnny was to go, I wouldn't let him go alone. He needs someone to look after and you're too valuable. I know you're probably gonna hate me for this, but just know I love ya. Don't worry, if there really is a Heaven or Hell, I'll see ya on the other side.
~Dallas Winston

Darla placed a hand over her mouth and let out a shaky sigh. But, she then smiled and got in the back of the truck with Ponyboy and Two-bit. 
The drive from there to the graveyard was fifteen minutes and by the time they got there, the coffins were above their graves, ready to be lowered and burried. Darla and the gang were going to burry them after everyone places flowers in their graves. 
The burial ceremony took twenty-five minutes. After that, everyone started leaving. The first to leave was Johnny's parents. Nobody was surprised. Then it was Randy, Cherry and Marcia, then Tim Shepard's gang. 
The sunset was just about done. and the whole gang spent the last two minutes of the sunset with arms around each other, watching it together for the last time as a whole. 

It was hard for Darla to leave after them. If she could, she'd stay and never leave, but she knew she had a home and the rest of her boys needed her. She knew this wasn't the last goodbye but, she knew she would never physically see them again. And for once in her entire life, she was okay with that.