darlin' || the outsiders

16

darry curtis

we were all sitting in the living room, bored out of our minds. well, more like we had a lot on our minds. i had put my newspaper down on the table and was playing with my thumbs. things just weren't the same without elsie, whether she was dead or not, things weren't going to go back to the way they were.

"let's watch tv. i hate this silence." pony said, lifting the remote and started flipping through channels, only staying on them for around three seconds. there were many things, documentaries, crime shows, sports games, cartoons, then- the local news.

"wait, pony. go back." i leaned forward, rubbing my eyes to make sure everything i was seeing was correct.

"16 year old female, elsie lock, from ohio found in the lap of this brave woman who helping in saving her life." it started. i looked at the gang, making sure they were seeing and hearing what i was.

"elsie had been abused by her father, donovan lock, for a few years now. since his wife and elsie's mother died. elsie had run away to tulsa to escape him. there she says she met the 'most amazing people ever'. lock has confessed and will be put on trial and in jail for reckless child abuse, child neglect, conspiracy to commit murder, among other charges.".

"she's been found?" johnny said, standing up. "elsie was found!". we all stood up, screaming in excitement. some of the guys started crying too, i walked over to dallas, wrapping my arms around him. dallas would've been destroyed if elsie had died, but she was here. and coming back to tulsa.

"come on, let's go see her!" pony said and we all ran out into the street. it was around 1 am and we were all screaming in excitement and dancing in the street, not caring if we woke up anyone in the neighborhood.

••••
we had to collect ourselves before walking into the hospital. it was somber in there, and things were quiet. we began walking through the halls until we stumbled on elsie's door. we knocked and a nurse came and opened it for us. elsie was awake on the bed, reading the book that pony had given her.

"elsie?" johnny whispered. elsie looked up and her eyes lit up and a huge smile glimmered on her face.

"guys!" she said and we all piled in, all running in to hug her. i had to pull some back so we wouldn't all squish her.

"careful guys, we don't wanna suffocate her by squishing her." i giggled, to which two-bit laughed and flipped me off. i rolled my eyes and elsie moved her hand to me and hugged me, her hand lightly rubbing my back.

"i missed you guys." she whispered, her smile never leaving. "you guys- you're my home. you know?".

i nodded and the other boys said random things in agreement. we all pulled up chairs and sat around her bed, talking to her. telling her how everything was weird without her there, how we wished she would show up on our doorstep, but this was fine too.

as long as we had her back.
••••
i made a preference book, go check it out or something lol

word count: 548