Cashed » Lip Gallagher [2]

»part 21 » beating hearts

"Would your heart know if I met you in a brand new set of bones?"

-

Did you know the human heart can continue beating when it's separated from it's own body?

If the fragile organ has enough oxygen to go around, your heart can adequately beat when removed from your chest. It's crazy. Doctor's won't even consider a patient deceased unless their heart has stopped. So technically, your heart can continue beating after 'death'.

Once Gary taught me this little heart lesson, I was up all-night thinking about my dad and Tony. During my dad's heart attack, a lack of blood was supplied to the muscle which is what killed him. His heart stopped beating with the snap of a finger. But Tony? Tony was in the hospital for months with a machine pumping oxygen into his lungs. His heart suffered slowly and painfully.

And just like that, he was gone.

I sniffled as I shook the nightmarish thoughts from my head.

"Are you gonna tell me where we're going?"

We've been driving for a solid hour and a half with many questions and minimum answers. The sun has been long gone for hours while the night air dances through our open car windows. Music hums through the space between us as we float down the highway with not a car in sight. Nothing has ever felt more sublime and peaceful than this. Driving in the open with the boy who was my weakness.

I squared my shoulders before answering, "To hell, if we play our cards right." I glanced over to see him in the darkness with a smirk on my face.

"We've been driving for hours."

"Quit complaining, we're here."

I pulled the car into park at the side of the road, at the bottom of the hill and killed the ignition. Before unbuckling my seatbelt, I took a large inhale and looked over at Lip.

"And where is here exactly?" He questioned with a raised brow.

I answered with sealed lips and devious eyes before jumping out of the stolen vehicle. Lip quickly followed after and made his way around the car with a curious look on his face.

I laughed lightly before pointing my chin upwards, "Come on." Anticipation and anxious feelings flooded through my veins like a child holding a sweet secret.

Without another word, I took the lead and began walking through the dirt covered road, towards the grassy hills. Considering we're in the middle of the country side with little street lights, I squint my eyes to see the ground easier and take cautious steps. The moonlight is beaming down, casting different tones of blues and blacks all around us. You can hear crickets and dragonflies buzz. You look up and you can see the brightness of the stars. Out here, it isn't busy or loud. Out here, there isn't chaos or uproar. Out here, there's nothing but you in your truest form.