The Heartbeat

Bobby stared at the Crucifix in his hands. He meditated on Jesus' Passion for all of mankind...for him. He didn't understand. The more he thought about it, Bobby broke down in to a great frustration and tears.
"Why? Why did You have to die for me?"
He threw himself on his bed and kept the Crucifix in his hands. He stared at His Savior on that cross. And it made him even more frustrated.
"I belonged there, not You. You didn't have to do it, You know."
He flipped over on his stomach and sighed.
"You are innocent. You've done nothing. I'm disgusting and dirty, and I've done...well, just about everything. I know why You did it...but I don't understand why."
He got on his feet.
"It's all so frustrating, and it gives me a headache. You know that I belonged up there, but You died for me anyway."
He wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Why, huh? Why did You do it?"
Suddenly, all the light in Bobby's house shut down. He groaned.
"Carrie, stop messing with the power!!! I know you're just trying to scare me!!!"
He turned pale as he remembered that his older sister was out with her boyfriend.
"...Mom?!" He shouted.
He jumped as he heard an echo of his voice. Wait...his house never had an echo. If it did, he would play with the echoing everyday.
As he started walking and trying to grasp something, he heard a large crowd of people shouting, screaming, wailing. He heard the sounds of whips cracking against...a person.
"Move!!! Faster!!!"
He heard soft groaning and a gentle heartbeat. He frantically searched for some support; a wall, a rail, anything.
It got quiet. Bobby's breath grew rapid.
"Is there somebody there?!" he shouted.
A loud crash made him fall over in fright. He heard the heartbeat growing softer...more gentle. He heard something cutting in to flesh...he almost vomitted just by hearing it.
It was silent. Then, all he heard was a heartbeat. It was still gentle...and growing softer. This heartbeat somehow comforted him. He continued walking forward. The heartbeat went softer...softer...but closer. Closer with every second that passed.
"Hello?" he called out calmly.
He heard breathing. Soft but weak. He felt the hardwood floor beneath him start to soften.
"Anybody there?" he called out.
No answer. Just that heartbeat.
A light shined. Bobby cried out and thought that he would officially go blind...but as the light slightly subsided, he looked at the ground and found...blood. Fresh blood.
He panicked. Was there a killer right behind him? Was there a killer ahead of him?
The heartbeat thumped and thumped. He decided to follow the bloody trail.
Everything went dark again.
Bobby walked forward slowly, the heartbeat to guide him. His fears disappeared the closer he got to that heartbeat.
Light appeared once again, and Bobby fell to his knees. The light hurt his eyes because all he had seen was...darkness. Nothing. He followed the trail with his eyes and what he saw made him want to scream, to cry, to hide.
He saw Jesus on the Cross, His breathing slow and gentle...and His Heart beating just the same. Jesus slowly looked up at Bobby.
"Oh my gosh..." Bobby whined as he looked down.
Jesus said nothing. All He did was smile.
"Why, Jesus..." he sobbed as his voice broke in to so many little pieces.
"Because I Love You...so very much..." Jesus replied.
Bobby grabbed the dirt and clenched it tightly.
"Jesus..." he whispered. "You didn't have to..."
Jesus' Face was gentle.
"But I want to." He said strongly.
He listened as Jesus struggled to breathe. He wanted to take Him down. He didn't deserve to be up there!!!
"My...son..." Jesus whispered.
Bobby looked up slowly.
"My Heart beats...for you...I want...to be with you..."
Bobby crawled towards Jesus' pierced Feet.
"Understand...My boy...that I never...never...want to see you in Hell...I do this...that you...will know..."
Jesus coughed violently. Bobby stood and tried to comfort Him.
"...how much I Love You...that you...will never choose...Hell..."
"I wouldn't...I wouldn't choose it, Lord... I want to be with You, and only You!!!"
Bobby wept so violently that he noticed his body shaking to it's core. He kissed Jesus' Toes and wept on them.
"There there, now..." Jesus whispered.
Bobby stood there for so long...his body grew numb, but he didn't care. He wanted to be with Him. He wanted to stay with Him.
Jesus exhaled and took a deep breath in. Bobby listened to His Heartbeat thumping slower...and slower...and slower...
"It is finished." He said.
Jesus looked down at Bobby and smiled. He then looked up and said, "Father, in to Thy Hands, I commend My Spirit..."
He took a deep breath in...then exhaled slowly. His Heartbeat...stopped.



"NO!!!" Bobby shouted as he shot up.
All of the lights went back on automatically. Bobby wiped the tears from his face and found himself back on his bed. He looked at his hands and found no blood. He looked at his face in the mirror and found no blood marks. Was it really a dream? No...he refused to believe that. He knew what had happened. He knew with his heart and soul as witnesses.
"Jesus..." he whispered. "I understand..."
"Why were you screaming?! Bobby, you nearly scared the cra-"
Carrie stopped once she saw Bobby staring intently at his Crucifix. She wanted to rant to him...but maybe some other time.