The Outsiders
by Jenny Harlow
The box landed on the ground with a dull thud. I looked around and sighed as I made my was through the little ranch I now had to call my home and rolled my eyes miserably two bedrooms one person well I had to make it look convincing I walked back to the living room and started unpacking then I caught sight of the time 7:40 I stepped outside to watch the sunset. Call me corny but watching the sunset is one of my past times as I stared at the dimming sun I look around my new neighborhood and see a boy about my age light brown; almost red hair wearing a sleeveless sweatshirt and a pair of worn jeans and I was thinking: Yay! A Greaser! Maybe this move wouldn't be a bad idea. I went back inside and before I could think about anymore unpacking I sat down in the overstuffed green armchair and fell fast asleep.
I was pretty sure I was dreaming since it was about 6 years ago and I could see myself in an ally way in the Bronx. After a minute I knew it was a dream and I knew what was about to happen...I'm a nine year old greaser girl, I'm walking home as I normally do but I was taking the shortcut my parents told me not to take, except it was raining so I wanted to get home faster. I start hearing footsteps behind me, i know better than to look but I do anyway behind me are 4 or 5 tall, mean, nerdy looking boys with vicious looks on their faces
"hi little girl."one of them sneers. As scared as I am I know the only way to stay alive is to act brave so just for the sake of saying something I fake a cheerful tone
"hey big boys..What do you want?"i ask one of them makes a face kind of sheepishly; giving me the satisfactory of knowing my plan was working. Then one of the braver ones said
"you know what we want and were gonna get it too."
"like to see you try"i sneered probably not one of my smartest moves.
Before I could catch my breath fist are flying at my face, arms ,and sides
I'm gonna die. I thought to myself no little girl can take this and live. Then they did something that still haunts me to this day: one of them took out a blade and slowly ran it down my arm blood started pouring out of my arm like ink. Luckily my dad came since he heard all the screams and curses. When he saw the blood he advanced
"Get Your Hands Off My Daughter!"he yelled as he yanked the soc away but my attacker merely turned around and stabbed him with a bloodstained blade I saw this a something snapped I turned to the soc and snapped his wrist then he was distracted I stabbed him and ran home...
I woke up in a daze and I looked at the clock it was 1:15 I knew I wouldn't get back to sleep so I got up and walked around my house trying to forget something that would always haunt me. Later that day I decided to explore the neighborhood I saw a gas station,some alleys, a park and a vacant lot. I glanced at the lot and saw a gang of boys there so I was rather quick to try to leave, but one of them called "hey"i turned and I could see someone waving at me so I carefully and slowly walked over they asked me what my name was
"jazmine" I said quietly and a very young boy much younger than the rest of them (the one I saw last night!)nodded thoughtfully
"pretty name."he said
"thanks"i answered. We got to talking and I found out that I was in the age range of the 7 of them Ponyboy was 14 I was 15 and johnny was 16 and everyone else was a little older than johnny. After an hour I was getting ready to go when the oldest 20 year old Darry asked me if I wanted to join the gang and being the ripe new greaser girl I wasn't gonna pass this up! So I quietly accepted and I figured great new friends, im in a gang, what could go wrong?
Well I hate being wrong...
chapter 2
I had finally finished unpacking and I was sitting downstairs watching TV when I heard a slam from upstairs I wasn't worried I kept a loaded gun hidden in my house or it was one of the gang. I held my breath until I heard
"Jaz you home? Two-bit called
"downstairs!" I yelled Two-bit came pounding downstairs and sat in the green overstuffed armchair I moved downstairs with help from the boys
"Sup?"he asked raising an eyebrow I grinned and nodded to all the empty boxes littered in the basement then I stopped smiling when I remembered all the noise from last night.
"hows johnny?" I asked "i heard his mom yelling last night." Two-bit made a face
"you heard too?"he asked, knowing that it was the stupidest question in history we all knew what johnny's mom was like (every unprintable name you can think of) and there was nothing we could do about it
"its just not fair"i complained. I knew I was just whining we all had it bad johnny and his drunken, abusive parents; ponyboy having Darry worry about him 24/7: Steve-
my phone rang and startled me out of my thoughts. I jumped up and grabbed my phone.
"hello?" It was Darry and by the speed at which he was talking I knew something was wrong I listened for a little bit then hung up and ran around trying to find my jacket.
"whats wrong?"two-bit asked coolly
"ponyboy got jumped the gangs coming for the rescue." no person can run as fast as two-bit had.
After following the sounds from the rest of the gang we saw Sodapop and his older brother Darry trying hard to calm down their younger brother ponyboy. He was still in one piece but then I saw blood running down his neck and I was sent into horrible flashbacks of blood, murder, and death.
I ran over to inspect the damage
"ponyboy are you OK?" I asked he nodded unable to say much. I looked up at his older brother soda who was clutching a branch
"how many wee in the car?" I demanded, nothing really gets me mad except socs and johnny's mother.
"at least for or five that's what pony told us." he said clutching the branch harder as if they would come back.
"Are you sure your OK pony?" I asked
"y-yeah" he said shakily so I helped him up carefully and supported him as he walked to a bench and sat down next to me. Once we were all seated johnny crept over and sat next to Steve.
"hey johnnycake what happened to your jacket I looked up to see half of his jacket sleeve was torn off and his shoulder had a small scratch on it
"i think I can sew it for you"i piped in and johnny looked at me gratefully
"really jaz? Thanks!" he said happily
"hey I'm headin to the nightly double tonight, anyone comin?johnny you and pony want to dally asked.
"well come,"pony answered before johnny could "how bout you jaz you coming?" I sighed knowing someone would object
"i have work to do on the house still."
"c'mon jaz you've done enough work to last you a week come out with us." johnny commanded I grinned
"OK ill come."i said after everyone left johnny came home with me
"they wont care,"johnny said sadly "they hardly notice when I am there"
I put my arm around him his sadness always made me want to cry but I was strong for him and the gang when they needed advice or a shoulder to cry on
I looked at the clock
"its getting late why don't we go meet dally and ponyboy" I said
"OK."he whispered .
Chapter 3
we met dally and ponyboy at the corner of Pickett and Sutton and since we were early we decided to walk around the town so the boys could show me around. They showed me a spot where almost all the hoods of Oklahoma hung out the boys introduced me to a lot of the nicer greasers there then we left and I watched the boys as they showed me how an Oklahoma grease spent the evening as the sky darkened we left to the the theater.
We sat toward the back by the concession stands and not a minute after we sat down and read the movie title two well dressed girls, light makeup fancy designer outfits sat down in front of us socs of course I though to myself pony and johnny turned to look at me,knowing very little of my past but know that socs slaughtered my dad. Dally didn't notice though he started his usual tricks. Not now please dally!
But he didn't listen he was off speaking loudly and obnoxiously as possible and johnny left quickly to get a coke. Ponyboy and I looked at each other and knew we wouldn't be able to stop him. Then johnny came back to our relief:we were afraid he just left and went to the lot or something but here he was scowling as he took a sip from the thin white straw.
"so I've seen you girls around at rodeos" dally said which was the safest and less dirty sentence yet.
"too bad you cant ride bull as well as you can talk it." the redhead sassed
johnny had finally decided to step in
"cut it out dal."he said quietly almost squeaking with fear in his voice, I turned around to give him a triumphant smile but saw he was concentrating hard to not look scared. He couldn't command anyone for his life, Dally looked up at him in surprise
"what'd ya say?" he growled johnny looked like he would die of a heart attack if dally had been anymore forward with the question.
"you heard me." johnny said simply and with that Dally stormed out. I wondered where he had gone but then I turned to the guys and they exchanged the same face so I guess they were thinking the same thing.
"thanks he had me scared to death" the redhead, cherry said aw is the poor wittle socie scared? I thought nastily.
"why dot y'all sit up here with us,you can protect us." her friend, Marcia said innocently johnny and pony turned to face each other grinning but then turned to face me and gave me a look that said is it OK?
"go ahead,"i whispered "i think I saw two-bit lurking around a few minutes ago." so the boys got up and sauntered a row ahead to sit with the socs.
"so how old are you two?" Marcia asked.
"14,"ponyboy said "16" johnny finished
"oh you both look 16" cherry complimented johnny turned to pony and grinned happily. Johnny was 16 but looked 14 and it really annoyed him. Apparently cherry and Marcia seemed to notice me for the first time and cherry asked
"you must be the new girl in town? Whats your name." I scowled and rolled my eyes but luckily she didn't see it.
"hi I'm jazmine."i said with fake sweetness. She turned around satisfied as if she made a new friend. I guess with what I was wearing I didn't look like a greaser and I didn't like hair grease since it dried out my hair so I guess if you hadn't known me I would have looked like a soc. Which was embarrassing since I had come with a bunch of hoods.
There was a silence and from where I was sitting I could see two-bit walk up and with the grin I saw on his face I knew what he was about to do
"die greaser!" he snarled slamming his hand on johnny's shoulders. If I didn't know any better I would have thought two-bit had just threatened to kill the poor kid. Johnny started shaking, holding his breath his hand twitching for the switchblade he kept hidden in his back pocket.
I put my hand on johnny's shoulder which made him jump almost 2 feet out of his chair.
"johnny calm down it only two-bit"i said quietly giggling. Johnny closed his eyes and calmed down, his white face slowly regained its normal dark color (helped by a cigarette.)
"so who are these, great grandmothers? Two-bit asked sounding sort of drunk. Then asked how they got picked up by two kid greases. Then gave me a apologetic glance he sat down next to me,behind Marcia.
"so whats up jaz?" he asked serenely
"nothing, trying to enjoy the movie."i answered after a minute's hesitation
he looked at me with a wary glance but I flashed a smile thatsaid don't worry no murderous thoughts yet. He smiled with relief and turned around to talk to Marcia and johnny. In about a minute cherry asked ponyboy to accompany him to get popcorn we all gave them some money with our orders. I turned to face the talking group only to find johnny looking warily at the talking pair. Something must have been said that scared him so he looked at me as if looking for something to talk about but finding nothing, he turned to face the screen. After a few minutes cherry and ponyboy came back and the four of us were silently watching the movie.
Chapter 4
After the movie we found cherry and Marcia had no way of getting home, we offered to walk them but it was a long walk for them so two-bit offered to drive them. So as we started the short walk to his house I heard a car behind us and a blue mustang slowly drove past us cherry and Marcia drew a sigh of relief and old us that the riders in the car were their boyfriends and after they left the car the boys took off.
" great boyfriends they are" I remarked. The only reason I was on their side is because after talking to cherry I decided maybe shes not such a horrible person, socs weren't all that bad maybe it was just the new york ones that were deadly...oh how id regret I said that...
after a few minutes the same mustang stopped behind us. And two boys clumsily climbed out.
"Cherry what are doing?" Cherry just glared at him.
"what do you think i'm doing?" she yelled. He looked at her with a drunken face and the other soc turned to Marcia
"c'mon babe you know we don't get drunk often so I think its fair-" he started
"fair! You think its fair to get drunk then bully your girlfriend?'' even though the word was singular, Marcia threw it at both boys. They looked at the glaring girls. Then bob remarked,
"well even if your mad doesn't mean you should be walking around with these bums." I didn't even have to turn around to know that the boys behind had went into there tuff form greasers can look scarier than anything you can think of. I however, preferred to act unafraid and scowl, threatening with my expressions and words (and sometimes actions) after that saying, randy and two-bit were about to go head to head until cherry stopped them and agreed to go with the socs. I leaned against the fence with johnny as marcia hurried into the car and cherry took pony aside to talk to him I saw her smile so I guess ponyboy was doing alright. I smiled slightly until I saw bobs smug drunken face and I couldn't help it I walked straight up to bob and randy and smiled sweetly at them but then I frown and knocked bob's canteen out of his hands, then I pushed Randy into the fence and walked back to my friends. Then the socs left with a faint threat and we walked back to johnny's house.
"Wow Jaz your tuff."johnny complimented.
"i didn't know I could do that."i said examining a cut I got from a ring on bobs left hand. Johnny was really quiet and shaking so two-bit and I shared a worried glance. Two-bit draped his right arm over johnny's shoulders and looked at him comfortingly.
"were those the guys that got you?" he asked. Johnnycake froze and started turning pale
"yes they were." he whispered. Pony and I walked back to johnny and hugged him after an attempt to comfort the poor kid two-bit left and pony and I tried to make him feel safer. Then I went to the park for a smoke and the boys headed to the vacant lot.
After about an hour of sitting on the jungle gym I just woke up to the sound of footsteps coming from behind me I turned around suddenly but it was only Johnny and Ponyboy I wave to get their attention and they climbed up and sat down next to me I saw ponyboy looking upset and trembling and it wasn't just from the cold.
"what happened?"i asked quickly fearing that the two had gotten jumped. But Johnny looked at me with a reassuring face.
"Pony and Darry got into another argument and he just had to get out of the house." he explained. I looked at ponyboy who told me it was true. And as any little sister would do when her older brother was upset I just inched closer and gave him a comforting hug, which I guess sort of surprised him because as soon as my arm touched his side he nearly jumped out of his skin. I quickly recoiled but gave him the hug anyway. I was about to tell a joke to try to calm them down but then a bright light stunned me into silence. We knew what it belonged to. A blue Mustang pulled up and two terribly drunken socs stepped out of the car slowly.
"well what'd ya know isn't it the greases who tried to pick up our girls?" bob asked. Knowing they weren't talking about me when I was there I craned my neck and said
"aw what about me?" Bob just looked at unsure of what to make of me, usually not even greasy girls would hang with the guys at night and she wouldn't have acted so stealthy.
"you know what greasers are?" he asked we looked at him questioningly then he answered his own question
"white trash with long greaser hair." I'd had it with these stupid socs, time to play rough.
"well that was pretty good; but I'm not from around here so I've heard worse." it looked like I had just wiped bob out entirely I looked at the guys who looked like they had just been slapped and a live eel. But then I heard pony say something I thought I'd never hear.
"you know what a soc is?" he asked I the same tone bob had used
"what?" bob challenged
"White trash with expensive cars and nice clothes." then of course being a boy he spit at them. I don't know what exactly happened next but it felt as if it were staged. Bob said one word and then we were being chased by a bunch of drunken socs (which by the way if there really soused its actually kinda funny.)i decided to distract the attackers for enough time for johnny and pony to escape but its kind of hard when there's five of them and only one of you. So I tried my best but it was useless, although I was fighting back and had the lead it wasn't long before a soc came up from behind me, grabbed my throat and squeezed. I saw the colors change and then everything turned a calming shade of black.
Chapter 5
the first thing I see when I open my eyes is johnny's denim jacket out of the corner of my eye. But then I fully open my eyes and they start to wander I see an unconsience ponyboy and a body in the unmistakable stillness of death. I got up from where I was resting (johnny's shoulder) apparently a soc had knocked enough air out of me that I had fallen unconscience and during my attempt to battle it out with the violent attackers, 3 of them left those in attempt to kill me and dragged ponyboy to the fountain in the attempt of drowning him. I got up as soon as pony opened his eyes and looked around. Before anyone could ask what was going on, in a low shaky voice muttered
"I-I-I killed him, I killed that boy ." he said. I looked at the body for what felt the first time and saw a dark pool spreading out around him and I shook suddenly.
"johnny I think I'm gonna be sick" pony warned.
"go ahead man I ain't gonna look at you."johnny answered shakily. I just sat there, eyes wide open but seeing nothing. Johnnycake just killed someone. Nothing would be normal after tonight, johnny slowly stood up
"Pony,you alright? He asked Ponyboy nodded and I just turned my head to face the two shaking boys.
"what are we gonna do now?" I asked sheepishly. The boys looked up at me I was still leaned against the fountain staring into space
"we should see dally," johnny said." he would know what to do. . .we should probably take you home first Jaz." he whispered. I narrowed my eyes
"why?" I asked, not angrily cause you just can't get mad at johnny and because he was smart and always knew what he was talking about.
"Because of what happened tonight I might get put in the electric chair, pony and his brothers might be separated, and you being an orphan; who knows what they would do to you." he explained. Again johnny = 16 year old genius. The boys walked me home and then left for buck's place where dally was staying.
That night Darry and Soda came by asking if I know where ponyboy and johnny went. I told them honestly that I didn't know, so they left and I could have sworn Darry was crying. I wish I knew where they had gone too but that was for Dally to decide. I guess I would find out sooner or later, that night I didn't dare fall asleep in case I had a nightmare about what had happened to them and usually my nightmares came true; so for the sake of pony and johnny's lives I only fell asleep for an hour, just enough time to get to sleep without dreaming anything.
The next few days dragged on for what felt like years and one day while I was watching TV two-bit and Steve came over and sat down we started talking.
"So do any of us know where johnny and pony went?" two-bit asked me and Steve.
"nope." we said in grim unison later that afternoon Dal came over and it looked like he wanted to talk to me alone so after a little while two-bit and Steve left to visit the two older Curtis brothers.
"hey Jaz."he said,
"hey" I replied almost silently.
"you wanna come pick up pony and johnnycake?" he asked it with such ease he could have been asking me what time it was. I looked at him as if he had asked me why the sky was blue, and nodded in a way to say heck yes I do! So he led me out to the old fire bird he borrowed from Buck of course from buck, the upholstery was ripped and I could have sworn I saw a blood stain on it. and we drove off like the devil was behind us.
Dally parked the car outside of an old rickety church this is where you left them . . . poor boys I thought sourly, Dally stepped inside the church and within minutes emerged with two thin, shaking boys who looked like they've been through Hell and back. They looked terrible!
"just so you two know I don't want you freakin' out when you get to the car, don't want y'all wastin' away on me. Someone missed you more than everyone else." Dally warned
"who-JAZ!" The boys screamed almost tripping to get to the car as I stepped out. They hugged me as if it was my last day on earth
"i know . . . you missed . . .me . .. . but … breathing..is important!" I wheezed they suddenly let go and we all laughed.
"so where to for lunch?" Dally asked ruining the moment
"wherever you guys want, I came to see the country,"i said then looked at ponyboy with a knowing glance "i bet the sunsets out here are beautiful."
"they are." We took off dal driving, johnnycake in the passenger seat pony and I in the backseat.
I had forgotten what Dallas's driving was like and with every sharp turn I almost fell out of the car. Johnny and ponyboy both looked sick, probably because they haven't been in a car for a while. I thought of Darry and sodapop's reaction if they knew that the two were all right (except for car sickness) and I giggled quietly at the thought. Just as I thought I had control over my body Dally made a sharp left turn and half by body fell out of the car ponyboy had to react like a cat to save my life.
"You trying to kill us?" johnny demanded.
"wasn't planning on it." Dally laughed he pulled into the drive through at a dairy queen and we ordered enough food to feed the whole gang plus some extra but before I could blink the boys had devoured half the food. I forgot how fast and how much teenage boys eat. I picked at a cup of french fries because I don't really like barbeque coming from an ice cream place.
"hey I didn't tell you guys we got a spy" Dally said
"A spy? Who?" Johnny asked
"That girl from the movies... um cherry?" I said pony and johnny gagged on their burgers and dally grinned like a jack o lantern
"we were all hangin' at the vacant lot the day two-bit was jumped and she pulls up in her little ole' sting ray that took a lot of nerve" dal said coolly the boys grinned good ole dally always sticking to the facts.
"man, she must really hate me," we all looked at dally uncertainly but we knew he was talking about cherry. " I offered to take her to the dingo for a coke and she told me to go to hell!... you think she might like me?" he asked and I just laughed. The question was aimed at me because obviously I knew more about girls than any of the guys, even soda who spent more time with girls than I ever did.
" I think we should go back and turn ourselves in." johnny said in the quietest voice I ever heard in my life. And dally gagged kinda like the boys did when we told them the whole secret agent business.
"huh?" he grunted questioningly
"C'mon dal it ain't fair for the guys to be worried about us, Darry must be killing himself." that was quite a speech coming from johnnycake dally just shook his head as we drove off
"you know what jail could do to ya kid?"Dally pleaded (yes pleaded) "i just don't want what happened to me happen to you man." it had been an extremely difficult drive even dally isn't that strong to handle what johnny had requested. We all were silent except for Dally who had been ranting but he finally shut up when he saw the church that had once been the hideout but was now a burning shell.
"what happened here?" ponyboy asked to nobody in particular. Dally swore under his breath and drove to the burning church.
Before the car even came to a complete stop Pony jumped out and rushed to the burning building johnny was right at his heels. I don't know what caused me to do what I did but before I knew it I was in the burning church despite the curses from Dally and the cries and pleas from the man and woman protecting the children that had made it out alive. To hell with them johnny had saved my life so I wasn't about to let him die I thought as I ran through the church
"Pony! Johnny!" I called" Where are you!" I heard screams coming from what was left of the alter I ran in faster than normal ponyboy and johnny were trying to save the kids that were being engulfed with flames I heard them coughing and choking on the smoke and I then heard screamed orders..probably from johnny I wasn't sure.
"Give the kids to Dally!" I saw kids being hauled out of the church as if they were toys being thrown under the bed. I saw ponyboy's arm catch on fire so I threw myself in and grabbed him by the waist and threw him out the window I just hope he didn't break anything in the process of being thrown out of a window. Then I realized something where had all this energy come from why am I not coughing? but before I could think about it I heard a piercing scream and it was coming from johnny! As if hypnotized I walked into the room and picked him up and threw him out the window though I was a bit more gentle with him because he seemed to be in worse condition then ponyboy but not in a lethal condition. Then I heard a screamed order only now the heat and smoke and rush hit me.
"Jaz c'mon get out of there your gonna die!" I could hear Dallas's voice but it was far away probably back in Tulsa. I swayed a little but tried to regain my balance which seemed almost impossible. Before I knew it a stray piece of timber came crashing down on my head and that was the end . . . I hoped.
Chapter 6
when I woke up I was in a white room maybe this is the entrance to heaven I thought maybe when I passed out the church fell on me and I didn't make it . . . that was exactly what I had been hoping for . . . but then I heard Two-bits laugh and no one not even God himself could create a sound like his laugh. I tried to sit up but it felt like my body was attached to the bed
"Hey she's alive!" I thought it was Steve's voice
"Huh? what are you guys doing here...this is the line for...heaven ….isn't it?" I asked weakly Darry chuckled.
"Oh great she's delirious" he laughed
"You would be too if you were in her position." soda defended me. I fully opened my eyes to see some of the gang in one small white room my eyes wandered until I saw an IV bag and my eyes trace it down to a taped plastic tube in my arm! I stared at it in horror.
"we were afraid you were dead." Two-bit explained solemnly.
"Dally told us what happened. . . Do you remember anything?" Darry asked.
The truth was I remembered everything, but I didn't want to. So I just shook my head
"No" I said simply "How long was I out?" I asked
"about a week." A whole week? I shuddered
"Are you cold?" Darry jumped up and before I could respond he mummified my in two thin hospital sheets. I took a headcount and noticed three boys were missing...
"wheres-?" before I could even ask the question Soda pointed behind me where ponyboy was sitting I held up three fingers and took one down.
" Dally is in the room across the hall and and johnny is in the room a wing over." Steve said, I gave a questioning look
"no reason" Darry assured me "except they ran out of room here apparently the little kids took up most of the children's wing you guys were put into the last two available rooms." I nodded satisfied
"when's the big rumble?" I asked if I couldn't be in it I still wanted to 'stay in the loop'
"this Friday" Ponyboy said for the first time since I woke up.
"great," I said then got an idea. "Can one of you at least trick a soc to come down to the hospital so I can beat him up." they all laughed at me
"even though she's has the strength of a kitten she's still got her tuffness." Steve said beaming like he was my proud father. Pretty soon a nurse came in to give me my daily injections and then told the boys that visitation hours were almost over so they left.
"Ponyboy" I called I wanted to tell him some thing important if I died and didn't tell him my soul would be trapped on this earth. He walked over to wear I was half laying-half sitting (thanks to the help of Two-bit and the bed controller.)
" you know that poem by the Frost guy? um Robert Frost? And his poem about life of gold?" He nodded slowly, a tear forming at the corner of his left eye.
" I know what it means," he peered at me through tearful eyes I wiped one eye dry while trying to muster the energy for an explanation.
"it means life is gold when your young, not many greasers live life golden but we do . . . you, me, Johnny. We still know that there's good in the world like how we both dig sunsets... that's gold, and how we both. . . . like books... another gold." I could have said more things but my oxygen was running short and I think I made quite a stirring speech because he was silent and I reliezed he couldn't say anything or he might start to cry. He rubbed my shoulder with his right hand as a tear from his left eyes and landed on his hand. Just then Darry appeared at the doorway but didn't call ponyboy at the moment because he didn't want to ruin the moment for us. After a few moments he finally broke the silence
"Come on Ponyboy Two-bits got the car parked out front and hes getting tired of waiting." ponyboy walked out still sniffling, I felt bad for him; I just wanted to tell him some important facts... not make him cry. Darry wrapped his arm around his brothers shoulders.
"Feel better Jaz." he said as they left. After that depressing 5 minutes I fell asleep.
Now that I was conscience a young nurse asked me if there was anything I wanted.
" Yes," I said " Can I see the other survivors, um..Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston." It felt so weird to call them by their real names, But I was in a place of formality so I spoke in an official tone.
After a long time of getting a wheelchair brought down, two male nurses and a female nurse picking my up without moving too much in fear of breaking the carefully stitched skin that had to be sewn back in place after it had almost melted away, and even more gently sliding me into the wheelchair a friendlier nurse who had been watching me while I was unconscious wheeled me very carefully to a door where I had to wait until it was safe for me to be wheeled in. as soon as the tenant of the room was aware I was coming in I was wheeled into a room and seeing Johnny in the bed attached to all sorts of wires and buzzing and beeping things I was immediately overcome with guilt. Grief, and reassurance. I wasn't sure what brought on these mixed emotions but I could have sworn that in that hospital bed, johnny looked a lot older than sixteen, not exactly an old wrinkled man but close.
"hi johnny" I managed to squeak, most of my energy had been used just getting to the room I could barley talk he grinned at me when I came in
"Hey Jaz?" he asked "how are ya?" he quickly made a face realizing just how dumb that question was
"A bit better than I must look" I smiled weakly I turned to face the mirror that was in the bathroom I wheeled myself about and inch or two and the door was ajar. What a scary sight I was! Pale skin, something that looked like dark purple clown makeup under my eyes, my eyes themselves were hollow and the Irish green color that was there had pretty much melted away my eyes were like an old filmy gray. I looked like something out of Beetlejuice or worse if it were possible. Johnny smiled lightly. I've always had a small crush on Johnny but none of the gang knew because I treated them all the same; like brothers and I was the gangs little sister but I would always go the extra mile for Johnny and I was careful to never be alone in the same room with him. Even with the light crispened burn marks and bruises he still hadn't changed at all and I started to like him even more knowing that he wouldn't die because I saved his life.
"you know the gang came over earlier and told me they were still writing stories in the paper about us." he said
" I know they came to see me too bad I was unconsience for most of the visit," I complained. But grinned all the more because we both agreed: we hated all this publicity! Pretty soon he started to groan miserably, at first I was worried and nearly jumped out of the wheelchair
"Johnny are you ok?" I asked alarmed.
"Yeah" he said. " the painkiller just wore off" it had been just now that I too felt a shooting pain up my right side from were my skin had to be sewn back on. The nurse rushed in and injected a clear liquid into johnny's arm he winced at the needle but after a minute his moaning had ceased and he felt a lot better but at that moment my nurse came in and told me it was time to go. I still had to get my injection and I had to rest before I could go see Dally.
As I was wheeled out I said goodbye to johnny and I could have sworn I saw him blushing.
It was almost two hours before I could go see Dally, after getting the injection the nurse spiked it with some sleeping medicine after some stitches tore when I was being put back in the bed. I'm really glad she did because my side started to sting about ten minutes ago but not as much since it was also a strong painkiller so I slept like he dead for two hours.
" are you feeling better?" a nurse asked me handing me a glass of something
"yeah" I said taking a sip of what tasted like apple juice she put the glass on a table n ext to me and asked me if I wanted to go see dally
"yes I am." so she ordered a nurse in training to get a wheelchair. I've never figured out where the got the wheelchairs from but then I sat in the one that mysteriously appeared and I was wheeled down to a room across the hall and I heard some yelling.
"who the heck would wanna see me?" Dally asked
"she said she was a friend." a pleading voice answered
" oh so she.. let her in!" good ol' dally.
I was wheeled in and Dally nearly jumped out of the bad
"Hey Jaz. How you doin'? He asked
" hi Dally. I guess im better than I look." I answered laughing he chuckled and nodded in agreement.
"you know they're still writing editorials about us in the paper." he said with such ease though I knew something was bothering him about it.
"they didn't even say anything about my police records man!" he whined
"awe poor baby." I said awkwardly while he grinned. I love being the gangs little sister im always there from them.
"Hey I heard Johnny's mom is coming, I wanna yell at her, you know when shes coming?" I asked
"nope. Sorry." he said. So I summoned a nurse who hurried over since my nurse wasn't around.
"are you okay sweetie?" she asks she looks like a grandmother
" Im fine," I sad " I was just wondering when Mrs. Angela Cade was coming to visit her son, could you tell me when she is supposed to arrive?"I asked in my most official tone
"im sorry sweetie but its not my business to tell patients about other patients visitors." she said Dang! Then I thought of something
"i was just wondering because she's my mother and I think I should know when my mom is coming." I lied smoothly.
"oh let me find out." she said sheepishly wow I should really get an Oscar for this! Dally silently applauded me and smiled at my fantastic acting
""She should be coming sometime around three." she said
"thank you." just then my nurse walked in asking if I was OK since she just saw a nurse walk out and I was left alone.. or with dally (I don't know what was worse for them!)
"im fine." I answered, she nodded and said it was time to go since my "mom" would be here
"bye dal" I was wheeled back to my room. I don't remember much after that just then I was given an injection and then it was peaceful and dark. sometime around three pm I was woken up and told my "mom" would be here soon.
" great." I said I was put into a polished blue wheelchair and wheeled down to the door of my "brother" Johnny's room after a little while Mrs. Cade came in and glared at me, when I first moved in she was the sweetest lady I ever met, of course she was sober then. She brought me cookies and told me good things about the neighborhood. But then she found out I was a hood and she treated me horribly glaring cursing and sometimes slapping me. I don't know why johnny put up with her all the years then johnny's nurse came in and told him that his mom was here then I heard yelling well more like croaking
"I don't want to see her! Johnny yelled then it all went silent the nurse walked out slowly, putting her hand on my shoulder she smiled apologetic at Mrs. cade I looked down expecting the worst. But then to my surprise
"he and I made an agreement he says you can come in if she comes too."
Mrs Cade looked furious
" What is she a bodyguard or something?" she demanded
" Maybe I am!" I yelled back, she glared at me and almost slapped me but must have decided to save it for her weak son. She stormed in but as soon as johnny turned to look at us she changed into an absolutely sweet person so sweet it was nauseating
"im so sorry this happened to you sweetie!" she said sniffling I stared at her incredulously she gave me a glare that said dont cross me. So I simply said
"the nurse left ." she turned and looked at me the made a face
"ok then." she whispered johnny looked weaker and more miserable then a puppy at the pound it was awful then he asked
"mom, would you miss me if I died?"then mocking sweetness she shot back
" No I wouldn't darling." then something snapped
"OF COURSE YOU WOULDNT!" I yelled "You wouldn't care if he got in a car accident suicide or any other horrible death-!"
"Jaz please-" johnny tried to plead me out of what I was about to do.
"I'm sorry johnny but she REALLY needs this." I said softly
"shutup honey no I don't if I want some little-" I didnt let her finish that anger rushed threw me
"Yes you do!" I yelled as high as my smoke-inhaled vocal chords could go
"You so need this, you know my parents never cared about what I did, where I went and who I hung out with you know why?" she raised her hand to slap me in hops of shutting me up but I grabbed her wrist and threw it back in her face.
" Why!" she challenged as if thinking I waas only trying to annoy her. Oh, but I had my reason.
"Because there dead!" I yelled almost crying but I could wimp out here I had to keep fighting.
"my dad was slaughtered by a soc and my mom commuted sucide both trageties when I was only nine" tears started forming at the corner of my eyes johnny wrapped and arm around my shoulders as angry as I was I was also scared and only johnny knew that I was trembling he wiped a tear away from the corner of my right gray eye. Once I was in control of myself I started yelling again
"Compared to johnny's life mine is heaven at keast he has parents and you should love him not abuse him!" I yelled " I can see why he hates you, myparents actually loved me when they were alive." by now Mrs cade was crying and to top it off, to give her the torture she had given johnny all these years
"johnny tell her the good news." I said. He looked at me and I nodded.
"tell me what?" she demanded
"mom," he took a deep breath. "I'm moving in with jaz and theres nothing you can say or do to make me change my mind." that was quite a speech for johnny. His mom started shaking and crying and looked as if she could start an eathquake so my nurse took her out to the Cade's car.
Now it was official so johnny grinned the widest grin that id ever seen him use!
"we have to tell the boys!" I said and as if on cue the boys came in and apparently heard everything they hugged us and we were all happpy until the nurse came in.
I looked dow expecting some kind of punishment but instead she hugged me and said that what I did was right. Then to everyone's suprise she asked me to stand up out of the wheel chair I was in. when I first came to the hospital I was paralized but when she saw me fighting mrs cade she saw me move my hand and to everyones great happiness I stood up and even took three careful steps over to johnny's bed
"why dont you try?" I asked and then he stood up and hugged me! We were all laughing and smiling and having the time of our lives standing there hugging, until one of my legs got tired and I collapsed a nurse and 5 boys came to my rescue and asked if I was ok I stood back up laughing and to my pure happiness my nurse came in and talked to johnny's nurse for what felt like 2 minutes and they turned back smiling.
"weve agreed that because you too seem so strong on your own you can leave the hospital tomarrow afternoon." and the way the whole gang reacted you might have said all socs were banned to some desert isand and we would never get jumped again! If only we were so lucky!
chapter 7
Finally we get to go home today! I wore my best greaser outfit; Jeans, white tank top, Black knit jacket, and my brown high heel boots. Of course I hadnt walked 5 feet since the accident so I had to be really careful in the high heels. It felt so great to be able to walk out of that hospital. The only bad thing is that johnny fell off his bed as I came to pick him up so I litterally had to pick him up a halh carrieed him out of the hospital and into darry's car. And Darry dropped us off at my house and this time johnny could come in without feeling guilty since he lived here now. It was great, exept that night I had a dream, I dreamt of a cop chase, cops chasing Dally. He was shot down and killed. The next morning Darry called and said Dally had died that night, apparently his master plan went wrong and the cops took him down.
The funeral: Horrible!
But the next day made up for that because that was the day that the whole gang helped me and johnny move into our house. It was great 7 freinds happy, telling jokes and eating pizza.
It was later that evening during the sunset when I steeped out and spotted ponyboy where I'd most expect him
"hey" I said quietly he turned around
"hey." he replied I walked to the edge of the fence and he wrapped his arm around me shoulders.
"you know I remember watching the same sunset before all of this happened." he laughed and I turned around and looked at him professionally
"I think I like the whole blonde thing better." he laughed and we went back to watching the sunset after it had gotten dark darry came out and told pony it was time to go.
"see ya jaz." they both said. And they left. It was getting dark and cold so I was about to walk into the house when johnny walked out.
"coming in jaz?" he asked
"yeah," I said softly and spacily "Need any help unpacking?" I asked
"nope ...theres not much too unpack." he answered
"if you want we can go out and buy some new clothes and stuff for you." I said
"thanks." he replied slowly then before I could blink he rushed towards me and hugged me with the strength he had (which wasnt much0 I knew that all our lives would be different now no one is sure how but im hoping for the better,...well we would only know by living them.
THE END!