I rolled over in bed onto one side, my stomach still full from all the food we ate the night before. With one eye open, I managed to glance at the clock. Five fifty-eight in the morning. That's way too early for me to be up! My head fell back onto the pillow and almost instantly fell asleep.

The nightmares were getting worse. They were occurring every night now at some point. Every night, the same dream; mom and dad in the car driving home from wherever they were comin' from. It was mighty nice dreamin' about them again, that ain't the worst part. Almost immediately after it seemed like a nice dream, that train appeared. The very one that struck dad's car, killing both of them. I squinted my eyes tightly with the same tears streamin' down my face like they always did, every night. I tossed and turned, accidentally pulling the covers off Soda a couple times. I kept waking him up. I felt bad.

"Pony, you all right?" Soda asked in a weary voice.

I didn't respond.

"Pony!" He shook me awake.

I gasped, almost choking on my own saliva. I gagged almost instantly upon sitting up.

"Is it them nightmares again?" He asked with one hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah." I managed to choke through tears.

"Darry made you a doctors appointment next week." Soda said, comfortingly, "We'll find out what's wrong."

I nodded, drying the tears away. My body was still trembling from the horrid nightmare.

"Now, go back to sleep," He yawned, "It's only six thirty."

"Okay."

Although I couldn't fall back asleep, at least them nightmares weren't occurring none. I stayed awake more and more each night, hoping them nightmares wouldn't pop up again. At around seven fifteen in the morning, I finally fell back asleep.

I heard the faint sound of a knock at the front door. Not thinkin' anything of it, I ignored it. I figured Darry would get it sooner or later. My feet were stickin' out of the blanket, so I curled into a ball so that I was bundled up nice and warm. I wasn't comfortable for long. There was a knock on my door. Soda and I almost instantly sprung out of bed.

"Yeah?" I yelled, thinkin' it was just one of the gang.

"Pony, Soda, there's someone here to see you." I heard Darry's voice on the other side of the door.

I instantly threw on the shirt I wore last night and jeans. I watched as Soday did about the same thing. I waited for him, a little nervous as to who it could be that wanted to talk to us.

The two of us exited the room and walked uneasily into the living room. There sat Darry and this woman I had never seen before. Did someone die? I questioned to myself, it's too quiet in here. I observed the room and realized that I had forgotten to clean up the mess from the party we threw the other night with the gang. There was cake smeared all over the walls, things that were once on tables were now scattered all over the floor, pictures broken, and a whole lot more.

"Sit down." Darry declared, pointing at the couch opposite him and the woman. Everyone looked so tense, I was getting really edgy.

"My name is misses Williams, I work for the Logan County Home for Boys."

Straightaway, I felt my face grow hot with fear and despondency. My limbs felt heavy and my whole body began to tremble. I didn't let that show none. I knew better than that.

"What did you come here for?" Soda asked, as frightened as I was, yet tryin' to sound chill.

"Your neighbors complained that there was too much noise coming from this house last night and I just wanted to check up on you." She responded very relaxed.

"We're fine!" I shouted hastily with my anger slowly rising the longer she sat there.

"He's right. Nothin' wrong here." Darry explained, "We were just havin' a bit of fun over here last night, that's all."

Soda and I nodded.

"I wouldn't be too sure," Mrs. Williams began to examine the room, "By the looks of this house no under-aged boys should grow up living like this!"

"But we're fine, miss," I stood up from the couch, my hands balled into fists by now, "I just forgot to clean up!"

I began to try everything to get her to leave. Her presence here was bothering me and I could tell I wasn't the only one.

The woman didn't respond. All I could do was watch her jot down notes that would eventually lead to her taking us away. I wanted to cry, but I knew if I did, I would only make things worse. I grabbed the back of my head with my hands and collapsed back onto the couch with my elbows on my knees. Soda put his arm around me.

"Ain't nothin' gonna happen to us, Pony." His soothing voice reassured me. Usually I couldn't tell when something was troubling him, but this time it was obvious that something was wrong.

"She's gonna take us away, I know it!" I muttered helplessly through my arms.

"No she ain't. Darry won't let that happen." He shook me some. I could tell that he was unsure what was going to take place after this as well.

It was silent in the room for about ten minuted while the woman roamed our house freely, checking every nook and cranny she could. Boy, I really wanted her outta here! I clenched my fists even tighter as my heart pounded against my chest. This was the most suspenseful moment of my life and I felt like it would kill me if she waited any longer to come to a decision. My breathing increased and my stomach and intestines felt like they were trying to escape my body as well.

"Soda," I lifted my head up.

"Pony, you don't look so good." Soda placed his hand over my forehead, "You're as white as a sheet!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick," right after I managed to let those words escape from my lips, I felt a barf comin' on.

I ran from the couch and out the door. I stopped at the porch railing and upchucked somethin' big.

"Pony, you all right?" I heard a voice climb up the porch stairs. I knew Johnny long enough to know that the voice belonged to him.

"Johnny, I'm scared!" I cried, holding my stomach.

"What happened?" He rushed over to me, noticing how red my face was now that I had thrown up.

I gasped for air, not ready for what was comin' at me. I slid down the porch column and onto the floor. Johnny joined me a few moments later.

"They're takin' me away. Me and Sodapop, they're takin' us away." My voice quivered as I tried to speak.

"Who?" Johnny sounded anxious.

"The woman. She works for a boy's home." I sobbed brokenly through my hands, "Johnny, I don't wanna go!"

"You ain't goin' nowhere." He encouraged me.

It wasn't long before the woman poked her head out the door.

"Ponyboy, pack your things, you and Soda are coming with me." I dreaded the worst, and it hit me in the face.

"No!" I heard Soda yell from inside, "We ain't goin'!"

"I'm sorry but this just isn't a suitable home for you and Ponyboy." Mrs. Williams said very nonchalant.

I was gonna be sick again. Leaving Darry? Would I ever see him again? A million thoughts were racing through my head at once. I didn't know which one to grab first. I stood up, turned around, leaned over the banister and went for round two of throwing up. I felt like all this puking was gonna make me pass out. What could I do to prove to her that Soda and I are perfectly fine? Then, the unexpected happened.

"If you take Pony away, you'll have to take me too," Johnny asserted, "My parents hate my guts and wish I was dead anyways!"

The woman lowered her glasses, "And who are you?"

Johnny turned towards me. I was stunned. What was he doing?

"Johnny, m'am." He said softly with his head down.

"Johnny-" The woman observed him.

"Cade." He stated, digging his hands into his jacket pockets.

She noticed the scar on his face.

"Did your parents do that to you?" She pointed out.

"Yes, m'am, they did." He lied. We all knew it was one of them socs who had done it.

"How did they do it?" She asked.

"That's the result of my dad drinkin' too much." That was all he had to say before Mrs. Williams sighed.

"Well, Johnny, this is the first time I've had someone want to come to a boy's home so willingly," She eyed him carefully, "You must really want to get away from your parents. They abuse you that much?"

He nodded. Johnny knew that if his parents found out about what he was doing, he'd be a goner for sure. I began to realize that this was the only way he could escape his folks. This was what he wanted from the start. I, on the other hand, wouldn't go without a fight.

"Darry, tell her! Tell her everything's okay!" I cried, holding onto the hand railing for support.

"M'am, I was granted full custody over these two, you can't just take them away!" Darry argued.

"I am fully aware of that, mister Curtis, but in the shape this dump is in, I cannot allow that any longer." Mrs. Williams declared, grabbing her purse from the chair.

I knew Darry had done all he could to keep us. I couldn't ask for more than I already had. I gasped for air as the tears continued to flow. I just couldn't stop! No matter how hard I tried, nothing would be able to stop these tears for a long time.

I did this. This was all my fault! I forgot to clean up last night. If I had, none of this would have happened. I almost felt like I was goin' to jail. I'd probably have the same reaction if I did.

Mrs. Williams patted her brown suit down as if it had been contaminated by somethin' bad. She wiped her black heeled shoes on the carpet, making sure nothing was attached to them. Her icy blue eyes glared at me as she repeated for me to pack my things.

I ran back into the house, into my room, and slammed the door shut. There was no lock so I had to do my best to hold it closed. I wasn't going anywhere, not even over my dead body!

I applied all my weight on the door, but considering I didn't weigh that much didn't do any good. I bawled loudly.

"Pony, open up!" The woman yelled, knocking on the door softly.

"No!" I screamed back at her. I knew I was acting like a little girl, but I couldn't help it, our family was being ripped apart by this woman. I wasn't gonna go!

By this time I could barely breathe, I was cryin' so hard. I'd never cried this hard before ever in my life. Not even when mom and dad died, and that was the worst.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way." The woman stated, sounding more serious than she had been before.

"You're not my mother!" I pounded my fists against the door, hoping it would scare her away.

"No, but I am your new guardian." She replied in a more calm voice.

"No," I exclaimed, "No!"

"Pony, I'll have this all settled in a few days. You ain't gonna be gone for long." Darry remarked, "I promise."

If Darry had already surrendered for now, I knew I wasn't gonna be any good at defending myself alone. I sniffled as I backed away from the door. I watched as the door knob turned and opened.

I snatched what ever I could get my hands on and whatever had any significance to me. A picture of all of us; me, Soda, Darry, mom, and dad was all I really needed. I threw some articles of clothing into a sack that wasn't very big. I packed double the amount as I should because I knew we wouldn't be stopping by Johnny's house to get him some clothes.

We lost this fight, for now. I knew Darry wouldn't give up, even if his life depended on it. We'll be together again soon.

Johnny, Soda, and I dragged our feet to the woman's car. For some reason, I got the feeling I'd never be back, so I wanted to take in as much as I could from now until we got to the car. The tears would not dry. The woman threw our stuff in the trunk as the three of us stepped into the car. I wouldn't stop staring outta the window; at Darry and the house.

"Once I get the papers filled out, we'll be a family again!" I heard him shout from behind the fence leading to the house. I knew he meant it. I saw him mutter a faint 'I love you' before we left him and the house behind.