"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house," began Ponyboy.

"Not this fricking story again," said Dally. "We hear it every darn Christmas."

"Yeah," said Steve. "Don't you know any other Christmas stories?"

"Well," said Pony thoughtfully, "I'd have to get Darry's permission to tell you guys. But if he says it's ok I'll tell you guys the story."

Pony ran into the kitchen were Darry was making Christmas dinner.

"Hey Darry," called Pony, "can I tell the gang about your dream that you had a couple of nights ago."

"Sure," said Darry.

Pony walked back to the gang. They all looked at him in interest.

"Ok," said Pony. "Everyone gather around. I'm going to tell you guys a story that Darry told me. Ok Here goes."

Darrel Curtis walked home from work on a cold chilly winter evenning. He had just finished work at his second job and was about to get some shut eye for the night. He had to get up early the next morning for his other job.

Pony and Soda were asleep like they usually were when he got home late from his second job. So Darry went as quietly as he could to his own room and changed and climbed into bed. That is when everything went down hill. Right when he was going to shut his eyes he saw someone he thought he'd never see again.

"Who was it?" asked Johnny.

"Shh," hissed Steve. "He's getting there. Let him tell the story man."

"Don't tell Johnny to sh," yelled Dally.

"Settle down you guys," said Soda. "Go ahead Pony."

"Darry," said the ghost of Mrs. Curtis, "you've lost your way my poor poor son. We are here to help you."

"Son," said the ghost of Mr. Curtis, "you will be visited by three ghosts this night. Hopefully they will teach you something before it is too late for you."

With that the parents were gone. Darry thought it was just his imagination. So he went to sleep. A few minutes later he was nudged awake. He looked around for the guitly party. If it was Two Bit he was so going to get it. But it wasn't Two Bit. There sat Johnny Cade looking at him.

"Hey Johnny," said Darry. "You know you don't have let me know your here. You can just come in and make yourself comfortable."

"I'm not Johnny," said the Johnny look a like. "I'm the ghost of Christmas Past. I'm here to show you what Christmas was like before."

"All right. I'll go for it. Then show me oh ghost of Christmas Past."

"Take my hand and we'll travel back in time. Back to yesteryear."

Darry took "the ghost of Christmas Past's" hand and they instantly appeared in a small house. This was the Curtis house. They went inside to find the small family. The parents and their three little boys. The family was gathered around the Christmas tree.

"I know that we don't have much in the way of presents," said Mrs. Curtis, "but I hope you boys have a very happy Christmas."

"We did mom," said younger Darry. "Christmas isn't about the presents it's about family."

"Do you remember that?" asked the ghost of Christmas Past.

"Yes,"Darry said. "I remember Pony and Soda looking disappointed."

"Yes. Let's move on. Shall we?"

The next place they went to was a Christmas party at a small warehouse. The small family was there. As were a bunch of other people.

"The warehouse Christmas party," said Darry. "Soda, Pony, and I used to love these things."

"I'm sure you'll remember this party. It was the last one you ever went to."

"Yeah."

Darry watched as the girl he had a crush on told him to get lost. She didn't date hoods like him. It was after this that Darry lost his liking for the Christmas parties at the warehouse.

"We have one last stop to make," said the ghost of Christmas Past taking Darry's hand.

They appeared in the small house with the little family again.

"Do you have to show me this," said Darry. "It's not like I can change what happens next."

He got not no reply. He looked around and found that he was in his own room. This was beginning to be a very freaky night. Darry closed his eyes again and went to sleep for a while.

A few minutes later Darry was shaken awake again. Why oh why did they have to shake him awake. He opened his eyes. There grinning like a Chesire cat was Two Bit.

"Two Bit," yelled Darry, "I'm trying to sleep." Darry turned over and tried to close his eyes.

Two Bit shook him awake again.

"Ok. Ok," said Darry. "Don't tell me ghost of Christmas Present. Right?"

"Yes, sirree," said the ghost of Christmas Present. "We let's go. We got lots to see and to little time."

With that Two Bit grabbed Darry's hand and dragged to god knows where.

They appeared in the little house from before. To see no parents, no Darry, just Soda and Pony.

"When's Darry getting home?" asked Pony.

"Darry's getting home late tonight," said Soda. "He's working overtime. We have to pay the bills some how. Or at least that's what he said."

"I left Pony and Soda alone on Christmas?" asked Darry.

"Yeah," said the ghost of Christmas Present. "But at least your friends didn't forget about Christmas." He pointed to the little group walking up the front steps.

"I didn't mean it guys," said Darry.

He looked around to find that he was back in his own room again. Darry tried his best to get back to sleep. But this dream was beginning to freak him out. It was sort of a kin to Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol in a way. That is when he saw someone else in his room. He looked over towards his doorway to find Dally standing.

"Don't tell me Dally," said Darry, "your the ghost of Christmas Future."

"Yeah. Yeah," said Dally. "Let's get this over with. Ok?"

The next thing Darry knew he was standing outside one of his jobs. All the workers were milling out.

"They just laid everyone off in time for Christmas," said Dally. "Great people huh?"

"Laid everyone off?" asked Darry. "As in fired everyone?"

"Yeah man."

"Me too. This isn't good. One of the only ways Soda, Pony and I can stay together is if I have a job. I still have my other job right?"

"No. Sorry man."

The next thing Darry knew he was standing in front of his own house. There was a state car outside. Pony and Soda were being lead out of the house.

"I want to stay with Darry," cried Pony.

"It's going to be ok," said Soda soothingly. "They can't do this to us."

"I can change this," said Darry to the ghost of Christmas Future. "Right?"

Dally didn't answer.

"I can change it. I will change it," cried Darry. "I will. I will."

"Darry," he heard. "Darry are you ok?"

He opened his eyes to find his two bothers sitting on the end of his bed looking at him like he was crazy.

"I just had the strangest dream," said Darry. "I'll tell you about over breakfast."

"That my friends is the end of the story," said Pony. "So was that good enough for you Dally?"

"Yeah," said Dally. "Good job on the story kid."

No one saw Darry and Pony share a wink.

The End