Losing two friends is hard. Especially when they are as close as family. That's how it was to a gang of seven guys who were as close as brothers, but then lost two tragically. It was especially hard for Ponyboy Curtis. He saw them both die and went through a lot before their deaths even occurred. His two older brothers, Darry and Sodapop, had been trying to get their youngest brother back to normal from when the deaths happened a few months back.
Not everyone was completely back to normal. The other two buddies of the Curtis brothers, Two-Bit Mathews and Steve Randle, even thought about Dally and Johnny at times. The worst part was the rivals, the Socs, blamed the greasers for everything. They wanted revenge and were planning to do anything. Rumors went around on what they were going to do to the greasers, but they hadn't acted upon it yet.
Darry and Soda were greatly concerned about Ponyboy the most. He thought about his two friends, and had nightmares that left him on the edge, but he had started having behavioral problems as well. Pony was getting angry easier and was acting on the depression side. Soda had found a short story Pony had written about death, and it was rather disturbing when he showed it to Darry. Two-Bit mentioned a couple times when Pony removed his sweater, there were fresh scars on his wrist. Everything was worrying Soda and Darry for their little brother.
It was after dinner one night when Soda and Darry were talking in Darry's room. Two-Bit agreed to take Pony out for awhile so they could talk in private.
"Have you decided on a doctor yet?" Soda asked.
"Not exactly," Darry said with a sigh. Soda knew Darry was stressing over Ponyboy, but this was getting serious and they couldn't wait any longer for Pony to get better on his own.
Soda started pacing the bedroom, "You know, I really do think Pony is cutting himself like Two-Bit told us."
"What makes you so sure?" Darry asked rubbing his temple. He was pretty sure it was true, too, but he didn't want to believe it. He didn't like believing that his youngest brother could really be becoming ill from everything that's happened.
"I found a blade under the bathroom sink. It was shoved behind everything and there were blood stains. Either that or Two-Bit or Steve murdered someone and hid the evidence," Soda said. Darry let out a slight chuckle at the little joke.
"Maybe the doctor ain't a bad idea," Darry commented. Before Soda could reply, they heard the front door open and shut. The two oldest Curtis brothers went downstairs and found Ponyboy sitting on the couch and Two-Bit pacing the living room. "What's going on?" Darry asked as him and Soda approached the two downstairs.
Two-Bit looked up at Darry and sighed, "Pony here got in a fight." Darry didn't feel the need to lecture at the moment. Pony just got up and went to his room.
"You guys, something is seriously going on," Two-Bit said, "And you can't keep ignoring it."
"We're not ignoring it, Two-Bit," Darry snapped, "We're trying to figure out what's wrong and how to handle it."
Two-Bit sighed, "I'm sorry, I know. But we do know the problem, Darrel. We all know Pony's having a hard time coping with Dally and Johnny's deaths. I mean it was within a year of your folks, so this is probably hitting him so hard, because he's so young. He shouldn't have to deal with it."
Darry sat in the armchair and rubbed his temples again, "I know that this is hitting very hard, but I'm wondering about the doctor thing."
"Darry, we won't know if it will work until we try," Soda said. Darry knew he was right with that point.
"I just wish he would talk to one of us, though. It's not like we don't understand what's going on, we all went through it," Two-Bit pointed out.
"Yeah, but he was there for Johnny and Dally's deaths, so it wasn't probably the best view of his life," Darry said. Just then everyone heard a soft bang from upstairs. All three greasers went upstairs to the closed bathroom door. As expected, when Darry tried it, it was locked. He knocked, "Pony, open the door."
There was no reply.
"Damnit, Ponyboy, open the door. Open it now!" Darry yelled. There was no sign of movement. No one even heard the slightest moving of anything in the bathroom. Everyone feared for what could have happened, for what Pony could have done to himself. Darry started pounding the door as hard as he could.