"Stupid idiots! You stupid freaks!" was the last thing I heard Darry shout into the night sky before blacking out. After what seemed like ions, I reawakened on the park bench. Well thanks, Darry. That's definitely a place to set down a guy who's just fainted. Soda was sitting with me, stroking my bleach-blonde hair. Through weary eyes, I could make out the remains of the gang huddled around something…something…Dallas! It was Dallas!
One of the cops who blasted his gun at Dally handed Darry something, a black object and a crumpled up paper. I pulled myself up, only to be rejected by Sodapop. "We need to see Dallas!" I shouted. Soda stroked my hair again. "Shh, Pony, shh. Lay down, you need to rest." Soda stared at the gang. I bet he wished he was over there, seeing Dal one last time. Steve came up to us first.
"Is he okay?" he asked, actually seeming concerned. Steve Randle never liked me, so I don't know why he seemed so sad. Maybe it was because of Johnny. And Dally. Soda nodded. "He's doing alright, but he seems sorta dizzy," he replied in his kind, soothing voice. That was Sodapop for you.
"Look what ol' Dally had." That was Two-Bit Mathews. "An empty heater, some crinkled paper but no switchblade." Darry grabbed his shirt. "Our boy dead, and all you doin' is complaining about some knife?" He get Two-Bit go. "Now let us take care of my kid-brother."
I peered up at Darry, pleading in my croaky voice. "Dare…please. Read me that paper Dal had." Darry looked at me like I was crazy, but bent, unfolding the crimpled, yellow-orange paper. His eyes grew wide and he frantically looked at the gang. "It's a letter!" Everyone gathered around Darry, but me and Soda. Soda kept me down so I could rest. "Read it to us, will you, Dare?" I begged closing my thousand pound eyelids. He quietly examined it, and started.
"To the gang, from Dally,
I can't believe that Johnny is dead, man. I don't wanna believe it, but it's true. He was the most innocent kid you'd ever meet and he died because of one mistake. One. I've made hundreds of 'em, but I'm still here, ain't I? That's unfair, man. Unfair. Johnny was a better person than I am, or by the time you are reading this, was. I don't want to live in a world without Johnny Cade in my life. That is Hell on Earth for me. Johnny was the only person who I really had. Who I need to keep me out of real trouble. I'm losing my mind, sitting here in the hospital, wanting to whip out my unloaded gun, man, to scare people. I know what I'm going to do. Rob that grocery store near the lot, man. Whip out the heater, get shot down by the fuzz. I'm going to call you before, because I want my boys there. You guys, and Johnny, were my only real family. The only ones who'd ever do anything for me. I just have a few words to drop on you each individually. Darry- you're the man. Superman. Make time for Pony. I may be a hoodlum, but I can see you guys were distant. Sodapop- don't get rid of your looks and take care of Sandy. She's a keeper. Steve- fix your teeth man, and don't fight with your Pop. You'll regret it like I did. Two-Bit- I'll miss you and your wisecracking, man. Don't ever change, you hear me? Oh, and sorry about your switchblade. I had to ditch it at the hospital to get to the rumble, man. Might still be there, check my windowsill. Ponyboy- stay gold, whatever the Hell Johnnycake meant by that. Don't turn out like me, you were a pretty decent kid. And sorry I deserted you at the hospital…I want you all to tell my parents that I hate them, and they deserve a kid even worse than me. Well, I don't wanna stay up in this crappy hospital anymore, so I'm gonna go to that grocery store and wait 'til it's empty to strike. This'll be in my pocket, if you find it. Hopefully it's not in the place where the fuzz'll shoot me. Peace, guys. See you in Hell.
-Dally"
We stood in utter silence. "So…he planned it…," Steve choked, sounding like he wanted to cry. Two-Bit hugged him. "It's alright, man. I don't care 'bout that old knife anymore." Darry was frozen in shock, and Soda was thinking like there was no tomorrow since he stopped stroking my head. "I guess he wanted to die, and Dallas Winston always gets what he wanted…," I alleged, holding my breath after.
An ambulance came, picking up Dal's body in a body bag, and he was gone forever. A few days later, I found a letter from Johnny in his copy of Gone with the Wind. He and Dallas think alike, leaving their legacies in letters. I found that amusing. Johnnycake asked me to tell Dally to look at a sunset, and to tell him that there is still lots of good in the world. Also, that it was worth saving those kids, even at the cost of his life. I sat here at my desk, thinking of Johnny and Dally. I still could not believe Dally planned his death. I sighed, and took out a paper and a pen, labeling it "The Outsiders."
A/N: Meh, just a oneshot short story of Dally's letter. Hoped you liked it!