Hey guys. I just watched The Hitcher (1986 version) and really liked it. I found out about it after looking up the actors from The Outsiders movie. C Thomas Howell was the actor as Ponyboy and Jim and I decided to write The Hitcher with Ponyboy instead of Jim. Maybe later I'll do one with Johnny and the Karate Kid. So enjoy. This is probably a one- shot, though, so don't expect more from this story. I might just skip to the ending where Ponyboy is meeting up with his family in Tulsa. Thanks for reading!

-Potter Jackson22

Ponyboy couldn't wait to get back home to Tulsa to see the gang again. He had been away in California to help his friend that moved away recently. He spent two weeks there baking in the sun and getting a pretty good tan.

He had been driving fourteen hours straight and it was two in the morning, but he was too excited to see the gang again to stop for my the night. But his body had other plans. Ponyboy felt his eyes start to close, and it felt nice. He thought that maybe only a couple seconds wouldn't hurt. He was falling asleep and the car was drifting into the other lane. Suddenly a large truck honked at Ponyboy and woke him up immediately. He yelped and swerved to avoid the truck. He didn't want to gave to stop for the night so he turned on the radio and continued to drive, now slightly more awake than earlier, but he was still very sleepy. It was raining and the radio was so dull, he was getting tired again when he saw a lone figure standing in the rain with his thumb out. Ponyboy realized that this was a hitchhiker, and decided to pick him up. He would probably help keep him awake during he drive, and then they both could get where they wanted.

Ponyboy heard a small voice in his head, warning him against the idea, but he ignored it and pulled up to the person. He got in the car and Ponyboy asked "so where are you going?"

There was no answer, so Pony just decided to start driving. He tried again at getting an answer from the man. "What's your name?"

This time he answered. "John Ryder."

"Where are you heading?" Pony asked again, keeping his eyes focused on the road.

There was still no reply to the question.

"What your name?" Ponyboy questioned again, trying to get an answer or response.

"John...Ryder." He finally said.

Soon they were driving around a corner and Ponyboy saw a car on the side of the road, looking dark and empty. Pony was about to pull over to check it out when John pushed on his leg, causing his foot to push down on the accelerator. His car sped by the one pulled over on the road.

"Hey!" Ponyboy exclaimed, looking over at John. "Who were they?"

"I ran out of gas." John said shortly.

"So you need a gas station" Pony suggested.

"They have cigarettes."

"I thought you needed gas"

"No"

"So what was that car doing there? Why didn't you want me to slow down?" Pony asked, getting annoyed with this man.

"He picked me up before you did. I cut off his legs... And his arms... And his head... And I'm going to do the same to you."

Ponyboy was now really scared of this man and decided to let him out.

"Ok. Ride's over." Pony said, pulling the car over.

John took out his pocket knife and held it against Pony' s leg. "I'm going to ait here and you're going to drive."

So Ponyboy started driving again until they reached a construction site. A man walked up to the car window and tapped it, waiting for Pony to pull it down.

"What part of Oklahoma are you from?" He asked, peering inside of the car.

Ponyboy was stunned and didn't answer. He looked at John who nodded toward to the construction worker. "Tell 'im, kid."

"Tulsa, Oklahoma." Ponyboy answered.

"My wife was from there." The worker replied, grinning. He then looked around and stepped back from the car. "The road's clear now. Have a nice night, gentlemen."

Ponyboy then drove on, while John opened the switch blade while tracing it around Pony's face.

"Do you wanna know what happens when an eyeball when it is punctured? Do you got any idea how much blood jets out of a guy's neck when his throat has been slit?" John slowly said, hold the knife up at Pony's eye.

"What do you want?" Ponyboy finally managed to say, trying to hold back tears. Greasers didn't cry.

"I want you to stop me." John said, running his blade a long Pony' s face.

Now Ponyboy started to cry. "Please. I'll do anything."

"Say four words." John said. "Say 'I want to die'."

"I don't know if I can say that." Ponyboy chocked out, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"Sure you can. Repeat after me. I"

"I-I-I"

"Want"

"W-w-w-ant"

"To."

"T-to"

"Die."

Ponyboy was so scared now. He needed an escape and fast. He quickly glanced around the car and noticed that John's door wasn' t closed all the way and he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. A surge of adrenalin rushed through Ponyboy that moment as he shoved John our of the car, screaming "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

John tumbled out of the car and out of sight.

Ponyboy kept driving quickly and glanced behind him, while breathing heavily with his heart beating rapidly, checking to make sure that the crazy man was gone. He then rubbed his hand over his face where the knife had been. It was fine.

"Yeah. Yeah. YEAAAAAAH! YEAAAAAAH! HAHA!" Ponyboy screamed while slamming his hand on the car's horn. "FUCK YOU, BUDDY!"

Ponyboy felt free and happy at last as he drove down the long highway, relieved that the man couldn't trouble him anymore.

John Ryder picked up his switch blade that was on the ground and stood up, watching the car speed away. He grinned knowing that this boy was the right one.