The summer of '67 was a heartbreaker for some. Just ask Ponyboy Curtis for instance. He'll know. He'd tell you the whole story - starting from getting jumped to seeing his two best friends die in one night - he'd know.
Two greasers, thought who to some people may not be important, died one night. One a hero, the other a hoodlum.
Johnny Cade was a hero, along with Ponyboy. They had saved a bunch of little children's lives from a deadly church fire, but it had cost Johnny Cade's life.
He said it had been worth saving the kids.
Ponyboy had other thoughts.
He wished he hadn't gone into the fire, and just stayed in the car. Going back home to Darry and sodapop. Yet, hearing these thoughts echo in his thought made him feel kind of guilty.
He should've been glad he saved them.
Otherwise they would have been dead. And it would have been their fault, not doing anything about it. They had started the fire, and they were lucky to come back in time and see it.
Johnny died the night of the rumble along with Dallas Winston - who died a hoodlum.
Dally was no hero, except to Pony and Johnny, dragging Johnny out of the church fire and saving him a little too late.
But otherwise, he was no hero.
Dallas was more of a criminal. He would never die a hero, only a hoodlum.
Just like everyone knew he'd die someday.
And he remembered "Stay Gold" from Johnny.
It was the only thing that kept him going. He stayed Gold, he tried his best. He did it for Johnnycakes, his buddy, his best friend.
Ponyboy had known Johnny and Dally were up somewhere where they were safe and happy from the greaser and soc conflict, but it wasn't the same without them.
A year afterwards, Sodapop, his middle brother, was drafted to war along with Steve Randle.
7 months later, Pony was anxiously waiting for his older brother to come back.
He never did.
At the train station, when the soldiers from Vietnam War came back, he only saw Steve Randle, but not Sodapop.
"Where-Where's soda?" Pony's voice croaked to Steve as he looked up at him, about to cry. Steve could only sigh and looked down.
"I'm sorry Pony, but, Soda...he was killed before we were supposed to be sent home." Pony fell apart then. His brother, who cared and understood him like no other, was gone. And who was also Steve's best friend. So he couldn't blame neither of them.
They walked home and Pony shut himself in his room the rest of the day and didn't come out.
Pony didn't know what to do. A year later Steve was on heroin, Two bit was drinking and all he had was Darry for family.
Nothing was the same in their you could call "Gang".
Ponyboy was falling apart.
It was 1969, and he was 16 years old. His friends, Johnny and Dally and his brother, Sodapop were gone. And Pony was lost without them.
Darry was working double shifts, Two bit never came around along with Steve, so Tulsa wasn't the same.
The Dingo had been burned down by the socs in '68. So he couldn't go there to get a Soda, or even the DX.
The DX closed and was an empty building on the street.
Pony sat hopelessly on the cemetery bench, wishing he could see his friends and brother, one last time.
"Ponyboy?" a voice sounded so familar to him he looked up.
In the sunlight was a figure, who looked exactly like his brother. The physical features, the clothes and everything.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Pony looked around then back at him.
He was still there.
"Soda?" Pony managed to say without fainting. Soda smiled and took a seat by him. He looked real and not ghostly. Like a solid, human being.
"What are you doing here?" Pony asked, afraid to touch his brother or look at him. Soda gave a soft laugh.
"I should ask the same of you." Pony shrugged.
"I miss you. I dont know what to do anymore, Soda. The sky seems grayer now and Two bit and Steve are gone along with Darry. Nothing's the same.." Pony's voice drifted off and he heard someone speak.
"Pony it's going to be alright." it wasn't Sodapop who spoke. The voice was too soft and glassy. Pony risked a glance and looked up; in front of him was a small face, with puppy dog eyes and shaggy black hair.
"Johnny?" Johnny smiled.
"Yeah, it's me." someone walked up behind him. Dally.
"Don't forget ole' Dallas Winston." he said, smirking. Ponyboy didn't want to believe it.
He couldn't believe it, but he did, anyways.
He felt Soda's arm wrap around his shoulders.
"Ponyboy, listen, it's going to be okay. Things will be better in the future. Don't take things for granted, ya dig?" Ponyboy nodded, listening carefully for what they had to say. Johnny smiled and Dally stood there, listening, not saying a word.
"Yeah, Soda's right. We'll always be there for you. Even when you dont know it." and for the first time, Ponyboy attempted a smile but couldn't make it a full one. Soda squeezed his shoulder.
Soda saw it though.
"There's my brother!" he said, grinning.
A bell chimed in the distance. Johnny and Soda suddenly frowned and Soda stood up, along with pony.
"Wait-dont go," Pony said, frowning too. Soda smiled and hugged his brother tightly.
"Tell Darry we miss him. And for once to spend some time with ya. Dont forget I'm watching!" Soda said, imitating a look as in "I'm watching you," Pony slightly laughed.
"I miss you Soda," Soda smiled and rubbed Pony's hair.
"Love ya, Pony." he said before Johnny smiled at him.
"See ya around, Ponyboy." he said before they all faded away. Ponyboy sighed as they disappeared and back into heaven. He knew he wouldn't see them for a long time, but they'd always be watching him, no matter what.
As Pony was turning back he heard a distant, shy quiet voice whisper,
"Stay Gold, Pony,"
Ponyboy turned and headed home, with a smile on his face for the first time, in a long time.