I stood there, my back up against the cold rock wall, beads of sweat rolling slowly down my face. Everything seemed to slow down the minute I slipped my hand shakily into my pocket. The Socs were all closing in on me… Take a deep breath, I thought. I felt the smooth round surface of the heater, chills going down my spine. My heart beat faster and faster every time I went to the thought of doing it.
One of the Socs flipped out his switchblade and held onto it lightly, a sinister smile crossing his face; his eyes were locked on me, as if he was trying to paralize me.
" Don't worry, it will only hurt if you struggle," another Soc whispered creepily. I felt my face go whiter than ever. Please don't make me do this, please don't make me do this, PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS! I remembered what dally told me. *get tough like me and nothing can touch you…*.
All of a sudden, a Soc leapt for me and without thinking I yanked it out and pulled the trigger. **BOOM!!** I screamed and dropped the gun on the ground. I was terrified yet relieved to find out that I didn't kill anybody. The Soc was grimacing and cussing me out while running to the mustang with the other Socs, holding his throbbing hand close to his chest. I could see the blood running down his hand and dripping to the ground.
I looked at the gun, watching the gunpowder smoke rise into the crisp, cold air slowly. I felt my head swim, trying to remember what just happened. I picked it up gingerly, breathing hard, thinking about what Darry and Soda were gonna say.
I could already hear the cops in the distant background running their sirens. I turned and ran as fast as I could down Sutton. I ran for about three blocks before I could see my house. I ran faster holding the gun tightly, making my knuckles whiter than anything. I jumped over the three stairs we had that lead up to our front porch and bolted through our door. I spun around and slammed the door shut, tears welling in my eyes. I was overcome with a cold sweat, my palms clammy with perspiration.
"Ponyboy… Is there something wrong?" Darry asked slowly. I turned to him quietly sobbing and held the gun up so that not only he could see it, but that Soda, Two- Bit and Steve could see as well. Darry's eyes went wider than ever, he stood up ever so slowly. Soda gasped and seemed to freeze in his position on the couch as well as Steve, Two-Bit's mouth was hanging open, a devastated look on his face. I was shaking tremendously and shook my head from side to side, tears of fright going down my face.
"I didn't mean to…" I couldn't get anything else out of my mouth. Darry held his hand up and kept transitioning his glance between me and the heater.
"Pony, just put … the gun … down …" Darry asked in a small voice. I dropped it and started crying uncontrollably. I fell to my knees and rocked myself back and forth trying to calm down. Soda got up, walked around the gun carefully and pulled me towards him. He started stroking my hair and held me tightly.
"Ponyboy tell us what happened." Darry asked firmly. Soda let go of me. By that time Two-Bit and Steve were surrounding us, listening attentively. Again, I drew in a deep, shaky breath and told them the story quietly, stuttering from time to time.
"So you didn't kill anyone?" Soda confirmed.
"Yeah…" I said, feeling a little better. I turned to my oldest brother. " Darry, I'm scared…" I whispered, a sick feeling growing inside the pit of my stomach. Darry told me to come here, so I crawled over to him. He wrapped his arms around me as I quietly started sobbing again.
"Shh, baby, shh. It's okay, you didn't kill anybody so it's not like they can put you in the electric chair-" I pushed myself away from Darry, realizing what his words truly meant.
"YOU'RE GONNA TURN ME IN!?!?!?!" I screamed. Darry, I guess, didn't realize what he had said until up to that moment.
"NO!! Ponyboy, I'm not going to turn you in!!!!" Darry said quickly. I calmed down a little bit, Two-Bit offered a weed and I was glad to take it. "Okay here's what we're going to do. Ponyboy I'm gonna take you somewhere out of town and there you're gonna bury the gun, okay? And then you and Two-Bit are gonna set off to Iowa. I have enough money for the tickets and for some food. Two- Bit I want you to take care of my brother, you hear? Once I've got everything straightened out I'll come get you, or Soda will. You got it? Pony, I know that you know where mom and dad's trailer is in Iowa. It should still be there, so when you get there close all the windows, shut all the blinds and once you've got all the food, don't even dare open the door unless I or Soda do the whistle, K?" everyone nodded their heads and I went off to go get ready for bed.
"Pony, you and Soda are sleeping with me in my room alright?" Darry said. Once again I nodded my head.
As I lay in Darry's dark room, I wondered if this time it was gonna be like what happened in Windrixville. My eyelids fell heavy with sleep and I started slipping into a dreamless slumber, wondering whether or not if I was gonna be sent to rehab or juvenile prison.