CH. 2
Anna's Point of view:
I awoke the next morning to a crash and the sound of Dallas yelling at Two-Bit. Knowing sleep was impossible now, I got up and drug my feet out of the room leaving my cane. I walked close to the wall incase I stubbed my toe. As I reached the living room hands scooped me up making me yelp loudly and struggle.
"Calm down! Kid stop struggling!" Two-Bit's voice crows and I stop struggling.
"Two can you put me down please?" I ask as he carries me into the kitchen.
"Sure, I just didn't want you to step in the glass in the living room," he says putting me in a chair and a plate of food infront of me.
"Why is there glass in there? What is this? Is it colored?!" I ask grabbing my fork and sipping the orange juice he put in front of me as well.
"I broke a beer bottle, its eggs and bacon, and colored normally Darry cooked," he says grabbing something from the hall closet before returning to the living room.
I sit and eat my breakfast quietly enjoying the solitude that is until a certain cold greaser broke it.
"Hi Dally," I mutter before sipping my juice.
"How'd you guess?" his voice asks from the chair to my left.
"Everyone walks different. Pony walks solidly on his feet whereas Johnny walks on his toes a lot making his steps quieter. Two doesn't stop talking ever so you hear him before his footsteps, Darry walks heavily all the time, Soda glides gracefully, Steve clomps like a horse, and you sink everywhere like a cat on the prowl," I explain taking my plate to the sink with my cup.
"You sure you're 8? You sound like your 30," he says
"I'm positive," I say smiling and slide out of the way as Two comes in with presumably the glass and dumps it in the trash.
I skim my feet along the floor careful not to trip and seat myself on the couch in the corner. Dally sits by me and Two-Bit takes the chair. They turn on Mickey Mouse and Two lets out noises of enjoyment as the cartoon mouse entertains him.
"Is he always this childish?" I ask Dally quietly.
"Unfortunately yes he is and when he isn't he's drunk." Dally states slinging an arm across the back of the couch.
"Fun," I sarcastically say.
"Yeah," he states ruffling my most likely bed head.
"Hey!" I pout knocking away his large hands.
Dallas chuckles before standing and disappearing out the door. Two-Bit and I sit in silence for a while until he speaks as the silly cartoon ends.
"Hey kid!" He calls reclaiming Dally's old spot.
"Yeah Two-Bit?" I ask turning to him.
"Go get dressed in yesterdays clothes and bring me brush and hair ties and I'll fix your hair." He says sipping something.
"Why?" I ask confused.
"Your sister left some money and said for me to take you to get clothes, now go" he urges nudging my shoulder lightly.
"Kay,"
I jump up and go to our room and throw on my clothes quickly before going back out.
"Your shirts on backwards," Two-Bit points out making me blush.
"Right," I say softly and turn it around.
Two-Bit pulls me in front of his body and softly brushes my mane of brown hair. Surprisingly he's gentle and skilled and within five minutes he has my hair in a smooth high ponytail.
"How do you know how to do that Two-Bit?" I ask laying the brush on the side table.
"I got me a kid sister too ya know, she just don't like to be with the gang like you do," he says almost sadly.
"Well why not? You guys are great people despite where you live and all," I ask as another episode of Mickey came on.
"I dunno she just don't like em," he says almost sadly as we sit on the couch.
"Oh."
We settle into silence and I eventually dose off seeing as there isn't much for a blind kid to do in the 60's. I don't know how long I slept but when I wake up Soda's there shaking me awake. I groan groggily and sit up rubbing my eyes.
"Hey Soda. What time is it?" I slur tiredly.
"It's almost 2, are you ready to go get some clothes?" he asks patting my head.
"Yeah, did Two-Bit leave?" I ask as we pull on shoes.
"Yeah how'd ya know?" he replies grabbing my little hand.
"It's quiet in here," I simply reply as we leave my cane tapping my way.
Soda laughs loudly and wraps and arm around me in a side hug.
"God I love you kid," he says rubbing my arm before taking my hand again.
We walk in silence then to the Salvation Army Soda's hand never leaving mine the whole time. When we enter, my nose is assaulted with the smell of dust and fabrics. It was somehow comforting to me. Soda takes me to the little kid section and asks my opinion on clothes.
"How about a purple shirt?" Soda asks letting me feel the fabric.
"As long as it is clothes I don't mind the color Soda," I say after the fourth time.
"Right okay," he says and we finish shopping.
After we finish I have 4 shirts, 1 dress, 5 blue jeans, another pair of shoes, and a leather jacket because according to Soda everyone who lives in their house has to own one. When we reach the checkout counter the lady sounds nice as she converses with Soda.
"Is she your daughter?" she asks and I hear the clothes being bagged.
"No she's my baby sister," he replies pulling me closer.
"That's sweet. Thank you for shopping come again!" She chirps real happy like.
"Oh we will, c'mon Anna lets go," he says and we left.
"Sodapop you lied," I say as we walk out.
"How so Peanut?" he asks as we stop at a crosswalk.
"You said I was your sister but I'm not even related to you!" I say keeping a grip on his hand secretly wishing he'd carry me seeing as I'm not that comfortable with the town yet.
"Well it's already like you're my kid sister and it just kinda slipped out. Is that okay?" he asks slightly worried.
"Yeah!" I chirp.
Soda cheers and swings me up into his arms as we journey home. I wrap my arms around his neck and lay my head on his shoulder.
"Where do you work at?" I ask.
"The DX gas station down the street from the school," he says.
"What does everyone look like? I know y'alls facial structure but I don't know the colors," I ask.
"Well, I have wheat blonde hair and tannish skin with dark brown eyes. Darry is 6 foot 2 with dark brown hair that sticks out in the front. His skin is tannish as well and he has blue green eyes. You two look alike to be honest. Ponyboy has reddish brown hair with pale skin and greenish grey eyes. Johnny has dark brown hair and eyes with tan skin. Dallas has brown hair with icy blue eyes and pale skin. Steve's got greasy black hair with tan skin and blue green, although mostly green, eyes. Last is Two-Bit. He's got dark reddish-brown hair with long sideburns, he's kinda pale and has green eyes. Now can I as you something?" he describes as we walk.
"Sure," I respond.
"How come you're so small? I get that you're 8 but ya look and are sized like you're 5," he asks tapping his fingers on my back and switching me onto his other side.
"I was born real early almost 3 months, I almost died," I answer toying with his collar.
"Wow, well I'm real glad that you're oka-" Soda's cut off by the wailing of sirens and he mutters a string of curses before running fast.
"Soda!? What's going on!?" I say scared.
"Tornado Peanut but we're almost home don't worry, we're gonna be fine," he says as he runs up the porch and depositing me in their basement before running off to grab some things.
Fear strikes through me, not for myself or Soda cause we're in the safest place we can be in a tornado. But fear for the others, Darry and Jaime, Pony and Johnny at school, Dallas, Steve, and Two-Bit who are god knows where doing god knows what. Feet pound down the basement stairs and I hear items being sat down and a blanket being thrown over me protecting my body from the chilly basement air.
"Soda?" I ask confused about who is here with me.
"Yeah, it's me hun," he says climbing under the blanket with me.
"What'd you get?" I ask.
"The legal papers and cash we have and some food water and blankets incase we get stuck down here," he says the sirens wailing in the distance.
"Soda, I'm scared," I mutter drawing my knees up to my chest.
"Don't be we are as safe as can be right now," he sooths pulling me into his lap and holding me.
"Not for us, I know we are safe, but what about Darry and Jaime and Pony and Two-Bit and Steve and Dallas and Johnny. What if they aren't safe?" I ask cuddling into him, the scent of grease and mint comforting me.
"Well Steve, Darry, and Jaime are at work. Pone and Johnny are at school, and Dallas and Two-Bit aren't dumb. The minute those sirens wailed, they probably ducked into the nearest safe point. They're going to be fine just like us," he says leaning against the wall.
We settle into silence for seconds that turn to minutes, and eventually around 30 pass before the sirens end. We stay in the basement for around 10 more minutes before Soda nudges me up and he stands as well. We climb the stairs and when we enter into the main floor Soda lets out what sounds like a relieved gasp.
"What? Is something ruined?" I ask tugging on his arm slightly.
"No! Nothings wrong! We're fine! Nothings broken! WOOO!" He yells happily grabbing me up and swinging me around.
He sets me down before going outside with the command of stay here incase there's another. He stays outside for about 5 minutes before coming back inside.
"Everything is still standing and undamaged, we got lucky it must've just hit the town or if we're lucky some of the Socs!" he says before going down to the basement to retrieve the supplies. I feel my way to the couch and climb on it.
What Soda said rings through my ears. I must've just hit the town. That means Jaime and the others could be in danger. My stomach tightens in fear. The front door opens and closes with a bang.
"Jaime!?" I call out hopeful.
"Sorry kiddo just me," Darry calls out walking closer.
I sigh and pull my feet close to me. One safe six left. A weight sits beside me and a muscled arm wraps around me.
"Hey she will be okay and she'll walk through that door soon," Darry says patting my back before standing and walking toward his room
One by one the gang walks in except for Jaime. Soda and I learn that the tornado clipped the school, a block or two of town, and Soc territory. Dinner rolls around and the Curtis brothers and I are sitting around the dinner table eating blue food tonight. Despite the color change I am too worried to be excited for it. Once I finish, I excuse myself from the table, put my plate and cup gently in the sink before reclaiming my spot on the couch to wait for my big sister. A little after dinner a knock sounds at the door. Darry stands and opens the door.
"Hello, can I help you?" His deep voice asks.
"Yes I am terribly sorry to report that Jaime Gallagher was killed in the tornado today. The store she was in collapsed before she could get safe." The flat female voice says.
"Thank you," Darry says before closing the door.
The minute the door closed, the dam broke and tears were gushing from my long since used eyes. Sobs uncontrollably racked my body and I curled my arms around my body. Soda pulls me into his lap allowing me to cry into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his chest and he wraps his arms around my body. Ponyboy and Darry sit beside us giving me a group hug.
"Shhh. It's okay, you're gonna be okay, don't cry," Soda soothes rubbing my back.
"Wh-what am-m I g-gonna do?" I ask through sobs.
"You'll stay with us here," Darry says.
"I c-couldn't do th-that, you g-guys have enough m-money problems a-as it is, I don't want t-to imp-pose," I say into Sodapop's neck.
"Well you're in luck, apparently when you guys fell through time a bag was sent. It's filled with 20 dollar bills, there has got to be $10,000 in there," Darry soothes.
"So it'll be okay?" I ask.
"Yeah and I was talking to a friend of mine, he has a seeing eye dog that's still a puppy. His dad was supposed to get her but he passed on too early. He said we could have her," he said and that made me perk up.
I turn to where Darry's voice was coming from and hug him tightly. Things might just be looking up for me. He hugs back rubbing my hair before pulling away.
"C'mon I'll help you get in some pajamas and you can sleep with me tonight," Darry says standing and carrying me to my room.
He helps me into the same shorts from last night but a new sleep shirt we got today at the Salvation Army. Once I'm dressed with my teeth brushed I climb into Darry's bed with him and he allows me to snuggle up to him. The other boys come and tell us night before going to bed themselves.
"G'night Dare," I say.
"Goodnight darlin," he says kissing my forhead before I fall asleep.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated! I own nothing S.E. Hinton does!