A Shot For Vengeance

Chapter 9

Hidden Concerns

XXX

The ride up the elevator seemed longer than it should have been. Soda was doing his best to keep it together, at least he had stopped crying. Somehow, I'd have to get him to wash his hands. Every time he looked at Pony's dried blood, it made my stomach coil as my mind kept replaying over and over the memory of him sprawling on the red clay and not moving, and made Soda blink hard – I'm sure to keep the tears at bay. He also had some blood on his shirt that I don't think he'd noticed yet, but there was nothing I could do about it. I only had on my t-shirt now, my button up shirt now a torn bloody mess left in the back of the truck. A little bit of Ponyboy was everywhere.

The guys followed me to the desk situated just down the hall to the left of the elevators. There was a woman in green scrubs sitting there, and a few other women and a man, each of them wearing either green or blue scrubs, in a glassed room behind her; everyone busy writing stuff. In a corner of the waiting room, another man in a white coat was talking to another group of people. As we neared the desk, I watched as one of those people shook the hand of the man in the white coat, and they all disappeared down another hallway. It was just the four of us now, alone with the medical staff.

"How can I help you sir?" the woman asked, looking up at me from her chart.

"I was told my brother was sent here from the ER for emergency surgery. Ponyboy Curtis? How is he?"

"Ah, yes... Dr. Stafford in the ER just called to say you were coming up. Here are some forms..."

"Lady, I don't mean to be rude, but forget the forms - how is he?" Steve interrupted.

She looked at him, then back at me, and stiffened her shoulders, not scared a bit by Steve's glare. "I don't have any information, just that he's in surgery and could be in there for a few more hours, depending on what Dr. Davidson has to do." Her attention returned to me, and she continued with the forms on the clipboard. "If you could fill these out, and return..."

A blue light and an angry buzzing noise suddenly sounded, and right away two of the women and the man in the glass room jumped up and bolted for the door, heading down a hallway under a sign that said STOP - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL IN O.R. ATTIRE ONLY.

"Oh no!" the woman with the clipboard said, barely audible, but we all heard her. My stomach tightened, I think I knew what that blue light meant, but I didn't want to believe it.

"Lady? What's going on?" Soda asked, voice shaking. Steve, who was behind him, stepped closer to him, putting his hands on Soda's shoulders.

"Well? Hey lady, my friend asked you a question. What's all that noise mean?" Two-Bit demanded, looking every bit the mean man he could be when royally pissed off, or worried out of his skin.

Her look at me said it all. In that instant, I knew he was gone. I turned and grabbed Soda, letting out an involuntary sob in the process. This started a domino effect, with Soda letting his own repeated shrieks of "NOOOO!" out too. His fists pounded my back, but I only held onto him tighter. Soda's knees buckled and he collapsed right there on the floor, bringing me down with him and Steve too; his own arms gripping Soda from behind. I felt Two-Bit's arm across my shoulder, squeezing my skin. I held Soda, his sobs and cries of "Ponyboy, no!" relentlessly flowing out. I couldn't believe we had just lost Ponyboy, dead at the age of fourteen.

XXX

Two Months Earlier:

It was nearly midnight before we were done cleaning and tried to settle in to bed. Ponyboy had gone to take a shower, his newest ribbons of victory seemingly forgotten amid the dirty feelings he told me he felt. And I knew it wasn't just the dried sweat on his skin from his earlier competitions that he was talking about. I tried to pretend knowing someone had been in our house prowling about and going through our things didn't bother me too much, but it did. However, I had to be strong for Ponyboy, just as Darry was strong for both of us.

I was putting fresh sheets and blankets down on the bed, Darry busy doing the same in his room, when I heard a knock on the door. At first I was confused, then I remembered... Darry had locked it. I made my way to the living room and opened the door, finding Steve and Two-Bit both standing under the dim circle of light being emitted from our porch's one pathetic bulb.

"Hey, got room for us?" Two-Bit asked with a grin.

"Always. Come on in. Steve, you're dad being an ass again?" I stepped back as they came in, then shut and locked the door again.

"Not tonight. I think he's saving it for the weekend. We just wanted to show up, give a little muscle if it was needed. The prick came once, if he shows again, we'll let him know who is and who isn't welcome under this roof."

I smiled, grateful. They were better than any dog for protection. I got them blankets while Darry brought out the last of the pillows in the house. Steve took the couch while Two-Bit stretched himself out on the recliner. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Pony's tired frame leaning against the darkened hallway wall, arms crossed as he silently watched the scene.

Two-Bit noticed him too, then cocked his eyebrow. "Go on, kid. Get some sleep. My sis ain't here to bug you, but what you dream is up to you!"

Pony's eyes rolled as he shook his head, then he turned and slowly faded into the shadows back to our room.

"Thanks, guys. Night." I said softly as Steve reached over and clipped off the lamp. Darry was in his room, the light still on and the door opened... unusual for him. He's kept his bedroom door shut while he slept since he was thirteen. Ours was usually pulled - but rarely closed. Tonight, everything was reversed.

"Shut the door, will ya, Soda?" his tired voice drifted across the room. I did as asked then crawled in next to him. I was surprised to find him shaking slightly.. as if he were shivering.

"You cold, Pony?" I put my arm across him, and - as he had done so many times before, snuggled his back into my chest.

"Guess so," he mumbled. I knew better.

"Ponyboy, you know Darry and I ain't gonna let anyone bother you here. Even Steve and Two-Bit are here. You're as safe as you can be."

"Uh huh," was all he said.

I trailed my hand down his arm to his hand, which I was surprised to find balled into a fist, a fist holding something cold and metallic.

"Pony, what have you got?" I asked, leaning up on one arm to peer over his shoulder, aided by the little moonlight that made it's way into the room.

"Nothing, just my switch," he mumbled back.

I eased it out of his hand... he was unwilling to let it go at first, but I persisted and he finally let it fall away.

"I don't think you'll need this in your sleep. That's all I need - that blade to pop out and accidentally slice you to ribbons. Go to sleep."

I think he was already asleep before I finished speaking, and I reached over him, placing the switch on his night stand. My eyes went round the room, seeing our stuff in the darkness, wondering who the intruder was and why he was so interested in us. I shuddered, putting my arm protectively over Ponyboy and finally shut my eyes. It was nearly one in the morning.

I woke next to a whimpering and slightly shaking Ponyboy. He had somehow managed to turn in his sleep and face me. I recognized what was going on - another nightmare. I should have expected it, knowing how messed up things were getting around here. Looking at the clock, it was barely past two. I was gonna be no good at work in the morning.

"Ponyboy?" I cooed. I brushed his hair off his sweaty forehead, and patted his cheek with a force a tad less then gentle, but even I was taxed to my limits. I quickly realized, it was the wrong thing to do.

A scream came from him, and I clamped my hand over his mouth trying to silence him. I moved it away half a second later when I felt his jaw muscle constrict as he involuntarily tried to bite me, forgetting, it seemed, where he was and who he was with.

"Ponyboy!" I called sharply, sitting up. Lights went on everywhere, and Darry and both the guys were suddenly standing in my doorway.

"What's going on? Sodapop? Ponyboy" Darry asked.

I looked at Pony, his eyes begging my forgiveness. I put my hand on his arm, looking at Darry. "Nothing, just a nightmare. Sorry. Go back to bed."

Pony flipped over and hugged his pillow, the guys waiting at the doorway a second longer before I waved them away. They knew the score. This wasn't the first time they had heard him cry out in the night. Only Darry was left hovering, and he came to sit on the bed. The way he looked, it'd be a wonder if he actually didn't fall off a roof tomorrow. I was sure I didn't look any better.

He put his hand on Pony's back, and looked at him. "You okay now, Pone?" he simply asked.

His messed up mop of wavy light reddish brown hair nodded, and Darry got up, giving me a slight chuck on the shoulder. "Night, Dar." I called. He flipped the lights off and both darkness and silence filled the room.

I pulled the blankets up, and held Ponyboy close to me. I felt his hand on mine softly squeeze, and knew he was sorry. Somethings we didn't have to say to each other. We just knew.

XXX

The woman had taken two buses to cross town, using an address she'd gotten from the phone book. Her side achedstill from the kick she'd gotten a while ago, but her concern overpowered her. She didn't know what she was going to do when she got there, but in innate feeling deep in her core made her go. Slowly she walked down the streets.

The kids walking along the sidewalks and driving the rusty cars around her worried her. Robert had often said how low these people were, how far beneath her and her husbands social class they existed. He had often said how little they valued what they had, and only wanted to take what they could from honest people, any way they could get it. That fear made her leave her purse behind at home, carrying only a few dollars in her pocket to ride the bus, and maybe get a drink from a store if she got thirsty.

She was thirsty now, and looked around, totally unfamiliar with the environment she was in. It made her afraid, and she wrapped her arms around herself, providing her own bit of comfort. Across the street, she saw a dry cleaners and a car wash; and a block further up, a gas station. She fingered one of the dollars in her pocket and headed for the gas station. Maybe they would have something she could buy to drink.

"Morning ma'am," the smiling young man behind the counter said to her as she came in.

"Hello," she said back. She was unsure about this now, the boy had that slicked look in his hair, and she was sure he was one of the hoods Robert spoke of. "Do you sell bottled drinks?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Sure do. Coke, Dr. Pepper, Vernor's Ginger Ale, Pepsi and Mt. Dew. What's your pleasure?" he asked, showing her the machine as if it were a shiny new sports car.

"Um, Pepsi, please," she said, fumbling in her pocket for the dime. Finding one, she handed it over to him and he slid it into the slot. She heard the machine make a noise and a second later, he handed her the bottle with an enchanted smile on his face. She felt a small grin pulling on the corners of her lips, never had a simple drink been delivered to her with such flair. It had been so long since she had a genuine smile on her face, that the feeling was almost foreign to her.

"Here you are, little lady. It's one of my favorites, too. I got a brother that can't seem to drink enough of them. Hungry? We've got some sandwiches in the cooler just waiting to be eaten. There's ham, bologna and roast beef. Would you like to try one?"

His continued kindness surprised her. Unexpectedly, she nodded her head, and that wholesome ear -to- ear grin on the handsome boy warmed her heart.

"Ham, please. How much?" she asked, hoping she had enough to pay, remembering she still had to have enough bus fair to get back before Robert came home. He was coming home later and later now, but she still didn't want to take any chances.

"Well... the boss said we needed to thin the stock down, so why don't you just enjoy and don't worry about it."

He sure was a nice young man. About six feet tall, give or take a few inches and muscular - but not to extremes. Warm, kind eyes, and a smile that wouldn't quit. A bell rang and he hopped up.

"Well, enjoy. If you'll excuse me, I have to go take care of another customer. Have a great day, ma'am." The young man called to her.

"Thank you, son." she called to him, instantly feeling a pain in her heart. She hadn't called anyone 'son' in so long, the word was almost foreign to her.

She continued her walk down the road, eating the sandwich and sipping the soda. That young man looked to be about Bobby's age, maybe a little younger. He seemed nice. She wondered if many of the boys around here were as nice as he was. She wondered also, what that boy was like who lived at the address on the slip of paper she held.

731 N. St. Louis Road. It was around here somewhere, a few blocks away. She almost wished she had asked directions from the young man at the gas station, considering he seemed so friendly. Sighing, she followed the numbers on the mailboxes and - after a bit more walking, found it. She walked to the opposite corner, looking at the house. She tried to make herself invisible, not wanting to be noticed. She remembered how Bobby spoke with his friends about how rough these kids could be. A little while later, a car pulled up and stopped, and she pulled further back into the shadows.

"Hold on, kid. I've told you all week, I ain't gonna let you walk on in there alone. Not till I check it out first," she heard the driver say to the youth walking up the sidewalk.

"Thanks, Tim. Darry's been locking the door since all this mess began. Here, I got the key."

She barely recognized the boy with the slicked back, reddish -brown hair from the court last fall – his hair was blond then and he had been so thin, but despite all the changes, she knew it was him. She wondered what on earth that boy could ever have done to cause Bobby to become so violent. Then she remembered it was the alcohol that made Bobby behave like he did, just like it was alcohol that made Robert the devil he became too. Like father, like son.

The boy waited on the porch of the house while the other man... bigger and more gruff looking, went inside for a while. The boy on the porch looked around, then impatiently shuffled his feet. She longed to speak to him, to wrap her arms around him - protect him from the evil she knew her husband felt for him, but she couldn't. She had failed to protect her own son, what could she do for this boy? Her heart was too empty. The door opened and the bigger man came out. They spoke but she couldn't hear what was said, then the boy went inside. The door closed and the man returned to his car, driving away.

With one finale look, she turned and headed back to the bus stop. The boy was doing okay, her husband hadn't hurt him. She was still concerned for him, even more so now that she had seen him. He was just a boy, his young features still prominent on his face. One day, if he was lucky, he'd grow to be a man. She hoped an honorable man. There weren't enough of them around anymore.

XXX

"Got your report card, Ponyboy?" I asked. I could tell he had hoped I'd forgotten the date, but he should know by now I wouldn't. He stopped mid-chew, and looked up at me.

"Yeah, hold on."

He got up and went to his room, Soda looked at me, just raising his eyebrows. Pony returned to the table, placing the card in front of me, then resuming his seat in front of his plate.

I opened it, contemplating the scores in front of me. Mostly "A's," and one "B." Chemistry was doing him in. I looked at him, he refused to meet my glance.

"Think you can bring up the chemistry grade, Pone?"

"I'll do my best, but that's a hard class and it's only getting harder."

I remembered chemistry, and knew he was right. Diagramming elements is one thing, but I knew by the end of the year, it worsened to chemical compounds.

"It's all I can ask," I said, closing the card and setting it aside. "How are the track meets going?"

This seemed to brighten him up. "Final race of the regular season is Wednesday, then - when we pass that, we go into regional competitions. That begins Friday, with Waycross. Coach already has me in my four regular heats. He's changing up the relay pattern though, putting the fastest four of us together of our two teams. Should be interesting."

I smiled. Regionals, now the good part of the season gets going. Ribbons get replaced with trophies. I looked at the mantle, knowing I'd better start weeding out the old ones from last year for the new ones he was sure to bring in soon.

"Good going, Pone. Get through this race first, though."

"No problem, Darry," Soda said. "Pony can run like the wind, can't ya, Pone?"

He smiled. I hadn't seen him smiling like this in a while, and I was glad to see him happy again. He was too young to have too many worries, especially the type of worries I now had.

It'd been two weeks since Sheldon came in our house, and nothing new has been going on that I could tell. I'd gotten the new report from Officer Mitchell, but it was short and brief. I put it with the first one, in my lock box in the floor of my closet. A feeling of apprehension began to come over me, knowing this guy didn't seem like the type to just give up. I could only wonder what he had in store for us next.

XXX

Calla Lilly Rose