Chapter 11: The Trouble about Running Away

A/N: I mean it when I say this is the last chapter until February. I only wrote this one because I had so many pleads.

Ok. So the winner is: It should happen just like the book, but Johnny and Dally should live. : By a very close runner up by only a single vote was : Do something totally new, and stop going by that damn book wherever it may be: so I'll keep putting my own personal twists and touches to things. Enjoy!

Through streaming tears Darry had tried to explain to his baby brother why he was so upset with him, but Ponyboy just didn't want to listen.

He ran to his room and slammed the door behind him. His mind was screaming with pain, confusion, and rage. How could Darry do that to me, Ponyboy thought.

Trying to shove the incident out of his mind, Ponyboy jumped into bed landing on top of Soda who embraced him tightly. Pony tried to wiggle away, but Soda held him.

"Listen Pony," Soda began softly. "You really scared us tonight by coming home so late. Please don't do it again."

A fresh flow of tears began once more, reflecting in the pale moonlight through the windows. Ponyboy didn't want his brother to see them, but it was too late as a gentle hand wiped them away.

"You didn't stand up for me," Pony signed with wet hands. "You let Darry punish me."

More hot tears flowed down his face, and he turned away from his brother.

"Darry's the one who's in charge here, Ponyboy," Soda said firmly. "Try putting yourself in his shoes."

He did. The more Ponyboy thought about it the more he realized he had kind of been pushing Darry's buttons a lot. It wasn't really fair to blame Sodapop. He had heard Darry threaten to lick him too if he intervened anymore.

"Now listen to me pony," Soda began again after a long moment of silence between the two brothers. "Darry loves you a lot. You just scared him. You scared me too. He's got a lot of responsibilities now, and he ain't used to them."

Ponyboy nodded. He waited for Soda to say more, but after a view moments his brother's breathing slowed. Ponyboy knew he was asleep.

For a few moments Ponyboy laid in the silence of the darkness pondering over what Soda had said. Darry love him? Ha! Darry didn't love anyone except for maybe Soda.

Now was his chance. Slowly and quietly Ponyboy crept from under Soda's arms. He pulled his clothes back own, and tiptoed out the front door. Once outside he ran like a pack of wild dogs were after him.

He stopped when he got to the lot, and found Johnny sleeping on the ground huddled in a bunch of old newspapers. He shook he boy gently to wake him up.

"What?" Johnny sat up in alarm.

Ponyboy tapped him on the shoulder twice. That was their system for letting him know that it was Ponyboy.

Ponyboy grabbed hold of Johnny's jacket, and started to run again. Johnny followed without any questions.

A few yards away Ponyboy finely slowed down and stopped.

"Take it easy Ponyboy. It can't be that bad. What happened?"

Johnny took out his lighter so he would be able to see Ponyboy's signs with the help of the flame.

"Darry punished me," he signed.

Johnny nodded in puzzlement. He knew that Darry punished Ponyboy and even Sodapop when he thought they needed to be taught a lesson for their actions and behavior. So why then was his best friend so upset?

"How long are you grounded for," Johnny asked.

Ponyboy shook his head.

"I'm not grounded. I got the belt," he signed.

Whoa. Johnny was taken aback. Ponyboy must have really done something bad in order for Darry to go that far. He wondered if Sodapop had gotton the same. He was about to ask Pony when they noticed a car weaving in and out through the two lanes that lead down the road along side the lot. That could only mean trouble.

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