Chapter Eleven: Bad News
Soda POV
Darry'd been gone for two hours and I hadn't seen Georgie or her mom.
"What do you think happened?"
Two-bit was worried. I could see it. And Ponyboy wouldn't leave the porch. We heard Darry pull up, and we all ran to the door asking him a bunch of questions.
"Whoa. Calm down. Give me a minute."
And for the first time in two years, Darry grabbed a cigarette and went on the front porch.
We all went out there. He looked pissed. That's the only way I know to explain it.
"Darry. What's going on? What happened?"
Right at that moment, a cop car stopped in front of our house.
"Just making sure she hasn't come home!"
"No, sir. She hasn't."
"Don't worry. We've got all the best looking. We'll let you know if we find her."
They pulled away. I looked at Darry. I hadn't seen him this way since Pony was in Windrixville.
"Come inside, guys. I'll explain everything."
*twenty minutes later*
"I WANNA KILL HIM!"
I was pacing the floor. Balling up my fists. Two-bit looked about the same, and Pony was just shocked.
"He's lucky Steve's visiting his grandma! He'd be heading to the cooler right now! I'm tempted!
"But you won't, Soda! You can't."
"Why not?! He's been raping her!"
Then, a thought occurred to me and I stopped in my tracks. I looked at Darry.
"I let her walk out of the house that day she broke the window. She lived with... Him... For a month because I didn't stop her. I just thought she needed to cool off."
Pony looked hurt.
"Soda? Darry? Why wouldn't she tell us?"
I sat by him on the couch and threw my arm around him.
"We'll find out, Pone. We'll find out..."
_
Dally POV
They had been looking for three days! The idiots were looking in the wrong places!
"We've gotta figure out a way to send them to Broken Arrow, Dally. She's getting worse."
"I know. But, how..."
She would have went back, but she was too sick... She had been getting better before this mess, but had been sitting in the cold and rain for three days and was worse than she had been before. They had a map out and had marked places they looked, but they weren't really looking beyond Tulsa. No one was in the room, so I grabbed a pen and circled the town. Soda walked in about that time and sat on the couch and looked at the map.
"Who circled Broken Arrow?"
"Don't know. Must have been one of the others before they went out. But, I didn't hear em talking about going there."
"Steve, do you think she would go to another town?"
"We've looked all over here. It's worth a shot."
They left after that.
"Good goin', Dal."
_
Georgie POV
I didn't know where I was. I didn't even realize I had went to another town. I ran for two hours. By the time I stopped, I felt like I was going to pass out. That was days ago. I don't know how long it's been. I'm just sick.
"How ya doin', kid?"
"Dally...?"
I was weak and my vision was blurred. I was hoping I was right.
"Yeah, it's me, Bug."
He handed me a cigarette. I took it gladly. I hadn't had one in days.
"You know, not many girls smoke as much as you do."
"Who handed me my first one?"
I smirked at him. He laughed and handed me a jacket.
"At least it's stopped raining. For now."
"Yeah. I don't feel so hot."
"Why haven't you gone to the cops?"
"Too many questions that I can't answer..."
"Um... Actually..."
"Dally... I... I feel like..."
And then I blacked out.
_
Dally POV
"Dally... I... I feel like..."
"Georgie!"
I knelt down beside her.
"She don't look so good, Dal. But, Soda and Steve are on the next street."
That gave me some relief.
_
Steve POV
We had searched through almost all of Broken Arrow with no sign of Georgie.
"We have to find her..."
"I know, Soda. I know. Just keeping looking."
"There's someone lying on the ground over there!"
I slammed on breaks. It was pouring rain again. When we walked up to the person, they were lying away from us, so Soda turned them over.
"Oh my gosh..."
She was so pale... So fragile looking.
"We've gotta get her back to Tulsa. Call the police..."