Chapter 28
Today, 1st May was meant to be a happy day. It was meant to be the day Dally was coming out of the kooler and the gang would be complete again.
It's funny how that happens, how something that is meant to good turns in something really really really really really bad.
… It's not everyday your sister and mom die….
But today was that day… a day am never going to forget.
I woke up this morning cos I heard someone knocking, which is very unusual at our house. Everyone else must have thought so too, cos everyone got up. I was at the top of the building and could see a cop car parked outside and for a tiny fleeting moment I thought that they were bringing Dally back here, but they would never do that, so why the hell was they here?
I knew something was wrong when I was coming down stairs and heard Luce crying, I hurried down then thinking something must be wrong if Luce is crying. I walked in to see Luce crying her eyes out, Soda in his boxers and a tee-shirt holding her, rocking slowly backwards and forwards. Dar was sat in his chair staring at the ground, Steve and Two-bit were stood watching me and Luce…. And then I panicked. Where were Johnny and Pony? I asked Steve and he told me they'd gone to meet Dally and then I was confused.
'So why were the fuzz here?'
'De… and mom' Luce cried
You know what its like to touch ice, right? its freezing and hard. I felt in that moment like I'd jumped head first into a frozen lake. Everything froze as realization hit me.
'WH…wha… what… bout them' I whispered, denying myself the answer shaking my head. I wanted to here them say it, prove I was wrong.
Two-bit came over to me and hugged me close to him, his eyes didn't have there sparkle they were full of tears and I felt like I was chocking.
He looked at Darry who looked up and over, he sighed and pulled his hand through his hair and over his face, before he told me.
Mom's boyfriend had found out that De had money and he demanded it off her. De said no, of course and he hit her and asked her again and again she said no and told him if he wanted money he would go out and get a job, which he didn't like and then proceeded to kick her into a coma. Well wherever my mom was she came through when she heard the noise and saw De on the floor and went for her boyfriend and they had a huge fight, but from what De had told me before, he was a big guy and mom ended up in the same way as De. They'd been in hospital since last night and this morning they'd only just got round to finding out who the relatives were, by that time both of them were in critical condition.
So I went up there with Luce and Soda and I sat by them. Mom went first and then De regained consciousness but then the bleeding built up and she went out again and then she was gone. In the space of less then 24 hours I'd seen both of them alive and now there were both gone for ever and it felt like the world had stopped for me.
Luce is in her room now, the doctor gave her some pills to help her sleep, I don't think it helped with her drinking a full bottle of vodka, but I made her stop, I shouted at her saying I didn't need another mom in the making. She looked at me and nodded dumbly and Soda took her to their room before he went to work.
It's 11 now and Pony isn't back yet. Two-bit went out earlier and met up with Dally, and them at the nightly double, he told them they had to come home, that was a 9 and they haven't come back yet and now am sat up waiting, I daren't sleep.
Dal knows where they are and he won't tell me. They've been gone nearly a week. Mom and De's funeral was 3 days ago. Luce didn't take it well; she had to be held up by Soda and Steve. I…I don't know what's happening mom and De are gone, Johnny and Pony had run off after what everyone is saying. They got into a fight with some Soc and now Cherry's boyfriend Bob is dead and Johnny did it. I can't believe it... well I actually I can, I said the next person who jumped Johnny was gunna get killed, so I guess it was Bob.
Dal's in on it, he was hauled in and he gave them a story about them being in Mexico, Two-bit wants to go look for them. I want them back, everyone is leaving and soon there's going to be know one left. There all gunna leave. I know it. Dar and Soda are taking it really bad. When Pony comes back, they could get separated and me and Luce too cos she not old enough to look after me or summut like that.
I just want them back, Dal says he has to go away for the day to 'Oakie' city and he won't let me go with him, he's lying, he's going to see them, he says I need to stay at home and keep a look out. He's going to see them, so it means that they're still in Oklahoma. I need to try and convince him to let me go with him.
