Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders
Dallas raced outside, slamming the door as he went. There was an awkward silence in the living room, a stillness that crept up Ponyboy's spine and made him shiver. He had only seen Dallas Winston run off like one other time in his life and the last time, it hadn't ended so good.
"Well," Two-Bit drawled slowly, "that went better than expected." The hush dissipated into a gaggle of nervous laughter.
"His temper always has gotten the better of Dallas," Caroline Hanson, Dally's aunt said warmly. "He's been doing better lately but maybe it wasn't the best idea to surprise him like this.
"A head's up might have been a good idea," Two-Bit added prudently. "Old Dallas hasn't been in touch in a year and last time he was, well he was about half a step from the looney bin and had another foot in the grave."
It was true. Dallas had been nearly out of his mind with grief and anger the last time any of the gang had seen him at the trial, and trying to hide it through a wall of cold indifference but Ponyboy had seen that wall break before and it had very nearly ended up with Dallas Winston dead. He hoped it wasn't happening again.
"You'd better wise up Ponyboy...you watch out for yourself and nothing can touch you."
Ponyboy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He nodded toward the door. "I'm going to go after him." he said.
"You sure that's such a good idea?" Two-Bit asked and that George guy who had driven them to the place nodded in agreement.
"Dallas isn't exactly a picnic when he's like this," he added.
Ponyboy nodded his head. Of course there was a chance Dallas wanted nothing more than to be left by his lonesome and could go off the deep end and beat the ever loving daylights out of him. On the other hand, the last time Ponyboy had not followed after Dallas and he'd ended up nearly dying from what the court judge had called a police assisted suicide.
"Someone's got to keep old Dally old of trouble."
Two-Bit raised an eye-brow and smiled knowingly. "You want me to come with kid?" It was a tempting offer. Ponyboy had spent half of his childhood caught between ever so slight admiration and utter fear of Dallas Winston. It would be nice to have that buffer but he's made a promise to Johnny's headstone that he would tell Dallas some things and he doubted he would be as likely if Two-Bit came along.
"I'll be fine," he said before looking to Dally's aunt. "Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" he asked.
She nodded. "If I know Dallas, he'll have headed to the barn. Riding clears his head." she smiled. "It's on the south side of the property. You should take Coyote with you. She knows the way." Dally's aunt let out a long, shrill whistle and a dog came down the stairs.
It wasn't like any dog Ponyboy had ever seen. The dog had sharp amber eyes and log pointed ears and sharp fangs. Her fur was brownish-orange and short except for a long flaggy tail. Caroline nodded and Ponyboy knelt down to the ground.
"Here girl," he called warily. Coyote approached him causally, growling. It hit Ponyboy then that she seemed to be just as wild and tumultuous as her owner, something to be wary of and not take lightly. "Here girl," he called again. Coyote came closer, eyeing him closely. She sniffed his outstretched palm as Ponyboy bit his lips.
Then she gave his palm a swift lick and wagged her tail. Ponyboy's shoulders sank in relief and he gave the dog, apply named Coyote, a soft scratch behind the ears. "Think you can help me find Dally girl?" he asked, feeling rather foolish. Coyote wagged her tail more vigorously and Ponyboy motioned her out the door.
The barn was cool and quiet, save for the chirping crickets awaiting the coming of the dusk. Dallas laid a blanket over Bullet's long, black back and fed him a cube of sugar before adding a saddle to the pile.
The autumn air was crisp and the wind was picking up. Dallas clinched his fists and shook. Was it cold, fear, memories? He did not know. Seeing Pony and Two-Bit standing in his living room was the last thing he had expected. It brought back old thoughts and feelings that he had been working so hard for the past few weeks to keep from stirring.
He closed his eyes. They made him think of, of Johnny… Try as he might, he couldn't shake it. Just looking at them. He could hear the ghosts of laughter and rumbles gone by, of taking Ponyboy to the hospital and watch as Johnny died.
"Aint thinking of running off again Dally," a voice called in the distance followed by a low growl.
Dallas looked up. Ponyboy was standing at the edge of the barn with Coyote waiting patiently at his feet. It was easier to see now. The kid was most definitely taller and his voice was a shade or two deeper. He'd grown up to look eerily like his mother. Dallas had always been fond of Mrs. Curtis and the resemblance unnerved him.
"I don't run kid," Dallas replied and he knew it was a lie. He'd been doing nothing but running since Johnny had died the year before, maybe longer. He ran from his feelings, from his uncertainty and most of all from the events that had unfolded themselves recently. It seemed like he'd never stop even if things were finally starting to go good for him, he kept at it.
Ponyboy reached in his pocket and pulled out a packet of Kools. He lit up and took a long drag. Dallas looked at the glowing ember and wondered how the kid could do that anymore. "Soda'd brain ya if he knew you were smoking in a barn, aint good for the horses."
Ponyboy shrugged and took another drag before stopping the cigarette on the ground and stopping it out with the toe of his boot. "Not good for people either but it's never stopped me."
There was an arrogant sort of confidence to the kid then, something that Dallas might have bashed his head in for before. Now it unnerved him. He remembered his words to him that night. How he had warned the kid off of caring about anyone or anything, about letting his feelings get the better of him. He wondered if this was a sign that the kid had taken his advice. As of late, he hadn't."
The kid leaned down and scratched Coyote behind the ears and Dallas could see his other hand shake. "Guess not."
Ponyboy stood up again, wiping the dirt from his jeans. He nodded his head towards the door. "Let's go for a ride," he said, "never been to Colorado. Might be nice."
Dallas bit his lip. The kid was about as subtle as his aunt's purple winter coat. He knew Pony'd want to talk and that inevitably it would lead to Johnny. How could it not, with it being so close to the anniversary when it all happened? It was bad enough dwelling on it himself. It was another thing entirely doing it with the kid along. Just one look at him and everything was so much worse, heavier somehow.
"Whatever kid," he said moving towards the tack room, "come on." There would be no avoiding it. The kid was a Curtis after all and Dallas was not in the mood to tangle with that kind of stubborn.