Updated August 14, 2020. This story is discontinued.

New Story is called a Motion of Space

The car was there. It was right there, in front of his eyes. It was slowly going around the park, stalking, waiting for someone. But Ponyboy knew better than to go and size them up. There were too many of them, and even though he knew what was going to happen, and even though he had gained height and muscle, he was still outnumbered.

And so, Ponyboy waited. He would wait until the car left. Even if he had to crouch down on a tree limb despite that his muscle ached. After all, he'd been in the tree for a while. And he'd wait even though he was dead tired from all the day's worth of activities, because hey, it wasn't like he'd been transported back into time and jumped by Socs on the same day.

He shook his head and focused on the car. He couldn't have his mind wandering. He needed to stay because he had to. He had to.

"Kid. Just go home now. Sleep before it's too late. Darry won't kill ya if you go back now. Don't go to Windrixville. It's a stupid idea anyways."

"I have to wait until they leave." Pony repeated again, this having been the sixth time he'd said it. "Make sure they won't be coming back."

There was a small silence and Logan sighed. "Kid, you can't stop everything. Go home. Rest. You need it. Because tomorrow's going to be another day."

"No." Pony was blinking fast now. "I have to wait until they leave."

"Ponyboy. Go. Home. Now." Logan's voice was hard and cold, and it reminded Pony of Dally's. But he brushed the voice off. He wasn't scared of Dally, or Darry, or the Socs. He wasn't scared of anyone. And the the car was starting to leave, slowly turning away. So close . . .

"Just a little bit longer," he said, ignoring the way Logan stared at him.

Logan shot him a cold glare. "Kid, you do know, that if I want to, with one snap, I can send you packing."

Pony did his best not to fall as he heard those words. "What?" he choked out. "What?"

"That's right kiddo." Logan said nodding. "One snap of my fingers, one blink of my eyes, one word out of my mouth, and I can send you back."

But before Ponyboy could start panicking and say that if Logan had that amount power, he shouldn't really exist, the sound of an engine rang through the area, and then it was gone.

Pony gulped. "See? I told you I only needed a few seconds." He couldn't help but feel faint. "I only wanted a few more seconds."

Logan nodded. "I know," he replied as he saw Pony's shaky figure. "Just . . . stay there and relax okay? I wasn't serious. I wouldn't do that to you."

"Okay," Ponyboy echoed. And then he slumped against a tree limb.

Logan laughed suddenly, but it was strained. Almost like he wanted to lighten up the mood. Ponyboy noticed of course. "Man, you're one tuff guy. I don't think even Dally would've been able to scare me into not doing what I said."

Ponyboy glanced at Logan. "I scared you?"

"Kid you were basically yelling at me all the way here. You might've woken up the whole neighborhood. Of course you scared me."

"I wasn't yelling, I was arguing with you. And no one heard me."

Logan narrowed his eyes. "Listen up, and listen good kiddo." Logan's voice was like venom, sharp and bashing. "I'm older than you can ever imagine. So listen to me when I say that you're screwing up big time. Go. Home."

"I'm going to climb higher," Pony said, completely ignoring Logan's comment. "I can't see from here."

"Ponyboy! What are you doing!"

Ponyboy almost slipped at the sudden shrill. He looked down at Logan in surprise, because Logan wasn't one to usually raise his voice, even if he was angry. He replayed the voice in his head, and he noted something was strange.

But he immediately knew something else was wrong when he saw that Logan's mouth was open. His face contorted in surprise. And the way he was looking up and down and turning side to side, and then Pony realized that it hadn't been him who'd talked.

His surprise was evident. His eyebrows forming a confused look, and his eyes shining, because other than Ponyboy, who else would be awake, alone in the park, at the ungodly hours of the night? (Well except the Socs, but you get what I mean) And Pony wasn't one to curse, but man, what was happening?

"Ponyboy!? Is that you?" The whisper was stronger now, more desperate. A completely different voice, now that he paying more attention to it. "Pony?"

Ponyboy looked down, and oh god, it was . . .

"Pony, it's me. Johnny." The darkness moved a bit. "What are you doing up there?"

Shit.

Logan was sitting on a nearby limb, his eyes wide and nervous. He pointed to something to Pony's left, his face serious. Then he simply vanished.

Well fuck. Pony was screwed now.

And suddenly, as if all twists of fate, everything crumbled right before him. He could faintly hear the rumbling of a car, the familiar rumble of the engine. At first he brushed it off, because he had just hear it but- he turned, horror and fear seeping through his bones, making his legs feel like jello and-

It was coming back.

And Jonny was here. In front of him. He'd forgotten about Johnny, and how he'd slept at the lot and Logan had said his voice was loud but he'd ignored it and maybe he'd brought Johnny here . . . or maybe Johnny had been lying to him. Anyways, something in the timeline had changed or maybe it was just restarting itself.

Ponyboy felt his heart speed up and without any hesitation he jumped right out of the tree, stumbled as some pain shot up through his legs, and he stumbled over to Johnny.

"Ponyboy, what's happening?" Johnny asked hesitantly as he stepped back a little, taking in Pony's figure. "Where are you going? What are you doing? Darry's going to kill you."

Ponyboy could hear the engine louder now, and Johnny turned. He heard it too and his eyes widened and Ponyboy could almost see the outline of blade in Johnny's pocket.

"Oh no, the Socs," he said. "What are they doing on our-"

No, Ponyboy couldn't let Johnny finish that sentence. Or the thought either, because if he did then it would happen all over again. So, he immediately snapped out of the still-like trance and grabbed Johnny by his jacket roughly, This caused shock to run over Johnny's face, but it beat the puppy eyes Pony always feared. He looked away before they could lock eyes, because he could still see Johnny's eyes as he took one final breath.

"Follow me, right now," he said, looking at the ground.

Johnny opened his mouth, probably to protest, but before he could say anything, Ponyboy grabbed him roughly by the wrist. Johnny let out a yelp.

"The the hell Pony? Let me go," Johnny said harshly.

But Ponyboy could only hear the rumbling of the car as it was right in his ears, despite the fact that the car was a good thirty feet away. "I can't Johnny," he said. "I'll explain this to you later."

"Alright, just let me go," Johnny whined and Ponyboy tugged him a little bit more so that he could catch up.

And so, he let him go, but he kept pushing Johnny so that the Soc's headlight wouldn't be able to catch a glimpse of them. They were far enough and concealed by the shadows that they wouldn't be able to find them. But the engine seemed to taunt Ponyboy. It seemed so close, and then he wondered where Logan had run off to. Sometimes Logan would leave at the worst times and appear at . . . the worst times too. Oh, the irony of everything.

"Ponyboy," Johnny said quietly, but his voice was hard. "What on earth was that all about? Don't you know that Darry's gonna skin ya if he sees you out here? You've been worrying everyone since the beating you took from the Soc's and he's just about to take you to the hospital." He paused. "Are you okay? They didn't rough you up too much did they?"

"I just wanted some fresh air," Pony said, complete dodging Johnny's questions and comments. "I need some air, and I was nervous.."

Johnny's features softened as if suddenly remembering their earlier discussion. "I'm so sorry Pony. I really needed to go, and I left you hanging. And now . . . but you were acting so weird and we don't have no project due . . . "

Ponyboy waved him off, ignoring everything again. "Don't worry about it Johnny," he said, and it was painful to looked at him because Johnny had those puppy eyes. "I'm feeling better now, I was just a little spooked." The engine of the car seemed to have died down, and Ponyboy could relax for a while.

"My parents . . . I promised them I'd gone home-"

A change in the timeline it was.

"- and if I didn't, I'd be in for it. I'm really sorry."

Pony was glad Johnny couldn't see how his eyes darted all over the place and as they even looked past him. "It's not a problem. Don't beat yourself up over it." His hands were tingling and Ponyboy really wanted some gum.

"What were the Socs doing in this part of town though," Johnny asked suddenly. "Did ya get into a mess while I wasn't at school?"

"No," Pony said. He honestly couldn't remember anything past the date where it had all gone down. "I didn't."

Logan appeared then. "Kid go home."

Pony made a face and prayed that Johnny didn't see it.

Logan sighed. "Go home before something bad happens"

And that comment sparked a chain reaction. He's just jinxed it and Pony could feel the air rush out if his lungs as the sputtering down of an engine started again somewhere behind him, and the slamming of car doors, Johnny's frightened look that hurt Ponyboy right to the bone, and the silence.

"Johnny go get Darry right now," Ponyboy whispered. He wasn't going to change his plans. He just hoped he could create a diversion with Johnny (unknowingly) and Logan's help. "Tell them that we need help."

There were hoots of laughter that made Pony's blood freeze.

"What about you?" Johnny whispered hurriedly. "What's gonna happen to you?"

"I hurt my leg," Pony half-lied, "while jumping off the tree. I can't run all that well, and if they catch up to us, I won't be able to run. So run for me."

Johnny looked confused and he peered out into the shadows, but saw nothing.

Logan was staring. "Go home."

"I'll be back-"

"I won't be here," Ponyboy but in. "I need to go somewhere. His eyes shifted to Logan, who was mouthing 'no' to him. "Tell Darry and Soda not to worry."

"You're making a bad mistake."

"Not to worry about what?"

Ponyboy began to look around. "Better yet, don't come back."

"Why on earth are you talking about?"

"Tell them not to worry okay?" He gave Johnny a soft shoved. "I'll be back soon. And tell Dally that the Socs didn't get me."

"I should stay with you," Johnny countered. "We can ride this out together."

"Go. Tell. My. Brothers. Not. To. Worry," Pony said in a hard tone.

Johnny widened his eyes, not in fear, but in disbelief. "Okay," he said and he ran off into the night.

Logan walked up to him. "Kid, you got yourself a good silver tongue. I might even say better than Dally's but . . . anyways, go home and the Soc's won't do anything."

"I know they won't," Ponyboy said confidently.

And so, he stepped out of the shadows and was confronted by three socs. Not five . . . had there been five before? Bob was there and he was swaying, but not enough for Pony to categorize him as a complete drunk. Randy was nowhere in sight.

"Hey greaser," Bob said lazily, but his voice wasn't threatening. "Whaddaya doing out here in the middle of the night?"

The other two were merely giving him a glance and went on pushing each other. Those two were certainly on the borderline.

"I could ask the same to you," Ponyboy said and Logan slapped his own face.

Bob only chuckled. "You got a mouth on ya kid." He sighed. "Me and the boys were just hanging-" he took another sip of his beer- "we don't want no trouble."

Cherry had been right, Pony thought. Bob was a good guy.

"Me neither," Pony said, "but if my gang sees you hanging around in our turf, they just might kill ya for fun." He winced at his own words, but kept going. "Just a warning."

Bob took another sip. "Thanks kid," he said turning to his friend. "Let's get outta here, before Winston shows up. I got some more drinks at home."

His boys whooped and they stalked off.

It was all unrealistic and it seemed all too easy.

Too easy.

Ponyboy collapsed to the ground. "That was just so easy," he said outloud.

Logan sat down next to him. "Yep, but if you'd been any cockier, I'm pretty sure Bob would have snapped." He shrugged. "Bob's a good kid. Would have more potential if he stopped his drinking."

"I just don't get it," he said finally after some silence. "Is that it?"

Logan sprawled himself on the grass. "If you want it to be it, then so be it."

Ponyboy couldn't believe it. "What's going to happen now?"

"Well, you basically stopped the fire and you go home-"

Of course, Pony thought suddenly, Logan's words brushing past him. He still needed to get rid of the church. He blinked and turned to Logan.

"Hey," he said. "Can you make anything appear?"

"Basically."

"Can you get me a lighter and a pack of smokes?"

Logan squinted. "What for? I thought you didn't smoke anymore."

"It's the nerves," he replied, knowing his excuse was lame. The craving had died a long time ago, just like Johnny and Dally had. "I'm shaking all over." He even showed Logan his hands to prove it to him.

Once Logan made those things appear out of thin air, and Ponyboy had stopped staring in amazement, he took the lighter and smoke gingerly. He stood up and said, "I'm going to Windrixville."

"No you ain't," Logan shot back. "Give me back the lighter right now, I'd been hoping you'd forgotten all about your stupid idea. Two stupid ideas, first with the Socs because that couldn't been avoided. The whole confrontation, with Johnny and Bob could've been avoided. And now the church? Kid, you sure took a beating from them Socs and I can heal you any everything but just think about it-"

"No," Ponyboy said and Logan shot him of his dark looks. But Pony wasn't afraid of anything. Not Dally, Not Darry, Not Logan. And honestly? He was getting a little scared of himself at this point . . . He got up and started walking in the direction, the same route he'd taken when he and Johnny ran away.

"I need to get rid of that church. To make sure nothing happens."

Logan threw his hands up in the air. "Nothing is going to happen kid!"

"I don't care."

o-o-o

And then, about fifteen minutes later of walking and having to listen to Logan's rants in other languages and about shows he didn't know about, Ponyboy found himself staring at the dark trees and landscape as they rolled by.

"You're making a mistake," Logan said where he sat.

"No. I'm going to fix my mistake. This all happened because of me."

"You're brothers are freaking out right now. Darry's thinking of getting you some help. He thinks the Socs got you good in the head, and Steve thinks you're crazy. He hasn't told Darry yet, but I think he will. "

"It doesn't matter," Pony said softly. "As long as they're safe and the church is gone."

And Logan sighed, a deep sigh, because everything was just beginning.