Splendid, chapter 2: Kryptonite: Darry: So many questions……so little people that can answer them.
In most people's opinion, at least around here, Superman is one of the best super heroes out there.
He's strong, good-looking, and smart.
He's practically invincible; nothing and I mean nothing can touch him.
But there is that…..flaw. That one thing, which conquers him, puts him in the ground.
Pony and the gang have this weird idea that, I'm Superman.
Well, if that's it, then this must be my kryptonite. All that's happened already, I can't even make sense of it. It happened so fast, too fast, and I feel like it still hasn't stopped and something is going to ensue next, I know it is, I have this weird-gut-feeling……
It happened so fast? What the hell am I saying!? Everything in life goes by in an instant, and you just have to catch it, seize the moment. But that's not the case here, oh no, you see…….I can't complain, and say "Johnny and Dally are dead!? They can't because I just saw them a couple of days ago…..they were fine, dandy."……….I wish it could be that simple.
Like I said, life goes by before you know it. Did I know my parents weren't going to come back that day they went away? Did I know they were going to die in a car accident? Did I know that Ponyboy was going to run out the night I hit him and get attacked by Socs, fuckin' Socs!?
Did I know Johnny was going to kill one?
Did I know Dally was going to go and help them? Show them the way, the fuckin' yellow brick road!
Did I know Ponyboy and Johnny were going to play super hero, and go into that burning church just to rescue some little kids?
Did I know Johnny was going to die from doing so, that even if he lived, he's be crippled and restrained in a damn wheel chair?
Did I know Dally was going to kill himself the same night? Yeah, that's what I say he did…..Killed himself. What other explanation do I have? He knocked up the damn drug store and I knew, the only thing that I seem to know, is when the fuzz shot…….he was expecting it, waiting for it.
I obviously don't know anything, anymore. So, How can I be Superman?
Why am I thrust into all this madness? I have to be the leader of the gang, I have to be the father and mother of my younger brothers, and I have to sit here. Right now, in a funeral home. Both Dally and Johnny's caskets a few feet away from me, they're are closed, I told them to do that, I don't think anyone here could bear to see them like that, laying in a damn casket.
Pony is crying, I can see that as I still sit on my ass here, still watch. I've never done anything other than watch. Soda is comforting him, whispering something low and soothing to our little brother. Why can't I do that? I've been labeled as the big bad wolf who has no heart and if he did, he wouldn't know the first thing to do with it.
All the questions I have. No one can answer, I can't even answer myself!
I'm not Superman
And if I was
I'd be dead already, because all that's happened, All this tragedy……this was my kryptonite.