Author's Notes: BE FOREWARNED!!!!!!!! THERE IS A CLIFF-HANGER AT THE END
OF THIS CHAPTER, SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE ME DEATH THREATS BE FOREWARNED
THAT YOU HAVE HAD A FAIR WARNING! IF YOU ARE GOING TO GET SPIFFED BECAUSE
OF HOW I ENDED THIS CHAPTER, WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE BEFORE READING!
Kate: It's not THAT bad a cliffhanger. You've had worse so far with no warnings.
Yes, and gotten many a death threat because of it.
Kate: You do know that you're going to get less readers and reviewers because of this, right?
That is such a depressing thought, that I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear it.
Lynne: It's okay! I'm sure some loyal readers will read ahead anyway.
I hope so. Anyway, I finished this chapter a long time ago, but I've been working and not had time to post it! *goes off to read what happened last time after running off to write the chapter*
Oh my god!! LYNNE!
Lynne: Erm, yes? *rubs ear because was standing right beside Man*
You asked them to review! And I didn't have to physically prod you! I'm so proud! *huggles Lynne* YOU GET A COOKIE! *gives Lynne a cookie*
Lynne: ^_____^
Kate: What? No cookie for me? -_-
No, because you were a complete brat while I was gone.
Kate: So?
So, that's BAD!
Kate: So, I'm a bad conscience. If I was good, that just really wouldn't be cricket.
Why oh why did I ever let you watch Austin Powers...*swallows many an aspirin*
Lynne: Hey, don't take too many of those! They can be bad for you if you take too many, just look at all the stories Pony has OD on them!
Another depressing thought. Could we PLEASE concentrate on MY torturing on the characters?
Lynne: I guess, but...
No buts.
Kate: *sings* I like big butts and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny, when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face you get SPRUNG!
*Swallows more aspirin*
~*~Review Answering~*~
MissLKid~ Thank you!
Kate: *singing* Wanna pull up tough, 'cause you notice that butt is stuffed...
Shut up, Kate.
Jour Mamma~ That was chapter three, hun. I'll work on it, okay?
Kate: *singing* Little in the middle but you got much back...
Kate, shut up.
KimmerKay~ Apparently there is a good kind.
Kate: *singing* Don't want none unless you got buns, hun...
Which isn't being put to example right now. Shut UP, Kate! Anyway, eep! Gagh, pressure! You nice reviewers make me feel so bad for not updating for awhile! I'm so sorry! *breaks down seeing such dedicated readers* The sad thing is, I do that myself for some stories, and I know how annoying it is for those stories to not have been updated for a real long time. Sorry. Good luck on your story!
Burnin'~ Hiya. Hey, I'm really sorry about not posting on the groupie board, but I've been working all last week, and I'm using what little time I have right now to get this thing posted. I emailed Celestra in a plea for her to tell you I agreed, and I think she posted that. In the like five seconds I checked the board. Lol. Aw! I like it when Zero talks. Zero, you can talk all you want to me, honey! Just call me you're aunty Man! (That sounded very strange) My lil' muse and his giraffe are currently having a nap, and looking so incredibly adorable. And Stanley, you made me laugh so hard with your little chant of 'life life life life!" You never fail to make me feel guilty as hell for torturing you. There's a reason why fictional characters should stay fictional! Dammit though, those muses...*glances down at lil' Zero and melts.* What am I saying, I love muses! *deftly strokes fluffy hair*
Lynne: Horsey? *innocent blinking* Where has Horsey gone, and who's in his place?!? *breaks down and starts to sob*
Aw! Lynne's lost her little friend to the dark side! It would be so incredibly sad if it weren't so ironically pitiful. *pats Lynne's head* Well, I'm sure the praises would have been good. *silence* Hehe, nah it's okay, I know you read it at least! That's all that matter really! *shoves Kate behind her with a hand over her mouth.* Anyway, moving on, lol...
Lisa~ Thank you! Kate: *sings* Baybee I wanna get wit ya, and take your pictcha!
Kate, SHUT UP!
Queen Seta/Remmy~ Okaaaaaaay. Thanks, I think.
Kate: *sings* Shake, shake, shake that healthy bu-
*duct tapes Kate's mouth shut* That's enough outta you.
Ponyboysgirl~ Ohh! New reviewer! Yay! I'm so glad new people are still reading this fic! Thanks!
True-Slytherin-Girl~ The cliffhanger queen? I must say, that's gotta be at least partly true! This one's pretty bad too. I think so, anyway. Lol. Thanks.
Celestra: Well, he's gunna need therapy for sure! *returns hug* Aw! Thanks! that was a really difficult experience to write about for me. Oh! Yay! *huggles Zero...and keeps on huggleing*
Elanna: Eheh, you can give him back now . . . O_o
No way, he's mine...^_^
Elanna: Darn you. -_-
*hands Elanna Zero back* I have my widdle Zero now! But thanks for the huggles from your Zero, mine's taking a nap currently and I'm going through Zero-huggle-withdrawl symptoms. ^__^ Thanks!
DreaminboutDal~ Thank you! I hope this wasn't too long!
Wren Matthews~ Okay! *turns to Kate, whos sitting against the wall with duct tape on her face and crossed arms, and Lynne, who's hugging her legs to her chest staring at the wall attentively* Hey, people listen to you! *Kate's eye brows raise, and Lynne grins happily and goes back to her usual bouncing.*
Lynne: Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!...
Uh huh. *turns back to Wren* Anyway, thanks!
Latinagal~ Thank you! I loved my book too, but I found it kind of dark and depressing, plus the fact that I died when one of my favourite characters died! *sniff* Toodaloo!
Araz~ But, but, but....then I'd be out of a job! -_- Anyway, thanks!
Aemilia Rose~ I'm sorry! Oh no, not another insane person on my conscience.
Lynne: *looks up* There's nothing on me!
*rubs temples* I meant figuratively.
Lynne: Oh.
Thank you, Aemilia!
Sliver-Edges~ I'm glad you like my stories! Here's an update! Thanks!
* * * * * *
Well, now on to the chapter!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((Soda's POV))
Without taking my gaze from the Socs, I grabbed Pony and hauled him to his feet behind me. We circled back to Darry and Steve. They also had their gaze fixed on the Socs. Taking hold of Darry's sleeve, I guided his arm to Pony. He got the message, and forced Pony behind him. Turning my back, I knelt down next to Two-Bit. He was still out of it.
"Common, man." I said loudly, shaking his shoulders. "We need you, wake up." His head rolled to the side.
"Two-Bit." I said urgently. I glanced over my shoulder, and saw the Socs advancing on us. Ten on three. Hell, if we didn't get there soon, it'd be a massacre. "Two-bit. TWO-BIT! Wake up kid. Come on." I slapped him across the face. "WAKE UP YOU BASTARD!" I slapped him across the face backhanded. Hard.
"Soda!" I heard Steve yell.
"Fuck!" I cursed. We -really- needed to get there soon. I turned back to Two-Bit. "Alright you sonofagun. WAKE THE HELL UP!" I shouted and shook him real hard.
"Turn the mouse down..." Two-Bit murmured sleepily. I shook him again and his eyes snapped open. "Where's the fire?" He muttered, pressing his fingers to his head where a stream of blood trickled.
"Two-Bit, man, we really need ya. Ten to three. Come on." I stood up, and stuck my hand out in front of him. "You ready for a rumble?"
"Always am." He said and grabbed my hand pulling him up. He swayed for a moment and a blank look came into his eyes as he stood up, but shook his head and stayed standing.
"Lets get those Socy bastards." He grunted, and ran into the fray. I grinned, and grabbed two Socs by the back of their red and tan jackets and pulled them away from where they'd been three-on-one with Steve. They hadn't been expecting me, so it was fairly easy to come up behind them and crack their heads together. They fell like a load a bricks. Two down, eight to go.
I immediately gazed around and tried to find where Pony was. There, being held one-handed behind Darry as our older brother fought two Socs off with his other hand. I sprinted over and pulled Pony away. Darry turned and swung, but I had been expecting it and ducked.
"Hey, try not to kill your brother, 'kay?" I said with a quick grin. The side of his mouth quirked up in a small smile, but then he had turned around and was fighting again.
"Pony, stay here, okay kid?" I said to my little brother, pulling him behind the car. He glared at me.
"I can take care of myself, Soda!" He objected. I looked out over the car and saw some Soc punch Two-Bit in the stomach.
"You did a hell of a good job taking care of yourself last time." I snapped. I didn't have time for this.
Pony's eyes widened and he looked hurt.
"Aw, I know you fight good Pony. But stay here. These Socs want you dead. We ain't going to take that chance. So stay here, okay?"
He nodded, his green eyes staring up at me. I ruffled his hair, and earned a glare. "Be good, kid." I said with a smile, and ran out from behind the car and joined in the rumble.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((Pony's POV))
I watched the rumble from behind the car. I was annoyed that Soda didn't trust me to take car of myself, but I didn't want to get beat up again. Deep down, I knew he was right. He was just trying to protect me, but I wanted to help. I knew better then to disobey him and join the rumble anyway. Nobody would think me a chicken for not disobeying my brother. If you lived in a neighbourhood like mine, you needed whatever restraints you could get.
Jake had stuffed the gun in his pocket, and fought barehanded like the rest. Soda, Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit were all fighting two guys. Two- Bit was defiantly on the worse end, because he was still woozy from his concussion. I assumed he had a concussion, I read somewhere that that's what you have when you get hit on the head and pass out. Soda still had his trademark grin on his face as he ducked and punched. Darry had that serious look he always gets when he's, well, serious. Steve just smirked. If we weren't off in the middle of nowhere, and I wasn't safe behind Darry's wrecked truck, this would be a pretty ordinary rumble.
I smiled as Darry delivered a sledgehammer blow to the side of one of the Socs' face. He fell, and Darry simply stepped over him. Another one down. Seven to go. Things were looking up.
But then the rules of the rumble unanimously changed. It was started by our side. Two-Bit, after reeling back from a punch, reached into his pocket and pulled out his switchblade. I shout rang out from the Socs, and they all pulled out their blades. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, all Greasers (except me, thanks to Darry,) carried switchblades. But during the little 'journey' down the hill in the car, Soda and Steve lost their blades. I watched in horror as Soda reached into his pocket with a reckless grin, but the grin turn to dismay as he fished in his pockets for something that wasn't there.
"Shit!" Steve yelled, as he found he didn't have his blade. He backed up from the two approaching Socs, as did Soda. "What now, Darry?" He cried.
"Pony!" Darry yelled. All eyes in the rumble turned to me, Soc and Greaser alike. I knew what he wanted. I dived down into the car, choking on smoke. On hands and knees I frantically searched the bottom -no, top- of the car for their blades. I found one, then the other. Throwing myself out of the car, I fell to my knees on the grass and tossed the switchblades to Soda and Steve.
Then I saw him. I had been looking at him out of the corner of my eye the whole rumble. And now he was staring at me with a creepy look in his eye. Jake Carson. The Soc who beat me up before. I stumbled backwards into the car. He started walking towards me. I pressed my back against the car. The gang was still busy with the other Socs. None of them had noticed him walking towards me.
"Soda! Darry!" I screamed, then, he reached forward and grabbed me.
The world seemed to stop; time ultimately slowing to a crawl as I stared up into the eyes that had haunted my dreams for the past few days. He slowly grinned as he tightened his grip on the front of my shirt. I felt the blood drain from my face and my own eyes to open wide. There was no movement. Then I heard a hoarse voice yell that was filled with anger, fright, and something else that I couldn't tell.
"PONY!" Soda screamed, sounding like he was in physical agony.
A fist rushed into the side of Jake's head like a sledgehammer. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground like a rag doll. His hand still clutched the front of my shirt, and I was dragged to the grass. Hands pulled him off me, and shoved me to my feet with an unspoken gentleness. I stumbled, my legs working in slow motion, but the hands pushed me along to behind the car, where I fell to my knees. I brought my shaking hands onto my lap, and looked up at the guy who had saved me. My eyes widened again, this time in surprise. It was Steve.
"Y-you?" I asked jerkily, trying but failing to not look like a huge idiot.
"Yupp, me." Steve said, glancing over his shoulder at the rumble, which had commenced full blow again. But he looked back, and for the first time I could ever remember Steve smiled at me. "I've decided you ain't so bad, kid."
I gave a shaky grin. "As comforting as that is, don't you have some Socy to be beating on?"
"Right you are." He said, and gave me a mock salute before running back into the rumble. Only five of the original ten Socs were still fighting, and they were dropping like flies. They were losing spirit at seeing their new 'leader', Jake, down. I stared at the figure on the ground near a clump of trees with horror creeping into my heart at how close I came to having history repeat itself.
Blinking burning tears out of my eyes, I watched as Soda felled the Soc he had been fighting and helped Two-Bit with two he had been fighting. Soon, only three guys were left. The gang rounded them up and backed them up onto the slope that Darry's car had previously rolled down.
Then I heard a groan from a different direction, and my head snapped around. Jake had pulled himself onto his knees, and was glaring not at the gang and the three remaining Socs, but at me. And he reached into his jacket.
Reaching, I realized with a sickening jolt in the bottom of my stomach, for his gun. I watched, unable to breath, as he pulled the black weapon out of his jacket without taking his eyes off me. A frightening smile flashed on his face as he squeezed his index finger, pulling the trigger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Author's Note: *hides* Please don't hurt me.
Lynne: I think you should take the duct tape off Kate now.
O_O Why?!?
Lynne: Because...it would be nice.
*heavy sigh* Fine, but I'm warning you that you'll have a headache by the end of this. *pulls off duct tape*
Kate: YEOUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oops. Sorry.
Kate: *rubs mouth* Ouch. Hurts...to....move.....lips.
Good! ^_^ No singing from Kate! *does happy dance*
Lynne?
Lynne: Okay. Please review!
Thank you! Now, listen to the good conscience and review!
In life, death and literature,
~Eh, Man
Kate: It's not THAT bad a cliffhanger. You've had worse so far with no warnings.
Yes, and gotten many a death threat because of it.
Kate: You do know that you're going to get less readers and reviewers because of this, right?
That is such a depressing thought, that I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear it.
Lynne: It's okay! I'm sure some loyal readers will read ahead anyway.
I hope so. Anyway, I finished this chapter a long time ago, but I've been working and not had time to post it! *goes off to read what happened last time after running off to write the chapter*
Oh my god!! LYNNE!
Lynne: Erm, yes? *rubs ear because was standing right beside Man*
You asked them to review! And I didn't have to physically prod you! I'm so proud! *huggles Lynne* YOU GET A COOKIE! *gives Lynne a cookie*
Lynne: ^_____^
Kate: What? No cookie for me? -_-
No, because you were a complete brat while I was gone.
Kate: So?
So, that's BAD!
Kate: So, I'm a bad conscience. If I was good, that just really wouldn't be cricket.
Why oh why did I ever let you watch Austin Powers...*swallows many an aspirin*
Lynne: Hey, don't take too many of those! They can be bad for you if you take too many, just look at all the stories Pony has OD on them!
Another depressing thought. Could we PLEASE concentrate on MY torturing on the characters?
Lynne: I guess, but...
No buts.
Kate: *sings* I like big butts and I cannot lie, you other brothers can't deny, when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face you get SPRUNG!
*Swallows more aspirin*
~*~Review Answering~*~
MissLKid~ Thank you!
Kate: *singing* Wanna pull up tough, 'cause you notice that butt is stuffed...
Shut up, Kate.
Jour Mamma~ That was chapter three, hun. I'll work on it, okay?
Kate: *singing* Little in the middle but you got much back...
Kate, shut up.
KimmerKay~ Apparently there is a good kind.
Kate: *singing* Don't want none unless you got buns, hun...
Which isn't being put to example right now. Shut UP, Kate! Anyway, eep! Gagh, pressure! You nice reviewers make me feel so bad for not updating for awhile! I'm so sorry! *breaks down seeing such dedicated readers* The sad thing is, I do that myself for some stories, and I know how annoying it is for those stories to not have been updated for a real long time. Sorry. Good luck on your story!
Burnin'~ Hiya. Hey, I'm really sorry about not posting on the groupie board, but I've been working all last week, and I'm using what little time I have right now to get this thing posted. I emailed Celestra in a plea for her to tell you I agreed, and I think she posted that. In the like five seconds I checked the board. Lol. Aw! I like it when Zero talks. Zero, you can talk all you want to me, honey! Just call me you're aunty Man! (That sounded very strange) My lil' muse and his giraffe are currently having a nap, and looking so incredibly adorable. And Stanley, you made me laugh so hard with your little chant of 'life life life life!" You never fail to make me feel guilty as hell for torturing you. There's a reason why fictional characters should stay fictional! Dammit though, those muses...*glances down at lil' Zero and melts.* What am I saying, I love muses! *deftly strokes fluffy hair*
Lynne: Horsey? *innocent blinking* Where has Horsey gone, and who's in his place?!? *breaks down and starts to sob*
Aw! Lynne's lost her little friend to the dark side! It would be so incredibly sad if it weren't so ironically pitiful. *pats Lynne's head* Well, I'm sure the praises would have been good. *silence* Hehe, nah it's okay, I know you read it at least! That's all that matter really! *shoves Kate behind her with a hand over her mouth.* Anyway, moving on, lol...
Lisa~ Thank you! Kate: *sings* Baybee I wanna get wit ya, and take your pictcha!
Kate, SHUT UP!
Queen Seta/Remmy~ Okaaaaaaay. Thanks, I think.
Kate: *sings* Shake, shake, shake that healthy bu-
*duct tapes Kate's mouth shut* That's enough outta you.
Ponyboysgirl~ Ohh! New reviewer! Yay! I'm so glad new people are still reading this fic! Thanks!
True-Slytherin-Girl~ The cliffhanger queen? I must say, that's gotta be at least partly true! This one's pretty bad too. I think so, anyway. Lol. Thanks.
Celestra: Well, he's gunna need therapy for sure! *returns hug* Aw! Thanks! that was a really difficult experience to write about for me. Oh! Yay! *huggles Zero...and keeps on huggleing*
Elanna: Eheh, you can give him back now . . . O_o
No way, he's mine...^_^
Elanna: Darn you. -_-
*hands Elanna Zero back* I have my widdle Zero now! But thanks for the huggles from your Zero, mine's taking a nap currently and I'm going through Zero-huggle-withdrawl symptoms. ^__^ Thanks!
DreaminboutDal~ Thank you! I hope this wasn't too long!
Wren Matthews~ Okay! *turns to Kate, whos sitting against the wall with duct tape on her face and crossed arms, and Lynne, who's hugging her legs to her chest staring at the wall attentively* Hey, people listen to you! *Kate's eye brows raise, and Lynne grins happily and goes back to her usual bouncing.*
Lynne: Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!...
Uh huh. *turns back to Wren* Anyway, thanks!
Latinagal~ Thank you! I loved my book too, but I found it kind of dark and depressing, plus the fact that I died when one of my favourite characters died! *sniff* Toodaloo!
Araz~ But, but, but....then I'd be out of a job! -_- Anyway, thanks!
Aemilia Rose~ I'm sorry! Oh no, not another insane person on my conscience.
Lynne: *looks up* There's nothing on me!
*rubs temples* I meant figuratively.
Lynne: Oh.
Thank you, Aemilia!
Sliver-Edges~ I'm glad you like my stories! Here's an update! Thanks!
* * * * * *
Well, now on to the chapter!
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((Soda's POV))
Without taking my gaze from the Socs, I grabbed Pony and hauled him to his feet behind me. We circled back to Darry and Steve. They also had their gaze fixed on the Socs. Taking hold of Darry's sleeve, I guided his arm to Pony. He got the message, and forced Pony behind him. Turning my back, I knelt down next to Two-Bit. He was still out of it.
"Common, man." I said loudly, shaking his shoulders. "We need you, wake up." His head rolled to the side.
"Two-Bit." I said urgently. I glanced over my shoulder, and saw the Socs advancing on us. Ten on three. Hell, if we didn't get there soon, it'd be a massacre. "Two-bit. TWO-BIT! Wake up kid. Come on." I slapped him across the face. "WAKE UP YOU BASTARD!" I slapped him across the face backhanded. Hard.
"Soda!" I heard Steve yell.
"Fuck!" I cursed. We -really- needed to get there soon. I turned back to Two-Bit. "Alright you sonofagun. WAKE THE HELL UP!" I shouted and shook him real hard.
"Turn the mouse down..." Two-Bit murmured sleepily. I shook him again and his eyes snapped open. "Where's the fire?" He muttered, pressing his fingers to his head where a stream of blood trickled.
"Two-Bit, man, we really need ya. Ten to three. Come on." I stood up, and stuck my hand out in front of him. "You ready for a rumble?"
"Always am." He said and grabbed my hand pulling him up. He swayed for a moment and a blank look came into his eyes as he stood up, but shook his head and stayed standing.
"Lets get those Socy bastards." He grunted, and ran into the fray. I grinned, and grabbed two Socs by the back of their red and tan jackets and pulled them away from where they'd been three-on-one with Steve. They hadn't been expecting me, so it was fairly easy to come up behind them and crack their heads together. They fell like a load a bricks. Two down, eight to go.
I immediately gazed around and tried to find where Pony was. There, being held one-handed behind Darry as our older brother fought two Socs off with his other hand. I sprinted over and pulled Pony away. Darry turned and swung, but I had been expecting it and ducked.
"Hey, try not to kill your brother, 'kay?" I said with a quick grin. The side of his mouth quirked up in a small smile, but then he had turned around and was fighting again.
"Pony, stay here, okay kid?" I said to my little brother, pulling him behind the car. He glared at me.
"I can take care of myself, Soda!" He objected. I looked out over the car and saw some Soc punch Two-Bit in the stomach.
"You did a hell of a good job taking care of yourself last time." I snapped. I didn't have time for this.
Pony's eyes widened and he looked hurt.
"Aw, I know you fight good Pony. But stay here. These Socs want you dead. We ain't going to take that chance. So stay here, okay?"
He nodded, his green eyes staring up at me. I ruffled his hair, and earned a glare. "Be good, kid." I said with a smile, and ran out from behind the car and joined in the rumble.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
((Pony's POV))
I watched the rumble from behind the car. I was annoyed that Soda didn't trust me to take car of myself, but I didn't want to get beat up again. Deep down, I knew he was right. He was just trying to protect me, but I wanted to help. I knew better then to disobey him and join the rumble anyway. Nobody would think me a chicken for not disobeying my brother. If you lived in a neighbourhood like mine, you needed whatever restraints you could get.
Jake had stuffed the gun in his pocket, and fought barehanded like the rest. Soda, Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit were all fighting two guys. Two- Bit was defiantly on the worse end, because he was still woozy from his concussion. I assumed he had a concussion, I read somewhere that that's what you have when you get hit on the head and pass out. Soda still had his trademark grin on his face as he ducked and punched. Darry had that serious look he always gets when he's, well, serious. Steve just smirked. If we weren't off in the middle of nowhere, and I wasn't safe behind Darry's wrecked truck, this would be a pretty ordinary rumble.
I smiled as Darry delivered a sledgehammer blow to the side of one of the Socs' face. He fell, and Darry simply stepped over him. Another one down. Seven to go. Things were looking up.
But then the rules of the rumble unanimously changed. It was started by our side. Two-Bit, after reeling back from a punch, reached into his pocket and pulled out his switchblade. I shout rang out from the Socs, and they all pulled out their blades. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, all Greasers (except me, thanks to Darry,) carried switchblades. But during the little 'journey' down the hill in the car, Soda and Steve lost their blades. I watched in horror as Soda reached into his pocket with a reckless grin, but the grin turn to dismay as he fished in his pockets for something that wasn't there.
"Shit!" Steve yelled, as he found he didn't have his blade. He backed up from the two approaching Socs, as did Soda. "What now, Darry?" He cried.
"Pony!" Darry yelled. All eyes in the rumble turned to me, Soc and Greaser alike. I knew what he wanted. I dived down into the car, choking on smoke. On hands and knees I frantically searched the bottom -no, top- of the car for their blades. I found one, then the other. Throwing myself out of the car, I fell to my knees on the grass and tossed the switchblades to Soda and Steve.
Then I saw him. I had been looking at him out of the corner of my eye the whole rumble. And now he was staring at me with a creepy look in his eye. Jake Carson. The Soc who beat me up before. I stumbled backwards into the car. He started walking towards me. I pressed my back against the car. The gang was still busy with the other Socs. None of them had noticed him walking towards me.
"Soda! Darry!" I screamed, then, he reached forward and grabbed me.
The world seemed to stop; time ultimately slowing to a crawl as I stared up into the eyes that had haunted my dreams for the past few days. He slowly grinned as he tightened his grip on the front of my shirt. I felt the blood drain from my face and my own eyes to open wide. There was no movement. Then I heard a hoarse voice yell that was filled with anger, fright, and something else that I couldn't tell.
"PONY!" Soda screamed, sounding like he was in physical agony.
A fist rushed into the side of Jake's head like a sledgehammer. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground like a rag doll. His hand still clutched the front of my shirt, and I was dragged to the grass. Hands pulled him off me, and shoved me to my feet with an unspoken gentleness. I stumbled, my legs working in slow motion, but the hands pushed me along to behind the car, where I fell to my knees. I brought my shaking hands onto my lap, and looked up at the guy who had saved me. My eyes widened again, this time in surprise. It was Steve.
"Y-you?" I asked jerkily, trying but failing to not look like a huge idiot.
"Yupp, me." Steve said, glancing over his shoulder at the rumble, which had commenced full blow again. But he looked back, and for the first time I could ever remember Steve smiled at me. "I've decided you ain't so bad, kid."
I gave a shaky grin. "As comforting as that is, don't you have some Socy to be beating on?"
"Right you are." He said, and gave me a mock salute before running back into the rumble. Only five of the original ten Socs were still fighting, and they were dropping like flies. They were losing spirit at seeing their new 'leader', Jake, down. I stared at the figure on the ground near a clump of trees with horror creeping into my heart at how close I came to having history repeat itself.
Blinking burning tears out of my eyes, I watched as Soda felled the Soc he had been fighting and helped Two-Bit with two he had been fighting. Soon, only three guys were left. The gang rounded them up and backed them up onto the slope that Darry's car had previously rolled down.
Then I heard a groan from a different direction, and my head snapped around. Jake had pulled himself onto his knees, and was glaring not at the gang and the three remaining Socs, but at me. And he reached into his jacket.
Reaching, I realized with a sickening jolt in the bottom of my stomach, for his gun. I watched, unable to breath, as he pulled the black weapon out of his jacket without taking his eyes off me. A frightening smile flashed on his face as he squeezed his index finger, pulling the trigger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
Author's Note: *hides* Please don't hurt me.
Lynne: I think you should take the duct tape off Kate now.
O_O Why?!?
Lynne: Because...it would be nice.
*heavy sigh* Fine, but I'm warning you that you'll have a headache by the end of this. *pulls off duct tape*
Kate: YEOUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oops. Sorry.
Kate: *rubs mouth* Ouch. Hurts...to....move.....lips.
Good! ^_^ No singing from Kate! *does happy dance*
Lynne?
Lynne: Okay. Please review!
Thank you! Now, listen to the good conscience and review!
In life, death and literature,
~Eh, Man