The heat was unbearable. He had never felt this level of exhaustion before. But he kept running. He had been running since Two-bit had told him that Pony was at track practice, and Johnny would keep running until he got to the school. He thought as he ran that he probably should have told Dally that they had to get Pony, but what if he didn't understand how serious this was? What if he just sent Darry over to pick him up? Johnny pushed the thoughts aside. He didn't have the energy to think about anything other than keeping Ponyboy out of those woods. He was really too sick to think at all. In the back of his mind, he realized he was doing something really stupid.
He just kept going. The sky was growing ominously dark.
Dally and Two-bit ran down the street as fast as they could. "Where IS he?" Dally growled through clenched teeth. Johnny had gotten a fairly good head start, but Dally knew he was heading to the school. That was, if the killer had not gotten to him first.
Don't think like that! Dally scolded himself. That's crazy.
"Dal, I don't think Johnny went this way..." Two-bit said gasping for air. He knew where Johnny was headed, too.
"What are you taking about?" Dally said, not slowing down, not looking back.
"He and Pony have some... short cut or something. I'm always running late, so I drive. I've never gone that way, but I've heard them talk about it. They cut through some fields and woods, I think..."
Dally swore and finally stopped running. He turned and grabbed Two-bit's shirt collar. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner??" he demanded.
"I just caught up to you!!"
"Well, which way do you think he went?"
Dally had a desperate look in his eye and Two-bit was growing concerned that he might get slugged. He braced for the worst as he answered, " I told you, I don't know... I've never gone that way.... I've never wanted to get to school on time!."
Dally scowled then took off running again.
Two-bit started to run after him, but suddenly caught sight of Darry's truck a few blocks over, headed in their direction, driving like the devil was after him.
"Dally!" he screamed. "It's Darry! C'mon!"
Dally stopped dead in his tracks and turned. He and Two-bit ran towards the old red Ford, waving wildly.
Darry pulled over and leaned out the window. Fear was written all over his face. Those boys would not be outside running all over creation unless something was wrong, he thought. "What's going on?" he yelled.
"Darry, drive to the school, man! Pony's at track after all and Johnny took off after him!" Dally said, scrambling into the passenger seat of the pickup as Two-bit vaulted himself into the back.
Darry's tires screeched as he took off without further questioning.
After a short while, Johnny reached the woods. On the other side was the school. Going around the woods would take more time. Through the woods would be the fastest, but he might not come out the other side....
He caught me off guard last time, Johnny thought. I'll have a better chance this time if I'm looking for him. He took his switchblade out of his pocket and ran straight into the small forest of trees.
Darry was driving as fast as he could without putting them all in danger. He had been contemplating the situation for the past few seconds. Finally, he voiced his thoughts.
"I don't think it's him, Dal."
"Huh?"
"The killer... I don't think this guy, who ever he is, is the real 'Tulsa Ripper', or what ever they were calling him."
"What makes you think that?" Dally asked.
Darry carefully considered what he was about to say, but realized there was really no way to sugar coat it. " Because I think he would have just killed him, Dal."
Dally went white.
"Think about it.... why would this guy have caught Johnny, told him not to say anything to anyone and then just let him go? That was not how that guy worked. They've got the real killer, this is someone else."
"I don't care who this is, this guy's been stalking Johnny for weeks... and from what I can tell, he's after Pony too."
"I'm not saying that this isn't serious," Darry said, keeping the nervous edge out of his voice. He was just as scared as Dally was, but he knew he needed to keep his wits about him. Panicing would not help them at all. "I'm just saying that I don't think it's the same person." He wanted to say that he didn't think this person was a killer, but he was starting to wonder.
Dally knew he was trying to calm the situation, but it really wasn't working.
