Johnny leaned weakly on Soda's shoulder, Ponyboy on the other. Darry fumbled around in the dark and finally came up with a flashlight. There was still some light coming into part of the basement from the broken window, but not much. Most of the corners of the basement were very dark.
Johnny closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. The shattering window had gotten his heart pounding.
Soda could feel heat radiating off Johnny's forehead. "Hey, kiddo," he said nervously. "You doin' OK?"
Johnny nodded.
Darry and Tim worked together boarding up the window, but it sounded like things were starting to die down.
Dally stood cautiously.
Darry caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and turned around. "Where are you going?"
Dally looked at him in disgust. "Where do you think?"
Darry's stomach turned cold. He knew exactly where Dally was going because he'd just been thinking about going out himself. "Dally, it's still pouring outside- there's probably wires down everywhere- sit down!"
Dally looked dangerously at him. They stared eachother down for a moment, and Darry, realizing he wasn't talking to someone who would listen to him, gave up and watched as Dally pushed past him and headed up the stairs. He hesitated briefly and looked at Johnny, a fleeting expression of concern crossed his face before he turned and continued towards the first floor. Tim started to follow him.
"Tim, hold up," Darry said.
Tim turned around and looked at Darry. Darry couldn't read his expression at all, but he knew Tim and Dally were good buddies. Tim now had all the facts. He knew what had happened and he knew how angry Dally was. Darry figured Tim could probably sense the tension between him and Dally. His only hope was that Tim would understand that Dally wasn't thinking quite straight right now and maybe he would try to talk some sense into him to keep him out of trouble.
"Tim," Darry looked at him seriously. "I don't want him goin' to jail again. None of us do..."
Tim glanced around the room and then back at Darry. Without a word, he turned and headed up the stairs after Dally.
Darry clenched his teeth and rubbed his forehead. He hoped he'd gotten through to Tim, but Tim was as much of a loose cannon as Dally. There was no telling what kind of trouble they could cause if Tim decided he was in the right mood.
He had to follow them. He turned to Soda. "Sodapop, you stay here, you understand? You keep an eye on these two," he indicated Johnny and Ponyboy.
Soda nodded. "Where are they going?"
"I don't know, " Darry lied. He got down and felt Johnny's head and hesistated. "Take him upstairs in a minute or two if it sounds like the wind isn't going to start up again. He needs to lie down in a bed."
Johnny moaned softly. He was sleeping, but not peacefully.
"You're gonna be all right, little guy, " Darry said, pushing Johnny's hair back.Then he stood and looked towards the stairs. "I'll be back as soon as I can... Steve, Two-Bit, I could use a hand..."
Steve and Two-Bit were at his side the second he made the request. Darry handed the flashlight to Soda. Then the three of them headed up the stairs together and into the devastation outside.
Soda's eyes followed them. "I don't like this... where are they all going?" he whispered.
Ponyboy watched them, too. "Probably to out to find that guy that's been chasing Johnny," he replied.
Soda stared at him. "WHAT?"
Pony suddenly realized that Soda didn't know what was going on. He explained what he could to him, from what Johnny had told him.
"He was wearing a ski mask? You mean, just like that guy a few weeks ago? But he's in jail..." Soda's voice trailed off. "Somebody's playing some sort of sick joke?"
"I don't know... Johnny seemed to take it pretty seriously." Ponyboy still wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole situation. It was all rather overwhelming, and pretty terrifying. He looked over at Johnny. "Is he OK, Soda?"
Soda pushed Johnny's hair back. "Yeah, he'll be all right. He just needs some rest. We'll take him upsatirs."
Darry hopped in the truck, Two-Bit and Steve followed. They drove a little ways through fallen tree branches and debris of all kinds and soon they saw Dally and Tim.
Darry pulled up beside them. "Get in."
Wordlessly, they hopped in the back.
Darry took off towards the woods. It was starting to get dark. But he wasn't afraid. He was too full of anger.
As they got closer, he sped up until they couldn't go any farther and they all got out.
"Is this about where he went back into the woods?" Darry asked.
Dally nodded, listening. And then he heard it. A faint moaning coming from deep inside the cluster of trees.
They all started running.
"Paul?" a voice called out as they got closer. "Mike?"
And then they saw him. Lying on the ground, his legs pinned securely under a very heavy looking tree limb, was a man- no, wait, Darry looked harder. A boy! A teenage boy about Soda's age, but bigger built than Soda. He could be mistaken easily for someone older, had Darry not gotten a glimpse of his face.
Dally was charging towards him. Darry stepped in front of him. "STOP!" he whispered. "We don't know this is him!"
Dally looked at him like he'd lost his mind, but he stopped.
They approached the boy cautiously.
"Paul?" the kid was sounding desparate and in a lot of pain.
Darry circled around to where he could see the kid straight on. The kid looked up and terror filled his eyes. And then Darry saw a piece of cloth lying next to the kid's hand. A red piece of cloth. With holes cut for eyes.
He bent over and picked it up, rage filling every fiber of his being. Dally headed forward, his eyes deadly.
Darry grabbed him and got right in his face. "NOT until I get some answers! Understand?"
Dally looked murderous. And Tim stepped in, pushing him back. Steve stood beside Tim.
"You got one minute, Curtis!" Dally threatened. Darry knew that the only reason Dally didn't have his hands around the kid's throat, other than possibly the fact that Tim and Steve were standing in his way, was that he wasnted answers too.
Darry ignored him. He pulled Two-Bit aside. "Go call an ambulance," he whispered.
Two-Bit looked curiously at him.
"He's a soc."
Two-Bit took off. Darry was covering their asses. If they didn't call for help, the soc's parents would have them all in jail. But he didn't run too fast.
Darry turned back to the kid. He didn't know why he knew he was a Soc, he just knew for some reason. He circled his slowly, paused for effect, then reached down and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him up just enough to cause his legs to move slightly.
The kid screamed in agony.
Darry got right in his face. He clenched his teeth and stared into the kids eyes. "WHY?!"
The kid was starting to panic and he tried to form words, but he couldn't catch his breath.
"Why were you chasing after Johnny and Ponyboy? Answer me!"
And then something cllicked in Darry's mind. Something about the kids eyes. Recognition. He paused to put the name with the face. Then he smiled wickedly as he remembered. He looked over at Dallas, then down at the boy. "Why don't you turn and see who's behind you.... "Darry whispered menacingly.
The kid turned slightly and started shrieking the minute he saw Dallas. Darry got down and shoved the ski mask in his mouth. "Shut up! And I'm gonna have those boys turn him loose if you don't start telling me what I want to know!"
Dally's dangerous look was replaced by one of surprise. He didn't recognize the guy, but Darry seemed to. And for whatever reason, the guuy seemed terrified of him.
Darry debated announcing his discovery, then decided, why not? "I want some answers.... Ricky."
*************
All right, you're all going to be mad, but not as mad as me... I revealed the ski mask guy now because unfortunately, the house we're building is sort of done and we have to move in on Thursday. The reason this is bad is we will not have internet access for possibly as long as a month. So that's about how long it will be before my next update, unless we can get the cable people to come out sooner. They claim they're "busy" and won't be able to get out to our house for quite some time. Anyhow, I thought I'd at least post this chapter so I didn't leave you hanging too much. I'm really sorry!! I hope you'll all pick up the story again when I can post another chapter! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I have enjoyed them so much. Hopefully, it won't be too long, but I just thought I should warn you!
