Chapter 12: Is It?

It was dark. Louis sat up shivering. A bunch of visions flashed through his mind. Knifing people, robbing, and screams. He looked down and sat a knife in one hand and a gun in the other hand. He tried to throw them away, but they were stuck to his hand. He desperately tried to throw them but no luck. He heard laughing and looked to the side to see Drake. It was an evil laugh. Drake then disappeared his car came running towards Louis.

Louis woke up screaming. Johnny sat up beside him.

"Louis! Louis! You okay?" he said worriedly.

Louis sat up shivering again. That had to be the worst dream he had ever had. Nothing scared him like that. It was the first time he woke up screaming. He thought how it would have been if he was watching himself. Sleeping peacefully and then wake up screaming bloody murder.

"I-I'm fine. It was just a-"

Louis stopped. He was just staring in a certain direction. This worried Johnny even more.

"Louis, Louis. What's wrong?"

Johnny looked in the direction Louis was staring at. Louis was just staring at a car that had parked up the street. The engine was still running and had its back turned. Johnny looked back at Louis.

"What's wrong?"

Louis snapped back into reality and shot up to his feet.

"Johnny! C'mon!"

"Where are we going?"

"Back to the Curtis' house. C'mon!"

Johnny followed Louis with no hesitation. They ran over to the Curtis house. Louis started in the direction of a window, but Johnny shouted,

"Don't worry! They keep their front door open!"

Louis changed directions and ran towards the door. He opened it quickly and Johnny followed. They got inside and Johnny closed the door quietly.

"Lock it," said Louis. He was about to sit on the couch, but quickly remembered that Steve was sleeping on it. Louis sat on the floor and Johnny sat down beside him.

"What's wrong? What was wrong with that car?"

Louis panted for a moment and answered.

"That car. It was the same car I saw in the nightmare I just had. It looked exactly like Drake's car."

Johnny froze. How could Drake know where Louis was? Johnny then realized how nervous Louis must be. He quickly comforted him with his theory.

"It-It couldn't be. How would he know where you are?"

That calmed Louis a little. That's right. He left no trace of where he was at. Suddenly, the door opened. Fear struck in both Johnny and Louis. Johnny reached and clutched his back pocket. Louis had actually frozen. A rough looking shadow stood in the doorway. He then said in a northern city type of voice,

"You kids okay?"

Johnny and Louis calmed down. It sounded like Dally. The figure cut the porch light on and showed his face. It was Dally. Dally repeated his question.

"Yeah. We're okay Dal'. What are you doing here?" asked Johnny.

"Oh. Um. I lost a pack of cigarettes around here."

Dally reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack.

"I found them and heard Louis screaming. I just came to check on you kids."

"Oh. Well we're fine," said Louis.

"Alright. See you kids later on."

Dally cut off the porch light and shut the door. He sighed. He hoped they believed his little lie. He was actually hiding and watching them sleep. He worried about them when they were asleep in the lot. The pack of cigarettes were ones he found. He decided just to head home or to Merril's he was real tired.

Back at the house, Johnny was wondering about something. They both believed Dally's story. But Johnny noticed something wrong. Dally's pack of cigarettes were Kools. He hated Kools. Johnny just forgot about and laid down on the floor to go to sleep.

The next day at the DX, Steve and Soda were working on someone's car. Soda was thinking about the rumble the other night. Darry was about to yell at Ponyboy for showing up, but Soda stopped him. He needed to show more love.

Steve was thinking about something else. He decided to tell his best friend about as soon as they finished the car. Steve sat down next to Soda in the chairs in the garage.

"Soda. I got something to tell."

Soda looked at Steve.

"What you got to tell me?"

"Last night. My sleep was interrupted by Louis and Johnny running into your house."

"At what time?"

"Not sure. I pretended to be sleep. They said they were scared by a car that looked familiar to Louis. They said it was some guy named Drake who drove it. Dally came in later to check on them. I fell back asleep then."

Soda thought for a moment. Louis and Johnny did hang out a lot. Maybe Louis told Johnny some stuff that no one else knew.

"Do you think it has something to do with Louis past?" asked Soda.

"I think it does. And Johnny knows," answered Steve.

"Johnny knows what?"

Soda and Steve turned their attention to the doorway. Dally was standing there. Steve told Dally what he heard.

"I was awake last night. Before you came in, Louis and Johnny were scared by some guy named Drake. Louis said he saw a car that looked exactly like his. We think Louis told Johnny about his past."

'So that was what scared them' thought Dallas.

"Why were you at my house last night?" asked Soda raising an eyebrow. Dally put up the same lie.

"Nothing important. I was walking around and heard Louis screaming. I saw them running to your house."

"Louis was screaming?" asked Steve.

Dally nodded. Soda then told his conclusion.

"Something real bad must have happened with Louis. Do you think we should get it out of Johnny?"

Dally quickly shook his head.

"No. Johnny or Louis can tell us when he's ready."

Sodapop and Steve nodded. But they both knew this was kinda like Dally was out of character. He sounded a lot like Darry.