"Hey Dad, have you seen Pony and Will?" Sodapop called to his father from across camp. It was a little after high noon, and he hadn't seen his younger brother yet. The gray storm clouds were threatening to roll in over their heads.
"They're out in the woods somewhere, Pepsi-cola," came the reply. Mr. Curtis sounded unconcerned, but in truth he had seen those rain clouds coming for hours, and from then on had been watching the edge of the woods for his youngest son's return.
Soda didn't want to act like he cared as much as he did, but he couldn't help it. It was Pony's first time camping, and he didn't want it to be the last. "Those clouds ain't gonna hold up much longer, Dad. Do you think… Maybe I ought to look for them."
Mr. Curtis knew what his son was thinking. "I got the feeling they were trying to be stealthy." He stated, sounding almost final. Then he spoke up again. "They went that way," he pointed, "towards the east." Darry was cleaning some guns on a stump nearby. "Darrel, come here and help me pull this stuff into the truck. I'm afraid this storm might be a big one."
"Yes sir."
"Hey Pony, those clouds are getting awful dark. You think we ought to head back to camp?" Will asked, staring at the sky through the green canopy of the forest.
Ponyboy was bent down fiddling with the trip wire. They had worked their tails off all morning, ignoring the growling of their stomachs at noon. Their fort was nearly done, and beautiful in their eyes. "Just a minute. It's gonna hold up. Let's just get the real door in, and then we can stop," Pony protested. He knew storms could get bad where he was, but he was used to the safety of his house. The young boy was almost naïve, assuming that his tent would provide enough shelter when the rain came. He wasn't worried at all.
"But I really think we should go now," Will insisted, glancing for the fiftieth time at the graying sky.
"What? You ain't scared, are you?" His friend taunted him.
"I ain't and you know it!"
"Then let's get this door done," Pony said.
Sodapop made his way through the woods in the direction his dad had indicated silently. He knew how to stealth in the woods, and planned on having a bit of fun. The teen was still concerned about Pony and Will's safety, but that didn't mean he couldn't give his little brother a scare. Soda grinned slyly to himself.
The low rumble of thunder far off made his expression change. "I hope they're okay," he thought. "And I hope we don't get rained on."
"That's the last of it, Dad," Darry said. "That should keep everything dry."
"Good job, Darry. I could have never got it done this fast without you. You're a real trooper." Mr. Curtis patted his oldest son on the back affectionately.
Darry smiled to himself. He missed his dad sometimes, amidst the bustle of high school and friends and football. Now that the summer had arrived, he wanted to spend more time with him.
Mr. Curtis stretched his back. "I wonder if Soda found Pony and Will yet," he wondered aloud.
"Soda went out lookin' for Pony and Will?" Darry asked, curious.
"Yeah. 'Bout forty-five minutes ago, I'd say. This rain is coming. They'd better hurry."
Darry noticed the slightest bit of worry in his father's face. He pondered it. His dad was a firm man with a good head on his shoulders. There was no fear in him. He could have been a soldier, but he was just a kid during WWII. Mr. Curtis's father, Darry's grandfather, had fought in it, though. The boys never heard much about their grandfather besides that. Darry looked at the sky.
"Think they'll be back in time?" he asked.
"I hope so, son. I hope so."
"I got a great idea!" Pony said. He was looking at the mostly finished door of the fort.
"What?" Will asked. He had stopped thinking about the rain so much, but was still anxious to get back to camp.
"Let's make a pulley to open the door. I can run a rope from the door to that branch," he pointed to a branch about ten feet above them, "and it'll hang down."
"Then we can just pull it to open the door!" Will exclaimed. All thoughts of the storm left him. He liked this idea.
Pony grinned. "Exactly."
"So how're we gonna get the rope up there? Throw it?" Will asked.
"I was figgerin' on just climbing up there," Pony said. "I dunno how long it'll take for me or you to throw it."
Will shrugged. Pony grabbed what was left of their rope and headed toward the trunk of the tree.
"Could you give me a leg up?" he asked his friend.
"Yeah."
The boy let Pony stand on his back so he could reach the first branch. Once he had pulled himself up, Will stood and brushed the dirt from the knees of his jeans. Pony clambered up to their branch of choice and began inching along it until he was right over the door of the fort.
"Okay, Will. I'll throw this end down and you tie it to the door," Pony called, balancing his mere seventy pounds with ease on the somewhat slender branch.
As Will grabbed the dangling rope, the first droplets of rain began to fall. It went from a slight drizzle to a downpour in less than a minute.
"Pony! You'd better get down!" Will shouted to his friend, remembering his worries from before. "Hurry! We can do this later."
"NO!" Pony insisted, trying to speak above the noise of the pounding rain. "Tie it! Then I'll loop this around and get down!"
Soda freaked out when the rain started falling. "Pony! Will!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. The drops began pounding on the back of his t-shirt, soaking him. "Come on, guys," he said under his breath. "This ain't fun no more."
"Get in the truck, Darry!" Mr. Curtis shouted whenthe rain began to pound. They had stood outside as it drizzled scanning the edge of the woods. "They'll come."
"Dad, shouldn't we go find Soda and Pony and Will?" Darry asked when they were out of the downpour.
Mr. Curtis sighed. "It won't do any good. They're smart boys. Soda knows enough to keep them safe until this clears. He's a good kid."
"I hope your right."
"Pony! Get down!" Will was frantic now.
"I'm coming!" the soaking wet ten year old replied. He wasn't that calm, himself. The once seemingly sturdy branch had quickly become slippery and dangerous. The wind had picked up and was swaying the tree, making it hard for Pony to move.
Will began to pace at the bottom of the tree. He knew they should have headed back earlier. Now he was hungry and soaking and wanting a good meal and something dry. He looked back up at his friend, checking his progress. Ponyboy was clinging to the branch for dear life, trying to inch his way back to the trunk. The first flash of lighting came, followed by a crack of thunder that shook the boys' bones.
"Will!" Pony yelled above the storm. "I can't do this! I can't get down!" He felt his heart rise up into his throat, threatening to send tears of fear to the normally tough ten-year-old's eyes.
Something flipped inside his friend. He didn't know what to say or do. "Hold on! What should I do?"
"I don't know," Pony called, not wanting to look at the ground.
Soda caught sight of the dark gold t-shirt Will was wearing. "Will! Will!" he yelled, forgetting his normal teasing name for the boy.
Will heard his name being called and looked in the direction it came from. He almost wanted to jump for joy when he saw Sodapop running towards him. "Soda!" he shouted.
"Will, what's goin…." Pony started to yell, but before he could finish there was another flash of lighting and roar of thunder.
Will looked up and dove to action instinctually, without thinking. Later on Soda would remember the entire scene and wonder how a kid that small could react that fast.
The crash on the forest floor made the thunder seem like a whisper.
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I know it took me a while. I was debating on whether or not I should continue, feeling this is ruining the Outsiders, somehow. But I will continue. Thank you for the reviews. Constructive criticism will be appreciated. golden greaser, thank you for pointing out that Johnny and Pony are best friends. This is a very true statement. However, that was when Pony was 14. A lot happens in 4 years, and I think that Pony has to change a little more before he is ready to be best friends with Johnny. Any questions on what I mean?