Chapter 3: In The House
At the psychotic hospital. It was all quiet. Suddenly, red lights and an alarm cut on. Doctors ran into the hallways as well as guards. There was a lot of confusion. Some patients were banging on their doors.
"What's going on," asked one of the doctors bursting into the security room.
"Patient number 441 is not in his room. He has escaped!"
The doctor froze. That was the same patient that he was examining that afternoon. He was the most interesting. They said he was unpredictable in the outside world.
Vans drove from the parking lot of the hospital and zoomed down the street. When all the vans passed, the bushes started moving. The escaped patient was in the bushes. He walked towards the back and looked down the road. A car was coming. The patient stuck his thumb up and the car stopped.
"Where are you heading to?" asked the driver.
"You'll never know," said the patient in a raspy, cold, quiet voice.
……..
Darry approached the truck while the other group went to their car.
"Where are we staying?" asked Soda. Ponyboy was in the back and was barely awake. His eyes were chinky.
"At an old house with those guys over there."
Pony's eyes opened and he looked out the window. He had that Gone with the Wind book in his lap. Soda looked out the window too to see the other group.
"We're staying with strangers?" asked Ponyboy, finally. He was quiet like Johnny.
"It'll be fine, Pony," said Darry.
"Whose the chick?" asked Soda.
"She's taken. Sorry."
"Never mind what I said then."
Both of Soda's brothers smiled as they followed other car that was leaving the gas station.
Meanwhile, in the other car, the other group was having a conversation of their own.
"I don't see why we have to share the house with the other people," complained Pete. His girlfriend objected once again.
"He looked too tired to drive for another mile. Stop being so selfish."
"Besides," cut in Matthew. "Would you have liked to tell someone with that much muscle that he couldn't stay?"
"We could have taken him if we both jumped," said Pete smiling.
"I didn't want to take the risk."
"You're a biker boy. You're supposed to know how to fight."
"Fight peoples my size. Besides. I usually have my gang around me if I ever get into a jam."
Pete grumbled something and continued his drive to the house. It was a short trip. They approached the house. It was down a path in the middle of the woods. It was actually pretty deep into the woods. The car and truck parked in front of the house and everyone jumped out.
The house was clearly old. There were windows that needed to be cleaning, the porch steps were cracked and one was broken. It looked too much like a horror flick.
"You two must be Sodapop and Ponyboy," said Connie to Soda and Pony. They both nodded their heads while stretching.
"What's that noise?" asked Sodapop.
They all traveled behind the house. Following the noise. They reached the noise. There was a giant cliff right behind them.
"Okay. I suggest no one walks back here," said Pete looking at everyone.
They walked back to the front of the house to grab their luggage and get settled for the night inside the creepy looking house.
Darry grabbed a suitcase and tossed it to Soda. Soda caught it.
"Where's Pony?" asked Darry looking around.
"I'm right here," said Ponyboy climbing out of the truck. He was getting his Gone with the Wind book.
"Hey! Is that Gone with the Wind?" asked Connie walking over to Ponyboy.
"Yes," answered the youngest Curtis.
"I've always wanted to read that. Mind if I borrow it for a second?"
"Um…Maybe later."
"Uh. Okay."
Connie walked off as Ponyboy hung on to his book. Darry and Sodapop noticed that he had been carrying it everywhere.
After everyone got their stuff, they walked inside the house. Pete trying opening the door. It was stuck.
"Hey Darry. Use that muscle for something," said Pete.
Darry put down his suitcase and rammed the door. It flung open. Matthew's eyes were wide. But they were hidden by his glasses.
…….
Soda and Ponyboy were in their room. Turns out there were only three rooms in the house. One for the Curtis brothers, one for Connie, and one for the other two men.
Soda was sitting on the bed while Pony was looking around the room. He spoke up.
"Hey Pony. You okay?"
Ponyboy turned around to his brother.
"Yeah. Why?"
"I don't know. You've been quiet."
"Have I ever been loud?"
"True. Well, if anything's bothering you, you need to let me know."
"Nothings bothering me."
"…Okay. Let's go downstairs. They're trying to see if they can cook something."
The uniquely named Curtis brothers walked down the stairs. It was a three story house and they were on the second floor.
Darry, Connie, and Pete were sitting down in the kitchen when Soda and Pony walked in. Matthew was trying to fix the stove.
"I don't think we have any power, man," said Pete.
"I think we do," said Matthew. "Just give me a minute to prove my point-"
At that moment, a giant flame went up on the stove, nearly burning Matthew's hand off. If it wasn't for his quick movement, and protection of biker gloves, he would have had a burning hand.
"Are you okay?" said Soda walking towards him.
"I'm fine."
"Look!" yelled Ponyboy unexpectedly.
Everyone looked at the window and saw something quickly move away from sight. Everyone in the room was frozen. Something about this wasn't right.