Hi again… sorry for waiting so long to update. (Okay, maybe not too long, but I like to update real quick-like.) On to the story, though. Hope it's not too, too short.

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Johnny's POV

I gave up looking for Dally. He would turn up eventually, anyway. He always did. Pony was at the Dingo. I dunno how I knew it… I don't know much of anything at the moment. Except maybe that I'm definitely dead. And I don't like it one little bit. I can't feel nothing; I'm never cold, or hot, or in pain, or happy, or sad or sorry. Just… numb. A small part of me wanted to feel so bad. Another part wanted it to stay this way forever. And the other part just wanted everything to rewind, go back to when I was happy.

My Pranay made me happy. But we'd never be able to hug, or kiss, or hold hands anymore. Shamira could dream, and I could watch her, feel her dreams. Glory, but she was beautiful. I grinned, though I didn't feel happy (or anything else, for that matter.) Shay would never know that I had just been watching her. Mira had been crying over me and Dal. I soon found the near-albino in the lot, hanging from a cypress tree. He was smoking. I shook my head; you couldn't calm down with a cig like the living. But Dallas always had one hanging from his lips.

"Hey, Johnnycakes. How's Shay?" That's another thing. The dead know what and when and why and who without asking. He knew, but it was nice to pretend we could feel concern for someone.

"She's okay… still shook up, though. How's the gang?" That's where he'd been all along, trailing the gang, getting some news. Dallas nodded. "They're okay, John. Pony's at the Dingo."

"I know. C'mon, wanna go spook some people?" Dallas smirked. "You sure have gotten pretty damn rotten, you know that, Johnny? But yeah, let's go." That hood could die a million deaths, he'd still be down here causin' trouble for people who had beefed him or the gang. It was like watching a little rotten kid jumping out from behind bushes and yelling 'Boo!' to little girls. Sure was fun, though.

Man, was Ponyboy ever mad. I ain't never seen him glare at anything like he was that poor, defenseless little Pepsi. Dallas stopped, causing me to bump him a little. I looked to where he was staring, and my mouth dropped. A woman, all in black, was sitting there. Nobody looked at her, though, like she wasn't there. Somewhere in my subconscious a voice was screaming, 'Angel of death… a gatherer… a hunter… RUN!', and for the first time in a long time, I felt something; fear. Alls I could do was stare, though. She looked up, and I knew who she was. Americus. Those eyes must have had some kind of power, cause the next thing I know I'm walking towards her with Dally right behind me.

"Hello, boys. I've been expecting you."

Dally stopped, but I kept on walking. Even after I knew that Dallas had turned tail and left, I just kept on walking until I came to her table. She had answers to the questions I had. I know I might sound like a broken record, but I really did not know how I knew that. Dally had questions, too. But she wasn't here for him. Not right now, anyway. It was my turn. Americus watched Dallas leave with curious eyes, not makin' any move to bring the hoodlum back. Then she turned to me. "Johnathon. I would say our meeting was a pleasant surprise, but it is not such a surprise for me. Won't you sit down?" I was about to say no (I never got tired anymore), but I didn't; just sat down across from her.

All of a sudden she grabbed my hand. A feeling like an electric shock went up my arm, and my mind was crammed with images; one of Two-Bit, Soda, Steve, Darry, Ponyboy… and then of Shamira. That image, her face all covered with tears, laying down on my old jacket nearly ripped my heart out. I started crying. It didn't register as out of the ordinary for me at first. Before I could do anything, though, I saw a dream. Pony's dream. My eyes were closed, and I opened them when I heard a sound like wind. Americus was gone, the sneaky devil. I wasn't even at the same table. Pony was sitting across from me now, looking at me like I was crazy.

Wait, looking at me? Nobody should be able to see me!

I raised my head and looked back down. Something didn't feel right. Maybe it was the fact that I had no hands, and my body was covered in scales. Not to mention I was only about a foot tall… or was that long? And how did I get a forked tongue? I looked back at my best buddy. He was shaking his head, but at least he could see me. He blinked at me, and I slithered over to him. Man, it was weird to do, after walkin' on two legs for seventeen years. I heard him mutter, "I must be crazy," before he reluctantly reached out and picked me up. If I hadn't been a small constrictor, I would've sunk my fangs into him and gave him what-for. You ever had someone pick you up by your skull and carry you? Lemme tell ya, it sure ain't no picnic in July.

Then again, I've never been to a picnic in July, so I wouldn't know…. Never mind.

All of my hissing must have given him some hint. Pony put me in his sweatshirt pocket. It was pretty dark, but when Ponyboy sprints, it doesn't take long to get where you're going. Soon he pulled me back out of his pocket. (Have I mentioned that it is extremely hard to imagine myself as a snake? Things are going too fast.) I was down on his bed, and Pony nearly flipped me out when he lay down not even six inches away from my face. Ponyboy sighed.

"Johnny?" I tried to nod, but it didn't seem to register as a nod to him. So I did something I knew would convince him it was me. Slithering up to his ear, I stuck the end of my tail in my mouth and into his ear. We would always do that to each other when we were much younger. All of this happened real fast, and Pony didn't have time to move before I did it. Sure was funny watching him swat at his ear, trying to get the spit out of it. He grinned at me, though, like he wasn't mad. Just like back then. "Man this is weird to the ninth power. How did this happen? What's up? Can you talk at all?" I shook my head, and this time he saw it. I hadn't really tried to talk though. I opened my mouth to say I didn't know what happened, and that's exactly what came out. I could talk! I started to laugh, testing my voice. "Pony? You can hear me, right?"

"Yup. Plain as day."

"Okay, I need you to do something. Get Shay. And let me outside; I need to find Dally." Pony looked at me funny.

"Dallas is still here?" I nodded. "Yeah, and still as rotten as ever. Could you do that, man?"

"Yeah, but what do you want me to do with Shay? Keep her here?"

"Uh-huh. And don't tell her anything, just that you need something, ok?"

"Ok." Ponyboy got up, then looked back at me after a short pause. "You do realize this is really freaking me out, right?"

"You? Freaked out? Ha, try being covered in scales with no legs and a forked tongue. After being brought back from the dead, of course. Then come and talk to me about weird."

Ponyboy shook his head. "You sure have gotten sassy, Johnnycake. Sassy and smart."

I laughed. "Yeah, well, not much else to learn hangin' around Dallas all the time, is there?"

"No, buddy, guess there's not."

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Well, R&R, please! And I'm starting another story soon. In fact, I wrote a li'l bit just a few minutes ago. If anyone wants a character in it, I'll be glad to give it. Just review about your character in the following manner:

Name:

Age:

Race:

Eyes:

Hair:

Relations: (I might make some of these characters related by marriage or cousins or something)

Personality:

Favorites: (I would like to know favorite band, song, movie, actor from present or past, doesn't matter for any of them, color, person in their life, and hobby.)

Thank you, my fine friends! I'll take quite a few of the characters I get a review for, and the ones I don't use in the first fic like this, I'll make a new one to accommodate them. I might just email you to ask some other questions about the person.