The Outsiders Meet Katrina

Part 1

Traveling

STEVE

I slept real good that night in the hotel. I love being able to mess up a bed, and not having to clean it back up. My bed was super comfy. The rain helped me get to sleep faster, cause I have to fall asleep with noise.

I woke up when I heard a knock on my door. I rolled over and groaned.

"Go away. It's too early!" I called. I didn't know who I was yelling at, but at this point, I didn't care.

I looked over to see that Two Bit was still asleep and snoring loudly, so I knew that I had to get up and open the door. It was only after the fact that I had opened it half way, that I realized I wasn't wearing a shirt. Thankfully it was only Ponyboy.

"What do you want?" I asked. "It's so early."

"Help me wake up Soda." He said, rather timidly.

"Why do I have to help you? Can't you do it?" I said, somewhat annoyed.

"Well, you're his best friend." Pony replied.

Even this early in the morning, that didn't make sense.

"You're his brother!" I argued, trying not to wake Two Bit.

"Look out on your balcony. You can see into their window from there." Pony said, pointing to the curtained door on the other side of the room.

The idea of spying intrigued me, so I grabbed a shirt and went outside.

I realized that it was raining the hard way. It was coming down so hard and so fast, that I was soaked by the time I had been out there about a minute. The wind was howling hard, and I could hardly hear or see a thing. I was afraid a tree was going to fall on me or something.

I leaned over the railing of my balcony as far as I could and looked into their open curtained door. All I could see was the TV and the other wall. The beds were on the other side, but there didn't seem to be any side of life.

"I think I can make it over if I jump." I called back to Pony.

"What! Are you nuts!" Pony yelled back at me through the wind.

I turned around and grinned. "Duh!" I said.

I climbed up the slippery bard of the balcony, and positioned myself. I took a deep breath, and jumped. I flew through the air and grabbed on to their ledge. I think I almost gave Pony a heart attack. Oh well, that was fun.

I climbed up and stood in front of the open curtain.

I looked over at Soda's bed first, and saw that it was empty.

"Oh no, I'm afraid to look." I said.

I peered slowly around the corner, until I could see the other bed.

"I thought so." I said to myself. My fears had been confirmed. They were both wrapped up in a blanket, and they didn't look like they had much breathing room. Soda had his arm over her shoulder. I got up early for this?

I suddenly got a really evil idea. I waited a few seconds, then started banging on the door loudly.

They both shot to life instantly and looked around confused for the source of the racket I was making.

Soda saw me first, and leaped out of bed and came over to the door. He wasn't wearing a shirt either, and he didn't look to pleased with me.

I was laughing really hard at this point, and Soda just stared at me.

"Hey, rise and shine buddy!" I called, between laughs.

Soda gave me a really strange look, then shut the curtain, leaving me alone outside. But I was still laughing too hard to notice.

"Come on, let me in! I'm getting soaked." I called to no one in particular after I had calmed down.

Two Bit was up now, standing with Pony, staying perfectly dry, and they were both laughing at me.

"Soda!" I called through the closed curtain.

The curtain opened again, and Alyssa was standing before me.

"Please!" I pleaded with her. She smiled and shook her head.

"Hey, hold on buddy. We'll be over in a second." Two Bit called from the other side of me.

He and Pony left, and I was left completely alone, standing by myself, in the pouring rain, getting soaked, and looking like the world's biggest idiot.

I soon found out where they ha gone, because I saw them come inside Soda and Alyssa's room, and walk over to where Alyssa was still standing, laughing. Sodapop came back and started grinning when he saw me.

I gave a sarcastic laugh, because truth be told, I was freezing. Alyssa finally gave in and opened the door to let me come in.

I walked in shivering and soaked, and Soda threw me a towel.

"My, how the mighty have fallen." Alyssa said as I dried off.

"Nice to see you're finally decent, Soda." I said, changing the subject, and motioning towards his freshly clad shirt.

"I was just afraid you'd get jealous of Alyssa giving me all the attention and not you." Soda joked.

"What! You don't think I'm manly enough to get the girl's attention! I jumped off my balcony and landed on yours, and stood out in the pouring rain, while you were inside under a blanket, and you don't think I'm manly enough! Alyssa wouldn't pay attention to me anyway, hence the fact that she's your girlfriend!" I said, grinning at my best friend.

"Hey, at least it was a comfortable blanket." Soda argued.

"Yea, and a hott chick to go along with it." Two Bit exclaimed from the corner, where he and Pony were sitting.

"Hey, no one touches her but me. You understand? She is completely hands off." Soda said, giving Alyssa a backwards hug.

There was a knock on the door and Darry came in.

"So, this is where you all are. I've been looking for you, cause I gotta talk to you about something. And it's right important, so listen up good, got it?" He said, coming in.

We all nodded and went to sit down on the bed.

"There's been a hurricane warning issued for the whole New Orleans area. It's supposed to be getting pretty bad. They said it could get as bad as a Category 4 by tonight."

We were all real quiet, and no one moved.

"They want everyone to evacuate." Darry finished.

Still, no one said anything, but I think everyone had the same thought. I could feel my heart beating in my chest about a mile a minute, but all I could hear was the sound of the wind blowing, and the rain coming down. Then, the thunder and lightning started up again, which isn't as bad in daylight, but it still brought a feeling of foreboding to all of us.

Then, the lights flickered, and after a couple times, they went out. Since the sky was so black, it was almost pitch dark in the room, because Soda had closed the curtain after I had come in.

We were still all silent, as we waited anxiously in the total darkness.

Oh boy, it's getting interesting!

Please R&R!

Jess