"Is. . . is Pony okay?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"He's doing much better. We had no trouble getting the bullet out, and, luckily, it didn't hit any vital organs. Your brother is very lucky. If we ever get patients like this, they usually die within the hour of their arrival. He's going to make it. I'm sure of it."

Tears filled my eyes at the news. He was going to be okay!

The doctor leaned forward toward me. "Just between you and me, most doctors don't like this idea and don't believe in it. But I think that people who come in here like your brother did, only survive if they want to live. Your brother wanted to live. He wanted it more than anything else, and I could tell by the way he fought. You'd have to to survive what he went through."

He got up and left me sitting there, stunned, but proud of my brother's courageous efforts.

Pony was alive! I cried again, only this time, I was happy.

Pony's POV

Pain. That was all I felt. A deep pain that seemed to spread throughout my entire body. I wasn't sure where I was, or what had happened. I passed out, and when I slept, I dreamed of when we first heard that Soda was dead.

Flash back:

The gang was all at our house. Darry was fixing supper and Two-Bit, Steve, and I were playing cards. I was about to win, when someone knocked on our door.

Darry moved to open the door. When he did, a man in uniform was on our front porch.

"May I help you?" Darry said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come at such a bad time, but there isn't a good time to tell you this." The soldier said.

"What?" Darry said, fear plainly in his voice.

"I'm sorry to say this, but your brother Sodapop died yesterday. He was shot down after he saved the lives of the men in his group. He was their leader, and he saved them, but he died in doing so. I'm so sorry."

"Thank you." Darry said, not really knowingly. He shut the door, and walked to the couch, where he sank down.

I looked to Darry, not fully comprehending the fact that Soda was dead. Two-Bit's face was stoic, and Steve started to cry.

It suddenly hit me, like a ton of lead. Soda was dead. The brother I loved so dearly died.

I looked around the room at everyone. No one hadn't understood. Tears were on every face.

Suddenly, with the weight of it all coming down on me, I broke down and sobs. I screamed, I cried, I choked. I couldn't understand. Why did Soda die? WHY!

Darry came over to me. He held me close, but I didn't want him. I wanted Soda!

The sobs took over. I couldn't stop them. The tears blurred my vision. I couldn't understand. Why did we have to go through this again?

When the tears and sobs slowed, I looked around. Two-Bit and Steve were gone. It was just me and Darry.

I looked to him. He was still crying, too, but he was controlling his emotions better than I had been.

What are we going to do without Soda? How will I live without Soda!

I couldn't take it anymore. I passed out cold on our living room floor, exhausted from the pain and misery of my life.

Coming to, Darry was hovering above me, a look of fear and concern plainly on his face.

"Are you okay?"

"NO!" I said. I laid face down on the floor, crying once again for the precious brother I had lost.

Darry went to bed. Supper went untouched, and I soon went to bed, but I was haunted by the fact that Soda had once shared that same bed with me.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Nothing was right anymore. Why so much pain in my life? Why did Soda die? HOW WILL I SURVIVE!

Tears slipped down my face. I was immune to them. No pain was felt. The only thing I could tell was that my heart was shattered.

Somehow, I fell asleep with a broken heart. I had nightmares of when Soda died, though I didn't know exactly what had happened. The pain and fear was unbearable. I didn't know how I'd make it through the next day.

Waking up, it all came flooding back to me. Soda was dead. I had so hoped him to return safely. He only had another year to go, and he would have been home. Well, he's coming home earlier, but this time, in a wooden casket.

I got up, though I found no reason to go on. Who knew I'd find my reason for living sitting at my kitchen table?

I went inside the bathroom and watched my face off, trying to reduce the redness on my cheeks and eyes. I dried off, and then went into the kitchen.

When I first got to the doorway, I stopped. There, sitting at the table, was Darrel Shaynne Curtis, Jr.

Why did this surprise me? Because last night to this morning, I forgot I still had a brother. Why did I think I had nothing to live for? I had a brother who loved me, though I had lost one. It didn't make up for the pain of losing Soda, but I had someone who would take care of me, like Soda would have. How could I have lost sight of that? Darry was a great brother. How could I forget that?

With a little more strength than before, I entered our kitchen. Darry looked up from his coffee cup, that he had been staring at. When I walked by him, he gave me a sad smile.

I sat down after I poured myself a glass of water. I couldn't handle drinking chocolate milk, because even that would remind me of Soda.

"You want something to eat?" Darry said, his voice husky with emotions.

"I don't know how I could eat anything." I said.

We sat in silence. Neither of us could think of what to say, because we were both hurting too much.

If it was any normal day, Soda would be sitting between me and Darry. He would have just served us a weird meal, like green pancakes, and we'd drink chocolate milk together. Darry would drink coffee, like he is now. Soda would be telling me about how many cool cars he worked on at the DX, and say that we should go play football with the gang. Darry would smile at his enthusiasm, and I'd laugh because Soda could make you laugh no matter what.

I looked over at Darry. Too bad it wasn't like that now. What if it could be?

"Why don't we play some football?" I said.

"What?" Darry looked confused.

"Call Two-Bit and Steve. Let's go play football."

"Why?" Darry wasn't getting it.

"We can't mope round forever. Let's go play football. It'll be a step in the right direction."

"You're crazy. But let's do it." He got up and went to the phone and called the guys over. When Darry hung up, we ran over to the lot to wait on the gang. I grabbed the football.

Soon the gang showed up. It was just the four of us. Darry was on my team, because even at sixteen, I was still smaller than the rest of the guys.

I could see Johnny and Dallas playing with us. Johnny would be on mine and Darry's team. And then, Soda would be there. He'd be with the rest of the gang. Maybe Two-Bit would play on my team, too. Darry would throw me the ball, since I was the fastest runner and then Soda would chase me down and tackle me to the ground. It would be more fun than we'd had in a long time. Too bad it was just a dream, a memory of what had been. . .

I opened my eyes as I woke up. I looked around and the first thing I saw. . . was Darry.

Note: There had been the lyrics to "Dare You to Move" by Switchfoot here. But for fear of getting this story taken offline, I removed it.

I dedicate this chapter to Lacey. Thanks for being so inspiring!