Chapter Two
Aurora wasn't breathing.
I couldn't believe she was dead; I stared at her for several minutes before running out of the room. Dr. Murphy was waiting for me.
"Pony, I'm so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" He said.
I didn't answer, I just turned and ran.
I saw that over and over. Was this part of the news? Change the channel, it's scaring me.
I could hear Two-Bit's voice somewhere in the background. I could also hear Darry saying something, he sounded a bit closer. Why didn't they come get me? Why didn't they rescue me?
My eyes snapped open. Darry was holding me, and Two-Bit was standing by the door.
"It was just a nightmare," Darry said.
A nightmare. Another one. That made two of them just today. When was I going to stop having nightmares?
Darry turned to Two-Bit. "Watch him for a minute," Darry said as he walked into the kitchen.
Two-Bit walked over to the couch and sat down next to me. "Hey kid," he said.
"Hi," I replied.
"So, I guess you're out of the asylum now?" Two-Bit asked.
I nodded.
"Glad you're back; wasn't the same without you," Two-Bit said.
I nodded again.
"Well, you're really social," Two-Bit said sarcastically.
"Just don't have much to say," I replied.
"That's cool, because I do," Two-Bit said.
"Dally got hauled in again," Two-Bit continued. "They're taking him to the state prison this time. He'll be in for several months, maybe even a year."
"What'd he do?" I asked.
"He beat up a cop," Two-Bit said.
"He what?" I asked.
"Beat up a cop. Gosh kid, first you go crazy, now you go deaf. What's next?" Two-Bit said.
I smiled. Two-Bit was helping me forget the nightmare.
"Anyway, we're going to go see Dally tomorrow, before they take him to the state pen. Do you want to come?" Two-Bit said.
"Sure," I replied.
"He wanted to talk to you," Two-Bit said. "Something about Aurora."
I didn't answer. I didn't know what I would have said. Two-Bit and I sat in silence until Darry came back in. Darry gave Two-Bit a look that said 'you should be going now'. Two-Bit got up off the couch and headed toward the door.
"See you later, Pony," Two-Bit said.
"Bye," I replied. The door slammed behind Two-Bit as he left.
Darry and I were quiet for a few minutes. Then he said "So, what was the dream about this time?"
"Aurora had just died. I looked at her for a few minutes, and then I ran out of the room. Dr. Murphy was there, and he tried to comfort me, but I wouldn't let him. I just ran away," I replied.
Darry didn't say anything. I started crying again.
"She died in my arms Dar," I sobbed. "Do you know how awful that was? Just seeing her die would have been bad enough but…"
I couldn't even finish my sentence. I was crying so much.
"It's OK, Pony," Darry said. "It'll be alright."
I kept crying. Darry led me into my room and told me to lie down. He said that Soda would be back soon, and to try to get some sleep. I nodded and Darry left the room. The room was dark. I turned on the light on the bedside table. So what if it was wasting electricity? I knew that I wouldn't have been able to sleep if the room was dark. I stared at the wall until my eyes fell shut and I drifted into a doze.