Two-Bit's POV
"Hey, what's up?" I said as I walked up to Johnny. I knew he wouldn't say much. He never did.
"Hey, Two-Bit." He said quietly. Even that was a lot for Johnny.
"You gonna watch a movie?" I asked him.
Johnny nodded. He had said all he had to for the day.
We walked to the movies together. I went up and bought us some cokes, smuggling some peanuts under my coat.
We were about to sit down, when I felt a strange feeling in me. It was like I had to go somewhere. The lot?
Johnny looked up at me.
"Let's go. I don't think I want to watch a movie."
We took off and toward my car. As we drove toward the lot, Johnny looked over at me.
"You felt it too?"
Johnny's POV
I knew Two-Bit wouldn't admit that he had felt something strange. I could tell by the look on his face, though.
"Feel what?"
"You know what I mean." I said.
We were almost to the lot when I saw him nod.
"Yeah. I felt it." Two-Bit said.
I knew it.
Dallas's POV
I was in the middle of saddling one of Buck's horses, when I felt something strange inside of me. It was like urgency. A need to go to the lot. Why?
I looked up and saw Buck heading toward me.
"When I'm done saddling this horse, I'm going, all right?" I said.
"Fine. But don't expect your pay until the end of the week."
"Whatever, man." I finished with the horse, and then I ran out to the parking lot. I borrowed Buck's car for a while. I drove straight to the lot.
Darry's POV
What a day! I thought it would never end. And it was only around 3:30. Why am I already so tired? I put my equiptment in the back of the truck and got in. I was ready to go home. Maybe I and Soda and Pony could do something special, seeing how it's so early.
I was almost home when a feeling ran through me. Involuntarily, my foot hit the gas pedal a little harder. I had to get to the lot. But why?
Soda's POV
"Can we go now?" I asked Steve. He was busy talking to some girl. Usually I got all the attention.
"All right, all right. I'm coming." Steve said goodbye to the girl and we closed up the gas station. It was only 3:30, but we hadn't had much business lately, and our boss said it was okay.
We walked on home. Steve was coming, too. He usually hangs out with us, anyway. I figured the gang would stop by later. He'd want to talk to them.
We were walking by the lot when I noticed a familiar piece of fabric on the ground. It was a soft cotton, and it looked like it had been a dark blue, but it was now stained with red. I discared, figuring it was something I lost in a rumble or something.
"Soda?" Steve said. I looked over at him. His face had gone white.
"What is it?" I said, wondering what had spooked him so much.
"Look."
There, in the middle of the lot, was Ponyboy. But he wasn't moving.
We ran toward him as fast as we could. I reached him first, the power of love making me faster than ever.
I knelt beside my little brother. He looked awful. Blood was splattered all over him. A gash in his face was bleeding quickly. His face was three different colors: purple, red, and green. His right eye was swollen shut. I looked down at his shirt, realizing that the piece of cloth I had found was from his shirt.
My heart beat with worry. But my mind raged with anger. Whoever had done this would surely pay.
I scooped Pony up gently. "Pony?" I said loudly, trying to snap him out of his unconscious state.
Steve's eyes held a red glare to them. I knew Steve didn't care too much about Pony, but he knew it was the Socs, like I did. And he hated them more than he did Pony.
Somehow, everyone came around the same time, as though they all had sensed it. Darry was the first. I had heard a car door slam, and figured that was Darry getting out of the truck.
He came running up to us, pure fear and concern on his face.
"What happened?" He said, and when he saw Pony, his face turned white.
Darry dropped to his knees beside us. He gingerly touched Pony's face, wiping blood away.
Soon, Two-Bit and Johnny were standing above us, and just as soon after, Dallas was cursing under his breath as he looked at Pony.
"What?" Pony's weak voice spoke.
"Pony, are okay, baby? Who did this to you?" Darry asked, impatient.
"Pony?" I said.
"There. . . were five Socs. They . . . attacked me. For no reason. They. . ." He breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath.
"Sh. It's okay now, Pony." I said comfortingly.
Still, I felt him shiver underneath my arm.
"Let's get him to the house." Darry said. He took Pony from me, and my arms felt more empty than they'd ever felt before.
We all walked to our house. I could see the fear in Johnny's eyes, the confusion in Two-Bit's, the anger in Dallas', the worry in Darry's, the hatred in Steve's, and I knew my own showed my love and worry for my little brother.
I ran ahead of Darry, opening the door for him. He walked in sideways, so he could fit Pony through the doorway.
"Soda! Get me all of our first aid kits. Everything." Darry said.
I ran to do what he asked; knowing Pony needed help, fast.
Steve's POV
Damn those Socs (okay, I lied). I knew it was them. Only the low-lives we call Socs would do such a thing. We'd get them back. We'd get them good.
I was surprised Soda was still on his feet. I knew how much he loved the kid, and how it killed him to see him hurt like that.
The kid looked awful. He needed help-bad. I knew Darry wouldn't want to take him to the hospital, since they'd think he was an unfit guardian.
Dallas looked ready to kill those Socs. If we weren't all worried about Pony, we'd be in the best shape for beating up the Socs. That's what they need. It's what they deserve.
Darry's POV
Soda handed me some rubbing alcohol on a wash cloth. I wiped at the cuts on Pony's face, feeling the regret of not being there for him kick in.
When I touched Pony's face with the wash cloth, I heard him wince. I thought he had passed out again, but I was wrong.
"Sorry." I said. And I meant it.
I wiped at the biggest gash on his face, giving up when it wouldn't stop bleeding.
"Hand me a bandage." I said to Soda, who was quick to comply.
I put a strip of bandage across his face. He'd have a scar on his face from it. He'd carry it the rest of his life.
Done with his face, I moved to the wounds on his chest. I could see the wetness on his shirt, knowing it was blood.
I gently took Pony's shirt off, wincing myself when I saw the cuts that were spread along his torso. I worked on the deepest on first. I patched up his cuts, and it was then that I realized the big purple bruise on his side.
I gingerly touched it, but he winced anyway. I looked at it more closely, realizing he had several broken ribs.
"Soda? Will you get me some ice packs, please?" I said to him. He ran into the kitchen and was back in no time with all the stuff.
When I placed the ice pack against his side, he openly whimpered. I looked at his face, reading the fight to keep the tears away.
I leaned close to his ear and whispered to him. "You don't have to be tough for the gang, Pony. We know what it looks like. You're allowed to cry."
Pony's eyes opened and he looked me straight in the eye. I read the denial there, showing how he had to be strong in front of the gang.
I gently squeezed his hand. "It's okay, Pony. You'll be all right."
The gang watched me work. I knew they were all concerned for him, but their stares were unnerving.
When I finally had Pony as cleaned up as I could get him, the gang sat down. I was glad they did. They'd been staring over my shoulders the entire time.
Pony's breathing was a little uneven. I worried that the broken ribs were piercing into his lungs.
"Pony? Can you breathe okay?" It sounded like a dumb question, but it was serious.
Pony nodded and I realized that it was because he was still holding back his tears.
I looked to the gang. I knew they were worried, but they needed to leave.
"You guys go home. He'll be okay. You can check on hm tomorrow."
Luckily, they understood and they left without complaint. Before Dallas left, he leaned in close to Pony and said, "I'm going to get the ones who did this to you." And I didn't doubt it for a second.
When the last of the gang had left, Pony cried openly.
Soda and I comforted him as best as we could without hurting him. I knew he was scared silly, and he needed all the support he could get.
Soda wiped at Pony's tears.
"It's okay, baby. You're safe now."
I knew he'd be okay, but it'd take a long time. Those wounds wouldn't heal over night, but those weren't the ones I was worried about. It was the emotional ones I was worried about.
