Darry's POV
I dove forward, catching Pony before he fell face-first on the the hard floor. What happened to him!
I gathered his limp body in my arms and laid him back on the couch.
"What happened?" I asked, hoping someone had the answer.
"I don't know." Was the only answer I got.
I turned Pony over gently, and saw the source of the problem. Blood was gushing out of the back of his shirt. I lifted it, and saw something that made my stomach churn.
A deep cut went down Pony's back. It wasn't very long, but the depth of it was bone-chilling.
"Dallas, would you go to the store and get some more supplies for us? We're running low."
"All right. Steve, come with me. No one goes anywhere alone. You hear?" Dallas said before walking out. It was agreed.
Soda crept close by.
"Soda, get me an old towel or something." We had to clog the bleeding.
"Ya'll, I hate to leave you like this, but my mama will get worried if I'm not home before too long." Two-Bit said.
"It's okay, man. Go home." I said absent-mindedly.
"Johnny, you want to come home with me?" Two-Bit asked.
"Sure." He said. They left with Johnny looking worriedly behind him.
Soda came back with the towel and a little warm water on it.
"We have to take him to the hospital, Darry." He said.
"No." I replied.
"What! Look at him, Darry. He's bleeding to death! We can't just put a bandage over something like that. He needs stitches."
"No."
"Why not? Darry, if you don't, I will."
"We can't!" I yelled.
That stopped him for a minute. He looked at Pony, and then back at me.
"Okay, what's going on?" Soda asked.
I sighed. I knew I'd have to tell him.
"Because. . . Dr. Stevenson told me if Pony had to go back to the hospital within a month of the last time, that he'd call social services on us. He suspected me of abusing him. He didn't call the social services last time, but he gave me the warning."
"But he's hurt, Darry! We have to do something."
"But what if we took him to the hospital? They'd call social services. If they took one look at all the scars on his body, they'd think I am unfit to be his guardian. They'd take him away, and that would kill him quicker than that wound on his back."
Soda slumped into the arm chair.
"What are we going to do about this?" He asked, looking at me for the answer.
"I don't know. We'll just patch him up the best we can and then hope he heals."
The door opened and Dallas and Steve walked in.
"We got some bandages, band aids, rubbing alcohol, and peroxide." Dallas announced.
"Good. Hand 'em over." I said, taking the bandages first.
When Dallas caught site of Pony's cut, he spoke up.
"Are you just going to put a bandage on that?" He asked.
"I was planning on it." I said.
"Why aren't you taking him to the hospital?" Steve asked.
So I told them what I told Soda. They were equally as mad, but Dallas was quick to react.
"Did your mom sew?" He asked.
"Yeah. Why?" I said.
"Can you get me her sewing kit, if you still have it, that is."
"Soda, take over." I said, getting up to go to Mom and Dad's room.
I walked down the hall and to their room. I gingerly opened the door, being overcome with emotions just as I opened the door.
It was the same as it had been. We hadn't moved much. I had taken some of Dad's clothes for my own when money got tight, but that was about it.
I kneeled down to reach under the bed, where Mom had kept her sewing kit. I found it and pulled it out and set it lightly on the bed.
I gently wiped the dust that had covered it over the past eight months.
"Thanks, Mom." I said before walking out and going back to the living room.
"Okay, I got it." I said upon entrance to the living room. Pony was stirring feverishly and mumbling about "don't punish them." Who that was, I didn't know.
"Give it to me." Dallas ordered. I handed them to him, not wanting to let go.
"What are you going to do, Dallas?" Soda asked.
"I'm going to sew him up." He said, as though it was a normal thing.
"What! But you're no doctor." Soda exclaimed.
"And you won't take him to one. Look, I've been to New York. You kind of have to learn these things. It becomes second nature." Dallas explained.
"We'll trust you, Dallas." I said. God, I hoped he knew what he was doing.
Soda looked at me like I was nuts, but didn't say anything about it.
Dallas sat down on the couch by Pony and took off Pony's shirt.
"You might want to hold him for me, Darry." He said.
"Okay." I replied.
I came around and placed my hands on Pony's shoulders, holding him down to the couch.
"Okay. Here goes." Dallas said, and poked Mom's needle into Pony's flesh.
Pony whimpered in his unconscious state and flung his arm toward Dallas. I caught it and held it back down to the couch.
Dallas was quick; I'd give him that. His stitches were small and neat, and I wondered how someone like Dallas could do something like that.
Pony whined as Dallas worked. He was almost done now, so he wouldn't have to suffer long.
"Done." Dallas announced.
I sighed with relief, thankful he was finished.
"You want me to do his arm?" Dallas asked, looking at the bloody arm that had gone unnoticed.
"Oh. You probably should, just in case." I said, though I wasn't sure I could stand hearing Pony suffer any longer.
Dallas took Pony's arm in his hand.
"You might want to hold him again." Dallas said, and I retook my place.
"Ow! Stop!" Pony said as Dallas poked into his arm. Though still unconscious, he could feel everything like he was awake.
Tears spilled from his closed lids, and I felt his pain. Why did he have to suffer like this? He didn't deserve any of this.
"Okay. I'm done." Dallas announced.
"Thanks, Dally." I said, trying to smile, though I felt sick to my stomach.
"You guys better make sure he doesn't move around too much, or those stitches will come loose."
"Okay." I agreed.
"I'm heading out for the night. You want to follow, Steve?"
"Sure, man." Steve looked a little green-around-the-gills.
"See you guys later." Soda said, though I don't think he was even conscious of doing so.
"See you!" Dallas called, and I soon heard Steve quietly being sick outside.
Soda's POV
"Should we keep him here or bring him to our room?" I asked Darry.
"We'd better get him to bed. That way you can sleep comfortably and keep an eye on him." He responded.
"That's true."
Darry lightly took Pony in his arms, and the love in his eyes for Pony shown brighter than the full moon outside. Darry worried so much about Pony, and so did I. I just wish Pony didn't have to suffer through the worst of it.
I followed Darry as he brought Pony to our room. He laid him gently on the bed and turned to me.
"Get me if he needs anything, okay?" He said.
"All right."
He turned back to look at Pony and there was sadness in his eyes.
"Good night, Soda."
"'Night, Darry."
He walked past me and back to his room.
I laid down next to Pony. He began to whimper, and I placed a loving arm around him. He still whimpered, and it tore at me. Why did Pony have to go through this?
Soon I fell asleep with my arm around Pony.
"Soda!" I heard someone scream. I jolted upright, awakened by the scream.
It was Ponyboy.
"Pony! What is it?" I exclaimed. He was unconscious and having another nightmare.
"Darry! Darry! Soda!" He screamed.
Hating to leave him, I reluctantly got up and got Darry.
I ran into his room and shook him.
"Darry! Wake up!"
He got up with a fist thrown in the air. If I hadn't been careful, I probably would have been punched in the face.
"Darry. It's Pony!" I said.
"What? What is it?"
"He's having another nightmare. Come on!"
Darry got up and almost beat me out the door. We both went flying into our room, finding Pony tossing around in his bed.
"Soda, hold him steady. He can't be moving around like that or those stitches will come loose!"
"Okay."
I got on the bed, and held Pony by the shoulder. He still kicked his legs out, but his upper body had stilled.
"Pony! It's okay, baby." Darry said, stroking Pony's wet hair.
"No, no. Let me go! I didn't do anything!"
Darry and I looked at each other, both realizing at the same time that Pony was reliving one of the attacks.
"No! Don't hurt them! They didn't do anything! Please! Just hurt me instead! Don't hurt my brothers!"
Darry's eyes filled with tears at the last outburst. Pony had suffered because he didn't want the Socs hurting me and Darry.
Though Pony had told the cop the story, he had left out this detail. I wondered if there was anything else? I had yet to tell Darry about it, fearing I wouldn't be able to get the words out.
Pony began to sob, and he'd wince with pain every few minutes, like someone was still beating him.
"It's okay. It's okay." Darry said between his own sobs.
All three of us were crying by then. Darry and I were crying because Pony had to be the one who suffered, and we weren't able to take away his pain. Pony was crying from the horrible memories that haunted him all day long.
If the next day hadn't been a Saturday, we probably would have taken the day off anyway. We didn't get any sleep because we tried to calm Pony, but it never worked.
Pony had only woke up once, and he hadn't said anything then. He just looked around the room, then at me and Darry. Then he closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.
Darry and I sat at the kitchen table. For once, I was drinking coffee, because I had no energy for the day ahead.
We were about to go check on Pony again, when Dallas came in carrying Two-Bit.
"You guys still have those supplies?" He asked.
We nodded and I got up to get the supplies.
Dallas' POV
Damn it! I can't take these Socs anymore. What is their problem? They beat up Pony almost half a dozen times, and even me once. But Two-Bit, too? This is getting way too out of hand.
Darry worked on Two-Bit for a minute, and then asked the dreaded question.
"What happened?" He asked.
"I found him over by the movies all beat up. He was unconscious then, and only regained consciousness once since I got to him. I figured I'd bring him to you guys, since he doesn't have enough money to pay any hospital bills."
Darry nodded. He fixed Two-Bit up with a bandage on his forehead, and some ice on his side. Two-Bit had a few broken ribs, and a bunch of bruises. But other than the cut on his head, he didn't look too bad.
"Darry? Soda?" We heard a weak voice speak. I figured it was Pony. Darry and Soda looked at each other and quickly got up to check on Pony. I hoped the kid was okay.
Darry's POV
Soda and I stepped into their room and found Pony looked around the room. He looked worried because no one was in there with him. When his eyes rested on us, he sighed with relief.
"Hey, baby. How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Bad." He replied.
"I know, honey. It'll get better soon." Soda said as he sat by Pony on their bed.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"Oh, Two-Bit got beat up by the Socs. He's okay, though."
Pony shut his eyes tightly, and clenched his fists.
"Pony? What is it?" I said, concerned with his sudden change.
I thought he was just angry about the Socs, but then tears began to fall down his cheeks.
"It's. . .my fault." He said.
"What! Pony, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything. You..."
"Guys, you may want to see this." Dallas said from the doorway, holding a piece of paper.
I got up reluctantly and took the piece of paper from Dallas' hands.
"I found it in Two-Bit's pocket." Dallas said.
The note read: "This isn't over."
