Two-Bit's POV
Where is that kid? The Socs must have gotten him or something. It was the only thing that made sense.
We had searched for an hour and still hadn't seen any sight of him. By now, we had lost Darry and Soda, too. We figured they were still looking, but hadn't found him either. I was worried because if he got into Soc territory, he'd be a gonner for sure.
"What do we do now?" I said when we all met back at the Curtis house.
"I don't know." Steve said, his head in his hands.
Dallas was thinking. He was quiet. So no one bothered him. Maybe he'd think of a plan for us.
I paced the floors. I needed something to do.
Johnny sat quietly on the couch by Steve. Dallas had claimed Darry's chair for his own.
"If they're not here in fifteen minutes, we've got to do something!" I said.
"Calm down, man. I'm thinking." Dallas said, cursing at me for my stupidity.
"I can't help it." I grumbled.
Thoughts of what could have happened to Pony raced through my mind. What if they did have him? Every second we wasted could mean another pain for Ponyboy.
"All right. Here's what we'll do." Dallas spoke up.
I knew he'd have a plan!
Darry's POV
We swam through the icy cool water. My arms were getting tired, but fear and love kept me going. I couldn't imagine Pony swimming the whole way across. He had just gotten over an illness and he had stitches in his back. I feared those stitches had come out by now.
We finally made it to the other side. I stopped to catch my breath. I looked over and saw Soda spit out some water.
"You okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah. You?" He said.
"Let's go get Pony." I said without answering him.
Soda led the way. I looked around us, wondering how I couldn't have known about this place. It was so empty and away from the world. I wish I had known about it sooner. Pony and Soda must have come here when they went swimming a lot in the summer.
We climbed through the brush. Every now and then my arm would catch on a briar and I'd get little cuts on my arm. I was immune to the pain because all I wanted was to see Pony. Nothing else mattered.
It was dark in these woods. It didn't help any that the sun was almost all the way down. I wondered how Pony was able to get through.
We came upon a clearing in the woods. A large opening spread out before us. Inside was a largemountain-like hill. It had rock lining to it, but at the topwasa light spreading of grass.An old rope was dangling overthe cliff and climbing it was Ponyboy.
"Pony!" I exclaimed.
Pony's POV
I was startled by the calling of my name. How did they find me? How did they know I'd go here? Soda must have thought of this since Darry didn't know anything about it.
I continued climbing. They couldn't come get me. I'd pull the rope up when I got to the top. That'd show them. I'd stay up there on the top until the Socs forgot about me, and everyone else did, too.
"Pony!" Soda screamed.
I ignored them. My hands were burning. Water dripped off my clothes and now to the ground below me. The cliff here wasn't that high, but it was enough to do some damage if you fell.
The clean path that Soda and I had made to the top was gone, so now all I could use was the rope and climb the side of it. We had placed the rope there in case of emergencies. And we thought we were tough if we climbed down the side.
The old rope was cutting at my hands. I couldn't hang on for long if my hands kept hurting like they did.
I was about to get to the top when I heard a snapping noise. I fell a little farther down, and I realized that the rope was breaking. I should have known. It was old when we first started using it.
I clung to the sides of the rock wall. Then, with one last snapping sound, the rope broke off completely.
"Pony!" My brothers' voices called out together.
I wouldn't call for help. I couldn't. I didn't deserve help. But I was starting to get scared stiff.
Soda's POV
Oh, my God. I thought to myself. He's going to fall! I knew that rope wouldn't hold.
Darry moved to climb up the wall, but I held out an arm to stop him.
"Darry, that won't help any. You'll both get stuck up there." I said.
"Well, then what do we do?" He asked.
I thought for a minute. What about the path? It was probably hidden by now, but I'd know my way. That was probably why Pony didn't go that way.
"I'll get him. Just stay here, and make sure he doesn't fall." I said, running off as fast as I could.
Okay, I know I know where it is. I looked around. There!
I saw the carving we had made in the side of the wall. One said, "Boys rule" and the other said "P. M. C. was here."
The slope of the cliff was here. The cliff was built sort of triangular. The main point was in the front, and it came sloping down in the back.
The path was no where in sight. I'd just have to make up one.
I climbed through, having to get on my hands and knees to keep from falling backwards. I grabbed on to a vine and pulled myself up with it. When it ended, I had to find my own hand holds to make my way to the top.
I heard Pony scream, and I began to panic. If he hadn't screamed when the rope first broke something must be wrong now.
I hurried my climb. I had to get to him.
I reached the top and took a deep breath. I scooted to the edge to look down and see Pony.
He was farther down than I had anticipated. I leaned forward as far as I could, hooking my foot on a tree.
"Can you reach my hand?" I asked. The fear on his face had me worried, too. He was probably sore already. How would he be able to stand it any longer.
Tentatively, he reached one hand up as far as he could. When he got as far as he could reach, he quickly brought it back down, hanging on to the side of the cliff for dear life.
"No." He said quietly.
I pulled myself back up to the top.
What do I do? What do I do?
I looked down at Darry, who was watching Pony and I like we were dying or something. I smiled at him, but it didn't help him at all.
"Could you climb up a little farther, Pony?" I asked as I stuck my head over the edge again.
"No. My hands hurt." He said.
"You have to, Pony. It's the only way to get you off of here."
"I could let go." He suggested.
"No!" Darry and I both screamed. Darry was right below Pony, preparing to catch him should he jump.
"Why not? Then all your troubles would be over. The Socs would leave you alone and you'd have one less mouth to feed."
"No, Pony. Our troubles would just begin if you jumped. We can't lose you, Pony. Promise me you won't jump. Please!" I begged.
"No."
"Promise me!" I screamed.
"I can't." He said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because! Wouldn't it be easier if I just let go, stopped living? I wouldn't have to suffer anymore. My pain would be over, and so would everyone else's. I'm just a thorn in everyone's side. A tag along. No one wants to put up with me so why don't I just let go!"
He pulled one hand off the side and I freaked.
"Ponyboy Michael Curtis, hang on!" I barked.
He looked up at me with those green-gray eyes and my heart went out to him. He didn't deserve any of this, but ending his life was going too far.
"Climb!" I ordered.
And climb he did. He pulled his weight with one hand, then the other.I dangled over the edge, awaiting his hand so I could pull him up.
I looked down, which was a big mistake, and I almost lost my nerve. But I realized Darry wasn't down there anymore, and that scared me. What if Pony fell?
Pony reached a hand to me, and I grabbed it. Grasping his hand for dear life I pulled. He kept his feet on the rocks, trying to help get us up.
I felt arms wrap around my legs, and with an easy motion, we were pulled upward.
With one final tug, we were at the top. I smothered Pony in a hug, and soon I felt arms go around me and Pony. Darry had pulled us up.
I cried as I held Pony. I was so afraid that he'd let go. If he had, I might have jumped, too. And then what would have become of Darry?
"Don't do that to me ever again." I choked out.
"I'm sorry." Pony said. We all three were crying, but Darry was crying the hardest.
I turned from Pony and hugged Darry. He was a mess. He had hated being down there alone, not helping. I knew he was scared to death that Pony and I would both fall. But we hadn't, and what might have been hit him hard.
Pony hugged Darry, too. We were all so scared at that point. But we were all okay.
Darry's POV
The three of us walked together to the lake. It was so dark that we could barely see anything. Our flash light was on the other side. We had left it on a bench so we wouldn't lose it after we made out way back.
"You guys ready for the swim?" Soda asked.
"How about a race?" Pony suggested.
"No rough stuff, kiddo." I said.
"See you on the other side!" Soda yelled as he ran into the water.
Soon we saw his head pop out of the water.
"Brr! Damn, that's cold!" He exclaimed. His teeth were chattering, but he continued swimming across.
"Ready?" I said as I turned to Pony.
"Ready." He said. We both got in. I thought my nerves would be shot from that wake-up call. The water was cold as ice!
I swam by Pony, making sure he didn't have any trouble. We were half way there when he went under.
"Pony!" I exclaimed, diving under after him.
He was struggling to get above water. The lake was too deep for him. He couldn't get a push off. I swam to him and pulled his arm as I brought him above the water.
He choked on water, but he made it tothe surface.
"You all right?" I asked.
He nodded, but I could see that he'd been shaken.
We finally made it across. Soda was waiting on us on the other end.
Soda looked at Pony, noticing the scared face he wore.
"You okay?" He asked. Pony nodded, instead of yelling at him like he had before.
"Let's get home. The gang's probably worried sick." I said.
"They were looking for me, too?" Pony asked.
"We all were. You gave us quite a scare." I answered.
"Oh." He replied, and then was silent.
Soda had found the flash light. He shone the way for us.
A rustling of leaves spooked Pony. I heard the soft yelp he made, and I wrapped an arm around him, pressing him to my side.
We made it to the truck, and we all got in. Pony sat in the middle, while I drove. Pony leaned on Soda's shoulder, exhausted from the day's events.
We pulled up to the house, and Johnny came running out.
"Thank God you're okay!" He exclaimed.
Pony smiled at him. Then something close to fear flashed across Johnny's face.
"What is it, Johnny?" I asked.
"The. . .the gang. . .they went looking for you. They're on the other side of town."
"In the Socs part of town?" I barked.
"Yes. They thought the Socs had taken you."
"Oh, no." I said.
