Soda's POV
I sensed, rather than heard, Pony having a nightmare. I had to climb over a few of the guys because they all decided to spend the night here, even Two-Bit, whose mother would worry about him.
I stumbled around and went to Pony's room. Usually, I would be in there with him, but I fell asleep on the couch, and Darry hadn't bothered to move me.
Just as I was coming down the hall, Darry came out of his room and headed for Pony, too.
We walked inside and found Pony stirring around in his bed. The whimpers that came from him were filled with pain and fear. I wondered what this dream was about.
I saw the sweat pouring all over his face and the troubled look he wore. It must have been a pretty bad dream considering the fear that showed plainly on his face.
Darry sat beside Pony on the bed and shook him slightly. I sat down, favoring my left side.
"Pony?" Darry said loudly, trying to wake him.
Pony wasn't waking. He began to toss and turn and he reached out for something. Darry moved his arm, and Pony latched onto it. He squeezed it so hard that Darry winced.
I shook Pony harder and still he wasn't budging. He started mumbling in his sleep and soon we could make out the words.
"No...Leave me alone. I don't want to go. Don't make me. Please! Leave me alone. Darry! Soda!"
I was afraid that he'd wake up the gang, though I didn't think they'd mind too much. I shook him as hard as I could, and greenish-grey eyes opened up with fright.
Pony gasped for air, trying to catch his breath. He looked around fearfully, and he rested his head back when he saw me and Darry.
He shut his eyes tightly, as though he was warding off the images that plagued him.
"Pony? Baby, are you all right?" Darry asked him.
Pony looked up with big eyes at Darry. He broke down in to tears and Darry gathered him in his arms.
I scooted closer, so I could comfort Pony. We all sat there together for a long time, until Pony's sobs began to ease.
Darry laid Pony back down easily, but I heard the sharp intake of breath, as though he were hurting. I wondered what was wrong.
"You want to talk about it?" I asked.
Pony looked as though he was thinking about it, and his answer was quite clear.
"No." He said, shaking his head vigorously.
"It's okay, honey. You don't have to be scared." I said, stroking his hair.
But Pony didn't believe it, and I wondered why.
Darry's eyes showed his concern. I knew he was hurting even more than Pony and I. I know he'd rather be the one hurt than to see us hurting. It was what made him such a great brother.
"Pony? Is something bothering you?" Darry asked.
Pony was silent for a moment, as though he were contemplating whether or not to tell us. And then he shook his head.
"No." He answered quietly, which gave me all the more reason to doubt it.
"Okay." Darry said and pushed Pony's bangs out of his face. They were damp from the sweat on his forehead.
Darry got up and went back to his room, but I stayed right where I was.
"You're lying." I said. A flash of fear danced in Pony's eyes.
"What?" He said, and his voice came out a little higher than he had wanted.
"You're lying. I can see it on your face. Something's bothering you. Something happened. What is it?" I said.
"Nothing."
"Pony." I said in my most stern voice.
"It's nothing, Soda. I swear!" He argued.
"Are you sure?" I was still skeptical. There was something going on.
"I'm positive." Pony gave a weak smile, and I felt a little better.
I crawled under the covers.
"I'm not going anywhere." I said as I tossed an arm across his chest.
"I know." Pony said and sighed.
Soon we both fell asleep and I forgot how much my side hurt for a while.
Darry's POV
When I had gotten up in the morning, Johnny and Dallas were still in the living room, so I had figured the others had already left for the day. Johnny never wanted to go home, and I didn't blame him. His parents were drunks and abused him whenever he was home.
Ponyboy and Soda were sitting on the couch watching TV now. I had made Soda stay home and take it easy. He wanted to go to some rodeo, and though I knew he loved horses a lot, I couldn't let him get too active with his side hurting.
There was something going on with Pony. Every few minutes, he'd look around the house, as though expecting someone to be there. But no one ever was. He was real jumpy, too. I figured he was still scared from last night. He had nothing to worry about though.
I noticed the cut on his arm was starting to scab over. It had had stitches in it, but they had come out when the Soc cut into them. I knew it had bled last night, and I wished Pony would have let me fix it up for him. I guess I'm just turning into a mother hen.
I sat down in the arm chair and watched Gunsmoke with Pony and Soda. It was just some cheesy western, but I liked it well enough. Matt Dillon was our favorites, especially Dally's.
When the show ended, I got up to make supper. Tonight I was fixing roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy with green beans. We needed something hardy if we were going to keep our strength up. Lately, we'd all been worn out. Too much fighting, I guess.
When I finished starting up supper, I went back to the living room. The tv was off now and Soda was starting to doze off. Pony, on the other hand, was wide awake.
I heard Soda's light snores soon after and I smiled. He was worn out as much as anyone. I knew he hadn't slept the greatest last night because of his side hurting so much. He'd been awake even before then, worrying about Pony.
"Hey, Pony. You seem kinda edgy tonight. Something bothering you?" I said quietly, so not to wake Sodapop.
"No, nothing. I just want to make sure no one's around." He said.
I stepped up beside him and put my hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry so much. I'm right here. I'll take care of you." God, how many times I wanted to believe it was true. Yet over and over again, Pony kept getting hurt and I was never there for him.
"I know."
"I'm...I'm sorry I haven't been there for you enough. I know I keep saying that I'm right here and that I'll always protect you, but I haven't lately. You've gotten hurt, and so has Soda. I'm sorry I'm not as in control as I thought I was. I've failed you too many times lately."
He looked up quickly at me.
"No, Darry. Don't think like that. You've always been there for me. It wasn't your fault I got beat up. It was those Socs. It was my fault. You haven't done anything wrong." He argued.
"But I should have been there to prevent anything from happening to you. I'm supposed to be your guardian, but I've been doing a crappy job of it lately."
"Stop it. You're fine the way you are. You're always here for me, and I know and so does Sodapop. Stop worrying about it, all right? You're fine the way you are. You know you're our Superman."
I chuckled. "Superman, huh? You really think that about me?"
"Yes, because you're the strongest person I know, and you're always here to save me."
"But I have my weaknesses." I pointed out.
"And so does Superman." Pony responded.
I smiled at the thought of my little brothers thinking I'm Superman. I've done a lot of things wrong in my life, and yet, they've never faulted me. It was what made living with them so easy.
I bent down and hugged Pony.
"Thanks, little man." I said, and then walked away to get supper ready.
Pony's POV
After supper, I went to my room. I had been nervous all day, as I anticipated what was going to happen to me at midnight. I knew I had to go, though. It was time this all ended. The gang had suffered enough. It was time for me to face the music and take the fall for what had happened. It was my fault, anyway.
I sat at my desk and wrote out a letter. I didn't want Soda and Darry worrying about me, but I also didn't want them to come after me. I wouldn't tell them where I'd go, but I'd tell them what was going on.
I wrote a page worth, and then Soda came in. I quickly signed it, and then put it away before he could see it.
"What are you doing?" He asked, offhandedly.
"Nothing much."
"Were you writing again?"
"Yeah."
Soda lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. He had already fallen asleep on the couch. He must be really worn out. Usually, he doesn't sleep that much.
I worried that he'd stick around too long. It was already 10:30 and it'd take me at least a half an hour to get there, considering I had to find my way in the dark. But then he got back up and said he was going to go watch some tv, though I figured he'd fall asleep since his eyes kept drooping.
"Okay." I replied and he walked out the door.
I reread the letter I wrote to them and felt that it was good enough. I hated thinking that I'd worry them, but this was something I had to do.
I heard the voices of Two-Bit and Johnny as they walked through the door. They were arguing about something in the movie they had seen. I was surprised Johnny was talking so much. He usually never said a word.
Later, I heard Dallas and Steve come in, too. I heard Two-Bit ask about me, and Sod replied something I couldn't hear. I figured he thought I wanted to be alone to write, though that wasn't really what I was doing.
At 11:15, I climbed out my window. I looked back to make sure the letter was in plain sight, and when I was assured that it was, I ran as fast as I could so I could get out of plain view.
And then I headed for Indian Hill Park.
