Johnny's POV

I was walking to the movies after leaving the Curtis brothers at the hospital when a car pulled up behind me. I flinched at the sound of the engine cutting off. My breathing started coming in large gasps, and I felt sweat break out over my hands and back. But then I heard a police siren.

"Hault!" The man yelled. I was only walking down the street.

I turned around to face him.

"This is the kid. Bring him in." One of the cops said, while the other came up behind me.

"John Cade, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent..."

I couldn't believe my ears. The police officer chained hand cuffs onto my wrists. It was true. I was going to jail. Just like Dallas...

Pony's POV

I woke up around eight o'clock at night. I realized that I had gone to sleep after I left Darry and Soda. I didn't want them to see me cry, so I wheeled away.

I remember having a hard time getting from my wheel chair to my bed, but after several minutes, I pulled it off. It only made me cry harder when I realized I couldn't do it on my own.

The doctors had told me I still had a chance of walking again. They wouldn't know how much strength I had in my legs until I started going to physical therapy. The thought that I might never be able to walk again terrified me. And I hated Darry and Soda seeing it.

I rolled over with some difficulty. Soda and Darry weren't in the room with me. I could hear them moving about quietly. I was sure they were trying to be quiet, so not to wake me, but it didn't matter.

I decided to get up. Well, my stomach decided for me as I was reminded that I hadn't eaten since breakfast. And it had been hospital food, so it wasn't very good.

I lay on my back, then sat up. My wheel chair seemed farther away than it had been.

I pushed my way to the edge of the bed. I reached my arm out, trying to grab the chair and push it closer.

When I found that I couldn't reach it, I looked around for something to use to move it. I tried to keep quiet, so Darry and Soda wouldn't feel obliged to come help me.

When I found nothing, I tried reaching for it again. I had almost reached it with the tip of my fingers, when I fell to the ground.

Darry's POV

Soda and I both heard the thud at the same time. After quickly glancing at each other, we both ran to Pony.

When we opened the door, we found Pony lying on the ground, his chair a few feet away.

"Pony!" Soda exclaimed, and quickly dropped down next to him on the floor. I quickly followed.

Pony was crying when we reached him. I feared he was hurt.

"Are you okay, Pony?" I asked softly. I didn't want to upset him.

"I'm fine." He got out between sobs. When he moved to sit up, I grabbed him from under the arms to lift him to his wheel chair.

He shook me off.

"I can do it myself." He barked.

Soda and I stayed out of the way as he scooted across the floor to his wheel chair. The sight of him broke my heart, and I had to bite back a sob.

When Pony finally got to the chair, he assessed it, and then tried to get on. The chair rolled back, though, and he fell back to the ground.

I hated to act like I was staring, but I wanted to be there and waiting if he needed me... if he decided he needed me.

Pony pushed the wheel chair against the wall so it wouldn't move. He then faced away from the chair and placed his hands behind him on the seat and attempted to push himself up.

I noticed how he had lost weight when I first saw him. By now, he had lost even more weight and muscle, too. His arms were thin and barely capable of lifting all of his weight.

Pony attempted to get in his chair, but failed the first three times. By sheer determination, he made it on his fourth try.

Pony was breathless and sweaty by the time he got into his wheel chair. It would have been much simpler if he had just let me lift him up and place him in the chair. But I saw the defiance on his face, and I had to respect his wishes.

Soda came over and knelt on the floor in front of Pony.

"You okay?" He asked, searching Pony's face.

Pony nodded, but I saw that hesitant look, like he wanted to tell us what was wrong, but couldn't.

"You hungry?" I asked.

Pony nodded again, and started rolling his wheel chair to the door.

Soda and I made room for him at the table where we had been sitting and talking about the bills. Not wanting Pony to worry, I slid the papers away and placed them in my room.

I went over to the stove and got the plate I had left for him on the top. It was still warm from when Soda and I ate, so I just placed it in front of him.

"You want some chocolate milk?" I asked.

"Please." Pony said, with a hint of shyness in his voice.

I poured him a glass and set it by him, too.

Soda sat by Pony and smiled at him. Soda could always makehim smile, but not now.

"Darry! Soda! Pony!" Two-Bit's voice screamed from the door way. He came running inside and had to double over since he was so out of breath.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked, eager to hear what was going on.

"It's Johnny...he's been taken to the state prison in Oklahoma. He's been arrested!"