Chapter 11
Soda
The funeral was a nightmare.
Steve showed up drunk and raving about how Two-Bit was a spineless faggot because he wouldn't come to the funeral. Darry was crying and I had to get him a new tissue every three seconds.
Once the service started, Steve was still raving about Two-Bit. That was really getting on my nerves, but on the bright side Darry's crying had been reduced to a few sniffles.
When Darry and I had to throw the handful of dirt on the coffin, Darry broke down again. He started sobbing, Steve yelled at him that he was just as bad as Two-Bit and then stormed off. Darry couldn't quit crying, the minister guy was staring at us, and I just lost it.
I pulled my hair and screamed "I can't take it anymore!" Then I bolted for home. Once I'd gotten there, calmed down, and changed I realized I had forgotten Darry. I didn't really trust him to find his own way home, I was about to look for him when he came in. He was crying.
"You left me," he sobbed.
This was depressing. Darry was acting like a five year old that had gotten lost from his mom in a mall. He was always the strong one. I wanted to cry too. To just lay around and sob while someone brought me soup and told me it was all going to be Ok, but I couldn't do that. I had to be there for Darry.
"I know I left you, Darry," I said. "It won't happen again."
Darry shook his head, "I'm going to bed," he sniffled. Darry walked into his room and locked the door behind him.
I wanted to sleep too, but I couldn't go into my room. It made me think about Pony. I flopped down on the couch and tried to sleep.
I kept thinking about Two-Bit. Why hadn't he shown up at the funeral? Was he really sick?
I was tired; dead tired, but I felt like I should talk to Two-Bit. I couldn't leave Darry though. He was probably asleep; he'd never know. I got up off the couch and headed toward Two-Bit's.
Two-Bit
I was staring at the ceiling. My eyes hurt more than my stomach now. I had a fever; I'd gotten my sister to bring me the thermometer. I didn't have a high fever, it was only 100 or something like that, but it was enough to make me feel bad. I had no energy whatsoever. It was like I had the flu all over again, but I could breathe a bit better.
I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye. I turned over and saw Soda standing there. I checked to make sure that my Mickey Mouse was hidden under the covers. He was.
"Hey, Two-Bit," Soda said hoarsely. I could tell he had been crying.
"Hey," I replied weakly.
"Steve said you were sick," Soda said after an awkward pause. "You look like you don't feel good. What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I muttered.
"If nothing was wrong then you wouldn't be lying around in bed," Soda reasoned.
It was all my fault. I'm the reason Pony's dead. I didn't want to tell Soda yet, I wanted to tell him and Darry at the same time.
But the tears started spilling from my eyes, and I told everything to Soda. About how I was responsible for killing Johnny and Dally and Pony.
"I'm sorry," I sobbed once I was done. "I didn't mean to kill him. Please forgive me!"
Soda just stared at me.
Soda
I believed what Steve had said now. Two-Bit really is sick. He must be delirious or something. He just finished telling me this long story about how he's responsible for Johnny, Dally, and Pony dying. It's completely crazy. Now he's begging me to forgive him for killing Pony. He didn't even do anything.
"I'm sorry, Soda. I'm sorry!" Two-Bit sobbed.
"Yeah, it's Ok buddy," I said. "I forgive you. Now try to get some sleep Ok?"
Two-Bit sniffled and nodded. He's really sick; I think he needs a doctor.
Speaking of sick, I wonder how Darry's doing. I left him all alone.
"Hey, Two-Bit I've gotta go," I said. "I'll see you later."
Two-Bit didn't answer. I walked as fast as I could toward home, I hope Darry is Ok.
