Found
(Tuesday, September 29, 1965, 10:30 PM, On the Street)
(Soda's POV)
We were all sprinting down the street, Darry leading us towards the lot. The whole time, my heart was racing in my chest, silently praying that Ponyboy and Bexley would be okay. Fear was overtaking reason by this point, and it coursed through my veins.
I couldn't bear to have anything happen to them. The thought of not seeing their smiling faces again made me feel like I couldn't breathe. It was choking the life out of Darry and I. We already lost mom and dad… We couldn't lose them too…
The lot was starting to come up. For a moment, I thought I could see a figure stumbling in the road. Looking closely, I saw that it was… Bexley! My heart sank when I saw that it was her.
"Guys! It's Bexley!" I cry out, my voice twisted up in fear. I felt my heart being twisted as we sprinted towards her. From a distance, I saw the blood coming from cuts on her face, lip, and nose. She was covered in bruises, possibly under her clothing too.
"Bex!" I cry out, my voice breaking in terror as we caught up with her. Before we reached her, she couldn't hold herself up for any longer and she collapsed on the road. We fell to our knees beside her, and I immediately pulled her into my arms.
Tears flowed from my eyes and I didn't bother to wipe them away. Darry knelt down beside her too. He couldn't hold back his tears anymore, he let them fall over too. "Bexley, please open your eyes, baby girl…" I begged, more watery diamonds filling my eyes.
She didn't open her eyes. "Please don't take her… Please no…" I prayed, holding my baby sister close to me. The gang was surprised as well, seeing Bexley in this condition. Johnny was silently crying, endless tears running down his darkened cheeks.
"S-Soda…?" a weak voice said my name. I pulled back a little to look at Bexley's face. Her green eyes barely opened, and they looked glassy. "Bexley? Say something, baby girl…" I begged, sounding more desperate.
"P… Ponyboy… needs help… The lot…" she winced, squeezing her eyes shut from the pain she was feeling. I looked up at Darry, who was crying too. His gaze met mine for a second.
Darry then looks back at the gang. "Two-Bit, is your car working?" Darry asked quickly. "Yeah, it's going." Two-Bit replied just as fast. "Take Bexley to the hospital while we find Ponyboy." Darry retorted. Bexley heard what Darry said and she snuggled closer to my chest. I could tell just from that that she didn't want to leave me.
"Baby girl, you gotta go to the hospital. You're hurt badly." I whisper to her in my most comforting voice. "I wanna find… Pony…" she whimpered. The sound of her voice made my heart ache. I didn't want to hear her talk like that.
"It'll be alright. We're gonna find him. Don't worry, none." I replied, kissing her forehead. Two-Bit came around and kneeled down to pick Bexley up. "I'll get her there. You guys can count on me." Two-Bit said, scooping up Bexley with one arm under her shoulders, and the other under her knees. Just before he left, he looked back at us and said, "Find the kid."
And with that, Two-Bit started running back to the house. Johnny decided to go with him. "Please find him…" Johnny said to us. I could hear the worry in his voice. Darry and I stood up and we continued to make our ascend to the lot.
(The Lot)
We saw the lot up ahead, red and blue lights flashing ahead. The sirens were ringing loudly in our ears. I sped up my pace, sprinting faster than I thought I could. I was catching up with Darry, while the rest of the gang started to fall behind.
Determination was the thing keeping me going. It felt as though if I stopped, it'd be too late. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't keep going. "Ponyboy!" Darry cried, his voice breaking half way through. I looked in the direction of where Darry was calling, and my eyes widened.
In the distance, I could see a pale figure lying motionless on the ground. I thought I could see a pool of crimson lying beneath him. "Oh god… Pony!" I wail, more tears trailing down my hot cheeks.
Darry and I knelt down beside him with the gang hovering over us. They also had an unwavering look of fear on their faces. Ponyboy was barely conscious... but he was smiling. It wasn't a fake grin, it was a real grin. The same grin that he carried so long ago.
His eyes glowed green, with a hint of grey burning bright. He had used his adrenaline and triumphed against the evil that he faced. Despite him looking so beaten up and having blood and bruises on him, he looked happier than he had been since I don't know when.
"I… I did it! I beat them!" Pony chuckled, blood trickling from his mouth, "Did I do good?" More blood traveled down his neck and chin. "Yes, you did, Pony." Darry sobbed, more tears rolling down his cheeks. He scooped him up and held him in his lap, just like I did with Bexley.
I scooted closer to my two brothers, caressing Pony's chin gently. "Is… is Bexley… okay?" Pony wheezed, breathing heavily through his mouth. I felt my throat starting to ache from getting choked up. "She's gonna be okay…" I replied, holding in my sobs, "Are you gonna be okay?"
"I don't…" he said, suddenly with a sharp gasp. His eyes became glassy and withdrawn, showing that he was in great agony. Then, his eyes closed and he went limp, indicating that he lost consciousness.
Darry glanced down at our baby brother, horror on his face. My heart sank when I saw that Ponyboy passed out, my face lost its color. I silently prayed for him to be alive… We couldn't bear the thought of him being dead.
Please no… Please don't leave us, honey… We need you… My prayers were answered when I heard the sound of quiet breathing. I looked and saw that his chest was slowly rising and falling, but it seemed to dwindle.
Darry held our baby brother close to him, rocking him back and forth as he silently cried. I hoped that both him and Bexley would be okay...
