Darry POV

Monday dusk, just returned home from a long day at work, I sort through the mail eagerly, searching for any word, any clue that Jenna is alright. There's three bills, five advertisements, and an envelope stamped with the Vietnam government's insigna and the US Army's coat of Arms. I rip open the envelope and pull out the paper and unfold it eagerly, grinning.

My smile fades, all the color drains from my face. I feel my heart in my throat and my head in my stomach. After a few minutes of taking shallow and painful breaths, I mechanically stands up, clutching the letter tightly and moves with slow, steady strides to my room. Removing the corked bottle of vodak from under my bed, and I sit crosslegged, on the floor, against the bed, just as Jenna and I did once, all those months ago, and I cry silently and painfully.

Ponyboy pads softly into the house, cringing as the screen door screens. In the front yard, Jonah, Noah and Johnny head towards the Kelly's home. Their movie ran over, and Jonah insisted they take the long route to get them home, stopping for a few packs of cigarrettes.

As Pony tiptoes to Soda's and his room, removing his jacket, he stops short as he hears soft hiccups and muffled muttering from within Darry's room. The hairs on the back of his neck rise, and he decides to take a chance.

"Darry? You alright?" he says as he knocks gently on the door.

There's silence from inside, until a whimpered 'Pony'. Pony's concern skyrockets, and he opens the door. He's has never heard such utter miserableness and pain conveyed in two such syllables, especially not from Darry.

Darry appears as a ragdoll; his limbs lay limp and spread eagle, his shoulders and head sag, and his eyes are glassy and red. The quarter full bottle of vodka is clutched in his right hand, a crumpled, uncrumpled, crumpled again, and then finally completely uncrumpled paper in the left.

Pony rushes into the room, feeling Darry's forehead, and screams for Soda, Jonah, and Noah.

Darry looks blurrily at him, lashes stuck together, and new tears brimming in his eyes.

"Fucking hate...god Pony. Not fair... god. Motherfucker, Pony...such a fucking...cruel...I don't know what...I wish that..."

Pony screams for help again as Soda runs into the room with a "Shit.". There's multiple feet pounding on the porch steps, and Jonah and Noah appear in the doorway to Darry's bedroom, followed shortly by Johnny. Pony pulls the piece of paper from Darry's hand, as Soda gets a glass of water for Darry, and ten seconds into his reading, Pony takes a deep, sharp breathe and mutters, "Oh god."

Jonah strides into the room with terror in his eyes, and Noah watches from the doorway, mirroring the expression.

'To Whomever it may Concern,' Jonah read aloud, looking over Pony's shoulder..

'We regret to inform you of the disappearance of Corporal Jenna Elizabeth Kelly following complications of a standard assignment four weeks ago. We have done all within our power to locate the Corporal, and it is with deepest condolences we tell you we have located no trace of her. Currently, she is considered Missing in Action, or possibly a Prisoner of War, but after seven years without locating her, we will be forced to declare her dead. The chances of a reappearance are less then 7% in these circumstances, and we recommend you make arrangements under the assumption that she is deceased. We remind you that your loved one gave their life serving their county, and that to live and die in such a way is an honor. If you have any questions, please contact-'

Jonah stopped his breathless rushed reading all of a sudden, and it seemed as if he had just been deflated. In the hall, Noah slid to the ground, and sits with his head between his knees. Johnny keeps a hand on his shoulder, and looks at the others with a lost expression.

Darry takes another swig of vodka, and waves away the water Soda offers him.

"An honor, my ass."

As Soda pushs the water again into his face, he yanks the cup from Soda's hands, sloshing water all over himself, and throws it against the wall, his expression livid and lost and angry. Pony and Soda jumped as it shatters. Jonah sinks onto the bed, face blank.

"Sorry about that." Darry whispers. "I don't know wh-hy..." Darry looks around the room with the expression of a lost child. Noah is softly sobbing, while Pony lets the letter fall to the ground as Soda and he kneel down and sit shoulder to shoulder with their big brother. Darry passes the bottle of vodka around.