The Outsiders Chapter 12 by: Farid

The hearing went the way I thought it would. The Socs hadn't told the truth. They lied just as I thought. They said they were just walking in the park and Johnny killed Bob for fun and I helped. The people in the court based me on my appearance. Greaser. A hood. Murderer. That was what everyone thought of me in that building. They sent me to a boys home alone. Soda got to stay with Darry.

"Pony, stay safe. Please don't get hurt." Darry was tearing up when he said that.

"I'll try…Bye." I was sad and miserable I couldn't leave the gang after all we had been through

Afterwards the judge escorted me to the truck that was driving me to the Boys home. Greaser. That was my name for life. Not Pony or Ponyboy. Greaser. I was labelled a social outcast, poor, and a stupid kid for the rest of my life because I was part of a certain gang.

When I got to the Boys home I felt nothing. Not scared or sad. I had been through worse and I would get through that.

When I walked into my new room I felt weird. The boy I was going to live with looked like Johnny, and even had the same kind of personality. Jumpy and scared.

"Hi, I'm Rick."

"Hi, my name is Ponyboy." I must have made a bad first impression.

Eight days had passed. Me and Rick had become good friends in that time but we both wanted to go home to our family.

"Rick, I have a plan to get out of this dump. Want to try it out?" Rick had the usual worried look on his face.

"Okay I guess. There's too much guards though. We wont make it through the doors."

"Don't think I came unprepared." Then I gave my trust to Rick, as if he were Johnny. "Here take this." I handed him Two-Bits Black Swiss Army Knife. "This knife used to be my friends. He gave it to me before I came here. Use this only if you have to." When I said that I reminded myself of Dally.

"What will you use?" Rick looked so confused

Then I pulled out the gun. The gun Dally had used to get himself killed. Dally.

" Bu…but…you can't shoot people! They will give you the electric chair!"

"I been carrying this gun. It ain't loaded though, but it sure does help a bluff." Gallant. Dally. Two words that had the same meaning to me. I remember Steve sliding the gun away from Dally's body and leaving it at my house. I knew I had to take it or Darry would be arrested for having it.

"Rick, listen carefully. All you have to do is sneak around behind me and don't let the guards see you. I'll get them away. Remember to use the knife if something goes wrong." He seemed so worried. "After we get out go down the street and make a left. Then keep running. I'll catch up."

We started moving. The first two guards were at our door. I checked their belts to see if any of them had a heater. None of them did. I ran out with my hand in the pocket with my gun in it and then I heard Rick gasp. He knew what was coming next. I ran in front of the guards and pointed the gun at them.

"Freeze"

"He has a gun! Call for backup!"

The guards were chasing me and then I lost sight of Rick. Hopefully he was out the doors.

I kept making random turns hoping that I was heading for the doors. Then I saw a guard with a heater coming from the other hall. I ran away as fast as I could. I didn't turn back. All I kept thinking was Gallant and Dally. I couldn't go out like Dally. Not yet. I wasn't ready. Then I saw a window big enough for me to climb out of.

I quickly threw my heater at the window at the window and climbed through. I couldn't look back. I have a family that I loved and cared for. Dally went because he didn't have anyone. Johnny was the only thing Dally loved. I finally understood. I kept running through the streets with no weapon, and at least 10 guards following me. I was looking for Rick.

There he was! He wasn't hurt! He came running to me with a smile on his face, then noticed the guards and kept running.

" Hey, keep running down this street. I'm gonna make a stop somewhere. Just keep running!" I yelled it as loud as I could.

I ran by my house. The guards had chased Rick instead, and it was my fault.

"Darry! Come quick!!"

'Pony is that you?!? What are you doing here?" Darry sounded so serious but I could see him tearing up.

" I have to go. My friend can't be another Johnny. I wont let him die! Follow me quick!" He obeyed.

Me and Darry ran down many alleys and there was Rick. Tired and being chased. I quickly pointed the gun at the guards, shaking. They chased me again and I could see Darrys face. He was crying. I quickly ran to the park. The darkest part of town at night.

Darry had been following behind the guards. The park was my last hope.

When I got there I stopped running because the guards pointed their heaters at Rick. I ran very quickly right in front of him. They shot and I save Rick, but I was dying now.

"Pony?!? No!!!!" I think that was Darry. Was he bawling? I couldn't tell. Everything was starting to fade. I think someone picked me up. I'm not sure. All I could hear was yelling and crying. I couldn't feel anything. Gallant. Hero. Was I those now or was I just someone who gave their life for nothing? Everything went blank. I couldn't hear anything. Then I was gone.

I woke up in the middle of a room in a bed. Very weak. I could hear someone whispering to Dally I think. Where was I? Then I looked over at my arm. It was in terrible condition a lot with everything else.

"D…arry…?" I couldn't speak much.

"Pony…are you alright?" he was bawling. What was happening? I opened my eyes which hurt more then I thought and I saw the whole gang with Cherry and Randy. Darry and Soda were beside me, crying.

"Ponyboy, are you in deep trouble. What did you do this time?" Soda. He was crying a lot as well. I tried to laugh but it hurt too much.

"Pony, you've made me so proud even now. I'm sorry if you every thought I didn't love you but I do. You are the biggest hero I know. Bigger then any of the ones you read about in those books. Mom and Dad would have been very proud of you. I love you"

I think I was crying. I couldn't tell.

"Pony remember all the fun times, please get better. Don't go!" Soda was bawling. I could hear it. Then what both of my brothers said made me forget about everything. About Johnny, Dally, the heater, and the boys home. Everything. I actually did make Darry proud. That's all I ever wanted and I got it.

Then I could feel myself shut down. I lost feeling and was getting cold.

"Darry…Soda…I love you both" It hurt too much to talk. Then I shut my eyes and enjoyed what I had left. I had finally made Darry proud and honestly, that's all that ever mattered.

I could hear a lot of crying especially from Darry. He hadn't cried at all when mom and dad died and now he was proud and bawling, for me. Then I shut down.

"Goodbye"