Title: Memories

Chapter Five: No Explanation

Pony's POV

"It's Ponyboy Curtis, and make sure you don't forget it."

"I won't." I murmured to myself as I woke. For the first time in a long while I was actually peaceful as I came from sleep. I had no aches, no pains, and was laying on something very comfortable. How the hell had this happened?

I became fully aware of the world around me and sat up in the bed, the warm blankets falling into my lap. I was in a small room with a single window that was providing all the light. In the corner there was a desk and next to that there was a bookshelf stuffed with books. Other then the bed that was the only furniture. There were two doors, both closed.

I was beginning to hate waking up and having no clue where I was, or who I was for that matter. I growled low in my throat and threw the covers completely off me and stood. I noticed I wasn't in the clothes I had been. The shirt that was a little too big for me was clean, and so were the pajama bottoms. The last thing I noticed was there were bandages around my head, and there was only a slight throb from my injury.

This was one good thing, but that left me full of questions. Who had done all this? I knew I wasn't going to find the answers in here so I strolled to the first door and pulled it open, walking into the closet and shutting the door behind me before I realized where I was.

Damn.

I quickly got out and tried the second door, sighing in relief when I found myself in a small hallway. There were two doors on the right side, two on the left. At the end of the hallway I could see another room with a couch and another bookshelf in it. I decided to go there.

The living room had very little when it came to furniture. The couch was a rusty color and shabby. The television looked old and dusty. The books on the shelf looked worn and torn. But the large, stone fireplace that everything was centered around made the place look homey.

The next room over seemed to be a very small dining room which furniture consisted of a table and four chairs, and then a small kitchen. There was a front door between the adjoining rooms, and outside I could here that same singing again. As I stepped outside I figured out it was once again coming from the barn. I wasn't so tired or out of it anymore, so now I could actually tell the person was singing words.

I feel no shame

I'm proud of where I came from

I was born and raised in the boondocks

One thing I know

No matter where I go

I keep my heart and soul in the boondocks

And I can feel

That muddy water running through my veins

And I can hear that lullaby of a midnight train

It sings to me and it sounds familiar

I walked over to the large barn door and saw the back of a head covered with a cowboy hat bobbing around a horse, grooming it. When I drew closer the guy stopped singing and turned to look at me. He gave me a big grin, showing a mouth full of pearly white teeth. His hazel eyes glinted even in the half darkness of the barn.

"Glad to see you're awake." He tossed the brush in his hand aside and walked out of the stall. He offered me a hand which I took. His fingers were rough and calloused, but his grip was gentle. "Name's Nick, pleasure to meet yah."

"I'm Ponyboy Curtis." I said shakily. It was funny to introduce yourself when you were still a little uncertain if that was your real name. Nick gave me a funny look, but shrugged off my name and made no comment.

"That's a nasty cut yah got yourself." He said, walking back over to the horse to give it food and water. "How'd yah get it? Get attacked or somethin?"

"I really don't know." I said blankly. "Don't really remember."

"Must've been bad, however you got it." Nick said blankly. "Where yah from Ponyboy?" He glanced over at me over the horse that was gobbling down the food. "Maybe my brother and I could help yah get back."

I starred blankly at him, not sure what to say. "That's nice of you," I finally said. "But I don't' think you can help me."

"Why not?" Nick asked, giving me a curious look. He absently scratched the horse behind the ears. Oh boy, this was going to be tough. "Is it far away or something, 'cause we don't mind a bit of a drive? Would be kind of mean of us to just sort of leave you here stranded."

"It could be far away." I said with a shrug, moving to scratch my head but lowering my hand as I remembered the bandage. Nick gave me a funny look and I added. "It could be close by, I have no clue. See, it's hard to know exactly where your home town is when you don't remember its name, or anything else for that matter."

Nick was giving me a funny look again. "Really?" I nodded "You don't remember nothing?" I nodded again, feeling like a bobble head. He let out a low whistle and walked out of the stall again. "Damn, that must suck, really sucks. Can't imagine not having any memories. Explains why we found yah sitting on our front porch." He took of his hat and ran long fingers through his coppered colored hair. "Well, if that's the case, you'll just have to stay with us."

I looked at him in surprise. "Seriously, you would do that?" I asked. Nick gave me another toothy grin; damn, how could anyone's teeth be so white?

"You bet." He said simply. He walked past me out the door and I followed him to a well behind the house. I helped him pump water which he used to wash his hands and face, then took a long drink. After I helped myself he straightened up, put the hat back on his head, cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered loudly. "Hey Alan, kids awake; come over here and meet him!"

"One would think you would just come and find me instead of shouting each time yah wanted me!" A voice called from behind the house, farther out in the fields.

"But that's no fun." Nick called back, laughing as he did.

A tall, muscular man rounded the corner of the house, glaring daggers at Nick. His hair was the same rust tint as Nicks though a bit shorter, his eyes the same hazel color. I guessed they were brothers or something. Though this guy was much more intimidating then Nick. I had only spent five minutes with Nick and I already felt like we were best friends. But I had a feeling it would be different with this guy. The guy sure was tall, and looked like he could beat up anyone.

Like Superman…. A small voice said in the back of my head. My eyes grew wide. Where the hell had that thought come from? I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts. I mentally chased after it, but that's all there was. A memory of two guys who had visited me in a dream and the thought that this guy looked like Superman; god my life sucked right now. I didn't notice the other two guys standing around me had been talking.

Nick waved a hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my trance. "You okay?" He asked seriously.

I nodded dumbly and turned to look at the tall guy again. He was looking at me strangely with one of his eyebrows quirked. Would have looked comical if he wasn't so big. "Name's Alan, see you already met my brother." He said gruffly.

"Yeah." I said, feeling stupid at my loss of words. "Thanks, thanks for the help and everything. Would be in serious shit if I didn't have your help me out."

Alan shrugged and turned away, walking into the house without another word. "He does that." Nick whispered to me. "I think his brain sometimes short circuits and he forgets what he's doing."

"I heard that!" Alan shouted from the house.

Nick just laughed at Alan's yelling. I couldn't see why, Alan had sounded pretty serious. "Come on in and have some lunch, yah missed breakfast. Alan may not look it, but he's a good cook." He began to walk into the house, and I slowly followed. Wonder what we were having? For some strange reason I had a serious craving for chocolate right about now.