We stayed out here for days.

It was really boring but Johnny and Pony kept us busy by reading Gone With the Wind, and by playing cards. Pony taught me how to play go fish, I also wanted to learn how to play poker, but Pony and Johnny just laughed and said I was too young.

It was pretty hard staying out, hiding so no one could find us. I was always hungry and tired. I hadn't slept all this week, the floor was too hard, the church had scary noises and I kept seeing scary things when I closed my eyes.

Also I missed Sodapop, he was always next to me when I fell asleep before, so it was kind of hard now. Pony tried his best to get me to sleep, but it didn't help much. He tried everything from rubbing my back to holding me, he even tried singing me to sleep, but no avail.

Tonight we watched the sunset, it was one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. Pony was reciting some poem next to me, but I didn't pay much attention, cause of how pretty the sunset was. At the end I did catch the word gold though.

When we went back inside, Pony kept trying to reason with me to fall asleep tonight.

"C'mon Carlie, you must be tired."

I shook my head, even though I was so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open during the day, and Pony could see that.

"Carlie, please we need you to keep us company during the day, what if we hear news from Soda?"

I smiled a little, he knew how much I missed Soda. I shrugged and casually said, "I'll try, but I'm not promising anything…"

He was content with that. "Night red."

That was my new nickname, I didn't like it much, but he got a nickname to match. "Night Blondie."

He winced at the name. He still wasn't so thrilled with his hair. I wasn't either, but I wasn't complaining…for Pony's sake.

I rolled over and listened to the owls hoot for awhile. I was thinking about what was going to happen to us, I mean we couldn't just hide out forever. When would we go home? We were running out of money and supplies.

I was dozing off around close to morning when Pony woke up.

"You still up honey?"

I nodded and mumbled a "yes."

"Carlie, you must be tired, please go to sleep."

" I'm scared, what's going to happen to us Pony?" He sighed and looked up to the old, crackled ceiling.

" I don't know Carlie, but we gonna end up alright, okay?"

I nodded, my eyes slowly closing. Pony sensed I was falling asleep and started to rub my back.

"There now, go to sleep and in the morning we'll figure something out, okay?"

"m'kay…" I finally fell asleep for the first real time this week.

I woke up to what seemed to be 5 minutes later to Pony and Johnny talking. I tried to get up to see what was going on, but once I got some sleep I just wanted more. I mumbled, "Pony?"

He came to my side and kissed my head. "Hey honey, everything's okay, go back to sleep"

He needed not say anything more. "Kay…"

I was already drifting off to sleep. Though I could have sworn I saw Dally.

Once I woke up the church was drafty and empty. I rubbed my head, and eyes and called out, "Pony? Johnny?"

I picked up a note that was supposedly from Pony or Johnny. It said that Dally took them out for a bite, but they wanted to let me sleep so they would bring me back something later. I knew I saw Dally there. I saw a small part on the note that I hadn't read before.

P.S. Soda wrote us a letter, thought you might want to see it.

I picked up another note and read the part that was addressed to me.

Hey Carlie, if you're reading this I suppose you're safe with Pony. What were you thinking when you ran out like that? Darry and I have been so worried. We hope you guys will come back soon. Love Sodapop.

I almost cried when I read that letter. I missed them so much, and I really wanted to go back. I wonder what would have happened if I had never ran out like that, would things be different now?

I lied back down and decided there was nothing better to do then sleep some more.

I dreamed that I felt very hot, I was burning up. I woke up in a cold sweat and smelled smoke. I sprang up and saw a small fire close to where I was sleeping. I wasn't sure what to do so I ran out not caring if I was seen.

I sat down on the grass outside and wondered where Pony was. I was scared and didn't know what to do, so I started crying.

Later I heard a car pull up and thank god it was Pony. I ran up to him and almost choked him with a hug.

Turns out that I didn't notice that there were kids in the church. I stayed with Dally while Pony went inside with Johnny.

"Dally what's going on? I woke up and there was a fire next to me."

He shook his head and wouldn't look at me. "I don't know kid, now stop bugging me."

I stood there and tried not to cry at his sharp remark.

The next few minutes to me seemed like a big blur. One minute I'm standing with Dally the next I'm hovering over Pony in an ambulance waiting for him to wake up.

His face was smudged black because of the soot from the fire. When he finally did wake up I almost cut of his breathing with my hug.

"Pony, I was so scared!"

He breathed steadily and hugged me back. "I know, I'm just glad you weren't hurt in the fire."

We arrived at a hospital where we walked in and sat down on some chairs, I sat on Pony's lap as we waited to hear news about Johnny. Pony told me he got hurt from the fire. It was almost sickening to wait so long.

After awhile I realized I had to go to the bathroom. "I'll be right back Pony"

He nodded and lit up a cigarette. "just be back soon, and don't get lost, okay?"

I nodded and went off. I was wondering if this meant that we were going home now, would we get in trouble if we did?

When I came back, I smiled and hid behind a corner.

Soda and Darry were there. And Pony was hugging them, crying.

I almost cried too, but I didn't come out yet cause I didn't want to spoil the moment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I pulled away from our family embrace and realized one member was missing.

I wiped away tears from my eyes, and wondered, was Carlie hurt in the fire?

"Pony where's Carlie, she didn't get hurt did she!?"

He shook his head but a questioning look came upon his face. "She did say she'd be right back, she couldn't have gotten that far could she?"

Darry shook his head. "Pony, how could you let a seven year old girl wander around an unfamiliar place all alone?"

"I didn't think she could get in that much trouble, it's a hospital for god's sake!"

I then saw a pale little figure with red hair walk up, no now make that running up to us. Could that be her?

"Soda!"

It was her! I opened my arms and embraced her in a huge hug.

"You scared us to death!"

She buried her face in my neck. "I missed you so much Soda."

I stroked her hair, "I missed you too baby, what the heck did Pony do to your hair."

She pointed a finger at Pony "He did it! Blame him"

He grabbed her out of my arms and started tickling her.

I couldn't help but smile, until I saw Darry take her out of Pony's arms.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I was so happy to have Pony and Carlie back at home, where they belong, but there was one thing I had to do before everything could be okay again.

I lifted Carlie out of Pony's hold, put her down and crouched down to her level.

"Carlie I want to say that I'm sorry for scaring you the other night, if I hadn't yelled than maybe you wouldn't have run out."

She simply smiled and said, "I forgive you Darry"

I gave her an awkward hug until she gave me a real one. S

oda then picked her up and we went home, within seconds she was asleep in the car.