In Hot Water

Chapter Three: "Donimos"

Saturday May 21st, 1966

Darry looked over at Soda who hasn't moved or spoken for a long time, which was unusual. Soda was the type of person who couldn't stand silence and staying still. The fact that his younger brother was acting like a statue made Darry concerned.

Darry looked over at the clock. It was almost one in the afternoon and they haven't even ate breakfast yet. Darry sighed and rubbed his sweaty palms on the arms of the recliner.

"Sodapop." Darry snapped Soda out of his trance. "You hungry?"

Soda shook his head. "I'm not hungry," he said dully.

"You sure Soda?"

Soda nodded. "Yeah Darry, I'm fine."

Darry didn't really know what to say. He was sad too, and on top of that, he was very angry at the guards who let this happen. If they were doing their job right, this would have never happened, but they weren't.

"Look Soda, I know how you feel, but Pony's going to be okay. Pony's always okay. Detectives Jenkins and Rodgers found him last time, they'll find him again this time."

Soda stood up. "What makes you think this time is the same as last time? Darry that kid won't hesitate this time! If Pony's not dead now, he's going to be any moment now! I'm not that stupid Dar!"

Soda stormed out of the living room. He headed towards his bedroom, but stopped at the doorway. He couldn't go in there. He wouldn't go in there. Soda turned and walked out the front door.

Darry put his head in his hands. Pony was gone and it was killing Soda. Darry never understood how Soda and Ponyboy were so close, but they were. Sure Darry was close to both of them, but they were closer. The first time Pony was kidnapped, Soda was worried and depressed, but Darry knew this was going to be far worse.

It was going to be far worse.

oOoOo

Soda walked in to the DX, dressed and everything, and Steve looked up from his magazine shocked to see his best friend.

"Soda, wh-what are you doing here?"

"I'm working Steve, just like you are."

Steve closed the magazine and put it down on the counter. "Go home Soda, you shouldn't be here."

Soda shook his head, "I'm on the schedule."

"That wasn't what I meant Soda, and you know it. You didn't get any sleep last night, you're tired and you look awful. You shouldn't be here Soda. Ponyboy-"

"Don't Steve!" Soda cut him off. "Don't even talk about him, don't even think about him!"

Steve shut his mouth. He honestly did not expect Soda to get so mad when he mentioned his brother's name. Soda had only been mad at him once in his entire life and Steve had it coming, but this time Steve didn't do anything.

"So do you want to work out in the garage or take my spot at the counter?" Steve awkwardly asked. Soda didn't give an answer. He just put his DX cap on his head and headed towards the door.

"Oh and Soda," Steve said. Soda stopped and turned around. "Shannon stopped by about an hour ago. She was looking for you."

Soda nodded. "Well then she'll find me later."

Steve watched Soda walk out of the store and head into the garage. The dominoes were falling. Two-Bit was the first, and now Soda was next. Hopefully he and Darry can stay strong enough to remain standing. The whole gang couldn't fall, but two already had.

Steve sighed and looked at the clock. It was nearly one thirty. If Soda was to be anywhere besides home due to the situation, it should be out searching for Ponyboy, and not working. Steve tried to tell him that but Soda snapped at him before he could finish his sentence. Soda wasn't himself anymore. Steve never really cared about Ponyboy too much, sure he'd stick up for him if he was in trouble and hang out with him on occasions to make Soda happy, but if Pony was never a part of the gang or was never Soda's little brother, Steve would probably care less about the kid being kidnapped again, but that wasn't the case because Pony was in the gang and was his best friend's baby brother. Soda cared about Pony more than he cared about anything and whatever Soda cares about, Steve cares about.

Steve knew Soda wasn't going to be himself until Pony was back in their lives, and Two-Bit was the same.

oOoOo

Two-Bit poured every last bit of beer from his bottle down his throat. It was bottle after bottle for him, he just couldn't help himself. Two-Bit always got drunk for fun but this time it was to forget. He said earlier that things like this weren't going to help him find Ponyboy, but he didn't care anymore. Nothing was going to help Ponyboy because Ponyboy was dead. It wasn't that hard to figure out. Shane wouldn't hesitate this time, it made no sense if he would.

A hand was placed on Two-Bit's shoulder and he let out a groan. "Go away Steve. I thought I made it clear enough that I want to be alone."

The person took his hand off Two-Bit. "I ain't no Steve."

Two-Bit turned around to see Tim Shepard, who instantly took a seat on the stool next to him. He ordered a drink and then turned to Two-Bit.

"I heard about the kid. It's all over the news."

Two-Bit took a swig out of the next bottle that was placed in front of him. He didn't reply to Tim at all, he was here to forget, not talk. He didn't ever want to talk about this. He took another sip, and then another.

"Listen Two-Bit," said Tim. "I only know Ponyboy as the youngest Curtis who hangs around my brother from time to time. I don't know him as well as you do but I know he doesn't deserve this. You guys don't deserve this. All of us don't deserve this. Ponyboy was a good kid, is a good kid. He wouldn't go down without a fight."

Two-Bit took another drink. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm sayin' that the kid wouldn't leave the Earth without a fight. There's a chance he's still out there, alive and you aren't doin' him any favors moping around and wasting your money on alcohol. And if he isn't alive, do you think he'd want you doing this?"

Two-Bit slammed his bottle on the counter. "Shut up Tim! Pony ain't here, he can't tell me what to do and you can't either. Just let me be!"

Tim stood up and put money on the counter for the bartender. "All I'm saying Two-Bit is that you shouldn't drown your problems away. I'll see ya around."

And with that, Tim Shepard left.

oOoOo

Darry replayed the events of the previous night over and over again. The shuffling that went on about two-thirty Pony was probably trying to fight off Shane. Why didn't he scream? Darry didn't know. If only Darry got up to check out what was going on during the shuffling and not when Soda slammed the door an hour later. If Darry got up to "yell at Soda" at that time, Pony would still be here.

Darry got up and headed towards Pony and Soda's room. Darry wasn't sure if Soda would ever sleep in there again, but he understood why. The bedroom's scent was a mixture of Soda and Ponyboy. Though the smell might be confronting by telling you Pony was there, it was discomforting because Pony wasn't there and his smell was just reminding you that he was gone.

Darry sat in the chair that was pushed into Pony's desk. The top of it was so clean and organized now that he didn't have textbooks and papers burying it since it was summer. Darry wondered if he would ever see Pony's things pile on top of the desk again or if Thursday night was the last time. Darry knew that this was breaking Soda's heart and Two-Bit's as well, but his was breaking too, but he had to stay strong for what little was left of their gang and for Ponyboy as well, dead or alive.

Darry took one last look at the cleared desk before getting up. When he got up, he knocked over a pen. It rolled underneath the desk and Darry got down to pick it up. That's when he saw it. A piece of paper taped to the bottom of the desk. Darry ripped the paper from the wood and saw his and Soda's name written in Pony's handwriting.

Darry sat back down at the desk before unfolding it and reading it. It said:

Dear Darry and Soda,

I don't know where to begin really. If you haven't found out by now, I should be dead by the time you're reading this. Shane's gang is kind enough to allow me to write this and said they'd deliver this as soon as they could. It seems like life is always too short for all of us. Maybe we are all meant to die young and early. I don't know. But I'm going to miss you two and I sure hope you're going to miss me too!

Darry I'm sorry about all the things I did to cause you to worry. I hope you'll be able to forgive me. I'm sorry I prevented you to go to college. I always felt guilty over that. I never ever wanted to hold you back from following your dreams and I'm sorry I did. Go back to school when you can. Do whatever it was that you wanted to do. Have fun for once in your life but please make sure Soda doesn't go crazy about me.

Soda I'm sorry that this had to end this way, but please don't blame Darry for this. It wasn't his fault or Two-Bit's. In fact I don't even know how they found me but they did. I'm going to be in a better place, I'll be happy there so please just don't go nuts okay? I'll see you soon, but not too soon alright?

Make sure Two-Bit knows this is NOT his fault. Don't get mad at him about this. If it's anyone's fault it's mine for getting in the mess with Bob Sheldon a few months ago. Tell Two-Bit that. He'll go crazy if he thinks it's his fault, and tell Steve thanks for me!

Love,

Ponyboy Curtis

Darry could tell this was from the last time Shane took him since it talked about it not being Two-Bit's fault. Two-Bit was suppose to be watching him that day at school but Pony felt sick in class and went to use the bathroom and Shane and his gang found him and cornered him in there before drugging him and taking him to Shane's house.

Despite the fact that this was written for another event, Darry couldn't help but shed a few tears. He knew that Pony would write a similar letter to this one if he was given the chance. Darry couldn't believe that Pony felt like a burden for him. Sure Darry could've gone to college and been more successful but he couldn't leave Pony and Soda behind like that. Darry needed his brothers just as much as they needed him. Pony was never a burden to Darry and never would be. Darry might have never told them, but he loved his brothers and would do anything for them.

"Darry?" A voice hollered in the background. Soda was back. Darry wiped his eyes, stood up and walked out of the room, carrying the letter with him.

"Soda, I have something for you." Darry gave Soda Pony's letter. "He wrote it the first time Shane took him, though I'm sure he would've written the same thing if he was given the chance."

Soda read the letter, and handed it back to Darry. He was on the verge of tears, trying his best not to let them fall but since he was Sodapop they had fallen anyway.

"This ain't fair Darry," Soda cried. "Out of all of us, he's suffered the most. Why can't it be me? Why did this have to happen to Pony when it could've happened to me? He's done nothing wrong his whole life. He's innocent!"

Darry opened his mouth to reply but Soda went on. "He was the one who was suppose to do big things. He was suppose to get out of this neighborhood and do something useful with his life. Why did it have to be him?"

Darry shook his head and pulled Soda into a hug. Darry could feel his shirt getting wet from Sodapop's tears.

"I-I don't know little buddy. I just don't know."

Soda pulled himself out of Darry's arms and looked up at his big brother. "He's gonna pay for this Darry. He's gonna suffer for what he did. He has too!"

Darry shook his head again. "Soda, Pony said he doesn't want us to do anything stupid like that. He wants us to move on. Shane will suffer the consequences in jail."

"He's a killer Darry! If he doesn't get the death penalty then I'll make sure he ends up dead!"

"Soda, revenge is never the answer. Shane is doing this for revenge. You can't fight fire with fire."

"Whatever," Soda said and walked to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

I got four reviews since the last update! Come on guys, please review! I know this chapter wasn't the best but it was necessary. But the next chapter will keep you on the edge of your seat! Promise! I already have it written, so please if you really want this exciting, nail biting update than I suggest you leave a comment. Think about it, it is a really great way to tell me you really want me to update and guess what? It's free!

Anyway I hope I'm portraying the characters well enough for you. I'm trying my best! Tim Shepard probably won't be appearing again. I just needed someone to pop in and talk to Two-Bit and Tim seemed to be the right guy, but do keep an eye out for the other characters I throw in here *evil snicker* this story may seem to be starting out slow but chapter four this story is going to take a turn and I promise you it will be thrilling!

Like I said above, please review!

-MLC 99