Darry knew the three most likely places Ponyboy would go were the movies,
Tim's, or Buck's so he tried all three. He couldn't spot him anywhere in
the theatre and the Shepard's weren't home so the last resort was Buck's
and he was hoping he'd find his brother there. It was getting really late
and the rain hadn't stopped pouring. It was freezing out. Darry pulled up
to Buck Merrill's at nearly midnight. He could smell the liquor coming from
that place the second he stepped out of the truck. The rain fell hard on
his leather jacket as he walked up to the porch. Loud music could be heard
inside and somebody was passed out right next to Merrill's door.
Darry walked up and knocked on the door which was answered several seconds later. A very drunk Buck came to answered it and stared at him. "What?"
Tim looked up from his game of cards when he noticed Buck at the door. He got up and walked over. "If it ain't Darrel Curtis." He said. "Figure you're looking for your brother."
"Well then you'd be figuring right. Where is he?" Darry demanded.
"Kid ain't here no more." Tim said. "He left about an hour ago." Buck turned and left since Tim knew who this guy was and he didn't.
"Where'd he go?" Darry said. Tim shrugged. "You know were he is and you'll tell me Shepard if you know what's good for you."
Tim stared at Darry for a moment and than said. "You calling me a liar? I told you I don't know where he went."
"Well then what do you know?" Darry asked.
Tim took a sip of his beer and leaned against the doorframe. "He was with us earlier down at the Nightly Double but I ain't seen him since then. Curly saw him last. They were both out getting boozed up a couple hours ago. I haven't got a clue where though and that's the honest truth. You care to join us for a round of tequilas?"
"No thanks." Darry said. "Where'd Pony get liquor? Did you give it to him?"
Tim shook his head. "How should I know where he got it? I just know they both went off to get some drinks. I told you I ain't got nothing to do with what your brothers doing or his whereabouts.
"Didn't he say anything about where he was going? Anything at all?" Darry asked, eagerly.
"Not a thing." Tim said.
Darry sighed and headed back to the truck, determined to find his little brother. He'd searched all over the east side so he decided he may as well try the west. It wasn't their side of town but he really didn't know where else to look.
"Oh my gosh." Darry said, as he caught site of exactly what he hoped he wouldn't see. There Pony was with several other guys, battling it out with a group of socs. He slammed on the breaks, skidding to a stop and jumped out to help.
"Darry?" Pony asked surprised, turning to his brother and getting punched across the face. Darry ran over and grabbed him up.
"Get in the truck, Pony!" Darry yelled, getting hold of whoever had just knocked Pony over and beating the sense out of him. Ponyboy ignored his brothers command and continued to fight, jumping on the smallest guy there. There wasn't much Darry could do so he kept battling the guy he had a hold of, eventually getting him down and then another. It became clear to everyone that somebody had called the cops when sirens whistled through the air. Everybody made a run for it but all of the sudden one guy turned back around and ripped a heater out of his pocket, aiming it straight at Ponyboy.
Ponyboy stared at him, frozen. In reality this all happened in seconds but Pony saw it all in slow motion as if it were in a movie.
"NO!" Darry yelled, leaping for his little brother just as the sound of the shot echoed through the air. He flew in front of his Ponyboy, grabbing him and falling on top of his brother. They hit ground right after Darry felt a terrible pain in his upper back. The next thing Darrel Curtis knew he woke up in a bright and unfamiliar room. He tried to sit up but the second he did his head began to throb and there was a pain in his shoulder. Darry went over the events of the night trying to figure out how the heck he got here.
"He's awake!" Someone yelled, rushing over.
Darry looked over at the voice to place it with a face. "Darry?! Dar, you ok?" Pony asked. "Don't get up Dar, just lay still." By this time Darry remembered everything that happened. It only took a minute to put the puzzle pieces together and figure it out. Once everything registered into his aching mind he freaked.
"Pony!" Darry grabbed his little brother and examined him carefully, noting several mild injuries but he didn't see anything that wouldn't heal in several days. "You ok? Anything brake? What about your ribs? Did they do more damage to them?"
"I'm fine. You're the one that's hurt! I'm sorry Darry! I'm sorry!" Pony cried. Darry could tell he'd been crying. His eyes were red and puffy. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry. I won't ever do it again. I swear. I-" Darry held out his one good arm inviting his brother into a hug. Pony gladly accepted the forgiveness, making sure he didn't get near his injuries. Darry pulled Pony closer to him and on the bed. He just wanted to hold his baby brother and make sure he was really there, safe and sound.
"I'm sorry, Darry." Pony sobbed into his brothers shoulder as he laid next to him. Darry held his brother tight, silently thanking God for letting him be ok. Pony hid his face in his brothers huge chest, trying to hide his shame. He felt horrible about everything. About all the trouble he'd caused. This time he'd almost gotten his big brother killed. Over some stupid fight with the socs. And he saved my life. Pony thought silently.
Darry found something to say after a minute or so. "Gosh but you scared me something awful. I can't bare to think what would've happened if I'd been one minute later." Darry found it impossible to hold back tears at this point and they flowed out against his will. "You nearly got yourself killed. Do you have any idea what it would do to me if anything were to happen to you?" He said sternly, shaking him slightly. He couldn't bare to think of it. That's why he cried. Because of what didn't happen not what did happen. It was what almost did happen that scared him and the fact that it didn't happen made him more happy than ever.
"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get involved in that fight. See all we were doing was-"
"Now just shut up and listen to me." Darry said, grabbing his brothers chin and looking him straight in the eyes. His relief was now followed by anger. "Don't you ever run off like that again. You-" Darry had to stop momentarily because his voice was cracking "You hear me? If you ever pull these stupid stunts again I'll give you a whippin twice as hard as I did earlier tonight and that's a solemn promise."
"Is that possible?" Pony mumbled, wincing at the memory.
"Hey, no jokes right now. I'm serious. Don't you see why I don't like you out at all hours of the night, Ponyboy? Don't you see why I don't want you out by yourself now? It's dangerous. You could've been killed and you almost were this time."
Pony nodded. "I know. I just-"
"Right now I don't even want to know what happened. I don't want to know where you went, how drunk you got, or what in the world you have or haven't been smoking. I just want you to swear you won't ever do it again and I want you to mean it too. All of these stupid insane stunts you've been pulling in the past few weeks. You ain't ever gonna do it again, right?"
Pony just wanted Darry to bring him back into the hug but he figured he'd have to answer first and he did so, truthfully. "I swear, Darry." Pony cried. "I'm sorry. Really I am."
"You really mean that Ponyboy Michael Curtis? Because lately you've been saying a lot of stuff that you don't mean."
"I mean it." Ponyboy said, crying. Darry sighed and wrapped his baby brother back up in a hug. "How'd you know I got drunk?" Pony asked after a few moments of silence.
"We'll talk about it later. It doesn't even matter. What matters is that you're ok. How long have I been unconscious and why?" Darry asked. "The bullet only hit me in my shoulder."
"Doc says you hit your head when we fell." Pony mumbled. Well that would explain why it hurts so much. Darry thought.
"You've been out for a couple hours or something like that." Ponyboy spoke, muffled into his t-shirt. "The cops got there seconds after that guy shot you. I think we got to the hospital around three but I fell asleep after they were done stitching your shoulder up and stuff. It's about five a.m. now." Pony said, closing his eyes and trying not to fall back asleep despite how safe he felt in his eldest brothers arms.
"I'm awful sorry, Darry."
"Quit saying your sorry. Just don't ever do it again."
"I won't." Pony swore again.
Darry walked up and knocked on the door which was answered several seconds later. A very drunk Buck came to answered it and stared at him. "What?"
Tim looked up from his game of cards when he noticed Buck at the door. He got up and walked over. "If it ain't Darrel Curtis." He said. "Figure you're looking for your brother."
"Well then you'd be figuring right. Where is he?" Darry demanded.
"Kid ain't here no more." Tim said. "He left about an hour ago." Buck turned and left since Tim knew who this guy was and he didn't.
"Where'd he go?" Darry said. Tim shrugged. "You know were he is and you'll tell me Shepard if you know what's good for you."
Tim stared at Darry for a moment and than said. "You calling me a liar? I told you I don't know where he went."
"Well then what do you know?" Darry asked.
Tim took a sip of his beer and leaned against the doorframe. "He was with us earlier down at the Nightly Double but I ain't seen him since then. Curly saw him last. They were both out getting boozed up a couple hours ago. I haven't got a clue where though and that's the honest truth. You care to join us for a round of tequilas?"
"No thanks." Darry said. "Where'd Pony get liquor? Did you give it to him?"
Tim shook his head. "How should I know where he got it? I just know they both went off to get some drinks. I told you I ain't got nothing to do with what your brothers doing or his whereabouts.
"Didn't he say anything about where he was going? Anything at all?" Darry asked, eagerly.
"Not a thing." Tim said.
Darry sighed and headed back to the truck, determined to find his little brother. He'd searched all over the east side so he decided he may as well try the west. It wasn't their side of town but he really didn't know where else to look.
"Oh my gosh." Darry said, as he caught site of exactly what he hoped he wouldn't see. There Pony was with several other guys, battling it out with a group of socs. He slammed on the breaks, skidding to a stop and jumped out to help.
"Darry?" Pony asked surprised, turning to his brother and getting punched across the face. Darry ran over and grabbed him up.
"Get in the truck, Pony!" Darry yelled, getting hold of whoever had just knocked Pony over and beating the sense out of him. Ponyboy ignored his brothers command and continued to fight, jumping on the smallest guy there. There wasn't much Darry could do so he kept battling the guy he had a hold of, eventually getting him down and then another. It became clear to everyone that somebody had called the cops when sirens whistled through the air. Everybody made a run for it but all of the sudden one guy turned back around and ripped a heater out of his pocket, aiming it straight at Ponyboy.
Ponyboy stared at him, frozen. In reality this all happened in seconds but Pony saw it all in slow motion as if it were in a movie.
"NO!" Darry yelled, leaping for his little brother just as the sound of the shot echoed through the air. He flew in front of his Ponyboy, grabbing him and falling on top of his brother. They hit ground right after Darry felt a terrible pain in his upper back. The next thing Darrel Curtis knew he woke up in a bright and unfamiliar room. He tried to sit up but the second he did his head began to throb and there was a pain in his shoulder. Darry went over the events of the night trying to figure out how the heck he got here.
"He's awake!" Someone yelled, rushing over.
Darry looked over at the voice to place it with a face. "Darry?! Dar, you ok?" Pony asked. "Don't get up Dar, just lay still." By this time Darry remembered everything that happened. It only took a minute to put the puzzle pieces together and figure it out. Once everything registered into his aching mind he freaked.
"Pony!" Darry grabbed his little brother and examined him carefully, noting several mild injuries but he didn't see anything that wouldn't heal in several days. "You ok? Anything brake? What about your ribs? Did they do more damage to them?"
"I'm fine. You're the one that's hurt! I'm sorry Darry! I'm sorry!" Pony cried. Darry could tell he'd been crying. His eyes were red and puffy. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry. I won't ever do it again. I swear. I-" Darry held out his one good arm inviting his brother into a hug. Pony gladly accepted the forgiveness, making sure he didn't get near his injuries. Darry pulled Pony closer to him and on the bed. He just wanted to hold his baby brother and make sure he was really there, safe and sound.
"I'm sorry, Darry." Pony sobbed into his brothers shoulder as he laid next to him. Darry held his brother tight, silently thanking God for letting him be ok. Pony hid his face in his brothers huge chest, trying to hide his shame. He felt horrible about everything. About all the trouble he'd caused. This time he'd almost gotten his big brother killed. Over some stupid fight with the socs. And he saved my life. Pony thought silently.
Darry found something to say after a minute or so. "Gosh but you scared me something awful. I can't bare to think what would've happened if I'd been one minute later." Darry found it impossible to hold back tears at this point and they flowed out against his will. "You nearly got yourself killed. Do you have any idea what it would do to me if anything were to happen to you?" He said sternly, shaking him slightly. He couldn't bare to think of it. That's why he cried. Because of what didn't happen not what did happen. It was what almost did happen that scared him and the fact that it didn't happen made him more happy than ever.
"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get involved in that fight. See all we were doing was-"
"Now just shut up and listen to me." Darry said, grabbing his brothers chin and looking him straight in the eyes. His relief was now followed by anger. "Don't you ever run off like that again. You-" Darry had to stop momentarily because his voice was cracking "You hear me? If you ever pull these stupid stunts again I'll give you a whippin twice as hard as I did earlier tonight and that's a solemn promise."
"Is that possible?" Pony mumbled, wincing at the memory.
"Hey, no jokes right now. I'm serious. Don't you see why I don't like you out at all hours of the night, Ponyboy? Don't you see why I don't want you out by yourself now? It's dangerous. You could've been killed and you almost were this time."
Pony nodded. "I know. I just-"
"Right now I don't even want to know what happened. I don't want to know where you went, how drunk you got, or what in the world you have or haven't been smoking. I just want you to swear you won't ever do it again and I want you to mean it too. All of these stupid insane stunts you've been pulling in the past few weeks. You ain't ever gonna do it again, right?"
Pony just wanted Darry to bring him back into the hug but he figured he'd have to answer first and he did so, truthfully. "I swear, Darry." Pony cried. "I'm sorry. Really I am."
"You really mean that Ponyboy Michael Curtis? Because lately you've been saying a lot of stuff that you don't mean."
"I mean it." Ponyboy said, crying. Darry sighed and wrapped his baby brother back up in a hug. "How'd you know I got drunk?" Pony asked after a few moments of silence.
"We'll talk about it later. It doesn't even matter. What matters is that you're ok. How long have I been unconscious and why?" Darry asked. "The bullet only hit me in my shoulder."
"Doc says you hit your head when we fell." Pony mumbled. Well that would explain why it hurts so much. Darry thought.
"You've been out for a couple hours or something like that." Ponyboy spoke, muffled into his t-shirt. "The cops got there seconds after that guy shot you. I think we got to the hospital around three but I fell asleep after they were done stitching your shoulder up and stuff. It's about five a.m. now." Pony said, closing his eyes and trying not to fall back asleep despite how safe he felt in his eldest brothers arms.
"I'm awful sorry, Darry."
"Quit saying your sorry. Just don't ever do it again."
"I won't." Pony swore again.
