Disclaimer ~ I do not own the Outsiders
AN – the whole rest of the story will be present tense now. Enjoy : D
…
"Sodapop?" I asked, coming to stand next to him. Soda hurriedly ushered me away from the crowd but not before I saw the dead body of Tim Shepard.
"That's Tim! That's Tim!" I cried out, pointing. Sodapop tried pushing me back but I gave a mighty struggle – Soda was panting by the time he finally let me go. I simply raced back to the group of stragglers that were still examining the body. I briefly wondered why the police weren't here yet.
"Hey, look at this!" one guy shouted, holding something in the air. It was white and red.
No…it was white with red blood-stains on it.
It was a note.
I felt myself freeze as the man spoke aloud what was written on it. "I'm coming for the kid and his brother next – stop me if you can. T.F."
I didn't even register Soda's hands resting on my shoulders, I was just so...oblivious…so…numb. T.F…
Toby Fisher.
Sodapop held me in his arms. I had finally stopped crying, but now I was scared. I know I haven't been scared in a long time - but I mean I was really scared. I knew Toby, he wouldn't have left that note just to play with us. He's not smart enough for that – he actually meant he was coming after me. This was the first time (disregarding that time I had my head held under a water fountain) I'd feared for my life. He was coming after me. He was coming. He was coming. That scared me more than the thought of Darry coming after me.
"It's gonna be alright Ponyboy, don't you worry about nothin'." I could do nothing but shiver in Sodapop's arms. His words, meant to be comforting, scared me even more. I went through all the things I could respond to that with in my mind, the one that held the most truth was the one I didn't want to say. Don't worry about nothing? Sodapop I don't think you noticed but there's a crazed psychotic man after me who has killed people! I was pretty sure Soda wouldn't take that too well.
We sat there for hours…or maybe it was minutes. Either way I was scared outta my mind – and Soda's presence was only bringing images of Darry and Toby back to me, it was like watching a biography movie with me being the star. I knew I was hyperventilating and still was letting out choked sobs but at that point I didn't care. I just had to let it all out – I've kept it in for too long. I realize that now, I just had to let it out and then everything would go back to the way it was before. We could get Darry help – he wasn't beyond help right? We could get him in a program and everything, and we'd be okay. Sodapop could get his job at the DX back, and in a few months I'd be old enough to get a job. Everything will be okay.
But I knew all of that was just false hope, something that could never happen. It was like how little girls dreamed of becoming princesses and little boys dreamed of becoming superhero's – that kind of stuff just didn't exist. It will never happen, no matter how much I will it.
"Pony, we're gonna get through this. I won't ever leave you – you're stuck with me kiddo, sorry to disappoint you." I looked up at Sodapop's face. His weak attempt at a joke didn't amuse me. "I-I'm not disa-p-pointed." I sobbed, crying into his shirt. He sighed and rubbed circles on my back.
He didn't say anything else; we just sat there, each lost in our own little world.
I felt an intake of breath and I glanced up at Soda. His eyes were shut and he looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. I hated it – I didn't want to be a burden to him now too.
I couldn't take it anymore. This was all too much - how can I continue to live like this? In this constant fear? I closed my eyes and rested my head on Soda's lap. I don't even think he noticed, but I couldn't be sure, cause I was out like a light in a matter of seconds.
…
I slowly woke into consciousness. Listening to the sounds of the forest, I breathed in the country air and felt relief. I hadn't felt this calm in ages. This was my favorite place – the forests out in the country were always so nice looking, but our parents never let us go in there because – wait. Hold on, the forest?
My eyes snapped open and I felt instant fear. Where was I?
I racked my brains, trying to think of the last thing I remembered. It flashed in front of me like a movie - Tim dead, the note, Toby Fisher, Soda…that was it! The last thing I remember before I woke up here was being in Soda's arms in some cruddy hotel room we rented. Then…how did I get here? Where the hell was Soda?
Where the hell was my brother?
I glanced around, the tree's not looking so comforting and peaceful anymore. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up straight, and an involuntary shudder ran down my back. I turned slowly around, my veins feeling like ice was running through them, and saw none other than Toby Fisher himself.
"Hey kid." He said, grinning his creepy grin. I didn't say anything back, just stayed frozen to the spot.
"H-How did I get here?" I asked him. He looked around, looking somewhat hurt. "What? You don't like it?"
I shook my head no.
"Well kiddo, you better get used to it. You're gonna be here for a very long time."
I suddenly remembered Tim. "What have you done?" I asked shakily.
Toby narrowed his green eyes at me, and I tried very hard not to shake. I hated guys with green eyes. "So, I'm guessing you heard about Tim?"
"Saw him actually."
Then Toby started laughing, an evil and maniac laugh. It scared the living shit out of me – I don't think I've ever been so scared.
"Oh this just keeps getting better and better." He laughed again. I stared at him wide-eyed. What keeps getting better?
"How did I get here?" I asked him again. Toby just looked at me, his eyebrows rising mysteriously and a small grin playing on his lips.
"Your brother isn't as careful as he pretends to be."
I had no clue what he was getting at.
"Huh?"
"Your brother." Toby said slowly, as though I were a deaf kid trying to read his lips. "Ya know, Milk or something like that. The one that's a beverage." He said after I just stared at him in confusion. I felt fear rise in my gut. Sodapop! "He went into the bathroom, only to come back and find you gone." He started cracking up, as though this were the funniest thing in the world. He looked at me and then slapped his knee, shaking his head. Then he let out a long "ooooh" and said "Unfortunately he saw me in the closet, started gettin all pissy. Demanding to know where you were and stuff, oh he was good. You shoulda seen his face when I pulled out that heater kid, it woulda made Darry proud." He laughed again, then stopped suddenly, "actually, not to Sodapop. But if he saw me doing that," he walked towards me and pushed me on the ground, "to you," he annunciated with a sharp kick in the ribs. I let out a loud yell, screaming for Sodapop. "He would just…" he trailed off, "be sooo pleased." He looked down at me and started laughing all over again.
"Oh get up you little wuss."
I stared up at him from my spot on the ground, I wasn't gonna do a word this creep said! He just killed my brother. My Sodapop. He's gone, forever. I shook my head, it didn't really seem like he was gone. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. Suddenly he let out a yell and kicked me in the stomach.
"L-leave me alone." I gasped, clutching my side. He just shook his head and started to kick me again. "Get off!" I yelled and gave a mighty push. He only stumbled back a little bit before lunging for me, knocking me down on my back.
"SODA! SODA!" I cried, he just laughed. Suddenly a loud booming voice echoed around the clearing, it was so loud that I covered my ears. "…up!"
Me and Toby just looked at each other, confused. Then Toby frowned, saying, "we don't have much more time here left." I just stared at him, wondering what the hell he was talking about.
"Po…got…w…up!"
I listened closer, that voice sounded so familiar. Suddenly everything around me started fading, Toby was the last to go. I let out a yell as I was plunged into darkness. The voice became louder than ever. "Ponyboy wake up!"
I jumped as I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I looked over, expecting to see Toby, but found Sodapop instead.
I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what to say. There was only one thing on my mind.
"I'm dreaming." I said as Sodapop looked at me confused. "I'm dreaming. He killed you. You're dead now. He must have knocked me out and now I'm just making this up which means I'm actually having a conversation with nobody right now, even if it is in my dream. You're dead and you aint comin back, then I'm gonna wake up in Toby's car somewhere and-"
"Ponyboy I'm not dead! What the hell are you talking about?" Soda asked, shocked.
It was my turn to be confused. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course you're dead! Toby just told me he killed you and he even describe—"
"Ponyboy, it was just a dream." He said. I barely heard him whisper, "one hell of a dream."
He pulled me into a hug. I was still confused. I looked up at him. "So…you're not dead?" Soda shook his head. "And…Toby's not here?"
"No baby, Toby's not here. Wh—in your dream. Do you wanna talk about it?"
I looked at him, still a little confused. "Well, I was in the forest. And you were gone, and then Toby was there, like I said, – he said he kidnapped me and killed you, and -" as I said this I started to realize how stupid I probably sounded before. Of course this wasn't a dream! What did I think I just magically woke up in the woods one day and then the crazy man who I've been trying to avoid just randomly appeared? Gosh I'm so dumb. Think Ponyboy, Think. Use your head."-and then he attacked me and…then…well you know the rest." I finished. Sodapop was still looking concerned and he pulled me into another hug.
"You had me scared to death." He sighed, "You kept on screamin and asking for me, but no matter what I did ya wouldn't wake up."
"I'm sorry." I mumbled, snuggling up close to him.
"Don't be sorry. You just gave me a scare is all – you know I've seen people do that. Over there I mean." Soda explained.
Translation: You're just as crazy as the people over in Vietnam.
"Whad'ya mean?" I asked.
"I mean – those people, they had nightmare's just like yours. They couldn't remember them when they woke up, just like you. They've seen a lot though – they were normal people before they went into that war. It change's ya. Then I realized…that you've seen just as much as those people. Maybe not every day, and maybe not as bad, but you've seen a lot in your fifteen years. Pony you're too young to have seen all this, 'nd im so sorry that I wasn't there for you when I was over there, but I promise I aint ever gonna leave you again." Soda was crying by the end of his speech, and I was just too shocked to think straight.
"Wull golly Soda you don't gotta cry." I tried comforting him. "You didn't do nothing wrong. You were serving your country. You could'a died for the whole nation – and you could've died for me, and I guess Darry too. You were a hero – you are a hero. It takes a lot of guts to go into the army."
Soda chuckled through his tears, "Pone you know as well as I do that I was drafted."
"Yeah but lotsa people who get drafts either run away before they get there, or if they do make it to the war they ended up dyin. You kept fightin, you kept fightin for me and Darry." I said.
Soda shook his head, "No Pone, only for you. Not for Darry."
I rolled my eyes, "No, I mean before you found out about Darry hittin me and all that – back when we were a family."
Soda was smiling at me now, "No Pone. Even then it was only you. Whenever I killed someone, or almost got killed, your face flashed into my mind, and that kept me going. Your face, not Darry's. Or Steve's. Or Sandy's. It was yours."
I didn't know what to say to that. I felt – touched? It was an amazing feeling, I hadn't known that my brother cared for me that much.
"Really?" I asked.
He nodded, and hugged me closer. "Really." He said. I yawned.
"Gosh Sode, what time is it?" Soda glanced over at the wall, then replied quickly, "It's five thirty. It's okay, go back to bed kiddo."
"I don't wanna." I protested, but I was feelin mighty sleepy.
Sodapop didn't fall for it. "Yes you do Pone, and even if ya don't - I want to." With that he rolled on the mattress. I looked at him and sighed, then fell back onto the mattress.
In a matter of seconds I heard a loud obnoxious snoring coming next to me and I couldn't help but to grin as I slapped Sodapop's arm. He turned over with the goofiest smile on his face.
"'Ey! I was tryin to sleep there! I'm tired!" he joked.
"Yeah, you aint a'woofin'."
"Yeah, you aint cheerin up none. Now get ta sleep baby."
He didn't need to finish his sentence though cause I was already drifting.
…
"Wakey wakey! Um, I forget the rest, was it smells like bakey or something?" I yawned as Sodapop charged into the room, putting a bowl down on the small nightstand. Milk splashed everywhere, but most of it got on me. I shook it off me in disgust, watching the white tear drops fly off me.
"Glory Sodapop!" I said, exasperated. "Watch where you're puttin that thing. What is it anyway?"
"It's cheerio's." he said proudly. I looked into the bowl and tried really hard not to laugh.
"Why's it blue?" I asked.
Sodapop winked. "Can't be givin out my secret recipe." He said.
"I didn't know they kept food-dye in hotel rooms."
"Howd'ja kn– Ponyboy Curtis have you been looking through my recipe book!" Soda stuck out his bottom lip, giving the perfect pouty-face.
"No, I'm just used to your cookin by now." I joked. "But seriously, howd'ja get it?"
"I bought it." Sodapop exclaimed.
"Whad'ja buy it with?"
"My good looks." Sodapop explained, very serious. We looked at each other for a minute before cracking up.
"Golly Pone, whad'ja think I bought it with? I used money smarty."
"Yeah figured it was somethin like that – but what money? I thought we didn't have any."
"Pone when I said I didn't have money for a house, I meant I didn't have money for a house. I do have some extra change though." I watched as Sodapop pulled a five out of his pocket, waved it in front of my face, before putting it back in.
"Wull you should'a said so."
"I did!" Soda said, looking around the room. His gaze rested on our bed.
"How you stand sittin in that thing? My back is literally screamin at me – I aint never gonna sleep in that bed again."
"I dunno, just tired enough to I guess. Hey Soda,"
"Hmm?"
"Where we goin next?"
Sodapop looked at me closely. "I dunno Pone, but we'll find out when we get there."
"Isn't that dangerous?" I asked.
"Isn't what dangerous?"
"Ya know, plunging into the water without testin it first? Uh – like just goin somewhere before we know about it 'nd stuff?"
"Well it aint gonna be dangerous for us." Soda sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. He winced.
"Ouch! Look, I'm barely touchin the thing and my back is already achin!" he laughed, and I joined in.
"We gonna be okay?" I asked in between bites of my blue cheerios.
Sodapop was staring at the floor, ignoring my munching. "Yeah hun, we're gonna be okay."
…
Okay – so what did ya think? This is the first chapter of the plotline. Yayy, hope I didn't screw it up too bad.
