Chapter 3

Darry pov

I sat up most of the night, my thoughts keeping me company. None of this would of happened of if mom and dad were alive. I thought back 3 short months ago to that horrid day of the car crash...

The gang had just gotten in from an intense game of football. Sodapop had sored the wining goal and was soaking up the glory. Pony kept jumping around because he had just made the A- squad track team. It normally only let grade 12's in but some how, little grade 9 pony had gotten on. And he was one of the teams best at that.

Dad had always loved sports so Pony couldn't wait to tell them when we got home. We said goodbye to the gang and went our separate ways. Pony and Soda were having a contest to see who could walk on there hands the longest. Pony liked to have fun, but was normally a bit more serious than this so he must of been really happy. I have to say I was happy too. That day they had made me caption of the football team, a big honor for a greaser on a team full of soc's.

Mom and dad weren't there when we got there. Dad had taken the day off and he and mom had gone to point pleasant for a picnic. It was nice for them to take some time off. They were so hard working.

Supper came and past. The hours slowly ticked away until I was sure that they had decided to stay over night at some motel. At 3:30 am I told Pony to go to bed but he insisted on stay out in the living room till mom and dad came home to tell him his news. Back then when I was just his brother and not his legal guardian, I had simply agreed. If only things were as simple now as they were back then. I could tell from his eyes thought that he had been worried. At 5:00 pony had fallen asleep on Soda, and Soda was starting to doze off on me when there was a loud knock on the door.

"'Finally" cried Pony as he woke up and walked to open the door.

" Mom, Dad, guess... " he trailed of. Two police men stood in front of us. One of the gang must of gotten in trouble. By this time Soda and I were on our feet already trying to fingur out who would need our help this time. Maybe Dally or Two-Bit. I then had continued to think of all the crazy things they would of done to get them selves arrested.

" Were very sorry but at 1:30 this evening your parents were killed..." that's all I had heard. Everything else had disappeared. I longed to go back in time, even back a few seconds ago when this grief wasn't weighing me down like a bundle of roofing on my back. I could feel soda shanking and sobbing while pony had just sat on the floor, leaning up agenist the wall for support. Tears were streaming down his face as well. Meanwhile I flet like I was drowning. Ever since now I had been treading water, staying above the surface. Now I was sinking to the bottom of the ocean, unable to swim back up. Unhappiness gripped my heart and I felt like I was going to explode. It took up every millimeter of my body, pushed the happy away and left me with nothing but sadness and the now shatter pieces of our messed up life...

I woke up with a start. The sun was shining on me throughout the window. In the distance, a dog barked. I remembered that I had to pay the land lord today so groggily I walked out to the our old beat up metal mail box to pick up my check from my job. Our mail box hadn't always been so beat up. In fact until last week it had looked as good as new. But of course soc's couldn't let us greasers have anything good, so one night they played a little game of " baseball". One soc leaned out of there mustang with a baseball bat in hand and once close to a mail box, swung for all it was wroth.

I slit open the envelope and letter fell out and floated to my feat. This wasn't my check. Curiously I scanned over the letter and picked out a few key words, something my mom had taugh me to do when I forgot to read my books for school book reports.

" You have been drafted"( means they chose to put Darry in the war). The letter slipped from my hands and drifted lazily to the floor again. It was a hot Summer day but I felt cold. I felt even colder when I heard a knock on the door.

In my boxer, I open the door, expecting to see one of the gang. Instead there was a well dressed lady. I mentally slapped my self! This was the day the sate came to check up on us and decide if we were able to stay a family. Fear had me frozen me in place as she gave me a odd look and walked in. If I went off to the army that would mean Pony and Soda would have to go to a ...boy's home! I couldn't and wouldn't let that happen.

I tried to grab the letter before she saw it but being the nosy state lady she was had grabed it before I was able to was unable to. She scanned it like I had before and sighing said

" Well, I guess we have a lot to talk about. Gosh, Darry, you were suppose to be my easy ones!" she looked genially mad like it was OUR fault she was ruining OUR life.

Within 15 minutes Ponyboy, Sodapop and I sat side by side on the couch. Pony looked really uncomfortable. If only he knew what was coming for him. I had once over heard him telling soda that going to a boy's home was his worse fear. It would be coming true today.

"'Alright, lets's get started then" the sate women said in fake cheerfulness

Ponyboy pov

"First let's talk about children under the age being in bars" she looked right at me. How could see have know.

" I assume that you don't let that happen Darry, but it being summer and all Kids like t have party, so don't want to see anyone in the tavern." I let out a shaky breathe. This lady was creeping me out more than the toughest soc.
" Also, I expect each of you to finish at least high school. If I heard that any of you dropped out it might led to a boys home" she smile again. I could feel soda stiff body beside me. Half of me wonder if he would actually go back to school.

" I guess I"ll be leaving now..." I let out a sigh of relieve. The sooner she left the better.

" Oh but as you probably already know you brother Darry got drafted" I hears Soda's gasp.

"I guess you didn't know, " I could she didn't care. She just wanted to get her next pay check. That's all we were to her. A job.

" ...so I'll be back in a half in hour and you two will be all packed for St. Benettes.( that's the boys home on the outskirts of Tusla) with that she got up and walked out the door. Once again leaving us to pick up the pieces of our now shatter life.

I felt like I was drunk again. Numb, unthinking. I barley registered the fact that I had a set of arms wrapped around me.

" Please don't cry Pony, it will be ok" I think it was Darry.

" How could this ever be ok?" I wonder. No one answered.