I'm baaaaack! Like most of my Outsiders stories, this takes place after the book.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders or anything related to the story created by S.E. Hinton.
(Ponyboy's POV)
Being sixteen had its perks, but my favorite was being able to drive. I didn't get to borrow the truck often, but when Darry had the day off and Soda got a ride to work from Steve, I was able to use it, but only if I followed Darry's rules: follow the traffic laws, tell him where I was going at all times, and under no circumstances was I to miss my curfew. I had no problem following that last rule, especially after everything that happened after Johnny stabbed that Soc a couple years back. No, ever since then, I had done my best to listen to Darry, and he did his best to listen to me too.
It was a typical summer day in Tulsa, the only unusual thing was Darry had the day off since it was storming on and off for three days straight, so he got to relax at home for the first time in ages. Since Soda was already at work, Darry let me borrow the truck to go visit my friends from school that live in a different part of town. Most of my school friends were part of the middle class, so I preferred to drive there rather than walk if I could help it.
"Remember the rules," Darry said as he dangled the keys above my outstretched hand.
"Yeah yeah, I know," I said with a smile as I rolled my eyes. Before, he'd yell at me for doing that, but we had a better relationship than when I got wrapped up in Bob Sheldon's death, so instead of yelling, he just gave me a look that told me he was being serious. "I'm just meeting up with some track friends. We're going to go for a run before it starts pouring again, then we're gonna get something to eat. I'll be back in two, maybe three hours… way before curfew."
Darry smiled at that. He loved that I practiced running on my own time; it made him feel like I was working hard on getting a college scholarship somewhere. That was true, but I also just enjoyed running and hanging out with my friends. He was probably also smiling because I mentioned being home before curfew.
"Okay," he said, dropping the keys into my hand. Then, surprisingly, he reached into his wallet and handed me a few bucks. "Be careful out there, the roads are going to be slick."
I smiled at him. "Thanks Darry, and I will. I ain't Soda, remember?" Soda was the speed demon of the family, apparently picking up the habit from all the drag races we watched. Darry and I were more cautious and followed the rules of the road.
Darry grinned and ruffled my hair. "That's true. Aright, better get going before the rain starts again."
It was a good run, about two miles at a decent pace. When my friends and I were done, we ate at a diner in their part of town, which was nice because there weren't any Socs or greasers around, so there was no drama or fights trying to be started. By the time we finished our post-run meal, it started raining again, so we all decided to call it a day and head home.
By the time I turned the truck's engine on, the thunderstorm had turned into a monsoon. Even though it was the middle of the day, it was pretty dark outside. I groaned, not looking forward to driving at a snail's pace to get home. Still, I figured it was a better idea to leave sooner rather than later in case the rain found a way to fall even harder. I put the truck into gear, and started driving home.
The drive was rough; the wipers were going as fast they could and I still could barely see ten feet in front of the truck. Lucky for me, it didn't seem like anyone else wanted to drive in such bad weather, so there weren't many cars around. Just a little bit further before I'm in my part of town. Once I feel the rumble of the tracks under the tires, I'll know I'm almost home.
The railroad tracks were the unofficial border between the middle class and the east side of town where I lived. Ever since Mom and Dad died, I dreaded going on railroad tracks since they reminded me of how we lost our parents. I hated driving on the tracks so much that if I wasn't the one behind the wheel, I usually shut my eyes until I couldn't feel the bumps from the tracks anymore. Even though I wasn't happy about it, I knew I had to drive across them, and I made myself do it.
The rain slowed a little, so I could see the railroad crossing a short distance in front of me. I knew on the tracks were surrounded by a few acres of woods on both sides, but the rain prevented me from seeing the trees, which demonstrated how much water was still hitting the windshield, despite the rain easing up a bit.
Out of nowhere, the truck started hydroplaning for a few gut-wrenching seconds. While I swerved on the road, my heart was pounding in my chest. Luckily, I got the truck under control before reaching the stop sign where the road meets the tracks. After successfully stopping and taking a deep breath, I pressed my foot on the accelerator.
Right before I was about to start crossing the tracks, the truck dipped into a large, deep puddle that I wasn't aware of. My heart dropped into my stomach with the change of direction surprising me. Water splashed across the front and sides of the truck, and I continued to guide the truck forward. It's okay Ponyboy, it's just a puddle in a pothole. I felt like a baby being surprised by the puddle and everything, but I told myself it was okay that my heart skipped a beat, especially since I was already on edge from having to drive across railroad tracks. Mom and Dad died when a train collided with their car, it makes sense that I'm nervous.
A moment later, when the water had stopped engulfing the truck and I started feeling the vibrations from the tracks under the tires, the truck stopped dead. With the wipers no longer moving across the windshield, I couldn't see anything in front of me, but I knew I couldn't have crossed even half of the tracks yet.
"What the hell?" I questioned out loud. I looked around, hoping to find any sort of explanation for the sudden halting of the truck, but I found nothing.
The voice in my head, which sounded an awful lot like Darry, suddenly appeared. Use your head, Ponyboy.
"Right, I gotta think," I responded to my conscious. As the rain continued to fall on the truck, I yanked the keys out of the ignition, put them back in, and tried started the engine again. After a few failed attempts, I groaned and leaned back in the seat. "Darry's gonna kill me." Not only was the truck our only vehicle, but if I had to walk home, I would get home a lot later than I told Darry, and he'd probably yell at me for being late. Not to mention, by the time any of us got back to the truck, somebody could have lifted parts off of it.
As I was trying to figure out my next move, a bright light shown through the passenger window of the truck, looking a little distorted through the rainwater on the glass. I turned towards it, and when I felt the tracks vibrating underneath the truck, my mind started piecing things together.
That's a train, and it's coming right at me.
"Shit!" I shouted, returning to my pathetic attempts of starting the truck.
Darry's voice returned to my mind. Use your head, Ponyboy.
Since it obviously wasn't working, I stopped trying to get the truck to start with the keys. Instead, I bent down to attempt to hotwire the truck. When Steve showed me how to do it, I thought I'd never use the skill, but I was suddenly very thankful for Steve's "lesson." I had to get the truck off the tracks before the train hit it. We couldn't afford a new car, and how would my brothers get to work without it?
Use your head!
I tried to reach the panel where the wires were, but the way I was positioned in the seat and behind the wheel made it impossible. I turned my head towards the light again, only to see it growing in diameter on the window. It's getting closer. I didn't know if the sound I was hearing was thunder, the roar of the train, or the rumble of the tracks, but either way, I was trembling along with the booming sound.
USE YOUR HEAD!
Darry's voice as my conscious suddenly made my next move very clear. I had to get out of the truck. The truck was a goner, but I didn't have to be.
I struggled to sit back up in the driver's seat. My neck hit the steering wheel as I straightened, but I didn't have time to waste or rub the pain away; I could hear the train more clearly and the light had covered the entire passenger's window. I turned towards the door and pushed it open.
As I took my first few steps out of the truck, I felt a sudden force shove me, and I went flying.