Outsiders Chapter 6

Jonnie gagged and I almost dropped my hot fudge sundae cherry we both said at the same time the Sosh yeah Dahle said she came over to the vacant lot the night toobut was jumped Shepard and some of his outfit and us we're hanging around there when she drives up in her little ole Stingray I took a lot of nerve some of us was for jumpin her there and then her being the dead kids girl and all but two-bit stopped us man next time I want a broad I'll pick up my own kind yeah Johnny said slowly and I wondered if like me he was remembering another voice also tough and just deepened into manhood saying next time you want a broad pick up your own kind he gave me the creeps Dolly was going on she said she felt that the whole mess was her fault which it is and that she'd keep up with what was coming off with the so she's in the rumble and would testify that the sotius were drunk and looking for a fight and there you fought back in self-defense he gave a grim laugh hell that old Cal sure does hate me I offered to take her over to the dingo for a coke and she said no thank you and told me Oh her I could go in very polite terms she was afraid of loving you I thought so cherry valance the cheerleader Bob's girl the so she was trying to help us no it wasn't cherry the Scioscia was helping us it was cherry the dreamer who watched sunsets and couldn't stand fights it was hard to believe so she would help us even a social that dug sunsets and how he didn't notice he'd forgotten about it already man this place is out of it what do they do for kicks around here play checkers dally surveyed the scene without interest I never been in the country before have you - Johnny shook his head but I said dad used to take us all hon I've been in the country before how'd you know about the church I got a cousin that lives around here somewheres tipped me off that it makes it tough hide out in case of something hey pony boy I heard you was the best shot in the family yeah I said dairy always got the most ducks though him and Dad soda and I goofed around too much scared most of our game away I couldn't tell dolly that I hated to shoot things he'd think I was soft and that was a good idea I mean cutting your hair and bleaching it they printed your descriptions in the paper but she sure wouldn't fit him now Johnny had been quietly finishing his fifth barbecue sandwich but now he announced we're going back and turn ourselves in it was Daly's turn to gag then he swore a while then he turned to Johnny and demanded what I said we're going back and turn ourselves in Johnny repeated in a quiet voice I was surprised but not shocked I had thought about turning ourselves in lots of times but apparently the whole idea was a jolt to Dallas I got a good chance of being let off easy Johnny said desperately and I didn't know if it was dally he was trying to convince her himself I ain't got no record with the fuzz and it was self-defense Ponyboy and cherry can testify to that and I don't aim to stay in that church all my life that was quite a speech for Johnny his big black eyes grew bigger than ever at the thought of going to the police station for Johnny had a deathly fear of cops but he went on we won't tell it helped us dally and we'll give you back the gun and what's left of the money and say we hitchhiked back so you won't get into trouble ok dally was chewing the corner of his ID card which gave his age is 21 so he could buy liquor you sure you want to go back as Croesus get it worse than anyone else Johnny nodded I'm sure it ain't fair for pony boy after stay up in that church with dairy and soda worrying about him all the time I don't guess he's followed and tried not to look year I don't guess my parents are worried about me or anything the boys are worried dally said in a matter-of-fact voice tube it was going to Texas to hunt for you my parents Johnny repeated dogged they did they ask about me no snap dally they didn't blast at Johnny what did they matter shoot mile men don't give a hang whether I'm in jail or dead in a car wreck her drunk in the gutter I don't bother me none Johnny didn't say anything but he stared at the dashboard was such hurt bewilderment that I could have bawled dally cussed under his breath and nearly tore out the transmission of the t-bird as we roared out of the Dairy Queen I felt sorry for dally he meant it when he said he didn't care about his parents but he and the rest of the gang knew Johnny cared did everything they could to make it up to him I don't know what it was about Johnny maybe that lost puppy look and those big scared eyes or what made everyone his big brother but they couldn't no matter how hard they tried take the place of his parents I thought about it for a minute dairy and soda pop were my brothers and I loved both of them even if dairy did scare me but not even soda could take mom and dad's place and they were my real brothers not just sort of adopted ones no wonder Jonny was hurt because his parents didn't want him dolly could take it dally was of the breed that could take anything because he was hard and tough and when he wasn't he could turn hard and tough johnny was a good fighter and could play it cool but he was sensitive that isn't a good way to be when you're a greaser blast at Johnny dally growled as we flew along the red road why didn't you think of turning yourself in five days ago it would have saved a lot of trouble I was scared Johnny said with conviction I still him he ran his finger down one of his short black sideburns I guess we ruined our hair for nothing pony boy I guess so I was glad we were going back I was sick of that church I didn't care if I was bald dolly was Scallon and from long and painful experience I knew better than to talk to him when his eyes were blazing like that how'd like Leah's not get clobbered over the head that had happened before just as it had happened to all the gang at one time or another we rarely fought among ourselves Dairy was the unofficial leader since he kept his head best soda and Steve had been best friends since grade school and never fought and 2-bit was just too lazy to argue with anyone Johnny kept his mouth shut too much to get into arguments and nobody ever fought with Johnny I kept my mouth shut too but dally was a different matter if something beefed him he didn't keep quiet about it and if you rub him the wrong way look out not even Derry wanted to tangle with him he was dangerous Johnny just sat there and stared at his feet he hated for any one of us to be mad at him he looked awful sad dally glanced at him out of the corner of his eye I looked out the window Johnny dally said in a pleading high voice using a tone I had never heard for them before Johnny I ain't mad at you I just don't want you to get hurt you don't know what a few months in jail can do to you Oh blast it Johnny he pushed his white blond hair back out his eyes he get hardened in jail I don't want that to happen to you like it happened to me I kept staring out the window at the rapidly passing scenery but I felt my eyes getting round dally never talked like that never dally didn't give a Yankee dime about anyone but himself and he was cold and hard and mean he never talked about his past or being in jail that way if you talked about it at all it was to brag and I suddenly thought a tally in jail at the age of 10 dally growing up in the streets would you rather have me living in hideouts for the rest of my life always on the run Johnny asked seriously if dally had said yes Johnny would have gone back to the church without hesitation he figured dally knew more than he did and now his word was law but he never heard Dolly's answer for we'd reached the top of Jay mountain and dally suddenly slammed on the brakes and stared Oh glory he whispered the church was on fire let's go see what the deal is I said hopping out well for Dahlia sounded irritated get back in here before I beat your head in I knew dolly would have to park the car and catch me before he could carry out his threat and Johnny was already out and following me so I figured I was safe we could hear him cussing us out but he wasn't mad enough to come after us there was a crowd at the front of the church mostly little kids and I wondered how they got in there so quickly I tapped the nearest grown-up what's going on well we don't know for sure the man said with a good-natured grin we were having a school picnic up here and the first thing we knew this place is burning up thank goodness this is a wet season and the old thing is worthless anyway then to the kids he shouted stand back children the firemen will be coming soon I bet we started it I said to Johnny we must have dropped a lighted cigarette or something about that time a lady came running up Jerry some of the kids are missing they're probably around here somewhere you can't tell with all this excitement where they might be no she shook her head they've been missing for at least half an hour I thought they were climbing the hill then we all froze faintly just faintly you could hear someone yelling and it sounded like it was coming from inside the church the woman went white I told them not to play in the church I told them she looked like she was going to start screaming so Jerry shook her I'll get them don't worry I started at a dead run for the church and the man caught my arm I'll get them you kids stay out I jerked loose and ran on all I could think was we started we started it we started it I wasn't about to go through that flaming door so I slammed a big rock through a window and pulled myself in it was a wonder I didn't cut myself death now that I think about it hey pony boy I looked around startled I hadn't realized Johnny had been right behind me all the way I took a deep breath and started coughing the smoke filled my eyes and they started watering is that guy coming Johnny shook his head the window stopped him too scared no Johnny gave me an grin to fat I couldn't laugh because I was scared I'd drown in the smoke the roller and cracklin was getting louder and Johnny shouted the next question where's the kids in the back I guess I hollered and we started stumbling to the church I should be scared I thought with a nod detached feeling but I'm not the cinders and embers began falling on us stinging and smarting like ants suddenly in the red glow in the haze I remembered wondering what it was like in a burning ember and I thought now I know it's a red hell why aren't I scared we pushed open the door to the back room and found four or five little kids about eight years old or younger huddled in a corner one was screaming his head off and Johnny yelled shut up we're gonna get you out the kid looked surprised and quit hollering I blinked myself Johnny wasn't behaving at all like his old self he looked over his shoulder and saw that the door was blocked by flames then pushed open the window and tossed out the nearest kid I caught one quick look at his face it was red marked from falling embers and sweat street but he grinned at me he wasn't scared either that was the only time I can think of when I saw him without that defeated suspicious look in his eyes he looked like he was having the time of his life I picked up a kid and he promptly bit me but I leaned out the window and dropped him as gently as I could be in a hurry like that a crowd there by that time Dahle was standing there and when he saw me he screamed for pete's sake get out of there that rooms gonna cave in any minute forget those blasted kids I didn't pay any attention although pieces of the old roof were crashing down too close for comfort I snatched up another kid hoping he didn't bite and dropped him without waiting to see if he landed okay or not I was coughing so hard I could hardly stand up and I wished I had time to take off Dolly's jacket it was hot we dropped the last of the kids out as the front of the church started to crumble Johnny shoved me towards the window get out I leaped out the window and heard timber crashing and the flames rolling right behind me I staggered almost falling coughing and sobbing for breath then I heard Johnny scream and as I turned to go back for him dally swore at me and clubbed me across the back as hard as he could and I went down into a peaceful darkness when I came to I was being bounced around and I ached and smarted and wondered dimly where I was I tried to think that there was a high-pitched screaming going on and I couldn't tell whether it was inside my head or out then I realized it was a siren fuzz I thought dully the cops have come for us I tried to swallow a groan and wished wildly for soda someone with a cold wet rag was gently sponging off my face and a voice said I think he's coming around I opened my eyes it was dark I'm moving I thought are they taking me to jail where I said hoarsely not able to get anything else out of my mouth my throat was sore I blinked at the stranger sitting beside me but he wasn't a stranger I had seen him before take it easy kid you're in an ambulance where's Johnny I cried frightened at being in this car with strangers and Alice there in the other ambulance right behind us just calm down you're gonna be okay he just passed out I didn't either I said in the board tough voice were reserved for strangers and cops Dallas hit me how come because your back was in flames that's why I was surprised it was golly I didn't feel it it don't hurt we put it out before you got burned that jacket saved you from a bad burning maybe saved your life you just keeled over from smoke inhalation and a little show of course that slap on the back didn't help much I remembered who he was then Jerry's somebody or other who was too heavy to get in the window he must be a school teacher I thought are you taking us to the police station I was still a little mixed up as to what was coming off the police station it was his turn to be surprised oh we want to take you to the police station for we're taking all three of you to the hospital I let his first remark aside by Johnny and dally all right which ones which johnny has black hair down Lee's the mean-looking one he studied his wedding ring maybe he's thinking about his wife I thought I wished he'd say something we think that towheaded kid is gonna be alright he burned one arm pretty badly though tried to drag the other kid out the window Johnny well I don't know about him a piece of timber caught him across the back he might have a broken back and he was burned pretty severely he passed out before he got out the window they're giving him plasma now he must have seen the look on my face because he hardly changed the subject I swear you three are the bravest kids I've seen in a long time first you and the black haired kid climbing in that window and then the tough looking kid going back in to save him mrs. O'Brien and I think you were sent straight from heaven or are you just professional heroes or something sent from heaven had he gotten a good look at Dallas no or greasers I said I was too worried and scared to appreciate the fact that he was trying to be funny you're what greasers you know like hoods JD's Johnny's wanted for murder and Dallas has a record with the fuzz a mile long are you kidding me Jerry stared at me as if he thought I was still in shock or something I am NOT taking me to town and you'll find out pretty quick we're taking you to a hospital there anyway the address card in your billfold said that was where you lived your name's really pony boy yeah even on my birth certificate and don't bug me about it art I felt we are the little kids okay just fine a little frightened maybe there was some short explosions right after you all got out sounds it just exactly like gunfire gunfire there went our gun and Gone with the Wind where we sent from heaven I started to laugh weekly I guess that guy knew how close to hysterics I really was free talked to me at a low soothing voice all the way to the hospital I was sitting in the waiting room waiting to hear how dally and Johnny were I had been checked over and except for a few burns and a big bruise across my back I was alright I had watched them bring dally and Johnny in on stretchers Dali's eyes were closed but when I spoke he had tried to grin and had told me that if I ever did a stupid thing like that again he'd beat the tar out of me he was still swear and happy when they took him in Johnny was unconscious I had been afraid to look at him but I was relieved to see that his face wasn't burned he just looked very pale and still and sort of sick I would have cried at the side of him so still except I couldn't in front of people Jerry would had stayed with me all the time he kept thanking me for getting the kids out he doesn't seem to mind our being hoods I told him the whole story starting when Dallas and Johnny and I had met at the corner of Pickett and Sutton I left out the part about the gun and our hitching a ride in the freight car he was real nice about it and said that being hero's would help get us out of trouble especially since it was self-defense and all I was sitting there smoking a cigarette when Jerry came back in from making a phone call he stared at me for a second you shouldn't be smoking I was startled how come I looked at my cigarette looked okay to me I looked around for a no smoking sign and couldn't find one how come why a Jerry stammered you're too young I am I had never thought about it everyone in our neighborhood even the girls smoked except for Derry who was too proud of his athletic health to risk a cigarette we it all started smoking at an early age Johnny had been smoking since he was 9 Steve started at 11 so no one thought it unusual when I started I was the weed fiend in my family soda smokes only to steady his nerves when he wants to look tough Jerry simply sighed then grinned there are some people here to see you claim to be your brothers or something I leaped up and ran for the door but it was already open and soda had me in a bear hug and was swinging me around I was so glad to see him I could have bawled finally he set me down and looked at me he pushed my hair back Oh Ponyboy your hair you're tough tough hair then I saw dari he was leaning in the doorway wearing his olive jeans and black t-shirt he was still tall broad-shouldered dari his fists were jammed in his pockets and his eyes were pleading I simply looked at him he swallowed and said in a husky voice Ponyboy I let go a soda have stood there for a minute dari didn't like me he had driven me away that night he had hit me dari hollered at me all the time he didn't give a hang about me suddenly I realized horrified that dari was crying he didn't make a sound but tears were running down his cheeks I hadn't seen him cry in years not even when mom and dad had been killed I remembered the funeral I had sobbed and spotted myself SOTA had broken down and bawled like a baby dare he had only stood there his fists in his pockets and that look on his face same helpless pleading look that he was wearing now and that second what soda and Dalia toobut had been trying to tell me came through dari did care about me maybe as much as he cared about soda and because he cared he was trying too hard to make something of me when he yelled pony where have you been all this time he meant pony you scared me to death please be careful because I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you dare he looked down and turned away silently suddenly I broke out of my days dairy I screamed and the next thing I knew I had him around the waist and was squeezing the daylights out of him Darius said I'm sorry he was stroking my hair and I could hear the sobs racking him as he fought to keep back the tears Oh pony I thought we'd lost you like we did mom and dad that was his silent fear then of losing another person he loved I remembered how close he and dad had been and I wondered how I could ever have thought him hard and unfeeling I listened to his heart pounding through his t-shirt and knew everything was going to be okay now I had taken the long way around but I was finally home to stay

Channel: Daniel Roberts

Views: 408,006

Rating: 4.7413878 out of 5

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Id: engNvwIfnGI

Length: 20min 10sec (1210 seconds)

Published: Mon Jan 21 2019