Survive: A Darrel Curtis Love Story

Chapter 4

~ Chapter 4 ~

Blair Creed's Point of View

For a week, I hid everything about me from them. I learned everything about the pair, but the only thing they managed to learn about me was my name. Every day I got the newspaper for updates. It was never anything other than that they haven't been caught yet. I was hoping that would be off the pages by now. 

Ponyboy has been feeling really homesick recently. He misses his brothers and his buddies too much. Johnny has too, but he hasn't been nearly as bad. I've been thinking about taking them back for a couple days now. Cops around there oughta be looking for them. 

I don't know if I feel worse for Ponyboy or his brothers. His brothers have no clue where he is or even if he's safe. They lost their parents and now they lost their brother. That was the fact that made me decide that they weren't leaving, I was. I was gonna go to Tulsa and tell his brothers that they were safe. I would want to know if something happened to Mickey. 

"I'm going to Tulsa," I announcer, skipping down the stairs from the balcony. "Write any letters to your buddies. They need to know you're alright." I reach the bottom and toss them my notepad and pen. I could just call them. Nah, I'm looking to get out of here anyway. I haven't left Windrixville in a long time. 

"Can we come with you?" Ponyboy asks hopefully. "It's got to have died down." 

"It's not. If it's still in the paper over here, it's a big deal," I retort. "Write an address, alright. Hurry up. I'm leaving tonight. There should be a train going that way." It was in the paper this week. The train was supposed to be going there tonight and it would be coming back to the town over in the morning in a few days. I could be back in a day or two. 

"It's the white one on the corner. 731 St. Louis, " Pony says. "You tell my brothers-"

"Just write it down, kid. I won't remember," I laugh back, leaning towards him and ruffling his hair. Ponyboy laughs and swats back at me as I walk backwards to my crate to keep packing. Johnny and Ponyboy laugh from behind me. I roll my eyes with a smile. I barely know those boys but I love 'em to death. 

I'm half nervous as to why Mickey
hasn't come looking for me. I mean, I don't expect him to come here, but I feel like he should at least be suspicious as to why I haven't been by in a week. I've been gone for much longer, but he told me he at least came by looking for me. This time he hasn't even come by, not that I mind. Mickey is unpredictable after all. 

"Be careful, I wouldn't be surprised if one of them tries to pick ya up," Johnny chuckles. I smile. No guy is going to be picking me up, especially none of those boys. I've had my own fair share of dealing with boys and I am not looking for a boyfriend right now. I'm better off alone, even taking care of Ponyboy and Johnny is a stretch for me. They're the sweetest boys I ever did meet. 

"Trust me, I'm fine alone," I retort. 

"That's what all the girls in Tulsa say before they meet Sodapop," Pony teases, smirking over at me. I throw a rag at him and shake my head.

Ponyboy told me a lot about Sodapop. Those two are real close. According to Ponyboy, Sodapop looks like a movie star. He loves everything about girls, cars, and horses. He even dropped out of school to get a job to take care of the house and Ponyboy. 

Of all his friends that he told me about, I prefer Dallas the most. I mean, they all seem nice, but Dally reminds me a lot of Mickey. He's tough and he likes to fight, like us. Mickey is a mix of him and Two-bit with his sense of humor and violent nature. 

I've been trying to convince Ponyboy about his other brother since he started telling me about him. Darrel can't be that bad. He's just taking care of his brother. Sure, he hit him, but that was only one hit and stuff. Ponyboy did come in late, but he didn't deserve to get hit. I'm not a fan of Darrel, but I don't think he's as bad as Pony says he is. 

While they wrote on the notepad, I head out to the store again to get supplies. I don't know when I'll be back, but I know this much should last them. They definitely won't be looking for me in the town over. I'm sure everyone thinks I've been dead for years. What will his brothers think when a random chick shows up at the door claiming that they're okay? Maybe this isn't such a great idea. 

I shove a change of clothes and some food in a backpack. Half of the money I have stays with me and the other half stays with them. By the time everything is packed and ready and I've taken a shower and cleaned myself, it's almost time to go. I grab the notebook from the table and look at the bits. They're sitting by the small chimney with their hands towards the fire. 

"I'm gonna head out," I say, nodding back at the door tuck my hair back. "I should be back in a few days…" Arms throw themselves around my neck and I see Johnny back by the chimney. Ponyboy's arms are wrapped around my torso and my chin is rested on his shoulder. He gives me a brief, tight squeeze before stepping back again.  I offer him a tight smile. 

"Thank you, Blair." I walk backward to the door, backing right out to the porch. 

"See you around." I give Mickey's sloppy salute and I'm on my way to the train yard. 

I peek out from behind the bushes as the security checks the cars. As soon as they finish the one across from me, I run and jump into the opening, ducking in the back corner where even their flashlights couldn't reach me. I couldn't tell you how much time passes before the train starts moving, but the creaking is my cue to move forward to the doorway to the watch. 

I see many signs indicating where we are, but when I see Tulsa, I stand up. My legs are shaky and could give out any second. I sling my backpack over my shoulders. It's going too fast, I can't just jump. I'll fall and I'll break my leg or something. I really didn't think this through. How did they do it? 

I step closer to the edge and hook my hand on the handle of the door, leaning out. I have to jump. Damn it. Without thinking--or at least without trying to think--I throw myself out of the train, landing on my shoulder with a thud. My body rolls down the hill and dirt flies into my eyes. Curses escape my lips as I roll to a stop, coughing real badly. 

I stand up and brush the dirt off of me. So much for clean clothes. The train is still next to it, so I follow it until I can't see the caboose anymore. But by that time, I've already reached town. I could've just jumped out here, my aching legs and feet would have thanked me. When I pull the notebook out of my bag, I check the address.  731, St. Louis Avenue. 

I follow the empty roads to the poorer side of town. The further I walked, the grungier and dirtier the houses got until I reached the end of St. Louis street. There's a white house with peeling paint and slightly overgrown, weedy grass. A 731 is hung next to the door. I check the address again. To confirm. Ponyboy did tell me it was a white house in the corner. This is a white house and it's on a corner. 

I open the gate and head to the front door. There's a liven on in the front room, but the street is dead silent. It's gotta be late, so one must have just left it on. Well, it can't be that late. If anything, I'd probably call it early. Maybe 4 in the morning or something. I take a deep breath and knock on the door.