Shot in the dark - Dallas Winston

Chapter Eighteen - Donna and Jo

I sat on the couch my legs hugged to my chest. Donna sat beside me, her arm's where crossed over her chest. The boy's stood and sat around the dinning room and kitchen. The phone rang, I watched as Steve answered it before passing it off to Darry. I watched Darry talk to who ever was on the other end of the line. He hung up the phone looking at Donna and I

"That was Dally" I stood so quickly my head spun

"Cop's are after him. We gotta hide him. We're meetin him at the park." With that me and Donna took off out of the house. I nearly tripped down the steps as I ran. My head spun and my ears rang as the bad feeling made itself present again. I pushed it away as the adrenaline kicked in. He was okay and he needed our help. We needed to get him before that changed. I heard police sirens as my heart beat faster. I ran as fast as my legs would take me my body aching. I saw a figure on the hill in the park. I knew it was Dally by the way he ran in our direction. A smile grew on my face as a wave of relief washed over me. That's when I heard the gun shots. My eye's widened at the sudden noise. The boy's and Donna screamed out protests around me as we all picked up our pace. He fell rolling down the hill before standing back up. He ran into the street as we came to a stop. He collapsed at our feet. I screamed my throat raw as I fell to my knees. I grabbed onto to him checking for a pulse. The tears began falling at it's absence. My head spun as I watched the blood pool around him. Everything around me seemed to disappear for a moment.

"Stupid idiot's! You stupid freaks" Darry screamed from behind me bringing me back to reality. I looked up to see police officer's surrounding us

"He was just a kid! This is all your fault! How could you do this?" I cried out. I leaned down crying against his chest. 

"First Johnny, now Dally" I heard Pony cry. I looked up noticing Donna who kneeled beside me. She stared at Dally's body in shock as tears brimmed her eye's. Pony collapsed beside her. The boy's ran forward grabbing him.

"I got him. You get them" Darry said looking at our friend's before lifting Ponyboy's limp body. The boy's turned toward us as Soda knelt beside Donna.

"I swear to god if any of you touch me I'll skin you" I growled as I tried to fight the tears that continued to fall. Soda helped Donna to her feet. He tried guiding her down the road before she turned pushing him away. She dropped beside me again grabbing Dally's Christopher from around his neck as Soda grabbed her lifting her to her feet. She kicked and screamed as he carried her away. I look back at Dally once more gripping onto his jacket

"I love you Dallas Winston" I cried burring my head in his chest again as I began sobbing. For the first time, his body was ice cold. I felt Steve's hand's wrap around me as he lifted me from the ground. I screamed elbowing him. He dropped me as I collapsed to my knee's again

"No, I'm not leaving him" I screamed 

"We need you guys to get her out of here. We have got to take the body" One of the officer's told the boy. I heard them scoff

"You just killed her boyfriend" Two said

"So, fuck off" Steve added. We stayed there what felt like an eternity. I could feel my body growing weak. Between the achiness from the rumble and the trembling of my body as I cried.

"Please, wake up. Please Dally. I can't do this with out you" I felt Two-bit kneel beside me, his hand on my shoulder

"Jo" I cried shaking my head. Two grabbed me from under my arm's forcing me to my feet. I was to weak to fight him as he pulled me down the road back to the Curtis's house. I watched as we got further and further from Dally. I cried harder. Two-bit and Steve guided me into the house where I could hear Donna screaming. We entered the house. Ponyboy was passed out on the couch. Darry and Soda cornered Donna in the dining room where she screamed cursing the brother's out. Two-bit guided me into the bathroom.

"You need to shower Jo" I looked at myself in the mirror. My eye's and face where puffy and red, my hair was covered in mud, and my clothes where cover in blood. Dally's blood. At the sight of myself I began crying again. My knee's buckled sending me to the floor. Before I could hit the floor Two-bit caught me bringing me into his arms. He sat on the floor with me as I cried. Steve watched from the door. I could hear Donna stop yelling as a door slammed shut

"Is she alright?" I heard Steve ask

"Pissed off, upset, as good as she can be given the circumstance's" Darry answered

"Her?" Darry asked

"Not good" Two answered as he let go of me allowing Darry to see me. I looked up at him. I could see the pity in his eye's as he watched me.

"Jo, hunny. You gotta take a shower alright." He said to me. As Two-bit stood going to leave the bathroom. I reached out grabbing Two-bit's hand

"Please, don't leave me. I don't want to be alone" Two nodded as the other's left. He pulled the door shut, helping me off the floor. He helped me into the shower pulling the curtain shut. I stripped off my clothes standing under the warm water. I looked down at my feet seeing the blood wash off me down the drain. I held my breath trying not to cry anymore, but to no avail. I cried as I washed the blood and mud from my body and hair. 

"You good in there?" Two-bit asked from the toilet where he sat

"Yeah" I mumbled. Once I finished Two handed me a towel and a pile of Donna's clothes. 

"I'll be right outside this door alright?" I nodded as he left the bathroom allowing me to get dressed. I exited the bathroom to see all the boy's minus Soda sitting around the room. Darry was sat with a still unconscious Ponyboy a wet rag on his head. Steve sat on the floor by the tv and Two stood beside the bathroom door

"We agreed. Y'all are gonna stay here for the night." Darry told me. I nodded

"You can take my bed for tonight. We're gonna sleep out here"

"Are you sure?" I asked. My voice cracked as I struggled to hold back more tears. He nodded smiling at me in sympathy. I turned walking down the hall into his room. I slipped under the cover's cuddling into myself as I silently cried myself to sleep.