My Knight in Shining Armor

Part II, September 1965 - Chapter XIII

The record store had been quiet for the past several days. Usually, Ponyboy, Johnny, Two-Bit, Steve, and I would all walk down to the record store after school. We'd hang out, and I'd work—it wasn't too hard, though. I just had to watch for customers, which were few and far between during the week, seeing that most of our customers were in school.

Ponyboy and Johnny were missing. They'd killed a Soc and hadn't been seen after that. We were all a nervous wreck, and I was even ready to go to Texas with Two-Bit to look for them. Suddenly, words interrupted my thoughts.

"What're ya thinking about?" Dally asked me.

I'd taken off work today to go on a drive with him. He had said it would help me feel a little better about Pony and Johnny having gone missing. "Oh, I'm just worried about the boys."

Dally laughed. "Alright. Penny. Calm down. We're going to see them right now."

I stared at him with my jaw hanging open. "Actually?"

"Yeah. I told ya this drive would make ya feel better about all this. Don't tell anyone, though."

Once we got to the top of the hill, I saw an abandoned church building, old and falling apart. We were only there a moment before we set out for lunch at Dairy Queen. I was glad to see that the boys were alright.

Dallas went on talking to the boys between bites of a barbecue sandwich about the events that had gone down in the previous week—Dallas getting hauled in, Cherry offering her help, the upcoming rumble. Dally and I shared a milkshake—a raspberry one, the kind that everyone advertises as "the best" or "the original."

Suddenly, there was a terrible ache in my stomach, and an overwhelming feeling that I was going to throw up washed over me. "I shouldn't have had that milkshake—I'm lactose intolerant. I'll meet you guys at the top of Jay Mountain," I said quickly, running to the restrooms.

I felt a little better after a few minutes, so I started the walk up the hill. It seemed like they had left Dairy Queen, but I didn't think they were up the hill yet. Near the top, I was passed by the T-Bird going nearly 90, and I ran as fast as I could after it.

As I ran, I was passed by two ambulances an a short chain of fire trucks and police cars. "What is going on?" I asked a lady at the top of the mountain, who looked overwhelmingly worried.

"I'm not sure. Before I knew it, the church was on fire. Two boys went running in to save some of my students, and another went around back. One of the other teachers followed him."

I started pulling my hair in distress and anxiety. "Those are my friends!" I cried.

I ran around the back, trying to see if the boys were alright. Ponyboy was unconscious on the ground beside the building, and Dally was dragging Johnny through a broken window.

"Dallas!" I screamed, running to help him.

Paramedics were rushing onto the scene, blocking my vision of the boys. A police officer walked up to talk to me. "What did you see happen?"

I shook my head. "I was with them at the nearest Dairy Queen, but I stayed behind for a few minutes. By the time I got up the hill, they were coming out of the church."

I looked over the officer's shoulder, and watched the ambulances leave. "Are they okay?"

The officer half-nodded. "Would you like an escort to the hospital?" He gestured toward the T-Bird.

I nodded, and climbed in. The keys had been left on the front seat. I turned the car on, and attempted to follow the cop—I had never drive before, or even attempted to get my license.

It started to rain, lightly, but it was enough to put a layer of water on the road. My tires lost grip of the road, and I slid. Panic coursed through my veins as I jerked the wheel and stepped on the brake. Once my tires gripped the road again, the car did a 360. I was able to straighten my path of travel before I lost sight of the cop.

After speeding to the hospital, I found a free parking spot, and ran in the building, shouting a quick "thank you" at the officer. I didn't have to ask the front receptionist where the boys were—we'd been right behind the ambulances all the way from Windrixville.

I was stopped by a nurse. "I'm sorry, but you can't see the boys until they've been checked by the doctors. You might as well go on home."

I sighed, and looked over her shoulder, finding Dallas on a stretcher, disappearing around the corner. "Be nice to those nurses, will ya?" I shouted after him. He shouted back, but I couldn't hear what he said.

I found a phone, and called Steve. The other end picked up. "Who is this?"

"It's Penny. I'm gonna need you to pick me up from Buck's in a few minutes."

"Buck's? Why are you at Buck's?"

"I'm not. I just gotta drop something off for Dally. I'll explain later."

"Alright. I'll be there in ten."

I climbed back into the T-Bird and carefully drove to Buck's, trying my hardest to remember to signal every time, and to check my blind spot, and whatever seemed reasonable in driving. I parked it around back, where the boys always kept it, and waited out front for my cousin.

An old, souped up car drove up to me, and I climbed in. "Boy, am I glad to see you!"

"What's going on?" Steve inquired.

"Dallas took me to see the boys today."

"Ponyboy and Johnny?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but the three of them ended up getting hurt at their hideout, but it was all to save some kids. That's why I was dropping the car off at Buck's—Dally's in the hospital with the others."

"Are they okay?"

"Dally didn't seem to bad off, and Pony's fine. Johnny... I'm not sure about him. He seems to have got the worst of it."

I shuddered at the thought of it all. Steve took one hand off the wheel and put it on my shoulder. "They'll be alright, Penny. Don't worry."

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Author's note
So... I'm not dead. I mean, technically. Whatever soul I had left is gone. School got crazy, and I had to recover from it, but I live and have given y'all another chapter. Enjoy, and remember that I am evil.

Your friendly neighborhood greaser, signing off...
Stay gold y'all ⭐️