Darling

Heroes

They drove back up to the church in silence, besides a few times when they would tell Dally to slow down. When they drove up the hill they noticed smoke. Then flames. Then screaming. There was a group of people standing outside. About ten kids and two adults.

"Good lord..." Darling said.

"What's going on?" Johnny asked.

"I wonder how that started." Pony said, standing up to get a better look.

"Jesus Christ." Dally found a place to park the car.

Before the car was even fully stopped, Pony jumped out. Darlene tried to grab him, but he was already running towards the burning church.

"Pony, no!"

"Where are you going?" Johnny yelled.

Dal stood up, leaning out of the car, also trying to grab him. "Get over here!"

"Some of the children are missing! I'm sure of it!" A woman said, frantically counting and recounting her group of kids.

"Come here, man! Come on!" Johnny said, motioning for Ponyboy to come back to the car.

But he didn't listen.

Oh for f*cks sake.

Then, Johnny jumped out of the car, and ran to follow Ponyboy.

Well, sh*t here I go.

Without second thought, Darlene jumped out too. She quickly peeled off her denim jacket and threw it in the car.

"You're gonna get them?" Dally asked, but she ignored him and ran to the church.

Once she joined Pony and Johnny, they were trying to rip the wooden boards off the windows. Darlene picked up a large rock and threw it at the weak boards. A couple broke off, but they still had to pull at the rest.

The three climbed in, immediately coughing from the thick, black smoke that filled the crumbling building. It wasn't long before it started hurting. They followed the sound of the fearful screams, making sure not to run into the flames. They soon spotted the kids.

"We'll get you out of here!" Johnny said, picking up one of the kids.

Pony and Darlene did the same. Grabbing kids and carrying them to the small opening where Dally now stood, setting the children safely on the grass. Right when they thought there were no more, they heard another kid yelling for help deeper in the church.

"Help me! Over here!"

The three ran towards the voice, unable to see from the smoke, and at this point, not only did their lungs burn, but their eyes and nose too. Tears streamed down Darlene's face from the irritation.

They moved as fast as they could between the growing flames and collapsing roof. Dally yelled at them to move faster. There wasn't much time left. Johnny slipped through a small opening in one of the walls.

"In here!" He called.

The Curtis siblings followed, Pony almost getting hit with a falling wooden plank. In this room there was another 5 children, all terrified and overheating. Johnny grabbed a kid and quickly ran with them to the nearest window where Dallas was pulling off more wooden boards.

"Here Dal, take this kid!"

Dal quickly set the kid down and grabbed the next. Pony went to grab another kid, and it bit him.

"Ow!" He shouted, but still grabbed her and got her out.

Darlene handed Dally another kid before having a coughing fit. "Come on! We gotta hurry!" As she was moving to Dallas, something fell and hit her knee. "Sh*t! Oh, this is so stupid, this is so stupid!" She kept going, limping while also trying not to step in fire.

They handed over the last of the children. The wooden ceiling above them began to creak and crack. They knew it was about to give, and they had to get out quickly. Darlene noticed Ponyboys sleeve was on fire. She pushed him out to Dally, and luckily he got out fine, but when she looked back, Johnny was moving further inside, checking for more children.

"Johnny, come on! Are you crazy!?" She yelled.

Before she could go after him, she was pulled backwards.

"You're burning!" Dallas said, and yanked her out of the church, throwing her to the ground in attempt to put out the flame on her shirt. It worked, but the wind was knocked out of her, and she hit her head pretty hard. She felt light headed.

Not again...you have got to be kidding me.

She gasped for air, trying to take deep breaths. She saw stars. Her skin felt hot, and she could feel the stiff layer of ash on her body.

"Stupid Kid!" She heard.

The voices began fading. She fought to keep her eyes open, but they rolled back into her head, and the world around her darkened.

"Help!" Someone screamed.

"I'm coming, Johnny!" Another voice yelled.

Everything felt fuzzy and cold. Her hands and nose were numb. Her body felt light. It felt like she was floating.

Then before she was out, she heard one more, blood curdling scream and the loud, booming sound of the church falling to the ground.

---

Dallas watched as Darlene ran to catch up with Johnny and Pony. He couldn't leave them in a burning building. He quicly chased after them, but they were already inside. He pulled off as many of the boards off as he could. His hands were bleeding and covered with splinters.

"You guys!" He called for them. They didn't answer, but instead handed him a child. He grabbed them and put them on the ground gently. He was handed more and more until it stopped, and he followed the sound of his friends voices to the next window.

"Take them, Dallas." Darlene said, and he was handed another wave of kids. Soon he was starting to panic. The building would fall apart soon, and he didn't want them in there when it happened.

"Come on!" He yelled. In his head he was begging them to just get out.

Darlene pushed Ponyboy to him. His sleeve was on fire. Dallas helped him out and patted his back, putting out the flame, but also knocking him out. Before he could check on Pony, he turned went back to the window to get the other two.

He looked inside, squinting to see better. He reached for Darlene's arm, and pulled her.

"Shit." He said. Her ringer tee was burning from the bottom, and was traveling up her back to her hair.

"You're burning!" He yanked her out and she fell to the ground, landing on her back. The flame was out, but she was still injured.

He looked over at Pony one more time, who was passed out on the grass. "Stupid kid!"

"Help!"

He whipped around. The roof was starting to collapse, and Johnny was still inside. He couldn't leave him.

"I'm coming, Johnny!" He ran inside, searching for him through the smoke.

There was a loud cracking and a scream. Dally's breathing was heavy, his heart dropped, and his stomach twisted. When he got to him, he thought it was too late. Johnny layed on the ground underneath a large piece of wood, that would soon engulf him in flames. Dallas pushed it off Johnny, not caring about how it burned.

"Come on, Johnny. Come on, man." His voice shook as he picked up the boy. He moved as fast as he could to the nearest window. The cracking was getting louder, and the it was impossible to see through the smoke anymore. He kept moving forward.

"It's not your time, Johnny. It's not your time."

He could see the exit, but he could hear the loud crumbling. It got louder and louder. All he could think about was getting Johnny out alive. How Darlene amd Pony were hurt. How Darry would feel if those three didn't get out okay.

Louder and louder, the roof caved in, breaking the walls as it fell...

...and it all came crashing down, crushing everything in its path.

---
🥀🥀🥀
"Though nothing will keep us together
We could steal time just for one day
We can be heroes forever and ever
What d'you say?"