Forever Apart (Johnny Cade) {The Outsiders}

Twenty-One

Two-Bit, Sodapop, Steve, and Darry went back to the Curtis house and took care of their wounds. Sodapop dropped on the floor with his abdomen in complete pain. Steve made fun of himself talking with his fat lip. Two-Bit unlocked the bathroom door and saw the window screen broken. "Peggy...she's gone," he groaned.

"Yeah, you didn't see her at the rumble?" Soda weakly replied. "I saw her helping Ponyboy."

"What if she got hurt?" Two-Bit asked. "Or worse."

"She's probably with Dally..."

Ponyboy opened the front door, interrupting the weak rambling they all had. "Ponyboy where you been?" Darry asked. For once, it didn't come with a lecture. He asked with gentleness.

"Where's Peggy?" Two-Bit asked. He looked out the front door but didn't see anyone in the front yard. "Ponyboy what's wrong?"

"Johnny's dead," Ponyboy announced. "Told him about beating the Socs. I don't know, he just died. Peggy told him she loved him. He told her to look for him to the stars, and told me to stay gold. And Dally's gone. He couldn't take it. He's gonna blow!" Ponyboy cried. "Peggy ran after him. I don't know where they went."

When the phone rang, Darry answered it in anxiousness. "Hello?"

"Darry?" Dally asked. "It's Dally."

"Where are you?" Darry asked him.

"Just knocked off a store man, the cops are looking for me. Can I talk to Peggy?"

"Peggy ain't here. Pony said she ran after you." Darry heard Dally punch something on the other side.

"Look, meet me in the park will ya?" Dally panted. "Meet me in the park."

Dally hung up and Darry collected the gang to go after him.

•••

I ran down the slippery dark streets. The rain had finally stopped but I knew the night was only gonna get worse. I didn't know where Dally could have gone. But I kept running, hoping I'd catch up eventually.

Sirens echoed in the distance. And I could see lights flash down the street I knew they were looking for Dallas. I had to get to him before they did. I cut through someone's front yard and then ran down an alley. I followed the sirens as fast as I could to the Park. I could see them parked in the grass and on the road through the thin fog.

Two gunshots fired and I watched Dally roll down the hill. "Dally!" I ran on the sidewalk and towards Dally who was crawling toward the cop. The cop shot him two more times but Dally kept crawling.

I leapt onto the grass between the officer and Dally.

"Don't shoot!" I heard someone yell.

"Peggy?" Dally muttered. Blood streamed from his mouth into his chin. He rolled into his back and cradled his head in my lap. I stroked his black hair and I cried.

"Dally, I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"No...I'm sorry," he whispered back.

"Back away, girl," the officer ordered. I looked up at the cop. He was blurry from the tears. I could barely see him. "I said," he cocked his gun. "Back away."

I held my head high and looked at the cop with a smirk. He knew I wouldn't back down.

His gun fired one more time.