Life in The Outsiders Imagine

Up To The Church We Go

When I awake, I immediately feel the back of my head. It feels like it has been set on fire. Blood seeps onto my fingers.  I look up, and the world is dim and spinning. A blue blur in front of me clears to reveal Johnny, sitting there with a bloody switchblade, an anxious look on his face. I feel my bleeding head. He couldn't have... could he? But then I remember what really happened. Johnny didn't do that to my head, Bob did. I quickly look around, my head still faintly dizzy, for Bob and the Socs. The only thing that I see is a dead body laying in a pool of blood on the ground. Bob. His rings were reflecting the moonlight, hovering just above the red beneath him. I knew this would happen, didn't I? How did I suspect... How did I even know his name? Something's going to happen now, I can feel it. Something tells me that I'll be seeing Dally again.

Next to me, Ponyboy lies on the ground. Not dead I hope. No, he's not. Somehow, I know that. All of this feels like deja vu, like I've lived this before, er, not lived, but heard of. Like if someone were to tell you exactly what would happen, and what it looked like. Like a book... I shake my head once I feel myself daydreaming. Right now is no time for that. Ponyboy slowly comes to, and Johnny shakily stammers, "I-I killed him."

Ponyboy says he'll be sick and goes to throw up. Soon after, I find myself following them to go see Dally (of course). Dally tells us to take the 3:15 train to Windrixville, how there was a church up at Jay Mountain where we could stay, with a water pipe and everything. He gives Ponyboy a different shirt and jacket. I notice he has another cigarette. I ask for one. He tosses me one.

"You smoke? I guess I could've figured, everyone does," Ponyboy shrugs.

I ask Dally to light it for me, then inhale, making sure to hold it between my index and middle finger, like I see the guys do. "Never smoked a day in my life." At least, I don't think I have. I wink at him. "Till now." It tastes awful, but I pretend that it's no sweat.

Dally hands Johnny fifty bucks for supplies. "Then don't so much as peek your noses out the door, you understand? I'll come up there soon. Take care you guys." Dally's gaze lingers a bit longer on me. I thank him, and while Pony and Johnny go ahead of me, so they don't see, I quickly kiss him on the cheek.

We leave, and enter the harsh cold hands of the night outside. Sure enough, we hop the train and hide when the two men come to check the train cars. In the train, Pony soon falls asleep. Sleep is so far away from me, though. I'm awake as ever, as is Johnny, who sits there quietly, shaking a bit. "You can sleep too, Violet, I gotta make sure don't get off in the wrong place." Johnny tells me. "It's ok." I assure him. "You've both had a long night, and I'm not tired at all anyway. You can sleep, if you want." Johnny shakes his head. "Nah, we can both stay up then. Safer that way."

When we finally get off, I could tell Ponyboy was probably still half asleep. We still needed to find Jay Mountain. Pony ends up going to ask someone which way Jay Mountain was. We head that direction once he comes back. The church is so far away, but yet, I don't feel tired. Adrenaline from the night before, I guess. I can tell that the boys are awful tired, though. When we get to the church, I'm pretty sure all of the hairs on the back of our neck stand up. It's old and creepy, full of cobwebs and dust. Abandoned means abandoned.

Johnny and Pony immediately lie down after taking in the horrible surroundings. Johnny falls asleep as soon as he lies down. Pony falls asleep soon after, but I lie awake, thinking about how fast the events of tonight went. Actually lasts for a short time, for I fall asleep too.

While asleep I have countless bits and pieces of a dream, which feel more like memories. Faces of a woman, with dark hair, and gray eyes like mine, beautiful and kind. And of a man, with deep brown hair, and laughing hazel eyes. Pictures of things, and a book keeps reappearing, but only fast enough for me to read the title. The Outsiders. Huh.