The Cades | The Outsiders

Chapter Fourteen

"Quiet, baby. Now you're going to listen to me and do exactly what I want you to, okay?" his voice sent chills down my spine.

"I-I thought you were in the cooler?" I muttered, backing away slowly. He grabbed my arms and yanked me closer to him. Close enough so that I could feel his breath on my cheek.

"Did you forget that the Socs have all the breaks?" he whispered, chuckling at the end. I desperately prayed that Rocky would come to check up on me and see what was going on. I wanted to scream for her but his grasp on my arm was getting tighter by the second, and I was sure it would leave a mark.

Almost as if God had read my mind, Rocky appeared from the back of the shop and almost went ballistic on him. From the way we were standing, I was facing her and Randy was facing a wall. I widened my eyes and nodded my head a bit toward the telephone, trying to make it not noticeable.

She understood my gesture and quietly tiptoed to the phone and dialed 911 as Randy continued to threaten me with everything under the sun. All in one moment I knew how Johnny felt when they had scared him, helpless and worried for his life.

But there was one thing he said that caught my attention the most.

"I already got rid of your brother, you're next." he said, chuckling evilly. When he said that, everything around me seemed to slow down and I felt light headed. The walls were closing in and my eyesight was getting blurry.

In one short moment, all I remember was hearing police sirens and mumbling Johnny's name before collapsing in my brother's killer's arms.

__________

I sat straight up, screaming, sweating and breathing heavily. I looked around frantically, confused at my surroundings. How did I end up in Soda's bed?

My thoughts were interrupted by someone walking into the room.

"Jess you okay?!" They asked worriedly. I looked up and saw Soda standing in the doorway, a scared expression on his face.

I looked down and put my hand to my forehead, and laughed. "Yeah, I just had a bad dream I guess. How long have I been asleep?" I asked. Soda wasn't laughing with me, but rather looking at me intently. That's when I finally payed attention to him and saw that his face was covered in bruises and cuts, and his knuckles were wrapped up in bandages.

"What happened to you Sodapop?" I asked, trying to stand up but failing miserably.

He sat down and hesitated for a moment before talking.

"I...I went to go talk to your parents about what happened... they didn't believe me. Your dad...he hit me, and I fought back." he explained.

"Explain what? What did happen?" I asked, slightly getting more scared that my nightmare wasn't a nightmare after all.

He looked up at me, and in all the times I've seen him sad, there was a look in his eyes that I recognized. One I didn't think I'd see again for a while, the look he had the day they found out their parents died in that auto-wreck.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I didn't want him to. I shut my eyes and curled up into a ball.

"No, no, no, no.." I kept repeating to myself.

"They found his body in the lot. None of us were there to help..." Soda said.

"No!" I shouted, jumping up. He can't be dead. Johnny can't be, not Johnny. God why did you have to take him?

I tried leaving the room, but Soda pulled me back and wrapped his arms around me, running his fingers through my hair to calm me down. I know he was trying at least, but it wasn't doing any help, I just want to run and run until I get too tired.

I bawled into his shoulder and by then almost everyone was in the room after hearing my screaming. They were either crying or just staring blankly into space. Dally and Ponyboy aren't here.

I looked around, wiping my eyes to clear my vision a bit. Carter was here, and she seemed the worst out of all of them.

"Where's Dally?" I asked. They all looked around, not seeming to know either.

Just then, Ponyboy ran into the room, looking really sick.

"Dally couldn't take it. He's gonna blow. " he said, his voice cracking. The phone rang in the kitchen and Darry ran to answer it, us following behind him.

"Dally's headed to the lot, he just robbed a shop. We have to get there before anything happens." he rushed. Without any hesitation, we all took off sprinting down the neighborhood and to the lot.

We kept running and started shouting when we saw two police cars in the middle of the road, and a figure stumbling down the hill.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard two shots ring out into the cold night. I was sure he was dead before he hit the ground, but I could've been wrong.

"No!" most of us screamed out in unison the moment we got to Dally. He was slowly crawling toward us, barely able to speak.

"P-Pony..." he muttered, reaching one arm out at us.

"He's just a kid!" Two-Bit shouted. Ponyboy seemed to wobble on his feet before groaning and toppling over, Soda and Darry bending over to help him up. Addie, Carter and Layla were crying, talking to Dally to keep him conscious. He was still talking, but barely able to get any words out. Steve just stood there, unable to process what was happening.

Not saying anything, I figured it was best not to talk and help carry Dally to the fuzz's car so they could escort him to the hospital.

"He'll be fine.." I heard among the whispers between the gang as we walked back to the house.

But that's just it, I don't know if he'll be fine.

I don't think any of us will be fine ever again.