aching and shaking. (The Outsiders story)

chapter three

the next four or five days had to have been the longest days that i have ever spent on my life. the ground was hard, and it troubled me to fall asleep on it. the animals were also loud and i couldn't take it.

that damn owl fluttered it's wings, which always waked me and pony up all the time... i don't know how johnny can sleep through everything. i guess he's used to it from being in a loud home.

but shortly after the owl, someone or something's started to scratch at the walls.

"johnny" pony whispered as johnny moved a little.

"yeah?" he said sleepishly.

"t-there's a monster outside" pony was completely rolled over, staring at the wall where the noise came from.

"what..?" johnny whispered while his eyes were still closed. "it's alright ponyboy we will be okay" he said and fell back asleep.

"you'll be okay.." i whispered and patted his arm.

time would seem to go by very quick, but slow at the same time. me and johnny would eat as pony would read us 'gone with the wind' and some of the parts that he'd read would almost make me gag up my food.

one day the boys set up a rabbit trap with the crate that johnny used to carry the bags in and a stick. when the rabbit got close. "let's go let's go!" ponyboy yelled while the two boys sprung up and chased after the rabbit, johnny yelling "get em'! get em'!" made me laugh. they were running like little kids i just couldn't hold it in. it was good to see them having a little bit of fun.

sometimes we'd play poker, and put our cigarettes in the middle instead of money. we all looked around at each other mischievously as we threw down more cigs, pony was smirking away and johnny was smoking one.

johnny set two more into the pile, and showed his cards, out pony ended up being higher than he was, but i set down mine and cleared the board.

before we'd go to bed, we'd smoke and read, johnny would always fall asleep first, and i'd try to stay up with pony, laying my head on his shoulder, but somedays johnny got there before me and took my spot.

it seemed it was the same routine everyday, and i was somewhat getting tired of it. we all started to adjust to our new hair though.

one day pony got up extra early. the church was so cold that morning... johnny woke me up to go outside with him to see what pony was up to. he said he didn't want me in here all by myself.

"golly, that was sure pretty huh?" johnny stared into the sunrise along with me and pony. both of them looked gorgeous as the sun hit their faces.

"yeah." pony nodded his head a little, still staring.

"it's likes the ms's, what's pretty you know?" johnny was now deep into the sunrise, i was shocked. usually only pony liked this stuff. "gold and silver," johnny went on some more on how beautiful it was.

"mhm" ponys head was lifted a little.

"to bad it can't stay like that all the time" johnny said while pony looked over at him a little.

"nothing gold can stay," pony looked back up at the sunrise.

"what?" johnny turned his head. that was the first time his eyes were off the sky.

"nature's first green is gold. her hardest hue to hold..." pony paused for a second. "her early leafs a-flower, but only do an hour, then the leaf subsides to leaf, so eden sank to grief.." pony paused once more. "so dawn goes down to day... nothing gold can stay" he looked over at johnny.