Ain't nothing, never was.

Fatal Wounds Don't Heal Right

It was a late night again,  I hadn't spoken to a soul about seeing Q in my house taking a shower, I had been tempted to tell Dally but thought that he might kill me for not telling him sooner or betraying Q's request. So I was standing around outside of a pool joint, while Two-Bit, Dally, Soda, an' Steve all hustled the pool hall and got all boozed up, 'cept Soda of course, cuz he don't drink, never touches a drop. Johnny was at my side like usual, smoking a weed and glancing around like a trapped animal. I let out a sigh, hopping maybe TwoBit or someone'd walk out of the pool hall or something' to take us out an buy us somethin' cuz sitting an watching the drunks stumble about and the other greasers get yelled at wasn't all too fun. I turned to Johnny, my mouth hanging open 'cuz I was about to say something until my eye caught on some shady business goin' on in the alley on the other side of the pool hall. Now, I've been watching deals go down all night an it never really bothered me before, but I saw a silver haired cat lookin' about with a cigarette hanging outta his mouth and puffs a smoking lingering 'round his head. It was Q. Johnny coughed "Hey, Pony..  what're you lookin' at?" he asked his eyes soft as he looked at me then back to the deal going down. I hardly processed what he said before I stood up, popping a cigarette into my mouth and lighting it. "That's Dals friend, the one that stayed with me. He don't look too good." he said, which was true. He was paler then normal, and favouring his side (The one that got hit by a heater) it looked like he mighta re injured himself. I huffed as I saw the fear in is cold eyes and the way that the dealer was standing "Hey, Johnny, go get Dal, I think Q might have bitten off more then he can chew." I said, trying to hide the worry. I began to slowly walk towards the group, countin 'em out. I counted three against him and one with him, the one with him looked like he could bolt at any moment though so I didn't really count on him staying if a fight broke out. I picked up my pace when I was close enough to see the outline of a switch blade in the dealers pocket, I really hoped Dallas was carrying a switch blade, or maybe that TwoBit was sober enough to fight, 'cuz I was sure that Q never carried 'round weapons. I heard him an Dal talkin' about it one time, Dally was practically begged him to start carrying 'round a switchblade or any blade for that matter but he kept on denying saying that it would ruin his rep. I didn't really understand him though, a reputation ain't worth your life, everyone knew that, or at least everyone with sense did. I stopped walking an just hung around them for a while, watching them talk but just outta ear shot to actually hear 'em. A hand on my shoulder made me jump, I looked up to see the cold eyes of Dallas staring down at me "Good on ya, kid, looks like that one..." he pointed to the dealer "Is just itching for a fight man..." he muttered. I just nodded an' kept my mouth shut. Q looked up, his hair falling in his face, his face looked all hollow and ill. ".....dallas......" I saw him mouth and then he let out a visible sigh of relief. The dealer made the mistake of looking around to see who Q was looking at, Q took the moment and kneed the dealer in the stomach then took off towards us, but being pulled back by the other two men. Dallas took off towards them and I followed quickly. The dealer was on his hands and knees as Dallas arrived at the scene, kicking him in the stomach repeatedly then turning just in time to see Q receive a punch to the gut. Dallas growled and slammed his fist into the guy on the rights face, the guy on the left pulled out a blade, which meant trouble. Johnny tensed then looked at me, and I nodded "Run, Johnny." I heard myself saying then punched the man with the blade so hard my knuckles hurt. Suddenly I felt the sting of a blade and looked at my bare arm, a large slash on it. I stumbled onto the cement and looked up, I  could feel my hands shaking.  The dealer was on the ground, unconscious beside me and the other man was being beaten int unconsciousness by Dallas. The man on the left stood over me with a large blade, panting heavily "You little rat!" he snarled, slashing downwards. The knife was intended to skin me, I could tell.  I shut my eyes real tight, praying that I wouldn't die, that it wouldn't hurt too bad, but noting ever came. I opened my eyes to see Q wrestling the knife out of the other mans hands but he was way too weak to actually manage it and was quickly rolled over and wrestling so the knife wouldn't slit his throat. He let out a pained cry as the knife got closer, the cold blade touching his skin, a red droplet of blood forming at the tip. His head turned hurriedly towards me and he made eye contact with me, and I saw fear in his eyes, his eyes were soft, like they were meant to be. They were human. In a blur of speed the man was on the ground and being beaten into a bloody pulp and Q was laying on the ground, his eyes shut. I crawled towards him hurriedly then looked at him "Hey?... hey, Q, hey  come on buddy we got to go." I murmured, shaking him lightly. His eyes opened with a groan and he sat up, furrowing his brow, a smirk playing on his lips "Yeah sure, kid." he growled, a large gash on his cheek. Dallas helped him up then looked at me "We gotta go. Soda, Two-Bit, Steve." I turned around to see my brother and friends staring at me as Dally draped Q's arm over his shoulder and dragged him along. "Come on, we gotta go." his deep voice sounded again. Soda looked over, his face serious. "Oh no." he mumbled then sighed "Yeah, Pony, Let's split before the cops show." he said then patter my back. Two-bit giggled "Well, here we go again then. Another month or so of a weak powerless boy then, boom. He'll disappear in a cloud of smoke and glitter." he snickered then began strutting along with Steve and Soda. I stared ahead for a moment, a smile creeping on my face. I felt my ears go hot and I jogged up next to Dallas and Q "I said don't call me a kid, I ain't no younger then you are."