𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐒 𝐅𝐋𝐘

𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

  IT FELT LIKE WE HAD BEEN WALKING TO THE TRAIN FOR A WHILE, BUT ONCE WE FINALLY GOT THERE, WE WAITED FOR JOHNNYS SIGNAL TO HOP ON.

"Now." and we bolted towards the open boxcar, pulling ourselves in. We stuck to the side like we were glued, and held our breaths. We couldn't risk being found. One had poked his head inside, but he thankfully didn't see us. When we heard the train start-up, we slid down the wall we were standing against.

"The first stop will be Windrixville," Johnny said, "I don't know why he gave me this, I couldn't shoot nobody.

I sat silently. My mind was racing with the images of what just happened. It all seemed so fast, running away, getting caught by socs, Johnny knifing Bob, and now we were here. On the run, for murder.

Ponyboy stretched out and used Johnny's legs as pillows. I was still tired, but couldn't fall asleep, I think it alarmed Johnny.

"You alright, shelly?" He asked quietly.

"Yea, I'm okay. Just nervous and all." I tried to give him a smile.

"I didn't mean to. I really didn't. They were hurting you and drowning Ponyboy, I had to. Please believe me." Johnny looked at his shoes and let out a quiet sob.

I locked my arm with his and laid my head on his shoulder, "I believe you, Johnny. I believe you."

And that was the last thing I said before drifting to sleep.

Long before I knew it, the train had stopped and we were in Windrixville, I jumped out behind Johnny and the morning dew was almost seeping through my shoes. We were laying in tall weeds and the wet grass, breathing heavily.

"Blast it, Ponyboy --  you must have put my legs to sleep. I could barely get off the train." Johnny said, rubbing his legs.

"I'm sorry, why didn't you wake me?"

"It's fine, I didn't want to wake you till I had to."

"Now how do we find Jay Mountain?" Ponyboy asked Johnny, his voice still groggy.

"Ask someone, the story won't be in the paper yet. Pretend you're a farm boy taking a walk."

"Why can't you or shelly do it?"

"Do I look like a farm boy to you?" I said, pointing to my very un-farmboy clothes.

Ponyboy looked at me, "You could pull it off." He snarked. I punched him in the arm.

He then studied Johnny. Obviously, Johnny couldn't do it, he's been limping this whole time and didn't look nearly as farmboy as he would've if he actually was one.

"Me 'a Shelly'll stay here. You take a walk and ask the first person you see where Jay Mountain is." Johnny winced at the pain in his leg. "Then come back and run a comb or something through your hair. And stop slouching like a thug for god's sake."

Ponyboy pulled a comb out of his back pocket. Why he was carrying one, id never knows. But as he combed through it, the similarities between him and Sodapop were very similar.

"I guess I look okay now, huh guys." Pony ran a hand through his newly combed hair.

Johnny must've noticed the similarities to, "You know, you look an awful lot like Soda, the way you got your hair and everything. I mean except your eyes, they're green."

"They ain't green they're gray." Ponyboy looked red. "And I look about just as much as Soda as you do to." Ponyboy stood up. "He's good-looking."

"Shoot." Johnny said smiling, "You are too."

I was mindlessly playing with the dead grass as they talked, but it was nice knowing they were both there for each other, no matter what.

Johnny and I laughed while watching Ponyboy climb the barbed wire fence.

It wasn't long before Ponyboy came back and we were walking towards Jay Mountain. We all got so tired it felt like it was taking us years to get there. It took about 45 minutes to get to the church, and once we did it gave me the creeps.

I used to go to church when my mom was still alive. When my dad would go out early to the bar to drink, she'd take me and I really did enjoy it. I liked when it was just me and her, I never liked my dad for the way he treated my mom, he was a real douche to her, and I don't think he regrets it. I haven't been into the church since she died, I couldn't handle it. Stepping side this old one gave me chills and I started feeling really woozy.

This church was really old like it hadn't been used in many years. The floor was stone, but it would have to make a good bed. Ponyboy laid his jacket down and laid on top of it, Johnny did the same. I used my arms as pillows.

Ponyboy sounded like he was saying something, but I had already fallen asleep, and so did Johnny.