Chapter Text
Ponyboy was so excited. Today he is starting kindergarten, he gets to go to school like his big brothers now! He rushes inside the building completely forgetting his backpack. His mother has to carry it inside for him. This is the bets day of his life! He is a big boy like his brothers now!
School was better than Pony could ever hoped for, he doesn’t understand why his brothers complain about it so much. He gets to color and play with glue! His mother never lets him have glue at home. Then the best part comes, recess. For thirty minutes Pony gets to run around outside. He doesn’t really play with the other kids; he just wants to run.
He was having the time of his life running, until he tripped and fell. It didn’t hurt too bad, but when he looked down at his knee and saw blood, he started sobbing. Blood is scary, the last time he saw blood his biggest brother had been hurt playing football and had to be carried by their dad. Pony thought his brother was dying then, he thinks he is dying now. But he couldn’t die! He is only three!
A teacher comes over and crouches next to him, “oh you poor thing.”
“I-I’m dying” Pony sobbed.
“Oh no honey you aren’t dying, you just scraped your knee.” She tries not to laugh.
“M-my brother was bleeding and he almost died.”
“…well, I promise you will be alright.”
She picks up Pony and carries him inside. Then Pony remembers something, his brother has football practice again today. He sobs the whole way to the nurse’s office, what if Darry was hurt again? Is he dying now too? What if he never gets to see his brother again. He starts wailing at the top of his lungs.
“Oh, my what happened here?” The nurse walks over.
“He scraped his knee and it scared him” the teacher answered. She had to talk over Pony’s wails.
“Let’s take a look then.”
The nurse takes Pony and sets him on the exam table. She grabs a cotton ball and some hydrogen peroxide. She cleans up the blood then puts a bandaid over the scrap. She then gives Pony a lollipop for being so brave. He refuses to take it. He doesn’t want candy he wants his big brother. His brother is dying alone and Pony can’t have that. He needs to see him one last time.
“Sweetheart what’s wrong?” the nurse asks.
“M-my brother is dying!”
“Is he sick?”
“H-he got hurt on the head i-in football.”
“I am sure he will be okay.”
“He won’t he is dying! I wanna see him one last time.”
“Well…I can call your parents.”
The nurse goes over to the phone. She knows the Curtis’ well and worked with all three of their kids. She is worried that something did happen to one of them, they were always such great boys. She pulled up Pony’s file and dialed the number.
“Mrs. Curtis speaking.”
“Hello Mrs. Curtis, this is Tulsa Elementary. Your son Ponyboy won’t stop crying.”
“What happened? Is he okay?”
“He had a bit of a fall and only scraped his knee a little. But he said something about his brother dying?”
“His brother? They are both at school perfectly fine.”
“He is quite worried.”
“Okay, thank you. Did he say which one?”
“No, but he said it was a football injury if that helps.”
“It does thank you. I will send Darry over there so Pony can see he is alive and well.”
“Alright Mrs. Curtis, goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
Pony is still on the bed sobbing. His active imagination keeps making the situation worse. He keeps seeing Darry dying in horrific ways. He wants his brother more than anything right now, he needs him.
Darry is sitting in math class when he hears his name being called over the intercom. The other students around him perk up, it’s not everyday the golden boy gets in trouble. Darry sighs and ignores them all, he gets up, grabbing his backpack, and heads out. The halls are quiet since everyone is in class. He is worried something may have happened, did his dad get hurt at work? Was Soda okay? What about Pony? This was his first day.
He walked into the principal’s office and sat down. He holds onto his bag nervously. The principal notices his nerves and gives him a reassuring smile. He makes sure Darry knows he isn’t in trouble.
“It is okay Darrel; you are not in trouble.”
“My brothers, are they okay?”
“How did you know?”
“So, they’re not? Which one? Is it Soda? Was he jumped? Or Pony did he get hurt?”
“Calm down son, your brothers are okay. Ponyboy has some concerns about your safety.”
“My safety?”
“Yes, it seems he will not stop crying. Here is a pass, go on to the office next door.”
The principal hands Darry a pass for Pony’s kindergarten, which is just across the street. Darry quickly leaves. Once he is out of the principal’s office he starts running. He is desperate to get to his distressed little brother. He shoves past people in the hall. Most move out of his way because of his bulky frame. Darry has never been more grateful he plays football.
Pony is sitting on the bed in the nurse’s office still. He hasn’t stopped crying, but now coughing has been added into the mix. His big brother was dead, and he would never see him again. The nurse did he best to console him and tell him Darrel was coming, but he didn’t believe her.
Darry bursts into the room, he is panting hard, but he doesn’t have time to catch his breath. His kid brother is right there making himself sick crying. He rushes to Pony and picks him up off the bed. He starts rocking him and playing with his hair.
“Shh shh it’s okay Pony, I’m here…I’m here now.”
Pony coughed, “D-Darry...?”
“Yes bud, it’s me. You’re okay.”
Pony couldn’t help another sob that tore from his chest. This one was in relief; his brother wasn’t dead! Soda wouldn’t have to protect him! He does love Soda, but he isn’t strong and scary to other people like Darry is. He clings on tight to Darry. Everything was right again; it always was in Darry’s arms.