Chapter Text
It was nice to finally get out of the church and eat. Johnny and I had gotten real sick of eating bologna in between puny slices of bread all week. Even the reminder of how it tasted made me shiver. The food from the DQ we ate at was at most definitely palatable compared to bologna sandwiches and cigarettes paired together.
I finished my meal with a full stomach, sinking into the seat of the car. It was much more comfortable than any hard surface that I’d slept on in the church. I couldn’t believe that Johnny had gotten so accustomed to it so easily. But then again, he was normally always out of his house. You could always find him in the lot whenever he wasn’t at ours.
I hadn't realized that I'd been zoning out until Dally had started lecturing Johnny. Johnny’s eyes were darting between me and Dal, trying to gauge our reactions to what he had just confessed. Something about “don't turn yourself in” had me raisin’ my head faster than Two-bit could swipe another bottle of alcohol.
Rightfully, Dally was furious. I was too, but he had experienced what it was like: running from the cops; getting roughed up in prison; barely surviving the streets of New York. More than angry, Dally had seemed almost desperate trying to convince Johnny not to turn himself in.
I almost felt bad until something had caught my eye. Black smoke. It seemed like Johnny had also seen it when we made direct eye contact. The only flammable thing from that direction was the church.
I was quick to react, manually unlocking the car door, catching Dally’s attention.
“Woah, woah, woah! What the hell are you doin, kid? You got a death wish or something?!” He slammed the brakes, making sure I didn’t jump out of the speeding car.
I opened the door, not giving a thought to closing it behind me. I broke out into a sprint, breath even and legs churning. Something told me that I would regret it if I didn’t go to the church.
“Where are you going!?” Dally sat up straight. He was about to get out of the car until he saw smoke coming from the hill. I knew deep down that Dally wouldn’t do anything. As ‘gallant’ as he was to Johnny, he always ran away when he didn’t know what to do. It was the defense mechanism rooted from the 17 years of harsh living that did it for ‘im.
I looked back to see Dally practically restraining Johnny from getting out of the car. I didn’t care. I didn’t want Johnny to get into anything else after that night at the park.
I felt a pit growing in my stomach. Johnny and I had definitely caused that fire. Nothing else could've, so I had to make up for it. Screams and hollers came from both Johnny and Dally, probably arguing with each other so I looked straight ahead and ran. I saw a group of what seemed to be a gathering of teachers and students and approached them.
“What happened?” I asked, heaving to catch my breath. I looked up to see a teacher. He was a big man. Not in the sense where he was muscular but he was taller and had quite the beer belly.
“I don't know, but it seems like the old thing ’ll finally burn down. This church hasn’t been used in years.” Not until last week...
“Some of the kids are missing!” A woman in her early to mid thirties jogged towards us, anxiety painted across her face.
I looked back towards the fire. If the kids are in there for sure, I’d be responsible for killing them! Those kids don’t deserve it.
Before the older man could reach the door, I broke a window with a rock and climbed through, ignoring if I got cut from the glass. I stepped in, glancing at the crowd behind me before ducking my head low. My eyes immediately burned. I placed the thick sleeve of my jacket over my mouth while shifting through the obstacles of fallen wood. I went to the back of the church, hearing the screams of panic echoing from the small gathering of children.
“I’ll get ya outta here!” I yelled. I couldn't hear anything but fire crackling and wooden beams starting to collapse. I was sure that Johnny and Dally had caught up already. I grabbed two kids at a time and carried them out the back window, making sure they didn't touch the broken glass. I did the same with the rest of the kids until one bit my hand.
“Ow! Sit still!” I hissed. I couldn't help but curse under my breath. That kid sure had one hell of a bite.
At this point, Johnny and… just Johnny was helping me get the remaining kids out through the window.
We were on the last kid until my left foot sunk into the floorboards. Out of all times to get my foot stuck... I scurried the kid off to Johnny before Dallas yelled, “Hurry up, kid! Darry’s gonna belt me for even lettin’ ya in there!”
“I-I can’t! My foot’s stuck!” I frantically tried pulling my foot out. I yanked harder until it came loose. I tripped forwards, my vision becoming blurry. I squawked due to a thick piece of broken wood plunging into my shin.
I couldn’t fold now. I’m so close to getting out of here and going home to Darry and Soda.
“Careful Pony! The church is starting to collapse!” From my peripheral vision, I saw Johnny attempting to get through the window.
“Johnny, don’t come closer!” Whether I had said that or not, Dally practically yanked Johnny out the window. Instead of Johnny, Dally had stepped inside the church, keeping a safe distance from the window. He reached a hand out, calling my name. I looked back, stumbling to get up and taking the wood out of my leg.
It hurt more than any beating I’d taken from any soc. I was limping towards Dally before something cracked. I looked up to see a beam falling over my head
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Yells faded and the world around me began to deafen. For some reason, in this situation, I felt almost relaxed. It felt warm. I knew I was goin’ to die. I knew I had nothing to worry about anymore. But it’s not like I wanted to die. Living was just hard.
Steve had nobody to ruin his plans, Two-bit didn’t have to babysit me, Soda didn’t have to share a bed, and Darry would have one less mouth to feed. I could finally see mom and dad again.
Are they proud of me?
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I couldn’t move my body. No matter how much I tried to open my eyes, fatigue swept over me.
Although I couldn't see, I could hear and smell everything around me. It smelt of clean Clorox wipes and the familiar tinge of a hospital.
Hospital? Wasn’t I just at the church with Johnny? We’d been waitin’ for Dally to come by.
It was then and there when my stomach sank. Have the police already gotten to Johnny? Have they sent him to the electric chair? I couldn't be the only person alive to tell the story of what really happened that night.
I drowned in my thoughts, interrogating myself as I felt my breathing start to uneven. Now that I think about it.. I can’t remember anything. Only flashes of the park and the church played in my head, taunting me. What could Johnny have done so badly that we had to run away?
Why did I know that Johnny could be in the electric chair that they kill send criminals to?
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