The Outsiders: And the girl from the future

Ponyboy Michael Curtis

AMBER'S P.O.V.

My head throbbed for no particular reason. It has throbbed since I first got here, and I think it's getting worse. All I do down here is sleep and yank on the rope tying me to the pipe. I opened my eyes from my un-peaceful sleep. God, I wish I had an aspirin. But more than that, something to eat. I hadn't eaten since I got taken, and even though I don't know how long I have been down here, I know I'm starving. "What I would give for a burger," I said to myself quietly. I didn't recognize my voice and jumped at the sound of it. My voice sounded hollow, and scratchy, and not like me. I decided just not to talk.

I thought about how no one has come for me. If no one comes for me soon, I will die. If Kimberly and her stupid sister and her friends don't kill me, the hunger and dehydration will. I was delirious and having hallucinations. By this point, I didn't know what was real, and what wasn't. I had visions that I was at home in the future. That my mom was there, and she wasn't drunk. And then some where she was. But even the ones where she was drunk, it was still good to see her, good to be home, in the future. I liked it here and all but the future was home was home. Then reality hit me. I wasn't asleep, just delusional. I realized that I didn't want to go home. But I could feel another hallucination coming. I let it happen.

I was laying in a field next to a long grassy hill. Someone was next to me, someone I loved. I couldn't see there face though. It was peaceful and quiet. I wanted to stay like this forever. The blue sky dotted with clouds, the wind blowing, and the birds chirping softly. I REALLY wanted to know who I was sitting next to, who I felt this love for. I rolled over to see Ponyboy laying on his back looking up at the sky with his hands behind his head as a cushion. He had a slight smile on his face and looked more handsome than ever. I was staring at him and he looked down at me, keeping his hands behind his head and his face looking towards the endless blue sky. I laid my head on his chest and played with his hair, getting my fingers tangled in it.

He wrapped his arms around me and chuckled. He held me tight and then started rolling. We rolled down the hill together, laughing and keeping our arms tightly wrapped around each other. When we stopped Pony was on top of me and he put one hand on each side of me, propping himself up over me. He smiled and slowly leaned down, about to kiss me. I closed my eyes and waited for his luscious lips to touch mine.

*BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG*

Loud banging woke me up from my trance. I looked all around me in a panic. Nothing. Nothing had changed in the room. 

*BANG BANG BANG BANG*

I heard yelling from upstairs and footsteps. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I wanted to hear this. I heard more yelling and made out a few words. "Where is she?" I heard. I took a double take and replayed the words in my mind. He said, "Where is she?". I heard the yelling go down to talking and it was getting quieter. I needed the person to know I was here. I kept thinking what I wanted to say. I didn't have enough energy to get it out. I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs "I'm down here! Don't leave me!" But nothing came out. The voices were getting quieter. Whoever was there was leaving. I needed motivation.

 I thought of Pony. I thought of the moment we met when Two-Bit was being an ass. I thought of him in the morning, with his cute smile taking the bacon. I thought of how mad he looked when Dally touched me. I thought of when Dally called me those names how he beat the living hell out of him without a second thought. I thought of when he asked me to be his girl and how cute he was when he fixed himself up for our date. I thought of how many different feelings I felt for him and how much I needed him. How much I wanted him to hold me in his arms and tell me everything would be okay. I needed his touch, his smile, the way he smells, the way he talks, the way he laughs, the way he walks, the way he breathes. I thought of Ponyboy Michael Curtis damn it!

And I screamed. I screamed so loud you could hear it from the future. I screamed loud and high and long. I screamed until I thought my head was going to blow up until I thought I was going to die right there and right then. It hurt my ears so bad but I didn't care. I screamed like my life depended on it, and it probably did.

When I stopped I didn't hear the voices. "I lost them," I thought in sorrow. Then I heard a howl, a howl that I knew only belonged to one person, Steve Randle. I was overjoyed. Then I heard fighting. I heard grunting and people falling to the floor. I also heard someone running down the stairs. "Amber?" I heard someone yell. It was a sweet, kind, happy yell that could have only been Sodapop. 

The scream took so much out of me I couldn't say another word. So I took my one free hand, and I pounded on the pipe. It made a loud eerie noise that made me cringe. But I kept pounding. I heard the footsteps stop in front of the door and I stopped banging. The door creaked open and the light bulb switched on filling the room with yellow light. I opened my eyes to see Sodapop's beautiful face. He was already untying the rope. Tears spilled out of his eyes unintentionally and I sobbed without tears, I felt too dry and tired to cry real tears. When he got the knot untied he helped me up and put his arm around my waist to help me walk.

"Th-thank y-" I started.

"Don't talk, it's okay." He interrupted.

He helped me up the stairs and when I got to the top I saw Steve standing over Candy, Kimberly, and Parker unconscious on the floor.

"I guess I broke my vow never to hit a girl..." He said looking down at his fists in disappointment. 

"And for a good damn cause!" Soda said helping me to the front door.

The door came at me intimidatingly as we walked. "I get to go outside." I thought as Soda pushed open the door. It was cold and dark outside, some of the only light was the flashing colors of the police lights. The first thing I saw was Darry's car pulled up to the curb. The rest of the gang was over talking to a police officer and Pony was asleep in the backseat. Pony. I saw Pony. He was beautiful. I didn't care that I was in pain. I just cared that he was there. Soda helped me down the front steps and I heard the gang start yelling and cheering cheerfully for me. Everyone rushed over to me and tried to talk to me. I pushed Soda off and started slowly walking towards the car. I saw Pony wake up from all the noise. He rubbed his eyes and looked up.

His eyes lit up like Christmas lights and his sleepy-frown turned into a shocked, ear-to-ear smile. He jumped out of the car, disregarding the door and ran to me. I limp-walked faster to him. Even before we touched he was kissing me. His lips felt better than in my best dream. His smell filled my nose, and I smiled into our kiss. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kept our kiss, deep, and passionate. He pulled back only for a second to whisper the words: "I love you." Then leaned back into the kiss. After a few seconds, I pulled back and whispered: "I love you too." 

I could only hope that this wasn't another hallucination. We continued our kiss until I pulled back in pain. I felt a jolt in my body. Like a lightning bolt racing through my bones. Everything was in utter pain and I screamed, as I fell to the ground. I laid there in agonizing pain. My whole body a capsule of misery. I shut my eyes to repel the pain but it hurt so bad. I saw darkness fill my vision, even with my eyes still open. Then the last thing I knew was someone picking me up like a baby. That was the last thing I felt before the darkness took me.