12

The hearing was today. We had to answer some questions and so did the socs but Pony didn’t have to answer the questions about the murder. Then it was over. We weren’t getting split up. But things didn’t go back to normal. Pony seemed to get clumsy and kept running into things. His grades started dropping too. Like one day he told us that he had to work on a project but when we tried to see what he had done there was nothing there. Then I saw the mail. There was my letter to Sandy, returned unopened. It was like being struck by a bus. Life keeps getting worst and worst. Then, after supper, Darry and Pony were fighting again and I just couldn’t take it. I ran out the door and down the street. I was almost to the park when I saw them gaining on me. When I got to the park I saw Pony coming from the side and I veered away. But pony tackled me to the ground. He should really have been in football. Then we talked about them fighting. They finally agreed to stop fighting for good. We raced back home. A little later in the night, I looked in on Pony and he was finally writing his project. But it looked like it was a novel. Pony’s back.

11

A soc came over today to see Pony. I think his name was Brandy or something. Anyway, he went to speak to Pony and he was up there for a while. After a while, we heard some crying in Pony's room and Darry went to see what happened. Then Sandy or whatever left. Not a very eventful day.

10

Saturday was the worst day of my life. Pony got back from the hospital and told us that (sob) Johnny's dead. Then we got a call that Dally had robbed a grocery store and we needed to hide him. When we got to our meeting point, we saw Dally run up with the police behind him. He stopped under a street lamp and (sob) he pulled out a gun and (sob) the police shot him. I can't believe I lost two friends in the same night. Then I looked at Pony and he was on the ground. We had to bring him back to the house. We got him in bed and I sat down beside him. I waited for him to wake up for 12 hours. When he finally woke up he asked me if somebody was sick and I told him that he was. Then he went back to sleep. The next time he woke up it was 2 days later. I was tsupposed to be asleep but as soon as I heard talking in the other room I bolted up and ran in there. We asked him if he wanted to eat and he said sure. Darry went to make him some mushroom soup. Then we chatted for a bit. He finally asked me if I was tired and I told him to scoot over. I fell asleep knowing my brother was safe.

9

It was finally time for the rumble. I was playing poker with Steve when Pony asked when we started shaving. I told him that Darry started at 13 and I started at 15. Steve had the radio up so loud that I thought that the police would hear. Then Pony asked us why we liked to fight. I said that it was like a contest. Steve likes to beat people. When Pony asked Darry I said that he liked to show off his muscles. Darry started to worry about Pony being in the rumble but I stook up for him. Pony asked about why darry didn't worry about me and he said that he didn't have to. Then we were off to the rumble, jumping and doing acrobatics along the way. When we got there, Tim Shephard and company was already there with a gang from Brumly. We got aquainted and then the Socs started arriving in their tuff cars. They filed out in a line in front of us and there was an earie silence. then Darry stepped forward and said he'd take on any one. Then a soc stepped forward. It was Paul. They circled for a while, then somebody said, "Hold up!" Darry turned to look and Paul threw a punch to the jaw. The rumble was on. It all happened in a blur. Then they were running. I was beside Steve, talking to him in a low voice while he groaned. I looked up and saw one of the Brumly boys getting beat for using a weapon. Then I saw Dally (how did he get here?) and Pony running off toward a car. I guess they were going to see Johnny.

7

We (Pony, Darry and I) were sitting in the waiting room and I got bored. So I stole one of the reporter's hat and another's camera and started imitating them. Then I tried to pickpocket a gun off one of the cops but I got caught so I just smiled. After a while I got bored again so I went to sleep on Darry's lap. I woke up a little and said that Darry didn't get much sleep. The nurses wouldn't tell us anything about Johnny so Darry got ahold of the doctor and got it through his head that we were his family. So the doctor told us that Dally would be fine after two or three days. But Johnny is in critical condition and if he lived he would be paralized from the waist down. Then he told us to go home. Pony fell asleep in the car and I had to wake him up. When I got inside I went straight to bed. When I woke up I realized that I was late for work. I went downstairs and sudenly I was talking about Sandy. Then I was off to work.

6

We got a call today that Pony and Johnny were at the hospital. We raced there right away. We had to tell them like a million times that we were Pony's brothers before they brought him out. When we saw him we were shocked. His hair was gone, shaved off. But I'm just glad he's safe. Thank you god.

5

I went to see Dally last night at Buck's. While I was there I found Pony's sweater and knew Dally was hiding them. I wrote a letter to Pony and gave it to Dally, along with half my pay check. I hope I spelt everything right. I just hope he's safe.