“It was really scary.” I started. “One of those boys was pushing Johnny’s head into the freezing cold water.”
“How did you know the water was freezing?” the lawyer challenged.This women was persistent annoying and almost never let me finish anything that I had to say.
“It was freezing out so obviously the water was freezing.” I retorted. The lawyer simply nodded her head. “They were about to kill Johnny and shook I just couldn’t lose someone else. So I flipped out my switchblade and I stabbed him.”
“Who’d you stab?” golly was that a stupid question.
“Who do you think I stabbed?” I asked rudely. “Obviously Bob. Then when Johnny woke up I told him we needed to run away. So we did.”
“No further questions your honor.” the lawyer told the judge.
“Go on back to your seat now Mr.Curtis. Lets take an hour recess so the jury can make a decision.” the judge said. It was almost over. After having to sit here listening to all those socs lie I finally got to tell the truth and it was almost over. All the socs said Johnny did it. They all said Johnny killed the soc. It was a lie. I killed him. I killed Bob.
“Are you out of your mind Ponyboy!” Darry yells.
“What?” I asked.
“What did you do up there? What were you talking about?”
“I was only telling the truth.”
“What are you talking about? Johnny killed the soc not you!” Soda yelled pitching in.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about! You weren’t there! Johnny would never! He would never!” I yelled back. Everyone in the courtroom was staring at me now. I felt my cheeks getting hot. Soda and Darry sat back down. They didn’t know what they were saying. They weren’t there. Johnny isn’t like that. Innocent little Johnny could never. The judge came back in and we stood up and got back down.
“Will the jury please rise. Will the defendant also rise and face the jury.” the judge commanded. I stood. “Madame forelady has your jury agreed on a verdict?”
“Yes we have.” a lady in a red pinstriped suit responded.
“Foreman what do you say? Do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty?”
“We find Ponyboy Curtis guilty of murder in the...” I zoned out. Guilty. The word hit me like a sack of bricks. Guilty, guilty, guilty. I think I heard the judge say something about sentencing but I didn’t hear him. I nudged Darry in the ribs.
“What’d he say?” I whispered.
“Guilty pony, he said you were guilty.” it hit me again. Guilty
“No after that.”
“Shhh he’s sentencing.” Darry scolded me with tears in his eyes.
***
“Ponyboy Curtis there’s someone here to see you.” the guard said unlocking the lock and pushing the bars open. I walked out and followed him. I walked in and I almost cried.
“Darry!” I said running over and giving him a hug.
“No touching!” the guard yelled.
“Hey Pony I missed you so much!” Darry cried.
“I missed you too.”
“Look at you! Glory Pony they don’t feed you in Juvy?” he asked. I shrugged. Darry sat down and I did too. “So I guess you’re an official JD now huh?”
“Ya except I’m a JD for life.” Darry looked at me.
“You’re innocent Pony and you know it.” he said getting mad. “You’re only fourteen Pony why’d you ruin your life like that? You got me, Soda, and Two-Bit still. Why?”
“I only told the truth Darry that’s all I did.” I told him.
“You know its over right?” he asked.
“What’s over?”
“The greaser vs. Soc war is over. We get along fine now. Socs are putting grease in their hair and, greasers are cutting their hair too.” he explained. I thought about that. It seemed impossible, so I just brushed it off.
“Hows Johnny?”
“W-What?”
“How’s Johnny doing? Is he home from the hospital yet? When can he come see me?” I asked.
“Pony, Johnny’s dead and you know it. You know it better than I do. You were there Pony. You watched him die!” Darry yelled.
“Time to go.” the guard said shoving me up from the chair and pushing me towards my cell.
“Pony! I love you! Remember that Pony!” Darry screamed as I trudged away.
***
Johnny’s dead. I know Johnny’s dead and I knew it before too. I just didn’t want to admit it. A few hours ago when I saw Darry I knew it too. I just didn’t want to believe it. I’m in here for the rest of my life. In this dusty, lonely cell. Well at least until I’m eighteen. Then I’ll get moved to another dirty, lonely cell. In jail. Real jail. I’ll never see Soda. I’ll never see Darry. I’ll never see Two-Bit. Glory I think I’m even going to miss Shepard. What did I do! I pulled my shoelaces off my sneakers. I tied them to each other. It wasn’t long enough. I started shredding the sleeve of my orange jump suit into strips of cloth. I tied it into a circle. I pulled a chair into the middle of the cell. There happened to be a ceiling fan up there. I tied the long end of the rope to it. I pulled the loop through my head onto my neck and tightened it. I thought to myself you can’t stay gold, in a jail cell Johnny, you just can’t. Then I yelled as loud as I could,
“I’m coming Johnny!” and pushed the top of the chair away from me. Dangling.