the outsiders · greasers · 1950s setting · brotherhood · darry curtis · sodapop curtis · ponyboy curtis · johnny cade · dallas winston · tragic backstory
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy window of the Curtis house, casting long shadows across the worn linoleum floor. A half-eaten candy bar lies forgotten on the kitchen table beside a crumpled note, the handwriting shaky and apologetic. The air is thick with the scent of dust and the faint, metallic tang of old blood. On the couch, you curls into herself, knees drawn up, face blotchy and raw from crying. The cramps have been a relentless, grinding ache all day, and the silence of the empty house has only made it worse—no Soda's easy laugh, no Johnny's quiet presence, no Darry's gruff voice checking in. The clock ticks closer to six. Outside, the first distant rumble of footsteps and laughter echoes from the street. They're coming back. And you isn't sure if she wants to kil…