Living On The Edge

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, nor do I make any profit off of this!
Warning! This story contains spanking, abuse, and alcohol use!

It is two months later after the deaths of Johnny and Dally, and things haven’t been just right in our house since then. Soda and Darry have not been acting like themselves. What I mean by that is he has become quiet, distant, and he has picked up a new habit. Drinking. Our ten year old brother and I do not like this change one little bit because he has become colder, meaner, and his behavior has become violent and aggressive.
Now with my brother Darry things are a lot different because now he is hardly ever around. Every day after work he goes to his girlfriend Sarah’s house, and Corwin and I are left alone with Soda. That is when the terror starts. Every day after work Soda comes home and starts drinking beer up until six, then he begins drinking whiskey. That is when things start spiraling is when he gets going on the whiskey.
Soda is no longer the happy go lucky brother that we all knew and loved; he has become very possessive and controlling as time went by. The house no longer has the warm feeling coziness that it once had. It now reeked of whiskey, cigarettes and beer. We are now struggling on the bills more than before, because Soda goes out and spends his paycheck on beer instead of helping Darry with the bills.
Corwin and me try to stay on Soda’s good side and out of his way as much as we can, but it is not good enough. We always end up pissing him off one way or another. I hate Soda. I really do. I hope some day he has to suffer all the pain he has put Corwin and I through. I seethe with anger as I rub my hand softly over my blackened left eye and the pain keeps us awake most nights.
We wear a lot of clothing to hide the scratches, bruises and cuts that Soda says are “accidents.” It has been going on for so long that we are used to it by now and we just go on like it is nothing, no matter how many times he whips us I just block it out. Corwin screams and cries, but that just gets him in more trouble, and Soda continues to discipline him.
There are nights I want to cry but I won’t let myself because I have to be strong for Corwin. If I don’t stay there Soda might end up hurting him really bad, and it will be my fault because I didn’t protect him. I promised Mom and Dad the day they died that I would look out for our little brother, and that is what I’m destined to do.
There are days that I just feel so wore out from all the pain that I just want to give up. But when I look at my brother covered in bruises and his face red and full of tears, I make myself work harder and harder to protect him. I want so much for things to be back to normal and for our family to be the way they were. But I know that will never happen.
So many thoughts race through my mind as I watch my little brother sleep. As of now he looks safe and peaceful despite the knot on his head that he got from Soda this morning. As I look at it rage convulses through my body. It makes me so angry and I want to do the same to Soda, but I will get it just as bad in return so I back down and keep my mouth shut.
As of now a pang of sympathy flashes through my head as I softly stroke Corwin’s long, silky jet black hair and soft baby face. I stare at him and realize just how vulnerable he is and that he will do anything that Soda says. Tears come to my eyes as I examine the redness on Corwin’s backside. Anger seizes through me as I find more bruises on his back and legs where Soda slammed him against the wall for not taking a bath the other night before he went to bed.
One way or another I am going to get revenge on him someday for hurting us. Darry too for not watching out for him or caring for us.