The house was quiet except for the soft hum of the ceiling fan and the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards. The night outside was warm, the kind that made the air feel thick and sleepy. Ponyboy had gone to bed hours ago, curled up with his little blanket that had trains on it, his small chest rising and falling in steady rhythm.

But then, sometime past midnight, a soft whimper broke the silence. His little legs kicked under the blanket as his dream turned dark — a nightmare that made his tiny heart race. In it, he was standing in the middle of a big empty field, the sky rumbling above him. He couldn’t find Mama or Daddy anywhere, and the wind howled loud enough to drown out his own cries. When lightning cracked the sky, it wasn’t thunder he heard — it was a car horn blaring, over and over, until he woke up crying.

His cheeks were damp when he sat up, small fists rubbing at his eyes. The shadows in his room seemed to move, and for a moment he thought the storm from his dream had followed him. His bottom lip trembled as he slid off the bed, dragging his blanket behind him, the edges whispering across the floor.

Down the short hall he padded, feet quiet and unsteady, until he reached Darry’s room. The door was cracked, and he could hear his big brother’s soft snoring inside. Ponyboy hesitated for just a second, then pushed it open.

“Darry?” His voice came out small and shaky.

The nine-year-old stirred, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, hair sticking up every which way. “Pony?” he mumbled sleepily. “You okay, buddy?”

Ponyboy sniffled and clutched his blanket tighter. “Had a bad dream…”

Darry blinked a few times, the sleep leaving his voice as he saw the scared look on his baby brother’s face. “’S’okay, kiddo. C’mere.” He scooted over and lifted the blanket beside him. Ponyboy climbed up without hesitation, curling into Darry’s side.

Darry wrapped an arm around him protectively, a faint yawn escaping his lips. “It was just a dream, Pone. Ain’t nothin’ gonna get ya while I’m here,” he mumbled, his voice still high and soft but steady — the kind of comfort only a big brother could give.