Imagine you are a journalist and you have just interviewed Ponyboy after the fire. Write an article for the local paper, explaining what happened and who the heroes were.
Orphan Hero Saves Kids
Ponyboy Curtis, a fourteen year old orphan has been hailed a hero after saving a group of children from a burning building. The seven children from the local Windrixville Elementary School were trapped inside the abandoned church on Jay Mountain and faced certain death only for the intervention of Curtis and two of his friends.
Curtis, who is a high school student became an orphan last year when both his parents were killed in a fatal car crash and he now lives with his two brothers, Sodapop and Darry. While Ponyboy is now at home recovering from the incident, his best friend Johnny Cade is currently in intensive care fighting for his life. In an extraordinary twist, we have learned that both Cade and Curtis were also involved in the recent killing of Bob West, where it has since been established that the boys acted in self defence.
This incident led the boys to go on the run and they ended up in Windrixville at Jay Mountain where they slept in the abandoned church. Yesterday, when they returned to the church at approximately 2.30, they saw the building in flames with the group of kids inside.
Without thinking, both boys, along with Dallas Winston ran into the building and saved the children. Ponyboy passed out from smoke inhalation, while Johnny Cade suffered a broken back, which may leave him paralysed for life.
Speaking about the event, Ponyboy says that he thinks anyone would have done it and he doesn’t see himself as a hero. “I didn’t really think about it, we just ran in. But I’m just glad that the kids are OK and no one was killed.”
He went on to talk about his friend Johnny and he is praying that he will make a full recovery. “I hope Johnny pulls through, he’s my best friend and we couldn’t go on without him.”
Miraculously, none of the children were badly hurt and it is clear that the young boys prevented a devastating outcome for the local school children. Their teacher, Mr Jerry Wood says that the boys are real life heroes and that without them, many of the school children would have perished in the fire.
“Those boys ran into the fire without a second thought. They are real heroes because without them, we would be calling parents to give them the worst possible news. I really hope young Johnny Cade manages to recover as we owe so much to him and Ponyboy Curtis.”
Ponyboy’s oldest brother, Darrell Curtis is a well known high school football player and was offered a full athletic scholarship to go to college but he had to turn it down to concentrate on looking after his two younger brothers. Sodapop or Soda as he is known, works at the local gas station while Ponyboy is an academic young man, who is also a successful member of the local school’s track team. Their story is an inspirational one and it appears that Darry Curtis is keeping the family together by working two jobs, while also acting as guardians to the two young men. Rumours have emerged that the state authorities may seek to take the youngest Curtis brother into custody but sources say that Darrell Curtis will fight to keep custody of both his brothers.
Young boys like these are often in the papers for the wrong reasons, but today it is clear that without Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston, the town of Windrixville would be shrouded in tragedy.
Enda's English Notes 