Em :)

💖🩺🏄🏼‍♀️🌇 Avid Musical Theatre Fan. Long-time enthusiast of The Outsiders and Harry Potter. EMT. Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse. Cynic. Surfer. Returning to writing stories after a brief 12-year hiatus. Ask me anything! https://archiveofourown.org/users/tragicallyuncreative/pseuds/tragicallyuncreative

[tragicallyuncreative]

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Finally. Too tired to type more words 🤣 Time to get 4 hours of sleep before my shift 🫡Enjoy and I can't wait to hear y'all's thoughts!!

XOXO,

Em 💖

[tragicallyuncreative]

Tex One-Shot Excerpt

Back again, babes. Life's crazy, I'm always busy, no time to write, yadda yadda. Have had dreadful writer's block but am on a roll again- for real this time! Promise I'm not giving up and going off the grid again- ATEOTR excerpt and longer life/ writing update coming later today. Love y'all 😘😘

Mason

“By the way, your brother’s in detention. He got sent to the office today. Apparently Ms. Johnson gave ‘im ten licks with the switch.”

I sighed. “What’d he do this time?”

“He let a squirrel loose in home ec class. Ms. Gavelston screamed bloody murder.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Less than two weeks from the end of the school year, the kid still had final exams left, hadn’t turned in any math homework for over a month, and was barely passing onto the next grade, yet found time to wreak havoc in what should be an easy A class. A class taught by Ms. Gavelston, of all people. She had to be at least eighty. He was damn lucky she didn’t have a heart attack or something.

[tragicallyuncreative]

HOW WAS THE TOUR!?!?

I have so many thoughts that I have a long official review post of each show in the works... but summed up, LIFE CHANGING!!! Guys, it was absolutely phenomenal. I was blown away the first time I saw the show in December, but this time... being so close to stage elevated it in the best way possible, and getting to take it all in and process a second and third time allowed me to notice so many more little details. I can't wait to share more. I have audio from both shows and am happy to share! I was so lucky to have 2 Ponyboys (Nolan and Christian) and cannot even begin to say how talented they are. Stay tuned!

Pic ft. A Very Happy Em in her natural habitat

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 9 Excerpt

Ponyboy

We were quiet for a while. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed it- being able to just sit and be. No pressure to put on a front, to reassure, to pretend I was fine when I’d never been less. I’d realized Johnny was the only person I didn’t need to be fine for. I’d always have the need to impress, to be tough for Dallas and Two-Bit and Steve. I needed to be okay for Darrel and Soda, especially. The only thing worse than being sick was putting them through the process of me being sick. Johnny was different. I watched rocking slightly back and forth in concentration as he navigated the pocketknife around the delicate corners of the wooden elk’s eyes. He would understand.

“What do you think it’s like?”

He knew what I meant, I think, but played along. “What what’s like?”

“You know.” The words felt odd, like they were coming from a stranger’s mouth. I kept my voice low. Darry was nosy on a good day. Now, I could hardly piss without him listening in on the other side of the door. “Dyin’.”

[tragicallyuncreative]

how did seeing the tour cast go?? ps happy late bday!

Current view 💛💛

Thank you! Had a lovely birthday and about to have the best birthday weekend ever! About to see the show and will be seeing the matinee tomorrow as well. Almost a full cast- I am SO very excited and will give a recap of each show for y’all. Will stage door (I think they do that for all the tours still!) I didn’t realize Anna Bermudez is officially in for Bev on tour- she is one of coolest people and can’t believe I get to watch her on person! This is the closest I’ve ever sat to any stage and I’m stoked (usually in the nosebleeds 🤣)

Chapter 9 excerpt coming tomorrow. Happy Friday, friends 😘💛🌇

[tragicallyuncreative]

any more chapter 9 updates i just can’t help myself 🤭🤭🤭

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 9 Excerpt

Darrel

Lilah had gone quiet, a rare occurrence for her. I followed her gaze to the piano in the corner of the living room. It had sat untouched for the last few months, the black-and-white photos of Grandma and Grandpa Curtis, mom and dad, and our few organized family photos on the top recently polished but the keys themselves dusty. “Oh yeah, been meaning to ask ya for ages, Li. You want your piano books back?” I lifted the worn flowered cushion on the bench seat and rifled around in the hollowed-out space beneath, pulling out a few dog-eared copies of books. Czerny’s Practical Method for Beginner’s Piano sat on top, still open to the last piece she and mom had worked on together. The page was filled with mom’s loopy handwriting highlighting different sections. Certain notes on the staff were circled. I tried to ignore the date she had written at the top. January 6th. The day after my twentieth birthday. Two days before the accident. Mom’s cheerful notation next to it (“Way to go, Lilah!”) was surrounded by smiley face stamps, declaring the song mastered. My breath caught in my chest. It was little things like that that made the grief surge out of nowhere sometimes, realizing I’d already forgotten some of the simple habits and gestures that made her the person she was.

Lilah’s gray eyes welled up. “I don’t wanna play no more.”

“How come? You were real good.”

A tear ran down her cheek, and she turned away from me to bury her face into her mother’s dress. “I don’t wanna play without Mrs. Curtis,” she sniffled. “She’s the only one I want to teach me.”

~

Sorry it's been so long! You guys keep me motivated- I'm always so flattered how many people are still invested and looking forward to updates even when the chapters are more few and far between. Life is hectic but good. Exciting countdown- three days to my birthday, four until I see The Outsiders on tour again! I am beyond excited to experience it again from a closer seat, wit a different cast (had a lot of understudies the first time I went- would love to see OG and covers for variety!) and to experience it with my twin aka my fellow Outsiders fanatic for the first time! I will take notes and record the audio for anyone who wants it 😊

Happy trails to many of the OG cast members! I will miss them but happy and excited to see what they'll do next. I am very excited to have a new crew on board and enjoying getting to know them through social media/ interviews and hoping to scope out some audio. Will be writing lots this week- updates on a tentative time for Chapter 9 release coming soon!

[tragicallyuncreative]

How's life? And chapter nine (whooo!)?

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 9 Excerpt

Darrel

“Darrel!” Pony bounded over. I could tell he was beaming even under the mask. “I was able to check out twenty books. Mrs. Adler said it’s okay, long as I bring ‘em back by the beginnin' of July.” 

I bit back a laugh, a mixture of fondness and exasperation welling up inside me. I made a mental note to remember this. Every time I worried about him getting a little too caught up in the guy’s antics, or hanging out with Dallas too much, or when I started perseverating on how this city could tear him apart, I’d remind myself of this- the way the kid lit up like he’d been given infinite riches by overriding the library check-out maximum.

~

Chipping away at Chapter 9! Lots of writing getting done tonight so will give y'all another sneak peek then. This chapter is following the pattern of the last- starting with Darry, ending with Pony. Chapter 10 will make Soda fans happy as we are finally back to his POV.

Life is crazy busy, work is chaotic, the hospital is on fire, that's pretty much it 🤣 buuuttt 2.5 week countdown to m birthday aka seeing The Outsiders on tour two days in a row! Don't worry, I'll give y'all all the details 💖

[tragicallyuncreative]

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 9 Excerpt

Darrel

Dallas was there in a flash, kneeling down next to Soda and reaching for Johnny’s limp form. I instinctively moved to stop him- the fury radiating off him was so strong that I worried he’d be too heavy-handed and hurt him even worse- but when he shifted Johnny over to his lap his touch was as gentle as I’d ever seen it.

“Shit,” he breathed, shaking Johnny’s shoulder. Johnny didn’t even twitch, his head lolling side to side. Then, louder as he started to panic. “Oh shit, Johnny. Johnny, man you gotta wake up!”

“We gotta take him in,” I managed, already formulating a plan. The free clinic couldn’t handle this. They’d take one look at him and call for an ambulance. St. Francis? “Steve, run, quick, and start the tru-”

“Where, Darrel?” Dallas was shouting by now, growing more agitated. Soda barely managed to shift Johnny back over to his lap before he was on his feet and inches from my face. “Go on, if you’re so fuckin’ smart! Where do’ya suggest we take the kid where they ain’t gonna call the fuzz? Ask for insurance?? His parent’s names? File a report?!? By all means, if that’s a risk you’re willin’ to take!”  

~

I love Johnny Cade infinitely and it pains me to put him through this. But, being jumped is a big part of his character in the novel, and I plan to keep that cannon. I put it off for a while, but we're just about at that time (4 months pre novel) and it plays into the bits of the chapter I already had written. Slowly chipping away- picking up a lot of overtime/ been called in as we are in a flu B crisis and the hospital is pretty much on fire but have next weekend off and plan to do lots of writing then! Take care, friends 💖

[tragicallyuncreative]

PLEASE COME BACK I LOVE YOU!!!!! UPDATES???

I’M BACK, BABY!! 🎉✨💖

I have missed y’all SO much- The Outsiders fandom, my readers, my mutuals, the pals I chat with on here, everyone! I would love to hear how everyone is doing/ what y'all have been up to 🥰

It's been a bit of a rough patch in my life lately, but I am back on the upswing. After a lot of rough shifts and hard days, I made the decision to transfer out of the PICU and onto the general pediatric care floor as an RN. There is so much to learn as a new grad nurse, let alone in a field like pediatrics, but pediatric intensive care is SO hard to start out in. I was doing okay, but not feeling fully confident in my abilities, and wanted to be 100% solid in my decisions when in emergency scenarios that frequently happen in that unit. I miss the team there (mostly- was unfortunately dealing with some mean girl vibes that didn’t help my confidence as well) and maybe one day will revisit the critical care world, but am LOVING my new unit! Everyone is so nice, the teamwork is great, and it is an amazing feeling to be able to actually discharge kiddos/ know they are going to have a good outcome- the was rarely the case in PICU. And I love having patients that aren’t all intubated/ sedated- I get to interact/ bond with them and a bigger focus on education and teaching now they are out of the woods and moving towards learning to live with their conditions. My patient load is crazy, I still work with some pretty critical kiddos (have had to call 5 alerts and done several PICU transfers in the last few weeks) and it is so much more hectic (usually 13 - 14 hour shifts) but I lowkey love the chaos and am looking forward to continuing to learn and grow!

Enough rambling! I have not been in a writing mood given all this but that has changed! Chapter 9 is officially in the works. No timeline for release yet, but will be posting updates consistently like I used to. I have lots planned and am excited to share with y’all!

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8 Excerpt

Darrel The minute we’d stepped into the parking lot, I thunked Ponyboy on the back of the head lightly, setting Soda’s DX hat slightly askew. “What was that?” “What was what?” he said in his most innocent voice, blinking up at me with those damn puppy dog eyes. Soda had taught him well. “You know what. That blood draw. She had to poke ya three times and you barely flinched. So why’s it World War Three every time I gotta give you your shots?” “It ain’t!” he said indignantly. “You know darn well it is. You don’t wanna embarrass yourself in front of staff so you can suck it up and do it, you just chose not to make it easy for us at home. Back me up here, Johnny.” Johnny was suddenly engrossed in examining his shoes. Pony rolled his eyes, flopping dramatically into the bench seat next to me as I started up the truck. “It’s different."

[tragicallyuncreative]

Tex One-Shot Excerpt

Mason

There were only two people who ever called me, really, and that was Tex or Pop. If Robert or any of my other friends wanted to talk, they all lived close enough that they’d just drop by. And no one would go to the trouble of calling me at school unless something was wrong.

My mind raced with all sorts of unpleasant possibilities as I quickened my pace, practically jogging down the halls. There were an infinite number of possibilities of things that could happen to Pop on the rodeo circuit. Car accident, falling off a horse or bull, bar fights. Hell, he could’ve picked up that bootlegging nonsense again at any time and I’d be none the wiser. Or hustling. As for Tex- I swallowed hard, thinking of the cycle Johnny Collins had gotten for his birthday last month. I was always telling Tex to be careful on it, but the kid couldn’t listen to save his life. I remembered Joe Taylor, who’d broken his neck after trying to jump over the creek on his cycle last fall. He was now quadriplegic, wheelchair-bound and breathing through a hole in his neck. We’d seen him around town sometimes, strapped into his chair but slumped down anyway, being spoon-fed by his parents or sisters at the diner. I’d never be able to take care of Tex if something like that happened. I wouldn’t have the resources. I’d have to put him in a home somewhere.

[tragicallyuncreative]

The Outsiders Musical On Tour: Full Review

Here’s a full breakdown/ details from the 8 PM show of The Outsiders Musical on tour in Greensboro, NC on 12/13/25!

The Steven Tanger Center is gorgeous. I saw Rent there a couple years ago (10/10, btw). My older sister has lived in Greensboro for about 8 years now, and my parents moved there 6 months ago. I love that I always have excuses to see shows when I visit! My mom and sister joined me for the show. My sister went in blind, my mom knows the story. We're cheap and were in the very back row of the balcony seats so unfortunately missed some of the finer details. I couldn't resist the merch stand and am obsessed with my Stay Gold crewneck and necklace. And for my 21+ friends, highly recommend the Cherry Sodapop drink 🤣🍸

Understudy-wise, we had Seth Ajani on instead of Tyler Jordan Wesley for Dallas, Jackson Reagin on instead of Travis Roy Rogers for Darrel, Dante D’Antonio on instead of Corbin Drew Ross for Sodapop, Luke Sabracos on instead of Jackson Reagin for Paul, and Sebastian Martinez on instead of Luke Sabracos for Trip. We had Mekhi Payne for Seth and Giuseppe Little for Dante in the booth.

Tulsa ‘67

-I missed Nolan!Ponyboy’s initial entrance, so I’m not sure if he walked down the aisle or entered through a side door- I’m sure it depends on the venue. But he sat on the stage and wrote in his notebook for about a minute and a half before the show started- really sets a great vibe!

-From the minute he started talking, I knew that my expectations would be massively exceeded. Nolan is Ponyboy. He embodies him, in my opinion, just as much as Brody did. A different version- softer, younger, more thoughtful in a way that is uniquely his own but no less effective. His voice is fantastic- clear, great tone, and already so improved from the clips I’d heard only a couple months before (and those were excellent already!) He was truly amazing to watch and added yet another layer to this character that I love so dearly.

-I love the way he perched on the seat in the audience during the movie part!

-Jaydon!Two-Bit blew the Socs a kiss, then flipped them off at one point.

-The DANCING. Holy cow. Knocked my socks off. This is one talented crew!

-Bonale!Johnny and Nolan!Pony are besties. They had great chemistry together. There is such a sense of trust and comfort in the scenes and interactions between them. When they sang “poor ass there” they bumped each other’s shoulders on each beat and Nolan laughed. It was so cute I might have to post the audio clip of it.

-Bob is a villain in the best way. “Cut that hair” started out like a typical high school bully chant but got so sinister.

-I’m glad they make them snapping the switchblade open as audible and obvious as possible because if I didn’t know that’s what they were doing, I wouldn’t have known the Socs pulled a knife on him during the jumping. A lot of the subtle movements, expressions, etc. were missed given how far I was from the stage.

-Jackson!Darrel dragged Pony over to the tire. I unfortunately missed some of the visual after until the start of GGAH because someone walked in late and blocked my view.

-Seth!Dallas was such a new take on Dallas. He’s not a big guy, and his presence isn’t immediately intimidating. Pony really is his buddy, not just a tag-along. You can tell how much he cares for Johnny and Pony right away, that he takes his role seriously. I loved it. He’s the first Dally I’ve seen ("seen" being through bootlegs/ audios) that could pass for 17.

Grease Got A Hold

-So much fun!

-Seth!Dally rolled the “r” in “grimiest” lol.

-I haven’t listened to enough audios to be able to pick out/ recognize everyone’s voices yet, but I could definitely hear the booth singers and they were eating.

-Brandon!Steve! His dancing is everything!

-Two-Bit dropped the grease. Ace picked it up and chucked it offstage.

-Nolan caught the keys.

-Jackson!Darrel dropped the bat the second time he flipped it.

-Nolan!Pony is peak 14-year-old boy. So sassy. “What?”😒😒🙄 Darry is definitely sick of his shit.

-Opt up on “I’ll teach you everything you need to know” was perfect.

-Nolan!Pony’s smile at the end when Soda’s greasing his hair was so big that I could see it from the back row. He’s just happy to be included with the older guys 🥲

Runs In The Family

-Jackson!Darrel is so tired.

-He’s almost robotic in a good way. You get the sense that he’s been on autopilot for a long time. He doesn’t let himself feel anymore. It’s a survival method.

- His voice is fantastic. He puts a lot of emotion in it. He has a subtle twang like Brent that I really like.

-“Hey, Superman!” -Two-Bit.

-Steve repeated “king shit?” after Darrel called Dally that and he sounded so confused lol.

-I love the outline of the roof/ Curtis House projection. I’d never noticed that before in bootlegs.

-Dante!Soda leans heavy into the humor, but as the bedtime scene went on, it became clear that it was a façade. He’s not really that happy-go-lucky, he just can’t let himself feel because otherwise he’ll be swallowed by grief. He sounded so sad when Ponyboy was talking about Sandy and just wanted to shut that whole conversation down. Same with talking about their parents. He talks fast and is quick to joke about his dreams to get away from the topic.

-“He’s proud of you. ‘Cause you’re so *gahh* brainy.” Ruffles Pony’s hair aggressively as Pony pushes him away.

-“544 FUCKIN PAGES?!?!?!

Great Expectations

-Chills. Multiple times. Seeing this song live is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time and it didn’t disappoint.

-The lighting. I’ve seen it before in bootlegs but gosh, it was just so cool! I LOVED when he shines the flashlight on Darry and then each greaser is illuminated. There was then the stars in the background and it was just beautiful. Nolan absolutely crushed it. His high notes on the high 3rd and 4th ‘great expectations” were drowned out by the ensemble but still sounded good!

-He did this little run on “be” during “between what is and what could be” that I’m obsessed with.

-Bonale!Johnny quietly crying sitting on the tire listening to his parents fight and then trying to hide it when Dally showed up. My heart 💔

-Seth!Dally is so gentle with Johnny.

-“You really think he might do her like that?” He sounds surprised, you get the sense this is the first time he’s heard/ witnessed the extent of the violence.

-Bonale!Johnny may be my favorite portrayal, and that’s saying something. His Johnny doesn’t seem quite as nervous as other portrayals. Still timid and quiet, but I got the sense he was quiet not because he was scared, but because he’s busy listening and observing and is content to do so. When he does speak, it’s impactful and worth listening to. He has a sense of peace/ calmness about him. He seems a little more protective of Pony. It’s the first time that I’ve gotten the sense that I would guess he is a little older than Pony, a little more mature, even if we hadn’t been told their ages.  

Friday At The Drive In

-EMMA!CHERRY! She. Is. Everything! Her voice is so similar to Emma Pittman’s, it is angelic. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute that she was on stage.

-Mark!Bob sings in a different key, or somehow changes up Bob’s lines a little/ opts down. I didn’t love it the first time I heard just because I wasn’t expecting it, but now I’ve been listening to it nonstop. His voice is very gravelly. It did crack a few times. I don’t know if it was purposeful/ stylistic, but it totally worked. He is excellent.

-The dancing was FIRE! Socs guys ate, Socs girls ate, Greasers ate. No notes. 10/10. 🎉🔥

-Brandon!Steve did this dive into a somersault thing that was the coolest shit I’ve seen in a long time.

-I could not stop being discombobulated by Marcia being blonde and Bev being brunette, just because I’m so used to Melody and Sarahgrace.

-Dally’s teasing started out very playful and irritating. It felt realistic the way he subtly crossed from harmless teasing to something more very quickly. He’s very taken aback by Johnny cutting in, you can tell he didn’t expect him to confront him.

-Katie!Marcia was very giggly and playful. She’s very amused by Cherry asking Pony and Johnny to sit with them. Her delivery on “county lockup” was so funny.

-Pony and Johnny try so hard to play it cool walking over to sit up front with the girls. They were practically moving in slow motion. They definitely didn’t pull off the casual swagger they thought they did 🤣🤦🏼‍♀️

-Nolan!Pony definitely had a puppy love vibe towards Cherry. You can tell he really admires her, but she doesn’t seem to pick up on this. She’s just enjoying their conversation.

-“You weren’t the one driving that train!” I really liked her delivery. She hates the idea that he blames himself.

-Nolan has such an earnest energy about him. Some of the lines that have the potential to be a little corny or cringy weren’t, just because he was so matter-of-fact about the delivery. “Look at that sky… I just like it.” I don’t know if I’m explaining it well, but he just sells all of it.

I Could Talk To You All Night

-“I was under the impression, you’d never read a book at all.” I think I was the only one who couldn’t help laughing at that. It’s just so savage 😂

-GORGEOUS. So obsessed with Emma Hearn’s voice. Nolan harmonizing was flawless. They sounded so similar to Emma Pittman and Brody.

-The run they did on “right” during “something about this feels right” was shortened and I don’t know how to describe it, but I am absolutely obsessed with it. Might have to post a clip so everyone else can experience too because wow.

-Bob interrupting yelling at the end was a jump scare.

-“Is there a problem…. Rrrooobert?” lmaoo. Jaydon!Two-Bit is great.

-Mark!Bob is very intimidating. He goes from laughing thinking she is joking saying they’re done, to getting in her face trying to intimidate. She was practically backing up into the wings to get away from him.

-Dante!Soda has great comedic delivery. He yelled “let’s call the Feds!” and it cracked me up. He was so excited that Pony talked to a soc girl, he was jumping around and hyping him up.

-“A girl started talking to him, he was just… being polite.” Bonale!Johnny doesn’t seem stressed trying to diffuse the tension. It almost seems he’s hoping to calm Darry down by staying calm telling him this.

Runs In The Family Reprise

-Three cheers for no one laughing during the “I’ll fold the laundry” bit. Obviously it’s funny if the person playing Soda is aiming for that which they do sometimes (I’ve heard Victor play it that way) but a lot of the time it’s not, it’s a clearly-stressed Soda trying to calm Darrel down and then it’s a gut punch when he says “taking care of family is feeling overrated.” Dante!Soda is definitely feeling the stress.

-Jackson!Darrel was over it all. I really wish I was closer to the stage, because I feel his emotions are definitely more subtle expressions than big movements, and I didn’t get to see them. But he rounds on Johnny during “eat my food” and Soda jumps to his defense pretty quickly. He’s standing over Pony during a lot of it and did an opt up on “every dollar that I earn” that I loved. He chucks the bills at Soda hard. It seems like he’s still somewhat in control until Pony says he should leave, then he really starts to go off from there. “You have no idea what I give up for you.”

-“It’s not my fault you hate your dang life.” Nolan!Pony doesn’t yell this. It’s almost tired-sounding, like he’s said it to Darrel before, but the madder Darrel gets, the more heated he becomes, and he’s yelling by “if you hate us so much you should just leave!”

-After he hits Pony, Jackson!Darrel just sits on the ground 😢💔

Far Away From Tulsa

-Chills. So. Many. Times. The harmonizing was on point.

-Probably one of my favorite moments of the show was a small change that Nolan and Bonale made. I can’t be 100% sure if it was intentional, but it changes the meaning and really speaks to the way both of them portray Pony and Johnny that stands out a bit. Bonale sings “we’ll sit around the fire” instead of “we’d”, and Nolan says “this will be a chance” instead of “could.” It’s not wistful thinking for them, they’re speaking in absolutes. This song has always given the idea that Pony is envisioning this fantasy, and Johnny is humoring him singing about this empty dream that he knows will never happen. But Nolan and Bonale both truly think this is going to happen. They still have hope. Bonale doesn’t seem resigned to his fate already. And it broke my heart just a little more knowing what was coming.

-“Oh, shit!” -Nolan when the Socs show up.

-“Y’all are out of your territory!” definitely the boldest delivery of this line I’ve heard. Johnny sounds more mad than scared.

-The collective gasp the audience made when Pony spit at Bob made me chuckle 😂

-The lighting and sound during the drowning was SO COOL. And the stabbing. Insane! It looked so real!

-My sister was totally blindsided by it. She kept whispering "wait... is he actually dead??"

Run Run Brother

-So cool. Almost whiplash from the tone shift.

-The effects! The wooden planks forming a cross when they sing about the cross. So clever. It really looks like they are jumping off a train at the end.

-I got chills when the full company showed up and started singing. “Sooner or later you learn…” Darrel singing this felt so ominous.

Justice For Tulsa

-The flashlights shining into the audience is so cool.

-Marcia definitely wants to stay with Cherry, but is pulled away. She really hesitates when Cherry holds out her hand to her and you can tell she’s thinking about joining her, but is pressured back into the group.

-Luke!Paul sounded amazing!

-I never realized how high up Ponyboy and Johnny are on the perch for the church. I’m really glad they have safety harnesses because it’s got to be at least 20 feet.

-I know he was working with what they had but damn, Johnny really did my boy Pony dirty with that haircut. Poor guy genuinely looks like Julie Andrews fr.

-The only line my sister knew from the show was "Bob was drinking" (at a cousins wedding last month I apparently kept drunkenly singing it on repeat 😂) and she was very excited to hear it but then disappointed as she was under the impression they made a whole song out of the single line somehow? lmaooo

Death’s At My Door

-So heavy. You really feel the weight Nolan!Pony is carrying around at such a young age.

-Bonale’s voice is just *chef’s kiss*. The two of them harmonizing together is magical.  

-The hug at the end 🥹 Nolan dives at Bonale and buries his face in his shoulder. Besties for life.

-The confrontation between Jackson!Darrel and Seth!Dallas was a great scene and again, the first time I interpreted it a little differently/ felt a different portrayal. Seth!Dally is truly hurt- not necessarily that Darrel is insulting him, but at the fact that anyone would doubt how much he cares for Pony and Johnny. He takes his role as their protector, role model, friend, etc. seriously. He cares deeply. He is quicker to anger at the implication that he doesn’t.

-I felt so bad for Dally in this scene. I always feel a little bad for him, but Seth!Dally just seems so hurt by all of it.

-“That’s why they came to me after what went down.” Very much competing vibes between the two “big brothers” of the group. You feel for Darrel, too, even if it’s harsh. He’s so worried.

Throwing In The Towel

-Another one of the top moments in the show for me. They all nailed it. Jackson and Dante have fantastic voices.

-Thank GOD again that no one laughed during “while you’re watching cartoons.” Such a pet peeve of mine because there’s nothing funny about it. It’s his coping mechanism of disassociating and grieving, not more comedic relief.

-Definitely one of the moments where I wish I was closer to the stage- I wasn’t really able to appreciate the great acting I know they were doing because I couldn’t see their faces.

-“I need you Darrel. I can’t lose my big brother too,” was heartbreaking. For all the bravado Soda puts on, he’s just a kid, too.

-The hug at the end 🥹💖 I know there wasn’t time, but I wish the musical would feature more of Soda and Darry’s relationship. It’s so special.

-I loved the poem and the subtle projected sunset.

-My mom was the biggest Paul Newman fangirl growing up and also saw Elmer Gantry with Burt Lancaster like 10 times and she was wheezing at the Julie Andrews vs. Burt Lancaster debate.

-“DALLY!” Johnny is so happy to see his big bro.

-Seth!Dally was about to hug Pony and then stops and stares at his hair. “Is it just terrible?” “Yeah, but-” pulls him into a hug to reassure him “at least the cops won’t recognize you.”

-“I’d do anything for you two- I’d take a bullet for you two.” Seth!Dally is a little hesitant and stumbles over the words. He’s not used to admitting to feelings, but it’s important to him for them to understand that he’s got their backs. I want to know everything about his Dally’s backstory.

Soda’s Letter

-No notes. Dante!Soda has a gorgeous voice.

-I love Darrel singing the last line by himself. The look he and Ponyboy exchange hurts my heart.

-“I killed that kid. I killed him!” Bonale!Johnny yells this part. It’s clear he has a lot of guilt feeling like he’s dragged Pony into this.

-Seth!Dally’s monologue was so intense. It feeds into his Dallas being the most emotional. His voice breaks. He gets flustered. He has so much feeling and he has been running his whole life  and you get the sense that he knows, deep down, he can’t protect Johnny from this.

-The fire. Holy cow. They didn’t have real flames like the bootlegs I’ve seen but lots of smoke and glow lighting and it was very cool.

Hoods Turned Heros

-The newspaper was projected on the stage and it was awesome! I loved the way the fire was acted out with them climbing/ sliding down the boards and the shadows/ projections on the sheets showing them rescuing the kids.

-Jaydon!Two-Bit brought the house down with this number, imo. Great energy. I loved the growl he did on “while that old church was burning down.”

-This is a very niche comparison, but Brandon!Steve yelled “someone had a run-in with the greaserhood” and it sounded so crazy and unhinged that it reminded me of Tom Cruise!Steve in the movie when he yells “ain’t nobody gonna call the fuzz in this neighborhood ‘cause they know better!” Same energy lol.

-Justice!Ace’s harmony on “age of the greaser” sent me. I don’t know if I’ve given her some love in this write-up yet but man, she deserves it! Total powerhouse.

-I love this number because it’s the only time we see a semblance of happiness from Darrel and my boy deserves it.

-“I don’t want to disappear no more.. not no more.” Rip my heart out, why don’t you.

-Cherry enters while Dally is leaving and he looks right at her when he says “I’ll snap a Soc’s neck if I have to.” It was intense.

-“Don’t you dare feel sorry for us!” Nolan!Pony was so upset and Cherry seems so hurt. Her heart is in the right place but unfortunately the whole situation is too little, too late in terms of standing up for them.

Hopeless War

-I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Emma Hearn is phenomenal. That’s it.

Trouble

-Justice!Ace is doing these crazy push up/ sit up/ crunches prepping for the rumble. Go queen go 🔥👑

-Dante!Soda jumping over Jackson!Darrel’s head was crazy. Dude had to vault himself over.

-I just love the split harmony on the last “way.” It sounded especially good.

-There’s no way Paul and Darrel WEREN’T formerly romantically involved based on this portrayal lol.

-The rumble was SO COOL. Literally cannot imagine how much goes into the effects and making it rain on Broadway, let alone on tour at all different types of theatres. It is incredibly impressive and the creative team/ tech crew/ stage hands/ etc. deserve so much credit.

-I don’t think I blinked for a full five minutes because I didn’t want to miss a second, there was so much going on. The choreography was crazy. I’m so excited to see it again but more up-close so I can appreciate all the little details, like the blood packs and things.

-Jackson!Darrel went right to Nolan!Pony after and picked him up and swung him around in a hug. It was so cute.

-Bonale!Johnny really made it his mission to rip our hearts out, huh?

-Nolan!Pony’s “no, no, no” after Johnny dies are devastating. He crawls to the end of Johnny’s bed and just sits there until Dante!Soda pulls him in his lap. He fights him for a second but then gives up and just slumps into him.

Little Brother

-Seth!Dally saw Bonale making everyone cry and was like “challenge accepted.” I did not expect to cry just because I have read this book and watched the movie and seen bootlegs SO SO SO many times over the last (13?!?!) years but I couldn’t help it. It was like watching it for the first time again.

-His voice broke a lot, like he was fighting tears. Or it could have been vocal strain. Either way, it worked, he sounded amazing and acting was crazy good.

-“DOES ANYBODY CARE?!?”

-His voice wasn’t necessarily the strongest with this song. We didn’t get crazy opt-ups and gospel vibes and riffs like we’ve gotten with other Dallys. And I liked it that way. It was like he was too tired to carry through anymore, too tired for a big scene, too tired to feel anymore- he was done. And him standing in the spotlight with that train sound and then just silence was deafening.

-Nolan!Pony’s monologue after. He didn’t cry, but he already sounded detached, like he couldn’t even process what had just happened.

-The brother’s scene. So many feels. Nolan!Ponyboy played it so well. The shock, the disassociation, the numbness.

-Jackson!Darrel is desperate in trying to snap him out of it. The delivery of “he’s dead, he’s dead.” It was heartbreaking. He is trying to get through to him, to get him to face reality, no matter how much it hurts.

-Cherry looks so worried by Pony’s unresponsiveness.

-Dante!Soda was so sweet reading Johnny’s letter to Pony. When Pony reaches for it, he looks so relieved.

Stay Gold

-Man, oh man. Probably my favorite moment of the show, for sure. It was absolutely gorgeous. This song is, imo, the most beautiful song written in the history of musical theatre. Maybe ever.

-For the first time, I felt such a sense of peace from Johnny while singing this song. “Swore I wasn’t ready to die, turns out I was wrong…. I’ve made my peace with all the bad.” He doesn’t have regrets. The look on his face when he sang “I’d do it all again” said it all. It was beautiful.

-He and Pony sitting on the car in synch really did me in. The harmony was so gorgeous. By the end, you felt like a little bit of that peace had been transferred to Pony. He’s got a long way to go and a lot of healing to do. But it’s a start.

-I usually don’t find the “is that okay with you?” and the “yeah, I’m good with that” funny, but it kind of was. It felt like such a simplification and also, such a laugh of relief. Darrel and Soda are like “yeah, we don’t give a shit, you’re talking for the first time in two weeks, we’re okay with anything!”

-I love Pony handing Darrel his journal. There’s such trust in it. That, for me, is the moment we know that they’re going to be okay. Their relationship is still fractured. There will still be fights. But they’ll make it.

Finale (Tulsa ’67)

-There’s such weight in Pony starting off with the same line he did in the beginning. “I’ve never known anybody to leave, most people get stuck here for life.” It makes you realize how much of a journey he’s been on in just a week (or two hours and twenty minutes, lol).

-Another one of my very favorite parts is the realization that his brothers are the real heroes and him finally acknowledging it and the way he looks at them when he sings “can you imagine how proud mom and dad would be?” My heartttt 💔

-I just love him handing the book off. I love that they do that every show. I know its usually rush lines/ superfans/ people who have seen the show before who are in the front but I like to think the book gets passed to a random person who came into the show blind and now this whole world is opened up to them and they’ll get to read it for the first time. How exciting!

-Love the opt-up on “for the down and outs who can never win.”

-Standing ovation, of course!!!!

Final Thoughts

-I did my best to stay until after the orchestra/ band played to the very end and everyone had left stage. A lot of them hung out and were eating the dinner. Someone cartwheeled off stage lol.

-So glad the have the screen so the booth singers and orchestra can get their very well-deserved moments. HUGE props to all of them!

-I so wanted to stage door but knew my mom and sister wouldn’t be into it and it was like 20 degrees with 5 degree wind chill 🥶 My twin and I will for sure stage door when we see it next time!

-My mom LOVED it! I’ve made her watch the bootleg before and she knew all the songs already. She has always indulged me in when I force her to watch musicals, even if she’s not into them, but she truly loved it and it was so special. She was the one who initially introduced me in 6th grade! It was very special to her growing up (had read the book but especially the movie- that cast were her true celebrity crushes lol. Rob Lowe fangirl 45 years later ).

-My sister enjoyed it, too! And that is saying something. I affectionately call her our “Darry” of the group- it’s very hard to get her to read or watch books, TV shows, movies, anything (the exception being Harry Potter). She once said something very similar to a quote from the book about how Darry thinks his own life is interesting enough without inspecting other people’s. I had to nag her about theatre etiquette to get her to put away her phone (🫣🤦🏼‍♀️) at the beginning but she really got invested in the story!

-I am beyond excited that I will be seeing the show twice more in March with my twin for our birthday! She is my Outsiders and musical enthusiast partner-in-crime and I can’t wait for her to experience it. We splurged on good seats so I’m really looking forward to getting to see the details I missed. Hoping to see the OG Curtis bros but certainly would not be upset with any understudies either- I love seeing different actors and their takes on characters!

Standouts

-The entire cast was amazing, but had to recognize a few people! I’ve talked about it already, but Nolan White and Bonale Fambrini blew me away. I didn’t think anyone could touch the portrayals/ performances Brody Grant and Sky Lakota-Lynch gave, but they absolutely did. Their talent and the chemistry they had was remarkable. They are both so young and I am very excited to follow them and their careers, as I have no doubt they have much success ahead of them!!

-Jaydon Nget as Two-Bit! His charisma and stage presence shone through. He is a great dancer, radiates energy, has great comedic timing, and a fantastic voice. I was definitely drawn to him whenever he had a scene, even if he wasn’t the main focus of it or wasn’t speaking/ singing. I am VERY excited for him to understudy Johnny/ Dally and hope to hear details of when he does as I know he will knock those out of the park.

-Brandon Mel Borkowsky as Steve! For a character with very few lines, he made it his own. There’s no way to describe his dancing other than sensational. Everything looks clean, sharp, and effortless. I was vaguely familiar with him from Sunset Blvd, but am so happy this show gives him an opportunity to shine- and shine he does! I look forward to him understudying Two-Bit so we can hear more of his singing as well!

[tragicallyuncreative]

Long Time, No See!!

hello my lovely friends!! So sorry for the radio silence. Life has been rough lately and I haven’t been feeling up to writing or doing much of my usual activities. Being a new grad nurse in a unit as demanding as the PICU is tough and I feel like I’ve been burning the candle at bit ends trying to keep up. I usually have my meds adjusted around this time of year too so that leaves me feeling a bit down. But, the holiday season is upon us and that always puts me in a good mood! Slowly chipping away at ATEOTR Chapter 9 and my Tex one-shot and will try to be better about posting excerpts. I would LOVE to hear on the comments about how all of yall are doing and what you’ve been up to 💖

My biggest mood booster and writing motivation is occurring in just a few hours- after being the biggest fan since La Jolla, I am finally seeing the musical on tour tonight!!! I am beyond excited and will post tonight or tomorrow with a review/ details. Will try to get audio too and will be happy to share with anyone interested ☀️💛

[tragicallyuncreative]

At The End Of The Road: Chapter ? Excerpt

Ponyboy

“Kid, no way. I don’t like you even goin’ to the movies.”

“It’s outside. He said they’re havin’ a bonfire. I ain’t gonna be breathin’ in germs if we’re in the backyard.

“No, you’ll just be breathin’ in a bunch of smoke. That’s reassuring, Pony.” I’d grown enough in the last couple months to not immediately take it as an attack. He wasn’t trying to ruin my life. He was just worried.

“I’ll wear a dang mask then! Please, Darry?”

“Are his parents’ home?”

“Yeah,” I said automatically, not sparing it much thought. It didn’t occur to me that this was my first real high school party, despite me almost being a sophomore. Most of my friends were through track, and I was one of five freshmen on the team. I’d only been in high school for four months when the accident happened- not enough time to make any real buddies aside from them. My chances were pretty much shot after that, and that wasn’t even counting the cancer. Long story short, people weren’t exactly lining up to invite me places.

~

Thanks for all the love on Chapter 8! It makes me so happy to see y'all enjoying it. Slowly working on my Tex one-shot and Chapter 9, along with some future chapter mapping out. Have a great week!!

[tragicallyuncreative]

T-MINUS FIVE HOURS!!!!

I've waited to drop any announcements until the chapter is basically done, because I didn't want to give any more false hopes or time frames that I couldn't meet. After blood, sweat, and tears, I am almost done with Chapter 8 and will be posting within the next few hours! It is a long chapter which hopefully makes up for how long the wait has been. Any guesses? I am so psyched to have this out soon and hear everyone's thoughts- lots of frustration, doubt, and writer's block with this one so am anxiously awaiting opinions.

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8 Excerpt

Darrel

By the time the dishes were piled in the sink, it was almost eleven. I hated to ruin the mood and put the kid on the spot, but I knew we couldn’t put it off any longer. “Pony, it’s time for your shots. You wanna do them here or go to the bathroom or my room?” What I really meant was “Do you want an audience for this?”

Of course, subtlety wasn’t in most of our vocabulary. “Shots?” Dally balked. “You gotta give the kid shots?”

“Shots like injections, not like the alcohol, genius.” Steve supplied.

“I know that!” Dally snapped. “That’s freaky, man. Shots give me the creeps. That’s why I ain’t ever had one before.”

“You’re full of it, man. There’s no way you ain’t never had a shot before.”

“Does my old man seem the type to take me to the pediatrici-”

How Long Is ATEOTR Chapter 8?

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Voting ended onNov 7, 2025

[tragicallyuncreative]

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8 Excerpt

Typing this in a massive hurry as I get ready for work. Three people are out with COVID and I've been called in tonight and tomorrow. Won't get update out tonight anymore like I was planning but after tomorrow night will have 4 days off in a row and 100% will be posting (for real this time!)

Darrel

I didn’t like the way she was looking at Johnny. If anything, Two-Bit was the one who’d been causing any type of disruption by accidentally swearing too loud a few times, forgetting our audience (a few disgruntled parents had covered their kids’ ears), but I knew that wasn’t the problem. The way she looked Johnny up and down, eyes narrow and suspicious, was all too familiar. It didn’t surprise me, but it was disappointing. Tulsa was chock-full of racists. They’d rezoned the school districts nearly a decade ago, after Brown versus Board, and the Indian Relocation Act was passed at nearly the same time, but Will Rogers was still one of the few non-segregated schools in the area. I knew for a fact that if Johnny had been the one with that knife in the lobby, those guards would’ve had him pinned and handcuffed before he could so much as blink. Dallas deserved a lot of the trouble he got, but it didn’t mean it was fair. I’d seen Two-Bit and Steve and even Sodapop sometimes do things that cops barely looked twice at (petty theft, disturbing the peace, speeding) that Dallas had been booked for, just cause of how he looked. Uncle Jim had to fight for years to get a salary comparable to the rest of the roofing crew, even though he was one of the best workers. And I knew Aunt Carla’s wage as an art teacher at Booker T. Washington, one of the segregated schools, paled in comparison to teachers at standard public schools. It made my blood boil if I thought about it too long. I’d been hoping Oklahoma City would be more open-minded; it was a larger city, after all, and the hospital had some diversity in staff. I’d seen a few Black and Hispanic nurses, and some doctors from outside the States, Dr. Nguyen included. I hated to learn that it had been wistful thinking.

[tragicallyuncreative]

Y'all... cue the people running after me with pitchforks. I don't feel good about it either. But I spent twelve hours straight messing around with chapter 8 and realized I really hated a certain section. The flow was all wrong, people were out of character, and it would drive me nuts to leave it in. So I got rid of it. And then added some stuff. And then edited some more. And long story short, the chapter isn't quite done and I have to start getting ready for work. I feel SO BAD that I'm delaying because I know people were looking forward to it (I was, too!) I will do my absolute best to get it released ASAP but I work the next three nights in a row. Let's now say Tuesday evening at the very latest? I'll drop another T-minus to hold myself accountable lol. Thanks endlessly for understanding. Putting out chapters this long (this is by far the longest) is a lot of work and as much as I wish I could put myself in a little bubble and write, adult life is crazy busy and I have to get it in when I can. Big hugs to all and enjoy a chaotic excerpt of our favorite Greasers on game night.

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8 Excerpt Ponyboy

Game night at our house was always an event. We had a lot of impromptu ones, usually involving cards, but I couldn’t remember the last time all seven of us had been here and fully participating. I talked (and maybe whined, a bit) everyone into playing Monopoly, a game that Darrel hated with a passion because it was “too long” and “stressful” (“Why would anyone want to play a game where you’re just goin’ in circles tryin’ to avoid bankruptcy? I do that enough in my own life, thanks”), but he caved.

As expected, the chaos started before the game even began, with everyone duking it out over tokens. I stooped low enough to play the sick kid card in order to get the dog (in my defense, as the youngest I never got to pick first and it was obviously the best token). Steve and Soda arm-wrestled for the car (Soda won and gloated while Steve got stuck with the iron). “I don’t care anyway, it’s a stupid fuckin’ metal token. I let you win, Soda, only ‘cause you cared so much ‘bout it.” Dally threw a fit over being the thimble (“Why the fuck is that even an option?! I ain’t never used a thimble in my life. That’s for chicks. Who invented this game, anyways?”) We forced Johnny to be the banker because he was good with numbers and the only one we knew wouldn’t cheat (we’d learned our lesson the last time we’d played, when we thought Darry was too mature for such trivial matters as who won the game and put on a show of complaining, only to catch him slipping himself $100 bills every time he broke change for someone). The game ended exactly how I expected: with Two-Bit making ridiculous bargains until he obtained ownership of his favorite properties (we liked to keep Mediterranean and Baltic Avenue from him because he was inexplicably dead set on owning them and it made him mad), Dally sitting in jail for prolonged periods with Johnny’s token “visiting” him, and Steve finally flipping the board when landed on Soda’s hotel-adorned Boardwalk and Park Place for the fifth turn in a row.

[tragicallyuncreative]

T-Minus!

I've been waiting a long time to say this....

T-minus 30 hours till ATEOTR Chapter 8! Probably more like 20 but I want to cover my bases 🤣🤣

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8 Excerpt

Darrel

Our house was almost as neat as it was when I went on my frenzied deep cleans for home visits. The carpets were vacuumed, pillows fluffed, countertops scrubbed, sink empty. There was a large, handmade banner scratching over the kitchen doorway; white paper with large colorful letters: “Welcome Home, Pony!” I surmised that it was mostly Johnny’s doing, but I recognized some of Two-Bit’s doodles (matching the tattoos on his arms) and Steve’s sketches of cars, which were surprisingly good. They’d all written little messages: Johnny’s was the longest, then Two-Bit’s. Pony snorted at Steve’s: “I kinda missed you, runt. Don’t think I’m gonna go easy on you when we have game night tomorrow. I found this book at the secondhand store so you and your big brain can pester us with useless random facts.” Even Dally had contributed. Granted, it simply said “-DALLAS WINSTON” in obnoxiously large, messy scrawl, almost as big as Pony’s name, but it was something.

[tragicallyuncreative]

At The End Of The Road: Chapter 8 Update

Well, I fully intended to be able to post a T-minus announcement tomorrow evening. Instead, it's my first weekend on call and surprise, surprise, I've already been called in to work day shift tomorrow and Sunday 😥😒 so sorry for the delays yet again. Good news is I have Monday and Tuesday off, as well as Thursday. Likely will be able to drop the chapter by Tuesday but if worse comes to worse, we're looking at Thursday. Thanks for the endless patience, friends!

~

Darrel

Mr. Dunthers, a CEO, called in countless favors, sending copies of x-rays and pathology reports to anyone who would listen. Even now, with the chemo and radiation and impending amputation, they were investing in all sorts of experimental remedies that hinted at a cure.

I got a cold, sick feeling of guilt in the pit of my stomach every time she talked about it. We couldn’t even afford to see one other doctor for a second opinion, let alone dozens. Mrs. Dunthers had paid for personal dieticians and chefs to try a juice cleanse and detox, finally settling on a pricey ketogenic diet that she prepared daily. She bought expensive multivitamins and “natural bioactive compounds”, purchased memberships at gyms for private meditation and yoga classes, even took him to weekly appointments with acupuncturists and chiropractors. Some of the ideas sounded far-fetched to me, while others had me scrambling for the hospital library, wondering if there was truth to it and trying to think up of budget-friendly ways to do the same for Pony.