PonyBoys Point of View:
I didn't pay any attention, although pieces of the old roof were crashing down too close for comfort. I snatched up another kid, hoping he didn't bite, and dropped him without waiting to see if he landed okay or not. I was coughing so hard I could hardly stand up, and I wished I had time to take off Dally's jacket. It was hot. We dropped the last of the kids out as the front of the church started to crumble. I shoved Johnny toward the window. "Get out!"
I watched as he leaped out the window and heard timber crashing and the flames roaring right behind me. A crippling pain then I was falling, coughing and sobbing for breath. I let out a high pitched scream. I heard Dally swear at me then I went down into a peaceful darkness.
I woke in the ambulance feeling crappier than I've ever felt in my entire life. I tried sitting up when I paramedic smiled down at me and pushed my shoulder down on the gurney. "Don't try to move, were almost to the hospital kid." I tried to speak and tell him I'm fine but I couldn't even form a single word. My lungs felt as if they were on fire I inhaled I could feel an intense pain from inside me. I felt the burns stinging creating a tingly pain throughout my body. I moved a inch and all the wounds came alive creating a fierce agony all over. The pain was too intense the darkness opened its arms for me to cower in and I accepted.
"Ponyboy?.." My eyes felt heavy as I pried them open to see Sodapop and Darry smiling down at me. They look just as tired as I felt. I tried to grin back at them but I grimace in pain as soon as I try moving at all. Darry's eyes begin to fill quickly with water and immediately I realize I must look as crappy as I feel. Sodapop grabs my hand and squeezes I try to hold back the tormented expression I feel coming from that that small kind gesture. But as he drops my hand and takes a step back I register I didn't do that great of a job. Darry looked down at me a mixture pity and sadness.
"Why you….. looking at me li...ke tha.?" I felt winded and exhausted just from the few words I spoke aloud. Shhhh Darry said coming closer toward my face he gently stroked my hair. "Shh baby, don't talk." He smiled down at me as he continued gently stroking my hair until I couldn't keep my eyes open any more.
I woke hearing voices faint and sorta far away. One of the voice was formal and the other was familiar Darry maybe Soda. I kept my eyes closed to hear what they were saying.
"So how is he Doc?" Darry or Soda said his voice thick with concern.
"He's not doing good at all son, I'm sorry." the doctor said.
"What do you mean by sorry?" I could tell it was Darry now by the anger that took ahold of his voice. Sorry? Am I gonna die?
"If he does live and that's a big if…. It seems like he will be paralyzed from the waist down." I could hear Darry inhale shock taking over, he couldn't form a sentence. If? Paralyzed? Those words swirled in my brain. I tried moving my leg or even my feet maybe my toes? But nothing I couldn't feel anything a panic took over my body. Tears unwillingly spilled from my closed eyes. I can't be paralyzed I have track and school. I have a life in front me, don't I?
The door slammed shut quickly, the sudden boom made my body jolt and my eyes open in pain. Soda was standing over me, I looked him in the eyes both of his had tears strolling down our cheeks.
"Don't listen to them Pony you will be fine." he said lying between his teeth neither of us believed him but I faked a smile anyway. Darry walked in wiping his tears away.
"Hey baby, you're awake." Darry said he looked from me to Soda he saw the pained expression in both of our faces. He walked up to both of us he grabbed Soda hugged him over the shoulder and grabbed my hand.
"We will be fine we are in this together….." Together, Together, Togeth…..
SodaPops point of View:
I looked down at Ponyboy he looked like he was just asleep like at the house i feel like I should just crawl in bed with him and wrap my arm around him. Nothing could hurt him with my arm around him. But I knew any day now would be his last the doctor said it was shocking he was living this long. Me and Darry haven't gotten any sleep and bills were stacking up. Neither of us could focus on work with our kid brother was sitting in a hospital dying.
The night we got the call was the worst night of our lives, me and Darry rushed to the hospital to find a unconscious Ponyboy he looked awful bruised and broken, there was blood everywhere. I couldn't even make myself care that Sandy left me and moved away, I slept on the couch well Darry slept on the chair next to Ponyboys bed. When I say slept I mean we lay there with our eyes closed then panic every time Ponyboy groans in his sleep from trying to move and causing himself pain. The pain that goes through his face instills a indescribable depression throughout my heart.
"Why did he have to save those kids?" I shouted Darry jumps up from his little nap panicked stricken. I hadn't realized I voiced my thoughts aloud. I look at Darry and apologized.
"I hadnt mean to shout, sorry Darry." I say he doesn't even acknowledge my out burst as he closes his eyes and tries to fall back asleep.
"Darry…." Ponyboy says weakly Darry's eyes fly open again as he stands up immediately to see what Ponyboy needed I ran over too.
"Ya, Little buddy?" I look at Darry he only ever calls me that he must really be worried about Pony.
"I'm so sorry…" Darry was about to interrupt but Pony's mouth opened again.
"Let me finish… I'm sorry for thinking you don't love me …..i know u do and i love you too.. I'm sorry I fought with you all the time … you sacrificed so much to raise ...us." Darry was in tears he couldn't even speak Ponyboy smiled up at him and reached for his Darry met him halfway and squeezed.
"Soda ...I love you too... I could...talk to you about ...anything I'm sorry I never tried to listen to you and I'm..sorry you were always the middleman between me and Darry…" I was in tears too and Pony grabbed my hand with his other hand.
"I love you to Ponyboy." I said wiping a stray tear off his cheek.
"You guys are the best brothers any kid brother could ask for… and Soda I don't regret saving those kids life… I did at first but not know its better… me than them…." He said as his skin turned pale white he needed to stop talking before he tired himself out to badly and couldn't recover. But as his heart monitor began to beep louder and louder panic took over me. It was barely audible but I could faintly hear Ponyboy say "Take care of eachother!" And then the little beeping went to a long beep that seemed to never stop. He flatlined I looked down at him his body was stiff there was no life in him left. No more stupid movies, or him reading his books until 2 o'clock in the morning. How can I sleep in a empty bed…. He's not dead .. he can't be. Darry eyes caught mine I cant breath i can't… Why Pony take me, take me instead. My body hit the ground before my mind could even register what was happening. Darrys arms were around me faster than ever before.
"Noo…no, no,no,noo God please noo" I screamed my heart felt as if it had physically shattered. Tears fell meaninglessly down my face. What were tears gonna do Ponyboy was dead. Anger rose deep inside my stomach. He was gone! I jumped up pushing Darry off me, I ran I ran fast and hard like I was running from the cops. I can't live without Pony, Mom and Dad … and Sandy. I have nothing to live for I can't live. As soon as I hit the entrance I ran through the open hospital doors. I could hear Darry on my flank but I knew what I was gonna. Something I had to do.
Darrys Point of view:
Soda ran faster and faster I couldn't reach him he was running straight into the traffic the cars were going 55 miles an hour. No Soda please don't...
"SODA, NOOOO!" As I screamed I knew it was to late he flung his body into the oncoming car it hit his body, flinging him over the car then the next car then hit him into the next lane where the car ran his his chest over. Blood oozed out of him from all over but the sounds that came from his broken shattered body as he was brutally hit repeatedly was something that my brain would never let me forget. I fell to my knees shaking and crying harder than I've ever cried in my life. The Paramedics ran past me to get to him but I knew he was dead even before they announced him deaseed. Both my kid brother dead on the same day.
I shakily stood up knowing that the guys were getting ready for the rumble tonight at our...my house. I walked home not even realizing that I was there already. I walked through the door to hear laughing and see the guys playing around I ignored them all and walked over the Dallas.
"Hey man, are you okay?" Dallas said I faked a smile they will hear about it tomorrow so I lied.
" Everything's fine, Hey Dallas you have the gun on you? I asked with way too much curiosity in my voice. If he noticed he didn't let it show he picked up his jacket flashing a shining metal handgun. I held my hand out for the gun. He raised an eyebrow and but eventually gave it to me. The guys were all laughing still having a good time. Tomorrow they will understand why I'm gonna do this. I walked quickly with the loaded gun in my hands to my bedroom when a voice stopped me.
"Hey Darry, wheres Sodapop and hows Ponyboy doing?" It was Johnny his quiet voice created instant silence. I let a single tear escape my eye and wiped it was as I turned around to face them.
"Sodas at the Hospital with Pony, he ain't doing too well." I said technically not lying because Soda was at the Hospital just in the morgue all broken and dead, along with Ponyboy. The only two people I care about in the world.
"We should all go visit Ponyboy before the fight." says Two-Bit standing up grabbing his jacket, they all stand up one at a time. I begin to go to my room again when from the doorway Dallas looks back to me and says;
"Aren't you coming Darry?" I turn around and smile.
"I will be there as soon as I can, I'm just gonna lie down for awhile!" I say again technically not lying I will be there as soon as the ambulance gets here and discovers my dead body lying on the floor. Dallas nods and turns around slamming the door shut behind him.
I finally get to my bedroom my knees hit the ground my hand sweaty as I shakily raise the gun to my head. Tears stream freely down my face as I stare into the smiling faces of my brothers in a picture on my nightstand. I count 3…..2….