Salvage Me

I let out another annoyed sigh for the hundredth time that night, well, maybe not that much but I know it's been plenty. Enough to where Two-Bit started to mimic me every time I did it.

But my patience was growing thin. My girl Evie, had canceled our date just because my best bud Sodapop and his girlfriend Sandy weren't going to be going out with us tonight. And why weren't they going out with us on what the girls liked to call a double date?

Well, the kid is sick – again. So of course, Soda had to play mother hen for his kid brother, on his first night off in two weeks I might add.

"If you keep doin' that Stevey-boy you're gonna send this house flyin' into the sky." Dally joked when he came out the kitchen a beer in his hand which sent Two-Bit darting for one like it was a reminder he needed a refill.

"It ain't helpin' much he got Two-Bit started neither." Darry grumbled from his seat in his arm chair his eyes never leaving the newspaper he'd been reading for the last hour or so, I'm sure he wasn't reading it because I hadn't seen him flip a page yet.

Another reason I was pissed, Darry was here yet Sodapop still didn't want to leave. It was always the kid, always the damn kid who kept him so distracted and this time it was all because of a stupid headache and a fever.

Big deal.

Right then, Soda came back into the living room, his face was all twisted up in a worry frown.

"He alright?" Darry asked putting the newspaper down.

Soda just shrugged and plopped down next to me and ran his fingers through his greasy hair, something he only did when he was really nervous about something.

Just a fever, I thought, why the heck is he so worried?

"I dunno Dar," He finally answered, "Fever is gettin' worse it back in the triples."

It was Darry's turn to sigh then, "Reckon we should take him to the doc." I could tell he was talking more to himself then he was to Sodapop or any of us.

And my annoyance for the kid was back. They couldn't afford that, I knew that the State only provided regular check ups for them but anything more had to come out of their pockets.

"Make him a hot tottie or somethin'." Two-Bit chimed in, giving Johnny the cards to shuffle up. "Hell I like that stuff even when I ain't sick."

"You know that your hot tottie is just the bottle of whiskey."

"Ain't that the truth." Two-Bit grinned, causing all of us to just roll our eyes. Two-Bit was something alright and I definitely wouldn't mind that bottle myself right now, playing cards with the guys was fun and all but I was still bored out of my mind.

We sat there while Johnny dealt out the cards, even Superman got in on the action I guess to keep his mind off of everything.

During the second game with all of us, Ponyboy came into the room. I didn't see him but Johnny did, "Hey Pone." he said.

My head shot up and I was ready to lay into the kid, if he was so sick he shouldn't have been out of bed but before I could even open my mouth my eyes handed on him and I seriously forgot how to speak then.

He looked like shit and apparently Dally thought so too because he actually voiced that same exact thing.

"Damn kid." Two-Bit said, eyeing Pony who was standing in the hallway. He was squinting his bloodshot eyes as if the light was too bright for him, he looked so dang small in the clothes he was wearing like he had raided Darry's closet or something. He was so pale too, almost like he was a ghost.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Darry was out of his chair and going towards the kid.

"Thirsty." He answered and his voice made me wince, it was all groggy and rough and just didn't sound right.

"Go back to bed, I'll get you some juice." Soda was up in a instant and I couldn't even feel a bit upset about it.

Once Ponyboy was in his room, I watched as Soda and Darry went into the kitchen most likely for some privacy to talk. With the game over, Dally, Two-Bit, me and Johnny went outside to smoke giving the brothers more room to talk amongst themselves.

"Damn." Dally muttered, lighting a cancer stick and handing one to Johnny.

I guess that had all taken as back a bit, he'd been sick most of the day but had looked fine other than being a bit pale and then just to see him a few minutes ago looking like shit warmed over, I'd be lying to say I wasn't a bit surprised.

"Ya'll got any other plans for tonight?" Two-Bit asked after awhile. "It's not even midnight yet." As much as everyone worried about the kid, it was impossible to imagine just waiting around here for the rest of the night because of his cold.

I lit my own cigarette before answering, "Not sure, with tonights plans in the crapp-" before I could finish I heard a shout from my best friend inside that nearly made me fall back.

"Pony!"

By the time we got inside, Darry was charging out of the bedroom Soda and Ponyboy shared with a look on his face I had never seen before. "Call for a ambulance." He barked at us before he turned and rushed back to the room.

Two-Bit was on the phone and Johnny and me followed after Darry -

I wasn't prepared for what I saw next.

Excuse any typos or grammar errors.