I sat on the floor of Sodapop's hospital room. They said they'd call me when he's ready. Sodapop looked younger when he slept. I always thought he did. His arm was bandaged and burnt from the car engine and broken and bloody. But it was in a sling; he said he can fill up gas with one arm. Then he started to fall asleep. Ariela was with Darry right now. Telling her his last words to her. Personally I just think those are the words he thinks he's gonna say last. Finally a nurse peeked her head inside and told me to go see Darry... This was it. I got up off the floor and walked slowly and quietly into Darry's room. "Darry...?" I whispered, knocking on the door. "Come in..." A raspy, low, quiet voice whispered from inside. I opened the door and tears jumped to my eyes and fell over like a waterfall. He looked so bad. He was so pale and fragile looking, burns on his body, tubes up his nose, tears in his eyes and blood all over. Twitches were all over his arms legs and face. His hair was singed and one eyes as swollen shut. A lip was busted open, still bleeding. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and s chest was burnt from neck to belly button;black. Then I knew what they meant by last words. Darry was gonna die. No, I thought. Not Tommy AND Darry. I wouldn't be able to live. I walked over to the blood stained bed and sat on my knees. He lifted his burnt hand up and I took it. I engulfed mine; now both of mine. "Darry?" I said again, tears choking up my throat. He nodded up to the ceiling. He couldn't move his head. He then turned his head and stared at me. "Pony?" He whispered. I began to cry. I nodded, wiping my eyes. No nurses or doctors were trying to help my brother. "Pony... When I'm gone soon, are you gonna use your head for Sodapop?" He whispered. I nodded vigorously. He chuckled to himself. "You know little Colt, when I got onto you, it was to protect you or because I love you and I didn't want you to end up like me. Go on with life... Start a family, get an education, make money. Do everything I couldn't. I had a family... It slipped away from me before I could snatch it right back. You dig, Colt?" He never used that nickname. Not after I turned 6. I nodded again. I couldn't think of anything to say to Darry... Except thank you. "Darry...?" I said for a third time. "Hmm?" "Thank you..." "For what?" "Helping me through everything; Mom and Dad, Bob, Johnny, Dally.
Thank you for not putting me in a boys home. Thank you for caring for me and taking care of me when I was weak. Thank you for being like Dad. Thank you for never judging me or taking advantage of me. Thank you... That's why I love you, Darry," I said, crying and choking up at the mention of Dad and Mom. I spotted a tear slide down his cheek and drop into the oxygen mask. "I love you too, little Colt," He had enough strength to kiss the top of my head. "Thank you though... Pony..." He whispered. I looked up from the floor. "Why?" "For teaching me to be responsible. To keep my head on my shoulder. For teaching the meaning of life. And for teaching me why I was alive. And for teaching me how to stay gold..." And he just died. His chest stopped, ALL color fell from his face, and blood stopped running. His hand fell limp and his eyes closed. I let go of his hand and slammed my hands into the floor in fists. NO! I thought. He's not dead, he's not gone. He's ok! He's alive! Tomorrow morning he'll wake up and go to work, roof houses, and come home eat dinner and play board games with us. He'll help me with my college papers and take me in at night when I get frustrated with everything. But then I looked at him again. He wasn't. He just wasn't. I have to accept. I hugged him and walked out of there, no tears, no frown, but no smile or laughs. I was beginning to morph into Darry, even though he died less than two minutes ago.
