Greetings y'all! All right, so, I know I've said that the end is near and now I'm not sure it is because I can't make up my dang mind. So, is the end near? I honestly have no clue. Now, updating may be a while because school is going to start soon and I'm taking AP European History and Honors English so I might get tired of writing and may not update for long periods of time. Just a heads up. All right, enjoy!
Chapter 11: Whacked Out
Johnny's POV
Ms. Hodge was a wreck when she came into the hospital and the doctor had to sedate her she was so hysterical. Sodapop wasn't much better. He was always next to Zoey's bed, always. She miraculously had no broken bones which the doctors don't understand seeing how bad the crash was that Soda dragged her from. However, she did have extensive bruising and the doctors worried that the worst damage was internal, like internal bleeding and whatnot.
After four days of no sleep and a few snacks periodically (around every eight hours), Darry forced Sodapop to go home and get some sleep and to go back to work. Sodapop was furious but he relented knowing that arguing wouldn't do any good. Steve wasn't very talkative because he blamed himself which I'm not sure why. Dallas stormed out of the hospital when he found out Zoey was in a coma and when he came back the next day, he had a shiner on his eye. He must've gotten in a fight with Tim Sheppard or something. Darry kept himself busy by working extra shifts at his two jobs. Ponyboy and I stayed with Zoey. I hated seeing her hooked up to all those machines. I wondered if that's what I looked like when I was burned. Ms. Hodge never left Zoey's side either, except to eat and use the bathroom. Ponyboy, Ms. Hodge, and I took shifts. Ms. Hodge would stay up for four hours, then wake me up. She would fall asleep and I would stay awake for four hours and then I would wake up Ponyboy who would stay up for four hours and then he would wake up Ms. Hodge when his shift was over. We kept that up for a week. The doctors had no clue whether or not Zoey was going to wake up so we were all pretty anxious and on edge. Everyone was pretty touchy, especially Soda and Steve. I swear they're more like brothers than best friends sometimes they're so much alike.
It was probably around five in the morning; it was my shift. Ponyboy and Ms. Hodge were sacked out when Sodapop and Steve came in.
"Hey Johnny," Sodapop whispered.
"Hey y'all," I replied.
"Why don't you get some sleep Johnnycake? Soda and I will take over and watch her," Steve said.
"Y'all sure?"
"Yeah, we're sure," Steve assured. I nodded and closed my eyes.
Steve's POV
Soda and I pulled up two chairs next to Zoey. Sodapop was on her right, I was on her left. I stared at the tube that was in Zoey's mouth. It went into her stomach I think to keep her fed or something like that. Sodapop brushed a piece of hair out of Zoey's pale face and that's when I saw the stitches in her head. I had to look away.
"Is she gonna be okay Soda?" I asked.
"How the hell would I know? I ain't no doctor," Sodapop replied shortly. I didn't take offense to the harsh reply though. Sodapop had been pretty touchy ever since the accident.
"Sorry Steve, I didn't mean to snap at you," Sodapop said quietly.
"Don't worry about it," I told him.
"How are you doing boys?" the doctor that was taking care of Zoey walked into the room. I learned his name was Dr. Lewis.
"We're worried about her," Sodapop admitted.
"Listen, I hate to bring this up right now but she's been out for a week. It might be time to consider-" Dr. Lewis was cut-off by me and Soda.
"No!" Soda and I hissed.
"She's going to make it!" Sodapop declared.
"Boys, I understand the devastation you must be going through right now but you must be rational too."
"I am being rational and my rationality says Zoey still has a chance," Sodapop declared.
"What's going on?" I suddenly asked, looking at Zoey. She was twitching and her eyelids were moving rapidly.
"I- I think she's waking up. Nurse!" Dr. Lewis shouted. By now, Johnny, Pony, and Ms. Hodge were awake.
"What's going on?" Ms. Hodge demanded to know.
"You must leave the room!" Dr. Lewis ordered. He forced all of us out of the waiting room as five nurses rushed in. I heard a coughing fit, followed by deep gasps.
"Easy Zoey, easy. You're okay," Dr. Lewis said. Sodapop and I were listening through the glass.
"Ponyboy, tell the rest of the gang Zoey's awake," Sodapop ordered. Ponyboy ran off to a phone.
Dr. Lewis came out a couple hours later. By then, we had retired to the waiting room knowing that we wouldn't be allowed in Zoey's room for a while. Darry, Dallas, and Two-Bit were there too. They had come around six. It was nine in the morning now.
"Hello Ms. Hodge, boys," Dr. Lewis came in.
"Is she alright? Can we go see her? Is she awake?" Sodapop fired the questions.
"She's doing alright. You may go see her but she's very tired," Dr. Lewis warned. We all set into a dead run for Zoey's room. Her eyes were shut when we entered the room.
"Zoey!" Ms. Hodge exclaimed. Zoey's eyes shot open as Ms. Hodge embraced Zoey tightly.
"Hi Ms. Hodge," Zoey said quietly.
"Oh my god! I'm so glad you're okay! How do you feel?"
"Like I got ran over by a plane," Zoey said with a weak smile.
"Zoey!" Sodapop exclaimed as he rushed up and hugged.
"Uh, hi!" Zoey replied. Sodapop's hug was soon followed by Ponyboy, me, Johnny, Darry, Two-Bit, then Dallas.
"Hi… y'all," Zoey said with a confused smile.
"How you doin' Zo?" I asked.
"Uh, well, I say not being in a coma is doing better so yeah, I'm doing better," Zoey replied.
"God, we were so all so worried about you!" Sodapop declared.
"May I ask y'all something?" Zoey inquired politely, her eyes flitting between me, Pony, Soda, Darry, Dally, Johnny, and Two-Bit.
"Of course you can Zoey," Darry said.
"Who are y'all?"
Okay, I thought this would hopefully add a twist to the story. Sorry the chapter was so short! I was running out of ideas and I can barely type because my cat is sacked out on my right arm so I have very limited mobility with it. So, please review!
