She said
"Walk on over here
To the billow shade
I will wrap you in my arms
And you'll know
That you've been saved"
Let me sigh
Let me sigh.
-Robert Pattinson.
Chapter 33
Darry's POV
After Soda woke up, the only thing we had to do was wait. Wait for Ponyboy to wake up, or for Ponyboy to pass on. The doctor came in after the nurses brought him in that Pony still might not make it. They got the bullet out and got him to stop bleeding, but he was still very weak. He almost died during surgery, the doc said. Soda wasn't taking it to well. He just stared at the wall, holding Ponyboy's hand. I sat next to them both, trying to keep everyone together. After about nine hours of waiting and friends coming in and out, something started to happen.
Machines started beeping and alarms went off. Ponyboy started making choking sounds and began to turn blue. Three nurses rushed in and pushed us out of the way.
"What's wrong with him?" I ask trying not to shout.
"His lung collapsed." Says the older nurse. They rip off his gown and take out a scalpel. They cut him over his lungs and put a tube in him. He started breathing right again. Soda went over to him and brushed his hair back.
"What happened?" I growl. One of the nurses looks at me.
"His lung collapsed. He's too weak to breathe on his own. We'll have to put him on respirator." She says to me. I nod, looking at my youngest brother. He looked so young and tired. I went over to him and took his hand.
"Listen, Pone, they have to put you on a breathing machine so you can get better. You just need to rest up so you can get better. Maybe later Two-Bit and Steve can come in later, if you feel up to it. You got to hang in there, kiddo, for us. We need you, we just got you back, and we'll be damned if we let you go again. I love you Lil'Colt." I say using Mom's old nickname for him. He hated when Mom would call him that in front of the gang. I just wanted him to wake up. I didn't want to lose him again, I was being selfish, but I don't care. I couldn't lose anymore of my family.
The nurse came in and made us leave while she put the tube in him. We waited in silence, just thinking. I heard arguing down the hall and saw Steve and Two-Bit fighting with the nurse. I gave a small smile and went over to them.
"Look, we just want to find his brothers. We want to be there for them, for God's sake their brother just…."
"Ponyboy's alive, Two-Bit." I say. Everyone turns to me.
"He's alright?" Steve says.
"Not, alright exactly. His lung just collapsed. They had to put him on a respirator. They don't know if he'll make it through the night." I say. I had to be strong, I needed to be strong, so everyone else could be weak and let me take care of everything. Two-Bit walked over to me, and put an arm around me, letting me surrender. I let out something between a cry and a sob. Two-Bit patted me on the back, letting me know that it was okay, and that everything would be alright.
"Come on man, let's go see Pone." Steve says going down the hallway. I follow them and go inside the room, where Ponyboy and Soda are at. Soda was holding Pony's hand, pushing back his hair. There was a huge tube looking thing going down his mouth, taped over his face. His gown was no longer there, just the wrappings over his abdomen and a pair of boxers that one of the nurses got him. Soda was smiling at him, even in the face of death Soda could still smile. I went over to them and took Pony's other hand. Soda leaned down to him.
"Hey, Ponyboy, Two-Bit and Steve are here. You have to wake up so you can see them. They really want to see you." Soda says. Two-Bit sits on the edge of the bed, and so does Steve.
We sit there for a few minutes, not wanting to break the silence. After a few minutes, Two-Bit speaks up.
"Remember a few years ago? When Johnny, Pony, Dallas, and me went to buy fireworks for the fourth? And I dropped my cigarette in the bag, and the whole thing blew up, right in the living room?" he laughs. I start to chuckle and remember the look Ponyboy had on his face, shock and amazement.
"Yeah, Darry nearly blew a gasket!" Soda laughs. Steve snorts in memory.
"Is that burn mark still on the ceiling?" Steve asks.
"Yep, I could never get it off." I laugh.
"'Member the time when Ponyboy was about seven and we all dared him to spend the night in the basement at Two-Bit's house?" Steve says. I bust up laughing.
"Yeah, poor kid didn't last four hours in there without freaking out. Me and Soda got our butts busted by our Dad that night."I say.
"What about the time when we all went to that baseball game? And Ponyboy got in that fight with Curly Sheppard? And the concession stand worker had to break it up?" Soda says. I laugh, thinking about how messed up those two kids made each other. Ponyboy was only ten then.
"We had to take him to Two-Bit's to clean him up so your folks wouldn't find out. Man that kid didn't even cry when he was fighting. I never thought about that before." Steve says. I nod. I feel something poking me in the hip. I turn to see Ponyboy stirring.
"Soda, look!" I say in amazement. Soda jumps up and looks at our brother. Steve and Two-Bit jump off the bed. Ponyboy moves his head back and forth.
"Ponyboy, Pony can you open your eyes for me?" Soda says. Ponyboy opens his eyes looking confused and tired.
"Don't try to talk Lil'Colt, just rest." I say. He closes his eyes, and this time I'm not dreading it.
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