Sorry, I've been sick with bronchitis and other things…I'm just one big old walking virus!
Monkey: ::sneezes:: eek…blah!
*****
I have a headache…
No, not just a headache…a migraine.
My head is covered with a dark towel to keep the light away from my eyes…yet I'm wincing in pain. The only thing that would create more pain would be noise…
…but there is none.
Soda and Steve are at work, Two-Bit is…somewhere.
…and Pony, he's gone…
I'm all alone in the house and the silence is creating more noise then a marching band on The Fourth of July would make…
Soda, Steve and I went and saw Pony at the hospital two days ago…Sunday…it's now Tuesday I guess.
We couldn't see him on Saturday since both Soda and I had to work over time and visiting hours were over by the time we got off. But, Two-Bit saw him…said that Pony was acting different, and he told us about a show that Pony's roommate gave for them.
Soda and I got to see it all on Sunday though…
Flashback
The Visiting Lounge made me dizzy and sick to my stomach, flowers were everywhere…wall paper, chairs and they had fake colorful flowers in every corner.
Soda was nervous, I didn't blame him…we had heard that a little girl had died a few days earlier and we didn't know what kind of state that Pony would've been in.
So we all sat there…nervousness surrounding us.
A few moments later my little brother came in a smile plastered on his face…But I could tell it wasn't real. It wasn't natural…he was either drugged up, trying to make us think he's okay or both…I wasn't going to buy it either way.
He was so thin…as is a sneeze would just blow him away…his hair was dry and hung limply around his thin face…and his eyes had dark unhealthy circles around them…What was this place doing to him?
Soda stood quickly, but he didn't launch forward like I thought he would, he just stood there unsure of what to do…so did I. I ran my palms nervously over my jeans and licked my lips that had became awfully dry all of a sudden.
"Hey…" Pony said, his eyes met mine for a second them he looked away, that awful smile still plaster on his broken face.
"H-Hey Pony…" Soda stammered, and I still couldn't talk…I needed water. Soda stepped forward and hugged him, I stayed in my same spot.
"Hey Steve, Hey Darry." Pony said as to excuse us for not hugging or talk to him. We sat then…
…just sat there looking at each other…
"Is this place treating you okay?" I said without even knowing the question was in my head.
Pony nodded slowly, "Yea…its okay. They got me on some stuff that…that makes me really…giddy." He said, thinking about each word and said it slowly.
"Have you had any nightmares?" Soda asked, and I found myself holding my breath…the nightmares, ones that cause grief in Ponys life…
"Kinda…one…" Pony then started picking at one of the patterns on his chair.
"Do you remember what it was?"
"…No…"
He was lying, Ponyboy was never a good lair…but I didn't want to put him on the spot.
*
Near the end of our visit, Pony's dark haired roommate, Leo, came in and stomped over to where one of the counselors were sitting, supervising the visits.
"I told you to stop going through my things!" He accused the poor middle aged man.
"Leo, calm down. If you need to talk to me, we'll talk in private."
"No! When I wait, you damned people drug me! Now where is it!"
"Where is what Leo?"
"Don't play games with me, you know what I'm talking about…" He growled out dangerously, he was panting as if he had trouble breathing. His already pallid skin became more pale almost a light blue color.
"Leo, calm down alright? What have we told you about getting upset?"
"I'm…already…upset." He panted, "Now…where is…my lighter!" He went forward as if to attack the guy, but he tripping on his own feet and landed on the floor knocked out cold.
Seeing this, Pony stood, "Leo!" I went to grab him, but he ran from me and over to where his roommate was laying. "Leo, c'mon dude! Leo wake up!"
*
All the visitors were told to go then, we tried to argue. Even Steve wanted to stay, but we had to leave and if we caused a fight we'd "Endanger the patients" as one said.
End of Flashback
When was all this going to end? When will things go back to normal?
I took another migraine pill, and sat back down in my chair…Sometimes I feel that this is all my fault. I pushed my little brother and I made him run…my gawd…maybe this is my fault…all my fault.