Author's Note..."I appreciate everyone's reviews! Thanks! Short chapter this time...adds to the tension of the theme...! Please read and review and i hope you all enjoy this one."
Kirsten opened the door to the shop. "Soda. You in here? What did you say to Tori? I need to talk to you." She raised her voice so it could be heard through the back in the workshop where Sodapop lay.
"Kirst…" was all Soda could say. The damaged car had fallen from its brackets and landed on Soda. Water droplets ran down his cheek. His face was cut, but that was the least of his worries. The car had punctured his spleen, and broken quite a few of his bones. He was trapped and couldn't escape. "Kirs…" his voice was thin and raspy as he gasped for breath. The car was squashing his lungs preventing him from breathing, preventing him from moving. Pain shot through him like a thousand knives.
"Soda! Stop ignoring me! Tori's ill. She's hurting herself. You got to stop being a dick." Kirsten shouted.
Soda could hear Kirsten's angry tone, but didn't know what she was saying. His vision was blurred and he was falling in and out of consciousness. He needed to go to hospital if he had any chance of surviving. Blood trickled down his forehead and smeared itself over his dirty skin. The pain was unbearable. But it was worse knowing that help was only through the wall, and there was no way of communicating. His mind was spinning as he tried to stay alert.
Kirsten listened to the silence, angered by Soda.
"Right that's it! I'm coming through there. Don't say I didn't warn you!" Kirsten pushed open the door to see a car. No Soda. No Steve. "What's going on?" She said to herself as she circled the room. "No good hiding Soda, I'll fin…"
Her eyes darted to Soda's arm, which had inevitably been broken as he tried to escape. "Soda! Shit. Hold on Soda. I'll call an ambulance!" Kirsten stood up and ran to the phone.
Ten minutes later and the fire brigade and ambulance had arrived at the scene to get Soda out from under the car.
Half an hour later and he was on his way to hospital, Kirsten riding with him, holding his hand.
"Geez, Soda you have to hang on. You have to." She sobbed. "Is he gonna be okay?" She asked the paramedic who was monitoring Soda's condition and administering drugs.
"It's early days yet. But it's lucky you found him. Is he your boyfriend?" The paramedic asked sensitively.
"No, he's my friends ex, she's having his baby. That's why you've got to make it Soda, you've got to hold on for your baby."
An hour later and Soda was in the operating theatre. Kirsten had called Darry. He and Ponyboy had rushed straight over.
Darry was pacing the floor, backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards.
Ponyboy sat with his head in his hands. Suddenly he sat up. "Darry," he sobbed, "What if Soda dies?"
Darry looked at Pony crying, wiped a tear from his own eyes and sat beside him. "Hey buddy. He's not gonna die. He's gonna be fine." Who was he trying to kid? There was a good chance Soda wouldn't survive. They both knew it and so did Kirsten. Darry's heart sunk, please God, don't take my little brother away.
Kirsten had called Steve and Tori and told them that Soda had been in an accident. Both were really concerned and made their ways to the hospital.
Steve was first to arrive. "What's going on?" He asked, when he got there, his eyes were scanning the grim faces of his friends. "Soda okay?"
Before Darry could respond Tori walked in. She wasn't sure what was going on. Kirsten told her that Soda was okay, however it was far from the truth.
As she walked into the waiting room, she saw the tear stained faces of Darry, Pony and Kirsten. A knot of fear tightened in her stomach.
"What's happened?" She asked as she braced herself for bad news. She stood near Steve.
"A car, it fell on Soda at work. He's in the operating theatre. We don't know much else. But it doesn't look good." Darry said. His face looked drained and the worry looked more than he could bare.
"Oh god." Tears fell from Tori's eyes as she fell to her knees.
"Fuck! Darry! No. It's my fault. I'm sorry. I walked out. I left him." Steve's complacent face was a wash with tears. He sat down and put his hands on his head.
Ponyboy was scared, he had never seen Steve cry. He sat next to where Steve now was.
"Steve it will be okay." Pony stated. He sounded unconvincing. How could things be okay? Soda was in theatre. He could die and there was no escaping that fact.
"Tori. Come on. Sit up." Darry said putting his arm around the distraught mother-to-be.
"Yeah come on Tor, Soda will be okay." Kirsten reassured her.
"You guys…" Tori sobbed. "I can't move. Fuck. Something's happening." Tori flinched with pain as she grasped her stomach.
"Shit! Is it the baby?" Kirsten urged.
"I think so. Awwwwwwww! Kirst it's, it's hurting. I, I . owwwwww!" Tori squealed with pain as Kirsten ran to reception to get a doctor.
Soon enough she was whisked off to an emergency room, quickly followed by Kirsten.
Tears streamed down her face as she lay in agony. The doctors took her into a small room full of machines.
"You will feel a small prick." A nurse said as she injected Tori with something.
Her vision became blurred and voices seemed far away. The pain began to subside. Am I dying? Tori questioned herself as her eyes started to shut. Moments later and she was in a deep sleep.
Kirsten waited patiently outside. Her mind was spinning. What was going on?
The door opened and a doctor came out.
"May I speak with you about Tori? I understand she has been performing self-harm. Did you know?" The doctor spoke so calmly; it sent shivers down Kirsten's spine. How could anyone be so calm when they worked in a hospital?
"Yeah. Only just found out though. She's trying to stop. I had been helping her. She's been through a hard time recently." Kirsten put her head down. Why hadn't she told anyone?
"I see. So she doesn't do it all the time?"
"No. You see, her mom didn't take too well to her falling, and she and her boyfriend have split so…"
"I understand." The doctor stood up.
"Doctor, will Tori and the baby be okay?" Kirsten asked nervously.
"At the moment, it's too soon to say. Tori will be fine, but the baby…only time will tell. Try not to worry. Thank you for your time."
Back in the first waiting room time was dragging.
"Fuck!" Pony said out loud.
"Watch your language Pony." Darry said softly.
"But Tori shouldn't have been told until we know how Soda is. What if she looses the baby? What if Soda dies? It's all fucked up Darry, and you know it."
"You're right." Steve said to Pony as he looked up from his hands. "Look Pony. I'm sorry. For all the rifts between us. I hope Soda…. I just hope he pulls through. I feel like it's my entire fault. If…if he… I don't know what I'll do."
"Yeah. Me too. It's not your fault Steve, whatever happens, don't blame yourself." Pony sighed. He looked around… all he could think about was his brothers smiling face, the rift between he and Steve seemed petty in comparison.
Hours passed and the waiting became unbearable. No one could tell them what was going on, with either Soda or Tori.
Finally a doctor came over to speak to them.
"Mr Curtis?" He asked quietly and politely.
"Yeah. My brother is he okay?" Darry asked quickly.
"If you could follow me this way."
All three, stood up and followed the doctor to a small comfortable family and friends room.
"Take a seat." The doctor motioned. His face was grave and saddened.
A knot of fear was building up, what if he hadn't survived?
Darry took a deep breath as he suppressed his tears. The room was silent and stale; it reminded Darry of the same day his parents had died, of when he had been told. He remembered their funeral. He shuddered at the thought that he may have to burry his own brother. It was heartbreaking.
He looked over to Pony, his face was whiter than a sheet, and he looked like he had seen a ghost. He was chewing on his fingernail. Poor Soda. Pony thought, you can't die on me you, you cant.
Darry wished there was something he could do, something he could say…but words failed him. He glanced over to Steve. His eyes were red raw from rubbing them. He was sitting looking really uncomfortable. Taking deep breaths.
The doctor took a deep breath, before announcing the fate of Sodapop Curtis…