Sodapops POV
It was the middle of the day and Pony has been distant, I don't know how to explain it. He just sits around not talking, if he's sitting in front of the tv he's looking but not watching it. He doesn't even acknowledge the fact that I am in the house with him. He remembered his first memory a few days ago, but he's been even more down then ever. Darry hasn't had the time to notice, since he works and then comes home and goes straight to bed, or Ponys sleeping.
"Hey Pony, you want something to eat?"I didnt want to admit it but Pony hasn't gained any weight, but in fact has been losing
Pony gave no reply or movement to let me know that he even heard me
"Pony? Are you feeling alright?"I asked cautiously
It's been like living with a zombie, he walks but doesn't acknowledge any ones existence, well my existence. No one else knows that Ponys been like this, I was hoping he would knock out of it without me having to tell people and getting them all worried.
No answer from Pony.
I heard the door open and looked up to find that Johnny has just entered, I gave one more look into Ponyboys eyes but he gave no reaction. Then I ran over to Johnny and took him outside to tell him what's been going on.
"Hey Johnnycake, I have to tell you something about Pony"
"what is it?"Johnny asked, his eyes wide
"he doesn't respond to anything"I told him, I guessed that was the best way to tell him
"huh?"Johnny asked peeking inside
"watch ill show you"I grabbed Johnny by the arm and brought him into the house and by Ponyboy
Johnny stared at Pony intently
Pony was watching television, well it was on but Pony was staring, not watching
"watch, this"I whispered to Johnny
"Hey Ponyboy, what you watching?"I asked joyfully
no response.
"Johnny's here"
no response.
"Hey Pone, you want some chocolate cake?"I asked enthusiastically
No response.
"Maybe he's been taken over by aliens"Johnny said with a smile and a small laugh
I laughed a little too
"very funny Johnnycake"
"so what exactly is wrong with him?"Johnny asked amused by Ponyboy
"I have no clue, but im pretty sure this is something he'll come out of, right?"
"Yeah, I bet he'll be fine"Johnny said patting my shoulder
"he always has been a day dreamer"Johnny added
I laughed but, this seemed a little more than just a day dream.
Johnny sighed, and then took a seat next to Ponyboy.
"hey Pony, I haven't seen you in a while" Johnny said to him
no response from Pony
"so how's Pony world huh? You coming back any time soon?"Johnny giggled a little, but that's when I realized that this really wasn't a joke, their was seriously something wrong with Pony.
"Johnny?"
"Yeah Sodapop?"
"I don't think this is a joke"
Johnnys amused smile faded and he looked at Pony intently
"Ponyboy? Come on now, snap out of it!"he snapped his fingers in front of Ponys eyes but there was no response
"have you talked to Darry about this?"Johnny asked, shaking Pony
"no one knows but you, I thought he would snap out of it!"I said rushing over to Pony
I stared into his eyes and roughly shook him
"Jesus Pony what's wrong with you?"I asked nervously
"maybe we should take him to a doctor? Or a psychiatrist?"Johnny suggested
"yeah I think your right Johnny, let's keep this between us for now though, alright?"
"Sure Soda"
Then I lifted Pony to his feet and he stood there, without realizing that he had just been lifted up.
"This is scary Soda, what if Pony got bit by a vampire or something!"Johnny asked frantically
"I think you watch too many movies Johnny"I answered
When we got to the psychiatrist we were told to wait in the waiting room until the doctor could see us. So I led Pony over to a seat and pushed him gently into it, and he sat there, staring off into space. I took a look around the room, their wasn't a lot of people around but a wide variety of ages. There were old people staring off into space like Pony, either that or ignoring the troubled teens around them. Their was one kid paced in a circle in his own corner, allowing his hand to brush the wall. Others looked half dead with bags under their eyes and their skin whiter than snow.
"Jesus, you'd think this place is a mental hospital"Johnny whispered to me
"I know what you mean Johnny"I answered
Then I looked at Pony and after taking a look at all the other kids, I realized that Pony looked no different. He had dark bags under his eyes and he was deathly pale, I hadn't realized before. I looked at Johnny to see if he noticed what I had, but he was too occupied at watching the psychiatric patients.
"Ponyboy Curtis?"a women called out
I stood up and pulled Pony to his feet and then guided him into the room we were instructed to go into.
"Hello Mr. Curtis"a dark haired woman said as we entered
"hello Ms. Booney?"I stated, reading the name plate on the desk
"and this must be Ponyboy"she said motioning to Pony, who wasn't paying any attention
"now, Mr. Curtis I inform you that I do not allow any one but a patient in my room"
"alright, but should I state the reason for Pony being here?"I asked cautiously
"you may"she answered
"um.. Well.. You see.. Ponyboy was in a accident so he temporarily has lost his memory, but he's been fine this whole time. He's gotten used to our gang.. Of, um friends.. And remembers their names just not them. He remembered his first memory two days ago, but ever since then he's suddenly gotten like, like this"I said motioning toward Pony
"like a zombie"Johnny added
"so, when did you first find him like this?"Ms. Booney asked without emotion
"the morning after he remembered his first memory, I found him sitting on the couch in the living room, looking at the tv.. But not watching. He wont respond to anything, not even when you stand right in front of him and snap your fingers"
"I understand, we'll see what I can do for him, see if I can get in touch with the Pony that's some where in there. In the mean time, I think you should contact your doctor and ask if theirs anything he knows about this"she said standing up and guiding Ponyboy into a chair
"alright, I will. Should we wait in the waiting room?"
"Yes, I'll send him out"then she motioned for us to leave
I walked out closing the door behind me and Johnny
"this is so weird"I stated
"I never had a friend who was a zombie before"Johnny said quietly
"knock it off Johnnycake"I said putting my arm around his shoulder and guiding him back to the waiting room
20 minutes later
Johnny and I waited with all the other Ponyboy like kids, until we saw our Ponyboy walk out of the door, guided by a nurse. We thanked her and brought Ponyboy to the car, Johnny amused himself with trying to get Pony to snap out of it.
"I wonder what she did to him"Johnny said out loud
"she said she'd tell us the progress later, I guess she had a lot of patients to get to"
"what did she say to you Ponyboy?"Johnny asked intently
Pony gave no reply.
"Well, I guess we better bring him to the doctor now"I suggested
"sure, im up for a visit with the doc"Johnny said turning to the window
We arrived at the doctors shortly and we were allowed to see him right away.
"So doc, Ponys all.. All.."
"Zombie like"Johnny but in
"what's with you and zombies Johnnycake, Jesus"I said impatiently
Johnny just chuckled
"well you see, he wont respond to anything, it happened the morning after I told you that he remembered his first memory"the doctor caressed his head
"alright, let's have a look at him"
He walked over to Ponyboy and shined a light into his eyes, he checked him over in a few ways then walked up to us.
"Ponyboys not responding, I was hoping that this wouldn't happen, but I don't believe it will turn into anything serious"
"wait, you mean you knew that something like this might happen?"I asked
"well since he lost his memory, his minds in a very delicate state, he could go into a daze at any time, but when you told me that he remembered something, I thought that maybe he was strong enough to fight off the daze"
"so how long is he gonna be like this for?"I asked nervously
"depends, Ponyboy has constantly been fighting massive headaches and thinking pains"
"since when?"I asked confused
"he just hasn't told you I guess"
"oh"
"but you see, Ponyboys brain had been working over time since he's trying to remember so very hard. Now his brain sort of shut down completely for the time being, until It can maybe get things working again"the doctor glanced at Pony, then back at me
"I cant tell you what will happen to your brother, kids have stayed like that for an hour, some for days, maybe weeks, others never snap out of it"he looked discouraged
"so are you telling me that my baby brother may never survive this?"
"There are a thousand possibilities Sodapop, Pony's a strong kid, im sure he'll come out of this fine"the doctor pat my shoulder and then I started for the door
"so this has nothing to do with zombies?"I heard johnny ask the doctor, im guessing the doctor shook his head cause then Johnny followed me while holding onto Ponyboy
The news of Pony was hard for me and Johnny, Im gonna hate breaking it to Darry..
