Joe, at this point, had lost the energy to scream, but Murr could still see the pain in the blue eyes and hear the agony in every weak whimper.
"It's going to be okay, Joey. It's going to be okay"...He tried his best to speak calmly to his friend, but knew the fear had to be coming through his voice.
The lack of the now almost constant whimpering caused Murr to take his hands from the shoulder's he was carassing to look at Joe's face.
"Joey! Joe! Wake up man!"
"Wake him up, man, wake him up!" Sal was reaching over the seat and shaking Joe by the shoulders.
Murr grabbed his friend by the chin and shook gently.
"Shit, shit, shit...I can't get on the interstate" Q had made it out of the parking lot at breakneck speed, but traffic was not allowing him to enter the interstate. "Just wake him up, Murr. Do whatever you have to do."
Blue eyes fluttered.
"He's awake guys. Joey, thank God. Try not to close your eyes buddy, okay?"
Sal almost screamed from the front seat. "Joe, you have to stay awake. Do you hear me?"
A vacant, non understanding stare met Murr's worried one.
Sal climbed over the seat, motioning Murr to take his place in the front seat, giving him a reassuring pat on the back during the exchange. He knew Murr would never raise his voice or become rough with Joe and he felt that is what was going to be needed to keep their friend awake.
Placing his hands behind Joe's back, Sal gently lifed the nearly limp body into a setting position. Intending to slighly jostle the broken bones, thus cause pain, he immediately felt guilty but he knew he had to do it. This roused his friend into a more concious state. Confusion was still evident, but the agonizing gaze Sal received was more lucid than before.
"Sal? What you doing? It hurts. it hurts." The voice was weak and the small plaintive whimper afterwards split Sal's heart in pieces, but the relief he felt was immense.
"I'm so sorry, Joey, I'm so sorry. But, listen to me. You broke your lower leg and your foot, it is bad. And you have lost too much blood for you to go to sleep. Do you understand me?"
Instead of hearing an answer, he felt his friend's head nod against his chest.
"No Joe, don't nod, I want you to talk to me.".
"I unerstand. I'm tired Sal. Please".
Having finally entered the interstate, Q had allowed himself to relax sightly.
"We'll be there in about five minutes, guys. How's he doing Sal. Don't let him close his eyes again, man."
"He's awake, but barely, please hurry."
"I'm trying, just don't let him go to sleep. Joe! Talk to us, Joey! Don't you dare close those eyes again! You hardheaded bastard, listen to me!"
Q almost sceamed at his friend, purposefully making his voice cruel to try and get Joe's attention. Guilt overcame him immediately.
The weak voice in the backseat did not help ease his guilt.
"It hurts, Q. It hurts and I'm so tired"
"No joe, I don't want to hear that, you stay awake. Talk to me. What hurts, buddy?"
He noted Joe's voice becoming yet weaker and winded.
"My right leg. My stomach and I can't breathe. "
"Your stomach? Sal? Is his?"
Sal had lifted Joe's shirt and answered before the question was finished. Murr had settled a bit but was now again petrified for his best friend, only able to watch from his seat.
"I'm looking, I don't see anything."
Sal gently ran his hand up and down his friend's torso, stopping suddenly when Joe let out a deep groan of pain, only to push slightly harder, illiciting a whimper. He could feel Joe's fingers wrapping around his shirt.
"It's okay, Joe, I just had to feel for a second. I feel it, Q, there's ribs broke in there. Oh my God, I've set him up, we carried him to the car. What if we punctured a lung?".
"Shit, I know, but we had to do it. Is there any blood coming out of his mouth? How labored is his breathing?"