Hey Guys! Sorry it took me so long to update, been quite busy recently! I'll try to update again if people seem to enjoy this!
Chapter 2-Survivng?
Two-Bit's POV:
"I...love...you...guys..." Pony coughed from his obviously weak soul before laying limp into Darry's arms. His eyes shut and his breathing slow, I swear I've never seen the kid so pale before.
"No no no no Pony! No! Wake up!" Darry exclaimed gently shaking Pony. I only covered my mouth and held back tears as I watched. I don't want to watch my best friend die right in front of me, but what else can I do right now?
To my satisfaction the paramedics rushed into the scene we portrayed and removed us from the area. They pulled us all away as we attempted to watch from the kitchen, but not getting much. We all watched at the carried Pony out and shouting medical terms I have yet to understand. I bet Pony understood them, he's smart like that. One paramedic stood behind.
"One of you can ride with him." They informed.
"I will." Soda immediately stood up.
"I will Soda. When Pony wakes up, if he's met face to face with you or Darry, he'll freak. Think you're mad at him for what he did." I argued but that was all it took the convince Sodapop and Darrel Curtis. I walked out with the tall linky man and climbed onto the rough metaled ambulance. I sat and watched at they tended to my friend.
"Severe hypovolemia on both the right and left forearms!" One called.
"35 beats per minute and dropping!" Another announced.
"Tell the surgeons to prep at least 3 pints of blood! He's already lost two!" I heard someone yell as an order.
"Can we get an oxygen mask on him!?" One asked almost too harshly.
"On it." One responded and in a second Ponyboy had a plastic breathing mask over his mouth and nose.
"Jenkins, remove those towels and wrap his forearms with a temporary sterile gauze!" One ordered as a female doctor did as the instructions said.
"What antifibrinolytic medicines do we currently have?" The one who seemed to be in charge asked.
"Aprotinin and TXA!" One responded.
"Get me a cannula and a pint of TXA!" He ordered and within 10 seconds he had what he wanted and was transferring the liquid into Pony's left arm, "How that heart beat looking?"
"30 beats per minute!" He announced. It only seemed to be dropping.
"Sir he's shown signs of chronic orthostatic hypotension, should we inject him with some orvaten?" One asked.
"Yes, right away thank you." The one in charge answered quickly.
"Sir he's bleeding through the gauze!" The woman panicked.
"Then put pressure on it so he doesn't damnit!" The man yelled back as she did as she was told.
"How's that heart beat Louis?" He asked.
"Still 30 beats per minute." He said sadly but happy that it hadn't dropped.
"Jenkins remove those gauze and put on new ones." He ordered frantically.
"Doing that now." She obeyed.
"Blood pressure of 90 over 45!" Someone I've yet to learn the name for called. I only know Louis, Jenkins, and Sir. There is only one more guy and I've yet to learn his name, but I'm assuming they're going by last names.
"Then get some more orvaten into him!" Sir ordered, I didn't know his name, but Sir would work.
"Sir his eyes are fluttering!" One announced and I thought to myself that Pony was waking up. To my surprise and correcting my thoughts, he did. He suddenly opened his eyes and gasped for air. His eyes frantically searched the room.
"Young Man you are currently inside a moving ambulance, we ask that you stay calm while we try to help you. You are going to be just fine." The woman said calmly.
"But I-" He cut himself off when he saw me.
"All that we ask is that you do not speak or move and stay awake." She said kindly.
"Inject him with lidocaine to prevent affliction!" Sir ordered and Louis did so. Pony only winced but I could tell he was too tired to move. He glanced over at me and our eyes met. Man was I scared for the kid. Since he wasn't aloud to talk I decided to keep my mouth shut as well. But, to calm him, I cracked him a smile and he seemed to relax. He then laid his head down and allowed his body to relax.
"Sir we have 45 beats per minute!" The unknown one announced happily.
"And the blood pressure?" Sir asked.
"100 over 65." Louis responded.
"Better but not satisfactory." Sir added as they injected Pony with something I was oblivious to understanding.
Before I could listen to their intruging conversation, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop as they wheeled Pony out quickly and I watched. I rushed off the vehicle and inside the large hospital building. They weren't going to allow me into surgery, obviously, so I sat in the waiting room and silently complensated what had just happened.
One of my best friends, Ponyboy Curtis, had tried to kill himself. I didn't understand. Of course I read his letter as to why, but I thought he knew better than this to just give up. Pony is a fighter, why didn't he fight harder? He just doesn't give up like that. Whatever those kids were doing at school to him, it must've been real bad for him to do this. Why would anyone bully Pony? He literally saved a shit ton of kids from dying! Not only that but he was the smartest person I know, not to mention kindest as well. He was always looking out for others, and when I say always, I mean always. He put others before himself. I guess through all the helping of others, he forgot to help himself. I feel bad for not noticing the signs. He wasn't as social when we were all together. He didn't talk is what I mean. He seemed distant and less focused. He seemed to drag his feet while he walked, as if it pained him to walk. To move. To function. To...live. Why didn't I see it? How could I be so blinded by all my half assed jokes to not notice my best friend was dying on the inside. I should have talked to him, manned up and done what was right. But there's no turning back now, what is done is done, and we can't change the past, but we sure as hell can plan for the future.
Throughout my thinking I bounced my knee eagerly. Knowing that Soda and Darry would soon be here and not long after we'd get the news on Pony. I looked over to my right to see that a kid around Pony's age sitting right next to me. But since Pony skipped a grade, I'm assuming they were in the same grade, but that depends on whether or not this guy skipped or was held back or even at all. Either way, I thought I'd start conversation, but he beat me to it.
"You nervous?" He asked kindly.
"Hell ya I am." I almost chuckled at my answer.
"Who ya waiting for?" He asked.
"A close friend, attempted suicide." I choked on my answer and he frowned, "What about you?"
"Got in a car crash," he lifted up his shirt to show the white bandage that wrapped around his waist, "Broke a few ribs, that's all. I'm just waiting for the news on my friend. Is your friend's parents gonna be here?" I almost winced at his question.
"No, his parents actually, um, died around a year ago." I answered softly.
"Hmm, that's sad. I actually have a kid in a couple of my classes that lost his parents. The two should meet up." He semi joked and offered, I glanced him a smile back.
"So who are your friends, I might know 'em." I asked.
"Rachel Bollo and Kaden Harley. Whose your friend?" He asked.
"Oh um, I don't know if I really should say, you might know him considerin' you look 'bout his age." I explained for the sake of the Curtis's.
"Fair enough, can I ask you something about it though?" He asked again.
"Sure, I guess." I relaxed a bit.
"Why'd he do it?" He asked confused.
"Kid was getting bullied a lot at school." I frowned realizing I wasn't there for him at school, although I wish I were now was no time to sorrow.
"Oh..." He sighed and lost the glisten in his eyes. I was confused as to whether it wasn't the answer he was looking for or he was hurt. I decided to go with a mixed approach.
"Hey, you alright?" I asked.
"Ya, it's just that there was this kid at school I've been pickin' on for the past few months. I said some pretty harsh things and now I kinda wish I could take it back. Ya know? Like just go up and help 'em." He sighed and I knew he felt guilty. I decided I'd help, after what happened with Pony, I wanted to make sure that happened to no one else.
"I could fetch him one day for ya? Keep an eye out on him." I offered.
"I'd like that." He smiled.
"What's the little rats name?" I joked.
"Don't laugh, he's got a pretty crazy name." He smiled.
"I won't. Can't be anything worse then two brothers I know." I said thinking about Ponyboy and Sodapop, after hearing those names, nothing could possible be worse.
"Alright, you'll have to tell me their names afterwards," he smiled and I smiled back, "His name is, um... Ponyboy Curtis." He looked up at me and it took a second to realize and put two and two together. The whole time I was talking to the kid who broke Ponyboy to the point of suicide. He was the reasons none of our lives would go back. He hated my best friend so much that he pushed him to end his fucking life. I only stared at him with cold hard eyes and he slowly faded his smile confused. I took in a breath, realizing I couldn't lash out on him now. That wouldn't be right. He wanted to make things better. If only he had wanted this sooner. I sighed out heavily and shoot my head.
"You didn't..." I sighed and shook my head no.
"W-Why? What's wrong?" He stammered.
"The kid I'm waiting for, the one who tried to kill himself, is Ponyboy Curtis." I breathed out.
The kid was took so much aback that he had to catch his breath for a second. He looked at me and in denial shook his head no but I shook mine yes to clarify this nightmare. To my surprise tears started to swell up in his eyes and he drew a breath so shaking I could hear an earthquake in his chest.
"I'm too late. I'm took late. I messed up. I fucking messed up." He shook his head at himself and I patted his back to comfort him, "Don't touch me! Why would you want to touch me?! I'ma fucking monster! I'm a murderer." He whispered the last part and let tears fly out of his eyes.
"Hey, you said you wanted to make things right, correct?" I asked him gently. He nodded his head yes, "You still can."
"How?! He's in the hospital! Dying for all I know?" He exclaimed.
"You can make sure you don't do it again." I whispered and and a snap of realization hit him hard. He seemed to calm down a bit and I removed my hand.
"You're not mad?" He asked me.
"Oh no, I'm fucking pissed, but I can't live hating you for a mistake you realized. Maybe too late but you did realize it by yourself." I assured him and he nodded, "As for his brothers, you better sit on the other side of the room and act like we never spoke or they'll skin you alive. If they ask you about Ponyboy you say nothin' and if they offer you to come back say you still hurtin' from that crash." I explained the plan to him and he nodded.
"Thanks...uh..." He searched for a name to put to a face.
"Keith Matthews. But go by Two-Bit." I corrected him and held out my hand.
"James." He took my hand firmly and shook it with one motion. In a matter of a second he was on the other side of the room, sitting in a chair, relaxing. We didn't bother to make eye contact. So I sat ther for a few minutes before Soda and Darry came rushing in and ran over to me. I stood up as they ran over to where I was.
"Any news on him?" Darry puffed out, he was exhausted.
"Nothing." I replied sadly. We all sighed and took our seats. We sat there quietly and simply waited. But all that really mattered at that point, was that we were together. We had already lost two members of our gang, actually, we aren't a gang, we're a family. So, technially, we lost two brothers. We went from a family of 7 whole men! To 5 broken kids. I wished we could take our friends back, but wishing can only do so much. The point was, we weren't ready to go down to a family of 4, that wasn't the point of a family. A family is supposed to gradually grow, not randomly fall apart. But whether or not we would be a family of 5 or 4 all was going to be determined the moment I saw the Doctor walked through the door.
"Relations to Ponyboy Curtis?" He asked and we all stood up.
"How is he?" Soda asked eagerly.
"Well, he has lost an excessive amount of blood. If you weren't aware, the function of blood to is transfer oxygen to the internal organs. Since he was prevented oxygen into those lungs he went into organ failure. But I am glad to inform you that after a few blood transfusions he is steadily recovering from the failure. We stitched up the cuts and have wrapped them. We will have the stitches in for around 9 days or so, now he will have a permanent scar of both wrist due the to the depth of the cut. But nothing should affect the function of his wrists, he might lose feeling in them for a few weeks to a couple months, but nothing on the long term scale. We have him on articaine as of right now, which is numbing medicine, and temazepan, which is causing him to become drousy and sleepy, he should be asleep by now, but if you hurry you might be able to catch him before he dozes off. Once he does he'll be asleep for anywhere from 6 hours to 10." He informed us with a smile. We thanked him hurriedly and rushed toward the door he pointed to during his explanation. We all abruptly stopped at his door as Soda and I motioned for Darry to open the door. We were too anxious but scared too do it ourselves. Why we were scared I couldn't tell you. We had been informed good news but I guess if there's even that little chance of the worse occurrence taking over, we fear it's all that will happen. It's an unreasonable way of thinking but a cautious one as well. We just wished for someone to take the lead other than our unwitty self conscious. Darry caught on to our wants as he very carefully and slowly opened the door. We moved around and followed him inside the well lit room.
There before me, was Ponyboy Curtis. He looked smaller than I remembered. His body seemed skinnier than I had saw previously, but then again, he did lose a lot of blood. His skin looked paler than I've seen before and his eyes were gently shut closed. They looked almost purple, to the naked eye one might think he had a black eye, but I knew it was simply an illusion while he peacefully slept. He had three IV drips in one arm and I winced at the sight, I could only imagine the pain he was going through. Two bags held a clear liquid I assumed was medicine while one held a dark red liquid I assumed was blood. My eyes explored their way down to Pony's wrists. They were wrapped in a soft looking white cloth that seemed comfortable but one can only assume. A light blue blanket covered his chest and below, allowing his arms to rest over the cloth and tuck himself into a secured feeling position. Once we surrounded him we all took our unspoken positions. Soda sat in a seat by Pony's bedside as Darry hovered over him and placed a hand on Soda's shoulder. Soda held Pony's hand gently as I sat on Pony's bed below his waist, giving enough room to comfort him. To my surprise someone had broke the silence we so wished for.
"Geez Soda, your hands are almost as cold as Two-Bit's heart." Pony joked as he gently opened his eyes. I laughed at the kid. Leave it to Ponyboy Curtis to crack a joke while in a life or death situation.
"I-I," Soda stammered as he smiled and let go of Pony's hand to placed it back on the bed, words not being able to fly out of his mouth. Instead he was shattered with stutters and joy.
"You're awake kid." I chuckled out, more glad than I've ever been in my life span.
"I guess." He smiles through all the pain I can tell he is in. Once we leave this room I plan on suggesting some more of that numbing medicine.
"Ya know, you scared us half to death." Darry mentioned, although I felt like it was too early to bring up the situation that had just happened, I didn't say anything. The kid was already in the hospital, he didn't need me arguing with his big brother.
"Why? I'm kinda 'fused by all that happened. I can remember bits and pieces, but I honestly can't remember what happened completely." He hesitates to ask, but does eargely. I was a bit upset that he had forgotten what he had done, but it wasn't worth dwelling over. He's already going through so much, he doesn't need my sorrow.
All three of us exchanged looking, trying to silently decide who was going to tell him and if we were going to at all. But, Pony caught on too quickly, curse his intelligent mind.
"It ain't good, is it? Did so-" Before he could finish his sentence he was interupted by himself. During the question he went to scratch his head but found it difficult to move both of his arms due to pain I'm assuming. His big green eyes with a tint of gray examined the cloths that circled his soft skinned arms. He looked at this with so much meaning and understanding that I knew, he had already figured out what happened. He seemed to remember everything at once and have it all hit him like a brick. His ears turned red in embarrassment. Why he was embarrassed was something I didn't have the answer to. Maybe he was embarrassed that he failed at his attempt, or that he had even though about it, or the fact that it happened at all. Either way, he didn't deserve to feel any other emotion beside happiness. He's already been through so much mental and physical pain. But I can't control what he feels, I can influence him to feel a certain emotion, but in the end, it's all up to him, "The wraps around my arms aren't for decoration, are they?" He asked, wanting someone to confirm his doubt, but none of us would.
"No." Soda shook his head, it seemed like he wanted to say more, but for some reason, he held it back.
"Golly guys, I'm sorry." Pony closed his eyes and shook his head shamefully at himself.
"Hey, don't go blaming yourself. We can all do better kiddo." Darry tried to comfort Pony but from Pony's facial expressions, I knew it hadn't worked.
"Sure." Pony said sarcastically, I knew he only said that to let the conversation go. He didn't seem to want to talk about anything at the moment, no matter how happy or sad it was.
"Can you answer a question I think we've all been asking ourselves?" Soda asked, longing for Pony to say yes.
"Sure, why not." Pony agreed, settling in the seat to prepare himself for the possible storm Soda had coming.
"Who's bulling you?" Soda asked. At the hearing of those words my facial expression froze. I didn't want to stick up for James, but I didn't want his acknowledgment of his wrong doings to go undone either. If I mentioned this to all of them now the reactions would vary. Pony would feel more satisfied knowing James felt wrong for what he did, but Darry and Soda would be pissed at me. Thinking that I was sticking up for James and not their kid brother, which wasn't the ordeal at all, but not much can change their mind once it's set. Now, all I could do at this point, was leave the choice of words up to Pony, as much as I'd love to take control, this wasn't my ship to sail.
"He's no one. It was a one time thing." He lied. It wasn't a one time thing. It was a multiple time thing. If I hadn't known this, boy would I believe the kid. Lord knows how he became such a good liar.
"Are you sure?" Darry asked, wanting to doubt his younger brothers answer, but I knew he was having trouble. He had already gone through so much confusion, he just wanted an answer.
"Ya, positive." Pony nodded.
I could have continued the conversation. I could have added on. Confirmed that what Pony said was false, or lie and say it was true. But I didn't. I kept my mouth shut. Something I would soon later my regret.
Oooh! Cliff Hanger! I hope you enjoyed, please like and review.