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…
I blinked open my eyes and sat up, taking in a huge gulp of air. People were yelling and running all around me, most of them near me and Soda's flipped over car. It felt like I had just woken up from a really long nap with a hangover. I felt groggy and sick to my stomach all at the same time, like I was going to explode or something. At that point, I was wishing I was.
Mental Note: try not to get hit by cars.
I tried to move around, but could only succeed in making a groan.
"Easy now." A soft voice spoke from next to me. I turned, startled, staring at a man with blonde hair and eyes as black as Johnny's. He had a soft but sad smile on his face, he looked real nice.
"W-What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
I shook my head wordlessly, instantly wishing I hadn't when the throbbing started.
"You're a victim of a hit 'n run accident."
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to get the images to come back to me. I remembered everything, but couldn't get the feeling away that something was missing.
Then I realized, "Soda. Where's Sodapop?"
The guy's face changed until he was wearing…well…that expression. The same expression I get when I tell people my name for the first time.
"You thirsty?"
Oh boy, here we go. "No. No, that guy I was with."
The man's face turned into pity, "His name is Sodapop?" he asked in a low voice.
"Yeah, mine's Ponyboy Curtis."
"Gerald Hanker." I would have shook his hand, but mine was bleeding so bad I thought the better of it. I didn't want to ruin this guys shirt.
"Listen, kid. We called the ambulance but…"
"Is he going to be okay?"
He bit his lip and looked at me, "He looked pretty bad, son." He put an arm on my shoulder lightly. "Worse than you."
"But I'm okay!"
"Kid your head is bleeding along with the whole rest of your body."
My right arm sure was hurting. It kept giving twitches of pain. I winced and pulled it closer to me.
"Is he…he's not dead right?"
"No, but he ain't looking good at all. I'm sorry kid."
"Can I see him?"
He looked at me like I was stupid.
"Can I see him?" I repeated again.
The look he gave me told me all I needed to know. "Please! He's my brother."
"Kid, you aren't going anywhere."
"Why not!" I demanded.
"Look at your legs."
I looked down and gasped out loud, there was a big chunk of metal holding them in place. I wondered how I hadn't felt that.
My heart sped up and I started hyperventilating, the guy gave my shoulder an encouraging squeeze, but he couldn't calm me. Oh glory! I remembered how I had felt paralyzed…was I?
The sudden blaring of sirens sounded and I cringed, Gerald whispered words of encouragement to me, but I was barely listening.
The hospital – they were going to take me to the hospital, I realized.
"I – I can't go to the hospital!" I almost shrieked at the guy.
"It's okay, relax. I'm going to be in the ambulance with you, okay? You don't have to worry about anything."
Yes I do! Yes I do! I wanted to scream at him, choke him, anything just to get it through his head.
I glanced away from him as the sirens got louder and two ambulances whipped around the corner, followed by at least four police cars.
Gerald looked at me, but I ignored him. Men whipped out of the ambulance and three of them rushed towards me. The rest raced over to our car as though they were running away from a bomb and seeking refuge.
They told me to lay down, and I did. I hadn't felt the metal on me up until now (I hate to admit I was kind of relieved), and screamed out loud as they ripped it off slowly. By the end of it I was gasping and near passing out. I felt weaker than I ever had before.
I felt a board slip under me and then I was lifted onto a stretcher. I managed to catch a glimpse of Sodapop, even with them wheeling me about 160 miles per hour.
I hadn't believed Gerald when he said that Sodapop had been worse off than me.
But it was true.
At first I thought they were wheeling a guy with bright red hair into the ambulance, but then I saw a couple streaks of blonde. And his face - blood was falling into his eyes and he had a big, dark bloody spot on his head that looked like the skin had been ripped off.
His shirt was soaked through with blood, and by his lack of movement, he was either dead or unconscious. I really, really hoped it was the latter.
"Soda!" I moaned. "No!"
I think the paramedics thought I was going off my rocker or something, because they rushed even faster and pushed me into the ambulance a little too quick.
They're taking me to the hospital! And that was the last thought I heard before I passed out again.
Errrr, don't kill me. This chapter is kind of short.
Don't worry – it'll get better! We're getting kind of close to the climax now. Sort of.
So is Soda okay? Will Sodapop die? What about Ponyboy? Is he okay? Who's this Gerald guy? Is he a friend or an enemy? (That sounds corny lol)
Review and tell me what you think! Remember, reviews keep me motivated to update!
