When I came too, all I felt was fear and pain. A radiating pain travelled down the length of my leg and made my toes tingle. My head throbbed and it felt like it might split in two. Dark spots still danced across my vision, and my breath was coming out in short gasps. I didn't know if I could get out of this truck physically, but I had to make myself do it. I had to find Ponyboy.
I found the handle of the door and when I pushed on it open, without much resistance. All the glass from the windows was crushed on the ground and covered the floor of the truck. I tried my best to step over it as I made my way around the back side of truck.
"Ponyboy?" I called, but got no response. "Pony, say something!" Again, nothing.
The car that crashed into us was about ten feet to my left. The grill was crumpled beyond repair and the window shield had big cracks in it that resembled a spider web. It looked like a beautiful car too. I saw no sign of anybody in the car.
I was beginning to feel anxious No one was around to see us, hear us, or help us. With one last act of desperation, I called out for Pony. "Ponyboy, please,"
I waited, and listened, and finally heard something. It was low, like a moan from pain, but at least it was something. It was so quiet I almost missed it. I held the edge of truck as I made my way over to the passenger side of the truck. The damage on the backside didn't look as bad as the front. Each step was harder and making me dizzy, but I pushed through.
The sight of Ponyboy almost made me sick. The impact of the other car on the truck had forced Pony out of the truck and he tumbled out the door, which was still open. I sat down next to him, ignoring the throbbing pain in my leg, and took his bloody hand in mine.
"Pony, can you hear me?" He had a busted lip and a trail of blood that ran down the side of his face that reminded me of Johnny's. His eyes were already bruised and swelling and his hair was matted down on his face with a mixture of blood and sweat. His nose was bleeding. If all of that was on his face, I don't think I could handle what was happening with the rest of his body.
"Soda?" I could barely hear him over the sound of sirens.
"Yeah, it's me. You hear that Pone? That's sirens. People are comin' to help us. We're gonna be okay. I promise you Ponyboy we're gonna be okay."
"Son, are you hurt?" A voice I didn't recognize was coming over to us. "I'm a paramedic."
"Please help my brother. Please help him." My voice was sounding weird and panicky, and I didn't recognize it as my own.
"Okay, remain calm sir. We are here to help you." The man and a few others knelt next to Pony and I. Someone put two fingers to Pony's neck and checked him over.
"They got pulses! I need two stretchers over here now!"
Pony's hand was taken out of mine. I saw him placed on a flat board and carried over to a vehicle that was flashing blue and red lights. I tried to get up to follow him, but the pain in my lungs was too strong and I crumpled back down to the ground.
"No, no, you need to stay here son. You're losing a lot of blood. We are taking you to the same hospital as your brother."
Whose blood was on my hands? Was it mine? Was I bleeding? I had a whopper of a headache and it was getting hard to think straight.
I laid back down on the cold ground. The grass was wet. Was it raining out? I felt water run down my cheeks. No, I was crying wasn't I? I didn't even recognize starting. I hated crying in front of other people, but the pain was worsening. My lungs were struggling to get oxygen. They ached for just one good breath. Breathing was becoming an impossible task.
I vaguely felt a cold board being slipped under my back and my legs and torso were strapped down so I couldn't move. Something heavy was placed over my mouth and nose and I breathed in the substance greedily. Before I knew it, I passed out again.
XXXXXX
When I woke next, a bright light was being flashed in my eyes. I tried to lift my hand to swat it away. All I wanted to do was sleep. I felt like I could sleep for a whole year. My head was still aching and the light wasn't doing anything to make it better.
"Can you tell me your name?" A voice asked.
"Sodapop."
"I'm sorry, you can't have anything drink."
"No, that's-" I passed out before I could explain.
XXXXXX
Where did Soda go? We were almost home, and then a crash happened. We were talking about school and the next thing I know, I'm thrown my seat and into the cold grass. There was pain. So much pain I couldn't take it. Soda came then. He held my hand and then I couldn't see him anymore.
I woke up for a brief second and there was people hovering over me. My eyes were swollen so bad I could only see what was in front of me. I tried to pick my arm up, but it wouldn't move. Where was Soda? I had to see him. I had to get to my brother. I had to, but I was so tired my eyelids begged for sleep. I tried my best to fight them. I was so scared that if I fell asleep then maybe I wouldn't wake up. But sleep won again.
