Tough Love, Johnny Cade (Jally)

Eight: Fever

That night, I had a nightmare.

It wasn't like the nightmare I'd had before where Dally was screaming. It didn't feel real like that one, it felt like any other nightmare would. But it was scary, and it was about Dally.

Dally was hitting me. Not just poking at me, or shoving me a little, he was beating me.

'LEAVE ME ALONE!' He was screaming. 'LEAVE ME ALONE!' His voice echoed in my mind just like it had a few nights before. I was thrown on the ground and I was kicked. But I didn't do anything, I barely flinched. I lay there like a doll, taking it, my face unchanging.

I woke up hot and uncomfortable. It was late into the morning, and I was pretty sure Steve, Soda, and Darry were already gone.

"Hey, Johnny." Two-Bit said. "Someone slept in."

I groaned. I felt lightheaded, and still hot. I started struggling to take off my jacket as I lay there.

"You alright Johnny?" Dally was saying. I didn't know he was in the room.

"Hot." I said, finally tossing my jacket on the floor. I groaned again and rolled over, as best I could on the couch. A hand felt my four head and I looked up to see Ponyboy.

"You're awful feverish." Pony said. "Do you wanna lay down in my room instead of the couch?"

I replied with a sigh. I felt awful. I didn't even want to talk. The next thing you know, Two-Bit was scooping me off the couch and carrying me into the hall.

"Careful!" Ponyboy was trailing after us. Two-Bit dropped me off onto the bed, and I quickly relaxed into the comfort of pillows and the quilt.

"That'll be two dollars, sir!" Two said. I rolled over the opposite direction of him.

"Alright, leave him be." Pony was ushering Two-Bit out of the room. Pony left behind him, and I nauseously started to doze off when Pony came back.

"Here you go, Johnny." He was putting a warm, wet rag on my four head. I startled, not expecting it. I hated the smell of wet rag. Ponyboy closed the blinds as best he could to darken the room.

"Try and get some more sleep, it'll help." Pony said. I think I fell asleep before he even left the room. I didn't sleep good, though. I quickly started having fever dreams and was in and out of sleep. The kind that make you not completely sure whether you're awake or dreaming. I woke up to Pony bringing me some water, and then I fell asleep and dreamed Soda came in, bringing me a puppy as a present.

Then I woke up, and Soda was still at work. This went on and off for what felt like hours, someone would come in and interact with me, and I wasn't always sure if it was real or not. I saw half the gang there, and my mother at one point. Sometimes I couldn't tell who was there, but they were trying to feed me crackers or ask if I needed the washroom. They'd stroke my hair or readjust my rag. I'm sure most of those were probably Ponyboy.

I didn't come around fully conscious again until Soda came home for real.

"Hey, Johnnycakes." Soda said, opening the dresser. "What are you doing in here?" It was a question of pure curiosity, I know he didn't mind.

"He's running a fever." Pony explained from the doorway. "I thought he'd be more comfortable here than on the sofa."

"Aww, Johnny." Soda was undoing the buttons on his work shirt. "Try and feel better, okay?"

"What happens when Soda gets sick after Johnny slept there?" Steve was remarking from behind Pony. "Are you going to get a job, kid?"

"Don't worry about it Steve, I'll be fine." Soda said. "If he's still not better by tonight, we'll let him stay there. Pony and I can crash in the living room, right Pony?"