The Outsiders: Nothing Left

Chapter 14

Darry's POV

The house was dark and quiet when I got home. I expected this because Ponyboy and Soda are usually asleep by this time. I got home around midnight because I had to work late for a big project that was coming up. I was exhausted and I wanted nothing more than to just fall onto my bed and go to sleep.

Just as I was walking towards my room, the phone rang. I groaned and went to pick it up. "Hello," I yawned.

"Hey Dar, it's Steve," I heard a tired voice say back to me.

"Why in gods name are you calling me this late Randle?" I said irritated. "You better not be in trouble with the fuzz again."

"No, it's nothing like that," he replied back. "I need you to get to the hospital now. Something happened." I was wide awake now.

"What? What happened?" I said with a slight sense of nervousness in my voice. "Are Soda and Pony okay?"

"Soda fine, sort of. It's Ponyboy. We think that he overdosed," Steve said quietly into the phone. My eyes went wide and my body was overtaken by fear. God please tell me that he's still alive.

"Is he....." I trailed off.

"No. The doctors said that he was stable but they need to talk to you. Plus Soda is on the verge of exploding so we really need you down here."

"I'll be right there," I said quickly and then hung up the phone. My hands were shaking and I felt numb. How could I let this happen? He's my little brother and I was supposed to take care of him. This is all my fault.

I got into my truck and raced to the hospital. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I had to stop myself from imagining the worst. Soon, I made it to the hospital and walked up to the front desk. A woman, probably around my age, was sitting in a chair looking at a stack of papers. She was a pretty girl, but my main focus was on my little brother. When she saw me she looked up. "What can I do for you?" she asked with a polite smile.

"Ponyboy Curtis," I said back. I think that she could tell that I was shaken so she nodded and quickly looked through her files. "Ah yes, you must be his guardian Darrel. Ponyboy's is on the third floor in the pediatric ward. Room A-12," she said. I thanked her and made my way to the third floor. My heart broke when I saw the sign that read "Pediatric Ward". The realization hit me. Pony is just a kid. A kid who has gone through more than most adults. No one should have to go through what he did. Losing your parents and two friends. Then believing that it was your fault. He doesn't deserve any of this.

I saw Steve outside of Ponyboy's room with his head against his hand and his eyes closed. When he heard my footsteps he lifted his head and opened his eyes. He looked tired and almost annoyed for some reason. "Hey Steve, how's he doing?" I asked him quietly so that I didn't disturb anyone other patients.

   "Hey Superman. He seems pretty good considering the circumstances. Sodapop's in their with him now. Hasn't left his side ever since they brought him into the room," Steve replied with a sad look on his face. I knew why he hadn't gone in with him. Steve had never really liked Ponyboy all that much. Plus he wasn't good with these things. The only emotion that Steve really let's other people see is his anger. To him, anything else is weakness. I feel sorry for him that he thinks that he has to live this way.

I thanked Steve and headed into the room. Sodapop was sitting beside the bed, holding Ponyboy's hand. He looked miserable. His eyes were empty of their usual joyous glow as he looked down at our brother. I looked at Ponyboy. My heart shattered when I saw him. He was so pale that he could have blended in with the bed sheets. His figure looked so small when I saw him. By this time Sodapop had noticed me enter the room and looked up at me with sad eyes and tears down his face. "Hey, little buddy," I said gently while pulling up a chair next to him.

"Hi," he said quietly. We sat there in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. "How could this happen Darry? To Ponyboy? It's my fault. I should have known that it was more serious than he was letting on. Why did I not notice Dar?" He asked miserably. I grabbed him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Listen here Soda," I said with a stern yet soft tone. "You couldn't have known. He is just so consumed in this that I think he just couldn't explain how he felt properly."

    He shook his head. "I could have stopped this. It's my fault that he's here," he cried.

"You did everything that you could Soda. That's all anyone can ask of you." He nodded but I could tell that he didn't believe me. I knew how he felt. I blamed myself too.

Steve's POV

God damnit Ponyboy! How could he be so stupid? Why on earth would he ever do a dumb thing like this? Did he not think about his brothers and how this would affect them? I mean, of course I feel sorry for the kid but I still don't like him. He never thinks through things. He's been acting like a fucking idiot lately. People have had it way worse than him and yet he went and did this. I'm just worried about Soda. He's destroyed over this. I know that it sounds terrible but I think that it's Ponyboy's fault. I just hope that he survives this....for Soda's sake.

Sodapop's POV

I sat there in the uncomfortable hospital chair, staring down at my brother. His ghost like face appeared emotionless but deep down I could see pain. Pain that I could have prevented.

If I lost Pony....I don't think that I could handle it. I need him. I just hope that he needs me too.

I closed my eyes and focused on the sound of the heart monitor. Then, without warning the heart line went flat and Ponyboy stopped breathing.

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