"I love you too, Ponyboy Michael Curtis." | The Outsiders Story

7

"Hey Sarah." Soda says as he walks into my hospital room. I open my eyes after a light sleep. I kept waking up, about six times during the night.

"Hi." I try answer but it just comes out muffled. I can't feel the left side of my face. I feel that my face is wrapped in a bandage on the left side of my face going vertically.

He smiles at me. "How ya feelin'?"

"Ponyboy..." I say.

"Ponyboy's doin' okay. He's totally fine, just a little stuffed up from the smoke." He answers. I feel relieved. I then remember Mary, and the memory of his sweet laughter fills my head.

"Mary?" I ask. I decided that full sentences would not be understood by others with my face.

"Oh the children are all fine, just a little scared." I tried to smile, but I probably looked like a crazy person. He chuckled at me. His face suddenly becomes long. "Dally burned his arm, but Johnny is pretty bad." I start to get scared. Johnny, the innocent boy who saved the kids, was in pretty bad shape.

Suddenly a doctor came in. "Family only."

"I'm her brother." Soda blurts out. He turns towards me and winks.

"Okay." She says, clearly unconvinced. She doesn't protest at all though. "We found that your left side has some nerve damage, but none that cannot be naturally healed. It may take a few weeks, but then you'll be able to eat and smile as normal." He gives me a forced smile. "The burn is pretty bad, your face and your arm, but nothing that can't be healed. We want to release you later today with bandages and ointment."

"Thanks doc." Soda answers. He looks back at me. "That's great news. Darry says that you can come stay at our house, so someone can look after you."

Then a nurse, Pam, came in. "Hey Sarah." She says, recognizing my name on her clipboard. "I'm going to check your vitals, then you can leave."

She checks me and then leaves. When she comes back she says, "This is burn cream. Put it in every night before bed and after you take showers." She hands Soda the cream and a roll of bandages. "Replace your bandage every time you put on new cream. Don't worry, these will stick to your face so you won't have to have them around your whole head." She chuckles and leaves the room.

Soda helps me up and puts me in a wheelchair that the nurse left us. He starts to wheel us to the exit when I ask. "Johnny?"

"Yeah c'mon we'll see him. Pony's in there." He turns me around and walks to Johnny's room.

When we get there. Pony is reading "Gone with the Wind" to him. He looks terrible; he's laying on his back, his arms and neck are red and peeling. He looks miserable and in pain when Soda wheels me up to the mirror under his face

"Hey Johnnycakes." I say. I try to smile, but completely fail. He chuckles at my attempt.

"Hey Sarah. When'd they release you?" Pony says. His voice sounds tired and quiet.

"Just now." I answer. My voice still sounds a little inaudible. I look at Ponyboy. He's giving me a smile, but I don't think he actually understood me.

"Sarah, is Mary all right?" He asks, concern in his voice.

"Yeah." Soda answers for me. "She'll be just fine."

"Oh good." He answers. I feel a pair of eyes on me, Pony's. He's looking at me with sadness in them. I said it once before but I'll say it again, I hate pity.

"Can we go?" I ask Soda quietly. I yawn, and my eyes start to droop.

"Yeah. You coming Pony?"

"Nah, I wanna finish this chapter. Plus Two's comin' by later and he'll take me home."

"Alright. C'mon Sarah." He says and starts to wheel me out of Johnny's room. We say bye back to Johnny.

I can't help to feel responsible. I was the one who wanted to go in the burning church, to save Mary. Johnny is hurt because of me.