Life for Alexis Hope Curtis

Say What Now?

        The uneasy feeling grew as I realized Richard and his posse were there waiting for me. I looked for an opening and thought I could make it. I ran faster going for it only to be grabbed and thrown to the ground. They held me down and continued to beat me senseless. I heard yelling and grunts as a fight started out. I felt someone pick me up and start running. 

    "Now you listen hear kid don't you black out on me ya got that" I heard a voice speak to me. My head hurt too much to say anything so I tried to nod. I faintly remember hearing a bunch of voices as I went in and out of consciousness. There was a vague sound of an ambulance. There were beeps here and there. Not to mention the very uncomfortable bed.

   "Hey kid your brothers will be here shortly so just stay awake and keep your eyes on me." Said the voice. Stay awake oh I don't think so. This dark void is so delightful and welcoming. Pain what even is pain. I can't feel anything, did I die? No, I don't think so I can still hear those awful annoying beep sounds. I can hear that same voice still talking to me. I could feel stinging starting to begin in my chest. I raised my hand to my chest and a hand stopped mine.

  "Don't worry about it. Just focus on breathing and keep looking at me." Am I breathing? How did I forget to breathe? Well that explains the annoying nose tubes. The pain in my chest began to grow. It was starting to come unbearable. The darkness began to grow with it. The dark void so welcoming in leaned towards it.

    "No kid you need to stay with me. I don't want the responsibility of telling your brothers what happened." The voice said, grabbing my hand. A comforting touch and a familiar voice was all it took to know that it was gonna be okay. The darkness that surrounded me grew as I sunk into it. The void swallowed me whole. For once I was okay, I didn't have to worry about greasers or socs. I wasn't a burden upon my brothers and the gang. Strangely enough I was at peace. They could live a better life without me around holding them back. There are so many things I wanted to say to James. Things I want to do with my sister. Times that I felt guilty for. I never told Darry I stole five bucks to buy the Beatles cassette tape. I'm sure he would have given me the money if I had asked. One of my favorite memories is when I tried to steal Steve's car so I could teach myself how to drive. I remember just making it to the driver's seat and closing the door only to look into the rear view mirror to see Steve sitting in the back fixing the back door. I smiled and waved thinking I was in trouble. What shocked me was that instead of getting mad he just laughed at me and got in the passenger's seat and instructed me what I was doing wrong. That day I learned how to drive. Darry almost had a fit about that one. As I floated in this void remembering all the great times I had only to realize I did not want to leave.

   The peace was great well that was while it lasted anyway. I could see this little faint light that just continued to grow bigger. It hurt to look at the light I could feel burning in my eyes. My hand was heavy almost like someone was holding onto it as if I would slip away. I realized it was another hand but who's? I opened my eyes slowly and winced from the brightness. I looked around the ugly white room. I took note of who was there. James was asleep in a chair beside me holding my hand. Darry was on the other side in a chair with his head in his hands. Soda and Pony were on the couch along with Steve. Two-Bit was on the floor at the end of my bed. 

   "I don't know who turned on the lights but I am fixing to throat-punch whoever did." I mumbled in a raspy voice. You would think a miracle had happened because everyone jumped up at once."Dang if I get this much attention by waking up in a hospital I should do it more often."

"That's not funny." Darry said as he hugged me. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"Being beaten senseless at the track and someone picking me up." I said

"What? That's not what happened?" Two-Bit said coming forward.

"Yes it is. Two, you walked me to school this morning. It was a bad day today and Richard and his posse wanted revenge."

"No it was not you were on your way home from work and a bunch of socs jumped you. I was trailing behind you to make sure you made it home. I lost track and by the time I got there Soda and Steve had run them off. I did pick you up and carry you to the car trying to keep you awake."

"He's right me and Stevie were there Alex." said Soda

''And it wasn't this morning either, all this happened three weeks ago." said Steve

"Doc said you had a punctured lung and major blood loss. You hit your head really hard too so you've been in a coma for three weeks." said Darry

"That can't be true. I was just at school and Richard jumped me. Brittany was mad at me. Cat, Kimi, and I went to a party. Alelia found her way home. Me and James were fighting. Apparently we have cousins named Asher and Amber." I said, glancing around the room.

"Who are Cat, Brittany, and Kimi? Darry we have cousins?" asked Pony as he looked to Darry.

"Cat is Steve's sister, Kimi is Two's, and Brittany was Dally's sister." I said

"Alex my dearest little sister. I know this may be hard for you but none of them ever existed. Doc said that it's a possibility that you may have made up people in your memories to keep you company. As for Asher and Amber they were our cousins. Their dad was a drunk and after Aunt Cassy died he went off the deep end. He was drunk and driving one night. He had both of them in the back seat. He hit a tractor trailer truck head on. They were all killed on impact." explained Darry.

" What about Alelia?" I asked

"She was your twin but she died in the womb before y'all were born."

"How come no one ever told me?" I asked, starting to cry.

"Mom and Dad deemed it best." said Soda.

"So you're telling me that I have been in a coma for three weeks. Everyone that was in my mind is either dead or nonexistent. Correct?" I asked

"I am afraid so little one." said Soda. I felt my hand being squeezed. I looked to my right and looked at James and noticed he was crying.

"I'm not dead or nonexistent. I'm still here and I will always be here. I was scared that you would never wake up and I wouldn't get to see your beautiful brown eyes again. I've realized in these past few weeks that I can not live without you. I love you Alex." said James.

"Don't look at me Alex, it's your decision. You turn eighteen in a week, besides if he screws up I know where he lives." said Darry. I turned back to James and looked at his hopeful filled eyes.

"Listen we don't have to get married right away we can wait as many years as you want." I listened to James ramble on and on. His nerves were growing; he even began to shake slightly.

"Yes." I answered

"What?"

"I said yes, James."

Everyone clapped, cheered, and hollered. With them being a bunch of hooligans I'm not surprised. Life isn't always what you make it out to be, I've learned that today. Even though the people I thought existed don't, I'll cherish them in my heart. It may take me awhile to decipher what was real and what was not. My brothers will be there, along with gang and James. May we all have a bright future ahead.