something *
alloc_something(void)
{
  something * ret = malloc(sizeof(something));
  if (ret == NULL) goto out;

  ret->another_thing = alloc_another_thing();
  if (ret->another_thing == NULL) goto out_free_ret;

  return ret;

  /* error exits */
  out_free_ret:
  free(ret);
  out:
  return NULL;
}