Title: I Stutter When Nervous
Blanket Disclaimer: I do not own Holes or any cannon characters or situations.
please Read and Review. I'd like to know what you guys think. )
It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.
Someone looked up from their hole and noticed a cloud of dust travelling towards them across the desert. The person shook their head slightly before leaning over to dig again. They knew that their tent would be getting a new member ever since Crater went home.
"New kids coming today," the digger called to the others with out looking up. Some looked up for the bus but most just shrugged and continued digging their holes. So what if a new kids coming. Just another bad kid like them sent here to 'build their character'.
A couple hours later a truck drove up to the group and they all lined up behind the truck to get some water and lunch. They all sat around one hole as they ate their lunch. When the truck drove away one of the guys pulled something out of his pocket. "Take 'im," he mumbled. Everyone grabbed a cracker that he filched from the truck. "Thanks man," the digger who spotted the bus thanked. They may be juvenile delinquents, but that doesn't mean that they all have no manners.
When they finished their lunch they went back to their own holes and started digging again. Everyone was now idly chatting away now that they had their lunch and had more energy. "Wonderin' what this kids in for," one guy said. "Is anyone in for murder yet?" another asked, joking around. "Would they really send someone that mentally unstable here?" the first digger asked. "You're too smart for us, Stutter, go home!" another digger joked. "This is my home!" Stutter cried and they started laughing.
Not to long after the sun was at its highest point in the sky, Stutter and his tent mates were just finishing up their holes, measuring to make sure it was five by five round. They hoped out of their holes and spat into them, shouldering their shovels and tiredly trudging back to camp. When they past a shed that had a sign saying Library on it, they tossed their shovels onto a pile forming beside it.
Stutter and another digger, Gorge, were walking back from the showers, dripping wet but looking very refreshed, to their tent. The showers were one of Stutters favourite parts of the camp. The only thing cold too. They saw Dr. Pendanski (AKA. Mom) walking with a black boy, pointing out the places he could go in the camp. Mom must have spotted them because he pointed to them, and made a bee-line towards them, dragging the new camper towards them.
"Afternoon fella's," he happily greeted. Stutter and Gorge gave a forced smile and attempted to greet him back with as much enthusiasm as he did to them. "This is Rex," he said, pointing to the new kid. "He'll be in your guys' tent, so don't give him to hard of a time. You were all new here once too. I expect this tent to be welcoming." Mom lectured them and then turned to Rex. "This is Nathan and Kennedy. They'll introduce you to the others, I suspect them to be showering right now."
"Aww Mom, ya got our names wrong again!" Gorge protested. Mom grinned and turned to Rex. "They all have little nick-names that they prefer to call themselves by. I, on the other hand, prefer to use the names that their parents gave them and the name that society will recognize them by." Stutter and Gorge glared at Mom the whole time he was explaining this to Rex.
"We got it from here Mom," Stutter informed him, walking up to Rex and pulling him along with him as he walked away. "Thanks for the intro though, couldn't have done it without you Mom." Mom didn't catch the sarcasm at the end. He just walked the other way muttering something about no problem, any time. Stutter and Gorge smirked at each other.
"Okay, listen kid, this is the way it goes." Stutter turned to Rex when they reached the tent. "I ain't Kennedy, the names Stutter. That's what I go by, call me anything else and I'll kick your ass, got it?" Rex nodded his head. "And this isn't Nathan, his names Gorge. Same goes for him as me. You taking this all in?" Rex nodded his head again. Not speaking incase he said something wrong. "All righty, lets get your stuff inside and unpacked."
Gorge went into the tent first, followed by Stutter and then Rex. Gorge pointed to an empty crate and told rex to put his stuff in it and then pointed to an empty cot and told him that's where he'd sleep. Rex quickly shoved his backpack into the crate and looked up to them to show he was done.
Stutter looked around the tent then out its flap. "Guess all the others went to the wreck room." He turned to the others and then walked out the tent. "Come on," he mumbled. Rex nervously pushed his glasses up his nose to keep them from slipping off his face. They were really big glasses, thick too. He and Gorge followed Stutter out of the tent and to the wreck room.
The people that they were digging with were hanging around a pool table, waving them over. "Come on Gorge, I got a bet that you'll beat Sidewinder in a best two outt three pool game!" Stutter smirked at Gorge, he was good at pool., but not Sidewinder good. Gorge stalked up to the table and grabbed a pool qu that was being held out for him. "Who breaks?" he asked, taking a practise shot without a ball. A tall boy with black hair got off the stool he was sitting on. "I am," he said. Stutter took his place on the stool and motioned for Rex to sit on the stool beside him. "How much did you bet Claustro?"
Claustro, a skinny boy with light brown hair and big brown eyes, looked up from the game that had just started. "Just a shower token." He got up, wished Gorge goodluck and told the others that he'd be outside taking a walk. Stutter glanced across to Rex. "Claustro's short for claustrophobic, which he is. He don't like inclosed rooms and stuff," He explained. Rex nodded. "You don't talk much do you," Stutter stated plainly. Rex gave a half smile and shrugged. "New place I guess. Not used to the people here." he shrugged again. "So you can talk, eh" Stutter smirked. "I talk more than you think, I just don't feel like it," Rex replied.
Stutter jumped off his stool, gaining everyone's attention. "I-I-I for forgot, to tell, y- you all. I was supp- supposed to tell you- you all," Stutter stuttered. "This-this-this is Re-Rex. He's-he's our n-new tent member." People in his tent started laughing at him. A boy with shaggy blond hair patted his shoulder. "That's the worst you've done in a long time," he told him. "And here we thought that our little stutter was getting better." Stutter pushed his arm away. "I am g-getting better, and y-you know it! Shove off and shut up Nevada!"
Nevada grinned sheepishly and then turned to Rex. "Seeing as little Stutter here can't talk straight to introduce us," Stutter glared at him." I guess I will have to do it for 'im." He pointed to himself. "I'm Nevada, like you heard 'im yell at me." He pointed to the pool table to the tall boy with black hair. "That's Sidewinder and beside him is Tigger." the boy beside Sidewinder had bright red hair "And that was Claustro that had made the bet and then left. And since you came in with them, I'm sure you already know Stutter and Gorge." Nevada finished introducing the others when the dinner bell sounded.
Gorge and Sidewinder were tied one all when the bell went, so they placed their sticks on the table and started walking to the door. Nevada put his hand out for Stutter who used it to pull himself off the floor. Together with Rex and Tigger, they made their way out of the wreck room and to the dinning hall.
Along the way they pointed out certain campers to avoid and who not to associate with. They explained the biggest part to being in D-Tent. "D-Tent stays together. No matter what, we are a team, we support each other, we help each other out when they need it. If we need backing up, you better be there. We'll back you up, but we need the same in return. And remember, we are your family here." Rex nodded and said that he understood. "Gang rules basically, right? Except better." "That's right, and never forget them."
They stood in line to get their dinner and Gorge laughed when Rex got his food. The look on his face was picture worthy. "Ya better eat it, it's the best we're gonna get." Nevada looked around the room but couldn't find the rest of D-tent. "They're right over there," Rex said, pointing to the far right corner. "It's the glasses,"Gorge whispered to Tigger. "I bet he can see everything."
Rex watched Gorge, wide eyed, as he devoured his meal. He looked down at his own, untouched food and then back to Gorges nearly empty tray. Rex slowly reached for his bread, thinking that it's the only thing edible here. "You better eat it all, you're gonna need it tomorrow." Claustro told him. "Yah, really, and don't worry, your taste buds'll die in a couple a days so no worry." Rex looked warily looked over to Gorge. "Oh, he's one in a million," Stutter laughed. "He aint called Gorge for nothing you know. He gorged on his food on his first day."
Sidewinder, who had been quietly eating his meal, spoke up for the first time. "So kid, what are you in for?" everyone looked from Sidewinder to Rex, waiting for an answer. "I got busted while making a deal to one of my regular customers. In for possession and for dealing. 30 months," Rex didn't look proud of what he did, but at the same time he wasn't ashamed either. "30 months for dealing and possession? Really? That's a lot for just that," Tigger exclaimed. "What else did you do?" "I personally didn't do anything else. But like you were saying about watchin' peoples backs, I got busted for being in a gang that had set fire to some buildings so I took the rap for it even though I wasn't actually there." Rex shrugged. "So I guess arson too."
Stutter was in his own little world, not talking while he ate. 30 months was a long time, but not as long as he had been sentenced. For how long he'd be in here, he was doubting being able to live a actual life afterwards. Stutter was brought out of his own little world by Nevada waving his had in front of his face. "Come on. Earth to Stutter, Mr. Sir told us to get outta here." Stutter kinda gave a jerk and stood up. "Alright, but I'm gonna head to the tent now. Don't know why, but today took a lot outta me." Nevada nodded and they walked out the mess hall together.
'Why am I so drained today?' Stutter asked himself while he was alone in the tent. He changed into a black t-shirt and a pair of boxers and was sitting on his cot, trying to figure out what was making him like this. Sighing he got up and grabbed his toothbrush and walked to the water spigot with a tube of toothpaste and started to brush his teeth. When he came back to the tent, Rex was laying onto of his cot.
"Hey there," Stutter greeted him. Rex tilted his head towards him. Stutter must have been very tired because his voice was really soft when he talked. "Hey," he replied. "Is digging the holes really that hard?" he asked. Stutter gave him a long look. "It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life." Rex's face fell. "Don't worry though, The blisters will turn into calluses after a week or so. Under if you're lucky. But remember, first holes the hardest." Rex nodded, he wasn't looking forward to tomorrow morning.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed, I'm unbelievably tired today." Rex nodded that he didn't mind at all. "Good, well, good night." Stutter layed down on his cot with his back towards Rex and the soft, steady rise and fall of his body told Rex that he was already asleep.