Fair Game
Chapter Two: Daphne Takes a Hand
"I think we should split up," Shaggy held a large cotton candy in one hand and Velma's hand in the other. Unseen, Velma snuck a handful of cotton candy.
"That's my line, but a good idea. Let's meet up at the other end of the midway, then decide what we want to do," every one snickered knowingly as Shaggy and Velma waved and walked away.
Daphne put her arm in the crook of Fred's arm, "Thank you," she whispered, kissing his cheek.
"Why...I didn't do anything?" Fred looked into Daphne's blue eyes, her hair tickling his nose.
"Exactly! Now, what do you plan for us?" Daphne ran her hand slowly down his chest and then dug her hand into his ribs.
"I thought we might just walk around, see what's here then decide what rides we want to try."
The night was warm, just cool enough to be comfortable; a typical spring night in Coolsville. The bright, glaring neon lights beckoned every one to try their luck in the many county fair type games.
The neon lights tried to hide the trap inherent in all the games. The idea was to make money for the owners and employees. Some of the games were honest but the prizes these offered were cheap, dime a dozen type. The other games were rigged in some fashion with little or no chance to win the big prizes.
The amusement park had been laid out in a large "T" format with food vendors and some easy rides and games for families with kids along the top of the "T"; the more difficult the game, the further down the "T". Fred and Daphne tried several of the easier games with little interest and less luck.
"I think I'll wait for the malt shoppe," Daphne answered Fred when he pointed at a food vendor offering BBQ ribs, "I don't want to hurl if we're going on one of "those" rides." They laughed at Velma's aversion to the more adventurous rides and wondered how Shaggy was going to get her on one. Not to mention that she had an aversion to BBQ sauce on her fingers...and pants. They never offered enough napkins! They sauntered down the midway between games of chance and vendors calling out taunts to get people to buy whatever it was they were selling.
"Hey Blondie, try your luck. Win a prize for your girlfriend!" or they would try Daphne, "You know your boyfriend can win you a prize here!" The din from people screaming on the rides and just milling around was noisy, good natured and boisterous.
"Knock the bottles down, win a prize! Only twenty-five cents! One fourth of a dollar!..." could be heard clearly over the din. Fred and Daphne stopped, checking out this game that had been around as long as the first amusement park. It looked easy; three bottles set in a triangle. All you had to do was knock all three off the makeshift bench with a softball. Easy.
Daphne looked bored to tears but Fred watched intently as several people, kids as well as a few adults tried unsuccessfully to knock the bottles off the bench. Fred saw the barker's eyes as they checked out the couple as he urged his "customers" to try again, "only twenty-five cents, one quarter of a dollar!"
The barker's eyes had swept over Daphne first; from red hair down over her clinging top, down her long, shapely legs to the calf high boots. Fred thought of a shark circling his prey. Then it was Fred's turn to be scrutinized, to be sized up as either a problem, park lizard, or potential sucker. Fred wondered which pigeon hole he had been placed and when the shark would attack. That question was answered when a kid walked off, a dollar lighter in his pocket but hopefully a little wiser although Fred didn't hold out much hope in that area.
"Hey Blondie!" The barker called out, "you can't win your sweetheart a prize if you just stand there! Play or move on...Ya bother me kid." Fred looked at Daphne, raising his eyebrows.
"Go ahead, Freddy, I'll take that teddy bear on the left. He's kinda cute...like you." the giggle that escaped Daphne was kinda cute too. At three foot tall and wearing a purple vest with big, bright, silver buttons he did stand out on the top row. And he was kinda cute, if you liked the fuzzy look. Fred stepped up to the counter, digging in his pocket for his two bits when he was pushed out of the way.
"We'll take our turn...Now!" Fred turned to see who had pushed him. "It's Billy's turn, you don't mind do you Blondie?" The man, late teens or maybe real early twenties, was obviously the Alpha dog in this pack. The guy flipped the ball over his shoulder to be caught by Billy. It never mattered the size of the pack, whether three or thirty, there was always one strangler, one that never quite made it into the pack. For this pack Billy was the strangler; used for the butt of jokes, a gofer, or a punching bag if the need arose.
"Just you watch, Josh! Those bottles are going to fly!" Billy was the skinniest kid Fred had ever seen. To call him "String bean" would have been a compliment! Fred almost felt sorry for the kid. Almost.
Fred saw the barker move his hand down under the counter; he didn't know what he had under there and he didn't want to find out. "It's okay," Fred said loud enough for the barker to hear, "let him have his turn." Fred didn't want trouble, not tonight, he had other plans. Plans that included Daphne, a scary ride and lots of hugs. But like a lot of Fred's plans, this one had just hit a major obstacle.
"Why don't you guys just leave," Fred heard Daphne say. 'Oh! Just great! Any chance of getting out of here without trouble just went up into the night air' Fred thought. Josh turned his attention toward Daphne.
"Watch this Josh!" Billy reared back like the pitcher he had seen on TV. The ball did just as Fred expected, flying high right. Billy had missed all three bottles.
"What if I don't want to leave...unless you want to leave with me?" His eyes roamed over her body from top to bottom and back again. Billy's ball had hit the canvas backstop with a 'thud!' rolling to the feet of the barker who picked it up, tossing it to Fred who caught the ball and stepped beside Daphne in one smooth move.
"You think I should leave with you?" Daphne smirked, cocking her head to one side, "you have to have a brain to think, I'm so sorry."
"She's not fair game. She's with me." Fred said quietly.
Billy
Billy found himself in no man's land. On one side he had to stay loyal to Josh if he ever wanted to be accepted. On the other hand, he had seen Blondie's eyes when he stepped beside the gorgeous red head; he wanted no part of those eyes! He couldn't run and he didn't want to stay. And then Josh's friend, Mark, did something really stupid. Billy tried to stop him but didn't see the movement in time.
Josh
Josh had been a bully since he was old enough to walk. He was also smart enough to know who he could bully and who to stay away from. He realized his mistake too late with Blondie and the cute red head. He knew she was taunting him. There was something about her that made him nervous. Blondie's eyes scared him. Ever since Blondie had caught the ball and stepped beside the red head Josh had been trying frantically to think of a way out of this mess. Those eyes were cold hard steel and if something went wrong there would be no way out.
He saw Mark's hand go out in an attempt to touch the red head. What was he thinking!? Maybe Mark just wanted to cop a feel or maybe teach the girl some manners in speaking to Josh. From Josh's angle he couldn't tell if the red head was distracted in taunting him and Mark actually got close enough to touch her breast; it didn't matter, within seconds he was on his knees and screaming in pain.
Fred
Fred saw the other kid move to touch Daphne. "Bad move, kid' he thought, letting the ball roll off his fingertips from one hand to the other, back and forth. Fred saw Daphne's hand shoot out like a striking Cobra, grab the offending arm, turn it 180 degrees, and with the hand bent at the wrist by the pressure of a thumb, the kid fell to his knees, screaming in pain.
"Let's sit this one out. Let the big dogs handle this, shall we?" Daphne smiled sweetly but Fred thought the kid knew she would and could break his wrist if tempted. What scared Fred was the fact that she'd be smiling that sweet smile as she heard the bones crack!
Billy
Mark's screams were enough! The decision to run or fight over--- he ran!
Josh
Josh tried to ignore Mark's screams, now only whimpers, tears of pain rolled down his cheeks. That rolling the ball from hand to hand was getting on his nerves and Mark's whimpering wasn't helping.
And those eyes! He had tried to look away, to look at the red head and what she was doing to Mark; thankful it wasn't him! He had tried to look away from those eyes that just stared at you, as if they had a power of their own but he couldn't tear his eyes away.
"We got a problem here, buddy?" a voice came from Blondie's left. If Josh wasn't scared before, he was now. He hadn't seen the man approach; it was as if he had appeared out of the night. Blondie didn't move a muscle, he just kept rolling that ball from hand to hand.