Big Deal shoved Anybodys back through a hole in the fence. He didn't look back, didn't check that she was staying where she'd been put, but the tomboy was actually sort of relieved. Much as she would love the boys to think she was tough enough to join the fight, she knew – no, she wouldn't admit that, even to herself. No, she just didn't want to get in the way.
The fight began, and Anybodys darted back and forth, yelling support for Action and insults at the Sharks, her voice mingling with the other Jets'.
She wasn't entirely sure how it happened, but the two-man fistfight suddenly escalated into an all-out rumble. Convinced the Sharks were about to be comprehensively run out of town for good, Anybodys redoubled her yelling, so busy trying to keep track of every Jet and Shark that she forgot about the possibility of joining the fight.
Something glinted, and Anybodys' eyes widened. Bernardo had drawn a flick-knife. A frighteningly triumphant grin on his face, he traced patterns in the air with the blade.
Anybodys looked expectantly at Riff, who pulled out his own knife. Anybodys grinned, and her yell of encouragement smashed through the deathly hush that had fallen over the yard. A couple of Jet boys looked over at her, mirroring her grin, and the entire gang took up her yell.
Anybodys could have exploded with joy. They had taken up her encouragement, she had started this. Riff caught her eye and smiled, then charged at Bernardo. She watched, knowing that she had started this, that finally, she was a part of the gang.
Bernardo lunged at Riff.
Riff fell to the ground.
He lay, not moving.
Anybodys barely noticed the other boys fighting. She stared at Riff, willing him to move, knowing that this was just a ploy, he was fooling Bernardo, any second now he would open his eyes, and get up, and chase the Sharks away, any second now, he'll be alright, please…
A police siren wailed, and the boys scattered, leaving Tony bent over the two bodies on the ground.
Acting purely on the instincts wrought from a life on the streets, Anybodys ran up to Tony, pulling him away from the bod – away from the yard, trying not to remember what she'd so proud of.
I started this. I caused this.
He's dead.