We all left the tree house and parted in our ways to go to our houses, "Chris?"

"Yeah, Mel?" he answered.

"You think, James and Sarah'll be okay if I leave um alone for a night?" worry filled my voice. I glanced at him and he was looking at me.

He stopped and made me face him, "I'm sure they'll be just fine. Hey, trust me."

I smiled and we started walking again, we parted once he started heading up his walk way to his house, and I headed up mine. Ma still wasn't home and when I walked in Sarah and James were watching TV. "Hey, Mel," James said smiling up at me.

"Hey, little man, you guy's eat?" I saw him nod as I went to the back closet and got out my sister's old bed roll.

"You going somewhere?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, me and the guys are gonna go camping out in Vern's back field, and we're hittin the drags tomorrow. So I wont be home tonight, or tomorrow k?" he nodded fear building in him. I sat down and pulled him onto my lap, "Hey, it'll be okay. You remember what I taught you?"

He nodded, "When things get rough, get Sarah and hide in your room."

"Right, and what do you do while you're in my room?"

He thought for a second, "Lock the door, and don't make a sound."

I kissed him on the forehead, "Very good." I put him back on the couch and got up, "Look after your sister for me. And if you're good while I'm away I might even take you out for ice cream."

I heard the door open and Chris came in, carrying his bedroll, "Ready?"

"Gimme a minute," I ran into my room and grabbed some change off the nightstand and then went back down. "You think we should bring some food?"

Chris shook his head, "Na, I'm sure someone else will."

I knelt in front of James, he gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and I gave him one back. And then I went to Sarah, "Sarah Jane you behave and listen to your brother," she nodded and gave me a hug and kiss too.

I got up and started walking and Chris put a arm around my shoulder, "They'll be fine."

I smiled at him and we left. As we were walking a guy in a truck with bales of hay in the back stopped, "You guy's wanna ride?"

"Sure, thanks," I said while Chris helped me into the truck. As we were driving through town we spotted Gordie walking. Chris, "Right here's cool"

The driver stopped, Gordie looked at us, "Hey, Chris, Mel."

Chris called to the driver, "Thanks a lot!"

Driver, "Sure thing!"

I smiled at Gordie, "Hey Gordie."

Chris, "Gordo!"

Gordie, "Hey guys."

As we were walking Chris got all excited, "Wanna see something?"

Gordie answered back distantly, "Sure, what?"

I put a hand on Gordie's shoulder, "You okay?"

Gordie snapped at me, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Chris tried lighting the mood, "Come on, man!"

We ran around the corner and into the alley behind the Blue Point Diner.

Gordie, "What is it?"

Chris dug into his bed roll, "Oh, man. You gotta see this!"

Gordie, "Come on, man. What is it? Come on, what is it?"

Chris pulled out a pistol, "You wanna be the Lone Ranger, or the Cisco Kid?"

I laughed, "You're dad's going to kill you, Chambers."

Chris smirked at me and handed the pistol to Gordie, "Walkin', talkin', Jesus! Where'd you get this?!"

Chris, "Hawked it from my old man's bureau. It's a .45."

Gordie looked at Chris, "I can see that." He then pretended as if we shot it, "You got shells for it?"

Chris, "Yeah. Took all that was left in the box. My dad'll think that he used them himself shootin' at beer cans while he was drunk."

Gordie pretended to shoot again, "Is it loaded?"

Chris, "Hell, no! What do you think I am?"

Gordie pointed, "Hey, hey don't point it at me," I cried.

Gordie, "Don't worry I'm not, I'm aiming at that garbage can behind you." He cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger, and the gun unexpectedly fired into a garbage can, narrowly missing me. We all yelled, "JE-SUS!"

Gordie, "Let's get outta here! Come on!"

We ran away while Chris began to laugh, "Gordie did it! Gordie Lachance is shootin up Castle Rock!"

Gordie, "Shut up!"

As we were running down the alley, Francine Tupper, one of the waitresses from the Blue Point Diner came out to investigate the noise, "Hey, who did that?! Who's lettin' cherry bombs off out here?!"

As we made it to the side walk in front of all the businesses, we started walking away from the area, Chris, "Oh, man! You should have seen your face! Damn, that was cool! That was really fine! Though you did almost shoot Mel."

Gordie, "At least I didn't hit her"

I laughed, "I'm grateful, and to show my gratitude I'm going to buy us a pack of gum, I'll be right back."

With out giving me a second glance they continued arguing about the gun being loaded. I went into the corner store and bought a pack of gum, and then I started walking back to where the boy's had been. That's when I saw Ace sitting on top of Chris, "Take it back!" he was yelling.

Goride, "Come on, man! Stop it! You're hurting him!"

Chris, "Bastard! Let go, man! Shit!"

Gordie, "Stop it, man!"

I started across the street, hearing Ace yell again, "Take it back, kid."

I took off running when Ace picked up a cigarette and started bringing it closer to Chris' face. As I got there I brought my leg back and kicked Ace, knocking him off Chris, "Get the hell off him, Ace."

Ace held his eye, "You bitch! You're gonna pay for this!"

Eyeball started to walk towards me, I glared at him, "Fuck off."

Ace growled, "You're getting to be a pain in my ass."

"Sorry, I don't do that kind of stuff. But, maybe if you ask Eyeball here not to push it in as far, you could get your little situation, worked out."

Before Ace was able to jump me I took off running. Ace not wanting to give chase, instead he spit at Chris and Gordie, "See you later, girls."

Chris and Gordie watched as Ace and Eyeball walked away. Eyeball was still wearing Gordie's hat. When they turned the corner Chris put an arm over Gordie's shoulders, "Come on. Just forget 'em."

"Yeah, Gordie, Samuel will get it back for you. He sure maybe a pain but he was still one of Denny's friends," I said. They turned around, "Sorry, I took off, wasn't really wanting a beating before we left on our trip."

Chris laughed, "Man, Carson you took off running like you weren't coming back."

Gordie, "Yeah Mel, I thought you'd be halfway to Harlow by now."

I laughed, "Funny! Come on, let's go." We started walking down the sidewalk to met up with the others. Chris twisted his leg so he kicked Gordie in the butt, Gordie laughed and did it back. I shook my head, "Boys."