Please review,if you have time. I haven't had much feedback on recent chapters,so I don't know whether people like this so far,or not.

The ticking sound was slowly driving Gordie insane as he watched the minute hand slowly wind itself around the black and white clock on the wall,above the receptionist who was noisily chatting down into the phone she had glued to her ear.

Tick...tock...tick-by-stupid-tock..

The hour hand was dragging even slower,but it felt like two days had gone by since Gordie had last seen Chris's face.

A loud bang made Gordie jolt suddenly,his whole body shaking as he looked around frantically. The noise sounded like a gun-shot. But,it was only Teddy kicking the vending machine in an attempt to get a chocolate bar out for Vern. The receptionist hadn't even noticed,and continued her 'important' phone call to a now-known Casandra.

Gordie slumped down in the plastic chair and looked to his right. Chris's bag was sat next to him,and curiosity took hold of Gordie as he opened it up and looked inside.

Inside,Gordie found a notebook,the .45,and an item that made his heart flip. It was the Yankees cap that his brother gave him: it was the one that Ace stole off him not that long ago. Taking out the cap,Gordie placed it in his lap and smiled. Chris must have got it back for me,but forgot to give it to me. He thought.

Gordie knew that looking in another person's diary wasn't allowed,and he would surely get into trouble - but the crumpled edges of the paper inside the notebook indicated that Chris had wrote loads of things inside,and the initial curiosity was too strong to ignore.

Opening up the first page,there was a folded newspaper page and a few other sheets that were carefully folded. The newspaper was slightly old,and the date read '1960'. Gordie opened up the newspaper page fully,and instantly recognized the article. It was the article where his short story was published,and the same year that Denny died in the Jeep crash. The article wasn't too fantastic,or gave Gordie much fame - but he had enough happiness when his brother read it,and when Chris read it. They both made him feel good about himself,and it gave him more courage to create further stories.

But,why had Chris kept the newspaper article?

Gordie placed the article aside and picked up the other sheets. These were in perfect condition as Gordie opened them up carefully,laying them flat on his lap.

'Concerning Chris Chambers..' Was what the first sentence said on the first sheet. They were school letters,and it was all 'concerning' Chris.

'There has been a recent incident concerning the mishandling of money,and we have reason to believe that Chris has stole the money of . Thus,we are warranting a three-day suspension and a black mark on his record.'

The letter carried on about how the rules work,and that Chris should be more honest next time. The other letters went on about other 'offences' that Chris had done in school,and how many black marks he had on his record so far. The amount was unreadable - or,that is,Gordie didn't wish to read how many because he knew it was all lies. Chris always told the truth,and he even admitted that he tried to give the milk-money back to old lady Simons,but they still accused him and sent him on his merry way.

But,why had Chris kept all these school letters?

Folding the newspaper article and the sheets of papers carefully,Gordie placed them back on the front page before flipping onto the second page. The pages had no dates written on the top,so Gordie didn't know how long it was until Chris had written in it. Some of the sentences had spelling mistakes and some words were scribbled out,but Gordie could read them fine as he had seen Chris's writing before.

The house is always qiet when my dad's out. But today he won't stop showting, exspecu escpeic especially since he's drunk. I get alot of bruises,and cuts if I annoy him and it seems to be every day. I don't know what I do to make him angry,but I must be doing something rong because I've already got burns on my arms from the cigs he smokes everyday.I always feel like hiding in a hole in the back garden when he showts at me,because then he can't get me.

I always see Gord when I'm scard,because he never judges me or pesters me. He's a great friend,and I don't know what I'd do if Gord wasn't hear. I mean,Teddy and Vern are alright,but Gord always makes me laf and his stories are fun to hear,because they're usually funny. I hope Gord becomes a writer one day,because I can claim that I was his best friend when we were children when he becomes famous and on the t.v. I'd like that. My best friend on t.v.

I have to go now - dad's showting again.

Gordie turned over the next page,and this time,there was a drawing of the tree-house.

I always hang out in the tree-house me,Gordie,Vern and Teddy made. It's the best tree-house ever,as we can sneak smokes up there and play card. I always win,since I'm cool.

Gord seemed real qiet today,and he woodn't play cards with us. He woodn't tell me what's wrong,but I guessed it was about his parents. They always ignore him,and it get's on my nerves because no kid should be ignored.

Gord lost his brother,Denny,not that long ago and his parents still haven't got over it. They keep ignoring Gord,and Gord told me he felt like the invisible boy when he tried talking to his parents because they woodn't answer him back,but they keep referyi referring to Denny. They keep telling him to get better friends,but I don't see what's wrong with us. Gord likes us,so why can't his parents?

I talked to Gord after the others left,and he told me how his dad showted at him for going into Denny's room. He said that it upset his mother,but I don't see what's rong in remembring your older brother. I liked Denny,because he didn't judge me either,and he always encouraged Gord to write more stories.

A twelve year old kid shouldn't be ignored by his parents. They're too fucked up to do anything. I'll always stand by Gord,because he always stands by me.

Gordie re-read the last sentence and smiled. Chris was always protecting Gordie,even when he didn't need the protection. Gordie felt sadness suddenly - almost guiltyness - as he noticed in more of the diary entries that Chris was always mentioning him,and always involving himself with his problems. Not once did Chris complain about his own problems. They were always about Gordie,and how Chris ranted his anger about Gordie's parents or anything that made him upset.

Gordie read two more entires that caught his attention.

I managed to get Gord's cap back today. I got my finger's broken in the process and my stomach punched,but I don't care. I got Gord's cap back! It was Denny's,so it's pretty important to Gord. And I got it back!

Ace Merrill didn't throw it away after all. He dropped it on the corner he went around after he threw me on the ground and threatened to burn me with his cig. It was dirty,so I gave it a quick wash in the washing machine when I got home,and I used the best soap to clean it because I wanted it to look brand-new for Gord. Gord will be so happy when I give it back to him.

Those bastards Ace and Eyeball will pay one day. I hope they go to prison some day,where they'll get beat up by tuffer guys than them.

Gordie looked down at the cap in his lap and smiled wide. The blue did look brighter and new,and there was no dirt on it. The cap also felt new. Gordie decided to look at the latest entry of the diary,and then that would be it. He didn't want to pry anymore,as these were Chris's private thoughts.

Me and Gord have been together for nearly a month now,and I still can't get over that fact. It doesn't feel real that I can hug,kiss and hold Gord whenever I want. I've always had a crush on Gord for as long as I can remember,but I was afraid that I'd lose my friendship with him if I told him. But,I decided to risk it and it seems a long time ago since I first kissed him,since it's so normal now. I can kiss him whenever I want - or whenever we're alone,because we had to keep it a secret.

But then Eyeball caught us.

And then Ace Merrill found out,and we're now on the run. We're currently camping out in Castle Rock's woods,after I stole my dad's car and drove away. We're in the deepest part of the woods,and away from Castle Rock Centre where nobody can see us. I hope things work out. I don't want Gord hurt,because I love him two much.

I've also lost my virginity not so long ago. It was really weerd,and a bit uncomfortable,but I liked it at the same time. And I think Gord did two,because he kept making noises as we did it. He doesn't know that I was a virgin before,because I didn't want him to worry. I wanted him to enjoy it as much as I did,and it worked because he didn't ask for me to stop. Eyeball was right for once - sex is enjoyable. And I'm glad that it was with Gord,because I wouldn't have chose anybody else. I still get butterflies in my stomach everytime I think back to what we did.

I hope me and Gord will stay like this forever,and finally get out of Castle Rock,where nobody will judge us and nobody will know who we are.

Gordie felt like crying when he shut the notebook and placed it back inside Chris's bag. Everything had gone wrong after that last entry,and now Chris had a bullet in his shoulder.

Gordie lent forward and placed his arms on his knees as he hung his head,trying to refrain from crying as he stared down at the linoleum floor below.

Chris really wanted to get out of this town,and Gordie did too. But,Gordie knew that wouldn't happen,since Chris was in the hospital and their parents would have found out that they were running away. Gordie expected the entrance doors to burst open and his father come rushing in,shouting his guts out and grabbing him.

Neither thing happened,and Gordie could still hear the damn ticking of the clock above the receptionist. He looked up and realized that two hours had gone by,and his two friends were now sat either side of him,looking bored yet worried at the same time.

And then the double-doors opened.

"Is it Chris?" Vern asked,perking up slightly.

A surgeon came out from the doors,but there was no Chris behind him. The surgeon simply stood in front of the doors; he was wearing all green,and had a mask over his mouth along with a surgeon's hat on his head. He looked about the waiting room and laid his eyes on the three boys sat,looking up at him with anticipation.

The surgeon pulled down his mask with his gloved hands,and sighed.