Before we go on with this riveting story, I just want to remind you all of something.......Er......No, I don't actually. But its 11:50pm now, and I'm getting pretty tired. I've just seen Idle Hands cos Devon Sawa's in it. I know a lot of people, especially the critics say it sucked, but fortunately for me I'm extremely immature, so I found it entertaining. Especially the cat being thrown out the window. Funny or what? I think I actually had to mention that in some of this story aswell, but that's just me isn't it?

So, where were we? Chapter 8? Ooooooh, how will this road rage incident end? The suspense is killing me!

For a moment, Carter stood still, his mouth wide open in shock. Then his fists clenched by his sides and he took a step towards Ken Browning.

"I don't know what the hell you're trying to do," he hissed, his voice full of rage. "But you're gonna pay for that."

Carter smirked as Ken looked on in bewilderment. Then Carter got out his switchblade and walked over to the tyre of Alex and his dad's car. He brought back the blade ready to stab the tyre and puncture it, but he hadn't been counting on Alex jumping out at that moment.

"Drop that knife!" Alex shrieked as he dived out of the passenger seat. He knocked Carter to the ground and pinned him down by the arms.

"That's my boy!" Ken Browning cheered, clapping his hands. "Twat the bugger Alex!"

"Well," Mrs. Browning sighed as she walked the two of them out of the police station. "I've never been so embarassed in all my life."

"Look, Barb, we're sorry," Ken apologised. "But, the son of a bitch was asking for it."

"Big time," Alex added.

"You can shut up an all," Mrs. Browning snapped back. "You're grounded forever for this."

"But-."

"No. I have never been so humilliated in all of my life! I've had Mrs. Horton on the phone demanding an explantion and virtually the whole neighbourhood's been talking about you. We were pillars of the community Ken."

"Oh give it a rest," Ken replied. "We're not exactly royalty are we?"

"I think you're being totally insensitive."

"I think you're blowing everything totally out of proportion."

"Mum, Dad, please, it was Carter's fault," Alex pleaded. Ken nodded and pointed to his son as if he were saying 'he's right'.

"True, true," his Dad commented.

"Will you two stop playing the blame game?" Barbara snarled angrily.

"No!" Ken and Alex cried back in unison. "We've got to blame someone."

"How about you blame yourselves?"

"Okay," Alex replied. "It was him." He pointed to his father at exactly the same moment that his father pointed at him.

"Ohhhhhhhh," Mrs. Browing sighed in despair. "I give up. I don't know why men have to get into fights. Women just talk about stuff, rationally."

"BORING!" Alex shouted rudely. "I've been waiting for a decent excuse to kick his ass all week."

"But why do you need to kick anybody's ass? Can't you just play jigsaws or monopoly?"

"I think not," Alex remarked. "Kicking people's asses is what life is all about. Guys live for the day when they can kick other guy's asses. We all have our enemies Mum. It's not personal, it's just that when you go into high school, they have this meeting. This meeting where you have to pick a name out of a hat, and that person is your arch enemy forever.

Even if you were friends with them before, you have to obey the rules. 'Kick enemies ass whenever you get the chance', 'heckle the enemy', 'hide in the enemies bedroom and scare the hell out of them', and so on and so forth," Alex explained. "In my case, I picked Carter Horton. He picked Billy Hitchcock, Tod picked himself by some hilarious mistake."

"What a load of crap!" Mrs. Browning yelled back. "I've never heard such rubbish before in my life? Arch enemies? Meetings? I'm sorry Alex but that just seems like a pointless waste of time to me."

"Well, it does to you, but in my society, it's the way of the world."

"Yeah, and in my society, you're going up to your room and never coming down until dinner!" Mrs. Browning replied sternly.

Tod was getting bored at home, since the baby programmes had finished a long time ago. Linda Waggner entered the room.

"Tod, since George is dead, we are going to shower you with love," she told him, in a happy voice.

"Sounds great."

"I've just had Mrs. Browning on the phone, she doesn't know what to do."

"Eh?"

"Alex and Ken somehow got into a road rage incident with Carter," his Mum explained.

"A likely story," Tod commented as he flicked through the channels.

"Well, I invited them over tonight. Ken's in a right stress apparantly."

"What? Alex is allowed to see me?"

"Yeah, but don't tell your father," Linda said in a quiet voice. "You know what would happen if he found out."

Tod nodded.

"I think now's the time to tell you, that George was always your Dad's favourite," she continued. Tod looked hurt then. "But don't worry, because you were always my favourite. Who cares about George? Now you're the only child, you must have whatever you want. And, that's why, Alex is coming round tonight."

"Who's coming round tonight?" Jerry Waggner asked as he entered the room looking like satan himself. "It better not be that god-damn son a bitch Alex Browning!"

"Jerry!" Linda said quickly. "Don't call Barbara a bitch."

"You know what I mean. That boy cost George his life. And I'm not gonna let him forget that!"

"Dad, it wasn't Alex's fault, really, it wasn't," Tod replied, trying to persuade his father.

"My arse," Jerry scoffed.

"Jerry, I think it's time we took you to the basement," Linda Waggner said slowly. Then, with obvious experience, she nodded at Tod, who nodded back. Then they charged at him and grabbed him.

"Help!" Jerry Waggner cried. "NOT THE BASEMENT!! Anything but the basement, please!!!!"

But they didn't listen, instead, they threw him down the stairs into the cold, dark, damp room known as the basement.

"You bitch Linda! Let me out right this second!" He yelled banging his fists on the door.

"No Jerry. Alex is coming round tonight with his mum and I'm not letting you anywhere near him!"

"Oh my poor little baby!" Mrs. Horton said as she brought in a tray of food for Carter. "How dare that nasty man smash your poor little car in."

Carter didn't respond. He just continued watching the television. Mrs. Horton passed him the tray.

"You got everything you need honey bun?"

"Sure Mom."

"Awww, my poor lickle angel," Mrs. Horton soothed in a baby voice. "I bet you were really scared."

"Yeah," Carter sighed. He stared at the TV screen, to see Thomas the tank engine travelling along the branch line.

"Thomas often travelled along the branch line," Ringo Starr's voice announced. "He liked the trees on the way, and sometimes the birds hit his windscreen."

"Well, if you're sure you're okay Carter," Mrs. Horton replied. "I'll leave you to watch the TV."

Carter nodded without a word.

"Thomas liked it when the birds hit his windscreen," Ringo Starr's voice continued. "He liked to play a game where he tried to get as many splattered birds on his windscreen as he could. It was rather enjoyable."

As soon as his Mum was out of ear-shot, Carter switched over the channel.

"And now," The TV man's voice announced. "What happens when Surgery goes wrong."

"All right!" Carter yelled happily.

"Look, Linda, are you sure about this?" Barbara Browning asked as she entered the Waggner's lounge.

"Yeah, whatever," Linda answered. "Jerry's gone to a bar somewhere."

"No I bloody well haven't!" A voice shouted from somewhere.

"What was that?" Barbara asked, looking around.

"Er.....The wind?"

Alex followed his Mum in and looked around. There was no sign of Tod anywhere. The house looked surprisingly neat and tidy, and Alex couldn't help but notice that there was a newly framed Picture of Tod and George together on the mantlepiece.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Linda commented as she caught Alex's eye. Alex stared blankly for a second.

"Oh.....Yeah," he answered.

"Alex!" A voice called suddenly. Alex looked up to see Tod coming down the stairs. "Hey, Alex, what's up?"

"Hey Tod." Alex replied, not really sure of what to say. "You weren't at school today, or yesterday. Why not?"

Tod shot a worried glance at his Mum.

"Er....." he paused trying to come up with something. "Why don't you come upstairs? I've got Tony Hawks 2."

Alex gave him a weird look for a few seconds before nodding slowly. Alex walked across to the bottom of the stairs, past the basement door. Just as he passed infront of it, the door shook violently, making Alex jump out of his skin.

"Come on you little bugger!" A muffled voice yelled. "Just try me!!!!! Just try me!!!!!!"

Linda noticed Alex's expression and tried to dismiss the incident.

"Oh, you really should ignore that," she told him.

Alex nodded unsurely and followed Tod up the stairs.

"See, I got Tony Hawks 2 on the cheap because people trampled on it in a stampede in Wallmart," Tod explained, noticing Alex's expression as he produced the smashed case from inside his desk drawer.

"Nice," Alex commented. It felt weird. He hadn't seen his friend for so long, and now, he felt like they were strangers. He felt like he couldn't talk to Tod anymore. He knew he wasn't wanted in the house and he could feel it. And he didn't like it. "Listen, Tod," he began uneasily. "I don't really feel right, you know, being in your house and all."

"Oh, forget about it," Tod replied dismissing the subject.

"You didn't have to to lock your Dad in the basement to protect me."

"As a matter of fact, we do that to Dad a lot," Tod answered casually. "When he gets drunk, or violent, it's just 'Oh Jerry, time for the basement again!' and that's it. He's used to it by now."

"Right."

"You don't have anything to feel guilty about Alex," Tod replied. "You're my best friend. I owe my life to you."

Alex suddenly felt uncomfortable again.

"Yeah, well, you know, I just want you to forget about that now. A lot of people think I'm crazy."

"A lot of people are tossers."

"Carter Horton?" Alex replied. "I'd say he was more of a dickhead."

"Yeah," Tod replied. He suddenly put the game back in the drawer again. "You know what?"

"No. What?"

"Tony Hawks sucks," Tod replied quickly. "Let's do something else."

Alex shot Tod an uncertain glance.

"Like what?"

"I dunno. What do you want to do?"

Alex shrugged.

"Right now, I want to die."

"Oh come on Alex, be sensible," Tod answered, his voice sounding a bit impatient.

"You really want to know what I want to do?"

"Try me."

"Well," Alex began, staring at Tod. "I think, we should climb out of your window and go to a bar somewhere."

"Great," Tod said. "But there's one slight hitch with that. How the hell are we gonna get served? We're 17 years old for christs sake!"

"You never know until you try," Alex persuaded with a hint of a smile.