Chapter 3: the tent in Vern's backyard

"You did WHAT?!" Gordie shouted in astonishment.

"I.kind of told the police how we knew that the body was down by the river." Vern said regretfully. (Gordie and Chris had been down the ladder already when he said something about it in the treehouse.)

"Vern you bastard! We're gonna die!" Gordie shouts.

"Damn straight!" they hear a scary heart wrenching voice from outside of the tent.

"ACE!" Chris whispers loudly. They all break into a sweat.

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Meanwhile at Stacey's house

"When Eyeball said that thing about us liking them, I started to think." Stacey admits to her best friend lazily from her position on the floor.

"Think?! I bet your head hurts!" Stephanie jokes. She turns her head over to face Stacey. They are lying on the floor with their heads right next to each other but bodies lying in opposite ways.

"Ha, ha. You are too much. Anyways." Stacey says, checking her watch sarcastically.

Stephanie chuckles. "Yeah anyways, go on."

"I think maybe.I think I might like Gordie." Stacey says.

"What?!" Stephanie asks, pretending to be shocked.

"Don't even do that! I can tell you like that Chambers boy too!" Stacey says, smiling.

Stephanie beams. "Wow, now I know why they call you my best friend."

Stacey bolted up, "We should go over there! Ace, Eyeball, and them are probably out playing mailbox baseball or something stupid like that!"

Stephanie sat in an upright position, "Oh my gosh! You're so smart!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ Eyeball grabs Gordie by his collar and pulls him out of the tent, sending Gordie crashing to the ground. As soon as this happens, Chris races out of the tent. Ace is there waiting for him. He slams Chris into a tree and pulls out a knife.

"Don't!" Yells Gordie as Teddy and Vern crawl out of the tent.

"You think you can flirt with our girls and get away with it Chambers?" Chris remains silent as Ace moves the knife closer to his neck.

"Stop that right now Ace Merril!"

Everyone looks to find Stephanie and Stacey standing there with their arms crossed. All of a sudden Stacey notices Eyeball throwing blows at little helpless Gordie. She dashes over to save him from another hard attack to the skull.

"What do you think this is going to help?" She says while protecting Gordie.

"Stacey, you're not in this. Back away from him!" Eyeball tries to push Stacey out of his way.

"Eyeball I am tired of you taking me for advantage! From here on out, it's over! Come'on Gordie." She turns around and helps Gordie to his feet, "Now it's my turn to help you up." She gives him a warming smile.
At the same time Stephanie rushes over to Ace and Chris.

"Stephanie! What are you doing here? I thought you left." Ace questions her.

"Yeah, we did, and I'm glad we came back! Now put that obnoxious thing away and back up." She points to Ace's knife.

"He deserves it!" Ace says reluctant to move even an inch.

"Come'on Ace, not even for me?" Ace ignores her whimpers and stares deep into Chris, "See what I mean Ace! You never listen to anything I say! What am I good for then! We're through ok?" Ace reacts to this comment. He pulls his knife away, that's when Chris notices he wasn't breathing at all through out this whole time.

"You're going to let that minor reason ruin our relationship?"

"What relationship? We didn't communicate at all! So apparently I'm not ruining anything!" She notices that Ace put his knife away. She takes this advantage to grab Chris and pull him next to her.

"You would do something immature like this!" Ace glares at her.

"Me? Immature! HA! You're the immature one here!" At this point she sees that Stacey has Gordie so she takes Chris's hand and walks over to them. Chris beams at this.

"Stephanie you ready?" Stacey smiles when she sees her friend and Chris.

"Yea, let's get out of here." They both get Gordie, Chris, and their friends and start to leave.

"Where should we go?" Stephanie asks when they get away from Billy's house.

"We know a place." Chris smiles at Gordie.