Note: Really sorry for not updating in a while, I've had a lot of school
work, plus driver's ed, and I haven't had a lot of time to write. I will
finish this story, rest assured, but there may be times when I don't update
for a week or so. Again...really sorry.
The day of the attack came. Vince, being an early riser, was up first. He stepped out on the porch and took a look around. Nothing yet. He figured Lawson wouldn't attack till the afternoon, taking extra time to prepare and still figuring he had the element of surprise. So, he went inside to wake up his friends.
"Wake up Teej"
"Huh, wha...Vince? What happened?"
"Nothing, man, only it's time to get up."
"Oh, okay, I'll be up in a minute."
"You said that yesterday."
"And?"
"And it took you forty-seven minutes for you to come down after saying that, so you get up now, besides, we need you up and alert for today, I'll go make some coffee."
"I still don't understand how our parents drank that stuff, it's gross."
"True, but it does keep you sharp. Now come on."
"Alright, alright, just let me wake up Spin."
"Sure."
Forty-seven minutes later, TJ and Spinelli came downstairs to find the house full of kids.
"What's happening here?" Asked Spinelli.
"Well" Said Vince, eyeing TJ "It took you two a while to get up, so I called everyone here to get the ball rolling, know what I mean?"
"Ok, ok, anyways, the way I see it, we have everyone take their positions as soon as this briefing is over. We take rotating, three hour shifts on watch, if you see anything, yell or whistle or something. Then everyone gets to battle stations, and you know what to do from there, right people?"
He was met by a chorus of "Yeah", "Right", and "You got it".
"Ok people; let's get this show on the road.
Despite the abundant sunshine, Gus felt a little cold. He was on watch now, and his nerves were definitely on edge. No one had seen anything yet, but he was sure they would be coming soon. After all, HK wouldn't lie to them, would he? Then he saw it. Off in the distance, a small mass walking toward him, out of step. They seemed like a ragtag army, undisciplined, cocky, sure of victory.
"TJ. TJ, I SEE THEM, THE'RE COMING!!!"
"Gus sees them, EVERYBODY TO BATTLE STATIONS."
Lawson's army approached, at a slow pace. 'This is going to be so sweet' thought Lawson as he approached. He saw them scurrying about, it looked like there were more of them...
TJ glared fiercely at Lawson approaching, even though he knew Lawson couldn't see him. 'No one's gonna get to my friends, no one's gonna make Spinelli an Ashley again, never.'
Lawson advanced to within a few steps of TJ's house, and stopped. TJ held up his hand not to fire.
"Dorkwieler, if you surrender peacefully, we promise not to hurt you or your friends. Just give up, you can't win."
"Wrong Lawson. We know what you're planning for us. If you want to break us, you're going to have to earn it."
"What are you talking about Dingle-wieler?"
"You know what I'm talking about Lawson. I'll never surrender to a loser like you, never; I'd rather die a thousand deaths."
"READY"
Suddenly, Tj's mini-army popped out from under their fortifications, rocks in hand.
"AIM"
Lawson realized there was more than before...with rocks. 'Aww crap'.
"FIRE"
A storm of rocks fell on Lawson's troops, knocking several out cold. The rest scurried to the woods, or behind cars, looking for protection.
"Come on you wimps" Lawson tried to rally his troops "We still outnumber them. Let's go."
They huddles together using trash cans as shields, and slowly crept closer to TJ's defenses. Several were hit and forced to quit, a few just plain ran, but Lawson reached the defenses. 'I got them now.' He thought.
He thought wrong.
"FALL BACK"
The kids ran back into the house, Lawson thought he had them on the run. 'Finally, after all this time, I've won.' Then he noticed Gretchen and Gus on the roof.
"LET HER RIP GRETCH"
They pulled back the wall holding the biggest rocks they could find. They cascaded down on Lawson and his men. Almost every single one was hit. Those who weren't ran. His army shattered, his head throbbing and bleeding, he realized that he had lost again...and it filled him with a new fury.
"This isn't over Detwieler, I'll be back, and I'll bring a hundred men. You are going down. If it's the last thing I do, I will bring you down, and give you the worst possible punishment. I will bury you TJ Detwieler, if it's the last thing I do.
"WHAT?!"
"Sorry Randall, but it was like they knew we were coming, they were prepared, there was nothing I could do."
"You could've tried harder."
"Look at my head, Randall, look at my bruises, you think I didn't try, I gave it all I had, we'll just have to use more troops next time. Mark my words, I will get them."
The gang was happy, they were celebrating. Except one.
"Come on Teej, what's wrong, we just creamed Lawson, why don't you join the party?"
"Sorry Spin, but I can't stop thinking about what Lawson said. If he comes back with a hundred kids, there's no way we can win."
She was about to say something, until she realized he was right.
"What are you sayin' Teej, that I'll have to be an Ashley again, that your just gonna be a prisoner?"
"No-It's just..."
"No is right. Teej, we can't give up on this, we gotta at least try. You of all people should know we can't just quit on this. We beat Lawson now, we can beat him again."
"I hope you're right."
The day of the attack came. Vince, being an early riser, was up first. He stepped out on the porch and took a look around. Nothing yet. He figured Lawson wouldn't attack till the afternoon, taking extra time to prepare and still figuring he had the element of surprise. So, he went inside to wake up his friends.
"Wake up Teej"
"Huh, wha...Vince? What happened?"
"Nothing, man, only it's time to get up."
"Oh, okay, I'll be up in a minute."
"You said that yesterday."
"And?"
"And it took you forty-seven minutes for you to come down after saying that, so you get up now, besides, we need you up and alert for today, I'll go make some coffee."
"I still don't understand how our parents drank that stuff, it's gross."
"True, but it does keep you sharp. Now come on."
"Alright, alright, just let me wake up Spin."
"Sure."
Forty-seven minutes later, TJ and Spinelli came downstairs to find the house full of kids.
"What's happening here?" Asked Spinelli.
"Well" Said Vince, eyeing TJ "It took you two a while to get up, so I called everyone here to get the ball rolling, know what I mean?"
"Ok, ok, anyways, the way I see it, we have everyone take their positions as soon as this briefing is over. We take rotating, three hour shifts on watch, if you see anything, yell or whistle or something. Then everyone gets to battle stations, and you know what to do from there, right people?"
He was met by a chorus of "Yeah", "Right", and "You got it".
"Ok people; let's get this show on the road.
Despite the abundant sunshine, Gus felt a little cold. He was on watch now, and his nerves were definitely on edge. No one had seen anything yet, but he was sure they would be coming soon. After all, HK wouldn't lie to them, would he? Then he saw it. Off in the distance, a small mass walking toward him, out of step. They seemed like a ragtag army, undisciplined, cocky, sure of victory.
"TJ. TJ, I SEE THEM, THE'RE COMING!!!"
"Gus sees them, EVERYBODY TO BATTLE STATIONS."
Lawson's army approached, at a slow pace. 'This is going to be so sweet' thought Lawson as he approached. He saw them scurrying about, it looked like there were more of them...
TJ glared fiercely at Lawson approaching, even though he knew Lawson couldn't see him. 'No one's gonna get to my friends, no one's gonna make Spinelli an Ashley again, never.'
Lawson advanced to within a few steps of TJ's house, and stopped. TJ held up his hand not to fire.
"Dorkwieler, if you surrender peacefully, we promise not to hurt you or your friends. Just give up, you can't win."
"Wrong Lawson. We know what you're planning for us. If you want to break us, you're going to have to earn it."
"What are you talking about Dingle-wieler?"
"You know what I'm talking about Lawson. I'll never surrender to a loser like you, never; I'd rather die a thousand deaths."
"READY"
Suddenly, Tj's mini-army popped out from under their fortifications, rocks in hand.
"AIM"
Lawson realized there was more than before...with rocks. 'Aww crap'.
"FIRE"
A storm of rocks fell on Lawson's troops, knocking several out cold. The rest scurried to the woods, or behind cars, looking for protection.
"Come on you wimps" Lawson tried to rally his troops "We still outnumber them. Let's go."
They huddles together using trash cans as shields, and slowly crept closer to TJ's defenses. Several were hit and forced to quit, a few just plain ran, but Lawson reached the defenses. 'I got them now.' He thought.
He thought wrong.
"FALL BACK"
The kids ran back into the house, Lawson thought he had them on the run. 'Finally, after all this time, I've won.' Then he noticed Gretchen and Gus on the roof.
"LET HER RIP GRETCH"
They pulled back the wall holding the biggest rocks they could find. They cascaded down on Lawson and his men. Almost every single one was hit. Those who weren't ran. His army shattered, his head throbbing and bleeding, he realized that he had lost again...and it filled him with a new fury.
"This isn't over Detwieler, I'll be back, and I'll bring a hundred men. You are going down. If it's the last thing I do, I will bring you down, and give you the worst possible punishment. I will bury you TJ Detwieler, if it's the last thing I do.
"WHAT?!"
"Sorry Randall, but it was like they knew we were coming, they were prepared, there was nothing I could do."
"You could've tried harder."
"Look at my head, Randall, look at my bruises, you think I didn't try, I gave it all I had, we'll just have to use more troops next time. Mark my words, I will get them."
The gang was happy, they were celebrating. Except one.
"Come on Teej, what's wrong, we just creamed Lawson, why don't you join the party?"
"Sorry Spin, but I can't stop thinking about what Lawson said. If he comes back with a hundred kids, there's no way we can win."
She was about to say something, until she realized he was right.
"What are you sayin' Teej, that I'll have to be an Ashley again, that your just gonna be a prisoner?"
"No-It's just..."
"No is right. Teej, we can't give up on this, we gotta at least try. You of all people should know we can't just quit on this. We beat Lawson now, we can beat him again."
"I hope you're right."