Social Care chapter 16

Here we are, part two of two for the amusement park segment. After this, we have one more chapter to go.

Benny: Thank goodness. This whole mess of a saga has been getting on my nerves for the longest time. Hell, I've been listening to Billy Joel's "The Longest Time" on Christmas Day of all days. Why has it taken you so long to finish this thing anyway?

I'll admit I probably should have set up a more detailed and better planned timeline for how I was going to finish this story. But I've set one up now and I'm going to stick to it.

Benny: We'll see how long this feeble attempt lasts…

So enjoy the chapter, folks!

Eddy, Ed and Double D were wandering around the amusement park trying to find a ride that they could all agree on riding. Ed was interested in riding Bizarro since it had no floor so a rider could stick their legs out and it has multiple loops and rolls. Double D had wanted to ride on the bumper cars since they seemed to be the safest option in the park without being one that would earn him much taunting. Eddy, on the other hand, had his heart or rather the adrenaline-craving part of his brain set on Kingda Ka, the bulking, high-speed rollercoaster that was one of the park's main attractions. The three struggled on making a compromise on that front.

Eddy said "Look, let's just go on Kingda Ka. It will take like 90 seconds and we'll all have our hair standing up when we get off."

Ed responded loudly with "But I like my hair where it is, Eddy."

Double D replied "Eddy, a ride like Kingda Ka is fast and full of dives. If we go on there, the parabolic curve would guarantee that we'd be puking by the time we get off."

Eddy responded with "Don't sweat it, Double D. We're gonna be just fine going on Kingda Ka. Ain't that right, Lumpy?"

Ed answered "Bizarro's the ride to go on, guys."

Eddy scoffed and replied "Ed, you only want to go on that Bizarro because it has purple and Superman stuff on it. Just admit it."

Double D said "Eddy, I think it would be best if we went on the bumper cars. We could drive them for practice for driving cars and there wouldn't be any chance of us becoming uncomfortable or nervous or sick."

Eddy rolled his eyes and replied "We're 13, Sockhead, not 8. Bumper cars aren't going to be cool or popular with the ladies. Why don't you and Ed stop whining and we can just go on Kingda Ka?"

Double D asked "Look, why don't we go on El Toro? It's slightly slower than Kingda Ka but still fast, it has some swaying loops and it won't get us taunting."

Eddy answered "Well, it isn't Kingda Ka but the more time we spend talking, the less time we have riding. I'm in."

Ed said "I need to think about it. Hmm….yep, the doctor is in, Double D!"

The three adolescent boys then made their way to El Toro, the high-speed, swaying rollercoaster in another section of the amusement park. Double D looked nervous while Ed had a large smile on his face and Eddy grinned with mild excitement. Each boy felt at the very least relieved that they had managed to make a compromise, even if they didn't get exactly what they wanted.

Eddy smirked and said "Are you ready for this, boys?"

Ed smiled and answered "I'm as ready as a bowl of spaghetti, Eddy."

Double D gulped and with barely veiled fear, answered "Certainly, Eddy."

Eddy, Double D and Ed went on the line for El Toro which was relatively long but not as long as nearby rollercoaster Kingda Ka, the ride Eddy had desired to go on. Still, Eddy crossed his arms with annoyance and tapped his foot on the ground impatiently.

Eddy sneered and said "What's taking so long? We've been standing here forever."

Double D calmly replied "Erm, Eddy, we've only been on line for ten minutes."

Eddy frowned and said "We shouldn't still be on line for this long, having to wait for a bunch of losers to come back."

He then cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted "Hey, hurry up there! Some of us have things to do, you know!"

A boy with a red baseball cap turned around towards Eddy and said "Hey, man, they're just doing their jo-Eddy?"

Eddy's frown turned to a scowl as he replied "What are you doing here, Shovelchin? Mommy and Daddy got tired of you, tossed you some cash and dropped you off in the parking lot?"

Eddy thought, panicking "What the hell is Kevin doing here? And if he's here, then who else from the cul-de-sac is?"

Kevin smirked as he responded with "Nope, I'm actually going on a date with Nazz. She wanted to go on Kingda Ka later so I'm just hanging out with some dudes and going on this trashy ride."

Double D thought "Kevin's dating Nazz? Erm…perhaps he's just exaggerating or lying to make Eddy upset. It wouldn't be the first time, after all."

Eddy snorted and said "Sure and I'm a dinosaur. Look, Kevin, if Nazz's really going out with you, I could care less. I've got plenty of hot babes at my new pad."

Kevin looked at Double D for confirmation of Eddy's apparent boast.

Double D swallowed and stammered nervously "W-Well, there are a decent amount of girls at our foster home as well as at our new school. Some of them are romantically interested in Eddy."

Eddy internally sighed and thought "Did you have to say that first part, Double D?"

Kevin's eyes barely covered his disbelief and fear as he said "Foster home? You dorks are in the system now?"

Eddy crossed his arms and replied "Yeah. What of it?"

Eddy then saw Kevin on the floor, laughing as he pointed to the Eds.

Kevin thought "These dorks got caught by Social Services? What if they told them why none of our folks are around? Chill, Kevin, what would these losers have to tell them? Nothing, that's what."

Eddy rolled his eyes as he asked "Are you having a seizure or something? Or is this just a huge joke to you?"

Kevin answered while laughing "Ha-you three managed to actually get caught? Ha-here I was, thinking that even you losers had some sense. Sucks to be you, huh, Dorky?"

Ed said "We have sense, right, Eddy?"

Eddy replied "We sure do, Lumpy. Don't act so smug, Kevin. While you're stuck back home, having to chomp on stale bread crumbs and cold Chef Boyardee, we're living the good life with a nice breakfast, fancy-schmacy school and tons of friends. So smirk all you want because we're the ones who's enjoying themselves."

Double D thought "Wow. I never expected such a statement to come from Eddy."

Eddy knew that he could have been pounded for making that statement but he didn't care. Nothing that Kevin could have done to him at the moment would have bothered Eddy. He was definitely resistant to life at PCCC at first but when he spent all that time and went through everything, he accepted having to live there, at least for a while.

Double D said "Um, Kevin. I don't want to appear as if I'm antagonizing you but you're next in line."

Kevin replied in an annoyed manner "Thanks, Double D." before he headed up with a group of teenagers in jackets and hoodies.

Meanwhile, Ross and Johnny were on El Toro as it approached and went on the camelback hills. Johnny was holding onto his bar and cheering enthusiastically while Ross looked downtrodden. Johnny noticed his friend's sadness and decided to ask about it.

Johnny asked "What's going on, Ross?"

Ross hesitantly answered "Ms. Alexander talked to me yesterday about the future of my living situation. No family wants to adopt me and my family isn't good enough to send me back to so she and Mr. Connors decided to send me to my aunt."

Johnny said "I didn't know that they got to send you wherever but that sounds nice, Ross. I mean, you said that you always liked your aunt."

Ross replied "Yeah, I do but that's where the problem is. My aunt lives in Portland, Oregon. If I end up going to her, I'll be moving across the country."

Johnny, confused, responded with "I thought your aunt lived down in Princeton."

Ross shook his head and replied "That's my aunt Greta. My aunt Katrina, the one I said I liked, lives in Portland with her boyfriend, Pete. I like my aunt Katrina but I have everything here. Eddy and the others, Jackson Middle School, girls and my best friend."

Johnny said "Look, man, I know this can't be easy for you but you can't stay here just for us. If you want to stay, then that's great but don't do it because of us. Do it for yourself. Otherwise, move to Portland with your aunt Katrina."

Ross nodded his head and responded with "You're right." as the rollercoaster train came to a stop at the station.

Double D said "Eddy, look, there's Ross and Johnny. They both look unhappy."

Eddy shrugged and stated "Maybe the ride made their gills green or something. Don't worry about it, Double D."

The three then got on a rollercoaster train. Eddy and Ed were seated next to each other while Double D was seated next to a stranger in the next car. The rollercoaster then started as it began its ascent.

Eddy turned to Ed and said "This is gonna be awesome, Ed. Never quite Kingda Ka but it'll be something."

Ed replied "Something or everything, Eddy?"

As the rollercoaster stopped at the top of the lift, Double D said "Ah, fellows, I don't suppose it would be too late to get down-ah!" right before the rollercoaster descended and went onto the camelback hills.

The rollercoaster came to a halt at the station and the boys, along with Kevin and the other passengers got out. Eddy and Ed both had large grins on their faces while Double D's face looked slightly green and Kevin had a phlegmatic look on his.

Kevin's indifference turned to amusement when he saw Double D.

Kevin said "Can't take huge drops, huh, dork?"

Double D replied "Yes, I can, Kevin. I'm perfectly fine, just that the swaying left me slightly off guard."

Ed said "The off guards always have an on guard, Double D. That's why we don't ever get onto a rollercoaster on an empty stomach."

A confused Double D responded with "But I had breakfast with you two this morning!"

Eddy said "Yeah, he did, Ed. It doesn't matter now. Come on, boys, we've got places to go and people to see." before he left the rollercoaster station.

Ed and a mildly pale Double D followed him while Kevin kicked at a small pebble that was nearby. He took out his cell phone and texted "The Eds are here. Just bumped into them at El Toro. Tell the others" to Nazz.

Eddy asked "What time is it now, Double D?"

Double D checked his watch and answered "It's 12:30, Eddy. We have fifteen minutes before we get lunch."

Eddy said "Alright, boys. What's here that we can do in 15 minutes?"

Double D replied "We can go back to playing games at the arcade. I saw some arcade games that I think you and Ed would be interested in."

Eddy shrugged and said "I'm game. Who knows, maybe Crazy Girl's still there, racking up points on DRR or whatever she was playing. Would be a real circus to watch. How about you, Ed?"

Ed smiled and answered "I love arcade games, Eddy."

The three boys then went to the arcade to play games. Eddy noticed that Izzy and her friend Keisha were still at DDR, dancing around to a random pop song that Eddy didn't like. He snorted and smiled. Izzy noticed that Eddy was nearby and gave him a Chesire Cat-like smirk as she moved around quickly but effectively on the arrows of the platform. Double D began to play Street Fighter III while Ed picked up a toy gun from a pedestal and shot at plastic bottles in a shooting gallery.

As Double D was playing Street Fighter III, a blonde girl fell over him and they both fell to the floor. Double D tried to get up but noticed that the girl was Nazz.

He said "I'm so sorry, ma'am."

Nazz replied "It's fine, dude, it was my fault-oh, Double D, I didn't notice you. What are you doing here?"

Double D answered "I'm here with Ed and Eddy. We were taken out of the cul-de-sac and put into the custody of Social Services. We're staying at Peach Creek City Center."

Nazz said "That huge, fancy foster home in the south side of town? You three are there?"

Double D replied "Yes, we are. We've been there for two and a half months."

Nazz responded with "After you guys disappeared, we didn't know what happened to you. We were confused, even more so since Sarah was still around but Ed was missing. Why did Ed end up getting caught but not Sarah?"

Double D answered "Ed said that he was wandering around the streets when the social workers caught him. Sarah must have been sleeping at home when he was caught and they didn't know that he was an older brother. How are the others?"

Nazz said "Jonny's you know, Jonny. Jimmy's been doing OK with Sarah being around. Rolf's still farming and working but the Kankers haven't done anything huge since you guys vanished. I guess they were depressed or something like that. As for me, I've been good. Kevin's been doing well, too."

Double D asked "Where are the others?"

Nazz answered "Oh, they're all back in the cul-de-sac. Kevin had some cash he got from working for some lumberjacks in the woods so he went into town and took a bus to here. He took me along with him."

Double D checked his watch and said "Nazz, as much as I'd love to stay and talk more, I have to go. Goodbye."

Nazz replied "OK. See you later, Double D." as he walked towards Eddy.

Double D said "Eddy, it's 12:40. We have to go for lunch."

Eddy responded with "Give me two more minutes, Double D. These two are blowing this joint up, dancing on that thing."

Double D said "Eddy!"

Eddy sighed and replied "Alright, fine, we'll go. Come on, Ed." as he, Ed and Double D headed towards Liberty Square to meet with Mr. Connors and the others.

The three boys stood with the other kids as Mr. Connors began to explain the way lunch would work.

Mr. Connors said "OK so you guys are going to go into two groups. The first group will be kids who are going to be eating at Liberty Square Pizza. The second group will be kids who are eating at other restaurants in the park. I'll be with the first group. We should be done with lunch by 1, 1:15 which leaves you guys with around 2 hours to do whatever you want."

Mr. Connors asked "Who's going to be part of the first group?"

Ed, Double D, Eddy, Johnny, Ross and Izzy raised their hands along with a few other kids. The others were put into the second group by default. The kids went to Liberty Square Pizza, sat down at two tables and ordered their food.

Ed got three slices of sausage pizza while Eddy got two slices of pepperoni pizza. Double D only ate a cheese slice that he nibbled at and Johnny and Ross got two cheese slices. Izzy got three slices of pepperoni pizza and Mr. Connors ate a cheese slice and a flatbread sandwich.

After they were finished eating, the kids went to go on more rides and play more games. Johnny and Ross went to the arcade while Ed, Double D and Eddy decided to go to the bumper cars. Izzy and Keisha joined them.

As Ed bumped Keisha's car and Eddy bumped Ed's, Double D smiled. All in all, that had been a good day, better than anybody had expected. An hour and a half later, all of the PCC kids got onto the bus and Mr. Connors drove them back to the center.

Mr. Connors got off the bus with a smile and asked "Did we all enjoy today?"

The kids shouted "Yeah!", got off the bus and headed into the center.

There we are! Almost done! Looks like I'll reach my deadline after all.

Benny: Yeah, by the skin of your teeth. If you hadn't suddenly kicked it into overdrive, this chapter wouldn't have made it out until Valentine Day. Admit it.

So guys, I'll have the last chapter out by Friday, as I promised.

Benny: *scoffs* If you actually can manage it.