Mary Merrill
Chapter two: Start and Races
I walked on the side of the street, passing by random strangers that either didn't know me or were talking about my brother. I sighed as I started to wonder about my brother. Where was he going anyways? I shook my head vigorously and turned a corner and saw my brother picking on Gordon and Chris. I walked up to them as he walked towards Chris.
"ACE?! GET YOUR FAT ASS OVER HERE!" his head twirled and he frowned; smirking as he did so put Chris's head into the ground.
"Take it back."
"NO!" I saw him pick up a cigarette butt and hold it towards his eye. It got closer and closer until:
"FINE I TAKE IT BACK!" Ace smiled and brought Chris's body back up.
"See you later ladies and gents." Ace added while I walked by them, he grabbed my arm and whispered something into my ear.
"We are gonna have a long ass talk when you get home Mary." his voice was deadly; filled with venom. He let go, leaving a bruise in its spot as him and Eyeball walked off. I cringed and walked towards Gordie.
"Don't worry I'll get your hat back soon." I patted him on the back.
"Just forget it for now Gordo." Chris kicked him in the butt and it continued until we got to the train tracks.
"I gotta gun." Chris said to Vern and Teddy; pulling it out to show them.
"Well, what do we need a pistol for anyway?" Vern asked. Okay, now I know that "there are no such things as stupid questions." But fuck! That was a stupid question.
"It's spooky sleeping out at night in the woods. You might see a bear—or a garbage can." Chris and Gordie erupted with laughter. It must have been an inside joke because no one else was laughing.
"Yeah a big bad garbage can is gonna mistake my plump head for roast beef." I added, doing a crazy sign with my finger. Vern, me, and Teddy were the ones laughing now.
"I brought a comb." he said pulling it out of his pocket. It was a pearly white comb, never used before.
"Well ain't that random?"
"What do we need a comb for?" Chris asked looking at Vern as if he was the village idiot.
"Well, if we get on TV we wanna look good, don't we?" Vern said back pretty snappy.
"That's a lot of thinking, Vern." gosh, Gordie was like the only nice one to Vern except for Chris.
"Thanks." Vern put on the biggest smile he could achieve. We reached a rusty looking bridge, and god my feet were already killing me. Teddy faked punched Vern in the face and smiled nice and wide.
"Two for flinchin'." Teddy slugged Vern on the left shoulder twice and then laughed.
"OW!" Vern cried out. For god sake they act like children..Well they are, but that is no excuse!
"How far do you think it's gonna be?" Teddy asked after he was done with his little laughter marathon.
"If we follow the tracks all the way into Harlow, should be about twenty miles. Sound about right to you, Gordie?" Chris answered. I was amazed, I lived in this town as long as them and didn't even know the right way to Chris's house and back to my own with asking for directions from my brother.
"Yeah. Yeah, it might even be thirty." that amazed me also.
"Gee, maybe we should just hitchhike." Vern volunteered to be the dummy of the day.
"No way, that sucks!" Teddy argued back.
"Why not? We could go out to Route seven to the Shiloh church, then down the Back Harlow Road. We'll be there by sundown." Vern replied, trying to act all smart.
"That's pussy!"
"Hey, it's a long ways." we were all walking by then, no one was left behind, but of course Vern was the ass. Both Teddy and Vern stopped as me, Gordie, and Chris kept walking.
"Did your mother ever have any kids that lived?" I laughed at his comment.
"What do you mean?" I didn't see what happened next, but the day seemed to be going by pretty quick.
The next thing I knew we were standing on the train tracks in the middle of nowhere. The feilds were a bright yellow colour, very pretty I might add my self. The other side was filled with lush green trees, or timbers.
""Have Gun, Will Travel" reads the card of a man. A knight without armor in a savage land. His fast gun for hire heeds the calling wind. A soldier of fortune is the man called, Paladin." We all sang, it was a very catchy tune, even if I didn't listen or watch it that much.
"Paladin, Paladin, where do you roam? Paladin, Paladin, far, far from home." Teddy finished off his solo and we all laughed, there was nothin' like some good male--women bonding. Chris was getting pretty into the little tune as I hummed the rest.
"We could fill up at the junkyard. My dad says it's a safe well." Gordie said, considering our water supply level.
"Not if Chopper's there." Vern squeaked.
"If Chopper's there, we'll send you in." Chopper was a funny story, only for boys, girls didn't need to worry we had no balls to attack.
"Ha-ha very funny." there was a long pause as Chris kicked up dirt and rocks.
"Hey, I'm kinda hungry. Who's got the food?" We all stopped dead in our tracks.
"Shit! Did anybody bring food?" Teddy asked, looking at me as he said it.
"Not me. Gordie?" I replied.
"Oh, oh, this is great! What are we supposed to do, eat our feet?!"
"You mean you didn't bring anything either?" Chris asked. Oh fuck.
"Well shit, this wasn't my idea! It was Vern's idea and plus isn't the women supposed to bring food and make it?! Why didn't you bring something?" before Chris or anyone could say anything I got into his face.
"HEY PUSSY! IF YOU WANT TO BE A FUCKIN' SEXIST ASS PUSSY PIG GO HOME, COCK KNOCKER!" I was pissed and I needed to blow steam off.
"What am I supposed to do, think of everything? I brought the comb!" Teddy completely and utterly ignored me! COCK KNOCKER!
"Oh, great! You brought the comb! What do you need a comb for? You don't even have any hair!"
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Let's see how much money we got."
"Gordie... I think I'm in love with your brain." I took out sixty cents along with everyone else.
"Yeah, I got a dollar-two. Sixty-eight cents from Chris. Sixty cents from Teddy. Sixty cents from Mary."
"Seven cents, Vern?" Gordie cried out as Vern handed him his money.
"I haven't found my pennies yet."
"Well, two-ninety-seven's not bad. Quidacioluo's is at the end of that little road that goes by the junkyard. I think we can get some stuff there." I shook my head in understanding as Chris's ears perked up.
"Trains comin'." we all pulled all our stuff together and ran towards the side.
"Geronimo!" Vern called out.
"Come on, Teddy!"
"No. Uh-uh. I'm gonna dodge it." he threw his stuff at us.
"Come on Teddy, man. Get off the tracks—you're crazy."
"Train dodge. Dig it."
"Get the hell off the tracks, Teddy! You wanna get yourself killed?!" Chris yelled at the loon.
"Just like the beach at Normandy." he imitated a machine gun noise. As the train raced closer and closer Chris jumped up after throwing his things to the ground and tempted to pick up Teddy.
"Come one Chris; ted!" I called out watching with fear in my eyes as the train was reaching them.
"I'm just tryin' to save your life, man! You wanna kill yourself?! Is that what you want, goddamn it?! You're tryin' to kill yourself!" Chris screamed. Oh god, I hate when people yell. I get it enough at home, at school, and I don't need it from the gang too. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I let out chest racking sobs of pain. Vern tried to comfort me, but I walked over to Gordie and he rubbed my back slowly, whispering soft things into my ear.
"I don't need no babysitter." Teddy finally said as the train was done whizzing by our heads.
"You do too." Chris held out his hand as a sign of peace, "skin it." completely ignoring his gesture, Teddy turned away.
"I could've dodged it." he started to walk away. My eyes finally dried as I saw Chris run after him.
"Listen, Teddy. You can dodge it on the way back, man. Peace. Skin it. I don't want no more tears from skirts." he added with a slight note of guilt. Teddy looked at me and then skinned Chris's hand.
"Peace."
"You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, oh what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
[band joins]
I learned to love all of Hollywood money
You came along and you moved me honey
I changed my mind, looking fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
You kissed me baba, woo.....it feels good
Hold me baba, learn to let me love you like a lover should
Your fine, so kind
I'm a nervous world that your mine mine mine mine-ine
I cut my nails and I quiver my thumb
I'm really nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baba, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
[piano solo]
Well kiss me baba, woo-oooooo....it feels good
Hold me baba
I want to love you like a lover should
Your fine, so kind
I got this world that your mine mine mine mine-ine
I cut my nails and I quiver my thumb
I'm real nervous 'cause it sure is fun
Come on baba, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire
[guitar solo]
[piano solo]
[guitar and piano jam]
I say goodness gracious great balls of fire...oooh.."
When the walking as almost over and we were at our first break. I read the sign hanging over our heads.
Castle Rock Salvage
"Hey Vern, looks like your ma's been out drivin' again." I looked at all the ratted up and down cars and laughed.
"Oh, that's so funny I forgot to laugh." Vern replied growling slightly.
We all prepared to jump over the fence when my jeans got stuck and they ripped.
"Fuck nuts." the boys waited on the other side of the fence as I jumped over, sporting a long leg and a short legged jeans. Chris laughed along with Gordie.
"Ha ha." I laughed along. 'No Trespassing' was enforced by Milo Pressman, the junk man, and his dog Chopper—the most feared and least seen dog in Castle Rock. Legend had it that Milo had trained Chopper not just to sic, but to sic specific parts of the human anatomy. Thus, a kid who had illegally scaled the junkyard fence might hear the dread cry: 'Chopper, sic balls!' But right now neither the dread Chopper nor Milo was anywhere in sight.
I walked behind Chris and Gordie and laughed at there little jokes. Then I heard something.
"Hey, I'll race ya."
"Nah, I don't think so."
"Aw—right to the pump, man. Come on."
"Ahh, I'm kind of tired ... GO!!" I laughed as Gordie took off.
"Oh! You're a dead man, Lachance!" they started running as I cheered behind them.
"GO CHRIS! WOOOOHHH!!!" Gordie scoffed as Chris went ahead of Gordie.
"It looks like Lachance has got him this time. He's got Chambers beat! But, what's this? Chambers is making his move! Lachance is fading on it! Chambers at the tape! The crowd goes wild! Chhhhhhh!" he imitated a roaring crowd I laughed and caught up quickly to the gang.
(Author's Note:
:D
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Fin.)