Disclaimer: Believe it or not I don't actually own any of the characters from the film 'Stand By Me' or the novella 'The Body' by Stephen King on which it is based. Even the characters I have made up were probably subconsciously lifted from elsewhere :O.

Chapter Three:

As she tip-toed her way through the maze of puddles on the pavement, Kate couldn't help but smile. She had been understandably apprehensive about moving to a new town full of strangers so she couldn't have hoped for her first day in Castle Rock to go any better. She felt like she could have sat in the tree house she just left for days on end. It was amazing how she and her brother could sit and talk with Gordie and Chris as if they had been friends since childhood, free from the clumsy conversations and initial awkwardness that normally come when meeting new people. She wasn't just excited about making new friends though, no, there was something else. There was Gordie. It seemed that Jack had noticed his sister's gleeful expression and was quietly laughing to himself.

"What?" said Kate attempting to adopt a serene persona.

"Oh it's nothing" he said mischievously.

"No, go on, what's so funny?"

"Well," he began after keeping his sister waiting a few seconds more, "it's just that I haven't seen you like this since Aaron Wells declared his love in for you spray paint on the school wall!"

"Oh shut up J" said Kate, annoyed that her brother knew her so well. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Is that so? Jack asked with a knowing smile. "I suppose it's the cold weather then that has turned your cheeks red all of a sudden.

"Fine! You're right, ok?" she sulked. "But don't pretend like I was the only one!"

"Well that's true. I think Gordie definitely likes you too."

"You know that's not who I meant J." It was Kate's turn to do the teasing but she didn't get the reaction she expected. Jack stayed quiet for over a minute and stared sombrely straight ahead.

"Even if I did like Chris, and I'm not saying I do, well it wouldn't matter anyway would it?" he said eventually. "It can't happen."

"What do you mean? It seemed that he liked you from where I was sitting" a confused Kate responded.

"He was just being friendly, Kate". She considered this for a second.

"I don't think you actually believe that. You're just too scared to take a risk."

"Well wouldn't you be? Maybe you've forgotten when I've been wrong about this type of thing before but I sure haven't!" Jack said before seemingly becoming captivated by his shoes.

"I remember" Kate said having to supress a laugh as she recalled her brother kissing a boy from school much to the latter's disgust. "Look, I'm not saying you should do anything drastic but why don't you just be honest and ask him if he's interested? Chris doesn't seem like the type to take it the wrong way."

"Yeah, maybe" Jack replied unconvincingly, drawing a sigh from his sister.

They had reached the house so Kate opened the door, stepped in and awaited the inevitable lecture. Sure enough Jack and Kate's father had seen them coming and was waiting for them in the small hallway of their new house. He was a tall man with thinning dark hair and more wrinkles than you would expect a 42 year-old to have. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that Mr Cooper spent most of his time worrying and the rest of it angry.

"Where in God's name have you two been? You said you were going for a walk not that you'd be out all day! I don't think you realise how much work we have to do on this house. Jack, get in the yard and start working on fixing the drainpipes like I told you to this morning."

"We're sorry Dad, we didn't mean to stay out so long. We were just making friends with people" Jack said quietly.

"Making friends!" his Dad sneered. "What's more important Jack? Your social life or getting our home fit for purpose? You said you'd do it I'll be damned if I'm raising a son who doesn't keep his word. Now do as you're told!"

Jack did do as he was told. He walked past his father without looking up and headed out to the back yard. It was a scene that Kate had witnessed many times before. She always wanted to help out but her Dad never let her. He would always say something along the lines of "He needs to learn how to do things on his own" and would tell Kate to get on with school work and the like. She never fully understood why he treated his son so differently to his daughter, but Kate knew it started around the time her mother left. The twins were nine years old at the time. One day they woke up and there was one less parent in the house. Jack pretended for a long time that their mother abandoning them didn't matter, but Kate knew he felt the same way she did. A mother is supposed to love her children unconditionally yet theirs didn't even care enough to stick around.

That evening went by painfully slowly. All Kate could think about was the following day, seeing Gordie again and going on a mini-adventure. Given that she couldn't get to sleep for a long time during the night Kate had already packed everything she needed for the day ahead. Eventually the time came for her and Jack to go meet Chris and Gordie, and they sneaked out carrying rucksacks with some supplies and an old sleeping bag each.

"We thought you weren't going to come in the end" Gordie said when he saw them, clearly pleased that he was wrong.

"Are you kidding me? I was so excited I barely slept last night" Kate admitted and immediately regretted doing so. She knew she could come across as a bit too eager sometimes but Gordie's smile got even wider when she said it.

"What did you tell your Dad anyway?" Chris asked the twins.

"The truth" said Kate.

"You mean your Dad was fine with you camping out with two people you've only just met in a place you've never been before?" asked Gordie incredulously.

"Well no, he doesn't know that I've told him the truth yet. I left a note and told him not to worry."

"Won't you still get in trouble?" he asked, still amazed.

"Of course. We probably won't be allowed out for a week or so. But that just means we'll have to make the most of our trip then!" Kate said, winking at Gordie before turning round to start their adventure.

I'll tell you what; you don't even have to leave a proper review. You can just leave the word 'mushroom' so I at least know you've read it! ;)