Things stayed quiet on the ranch for a month or so, while the two recovered rom their injuries that were sustained in the hit and run they had gotten into, while running from the cops. Toppled over from her chair as another one of the workers sitting on her, pounding their fists into her face. The rest of the workers surrounded the fight as Mark and Dave heard the commotion out by the corral. Stopping as Dave grabbed the other kid, "Knock it off Hank!" Hank swung one more time, missing Dave's head as he was dragged away and thrown into the dirt. "Let me at her! She's dead!" Hank bellowed as Dave threw him back to the ground. "Calm down or I will double your chores." Pushing the kid down again, "I'll triple it and you'll be punished, your choice..." Hank decided to stay in the dirt where he was, wiping blood from his nose and fat lip he was left with, chest heaving as he was catching his breath.
Mark looked to everybody else, "Alright fight's over, back to work all of you." The group broke up as she slowly rolled onto her side, slowly sitting up. Wiping the blood from a small cut on her forehead, nose and lip upon the t-shirt she was wearing. "You alright?" Mark asked as he put her wheel chair back upright on it's wheels. "Yea.. Just damn ducky." Mark lifts a brow, "What was that?" Thinking quick as AJ decided to change her words, "Yea I'm fine..." Mark helped her back into her chair, "What was that all about?" He questions. Shaking my head as I dusted myself off, "Nothing. Just a misunderstanding that's all. I've got chores to finish." After adjusting my fingerless gloves on my hands, rolled myself off to finish my work. Dave got Hank off to do his as himself and Mark walked side by side, up to the house.
"Gang rivals.." Dave commented as they reached the back porch. "I kind of figured that. What do we do about it?" Mark asked as they both seated themselves in chairs. "I don't know. Hank has been giving us a lot of trouble. I think we're better off sending him away to juvie, like his parole officer wanted to do. Hank is just too much of loose cannon." Dave explained. Mark nodded as he sighs, "I'll make the call to his parole officer, get him out of here soon as possible." Dave nods as he looks off into the distance for a moment. Mark lifts a brow to him, "Something on your mind?" Dave looks to him as he points, "The group over there. Aren't they suppose to be finishing touches on the landscaping over there?" Mark nods his head once, as he looks where Dave is pointing. "Suppose to be. Wonder what they're doing now.." Getting to his feet, Mark decided to check out what the kids were doing, instead of working.
Everybody jumped as they heard Mark bark as he approached. Getting to their feet, getting back to work as Mark stepped up. "What's going on? You six are suppose to be finishing this work up today." Everybody shook their heads as Tritan was busily spreading out mulch between the plants. Mark turned and looked to him, "Something you want to add?" Tritan looked up to him and shook his head, "No nothing is going on. We were just taking a slight break, talking for a moment. Then went back to work." Mark nods his head once, taking the answer for now. "Alright I'll take that for now. If I see you slacking again. You are all going on punishment." Walking off, leaving the group to their work. Sighing as Mark was far away enough for them to talk amongst one another. "So tonight the barn.. Don't be late. If you don't show up, then we know you're not brave enough to do it." Christian spoke up, while helping Tony, plant the last tree in the ground. Everybody nodded their heads as they completed their work, then meet up later on that night in the barn as planned.
Tritan stopped as he saw AJ sitting on the back porch later on that afternoon. Stepping up as he seated himself next to her, "How you're doing?" He asked. Turning herself a bit as she face him. A bit battered and bruised on my face and chest. "Alright. How are things with you?" Tritan went into shock at the sight before him, "What happen AJ?" Sighing as she explained what had happen earlier. Tritan furrowed his brow, "That so.. Well he'll get his tonight.." Lifting a brow to her best friend, "What do you mean by that?" Tritan looked around, making sure Mark or Dave weren't around to hear them talking. Moving closer to AJ as he spoke quietly for only her to hear. "Tonight, myself and a bunch of the guys are getting together in the barn for a little game. Once everybody is in bed, is when we're gonna do it." "What kind of game Tri?" She asked curiously. Hearing something nearby, Tritan gave her a look as to tell her 'Don't worry about it.' Sighing as Dave stepped up onto the deck, "Tritan you're turn to help prepare dinner. Let's go." Tritan nods as he put his chair back where it belonged on the deck. "Coming Dave." Dave stepped inside as Tritan looked to AJ, "Don't say anything, keep it hush hush." Nodding her head as Tritan followed Dave inside, as I turned back to the work at I had been given.
Later on that night, everybody that was invited snuck out of their rooms, without being heard and met in the farthest part of the old barn, where just hay, grain, and the farming equipment was stored. Pulling a few bails of hay around, making a place to hide as everybody gathered around in a circle. "So what are we doing?" Tony asked as the Italian kid seated himself on a bail of hay as the others took their places in a circle on the floor. "Going to settle who's the best out of all of here." Tritan explained as he nudged another kid named Chancey in the ribs gently. Chancey nodded as he pulled something out from under his shirt, it was wrapped in a dark green bandana as he placed it on the ground in the middle of the circle. "So.. What is it?" Christian asked as he adjusted his yellow colored bandana that was tied around his head. Representing his gang from the south side of the city.
"This gents is what we're going to be doing.." A Mexican kid name Jose said as he reached over, pulled the bandana off the object as it came into view of the lantern light that surrounded the kids. In the middle of the circle sat an old six shorter, ivory handle, like the outlaws use to use way back then. Everybody's jaws dropped at the sight of the old six shooter. "Chancey where did you get that?" Tony asked. "It's my ole man's. I took it before he went to prison. Just keep it around in case of such of an emergency." Everybody chuckles as Tritan pulled three bullets for the gun out of his pocket, placing them next to the gun. "So what's the idea with this?" Hank asked as he knelt to one knee, after adjusting his black and red colored basketball jersey, representing his gang from south Chicago. Tritan looked to all of them, "Anybody heard of the game Russian Roulette?" Everybody looked at one another then back to Tritan. "I have.." Tony fessed up. "How's it played?" Chancey asked. "One bullet is placed in a random chamber. Each of us take a turn in firing it, while it's placed against your head. Each turn, you have to spin the chamber. We play three rounds. Until one is left standing, that my amigos is how Russian Roulette is played." Jose explained.
"Alright who's in?" Tritan asked as he looked to everybody. "I'm in.." Hank said. "I'm for it." Chancey said moving closer. "I'm out." tony said as he sat back. "I'm in. I have nothing to loose." Jose said. A few others joined in the circle to play the game. Others decided to step out and leave, they didn't want a piece of this after all. Sighing as he shook his head, "Chicken shits!" Hank said as the other left. "Alright gentlemen.." Jose said as he grabbed the shooter and one bullet, opening up the chambers, placing one bullet into a chamber. Spinning it as he loaded it, placing it back upon the ground. "It's loaded and ready for the first participant. Who's first?" Everybody reached for the gun first, then slowly pulled their hands back. "Alright. Flip a coin determine the order." Hank said as he reached into his pocket, Hank was first and then so on. "Alright Hank you're first. Let's go." Chancey said as Hank picked up the shooter, spun the barrel, waited for it to stop, then held the gun up to his temple...