Disclaimer: I do not own anything! I merely borrow the wonderful characters Chris and Gordie , ( other less worthy ones as well) , from the glorious film directed by Rob Reiner. A film that was based off the novella , The Body , written by the great Stephen King! He whose fame shall never fade from this earth!


Protection

Chris woke up first , out of habit , he was used to waking up early so that he could have some peace and quiet before the day started. As he grew more coherent he realized that the warm thing snuggled in his arms was Gordie , his best friend , well more than just best friend now. A smile lit on his face as he Gordie laying there serene and innocent looking , "like an angel" he thought. He didn't get up just yet , he wanted to make this last as long as it possibly could , the warmth , the comfort ,the safety , that they both found in each other.

Chris noticed he was still hugging Gordie tight , like he was trying to protect him from something. He had always had Gordie's back , now just a little more literally , and Gordie had had his , in different ways. Gordie had always protected Chris from himself , or rather from the Chris Chamber everyone thought he was and was destined to remain , a low life , a failure. When everyone in Castle Rock thought he was good for nothing Gordie was there to remind him that he could be anything , do anything he wanted , and that he was already better than half the idiots that put him down. And Chris physically protected Gordie from jerks and thugs in other words , half the school and more than half the town. Normally Chris Chambers was a level headed nice guy. The only exception was when someone was giving Gordie trouble , then you'd be better off fighting the devil himself. Chris didn't give a damn for himself or his rep , but Gordie was another story entirely.


About a year ago a kid in their grade, Louis Carpenter by name , made a series of very bad mistakes. His first mistake was calling Gordie LaChance a " pansy" , his second error in judgment was doing it within ear shot of Chris Chambers , and his third and final misstep was doing it off school property. The last error made Chris's following actions virtually unsuitable , the school couldn't touch him , and there was no way Louis's parents would complain to Chris's dad. Not that Chris cared much anyway. Just as Louis was realizing he was in for it Chris's right fist made perfect contact with the right side of Louis's face. The contact lasted only an instant , but Louis's face wasn't the same for months. But that was a slap on the wrist compared to what Chris did to Henry Spencer.

Spencer was a new kid at their school , one of the first , his parents had just moved to town. Henry was a tough guy , the top dog at his old school , and he wasn't about to loose that. He met with a group of tough looking kids from a higher grade and tried to join the clique , they accepted , on the condition that he accept a dare , which he did. They pointed out a skinny brown haired kid in the schoolyard and told him what to say to him. Henry walked over to Gordie and said what he'd been told to ,

" Hey , I heard your brother got himself killed 'cause the dumbass couldn't drive a car!".

Much to Henry's astonishment the skinny kid punched him , right in the nose. This kid looked weak , maybe ninety pounds at the most , just skin and bones , but that sure was one hell of a punch. Blood shot from Henry's nose as he hit the ground , while he was down the brown haired kid started kicking him repeatedly in the gut , his face was contorted in anger as he yelled

" You son of a bitch! You bastard!" ,

all the while his new " friends" were laughing their heads off. Then Henry got mad , and then Henry got up. No matter how much righteous fury Gordie's lean frame was filled with it didn't change the fact that his weak little body couldn't match Henry's , who was rather strong from playing football. He hauled off and hit Gordie on the left side of the face , and before he could fall , again in the stomach. He would have beat the crap out of him if he hadn't felt a surging train of muscle , bone and flesh ram into him from the side.

The tackle alone was enough to take the fight out of him , but before he knew it a bigger kid in a white T-Shirt and blue jeans with short sandy hair , was straddling him , holding his head down at the throat. Henry looked into this new kid's eyes and saw something that terrified him. Even though it wasn't contorted in the usual fashion of livid countenances it was more filled with hate and anger than anything he'd ever seen. And for that reason Henry Spencer believed the words that came out of Chris Chambers mouth more than the Gospel itself.

" I'll kill you if you touch him! I'll fucking kill you!" ,

and with that warning thoroughly articulated Chris proceeded to hit Henry Spencer in the face , again , and again , and again. It only stopped when Chris decided to end it , everyone looking on was too dumbstruck to stop him ,and no one could have if they'd mustered up the courage to try. Before leaving Henry to contemplate his warning Chris reminded him one last time. Chris grabbed him by the throat and leaned forward whispering in Henry's ear

" I swear to God , I'll kill you if you touch him again.",

with that he left , without saying a word he walked over to Gordie and helped him up. Gordie was speechless , the writers words failed him. They walked silently over to Gordie's house. After Chris was finally convinced that Gordie was okay they went up to his room to study , like they always did. The house was empty except for them.

" Chris , why …" ,

Chris knew the question was coming and he knew the answer ,

" You're the only friend I got man." , the gravity of Chris's voice was something rare , usually he would make joke and brush it off , but not now.

And Gordie knew it to be true , he also knew what Chris had done for him , he realized the repercussions of beating up Henry Spencer. The school would no doubt punish him , suspension most likely , and that was the worst thing they could possibly do , and they knew it. Chris alone at home with his dad for a week , there'd be hell to pay. The thought of this made Gordie feel and odd blend of unmitigated anger , sadness , and a burning desire to help Chris.

Gordie was right of course , after Chris came back from his week of suspension there was barley an inch of his tan skin that wasn't stamped with hideous bruises or nasty gashes. Seeing his best friend hurt like this infuriated Gordie , and he wished desperately that there was something he could do. But there was very little he , or anyone could . That evening as they studied , Gordie did the little he could. He made them both supper , if cold cut sandwiches , chips , and coke could constitute a supper , and treated Chris's many wounds. Chris , in true stoic fashion insisted he was fine , that it was just a few scrapes ,

" I fell off my bike." , Chris lied , a lie they both wanted desperately to believe.

Gordie cleaned and bandaged all the scrapes he could see. A while ago Gordie had resolved to get some manner of first aid knowledge , Chris seemed to " fall off his bike" often. As he was treating them Gordie tried not to think about the blunt objects and furniture that had probably caused these myriad wounds.

" Chris , take off your shirt." , just as Chris was about to protest , to say he was " fine" , again , he saw that his friend knew and wouldn't be dissuaded. With a sigh he pulled his shirt over his head . As he had known , Chris's toned torso and back were scattered with bruises and cuts. One particularly large , deep bruise was impressed on his left shoulder , which Gordie suspected to be the work of the edge of a table or counter top. Chris just looked ashamedly at the floor while Gordie treated his cuts.

" You should get a new bike." Gordie said , half smiling , Chris smiled , a full smile , and laughed slightly.


Yes , they were always there for each other , they always had each others backs. This knowledge was an immense source of comfort to Chris. What he had said was true Gordie was his only friend , and now he was more , ( Teddy and Vern were more like pals or buddies to Chris. The word friend was a sacred , beautiful word to Chris and he only applied it to those he was really close to.). His family sure as hell didn't stick up for him so knowing he had someone who cared about , hell let's come out and say it , who loved him was something new and wonderful. The sun was rising higher in the sky , Chris wished fervently that it would decide it wasn't worth the trouble and go away , leaving the protecting , comforting darkness to surround them. He felt Gordie stir , he turned over and smiled at Chris ,

"Hey." , he said ,

" Hey." Chris replied smiling as well. Gordie's face changed , he turned serious , grave even.

" We have to start planning," , "planning what?" Chris asked , " How were going to get out of here , … , our escape."

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