Walking on the Tracks Chapter 13
"Gordie man are you okay?!" I exclaimed jumping over to the pale still Gordie lying in the mud and leaves. We all leaned over him as Chris gently shook his shoulder whispering "Gordie...Gordo you there?". "Maybe he's dead!" Vern said stupidly, "he's not dead he's still breathing you moron!" Teddy responded shaking his head at Vern.
"Well how should I know?!" Vern snapped back annoyed, "hey hey cool it you guys" I told them "he just fainted...you okay Gordie?". His brown eyes began to flutter gently as he started to come around. "God...I never met anybody who fainted before" Vern commented in amazement causing Teddy to stare at him stunned for a few moments before saying coldly "maybe he made a bad mistake and looked at your face dumbass". "Shut up Teddy" Chris firmly said "Gordie? You okay?".
Gordie finally nodded and rubbed his eyes. I couldn't imagine the shock and humiliation the poor guy felt. I still feel back for him about it.
"Let's go" I said gently as Chris and I helped Gordie up, we soon dryer off in the sun and put our clothes back on, Chris and Teddy were re packing the sleeping bags and I sat down with a silent Gordie. "You okay man?" I asked him concerned, he gave a curt short nod in reply and I sighed. "Hey Dan over here!" Chris called me over so I got up to join them, "what's up?" I asked them putting my hands in my pockets. "I think we should take Gordie back" Chris told us looking over at Gordie who was staring into space intensely.
I was thinking it over when Teddy threw his hands up and scoffed "oh great Chambers so now you're turning pussy too huh?". "What's your problem Duchamp? He had a leech hanging from his balls for Christ's sake, he fainted!" Chris snapped angrily. "Yeah Teddy for once in your life be considering eh?" I added shaking my head at him. "Oh what the hell are you two? His parents?!" Teddy looked at us both in disgust which pissed Chris off. "Eat shit!" he spat clenching his fists, "you eat shit!" Teddy shoved Chris hard who stepped back towards Teddy with rage. I was terrified that they would finally let rip at each other.
"Hey hey!" Vern stepped between them to cool things down which I never thought he would ever do "I think Chris and Dan are right I mean we should go back". "Oh ha ha,what a surprise the king of the pussies wants to go back home to his mommy!" Teddy cruelly laughed in a sarcastic manner. "Stop calling me that!" Vern's voice changed to calming from firm and threatening through gritted teeth. "Oh what pussy?" Teddy smirked, "stop it!" Vern warned him but he wouldn't quit. "Pussy pussy pussy!"
The way he was mocking Vern reminded me of how Old Man Pressmen taunted and teased Teddy about his dad. I was confused by how Teddy had sank to his level but then I understood probably why.
"You four eyed psycho" Vern suddenly pounced on Teddy knocking him to the ground, "get off me!' Teddy yelled as Vern repeatedly punched him shouting "two for flinching! You like it! You like it huh?!". Meanwhile Chris and I were trying our best to break up the fight, "come on guys! Chris tried to drag Vern off Teddy with no success.
"Guys stop it!" I shouted as I grabbed Vern back.
"STOP IT!" Gordie suddenly shrieked, stopping everything, we all looked up at him in pure silence and shock. He finally stood up and said firmly "I'm not going back" before turning round and headed to the Back Harlow Road. We all scrambled up as Teddy and Vern exchanged one more insult with each other and followed Gordie to find the body.
We were quiet for most of the way. Everyone was still trying to process Gordie's sudden change in character. We soon got to an opening when Gordie stopped and asked "Teddy...is this the Back Harlow Road?". "Yeah" Teddy replied looking round. "Brower kid must be here some place" I said staring around the trees and tangled bushes. "Teddy, you and Vern take the left side of the tracks and we'll take the right" Chris ordered and we all spilt up. It was only a few short seconds before Vern suddenly yelped "I see him! Over there! I see him!".
We all ran over to where he was pointing.
None of us could breath.
Somewhere under those bushes was the rest of Ray Brower.