𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 || 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝟐

j.c. ~ former Winston

Tulsa, Oklahoma. Park ~ DQ.
Friday, 1965.
11:34 a.m.

•••

"You heard him, he said stop." I said.

"And what are you gonna do?" Said the Soc who was holding a kids collar.

"Oh, I don't know. How about--" I then kicked my knee on his crotch as he groans. I walk up to the kid who the prep kid and his friends beat up.

I help him up, fix his hair and clothes.

"You alright kid?" I asked. "Yeah I'm good." He replied.

I turned to the Soc who's now on the ground with his buddies checking up on him, caught off guard. "Don't ask me what I'm gonna do." I said to the Soc.

He flips me off and walks away with his friends.

"Thanks a lot." He said, fixing his hair. "I've never seen you round here before." He asked.

"Oh, I'm just visiting. I used to live here too with my brother." I said.

"So, what are you doin' over here by your lonesome? Walkin' to work?" I asked.

"Oh, just the DQ nearby. Felt hungry." He said. "Mind if I join ya? I promise I won't hurt ya. I could use some lunch." I said.

"I can tell after you kicked that guys nuts. Sure you can come along. I might need some backup round here anyway." He said as he looks around the park.

"Alright, lead the way mister...?"

"Oh right! I'm Johnny. Johnny Cade." He said, taking his hand out his pocket to shake mine. I shook his cold hand.

"Nice to meet you Johnny Cade. I'm Y/n. But enough small talk. Let's get you some food to warm those hands up." I said.

We took a short stroll to the DQ together and got our food. We decided to sit outside

"You said you used to live round here with your brother. Why'd you ask me to lead the way?" Johnny asks, taking a bite into his burger.

"Well, it's been years since I lived here. Everything's changed so much and there was definitely no DQ when I lived here." I said, looking around my unfamiliar hometown.

"Might I ask why you moved? And where?" he continues. "I just felt like moving honestly. Besides, at the time them Socs we're acting up on our side of town a lot. So, I just thought to move to New York and work there for a bit. Felt bad for leavin' my brother though. But, he's tough." I said.

"Hey, I never got your last name." Johnny says, breaking the silence.

"Winston. Well, Williams now." I said, taking a sip of my milkshake.

After I said that, his eyes widened. "Ar- are you related to Dallas Winston?" He asked. "Yeah, he's my kid brother. You know him?" I said.

"Yeah, he's a real close friend of mine, we're like brothers. He told us he's an only child."

"Really? He likes to do that, we're half siblings. Same dad. My mom left my dad and I when I was a kid and Dallas' mom passed away. I liked his mom." I said.

"So, you here to see him?" He asked. "Of course, it's been years since we last saw each other. Where do you think he'll be?" I asked.

"You ain't seen him already?" He slightly shouts. "Look, it's complicated, alright? You should ask him all about it." I said.

"Well, we're hangin out with some of our other friends later tonight, I can take you there, I'm going after this." He says, excitedly.

"That'll be nice." I replied with a smile.

"I'm surprised Dallas is friends with a guy like you. Most of his friends back in New York are just hoodlums like him." I said.

"I'm surprised too. He's not friends with anyone else but me and the boys. Now he fights hoodlums." He said.

"Of course, always fighting. He used to get beat up in an alley, back in New York and then I'll be the one to help him fight the guys off."

"Wow, born tough huh?" Says Johnny.

"I guess you could say that. I punched a kid in preschool. He had a bloody nose after. Got in trouble but, nobody ever messed with me again." I said.

"Well, I sure know not to mess with you. Them Socs sure did too." he jokes, making me chuckle.