She's back in town // Chris Chambers

Ø4

We all understood what Vern meant right away, it sent shock into all of our bodies. He continued to tell us the story of how Charley and Billy were talking about it while Vern was looking for his penny's under the porch.

"I know the Back Harlow Road! It comes to a dead end by the Royal river. The train tracks are right there! Me and my dad used to fish for cossies out there!" Teddy said.

"Jesus christ, man. If they would have known you were under there, they would've killed you" Chris said, pointing at Vern.

I shook my head, "could he have gotten all the way from Chamberlain to Harlow? It's really far" Gordie said, he looked a bit confused but more shocked.

"Sure, he must've just started walking on the train tracks and followed them the whole way" I said, resting my arms on my knees.

"Yeah. Yeah right, and then after dark the train must have come along, El smacko" Teddy said, punching his hand.

Their was a few moments of silence in between all of us. Chris told me about the kid last night, I've been hearing it all over the radio too. I leaned my head back the wall.

Chris grabbed me and Gordie's arm like he had an idea, it made me take my head off the wall.
"Hey, hey guys! I bet you anything that we find him, we'll get our pictures in the paper!" Chris snapped his fingers, exchanging eye contact with all of us.

I sat up intrigued, "hey man, I bet you're right!" I said, grabbing his shoulder. He shook his head up and down.

"Yeah, we'd even be in tv!" Teddy said, now excited.

"Sure!" Chris said, looking back at Teddy. "We'll be heroes!" Teddy said, even more excited then the first time. "Yeah!".

"I don't know. Billy will know how I found out" Vern said, slouching back down, disappointed.

"He's not gonna care Vern because it'll be us guys who find him and not Billy and Charley in a boosted car" I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, they'll probably pin a medal on you Vern" Gordie said, making me look at him and smile. They probably won't pin a medal on him.

"Yeah, you think so!" Vern said, getting excited. We all shook our heads. "What'll we tell our folks?" He said, getting all discouraged again.

I leaned back on the wall, what will we tell our folks? I tried think of different plans the would work, when Gordie spoke. "Exactly what you said. We all tell our folks we're camping out in your backfield, you tell your folks you're staying over at Teddy's. Then we all say we're going to the drag-races the next day" Gordie said, looking at all of us.

This kid...this kid is smart. "Shit Gordie, we'd be rock solid till tomorrow night!" I said, as we both skinned it in excitement.

"Yeah man, that's a plan and a half" Chris said, as they skinned it as well.

Im closest with Chris and Gordie the most, I'm close with Vern and Teddy too but I talk to Chris and Gordie by ourselves a lot more.

"But if we do find that kids body in South Harlow, they'll know we didn't go to the drag-races! We'll get hided!" Vern said, still not budging. He's making good points but at this point, I don't think we care what happens.

"Nobody would care cos everybody is gonna be so jazzed about what we found it's not gonna make a difference!" Teddy said, putting his hand on Vern's shoulder.

"Yeah! My dad will hide me anyway. But hell it's worth the hiding!" Chris said, raising his voice in excitement. I shook my head and giggled.

"Shit yeah!" Teddy said, getting excited with Chris. "Let's do it! What d'you say?" Chris said, asking everyone.