Survival of the Toughest

Disbandment

Eva and I started running. It seemed like the park was overrun with Lancers and Chargers. Every direction was soon to be swarming with them.

"Ricky, you should know by now that you aren't tough enough to survive here!" Anthony was screaming after me. "You either have to get out or get whipped out!"

We made it away from the park, up the street a little.

"Ricky, I'm getting tired." Eva was panting. "I need to stop for a second."

"Okay. We'll cut through the alley up here. We should be good there."

As we cut through the alley, I could see Auston, his friends, and Scotty Etienne waiting on us.

"It's a trap!" I froze. "IT'S A TRAP!"

I could sense Eva was about to cry. That's when I decided to do something not many were willing to do. I put my fists up.

"Oh, Patterson." Auston laughed. "How hopeless."

They were closing in on us. The closer Scotty got, the more I was accepting the terms that I might just be going back to the hospital. I breathed in and got ready for the fight of my life.

"Up here, rich boys!" It was Alan's voice.

"Rosenthal?!" Anthony and a few others looked up. "Tanaka?! Arlington?! Hatchard?! What the-"

Alan and the others started pelting them with slingshot projectiles and airsoft pistols from the rooftop.

I jumped on Scotty and started punching him repeatedly. Auston dragged me off of him and I started in on Auston. Then I heard something. Something that could only mean one thing. We had to run.

"Oh shit, the fuzz!" Alan shouted.

"Get outta here, it's the cops!"

"Dammit!" Dustin said. "They must've started following when we ran around the corner."

Every one of us started bolting.

"Even if nobody catches us," Ken said as he caught up to Eva and I. "We're toast cause we're flying colors."

"Oh shit." My face fell.

After a few minutes of running, we made it back to Eva's. I walked her in then left.

I didn't do much the rest of the weekend and the beginning of the next week. I was too afraid of getting recognized by a cop or jumped again. The others saving Eva and myself just happened by luck. In school, Auston and his associates would glare at Josh, Dustin, or me. Out of school, I was constantly looking over my shoulder when I wasn't home.

The next Thursday that we were in school, I knew everything that happened over the weekend was gonna come back to bite us.

Saturday detentions were dished out to Auston, Jason, Keaton, Tony, Dustin, and myself. Teddy, Levi, Danny, and Caleb were suspended. At the high school, punishment was dished out as well. Alan, Anthony, and Scotty were given Saturday detention. Ken, Joseph Barton, and Jackie Pucino, were suspended. Jimmy and Bif had expulsions pending. There was no word on Eva.

Sat in class all throughout Friday hoping that this would just go away. But no avail.

Saturday came. I got up, ate breakfast, threw my clothes and jacket on and headed towards the high school. Nielson held the door open silently, no strict remarks. I filed in behind Auston and we were marched to the library like prisoners to a cell.

I took a seat by Alan.

"What's going on?" I asked him. "Something's wrong. I can feel it."

"We're fucked, Rick." Alan sighed. "We are so fucked."