The Devil's Gift/The Bloody Handed

2

Once we got back to the house, everyone started to grab our things. We walk to the small house behind the main one.

"Can't wait for it to just be adults," Steve says.

"You're telling me. I love the kids but it's kind of nice just to have all of us adults together you know?" Robin says.

"I agree." I say

We open the small house and I wrap my arms around myself immediately. It definitely had a draft in here.

"You cold?" Eddie looks over to me. I shake my head, trying to deny it.

"I'll be fine."

"Well, I don't care. So here." He throws his arms back and slides off his jean jacket. He hands it to me, smiling. "Take it. When we start a fire it won't be so bad."

I reluctantly take it and wrap it around my shoulders.

"Alright Brochachos!" Argyle exclaims. He slams down the alcohol and the snacks on the table. It truly felt like we were in highschool still. Stealing, Sneaking alcohol, starting fires, having parties.. the pure adrenaline rushes. The natural ones. It was a reality neither of us have been introduced to. And I think Robin and them came up with this idea so it could be some sort of reality. Live loose a little instead of being on edge all of the time. It was sad that Nancy and Johnathan weren't here with us, but I also knew why. I look over to Steve who is toying with his alcohol as he looks at the ground. He looked devastated; I felt bad for the boy. Nancy seemed really into him. And I knew he was into Nancy just as much if not more.

We all grab what we got and scoot out small crates for us to sit down. Eddie kicks over a small black one to me, then slides one by me himself. Steve and Robin were getting a small fire started in the chimney by using pre chopped wood and lighter fluid.

I cover my arms and look around while I waited. The fire was starting to warm up my body slowly. There were two couches pushed off to the far right of the small house. I wanted to sit in those, but I preferred warmth over a couch. The table was in front of the couches and to the right of the chimney. I saw two doors behind me to the left and right, which I assumed to be a bedroom and a bathroom.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Robin asks. Everyone simultaneously agrees and we all sort out what we had gotten. Eddie plops down next to me and has three bottles of beer. He takes one bottle and slams the edge of the metal ridged cap against the crate with no problem.

"How do you do that?" I muse. He looks at me and shakes it.

"Wanna try, Gregerson?"

I shake my head. "Oh no, I'm fine. Beer tastes like a mixture of dirt, piss, and oranges." I grimace at the thought of it. When I was seven I had accidentally snuck some of my dad's beer when he was watching ball. I thought it was my root beer.

"Alright suit yourself then." He takes the bottle and starts to chug it. I wanted to gag for him.

Shortly, everyone was surrounded by one another in a circle. The fire was crackling. I open my bottle and take a swig of it, feeling the slight burning sensation travel down my throat.

Everyone starts laughing and joking around. Eddie is making sure to be the loudest in the circle, making himself known. We all talk about the craziness we all have been through. Then we listen to what Argyle had to say and what his group had to deal with in California in Lenora Hills. It went from roller skating, to imprisonment, dead federals, kidnapped, pizza van, undercooked pizza, rescue, salt, then to psychic tub. At least from what I gathered with Argyle's description.

Eddie nudges my shoulder. "Here come outside with me." I look at everyone who is occupied talking and joking with one another. I get up, setting down my drink, and follow Eddie outside.