Stand by me / Teddy

Pt 6 "Leeches!"

The morning air is already warm and the fire is just a few smoldering coals. We pack up our stuff getting ready and mentally preparing ourselves because today is the day that we are going to see a dead body.

"Gees Gordie, why couldn't you have gotten some breakfast stuff like twinkies and PEZ and root beer" Vern asks as we walk along the train tracks eating the chocolate bars Gordie got from the shop.

"Is that what you eat for breakfast?" I ask.

"Sorry Vern I guess a more experienced shopper could have gotten more for your seven cents" Gordie says.

We come to a stop looking over a field "Ladies and gentlemen, the royal" Chris says.

"The tracks go way out of the way" Teddy says looking down the tracks.

"Cut across this field right here we'll be there in an hour" Chris says.

"I think we should stick to the tracks" Vern says worriedly.

"I say we go across the field" Teddy says.

"Me too" I agree.

"Gordie?" Chris asks.

"Yeah" He says, and we run down the hill heading for the forest.

We trudge through the forest ankle deep in mud.

"I hate this shortcut" Vern whines.

"I hate this shortcut" Teddy mimics. Vern swings his fist at Teddy and he jerks his head back.

"HaHa! You flinched! Two for flinching!" Vern says poking Teddy in the chest excitedly, but Teddy punches him in the arm two times instead. I laugh.

"But you flinched" Vern rubs his arm.

"I know, two for flinching" Teddy smiles and walks away.

"Come on Vern" I pull Vern along by his arm and we come to a stop behind the others, and we see that there is a swamp stopping us from getting through.

"How do we get across?" Vern asks.

"We use you as a raft" Teddy replies.

"Very funny" Vern says.

Chris goes to a tree and breaks off a branch, he then puts it in the water checking how deep it is but he doesn't check the middle which I assume is the deepest.

"Hey, it's not that deep, we can just walk across" Chris throws the stick to the side and they start to walk but I stay back, and just as I expected they fell into the water.

"I thought that would happen" I say. They all look at me.

"Told you we should have stuck to the tracks" Vern says to no one in particular.

"Is it me," Teddy turns to him "or are you the world's biggest pussy?"

"I suppose this is fun for you" Vern says.

"No, but this is" he grabs Verns head and pushes him under the water, laughing like a mad man.

"Teddy stop" I say.

"Oh you want some too?" Teddy grabs my arm and yanks me into the water. I stand up now neck deep in water.

"Ha ha real good Teddy" I glare at him.

"I know your having fun" Teddy says.

"Come on Teddy act your age" Chris says.

"This is my age" Teddy replies "I'm in the prime of my youth and I'll only be young once"

"Yeah but your gonna be stupid for the rest of your life" Chris says.

"Oh that's it Chambers, you just signed your own death warrant, you die Chambers!" Teddy tackles Chris and they play-fight in the water. I look over and see Gordie getting out of the water and I follow him.

"Where do you think you're going, Lachance?" Chris asks.

"Yeah, Lachance" Teddy says.

"Come on you guys" Gordie says.

"Pile on!" Chris says and they all come and pile on top of me and Gordie.

"Sleeper hold, sleeper hold, no one gets out of the sleeper hold" Vern holds onto Gordies ear.

"Vern there's something on your neck" Gordie says.

"Yeah right I'm not falling for that on Lachance" Vern replies.

"No Vern there is something on your neck!" I say.

"It's a leech" Teddy says.

"Leeches!" we all yell and start hitting the slimy, black creatures off ourselves. Luckily I'm wearing shorts so I can get the ones off my legs easily.

Once I think I have all of the leeches off I look up at the others who have stripped down to just their underwear. I quickly turn away. Everything goes silent but then Gordie speaks.

"Oh shit Chris, oh shit man" He says. Once again everything goes silent until I hear a thud on the ground.

"Gordie man are you okay?" Chris calls. I turn around and see Gordie lying on the ground, I run over and crouch next to him.

"Gordie? Can you hear me?" Chris says "Gordie are you their"

"Maybe he's dead" Vern says.

"Gosh Vern he's not dead, he's still breathing you idiot" I say.

"Well I don't know" he replies.

"Hey it's cool you guys he just fainted" Chris says "Gordie?" He starts to wake up.

"Gosh, I never met anybody who fainted before" Vern says.

"Maybe you'd made a bad mistake if you looked at your face" Teddy replies.

"Shut up Teddy" Chris says "You ok Gordie?" He asks.

"Yeah" Gordie mumbles and we help him up.

I sit in front of Gordie trying to get him to talk, but he doesn't, so I just sit there holding one of his hands between mine, hoping that it might comfort him.

"Maybe we should take Gordie back" I hear Chris say to the others.

"Oh great Chambers now your turning pussy too" Teddy says.

"What's your problem, Duchamp? He had leach hanging from his balls, he fainted" Chris replies.

"What are you, his mother?" Teddy says.

"Eat shit!" Chris says.

"You eat shit!" Teddy repeats. I look over and see Chris and Teddy pushing each other, and Vern breaking them up.

"I think Chris is right, let's go back" Vern says to Teddy.

"Oh ha ha what a surprise the king of the pussies wants to go back too" Teddy laughs.

"Stop calling me that" Vern says.

"What pussy?" Teddy stirs.

"Stop it!" Vern says.

"Pussy" Teddy continues.

"Stop"

"Pussy, pussy, pussy, pussy" Teddy says.

"You four eyes psycho" Vern jumps on Teddy and he falls to the ground then Vern starts punching him.

Gordie looks really mad and he whispers "Stop it"

"Gordie?" I ask.

"Stop it. Stop it!" He says it a little louder and then yells turning to Vern, Teddy and Chris. They freeze and so do I. Then Gordie gets up "I'm not going back" He says and then picks up his bag and walks off before waiting for a response or for us to follow.