Chris chambers once upon a body

Not your sister, Empty threats, and a Gunshot

As Ace neared Chris and Gordie, Teddy and I slowly did too, with Vern behind us. Eyeball noticed us and we froze but he decided not to say anything and avert his attention back to Ace. I could tell Chris and Gordie were scared, even though they tried not to show it. I knew that they both had a sense of bravery, sometimes clouded with a sense of stupidity (in the best way), and I knew that even when they were scared, they could be the bravest souls. 

I've always admired that about them. I myself am not that brave unless I have someone with me, but by myself, I'm nothing. Gordie got most of the brave genes between the two of us, and Chris had to grow up brave and scared because that's all he was ever able to be at home. I have to be angry to get some sense of bravery but for them, it was natural. Teddy was always playing pretend so when it comes down to an actual threat, he doesn't engage, and Vern, well, he's used to being protected by the rest of us. 

We got closer and I could tell Ace had noticed us from his peripheral vision since he shifted his body weight slightly in our direction. We stopped about five steps away from Chris. By then I had Teddy and Vern on either side of me. We took a second and then ended up moving even closer until Teddy was on the other side of Chris, I was next to him, and Vern was still next to me. 

I heard Chris raise his voice, "You get away man. We found him and we got dibs."

Ace's demeanor slightly changed as his body relaxed and he finally took his eyes off of us and turned his head to look at Eyeball. 

"You better start running Eyeball, they got dibs!" he said lightly laughing

Chris replied, "We earned him man. You guys came in a car, that's not fair, he's ours!"

As much as I agree with Chris, I can't help but think about the morality of the situation. We're just a group of kids, and a group of older low-lives, fighting over taking the body of a dead boy in hopes of gaining some kind of prize or admiration from others. It's starting to make me feel a mix of sick and angry. I feel sick that I hadn't actually thought this through yet, but it also makes me mad that, this group of older guys, who should know better, are actually trying to fight us on this. 

Of course, as any antagonistic older brother would, Eyeball got right to picking on Chris, "That's not fair he's ours, Well, not anymore"

Teddy decided to join in, "There's five of us Eyeball, just make your move" 

Finally, Ace decided to actually acknowledge us and didn't hesitate to keep steady eye contact with Teddy, "Oh we will, don't you worry"

Finally, he assessed the whole group, noticing me the most. He held a look of familiarity in his eyes when he finally looked at me. It's one any younger sibling can recognize from their older sibling if the older sibling actually cares about you. In a moment like this, his look was concerned and confused. I knew he saw his little sister in me, so his reaction to seeing me here, surrounded by a group of boys, in the middle of the woods by a dead body would be concerning. Hopefully, that will stop things from escalating. 

Things tensed up a little more when we realized Ace and Eyeball weren't alone. 

"Vern you little son of a whore, you was under the porch!" Charley, Vern's older brother yelled. 

I stepped slightly in front of Vern when I noticed Billy and Charley getting closer, but Charley stopped next to Eyeball. 

"No! I swear! It wasn't me!" Vern said with a look of pure fear on his face. 

Ace, with a snap of his fingers, stopped Billy from getting any closer, but Billy continued with his threats. 

"You little keyhole-peeping cunt licking bug, we'll beat the shit out of you!" 

With that, Vern ran as fast as he could into the woods. 

Ace held his arm out to stop Billy from getting any closer, eyes trained on me.  

"Alright, you guys go to choices, Either leave quietly, Rose I'll take you home, and we take the body. Or you guys stay, we beat the shit out of you, I take Rose home and we take the body. Your pick."

I guess my hopes for de-escalation were in vain. 

"Besides me and Billy found him first" Charley spoke up and Tedyd just had to open his mouth.

"Vern told us how you found him, Oh Billy, I wish we never boosted that car. Oh Billy, I think I just turned my Fruit of the Looms into a fudge factory." 

Charley tried to make his way toward us, "Your..Your ass is grass" he said, obviously embarrassed.

By this point, we were being slightly surrounded, our only escape would be running to our right all the way down to where the trees thickened and then we could hide. I knew that Chris wouldn't run, this meant too much to all of us, especially Gordie. Teddy might run and join Vern, but I'm staying right here with them. I grabbed onto Chris's arm slightly. I was getting more and more nervous as more time went on. Ace wasn't known for being very patient. 

Ace held Charley back with his arm, "Hold it! okay, Chambers you little fuck. This is your last chance. What do you say kid?" 

I looked at Chris and he quickly looked down at me, we both looked back at Ace. Chris took a second to answer and in that second it seemed like so much happened. Teddy tensed up either ready to run, or gain some confidence to talk back again. Chris stood up a little taller and took my hand. Ace looked between Chris and me and he seemed to understand the dynamic. Considering that he seems to consider himself my platonic older brother, Chris's next answer may determine his reaction. 

"Why don't you go home and fuck your mother some more" Chris said smoothly

This seemed to only anger Ace, but not in an outburst. This was rage in the scariest way. When someone is screaming and mobile, it's easier to determine what they may do, but when someone is composed while they're angry, it's the most deadly. 

Slowly Ace took out a switchblade he had and held it up, pointing to Chris, "You're dead"

Teddy grabbed Chris and I by the shoulders, "Come on, Chris, Rose, let's split" 

"They're not taking him" Chris responded, while Chris's eyes never left the blade, mine never left Ace, almost challenging him. 

"C'mon man that's crazy" Teddy slightly pleaded

"They're not taking him" Chris and I said at the same time

"He's got a knife man" 

Chris looked back at Ace's eyes and held my hand tighter, "You're gonna have to kill me"

With that Teddy made a run for it to hide with Vern. Ace whispered something to Charley. Ace shifted over to be in front of Chris and Charley stood next to Ace but in front of me. 

Ace's eyes seemed more intense, "No problem" He lunged at Chris with the Knife while Charley grabbed me to move me out of the way. Chris and I never let our hands go. 

Everyone froze when we heard a gun go off.