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I HELD THE hands of the weary kid as we traveled from the water, and back to shore. His grip was soft against my aggressive tugging at his arms. I wrapped the limp arm around my neck, taking light and slow steps. "What's- your name?" I ask between the huffs of breaths I took in.
"B-Ben H-Hanscom."
As I refer back to the memory of school, I always remembered the boy sitting by himself. With no one to talk to. Some like me. He was portrayed as the 'new kid', but he's been at the school for a period of time, so I thought people would've known his name by now. But, I was also disappointed to the fact that I was, before, one of those people.
"It's- nice to meet you, Ben Hanscom. Monet Tucker," I rasp out, the both of us now near the distraught boys.
"Holy shit," Richie breaths out. "What the hell happened to you?"
Ben only stood with a hand to his gushed wound, eyes almost barely open. By now, all the boys were out the sewers. I nearly screamed for them only eyeing down the bloodied person. Did they just freeze? He needs help. "We can go to the town. Get you some help. Do you think you can make that walk?"
Although Ben seemed a bit light headed, he gave a small nod in response. Looking over to the dumbstruck boys, I have them a look with widened eyes. "We can't just leave him. He needs help. Are you going to continue with just standing there, or are you not going to let him bleed to death?"
The boys soon dazed out of their gawking, nearly tripping over the rocks they stumbled over while heading towards the bank of the river. I noticed the line of four bikes against the rocks, nearly scolding myself as I left my bike way back into the trees. I shouldn't have them wait. I shouldn't have Ben wait. He's nearly bleeding all over.
"It's been nice, you know, holding your cat. But I think you should take him back." Stan held Frankie as if some rotten banana found on the bottom of your book bag. Taking the animal, my mind littered with questions to either head back to my bike and meet the boys somewhere, or just follow on foot. Frankie won't be helping, either.
"Uhh.... I have to get my bike. Back into the trees. I can meet you guys near the top. If I'm not there in the least of five minutes, go into the province of town. I'll find my way to you guys."
"What about him? He's practically leaking Hamburger Helper!" Richie extended his arm towards Ben, the group sending Richie a hard glare.
"The pharmacy? I don't know, think of something." With a grip on Frankie, I jogged over to the bundle of trees making my way up.
