A Time for Murder

One Down

It had been nearly a week since the three boys had received their disturbing phone calls and almost just as long since the three of them had talked to one and another. Of course there was the usual greeting among them as they had passed each other in the hallways at school, but to truly talk, they did not. The events of the weekend past had now been drowned out by their current circumstances. By now, far greater teen issues weighed heavily on their minds, such as who they should ask to the upcoming dance. Each boy had someone in mind, but each were just as equally nervous about asking the intended date to escort them to the dance.

Kenny stood just outside the school keeping a watchful eye out for his two friends, Luke and Dillon. Nervously awaiting his friends anticipated arrival, Kenny slid his short, pudgy thumbs under the shoulder straps, giving a slight tug, readjusting his slipping back pack. He looked one way down the drive and then the other way, still no sight of either friend. He tucked his thumbs underneath the straps of his backpack once again, this time he left them there, almost as a security of sorts, reassuring that his backpack would remain in its place. Kenny, out of pure boredom mixed with a bit of angst, kicked about a pebble across the cracked sidewalk.

He could hear the familiar sounds of his friend approaching, Kenny lifted his gaze from the stone that he'd been kicking around with a smile on his face, ready to greet his friend, Luke. But he was mistaken, Luke was nowhere to be found. Instead, Dillon's nasty friends were heading in his direction. The hoard consisted of four hormonal, teenage boys. A hopeful Kenny scanned the tiny crowd and found that Dillon was not with them. His smile soon faded as his gaze fell upon the face of one John Langley.

We all have met at least one John Langley in our lifetime. The beefed up jock who had a knack for browbeating anyone who's social status was less than his own. In truth, he was at the top of the social chain, not for looks, or even his athletic ability, rather for his brute demeanor. Who would dare challenge John? Certainly not someone who wanted to see their next Christmas.

The three boys, Dillon, Luke and Kenny had all become friends early on during  their elementary years. Despite  the ever changing school environment, they had managed to remain close friends throughout the rest of elementary and even through their middle school years. It wasn't until the summer before high school when everything had changed for them. High school is when something incredible happened. Puberty happened. All three boys began to grow hair in places that they did not even know had existed. Dillon and Luke began to shed their baby fat, replacing it with muscle. Though Luke's change was gradual, Dillon's had not been. Dillon had bulked up, seemingly almost overnight, to a size that everyone had noticed, girls, and even boys. It was not long before Dillon had found himself knee-deep in the cool kid crowd. New friends, football career, and a new girlfriend every week. It wasn't that Kenny were jealous  of Dillon's new found fame, rather the time spent with others. Time that once was dedicated to Kenny and Luke. Oh, the times the three of them had. He often wondered to himself where Dillon would sit on high school's totem pole if he had not gained all his muscles and good looks. Kenny looked at his rather large belly, protruding over the waistband of his pants and let out a low moan. Everything about him was a contradictory to Dillon.

He could hear footsteps draw nearer to him. His heart quickened as he sensed the impending doom that was about to befall him. He continued to kick about his pebble, willing his eyes to avoid any temptation to wander back in the direction of his archenemy.

"Don't look." He mumbled to himself. "Don't look."

"Hey, perve." John called to him as the group of four boys approached. "Were you looking at me again?"

Kenny quit kicking his pebble about. Be strong, he told himself. Be brave.

"Hey, I'm talking to you perve." John's palm smacked against Kenny's shoulder, giving him a slight push. "Huh, perve?"