MikexBen

104 5 1

by honeybb123

by honeybb123

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." —
Walt Disney

   "Holy shit, what happened to you?" I asked in shock as a chubby boy fell into the quarry, bleeding out.
   "Hen-Henry Bowers," he gasped. "C-cut me."
That bitch! "What why?!"
"Because I'm f-fat? I guess?" The boy gasped.
"Do you want help?" I asked the boy.
"Umm, yes please."
I waded in the water, reaching down my hand and pulling him up.
He smiled and shakily stood on his feet. "Thanks man. I'm Ben by the way."
   "I'm Mike Hanlon," I said, shaking the kid's hand.
I glanced Ben over; he seemed ok enough, minus the huge cut on his side.
"I think we should go to the pharmacy. I can get supplies to clean you up there."
Ben nodded in agreement. "Ok. Thank you Mike."
"Come on. There's a basket in my bike you can sit in."
   He nodded again and followed me over to his bike.

   We pulled up to the pharmacy, and into its back alley. I helped Ben out of the basket and into a seated position on top of some old boxes.
   "Stay here, I'll be right back," I told him as I started to walk into the pharmacy.
   He just nodded, and rested his head against the cool brick wall.
   I stepped into the cool, air conditioned pharmacy, instantly relaxing. I snapped out of my daze before walking around the small store in search of what I needed.
The owner of the store studied me intently from behind the desk, by then finally seemed to trust me not to shop lift so he went to the back room.
   I grabbed some gauze, bandages, and hydrogen peroxide before going to the front desk to pay.
   A young girl, about my age, waltz out to the front desk, and gave me a fake smile.
   "Hello, I'm Greta. What can I do for you?" She asked in a monotone voice.
   "I'd like to buy this please," I told her.
   She glanced down at my possessions, then back up at me. "Is that all?"
   I nodded; she began ringing up my stuff.
   "Five eighty one is your total," she told me.
   I dug in my pockets for money, and finally produced six dollars. "Keep the change," I said as I walked out.
   I nearly dropped my bag as I rounded the corner; Ben was surrounded by a group of kids. My immediate thought was bullies! but as I got a closer look I could see Ben smile gently up at them. I jogged over.
   "Oh, guys, this is Mike, he helped me," Ben explained to the group.
A chorus of "hi mike"s filled my ears, and I smiled at them.
   "May I?" A girl with red hair asked, pointing to my bag of supplies.
   I nodded, and handed it over to her. She turned on Ben and began patching up his wound.
   "H-hi muh-Mike, I'm B-Bill," a tall skinny boy said. "Th-this is Bev, s-she's the ruh-redhead, that's St-Stanley with the b-blond hair, E-E-Eddie is the sh-short one, and R-Richie is the one with b-black hair."
   He pointed each person out, and I nodded in understanding.
   "Well it was very nice to meet you all, but I've gotta get going," I said, walking over to my bike.
   "Wait," Ben called out from behind Bev. "We were gonna go to the quarry tomorrow for a bit, do you want to come?"
   I bit my lip, then smiled. "Sure kid, what time?"
   "Noon?"
   I nodded my head. "Sounds good. I'll see y'all there."
   And with that, I hopped on my bike and rode away.