Distance

Chapter 6

“Ugh I can’t stand that fucking kid Ray. He’s always so weird. He doesn’t bother to shower and he always acts like I did something wrong to him.” Dan stated to Tyler.

“I know it’s awful, he can never take a joke.” Both of them were walking towards the park while throwing rocks at nothing.

“He just needs a good ass kicking. But we need to make sure his dad isn’t around like last time.”

Tyler began to speak “I know that was awful…Hey look.” Dan looked over to where Tyler was nodding Todd and Ivar were leaving the forest. It must mean Ray’s still there.

Beginning to enter the trees, Dan stealthily lay on a side of  a hill. Tyler lacking behind still decided to sit down. “Hey Dan is heup there?” Tyler said with a whisper.

“Yeah I can hear someone, but it doesn’t sound like Ray.”

 “Well who is it?”

“Don’t know, can’t see. C’mon.” Dan said waving his hand. They both got up and ran to where the voice was. Ray jumped and put his arms up covering his head from fear of a punch. “Hold on their man, we just came to visit.” Mockingly stating Dan, “Who you hanging out with?” Both Dan and Tyler scanning the area.

“Just Ken why?”

“Just wondering, I mean who wants to hang out with you anyways?” Tyler said with a push as Ray’s shoulder. Ray tensed up knowing he needed to defend himself.

“Easy buddy. We aren’t here to beat you up.” Dan said while Tyler laughed. “Where’s Ken? You aren’t planning to jump us?”

“I don’t know he must of just left when you guys came here.” Suspicious was all that ran through Dan’s head. Ray is weird but no way crazy. He’s just a dweeb.

“Hey, Ray do you want to play a game?” said Tyler. Ray confusedly agreed. “Ok it’s called flood. You have to try to escape it by avoiding the ground.”

“Mmm how do you do that?” Said Ray. Dan and Tyler started picking up sticks and throwing ones down until they both found ones cane like. “No your confused Ray, you escape the flood, which is us; while me and Tyler tries to drown you.” Dan resting his weight on the stick said “You’ve got the count to three.” Tyler raised his stick and clapped it in his left hand. The agony of waiting to start bothered him. At once Ray’s heartbeat rose and anxiety filled his whole body. Why couldn’t he have left earlier or why couldn’t Ken help?

Ray began running, “One”, faster than ever, “two”, closer to an open path, “three!” When Ray heard three his whole mind went blank the fear beating at his mind threw him into a zoned state of mind where the only thought was what lay ahead.

A horde of footsteps started to close in. How did they run so fast? Giving it his all he started to come short of breath. Clunk! One of the branches they picked up was thrown right at his back making him fall to the ground. Attempting to come up Tyler jumped on him and shoved his face in the dirt. “Gotcha bitch.” Dan came up soon and kicked Ray’s stomach hard.

“Everyone hates you bitch. Why do you think your mom left?”

“And by the way,” Tyler whispered, “Only reason your friends came out here were to lure you in.” Dan and Tyler laughing got up to walk away. Ray stayed laid down breathing hard until he used his hands to push himself up.

“Hey Dan! Fuck you!” They both turned around and ran at him. Ray stumbling managed to get to a side of a hill and slide down. At the bottom was a baseball bat sized branch Ray picked up. Dan and Tyler stood hesitant on top of the hill for what to do. Sticking his arm out Tyler yelled, “We’ll get you back, weasel fuck!”

Ray didn’t know what to do; aggravated he sat at the bottom of the hill for a while. Clearing the mud from his face he rubbed it on a rock. Luckily nothing else hurt. Betrayed and too tired to see where Ken went, he snuck away from the forest.

On the last block before his house stood a familiar face. “Ken? Where did you go?”

“Once I heard them coming, I high tailed it out of there.”

“Well I could of used your help, not like I’m Hercules.”

“I’m sorry if that helps, but I was wondering if you wanted to hang out.” “Aren’t going to lure me into a fight are ya?”

“No I promise, we are friends and I’m not two faced like these other people.”