The Outsiders: Randy's Little Sister

Chapter 27: Selfish, but exactly human nature

Mild violence

There's a moment. A slight split second, where you feel a rush of luck that it isn't you in the fight. That there is someone, getting bruised and broken, instead of you. But then there's a moment were you wish it was you, because the person bleeding is loosing so much blood that you are positive they are going to die.

I caught Talia's eye as she watched the scene unfold, and then Soda's, who for the first time since sitting down, looked excited. Not the emotion I was feeling.

Tim took the first blow, one punch to his stomach failed to wipe the hard look on his face, but it did create an amused look on Curly's.

Then came the battering, wall shaking punches from Tim. First one was to the cheek, which sent the boy staggering backwards. He only looked a year older than me, maybe two if you pushed it but he was smaller, weaker and definitely less rough than Tim.

The consistent violent blows from Tim, pushed the boy to the ground, slamming his back on the tiles and if that didn't break anything, the cruel kick to his stomach definitely shattered something. You could hear the cracks from outside, the ones where you then know that the boyfriend had a hospital sentence.

Tim gave another life-threatening punch to the boy's already fractured face, causing him to yell out in pain and I winced, like I could feel what he was feeling.

At this point, you're supposed to have some common sense. The slight thought or even instinct that would stop you from breaking up the fight, stop you from getting yourself hurt, to keep yourself alive. Selfish, but exactly human nature.

I looked up at the girlfriend, who was sitting down at a booth, smiling, like she was enjoying her boyfriend getting beaten up, like she was loving the fact he was getting beaten to a pulp for her.

My eyes darted back to the ground where Tim had picked up the boy by the collar of his shirt and was dragging him across the room, to slam him into the opposite wall.

I came out from behind the till, losing my instinct, the idea of common sense and I followed the tiles, my head down, to the back wall. The white was red now and there was smearing from where the boy had been dragged.

Before I could get there, thinking I was able to do something, two strong arms wrapped around my waist. The same two from earlier and I squirmed and shifted to get out of Curly's grasp, but all I managed was to violently elbow him in the stomach, causing him to groan in pain, but his grip didn't falter.

"Stay out the way." His hot breath was in my ear and it sent an unwelcomed shiver down my spine.

"Get off me." Was all I managed to say before I needed to stop for breath again. His grip was too strong and he was pressing me so far up against his chest that it was stopping the air from going into my lungs.

"Let your big brother save the day," He said patronisingly, chin on my shoulder, resting there until, Soda got out of his seat and grabbed Tim, but got shaken off almost immediately, sending tumbling towards the floor.

Talia had got out of the way, standing by a different booth, far away from the fight, but she rushed forwards pulling Soda out the way when he hit the ground.

Darry now stood up, so he was a head taller than Tim, which led to him being stronger. He grabbed onto both of Tim's shoulders, pulling him violently off the boy and then held onto each of Tim's hands, stopping him from doing more damage. When Tim, didn't stop, Darry's grip just strengthened and he seemed to have to crush Tim's fists before he finally back down, walking back to the booth Curly and I were at, shaking his newly cut hands.