FicWad

I turned onto the road that took you to my old suburban home. I knew they would be in the same place because Dad couldn't afford to move, EVER.

"Here's the turn!" I thought happily. Little did I know I shouldn't be coming in with total happiness the way I looked.

Out of some houses came a few teenaged kids looking to see what the noise was. I knew right then I shouldn't have brought my bike into this. Most greasers can't afford motorcycles, and to tell the truth neither could I, it was a gift from my karate teacher, he was very generous.

More kids came out of some houses. Then more. And more. And finally, I was damn near surrounded. I couldn't inch my bike forward.

Remembering the fights I used to watch between neighbourhood boys when I was younger, I turned off the bike, dismounted and backed away from it... slowly or course.

"Hey there!" said a sarcastically friendly voice, "You lost boy?"

I knew right then two things: these guys thought I was a boy, and not just any boy, a Soc boy. They were going to gang beat me for trespassing on their turf, only I wasn't, it was my turf too.

"Hey guys!" said the same voice, I felt like I knew the voice but I couldn't place it. "Let's teach this Soc a map of the city!"

I knew right then what that meant. They were undoubtedly gonna beat me up, and probably real bad too; they might try to kill me! Oh crap!

I racked my brain for something useful that might save me a beating, and time so I could find Johnny. Then I realized something: Johnny was like the neighbourhood pet, EVERYONE'S kid brother, he always had been! I just had to tell them...

"Look, guys I'm looking for Johnny Cade..." I was rudely cut off by a harsh unforgiving voice that sent chills down my spine.

"What for? So you can finish what you started? To maybe kill him this time? Huh? Cause guess what? It ain't goin' down that way!"

The guys all advanced. I scanned the crowd, no faces I could recognize from behind the shade of my helmet, but there were about fifteen to twenty of them, and man did they look tough... I suddenly realised something. The whole neighbourhood used to like me too, and they just can't see my face behind my helmet! I just need to take it off!

"Hey! This all a big misunderstan-" I never got to finish my sentence. A fist came into my gut hard. I fell to the ground, and then it started.

Fists, feet, elbows, knees, I was getting pelted with everything.

Suddenly someone got me in the shoulder (the one He hit) with his knee. I instantly collapsed again. It was my Achilles' Heel so to speak. It gets hit, I'm gone.

I felt myself getting lifted up by armpits, by someone really strong. Then someone else grabbed one arm and the strong guy took the other. They were suspending me between them, for a final blow, the one that sometimes kills.

"Let's unmask the great warrior eh? Then we can see his face when we do him in!" It was the chilly voice again. I felt the chills down my spine and in my shoulder.

I glanced to the right of the guy (my right) and saw someone hiding behind a tree, no two people.

I turned back to face the guy who was about to pelt me praying he remembered who I was even though I couldn't see him well enough to know if I knew him so if not I could beg him to listen to my story and to have mercy on me.

He reaches forward with a hollow laugh and a blood-curdling grin. He was close enough that I could see that much. He ripped my helmet off and tossed it to the ground.

Suddenly everything was clear. I could see the good ol' lot behind the guy.

Then a thought struck me.

"Crap, with my short hair, I look like a guy, and I don't know this guy, so he doesn't know not to hit me."

All the other guys stood back so no one but this guy could see my face.

I was doomed.

Then as I watched this guy wind up to hit me with all his might, me to weak to move, I remembered the kids behind the tree.

I shot one pleading look and my eyes got caught by the front kid.

He made a break for me followed closely by the other kid, who I seemed to remember vaguely.

BAM!

I was so preoccupied by these two kids that I forgot about the creepy guy.
I fell to the ground my face bleeding around the temple area. The guy was wearing a ring.

"NOOOOOO!" cried the kid running to me. He skidded to a halt and dropped to his knees beside me.

He picked me up, just my torso really, and held me tight cradling my head in his elbow.

"No, no, please no... say something!" he whispered desperately.

I looked up at him and said, "Hey, Johnny, I'm home."

The creepy guy must have gotten the point that he had done something very wrong.
"Johnny... what is this? Who is this guy?" He asked not as harshly as he had spoken to me.

"This is my sister, Terri," Johnny was crying again, just like before I left.

"Johnny... Johnny I'm sorry..." this guy knew he'd done it now, everyone always knew that Johnny never cries unless it's something really bad. He's the strong silent type.

"Johnny, should I go get Darry?" the second kid asked.

"Ya, ya get Darry..." Johnny said absently, stroking my hair.

I felt like I was home again, I knew everything would be okay again; I just didn't know what would have to happen first.

Still too weak to even lift my arm to put in on Johnny's I passed out in his arms.