IV. AIDS AND ARCADES

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          WINNIE WAS RIDING HER bike next to Eddie, who was having a complete melt down over Ben

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          WINNIE WAS RIDING HER bike next to Eddie, who was having a complete melt down over Ben. She couldn't help but find his distress humorous.

          "He's bleeding all over and there's an AIDS epidemic happening right now as we speak!" Eddie babbled, "I mean, my mom's friend in New York City got it just by touching a dirty pole on the subway and enough of the AIDS blood got into system through a hangnail. A HANGNAIL!"

Winnie peddled away from the screaming boy and caught up with Richie just as Eddie yelled, "HOW DO YOU AMPUTATE A WAIST?"

"Does he ever stop talking?" She laughed

"Never," Richie said, "but after awhile you'll be able to tune him out."

The group parked their bikes in the alley and dismounted them. Ben slumped down against the alley wall, looking absolutely exhausted.

"Richie and Winnie, you guys wait here." Bill instructed. He, Eddie and Stan departed for the store.

Richie watched them go before turning to Ben, "I'm glad I got to meet you before you died." He said simply

Winnie shoved Richie before sitting down across from Ben, her legs crossed. "You'll be fine, new kid." She promised. "These guys saved my ass the other day too.

"From Bowers?" He asked, tilting his head to the side

"Nah, I don't think he was quite as scary as Bowers." Winnie shrugged

"Not as scary as Bowers?" Richie yelled, "We saved you from a possible child kidnapper!"

Winnie waved Richie off as though the possibility of being abducted a mere 24 hours ago was nothing. "You're Ben, yeah?"

Ben seemed surprised that Winnie knew his name but he nodded none the less. "You're Summer, right?"

"Yikes! Wrong answer dude!" Richie said. Fearing his comment might have made Winnie sad, he covered her ears as if it would somehow prevent her from hearing what already been said.

"It's fine!" She said, pulling Richie's hands away, "I understand, it's the whole identical thing. I'm Winnie." She gestured to Richie and added, "And this is Richie, the local asshole."

          "At ya service, mate." Richie said in a poor Australian accent

          Winnie grimaced, "Not your best."

          "Are you kidding? My Australian accent is amazing, listen to this." Richie took a deep breath then yelled, "Crikey!"

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