A story set in Derry (Y/N x the losers club)

Chapter 13- Rock war!

The next day I woke up later than I'd expected to, so I had to get ready as fast as I could. I flung on some clothes and grabbed my satchel, the stairs thudded as I ran down them and I shut the door behind me. The losers club was waiting on the corner and I smiled at them as I ran towards them, each person had a bike except Richie who was doubling up with Bill. Stan gestured for me to sit on the back of his bike and I jumped on, the whole bike wobbled for a second before steadying itself. We rode through the streets faster than we had the other day but we soon came to a stop, "hey, isn't th...that the h...h...homeschooled ki...kids bike?" Bill asked pointing to a bike that had been abandoned on the side of the road; the wheel was still spinning slowly as we all dismounted our bikes. I turned round to look for the kid and saw Belch Huggins blue car parked across the street, "Guys, isn't that Belch Huggins car?" I asked and Eddie fumbled in his fanny pack for his aspirator. He took one puff of it and then exclaimed "Oh no!" I knew exactly what was coming. "We have to help him." Beverly said adamantly and she moved towards the hole in the bush, "Do we?" Richie winced and Beverly turned round determined "We do." She said before disappearing into the bush. Bill followed, then Richie and the rest of us. I heard screaming and the sound of fighting, harsh laughter erupted from a clearing near the water and I followed Stan towards the edge. Across the river I could see a boy being pressed to the floor, he had a grimace spread across his face and he pushed against the foot on his back as much as he could before collapsing and trying again. I knew him, his name was Mike Hanlon and he lived up on the farm next to Henry's fathers. I see him playing there sometimes but never go anywhere near out of fear of the Bowers. "Hey Henry!" I yelled across the water and all of my friends turned to look at me including Mike, there was silence as everyone waited for my next line of speech. "Leave him alone!" I yelled back and a deep chuckle fled from Henry's throat which led a chorus of chuckling from his associates. "Or what?" He asked and I smirked, my foot brushed a rock behind me and I picked it up. He only registered what I was doing when the rock was sailing through the air towards him, in the space of a few seconds the losers club were battling against Bowers gang. "Rock war!" Screamed Richie and I looked over just in time to see a rock strike him in the side of his head, he was knocked back a bit but soon recovered and began launching boulders across the water again. The home schooled boy stumbled through the water and climbed out of the other side, he dragged himself up the bank, digging his fingers into the slimy mud to try and climb the slope. I rushed forward and hooked one of my hands under his arm, he wasn't too heavy and as a result of that dragging him up the hill wasn't too hard. There was a shriek from Henry's side and then Belch disappeared into the shrubs, after a few more rocks Patrick fled the scene as well; Deserting their leader in a bid to escape. Now it was one against 8, Henry against the losers club. He put up a valiant effort to fight back but his lack in numbers caused him to take a few major blows, he fell to the floor. Blood ran down his cheek from a large cut on his forehead and he seemed to cower from the flying stones, I smiled to myself and the losers club began to disperse from the fight scene. There was something that I wanted to do though and I waited for most people to be gone before sticking my tongue out at Henry and laughing, Richie was the final person to leave and he yelled something profound before I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him away. I swatted a branch of the bush out of my face and emerged into the day light, Mike was sat on the edge of the pavement and he looked into the distance.

"Are you ok?" I asked and he nodded silently, Eddie and Stan exchanged nervous glances and then returned their attention to the new comer. "What happened?" Bev asked and the boy seemed to snap out of his daze, "Henry has a problem with me, I'm sorry now he's got a problem with you too..." he said looking at the floor. I chuckled like some of the others and then Bill stepped forward "H...he's got suh...suh...something w...wron...wrong with u...us too..." Bill said with a reassuring look that told Mike that it wasn't his fault, "felt kinda good to beat up the bullies." Richie said with a smile that showed he was proud of himself. "B...but if y...you beat u...up the bul...bull...bullies then sur...surely you-" Bill said and Richie rolled his eyes, he stood up and walked towards his bike "Yeah, yeah Bill I become the bully like I haven't heard that before." He interrupted and I felt a slight bit of tension in the air between them for a moment. As soon as the frosty atmosphere had lifted we all began our walk to the park, including Mike who had now been made the newest member of the Losers Club. Bill, Eddie, Stan, Beverly and Mike wheeled their bikes along the pavement as me and Richie walked beside without bikes. The sun was shining and we still had time to play before the curfew.