𝘏𝘦𝘺, 𝘋𝘰𝘭𝘭

Chapter Nine

Chris POV

We talked into the night, with our Winston's a-smoking. The kind of talk that seemed important to the boys who hadn't discovered girls yet, like what creature goofy was (which we never figured out), what food we would have for the rest of our lives (Cherry-Flavoured Pez according to Vern), Rigged game show questions, the slow pace of Wagon-Train, and much more. Eventually, we had all fallen half asleep, when we heard wailing and howling. It couldn't have been a long time, for the fire was still burning bright. The noise startled Adelaide from her drowsy state as she winced into me yelling,

"Oh my God!"

Teddy quipped,

"It's that Brower-kid. His ghost's out walking in the woods."

Vern, startled by Teddy's remark and more intense howling started panicking saying,

"I promise I'll hawk no more dirty books. I promise I won't say no more bad swears. I promise I'll eat all my lima beans,"

As he was rattling off his list, Teddy snuck up behind him, tapped him, which cause Vern to scream,

"Ah!"

Flinching away. At that, Teddy slugged him twice saying,

"Two for flinching."

Ignoring their antics, Dolly looked up and asked me,

"What is it, Chris?"

Me, with my gun still in the air and in an attempt to comfort her replied,

"Maybe it's coyotes."

Gordie, shrugging his shoulders and not noticing my attempt to comfort Dolly, said,

"It sounds like a woman screaming."

That freaked Dolly the hell out, and she grabbed my free hand and held it close to her. Teddy said,

"It's not coyotes. It's his ghost."

Now that comment freaked Vern the hell out, and he, scared, said,

"Don't say that."

As Vern said that, Teddy stood up. Dolly snapped out of her fear and put on her strong facade and said,

"Teddy, sit your a*s down!"

He disregarded her request, and replied,

"I'm gonna look for it. I wanna see the ghost!"

That remark scared the crap out of Vern, and his voice quivering said,

"Don't say that."

Teddy was walking away and replied,

"I just wanna see it! I wanna see what it looks like-"

He was cut off by more screaming, and he fell down in fear, Adelaide's strong face disappeared as she returned to her position of melded against me. I held the gun tighter in my hand and held Dolly, if possible, closer. Vern, in fear, quivered out,

"Maybe we should stand guard."

Gordie nodded and agreed saying,

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

Teddy reached over and demanded,

"Gimme the gun. I'll take the first watch."

We all began to fall asleep, but then we heard Teddy say,

"Twenty-three hundred hours. Corporal Teddy Duchamp stands guard. No sign of the enemy. The fort is secure."

Dolly had already fallen asleep, pressed against my chest, since she feared the howling. I hushed Teddy whisper-shouting,