𝔼𝕟𝕖𝕞𝕪 𝔸𝕥𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟//ℂ.ℂ 𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔

6

Three weeks had passed.

Three long weeks of work. And worrying. Nobody had seen Chris since that night. The night Maggie told him, quite brutally, that she didn't care for him. And so he left.

Owen: He won't have gone far. I mean, he has school tomorrow now break is over. You should go find him there.

Maggie: Should I?

Jill: No! Does the word "expelled" mean nothing to y- actually, don't even bother answering.

Jill had been concerned more than ever about Maggie. She'd been quiet. And on edge. And more importantly, she'd joined the gang again.

When she spoke to Ace again, it was like nothing had happened. The two of them sang to the radio and drank beer together, catching each other up on the past month they'd spent apart.

Maggie had missed him. But she missed Chris too.

Barb: MAGGIE. GORDIE LACHANCE WANTS YOU.

Barb shouted Maggie from out front.

Maggie muttered "shit" under her breath and Owen turned to her

Owen: oooo who's Gordie Lachance and why does he want you hm?

Maggie: Oh shut up. It's Chris' friend you idiot.

Maggie walked out of the kitchen to see Gordie. He looked stressed, but Maggie couldn't blame him. She'd been stressed too.

Maggie: Gordie?

Gordie: Maggie, if you know where he is, just tell me he's fine. I knew he went to your house before he went missing.

Maggie had only just realised. Nobody else knew that he'd left because Maggie told him to leave. To everyone else, he was missing for no reason.
To his family, he was missing... and yet they hadn't filed a missing persons report.
They should've cared more about their youngest's absence.

Maggie stayed quiet, her eyes unblinking and thoughts roaming wild.

Gordie: Maggie? What? What is it? What did you say to him before he went mis-

Maggie: He's not missing, Gordie.

Gordie: huh? You know where he is?

Maggie: No! I don't know where he is, I swear. But he's gone because... I told him to leave.

Gordie's face turned sour and his eyes glared daggers into Maggie's.

Gordie: So you caused this?! You made him go away!

Customers started to turn to face the two arguing kids. Owen came out of the kitchen, making sure Maggie didn't need help. Barb stood by, overwhelmed by the boy's shouting.

Maggie didn't want everyone to hear what was happening, so she leaned over to him, slightly pissed that he'd shouted. She didn't let people shout at her.

Maggie: shut your ass up and follow me. Now.

She stormed out the door, a regretful Gordie following, now scared that he'd pissed off the one girl in Castle Rock you didn't want to piss off.

Maggie: I told him to leave because if I didn't, he wouldn't only be gone, he'd be dead.

Gordie: You're talking about Ace, aren't you?

His voice had grown calmer, his breathing still heavy. Maggie didn't answer him, but he knew.

Gordie: well he'd better be ok, or-

Maggie: or what, Gordie?

Maggie moved an inch from his face, practically sensing his fear. He walked away without another word said.