𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐈𝐒𝐇// 𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐗𝐎𝐂

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢. ✭ 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐘

JULY, 1977; EDDIE

"Hey, Eds." Uncle Wayne grabbed me by the back of my shirt, pulling me back to the couch we sat on. "Make sure you take care of little Redhead Girl, okay? It's your responsibility, Kid. You protect her. Make sure she don't get hurt."

"I know." Pressing my lips together in annoyance, I responded. "You tell me that every day. I know."

My uncle loosened his grip, nodding. He was satisfied enough with my answer to let me leave. I exited the trailer, hands in my pockets as I hopped over to Chance's next door. Cordially, I did the six knock pattern, waiting for her to get to the door.

"Friend or foe?" Chance lilted, swinging open the heavy door separating us. Now there was just a thin screen between two friends.

"Both," I replied, beaming at her through the screen door. "Ready?"

"Mhm." She hummed, slipping out of her trailer. "Let's go. What you waitin' for?" Locking the door behind her, she grabbed my hand and led me to the dirt road. The key around her neck, swung back and forth around as she walked, just like a pendulum.

"You, Dip." Dip was short for Dipshit—part of the Chance and Eddie vocabulary that we formed together. I flicked the bill of the baseball cap she wore, teasing her. "What took you so long?"

"Had to get ready, duh." Jostling the cloth bag she had slung over her shoulder, she bumped into me playfully.

Together, the two of us began our journey, venturing out of Forest Hills. We made a day of it, walking along the train tracks in the woods until we found what we had been searching for.

"Water!" I cried, jabbing a finger toward a small natural pool in the woods. A slow-moving river streamed through it making it perfect to swim in. There was no chance of being swept away.

We ran toward the babbling brook, cutting through brambles and bushes to get to the shoreline. July was hot that summer. Hot and unforgiving.

It held us in the swell of its heat, sending sweat to drip off our backs. Our T-Shirts were fully soaked, humidity sinking into the depths of our flesh.

Background Music
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-In The Summertime by Mungo Jerry-
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The transistor radio Chance had packed for our day trip to the woods, rumbled out a catchy tune. She pulled it out of her bag, setting it on the forest floor and turning up the volume.

"Ready?" She asked through a ripe grin, a thin sheen of sweat covering her forehead. Chance's hand found mine as she kicked off her shoes and socks, cueing me to do the same. The water trickled by, so clear we could see the muddy bottom of the tempting river.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Quickly, I squeezed her palm out of giddiness. "One." I swung our arms back, excitement fizzling through my body. "Two." Chance giggled in anticipation, scrunching up her nose. "Three!"

Jumping in together, wild shrieks were ripped from our bodies. Ice cold water cut straight to our bones, burning away the heat.

We surfaced together, laughing in great big choking gasps. The temperature had stolen our breath away. Ripples surrounded the place we splashed into, circling around us.