BENJI. (a guide to being normal)

Benji Does the Impossible

“I’m okay, I’m okay, just need to breathe.” Benji recovered and patted his chest. “So, what should we do now?”

“Go to the White Horse?”

“We could.”

Slapping his legs in confirmation, Benji jumped up from the chair and headed for the door. “Sounds good!”

“This one is on me!” Copper offered as he thundered after him. He tossed an arm around Benji’s skinny neck and the two of them playfully shoved and punched each other as they tripped out the doorway. “Gotcha!” Copper declared victoriously as he held Benji in a sturdy headlock.

Tapping his friend’s elbow frantically, Benji squeaked, “Stop, stop, let me go!” After he wriggled out of the human noose, he heard the faint shouts of a quarrel somewhere across the street. His brow creased and the tension in his neck showed in swelling veins.

“Benji, what’s wrong?”

“I think someone is in trouble.”

Copper immediately spun around and ran back into the house, tottering side to side so fast Benji couldn’t help but chuckle. He thought Copper was only joking, but when the door slammed behind him, Benji felt a surge of betrayal bubble inside of him. Dropping his mouth in astonishment, he stared at his friend who peeked out from behind the ivory-toned curtain. “Oh, come on, you big oaf! Don’t be a sodding prat, and come on out!”

Shaking his head defiantly, Copper mouthed, “No.”

“What a mate you are!” Benji threw a fist and stomped a foot. “Fine, I’ll go see by myself, but if I die, it’ll be your fault!”  He pointed a judgmental finger at Copper and lifted a corner of his lip, showing the edge of his teeth like the legendary western cowboy figure. He then crossed the street, making sure to look both ways, of course. When he had reached the other side, he cautiously headed toward the growing noise. It sounded like three men and a woman. Gulping, he could only imagine stumbling on a gang or a pack of drunken teenagers. Either situation, he knew he would be pummeled the moment he came into view. But remembering how it felt to be cornered and terrified, he knew it wouldn’t be fair to let a young woman to be left in such harm. Quickening his steps, he skidded into the alleyway. During the skidding process, his outer foot stuck and he toppled over like leaning tower of blocks. He crashed into a pile of card boxes and rubbish bins.

“What ya think ya doin’ ‘ere, mate?” snarled one of the predators.

Benji pushed himself out of the clutter and dusted himself off. Looking up, he stared at a young teenage boy who had multiple piercings. They were tastelessly arranged on his face, making Benji only wonder if he could hang his clothes up on the hooks and rings about his ears and lip. Remembering where he was, Benji shook his head and laughed uncomfortably. “Well, are you bothering the lady?” He looked beyond the first boy and, to his surprise, there was Kris being held down by the infamous Parker. With a strong hatred rattled in his throat, Benji whispered, “Parker.”

Looking up from the Kris, whose clothes and hair were dismantled, Parker snaked his body in the direction of Benji and smacked his chewing gum. “She was headed to your house, we were only wondering why.”

Benji tried to think of a comeback, something snarky and cheeky. He thought of a few, but every time he made to say it, high-pitched grunts came out instead.

“You trying to say something, pigmy?” Parker teased as he grabbed a stray chain from the ground that had probably belonged to the neighbour’s gate. He swung it like a ferris wheel, increasing the speed the closer he got to Benji. “Is she your girl?”

“Umm,” Benji struggled to find the words, but he fell into position and saw himself lower than Parker. He looked over at Kris, who stared desperately back at him as two other men held her back.