Pretty Doll

2

Knock  knock  knock  pause  knock  

The door unlocked to the treehouse. I was greeted by 2 familiar faces. Teddy and Chris. 

"Hey pretty doll." Chris says whilst puffing smoke out from his cigarette

"Well look who's here the little firecracker." Teddy says dealing a set of cards

"Deal me in would you." Chris then hands me his cigar he goes to get another from his shirt. I smile at him and mumble a thanks. He smiles back

"I knock" I knock on the table

"29"

"22"

"Crap dam you Dawn" Teddy says mumbling into his cigarette. Chris laughs lightly.

Knock  knock  knock  pause  knock

Gordie comes up from the ladder

"Hey Gordie" Gordie smiles at me and goes to sit on the small couch. I put down my cards and lay my head in Chris's lap. He locks eyes with me and smiles.

"You done." he says 

"I am retiring a champion." Gordie and Chris smile at me. Chris then starts to deal another round of cards. 

"Hey how do you know a Frenchman's been in your backyard". Chris asks

"Hey I'm French, ok." Teddy says getting defensive 

"Your garbage cans are empty and your dog's pregnant". Chris continues. Him, Gordie and I start to laugh although Teddy doesn't look amused.

"Didn't  I just say I was French." 

"I knock." Chris knocks on the table - poker face.

"Shit"

"20"

"21"

"Piss up a rope." Gordie yells. I smirk at his annoyance whilst the others laugh. I lean on to Chris's shoulder. He smirks looking at me.

"I knock." I look up at Teddy in disbelief. 

"You four eyed pile of shit." Chris says  

"A pile of shit has a thousand eyes" This made Gordie, Chris and I look at each other and laugh. It  was another funny/crazy comment from the one and only Teddy Duchamp.

"What, what's so funny I got thirty what have you got". This made us laugh more. Poor Teddy. We played a few more rounds of cards. 

"16." Chris says handing me another Winston.

Knock pause knock knock 

"That's not the secret knock." Gordie says whilst flicking another page of his magazine.

"I forgot the secret knock."

"Vern." we all say simultaneously. Vern climbs up the into the tree house red in the face. 

"Oh man you guys are not going to believe this, oh man wait to you hear this, your never going to believe it it's unbelievable.....Let me catch my breath I ran all the way home."

"I ran all the way home just to I sorry sorry." We all start to sing. Chris then holds us back.

"What is it man." 

"Ok you guys won't believe it sincerely."

"I ran all the way home." We start up again. 

Chris then asks him sincerely. "What is it."

"Could you guys camp out tonight I mean if you guys say you're going to tent out in my dad's back field."

"yeah I suppose except my dad kinda on a mean streak, you know he's been drinking a lot lately."

"Yeah me too." I say. Chris then looks up and subtley grabs me hand as a comforting support. 

"So what are you pissing and moaning about Verno." The guys start to play another round of cards. Vern then looks around grimly around the tree house. I was about to ask him what he was talking about. But the next words out of his mouth completely stoped my train of thought.

"Do you guys wan't to go see a dead body."