Growing up in Castle Rock (Stand by me/Ace Merrill)

The Trip

Chloe sat next to John on the school bus to the zoo, they were both so excited to see all the different wild animals. The trip wasn't long as Castle Rock was a small town but for the energised kids it felt like a life time of singing songs.

"Here Johnny I made you this. My mom showed me how to do it" Chloe says handing him a folded paper flower with blue petals she coloured in with a crayon.

"Wow that's so cool. How did you make it?" He questioned analysing it.

"I just kept folding the paper like my mom did. She said it's called origami, or something like that"

"Why are you giving it to me?" John questioned.

"To replace the flower I gave you. I'm guessing it died by now. That one won't" John smiled at her kind gesture and held the flower close to his heart. He vowed to always keep it safe. Finally they arrived and split into groups but Chloe was separated from John. They would meet up at lunchtime but they wouldn't get to be together much to their demise.

"Why are you always hanging around with that John boy? Don't you know he's bad news?" Lisa asked Chloe as they walked around the animals.

"No he's not!" Chloe said defensively. "He has a heart of gold. He was even going to hang out with us after school"

"Pfft I don't want to. He's trouble. He's a Merrill. They're all bad" Lisa said the words that triggered Chloes anger.

"No he's not. He's not and I'll prove it" Chloe crossed her arms and glared. First her mom and now her friend, seemed like Chloe was the only one that really new John. She didn't know how she was going to prove it but she was determined to.

In the other group John wasn't doing so hot either. He had no friends other than Chloe so he was all alone in the group. An outsider. He was staring at one of the animals when he was greeted by Richard Chambers.

"What are you doing?" Richard asked curiously.

"Nothing" John replies walking away.

"My name's Richard Chambers. Your John aren't you?"

"So what if I am?" John raises an eyebrow as they walk side by side.

"Our brothers hang out so it only makes sense we do" Richard says in an attempt to make a friend out off this odd boy.

"That doesn't make sense. And anyways I don't like my brother"

"I don't like mine either. See we have something in common already" Richard says proudly but John laughs.

"You're a dork. I like that but I already have a friend I don't need another"

"Yeah I've seen you hang with that girl. Why?"

"She's really cool and fun to play with" John said trying not to smile.

"But she's a girl?" Richard said in disgust.

"Yeah but you act like one" John laughed.

"If you only hang around with girls you're going to be a pussy. You need to hang around with boys so you can be tough"

"I'm not a pussy" John glared.

" No, but you will be"

"That's not true" John growled.

"Then prove it, dump your girlfriend" Richard sang the word girlfriend which infuriated John.

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND" John shouted.

"Then you'll have no problem dumping her and having a boy as your bestfriend" Richard smirked. "Look around you John everyone thinks you're a toal loser and a fag that plays dollies"

"None of that is true and I'll prove it!" John knew what he had to do to prove himself.

He didn't really know what the word fag was but he knew it was swear and people didn't like being called it. He also knew he couldn't just hang around with girls, it's a small town and he knew it would turn out bad when he was older, he was already being bullied for it.

Lunch time came and Chloe was excited to see her best friend, she ran up to John and hugged him but he pushed her away. Chloe gave a confused look.

"What's wrong Johnny?" She asked.

"My name's not Johnny and I don't want to be friends anymore. I need to play with boys"

"Who said that? And can't you play with both?"

"No one it's not important and I can't I need to only play with boys" the words sunk into Chloe, she didn't really understand it but she knew that was the end of their friendship. She knew she just lost her best friend. Holding back the tears and not saying a word Chloe slowly backed away. She found Lisa who witnessed it happen.

"Heart of gold has he?" Lisa mocked. But she was right about the Merrill boy and so was Chloes mother, he was mean like his family.

"That was totally awesome" Richard said walking up to John. It wasn't awesome, not for him. He lost the only person that didn't think less of him and he doesn't fully understand why. He just knew it was something he needed to do.

"Whatever dork" John shrugged him off.

"Now we gotta do something boys would do" Richard had a sickly smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"I'll show you" Richard led John to an animal enclosure with pigs inside. "Let them out" Richard told him. "Prove you're no pussy. I dare you" John laughed off his need to dare him. He opened the gate, then the gate to the sheep enclosure. Animals flooded out.

As they were kids they got let off on "trying to free the animals because they were sad" but little did they know it would be the first bold thing they do out of many to come.