Later that night...
Riley sighed as she pulled on her plaid shirt, she made her way to the treehouse alone as her mother had forced Scotty to stay back and wash the dishes as it was technically his turn to do so. She made her way to the Timmons treehouse before climbing up and knocking lightly, her backpack strapped on with a blanket tied to it. Bertram helped her into the treehouse, "Where's Smalls?" Riley sighed before sitting down near Yeah-Yeah. "He'll be here soon. He had to do something for our mom," Riley informed them not wanting to tell them he had to stay and do the dishes to prevent them from teasing him.
They all nodded along before Ham called her over to him. "What's up?" Riley asks once she sat down next to him. "Want S'more?" Ham asks as he held up a marshmallow. Riley smiled, "Hell yeah!" Ham smiled at her before making her one, handing it over to her. He watched as she took a bite, closing her eyes and letting out a quiet "mmm" sound that made Ham grin. "Pretty damn good, huh?" Ham asks her, getting a nod in response. "Hey, guys. Sorry, I'm late," Scotty spoke as he stepped into the Timmons treehouse. "My mom made me put on my jacket, and then she made me do the dishes," Scotty added making Riley facepalm as the boys mocked him.
Riley moved to sit next to Benny, who was currently messing with his baseball bat. "Hey, you want a s'more?" Ham asks Scotty who sat down across from him. The boy furrowed his brows at Ham's question, "Some more what?" Riley shook her head before leaning back against the wall. "No, no. you want a s'more?" Ham asked again as Bertram told the boys around him to be quiet. "I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have some more of nothing?" Scotty tells Ham with a confused expression, Riley coughed slightly as Ham looked over to her.
Ham turned back to Scotty, "You're killin' me, Smalls." Riley shook her head with a smile as she watched Ham show Scotty how to make a S'more. "So..." Benny's voice caught Riley's attention, she turned her head to see him looking at her already. "Yeah?" Riley asks with a raised brow. "How are you liking the team so far?" Benny asked as he shyly scratched the back of his neck. Riley smiled up at him before looking around the treehouse as the boys messed about, she smiled more as she felt complete and safe with these crazy boys.
"I love them... I mean, you all are amazing," Riley tells him as she turned to look at him. "I was worried that Scotty and I would struggle to make friends, but you saved us from that," Riley adds. A light blush appeared on Benny's cheeks as he waved it off, "It was nothing. There was just... Something about the two of you that stood out." Riley blushed lightly as Benny licked his bottom lip, a habit she'd noticed he had. "Either way, I really appreciate it. You're a great friend Benny Rodriguez and an even better player," Riley complimented before turning her gaze to her brother as he made his own S'more, getting applause from Ham in response.
Benny's gaze was still on Riley, his cheeks tinted pink while his chest felt warm, butterflies fluttered within his stomach as his eyes flickered over her face before focusing on her plump lips. "Okay, Quiet!" Squints voice brought Benny from his thoughts, he turned his head to look at the smaller boy as he wiped his glasses. Riley leaned forward as she pulled her knees to her chest, resting her head on them to hear this story about "The Beast" and why she couldn't just jump the fence and get the ball back. The other boys continued chattering prompting Squints to shush them again, "Are you trying to wake it up? It just went to bed."
Scotty perked up from his spot next to Riley behind the other boys, "What just went to bed?" The boys shushed him making Riley roll her eyes. "The Beast," The boys told him in unison. "Oh, yeah!" Scotty responded loudly, Riley reached over and slapped the back of Scotty's head lightly. She wanted to hear this story already. "Now quiet," Squints says as he adjusted the lamp to point up at his face, in a way to make him seem more scary and dramatic. Riley pulled her blanket up over her as Scotty leaned forward, Riley shook her head at her brother as Squints began his story.
"The legend of The Beast goes back a long time... before any of us could even pick up a baseball. Back to a place called Mertle's Acres. It all started, hmm, twenty years ago, when thieves kept stealing junk from Mertle's Acres junkyard," Squints began. "So, Mr Mertle, the guy that used to own the place, got him this new pup from the dog pound. He fed him whole sides of beef... and turned the pup loose in the junkyard. And the pup was grateful," Squints dramatically tells the group, each one of the boys was grossly involved in this while Riley sighed in boredom.
Riley yawned silently catching Benny's attention, the boy was invested in the story too but she was able to pull him from it. "And so, in a few weeks, the pup grew into The Beast," Squints continued with Riley and Benny's attention back on him. "And he grew big, and he grew mean... so that he could protect the junkyard with only one thing on his mind: to kill everyone that broke in. And he did, and he liked it a lot!" Squints whisper-shouted startling the others. Riley leaned into Benny's side as her heart raced from the slight startle, Benny's arm slowly went around Riley to comfort her causing both teenagers to blush.
Riley rested her head on Benny's shoulder, her focus on Squints in hopes to push the warmth she felt from his touch away. "The Beast was the most perfect junkyard dog that ever lived. A true killing machine. But after a while, the cops started getting phone calls from people... reporting all the missing thieves, the ones The Beast had killed. It added up to about 120-173 guys," Squints continued, Riley giggled slightly but covered it with a cough as the others stared at her. "It's true!" Squints said, mostly aimed at Riley, "They never found a single body. Not one. Some people say they all got away. But we all know what really happened."
Riley cleared her throat, "Really?" Squints nodded at her, "The Beast ate them. He ate them bone and all. The Beast was too good at his guard dog job, so the police said he had to be retired. My grandpa, Squidman Palledorous, was the police chief back then." Riley nodded mockingly as she sighed. "He ordered Mr Mertle to turn his backyard into a fortress... and chained up The Beast and put him under the house... where he could never get out to eat children and stuff. That's where he's been for twenty years!" Squints tells them.
Riley tilted her head slightly to look up at Benny, the boy's gaze focused on Squints as he continued, "And that's where he'll be for the rest of his life. Because when Mr Mertle asked the cops how long he had to keep The Beast chained up like a slave, they said until forever..." Squints echoed the "Forever" a few more times. "And so, The Beast sits there under that lean-to, dreaming of the time when he can break the chain and get out, dreaming of the time he can chase and kill again," Squints finished off.
Riley chuckled as she sat up straight, "You cannot be serious!?" The boys all looked at her as Scotty nodded in agreement with his older sister. "Yeah, you guys are just making this up to scare us," Scotty added as Riley shook her head at the boys. "Oh, yeah?" Squints asked. "Stick your head out that window and look down," Bertram tells them. Riley rolled her eyes but stood up and made her way to the window, she looked down and watched as dust lifted off of the ground followed by a growl. Riley stepped back and looked to the boys, "So it's a big dog protecting its yard. Just knock on the door."
Scotty made his way to the window, growling was heard before Scotty jumped back with a scream. "He's down there!" Scotty spoke, his gaze landing on his sister who sighed. "You bet he is," Squints tells him. "Whatever goes over that fence... stays there," Ham added. "It becomes property of The Beast... forever," Squints finished off. Everyone stayed silent for a few minutes processing the story before they set up their sleeping bags. Riley laid down in her sleeping bag, her brother on one side while Benny was on the other side. She closed her eyes and let her mind go blank, sleep took over instantly.
── ⚾️ ──
-Rose <3
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