March Rumble

[Tensleep]

Ok, let's pretend it's March. This leap year business is annoying.
Thanks to Sharpshooter for the suggestion on this one. I hope everyone can get into the challenge.

Rumble, March 08:

The Others

Has anyone noticed ff.net and other repositories don't have a place for fiction of the other Hinton books? It's like she died after The Outsiders or something, which is sad since there were other great books to follow. So here's your chance to build up the numbers.

Write a piece centering on the characters from the other books. Alternate ending? Long lost family member? Crossovers? They're all welcome. Max 9 pages. Any POV goes.

Ends April 1^st

Please copy, paste and post your entries under this thread so we can all enjoy them! I know there are some awesome imaginations on this forum. So get writing!

Tens

[sharpshooter]

Oh, I love you! I hope we get a lot of participation with this, I know I've already got a plot cooking up... x3

[Keira]

Haha, she's totally catering to us. I love it!

[hannie]

Mason:

I let the phone ring damn near twenty times before I slammed it back onto the receiver. It had been close to two weeks since I'd heard a word from Tex.

When I'd first left for Indiana State we had talked every day on the phone. Even when that got too expensive we'd still managed to touch base every couple of days at least. The last time I'd talked to Tex he hadn't sounded much like his carefree self and it had me a little worried. Johnny's parents had gotten fed up with him goofing around with Tex the last time they'd gotten suspended and had shipped him off to his grandparents place up in Iowa for the rest of the semester. Besides, Pop had taken off for the rodeos again even though he'd sworn up and down to me before I'd left that he wasn't just going to abandon Tex again. Granted I was taking care of myself and Tex at his age, Texas was a real young sixteen and all by himself now too.

Even from school, I'd been keeping tabs on him as best as I could. Bob was away at school too but, when he went home on the weekends, he'd always check in on him for me. Bob had been spending his weekends at school lately to keep up with the impending mid-terms though. I'd briefly thought about asking Cole to stop by, but figured him to be more trouble than it was worth.

“Dammit Texas,” I cursed under my breath.

Part of me was sure he was fine. That he just wasn't thinking—as usual. But another sickening part of me kept screaming that something just wasn't right. I'd called his principal to find out how he was doing a few days before. He'd sounded like he was about ready to strangle Tex as he recounted his juvenile antics and frequent tardies and absences. They'd even had the truant officer make a trip out to the house a few times. I was about ready to start hitching a ride back out to Bixby myself just to knock his head against a wall.

I picked up the phone again and punched in the familiar number to my house, holding my breath while it rang and rang. Cursing, I slammed the phone down again causing a few kids in the hall to look into my room curiously. I kicked my door shut and flopped onto my bed.

I'd even tried calling Jamie the night before to see if she knew anything, but she'd said that Tex had stopped talking to her a long time ago. She also said he'd been hanging around with Roger Genet and his gang of lowlifes. Jamie didn't say it—which was a rare thing for her--but I could tell that she didn't like the idea of the two of them together. I didn't much blame her though. That Genet kid was trouble.

God, I'd worked so hard to make sure the two of us could stay in school when I'd been home. I'd done it for years and Tex had managed to mess it up in a matter of months. I wished wildly that he'd just grow up. He never saw the big picture. The only thing Tex ever cared about was the here and now; it was like he had no concept of the consequences of things. I'd always been envious of that though—how he was so happily oblivious to all the troubles surrounding him.

Suddenly the phone rang and I jumped to get it so fast that I knocked it off my desk and it clattered to the floor.

“Hello?” I said, scrambling to pick it up.

“Mason?” I heard Tex's voice and breathed a small sigh of relief. “You the one that's been calling and calling?”

He sounded pretty out of it. I wasn't sure if he'd been drinking or smoking, but he definitely wasn't sober.

“Tex, where in the almighty universe have you been?” I demanded pacing the floor of my dorm room.

He was silent for a minute. “Well jeez Mace,” He drawled. “I guess I've been right here. Or pretty close to right here anyways. Where d'you think I'd really get off to?”

I clenched my teeth, suddenly remembering exactly how I'd felt that day in the kitchen when I'd hit him.

“Are you drunk or high?”

“If I had to guess--” He started, then paused to take an audible gulp of something. “I'd say both.”

“Do you know how long it's been since we last talked?” I asked as calmly as I could manage.

I heard him laugh lazily and picked up a few voices in the background, but he didn't answer me.

“Texas!” I roared into the receiver.

“Yeah?” He stammered, his attention back on me. “Well, I dunno. I'd reckon a couple of days at least?”

“Try two weeks kiddo,” I growled. “Two weeks without so much as a word from you. What if something had happened to you?”

He was silent again. Then I heard him let out a long breath. “But nothing did happen,” He told me with a devil-may-care type of attitude. “Calm down or you'll give yourself another ulcer.”

I almost had to bite my tongue to keep from tearing into him. Again I heard voices in the background, though louder this time.

“Is someone there with you?” I asked furiously.

“Just a few friends Mace,” He said defensively. “No need to get on my case about it.”

By now I was seething. “I am going to get on your case if you don't smarten up,” I threatened. “And what's this I hear about you and Roger Genet suddenly being all chummy?”

“Who the hell told you that?” He cried, starting to get angry. “Do you have spies running around the town or something? And since when is it any of your damn business who I hang around with?”

“I'm your brother Tex,” I reminded him. “Everything you do is my business. Just because I'm not there to force you to do what you're supposed to doesn't mean you don't have to do it anymore.”

“Look Mason, you're the one who took off on me. You, then Johnny and now Pop,” He said in a low, cool tone that I'd never heard him use before. “I know you're used to it, but you can't have everything your way, you know. You're one of the ones who's going; you always have been. But I'm staying...”

His voice trailed off for a minute.

“I'm staying and I'll do whatever I goddamn want while I'm stuck here,” He suddenly finished the conversation with a click. I listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before I actually hung up the phone.

“You're staying alright, kid,” I said shaking my head. “I just wish I knew how to make you understand that you're the only one keeping yourself from going.”

[Tensleep]

Hannie, you are so not allowed to make me feel sorry for Mase this early in the morning! I mean, wow, talk about emotion. You can feel his frustration, no matter how long distance it must be and how he's having a bit of a Darry complex when it comes to Tex's poor choices. Man, I couldn't imagine trying to raise a sixteen year old from College. I loved the last line - I'm a total sucker for it, actually.

Great job!

[hannie]

tensleep said:

Hannie, you are so not allowed to make me feel sorry for Mase this early in the morning! I mean, wow, talk about emotion. You can feel his frustration, no matter how long distance it must be and how he's having a bit of a Darry complex when it comes to Tex's poor choices. Man, I couldn't imagine trying to raise a sixteen year old from College. I loved the last line - I'm a total sucker for it, actually.

Great job!

Haha, sorry! Next time I'll try to wait until a little later in the day before I make you feel bad for anyone.

[Nittanylizard]

hannie - Loved it! Great job nailing Mason's character. The opening paragraphs really caught my attention and drew me in. I liked how you diverged from the end-of-book expectations about what Tex's life would be like after Mason left. And the last line was just great. Are you posting this over on ffnet?

Liz

[hannie]

Thanks Liz! I guess I was just never a big believer in the "happy ending." In reality people make promises to change, but rarely ever do. And yes, I've already thrown it up on ff.net.

[sharpshooter]

Aw, man, that's awesome! I love how Tex seems so.. Mark-ish, in the way he feels betrayed by Mason so now he's just like "Screw you." And Mason- He was so in character! He did have a kind of Darry-ness to him, but that's not bad. x3

This has really lightened my mood, in a dark, depressing kind of way. xD;;

[sharp shooter]

Oh, and Hannie, don't forget to post this on the WSOTT fan fiction site!

[hannie]

sharp- I think Mason came across maybe a little too Dary-like. Ah well, just an opportunity for a rewrite. Always find the silver lining people... And I will definitely post this on the site. Glad I could make you depressed in a good way?

...that was awkward.

[Keira]

I really enjoyed reading that, Hannie! My little brother is very into Tex right now, but it made him sad that Mason left for college, so this may be a tad too sad for him to read -- he'd probably get angry at me again for telling him to read something he would get upset over, lol.

Though Mason may have acted over protectively, I don't think that's a bad thing or too Darry-like at all. Mason is a good guy who really cares about Tex, to the point where it literally made him have an ulcer (though, I do understand that wasn't the only contributor) and I really liked your take on him. It was very well done, I think

[Laughing]

*Comes up for air* Hey guys! It's been a while. I became rather immersed in Rob Thurman's books, and of course the fandom that comes with it. Heh.

Hannie, I loved your story. You did a great job. I'd forgotten how much I loved Tex ans Mace.

[hannie]

Thank you Kiera and Laughing

[sharpshooter]

Ol' Normal Tulsa

Today was just another bright, sunshine filled day in Tulsa. Not a cloud in the pastel blue sky, aside from the ones puffing their way away from the factories of the North side. There was just the slightest breeze rustling the leaves on the trees planted neatly along the sidewalk to add some color to the downtown area, and everyone was bustling about their day.

Travis leaned out the car window. Watching the women carrying their shopping bags, and the teeny boppers trying to act cool, he wondered if they were going to visit their dead father too on this perfectly normal day.

“You want to stop and get some flowers?”

His uncle’s voice was soft, and sounded unfocused. Travis lifted his shoulders slightly in response.

Ken gave his nephew a cautious glance. He wasn’t enjoying this anymore than Travis was, so he could understand his mood. They didn’t need flowers anyway, Tim thought the idea of giving people, dead or alive, flowers was stupid when he was around, he was bound to still think the same. Just seeing his son would be enough.

“You’re coming with me, right?” Travis turned from the window. He didn’t want to do this alone, even if he didn’t know the guy, Travis would probably start bawling if he was left alone at his dad’s grave site.

Ken sighed uneasily,” If you really want me to … “

“I do.” There were no second thoughts about that decision.

The rest of the trip was silent. When they got to the cemetery and parked, Ken and Travis sat inside the car. Neither one wanted to be the first to reach for the door handle that would lead them outside. Instead, Travis pretended he had to tie his shoe.

He looked up from his distraction, wishing he could tell Ken to just forget the whole thing. “So, uh … Do you always come here on his birthday?”

“No.” Ken stopped talking, making a noise like he was clearing his throat. They sat in awkward silence, until Ken finally spoke again,” Well, let’s go then.”

They simultaneously opened the car doors, stepping out on to the gravel road that had smaller dirt paths leading off of it to rows of graves. Ken led the way, going up a few rows before starting down one of the dirt paths. Travis looked at the markers, reading the different dates of death and the names of the deceased. A couple of the graves had pictures or flowers on them, but most sat bare, probably forgotten. Most of the people in the row seemed to have died a while ago, so maybe the rest of their families had died off too? Or they just came from really shitty families, who couldn’t even drop by to leave a flower every now and then.

Travis nearly walked into Ken, who had abruptly stopped. Travis was afraid to read the head marker they now stood in front of, knowing exactly who lay beneath his feet.

“Timothy A. Harris,
1946 – 1969
Army Veteran of the Vietnam War”

Travis sucked in a breath. So this was it, this was his father’s grave. It was bare, looking forgotten just like those other graves. What if his father felt forgotten? The thought might not have bothered Travis so much, if he hadn’t been standing there in front of the forgotten grave. Tears stung at the back of his eyes. As much as he tried to stop them, the tears started flowing. Travis stared at the ground in embarrassment while he cried, only to hear his uncle begin to sob too. Ken and Travis tried to do the same, wipe away their tears unnoticed, but their attempts weren’t helping.

The two exchanged looks, and knew what the other was thinking. They both thought they were guilty of abandoning Tim. Ken reached out and pulled Travis into a tight squeeze. It was a rare moment the two shared that showed the love they had for one another, but it was short lived, their male instincts kicking in right away and Ken and Travis broke apart.

Travis brushed away what was left of his tears, Ken doing the same. They both stood, eyes red and noses running, staring at Tim’s grave.

“Well, Tim’s probably laughing his ass off right now.”

His uncle’s voice was so solemn, that Travis had to crack a smile. He wandered a couple feet away, to allow Ken some time to think alone. Travis took up reading the head stones again, and stopped at one of them.

“Sodapop Patrick Curtis,
1947 – 1968
Served In the Vietnam War”

There was a horse etched into the stone, and it looked pretty nice. The guy’s name really stuck out to Travis though, what parents would name their kid that?

“Travis, I’m going back to the car.” Ken announced, already on his way back down the dirt path.

“Okay.” Travis watched his uncle’s retreating back, waiting until he was out of hearing distance before walking back to his father’s grave.

“Hey Dad,” Travis began, feeling half way stupid talking to Tim’s grave,” You don’t really know me, but I’m your kid. Travis Harris, the spitting image of you.” He glanced down at his feet, silent while he thought over everything he wanted to say to his dad, like he was really present. “Look, I know you and Ken fought a lot, but he’s really a great guy. Hope you don’t have any hard feelings against me or him. Y’know, if it weren’t for Ken, I’d probably be back in juvie, or worse, jail … “Travis squinted against the sun and stuck his hands in his jeans pockets.

“Sorry about not showing up before, I’ll make sure to come and visit ya’ more often.” With that, Travis turned away, turning to gaze at the grave only one last time.

When he got into the car, Ken was leaning against the window, tapping a rhythm on the steering wheel.

“You ready to go?”

Travis nodded. “Yeah. Hey, you want to stop for some ice cream or somethin’?”

“Sure.” Ken gunned the engine. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and this time when he was leaving his brother, he wasn’t running away.

While Tulsa past by, Travis noticed the extra brightness of the day; the way everyone outside seemed to be smiling and having a good time, the way the store fronts sparkled, the way everything seemed to sparkle. Maybe this wasn’t just an ordinary day in Tulsa, Oklahoma.