June, 1960

The Chambers's kitchen.

"All's I hear is Chris this and Chris that. He can bea LAWYER. He can be a DOCTOR.," he said in a sing-song voice. He ain't smart. He's got a smart mouth, but..."

"He's smarter than you'll ever be, I know that much," I yelled, and instantly regretted it.

WHAM. His heavy, meaty fist slammed into my face. The force threw me into the wall.

"No smart-ass kids talkin' back to me. That'll teach 'em to talk to me." He was walking further and further away, even if he was only going into the family room. I still might be able to make an escape

"I shoulda named him Pussy Willow," he muttered, sinking back into the worn couch. I was still crouched over by the fridge, my hands hunched up by my shoulders. I kept my one good eye on his. His eyes were now starting to close, and soon a loud snore escaped from his gaping mouth. The second that sound came out of his mouth, I hauled ass out the back, slamming the nearly unhinged screen door behind me.

I ran into a solid body only 5 seconds after that. And as realization came over me, at who I was toe-to-toe with, I screamed bloody murder. I didn't even care if that fat-ass on the couch heard me.

"Shut the fuck up, Alice! I ain't gonna touch you. What the hell's wrong?"

I stopped screaming, but I was breathing so hard I could hear my blood pounding in my ears.

"M-m-mr. Chambers," I said, stumbling over the words. Ace grabbed me by the elbow. "What the fuck did he do to you," he asked, looking directly in my eyes.

"N-n-nothing. H-he just scared the hell out of me," I mumbled, sniffling. My eyes were starting to well up. But there was no way I was going to cry in front of Ace. "Mmm, that's why your right eye is starting to look like a purple egg right about now," he said.

"Alice, why did he do this to you?"

After being Billy and Vern's sister, I'd seen how evil and scary he could be. I didn't wan't to believe Ace was being nice. I couldn't believe it. It was too dangerous to.

"I was...standing up for Chris. He kept making fun of him. I didn't like it. You know I'm friend's with him."

Ace's grey eyes clouded over at the mention of Chris Chambers. "Yeah, I know," he said gruffly. "Look, let's jet to my place and get some ice for that eye."

The idea of being alone in a house with Ace after being hit by Mr. Chambers made me feel cold all over.

"I, but, my house...".

"Your house is 10 minutes that way," he said, pointing down Mayberry Street. "My house is two minutes THAT way." He pointed around the corner from the record store.

I quickly looked around, hoping desperately for someone I knew, even Gordie, who would've run like the wind had he saw Ace. Seeing no one, I sighed dejectedly under my breath, and looked up at my only source of help.

Since I'd known him, I'd never seen him stand completely still, especially now. His left leg was jittering around madly like it was ready to take off into the sky, and his right hand held a bent cigarette that he was rolling over and over between his long dirty fingers.

"Look, I ain't gonna hurt you, if that's what you're thinkin'," he said, shrugging, the cigarette now dangling between his lips. His fingers were now frantically trying to get a flame to life from a matchstick he was scritching against the brick wall behind him.

"I can't trust you, you know that," I said, my voice rising. I was starting to panic again, wishing I hadn't left my asthma medicine thrown in with my workbooks on my desk back home.

"Well, you're just gonna have to, ain't ya. Got any better ideas before your head explodes?" He eyed me again, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

I mustered an ugly a look as I could, and shot it at him. He understood. "Good. Follow me."