|
|||||||||||||
Chapter 17 By Punkerslut
The camera slowly fades out of the scene. It is dark outside. Kevin and Gunner are walking together. KEVIN: It's just like, they won't fucking listen, no matter how much I fucking try to explain it. These people are fucking suffering on the other side of the planet. Animals can feel the same as you can. Employers don't have a right to the wealth you produce. Over and over again. And I get all this shit. GUNNER: Like, this country was founded on patriotism, or, capitalism gives us liberty. KEVIN: Yeah, like the liberty to be a six year old working 16 hours a day. Patriotism is loving the fact that you're in a nation dominated by money-loving political parties. Chances are, as long as half of Americans believe in patriotism, we will never have a black or female president. GUNNER: Unless our beautifully crafted system of the electoral college allows the majority to lose dominance in the political arena. KEVIN: You know, there are some punks out on these streets who don't know a goddamned thing about any of this. GUNNER: They aren't blessed in the least. KEVIN: It seems like, they're indifferent to their oppression. GUNNER: Well, look at Spike. He's a good kid, but he's not very politically active, the way we are. KEVIN: True, but he recognizes his spot in life. He knows he is oppressed. It's just that, maybe for him, forgetting about the miserable world, by loving one beautiful girl, is just the best decision. For him, anyway. He knows that the media is just propaganda, he knows that the rule of the people by the people means no police officers. And he does do some things about it. He'll talk back to the man when the situation arises, but his life isn't a never-ending battle for liberty. It's just, for him, heroin and a girlfriend are all he needs. GUNNER: Yeah, I love that punk. KEVIN: What about all those punks who won't even recognize their oppression? GUNNER: Meh, they're probably just housies. KEVIN: Probably true. GUNNER: It takes time, though, to see through all their lies. You can't just go from sleeping in a nice bed, to waking up in a sewer and seeing all the bullshit they put out. It takes time. KEVIN: Also, true. GUNNER: What's the difference between a dead baby and a rock? KEVIN: There is none! GUNNER: Throwing dead babies at your friends doesn't do as much damage. KEVIN: I 'unno, Gunner.... Those dead babies have some pretty good leverage. Kevin makes it like he's throwing a football. The two arrive at the feeding. GUNNER: Yay! We made it to the feeding! KEVIN: It's odd. Whenever we walk on this street at this time of day, we always end up at the feeding. GUNNER: Do you think...? KEVIN: It must be fate. GUNNER: What....... is that? Gunner and Kevin look, to see Freak and Rat making out. The two walk over. GUNNER: I have no idea what to say to you two right now. Rat looks up. KEVIN: Well, I do. Save some for me! GUNNER: Really... do you think Kevin and I wouldn't find out? KEVIN: I am so turned on and disgusted at the same time. It's probably the best I've felt in a long, long, long time. RAT: There's nothing wrong with this. You know, all that equal gender, sexuality rights. GUNNER: Yeah, but I'm more sexually aroused when I pretend there is something wrong with it. FREAK: She tastes yummy. GUNNER: Okay, maybe there is something wrong with it.... KEVIN: Gunner, stop pretending. GUNNER: Aw. KEVIN: Hey, check it out. Hey Kid is in line! GUNNER: We'll have to just go and pay him a visit! KEVIN: Are you two ladies up for.... Kevin looks over and sees the two girls back at making out... KEVIN: Yeah, uhhh, okay, then. GUNNER: What the fuck is that over there? RAT: Looks like Hey Kid. FREAK: Hey Kid being hey shy and hey secluded, if you hey ask me. RAT: (smiling) Okay, you shut up and make that tongue of yours do something useful. The two go back to making out. Gunner and Kevin head over to Hey Kid, who is in line for the feeding. The camera focuses on Sweep's face. SWEEP: Hey, Brian. You're a fucking asshole. BRIAN: Fuck you, kid. Brian picks up the kid by his jacket and moves him over further from him. Kevin and Gunner just arrive on the scene. GUNNER: Hey, fucker... I don't care who the fuck you fucking think you are, but nobody, fucking nobody, touches Sweep like that. You do that again and you'll be wearing your ass for a hat. KEVIN: Fucking A. I stand behind everything he said. BRIAN: Hey, guys... I'm sorry if I offend you or your little friend, okay. It's just that he's angry about something else that happened. Someone happened to offend me and I happened to threaten them. GUNNER: Ah, well, I know how that is. KEVIN: Who the fuck did you offend and why? Gunner seemed sympathetic, but Kevin wanted to delve into this more. BRIAN (seeming more relaxed): (to Kevin) Did you want to make an issue out of this? KEVIN: Hey! I didn't say I wanted to make an issue out of this, nor did I say I had anything a-fucking-gainst you. I asked you a simple fucking question. Who did you offend. And why. Can you please answer that? Brian looks to Gunner, and Gunner shrugs. BRIAN: I offended that kid over there, mostly because he offended me. Brian points to Hey Kid. GUNNER: Hey, that's a good kid. BRIAN: No, he's not. He looked at my girlfriend like he wanted to fuck her. GUNNER: Ooooohhhhhh.... Hey Kid, who is next in line to Brian, is standing there, trying to look ambiguous. GUNNER: Hey Kid, what's up? HEY KID: Not much, man. You? It's obvious to tell that Hey Kid is trying to look away from Brian and his group. GUNNER: What did they assholes do? BRIAN: Hey, I can fucking hear you talk and I can hear what you're fucking saying about me. GUNNER: Ease off, I'm not talking to you. Kevin holds up a peace symbol. KEVIN (to Hey Kid): Did they threaten you? HEY KID: Yeah. GUNNER: Which one? HEY KID: Brian. The others were just, following along. Gunner goes to walk towards Brian, but he's pulled back by Hey Kid. HEY KID (whispering to Gunner): Don't tell them anything I said. Gunner just stares at Hey Kid for a few moments. Then he grabs him and hugs him tightly. GUNNER: Don't you fucking worry about a goddamn thing, Hey Kid. Gunner lets go and turns to Kevin. Nobody can see him, but Kevin. Kevin looks at his partner. He sees a tear, and picks it with his finger. Gunner nods to his brother and wipes his face with the rugged sleeve of his jacket. Gunner walks up to Brian, face to face, less than two inches away. Kevin is right behind him. The song "Cute Without The E (cut from the team)" (acoustic) by Taking Back Sunday begins to play. GUNNER: You threatened Hey Kid because he looked at your girlfriend? BRIAN: Yeah, because my girl isn't a piece of trash, and she's not for him. Gunner turns to his girlfriend. GUNNER: And this is okay for you? GIRL: If my boyfriend has problems with another guy for what he does, then I'll stand behind him for everything he does. In the back, you can hear Brian yelling, "Fucking right!" Gunner turns to Brian for a second, and then turns back to Girl. GUNNER: Then what does he do if I do this? Gunner spits in her face, and turns to Brian. Brian erupts in a rage and tries to swing at Gunner, but Gunner blocks and swings to Brian's stomach, and then kicks him in the head as he bows to the ground. Brian falls to the ground. JoJo comes charging at Gunner, but Kevin pulls out his lead pipe. KEVIN: Hey! This is between them two! Anyone gets involved, and I'll make sure to get involved with their face! JoJo and Nutty (Brian's friends) lay off. Brian gets up and swings at Gunner, breaking his nose). Gunner doesn't care, only getting angry, and punches Brian in the face three times, finally knocking him to the ground, where he proceeds to kick him at least seven times in the chest and face. But Brian gets up again, and slugs Gunner in the jaw. Gunner gets even more pissed, and punches him even harder, several times in the face and neck. GUNNER: Fucking stay down, motherfucker, or I'll make it worse for you! Brian crawls up in the fetal position while Gunner delivers at least ten more blows with his boots. GUNNER: You fucking piece of shit, you ever fucking touch Hey Kid again, and I'll beat the fucking shit out of you and your pansy ass fucking kids again. The same goes for Sweep. You fucking got that!? HEY!? BRIAN: Yeah, yeah.... GUNNER: Fucking good. Gunner leans off of Brian and looks at Brian's friends. GUNNER: Fuck you all, pieces of shit. Gunner looks and gives them all a disdainful look. Sweep walks up to Gunner. He looks down at the little tyke. Sweep wraps his arms around Gunner. He puts his hand on the little kid's back. Sweep lets go, and Gunner leaves, Kevin still standing there. Ten seconds passes and Kevin leaves. Gunner walks over to Freak and Rat who are still making out. They feel a shadow. RAT: Are you guys all right? I heard some scuffling over there. (not even looking up) GUNNER: Sorta. Freak looks up and stops Rat. FREAK: Gunner.... You want me to help? Rat finally looks up. RAT: Oh, fuck.... what happened? GUNNER: I beat the fuck out of this asshole piece of shit. Freak stands up and looks at Gunner face to face. She kisses him on the cheek and buries her face in his chest. RAT: What happened? KEVIN: Some guy was threatening to beat the shit out of Hey Kid, because he thought Hey Kid was checking out his girlfriend. So, Gunner spit in the girlfriend's face and beat the crap out of the guy. Freak wraps her arms around Gunner and tightly. FREAK: I think about you when I bleed, beautiful. GUNNER: I love you, too, Freak. FREAK: I didn't say I love you, but I will now. I love you. RAT: You want some help? GUNNER: Nah, you two are in lesbian love. RAT: Well, Spike and Lily are just over there. GUNNER: All right, I guess I'll go bug them.... I'll see you, Rat. Gunner goes to walk away. RAT: Hey, Gunner. He turns. RAT: I love you. He smiles. GUNNER: I love you, too, Rat.
|
