Young Writers Society

Riley

I heard a knock on the door. Reg had come, finally.

I went to the door. "Reg, my old friend. It has been to long." Me and Reg had been in one of the southern groups together for a while. I was a notioriously good fighter there, but didn't do well under command. So I broke off to form my own group in America. He stayed in the south, until now.

"Glad to be here, Riles."

"Did he just call you Riles?" Mitch asked.

"Yeah, when I was down south people called me Riles. And that does not give you permission to do the same."

Reg seemed amused at this. "So, you said you needed me up here?"

"Actually I do. Permanently, if you don't mind. We need another fighter in our group. To balance out the non-fighters if you know what I mean." I said. Reg looked from Suzie to Mitch.

"I see." he replied. We both laughed. The south was notirious for being excelent fighters. While the ones from the north, like Canada, were very clever and fast. When I was in Mexico me and Reg had gotten along very well. It seemed his good humor hadn't left him.

"Come on, let me acquaint you with the rest of the group."

I quickly intruduced him to everyone. uzie seemed very afraid of him. Suzie hated people from the south. If only she knew I was. I saw the lookon James face as he got a good look at Reg. I knew they would make very good friends. they had similar persoalitys, and therefore would get along.

And they both would soon share an equal hate for Mitch.

Mitch

There was something Mitch didn't quite like about this new guy. It wasn't that he seemed untrustworthy or anything, but Mitch didn't like being underestimated straight off the bat, the way this 'Reg' had done. Moreover, he just didn't seem very friendly. Sure, he shook hands and gave his name, but other than that he was as silent as James.

Mitch nudged Suzie, grinning a little. "Jeez, two of them now, right?" He laughed. "Did I feel the whole house just get a little gloomier?"

Suzie looked somewhat frightened by the guy, but Mitch remained his annoyingly cocky self. He cracked his knuckles, "So, you're here to provide some extra muscle, eh?" He gave Riley a sly, sidelong look. "I suppose we could use a thick skull to crack some heads on from time to time."

JAckie

The new guy was way old. He looked like he was in his freakin mid-30's. Wow I sound like a prep. I stayed quiet with simple pleasantries.

"Hey, I'm Jackie"

He gave me the once over, spending a little bit too much time looking at me. Ew.

"Why, Hello Jackie"

I rolled my eyes and walked to the corner. I sat in the couch chair and thought about how much life sucks.

Riley

When i woke up the next morning, it was only four. Thank god I had set my alarm. I quickly left a note for Suzie telling her to decorate the house, while I ran out to get the present.

Before long I was at the subway station. Marcelo was there.
The present was wrapped.

"Thank you." I said to him.

"Glad to help." he said with a somewhat evil smile.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A new guitar. It is black, and simple. But it seemed like something he would like." i nodded my thanks. Sometimes I thought marcelo knew my group better than I did.

I strapped the guitar onto the motorcycle and sped on home to a still undecorated house. I decided I would have to do that too. I had to do everything around here.

I quickly put up some decorations and went to make the cake.

Reg Carter

This new gang of Riles was interesting to be sure, but I wonder if it'll be as eventful as the old days. I smiled. The past was always on me. It was like a cat constantly clawing at its owner, only hungry for food but nevertheless doing everything to make its owner focus on it for as long as possible. Past is like a primate.

I hate primates.

I walked over to Mitch and winked. He returned my gaze, somewhat bewildered.

"You going to say something, Reg?" he laughed.

I gave him one more wink and sneered, "Depends on the circumstances."

"Er, okay," he said, dazed in confusion.

I chuckled and walked into the kitchen, preparing some baked beans for an early morning supper. The tin heated quickly. I retired to a corner and dug in with a folk I'd found lying near the coffee table. The beans again swirling back memories from the past, from those days spent running. Running from murder. Running from them.

Riley

Everyone was up before Mitch, even Reg, who had his OWN opinion on celbrating birthdays. Another one of the reasons I left the south, besides the constant viloence, was the lack of joy. It allways haunted over me, and I was sick of it.

James looked somewhat happy today. He usually like birthdays, and they put him in a good mood. Ren thought I took birthdays too far. But I really could care less about her opinion. Jackie shared my perspective. And, well, Suzie was just estatic. Though I would be limiting her cake consumption.

"Tiger.... I mean Riles!" Reg called. I was annoyed he used my old nickname. Besides Riles I was also known as the Tigress of Mexico. Until I left.

"What?" I said impatently.

"Can I go wake him up. I am not going to wait forever."

Then Mitch sleeply walked into the room. "Happy Birthday Mitch." I said, giving him a quick hug. I thought of all of us as family, something that was unheard of down south.

"What..oh right. It's my birthday." He said, still sleepy.

Suzie lead us in a round of singing happy birthday, something both James and Reg refused to do.

I put the present infront of him. He looked at me and said, "Riley, you shouldn't have." his look told me that it was more than just my generosity he was worried about. It was my arm.

"Well, I did. So..."

Suzie-

I grimaced at the guitar, knowing how it came to be here, but then full out smiled. There was no way some creepy pain-lover was going to ruin Mitch's birthday, or the "happy" mood of the party.

I pulled from the table a small card made from left over decorations. I wasn't able to get him anything else since I was grounded, (thanks a lot Riley).

"Happy Birthday."

"Hey thanks Suzie. A guitar and a card, it really feels like a birthday."

"And that's not all," said Riley.

Riley

I had a really bad feeling I would regret the next present, but I already got it. I led Mitch ouside. It was his eigtheenth birthday, he deserved something special.

It was a new motorcycle. Sleek, black and fast. I knew it was just the one for him.

"How did you..." He sarted.

"Through my own means, Marcelo had nothing to do with it." I said. Mitch grinned. Actually what I had done was traded it, legaly, for something the guy wanted. I had a necklace made of solid gold that was given to me while I was in the south. The trade was perfecty fair. I didn't even know wich one was worth more.

"Thank you so much Riley." Mitch said. He took a look over the bike. Then he saw the speed capcity.

"250 mph, oh Riley, you shouldn't have."

"Just because it goes 250 mph does not mean that I am giving you permisson to go that fast." I said. A chorus of laughter erupted from behind me. James booming laugh was the loudest amoung them. Mitch looked genuinley disaponted.

"Actually I order you not to go that fast!" I said, before going back into the house.

As I walked in I went to find james. We needed to discuss strategy for the break in at the governers. This would be the most risky and rewarding break in yet. I decided I would have to go with him while he did this, something I didn't usually do. But this was to big a job to be done alone.

We would do the brake in in tomorow.

Reg Carter

They all laughed, but I merely watched. I was entertained by their differences, their oddities. I grinned in self-amusement and followed them back inside.

Most of these were just kids. Their whole lives ahead of them. They lack the past I had. The destruction, torture and pain. One day I had killed my own blood and yet today, here I am, bemused by the sight of a birthday and the giving of a bike.

I saw Riles looking over at James, somewhat concerned. I watched the looks for a second, vast thoughts crossing through my mind. Nothing came of it.

Mitch was sat in the corner next to the coffee table with Suzie. Admiring my own every step, I crossed the room towards them. Something heavy in my hand.

"Ah, Reg!" grinned Mitch in welcoming. Suzie merely looked at me as if I were from out of this world. I winked at her, in a somewhat deadly way. I drew my gaze and placed it upon Mitch. He looked at me curiously as he did the previous night. I simply smiled and produced my hand.

In it was a tin of beans.

"Happy Birthday, Mitchell," I groaned giving him the can. He was becoming bewildered more-so but scampered a "Thankyou" and withdrew to self thought. I just watched.

"The beans, Mitchell. Do you like beans?" I said, peering deeply into his scattered gaze.

"I guess they're okay," he said.

"Beans was all I had, when I was on the run," I continued. "I've given you all I have, Mitchell, in a sense. Hope you enjoy them."

I walked into the midst of the outside and clambered into my 4x4. The engine revved out a roar and a cry before I drove out off into the city.

(I am really REALLY sorry I had forgotten all about this and I don't think I'll be able to do it so can someone please ether take over for me of kill me off? Again really sorry)

Suzie-

I watched Reg leave in his giant truck. When he was gone, I looked to Mitch. "He gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, but Riley trusts him, so I guess we should too," he answered.

I gave him a look. "You really think that?"

"No, but give her the benefit of the doubt. She hasn't gotten us killed yet."

I laughed and then dragged him to the new bike. "This. Is. So. Epic!"

Mitch

All the worries that Riley was seriously injuring herself to support them all went out the window when she confirmed that she hadn't gone to her 'friend' to get the bike. It was somewhat selfish on Mitch's part, the way his presents distracted even momentarily from the well being of his friends, but he couldn't help it, having never been the most mature of people.

His eyes followed Riley as she wandered off with James to discuss strategy, a sly, mischievous look in them. Even though the punishments for breaking her orders could be harsh, she could hardly expect someone like him to be able to follow an instruction like that. Don't go that fast. He scoffed to himself, Like that's gonna happen.

Along with Suzie, he went back inside, sitting down by the coffee table and getting started on his breakfast. Before long, though, he looked up to see Reg swaggering over to them, something clutched in one hand. "Ah, Reg!" He grinned, clapping his hands together.

"Happy Birthday, Mitch." The man replied, handing over a can of something.

Mitch glanced down at it, Beans...? "Thankyou." He said, not quite understanding the gesture, thinking that Reg was trying to mess with him. Hah! We'll see about that!

"The beans, Mitch. Do you like the beans?" He was peering closely at Mitch, trying to gauge whatever his reaction would be.

"I guess they're okay..." He replied, cautiously. There was no telling what this bean-obsessed loony might do if Mitch answered wrong.

"Beans was all I had, when I was on the run," Reg mused, seeming to withdraw to a distant time, a time of beans. "I've given you all I have, Mitchell, in a sense. Hope you enjoy them." And with that, he walked outside. A minute later, they heard the revving of his four wheel drive, before it sped out into the city.

"Crazy old man." Mitch muttered. He glanced sidelong at Suzie. "So. Riley's going to be helping James out tomorrow, and I want to see how long it takes me to break some laws on the new bike. You wanna come?"

Riley

Me and Ren went out later that night to see if there were any new places in need of our services. We started neer the edge of the city, and allways worked our way in. On the way we passed a park. Hanging on it was a colorful pink poster.

I went up to it, hoping to find some organazation that needed donations. Instead, I found a picture of myself. And a price for valid information, 30,000 dollars. I was speachless.

Ren came up to me. "Something wrong Riley?" I showed it to her.

"We have to go home." I choked out. We hoped back on our motorcycles and rode back to the apartment. We stoped outside the door.

"Ren, I want you to go down south to mexico. You know the people well there, and you would be a help to them. Find the group called the Foxes, tell them the Tiger sent you.

Ren noded, then hoped back on her bike. The border wasn't far away. She would get there.

I stormed into the house, and what a sight I must have been. Wet hair and mascara running down my face. That on top of the fact I was holding a picture of myself with a 30,00 dollar reward just for information. I was not hapy.

And as I walk in the door I hear mitch say, "So. Riley's going to be helping James out tomorrow, and I want to see how long it takes me to break some laws on the new bike. You wanna come?"

James~~

I dropped off the roof of our 'hide-out' and landed softly behind Riley.

"What happened?"

She looked over at me, not at all surprised to see me there and handed me the paper.

"Wow... thats a lot of money. Want me to pull some strings?"

Riley

"No, don't. It is unnessisary. They'd never catch me anyway. At least, not with you around."

"Thank you." James said simply, "And, Riley. I do not share these opinions, but the others don't like Reg very much."

"I know they don't. But Reg is doing two things for me. One, he is getting the others used to the southern way of looking at things."

"Why would they need that?"

"In case we suddenly have to move out to Mexico. If I am ever aware the danger is to great I will move us. I already sent Ren there. His other purpose is as a strong fighter to us. He will be very useful in a battle." As I said this I watched James face fall a little.

"And that makes me..."

"The best fighter we have and the most clever one in the group. Reg is an asset to the group, not a replacement. I don't really think he has much sense stretegicly and he is too willing to fight. He wants the action too much." James smiled at the complement. I took the paper and ripped it to shreds, tossing it off the side of the building.

When James decided to talk, what he had to say meant a lot. And belive it or not, I honestly didn't think the group could get along without him.