The West Kids (pt I)

"Shit man, what the fuck happened?"
"I dunno, Squeaks."
"The fuck you mean, you don't know? The boys say you and Chief rocked a whole mess of gremlins. How many were there, man?"
"I dunno. I dunno. I thought we 'as spiked for sure."
"Spiked! Fuckin spiked! You 'as with Chief, hombre! Ain't nobody gonna spike Chief. Not never."
"I dunno, man. I dunno. Seemed like we 'as gonna be spiked."
"Spiked. Fuck, hombre."
"I 'as thinkin' spiked for sures."
"Reno and Tims sayin' the Grems 'as waitin'. But that Chief seen 'em comin'. That he knew they 'as there."
"I didn't know. Chief didn't say nothin' to me. Fuck, Squeaks, I never been so close to gettin' spiked before."
"No shit, dumbass. Tims 'as saying a mess of Grems. Maybe a baker's."
"Maybe. I didn't count 'em. Fuck, Squeaks. I don't think I can roll for a while. I can't fuckin' see straight anymore."
"Can't see straight?"
"Nah, Squeaks. I keep thinkin' about gettin' spiked. I keep seein' those Grems. I dunno, maybe there was a baker's. Maybe more I dunno. But I keep seein' ' em Squeaks. They 's waitin' just out of view. I keep lookin', thinkin' I 'as gonna catch em there. But they ain't there Squeaks. I just think I see 'em."
"You just got shook. Fuck man, we 'as all been shook. 'Member when I ate shit on the stairs outside the Public? And I 'tato chipped my rear? I had to fucking carry my mount over a mile through DT. I was shook. I saw all kinds of shit. Them shadows can fuck with you when you shook. Shit man, it was fifteen minutes but it felt like a whole damn winter 'till I saw the Tracks and Aydee on the watch."
"How long 'til you got unshook?"
"I dunno. Not too long. You be unshook soon."
"I dunno, Squeaks. I dunno. I thought we 'as spiked for sures."
"But you wasn't. You 'as with the Chief."
"Chief needs his knees too. Chief made a guts too."
"Nah. Chief is different."
"..."
"Chief is different, Frank."
"I dunno."

---

"Saddle up, Frank."
"Nah, sirs. I can't"
"You broken?"
"Kinda sirs. My eyes' broken."
"Eyes?"
"Can't see right, sirs."
"Mister Doctor look at em?"
"He did. He can't find what's broken, but I know they 'as broken, sirs. I can't see right. I can't roll yet, sirs."
"You on Duty again then, Frank."
"Yeah, sirs."
"When you figure your eyes' be fixed?"
"Hard to say, sirs."
"Tomorrow."
"Nah, sirs."
"Week? More?"
"Hard to say, sirs."
"I need you to roll, Frank."
"I know sirs, but I can't. I 's broken. My eyes' broken."
"You on Duty 'til they ain't."
"Yeah, sirs."
"I don't expect to hear a word of complaint about shit-cleanin' unless it's after you tell me you 'as fixed."
"Nah, sirs."
"Nah."
"..."
"You 's strong in the saddle. You 's a good roller, Frank."
"Not without my eyes."
"I guess not."
"It's like they 'as taken from me. Like somebody switched mine out and put a mixed up pair back in."
"..."
"I'm on Duty, I guess."
"You let me know when you fixed."
"Yeah, sirs."

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