I Never Promised You a Pepsi Tree, Part 10
By Missy

Shirley awoke with a start.

"Shirley?" Came Richie's voice. "Hey, she's awake!"

Shirley stared at the redhead, "Richie, why are you in the infirmary at Shotz?"

"Oh, the call came in over the radio scanner. They called an ambulance for you, but you didn't need it."

She groaned, "My head."

"Just lie down. You banged your head when you hurt your hand."

She stared in disbelief at her heavily bandaged wrist. "Richie." She whispered. "What have I done?" She started sobbing. "What did I do?"

And he wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently.

**

Laverne stared blankly at her own hands. They had given her a break, and she chose to take it outside. Her self-loathing was overwhelming. They were doing nothing but wasting time, with this ridiculous charade. And now Shirley was hurting herself.

"Ey, De-Faz-I-O."

She shrank away from Fonzie, "What do you want?"

"ey, you don't look happy to see me!"

"I ain't." She snapped.

"That's too bad, 'cause we're getting' married tonight."

She looked at him, uncomprehending. "Tonight."

"Yeah! Tonight, St. Anthony's Church. Be There!" He snapped his fingers.

And though she loathed him, she could do nothing but obey.

***

Rosie sipped coffee as she sat outside of the unemployment office. It tasted like shit, and the job was going to suck. But it was an improvement over nothing.

She took her cup outside of a cigarette. And that was where Ogden found her. With a scalpel to her throat, he smiled viciously.

"Ready to die, Rose?"




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