Chapter 2

The car bounced down the embankment, following tracks made by some earlier visitor to this lonely stretch of beach. The four occupants, two boys in front, the girl and boy in back, jostled about as the car swayed over uneven ground.

Leonard wanted to hold Bunny still so he could kiss her but managed only to plant his lips on her cheek, her nose and then her forehead. He wanted her to make up for her anger at being the only girl along, and satisfy his desires as soon as possible. She complained at his mauling and tried to draw away.

"Leonard! God-dammit Leonard!" she cried in desperation, "Wait a minute!"

He was beyond the point of rationality. He was feeling the passion of youth and the warmth of her was magnifying his desires beyond all proportions of his eighteen years. In the field of sensuous desire, he was a man, and right now, wanted very much to prove it.

Bunny had no desire for a demonstration. She beat back his roving hands and struggled to keep him at a distance. The boy continued to paw, clawing at her clothing and seeking to explore her figure.

"Damn you, stop!" she demanded and pushed her hand into his face, forcing his hold and breaking free. Then she sat back, breathing rapidly, pulling her skirt down about her legs, sighing and wondering what his next move might be.

They parked the car at the foot of an embankment, carrying the beer the rest of the way to the water's edge. Bunny sat silently while the boys unloaded the car, then followed reluctantly behind. She was piqued by Leonard's actions and his continued refusal to take her to a movie. It would be over tomorrow and probably never come back again.

She settled into the sand beside the pile of beer packs and potato chips that Leonard's money had provided, evading his accusing glances. She could see that Leonard was unhappy. His face was becoming more sullen the more she refused him. Once more he looked at her with that pitiful stare and once again she mouthed the word NO. She wouldn't give in to him. She would not permit him to make her a spectacle on the beach, he would have to do without until a time when they could be alone in privacy.

There was a smell of fish in the sand and it was warm to the touch. She scooped it up in handfuls, letting it trickle through her fingers and accumulating little mounds beside her. Around them, she traced her initials with the long manicured nails which were rapidly losing their pink polish. Her hair fluttered in the breeze which blew in from the sea, bringing the smell of open water and carrying sea gull across the wide expanse of beach.

She tucked her skirt about her legs and sat watching the boys cavort along the sand. She could almost forget the mauling and forgive Leonard his repressed intentions as she surveyed the empty cans and six packs laying about in the debris cast up by the waves.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the boys came back, running up the beach, pants legs rolled up, damp from the encounter with the bouncing waves. The three settled down, opened fresh cans of beer and proclaimed this stretch of world as theirs' alone.

Victor sat opposite Bunny, looking at her through the dark glasses so she couldn't see the eyes which appeared to be appraising her. For a moment she had the feeling of being naked to his gaze and she didn't like it.

"Have a drink Baby!" he said handing over a can with the indication more of a command than an offer. The girl looked at it for a moment and then refused.

"No thanks," she said stiffly. "The stuff makes me sick."

"Man, you are a drag," Victor said. "What do you do when you want to live?"

"That depends on what you mean by live."

"Swing Baby-rock out-give a little-make the scene." She could feel his eyes on her and even though she couldn't see them, she was sure they were following every line of her body. She knew of the look that was probably in them and began to resent his insults and insinuation. Before, she had considered him a very uncouth boy who had little intelligence and very poor manners. She was certain he must have been born and raised in a pig sty and was making no effort to get out of it.

He was gazing intently at the spot where the skirt, tucked in behind her legs, hid the panties beneath and she again had the feeling he was undressing her.

She looked to where Leonard lay on the sand, paying little heed to the scene building up so near him. Apparently he could see nothing wrong in Victor's soliciting a little fun and the fact the subject happened to be his own girl friend seemed to bother him not at all. Perhaps that was a part of their crazy code.

Victor drained the can of beer and tossed the empty onto the growing pile.

"Sing!" he said, his glasses looming closer and bringing a sudden fear to the girl.

He was leaning toward her, the dark lenses reflecting the rays of the setting sun, his hair hang-;ing down over the frames and making him look a great deal like a rag doll that had been left to lay in the weather.

I wonder why he doesn't get that hair cut, she thought. It was so long it must be difficult to keep groomed and the matty mess now looked more like a bedraggled halloween mask than something that was his own. She decided he did look like a rag doll, one that someone had thrown away.

"You're high prize, Baby," he was whispering hoarsely in her ear. "You and me could really swing! How about it?"

Bunny turned away. She didn't like Victor Zigler and wanted nothing to do with him. She regretted consenting to come to the beach and hoped she might still coax Leonard to take her to a movie or something-anything that would take her away from the overgrown delinquent who was making himself so obnoxious.

"I want to go now," she said looking to Leonard beside her, then when he didn't move, "Do you hear me, Lenny?"

Victor burst into a roar of laughter. "I want to go now!" he mimicked. "Do you hear that, Lenny?" He turned on his friend in a tirade of abuse. It was impossible to see the eyes behind the glasses but the impression was there that the eyes were flashing fire.

"I don't like it here," continued Bunny. "You will take me home, won't you?"

"You will take me home, won't you...." Victor echoed the words, his mouth rounding out each syllable and making a mockery of it, then, he burst into laughter again.

Leonard looked to Victor, then back at the girl. "I suppose I could...."

"You creep!" Victor blurted the words and leaned forward menacingly, his face close to Bunny. "You want to spoil the fun?" The girl drew back but said nothing.

"I thought this doll was a real bird," snapped Victor turning on Leonard. "What does she do besides holler Mama? You ever get any out of her?"

"I...." Leonard tried to speak but Victor cut him off.

"What would you do with a chunk like this, Weedo?" The blustering teenager turned to the third companion who sat silently by, paying little attention to the happenings. Guido appeared more entranced by the breaking waves on the beach and the constant flow and recession of the water. His thoughts appeared to be more occupied with the figures further down the Cove and the circling sea gulls overhead, than by the girl or Victor.

Bunny was momentarily relived by the respite from the blustering teenager's attentions. Victor was trying to get the third boy's attention and Guido turned finally to face heckler. He stared at Victor, his glasses pushed up on his forehead and his black eyes narrowed.

"Think she would make a good piece, Weedo?" asked Victor.

Guido straightened his legs and leaned back on one arm. "I don't know," he said, then rolled over in the sand facing the girl.

Bunny Harris felt more relaxed under his gaze. He seemed more like the kids she used to know in school, a little wild but not really bad. It was too bad Victor couldn't be more like him. The girl tucked the skirt up behind her legs and pressed hard, as though she might, by covering the tunnel under her skirt, retain her feeling of virginity and protect herself from Victor.

Victor lunged forward, forcing her back, his weight upon her, pressing her flat. His hands pressed against her cheeks and his mouth came down on hers, half open, in a kiss that seemed to smother her. She struggled, bringing her hands up between them, trying to force him away. She wanted to turn her head away from his smothering mouth but he followed her every move. Closing her lips, she compressed them in a tight line under his probing tongue. Finally his hold on her head relaxed and she broke away.

"You ... You ... A" She couldn't find the words to voice her contempt, her mind was a clutter of confusion. His weight on her chest still pinned her to the sand and she struggled to free herself. He was a heavy boy in spite of his short stature and his attack had taken her so completely by surprise that she was weak from the sudden exertion.

"Leonard!" she cried, hoping he would come to her aid.

"Come on Lenny," exclaimed Victor. "We'll play Rabbit with her!" Victor was moving his torso in a rotating motion and there was little doubt of his intentions.

"Get off me," snapped Bunny. "Let me up."

Victor was up on his knees, holding her to the ground with one arm while his free hand pulled at her skirt. It was up to her waist and his hand probed the elastic of her panties.

The girl struggled and cried out again, striving to free her arms, to push him away, half rising, forcing him back, causing him to free his hold on her. She pushed up to a sitting position, tired and exhausted by the exertion. She was sure her hair was a mess and the green skirt ruined.

Leonard Felton lunged against her, pushing her back down on the sand, burying her upper body beneath his own. He was laughing as though he completely enjoyed the action.

"Now Vic!" he cried pinning the girl beneath him.

Victor Zigler was over her again, crouching above her hips, probing at her dress, grasping the panties by the elastic and pulling them downward as the girl bounced in the sand.

Guido Bartoni paused in his digging to watch. "You shouldn't do that," he commented as the two boys fought to undress the girl.

"Please!" Bunny's voice was barely audible under the weight of Leonard. She was bouncing her legs in an effort to work free while Victor was astride her things holding her down.

"Please!" she begged again and then was still. The boys were disregarding her plea and she felt very tired and weak.

She could feel Victor's hands in her panties, probing, searching feeling. His fingers were brushing the wispy hair at her crotch and all the time she could hear the chortling cackle of his laughter. The sound frightened Bunny and could be heard along the full extent of ocean beach.

Bunny Harris was becoming frightened. Up to now she had given only passive resistance, hoping to make the boys come to their senses and behave themselves. The savagery of the attack sapped her strength and left her helpless. Now, she didn't know what to expect. One drunk could be a problem but two might be dangerous. Leonard had never before shown such belligerent tendencies and Victor was more of a stranger to her. She continued to struggle.

"Damn it Leonard! Stop it!" she demanded when finally her face was free, then she tried to push him back and sit up. "Leonard, damn you Leonard!"

Victor tugged at her pants while Guido watched from his viewpoint on the beach.

"Leonard! Help! Someone, please!" She struggled with the panting, squirming body on her chest and tried to force her buttocks into the sand. Victor pulled the panties down her thighs and blubbered with glee.

"Hey Weed!" he called to Guido when the sexual area had been exposed. "Take a look at this, Man!"

Bunny Harris was crying from fright and flailing her arms. Leonard struggled with her upper torso while Victor worked the pants along her legs. He had pulled them over her hips, stretching the fabric until she relaxed the pressure of her body and permitted them to be tugged lower. When they reached her ankles, she kicked her feet trying to break his hold and get away from the arms that held her.

Victor jerked the panties over the shoeless feet and rose triumphantly to his feet. He twirled the garment on the tip of his finger while he cackled gleefully.

Bunny lay very still and Leonard relaxed his hold on her. Below the waist her body was bare in the dim light and she cried softly, feeling too weak to struggle and too exhausted to get up.

Victor was down on his knees digging dog fashion in the sand, throwing it out between his legs. Then he buried the panties in the hole and scooped the sand back in over the garment. A little mound finished the ceremony and the boy bowed his head over it.

"Here lies all false modesty," he intoned in mock reverence.

The girl climbed to her feet, feeling around for her shoes in the sand. She ignored Leonard who lay on his back looking at the sky. She wondered if he felt a little ashamed. If he did, he didn't show it. She wondered why he had acted as he did. She had always been good to him. He never had to beg for her favors, never had to spend much. She had always serviced him when he desired and this was a very shabby way to treat her. She replaced her shoes and reached for her purse.

"I want to go home," she said and worked with the mussed up skirt. Leonard seemed not to hear. "Leonard," she said again. "I want you to take me home ... now," and the word now was very firm.

"Yeah! Take her home!" chortled Victor. "Take Baby home to Mama!" and he burst into hilarious laughter.

Leonard stung with the implication of words from his idol. He felt he wasn't a Mama's boy and wasn't going to let a girl make him miss out on the fun. The evening was still young and there could be a lot more to do.

"You want I should take her home, Ziggie?"

"That's for you, Preacher." Victor slumped on the sand to light a cigarette and open another can of beer. By now he should be feeling rather light headed and possibly didn't give a damn what anybody did. Victor was accustomed to having what he wanted but didn't want to force the issue in front of the other boys.

Leonard sounded unsure of himself. "Will you wait until I get back Zig?" His voice was solicitous and almost begging. "Will you Ziggie?" Bunny wanted to slap him and see if that would make him act like a man.

"Maybe," Victor said. "It all depends."

"It won't take long." Leonard said trying to explain, "I'll hurry right back."

"And not get into that while you're home?" Victor was dragging deep on a cigarette and taking gulping swallows of the beer. He paused long enough to ask his question and wait for an answer. When none was forth coming he laughed and made faces at Leonard.

"Man, if you're going to waste the stuff, maybe I should utilize the chick myself."

"No!" Bunny said loudly. She was getting the full picture and didn't like the way he was looking at her. "You touch me and I'll scream. I want to go home."

"How about it Lenny?" Victor said and leered at Bunny. He appeared to be enjoying the situation to the utmost.

"I don't know," muttered Leonard. "I...." He was ill at ease, being forced to take a stand between the only two friends he had. He knew that Victor always got what he wanted, even when it was the use of girls. Most girls liked it that way. It was a status symbol to have been 'rocked' by the owner of the polished blue Imp.

"You're crazy man, crazy!'" Victor snickered and dug his heels in the sand. "You got a doll like her and want to keep her all to yourself." He rose to his feet and moved toward the girl.

"You want to share, don't you Baby?" He grinned and reached for her arm. "We always divide what we have."

Bunny stepped back, still trying to arrange her clothing and straighten her hair. Victor continued to confront her. The girl drew herself up, swung with her left hand and caught the boy a stinging blow on the face. He stepped back rubbing the spot. Leonard was so surprised he didn't know what to say. He looked from Victor to Bunny and back to Victor. The girl picked up her purse and ran down the beach.

"If you follow me," she cried, "I'll scream."

"Oh hell, take her home." Victor said. "There ain't no fun if you have to fight with the doll all the time."

Leonard turned to follow the scurrying figure but Bunny was already past the parked car and climbing the embankment. He didn't want to chase her and was beginning to feel very foolish for the way he had acted. He was certain it would be better not to face her again until she had cooled down.

"She'll make it alright," he said sinking back to the ground. "I guess she won't need me."

Victor Zigler grinned behind his dark glasses and opened another can of beer. Guido Bartoni poked a bit of driftwood into the sand and stared out to sea.

"Let's go get your car and drag," suggested Victor.

"Can't," mumbled Leonard. "It needs work."

"Fix it."

"I have to buy a new carburetor."

"Buy?" Victor was amused by the notion of buying anything. "Like with money?"

"Dad says I have to...."

Victor burst into another peal of laughter. "Man you are out!" he blurted. "Buy a carburetor for that gas burner ... you crazy man!"

"But...."

The heckler was finding the situation very amusing. "You stutter man! You're a solid, color-me-white creep! You're like dead ... no guts and no solid bottom ... you're really flat man!" Victor finished his tirade and sat looking at the now dejected companion.

"Stop it," Leonard said and turned to Guido for support.

The third teenager was already on his feet, brushing the sand from his trousers. He stretched to relieve his cramped muscles and tossed an empty beer can into the debris on the sand.

"I have to go home," he said. "My folks will be wondering."

"I have to go home ... I have to go home ... Jeeeezzzusssss!" Victor mimicked. "Man what a bunch of creeps," he lamented.

"My folks aren't like yours," Guido retorted. "When dad says to be home, I have to be there."

"Hell! You might as well be in the Army, soldier boy!"

"Might as well," agreed Guido straightening his pants at the waist.

"Stick around for a while ... it's early yet. We might do some moonlight shoppin'."

"Moonlight shopping?" Guido looked at his friend quizzically.

"You dense, man?" Victor asked in disgust. "Confiscate, pilfer, appropriate ... make like ours man!"

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me," Victor said ripping the top from the last can of beer. He gulped the liquid in long steady swallows until the can was empty, tossed it on the pile and turned toward the embankment. "Try me man," he said again and headed toward the car with long strides. The two boys followed behind with quickening steps that made them look a great deal like two toy poodles trotting along behind their master.