Shawn obviously does not.

OOC: 07:45, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 8,3,4,3,8. Dexterity + Stamina.

18:05, Today: Eric 'Trenk' Trenkenschue rolled 1 success using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((6,3,4,8)).


"Oh you're gonna get it now!" Eric yelled and he started to run with surprising speed. Eddy trailed behind at half-pace, a look of confusion on his face.

Bobby was running alongside Shawn, breathing heavy.

OOC: Shawn rolls again, right now, he leads by one success

Shawn keeps up the pace, checking to make sure Bobby's keeping up.

OOC: 18:12, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 5,9,9,5,3.  Dexterity + Stamina.

A chain-link fence separated the school ground from one of the adjacent neighborhoods and Shawn found himself pressed against it, the metal clanging with a familiar jingling noise that wrangled his nerves further. It would have to be climbed. Climbed and cleared. And Bobby would have to do it to. All before Eric and Eddy reached them.

OOC: Shawn Rolls Dexterity + Athletics with the following results

0 Successes: Eric immediately rolls Dexterity + Stamina trying to cut into Shawn's 3 success lead

1 Success: The fence is cleared. Now Bobby rolls to try to clear it before Eric gets to him. If Bobby fails, Eric catches him

2+ Successes: The fence is cleared. Now Bobby rolls to try to clear it before Eric gets to him. If Bobby fails, Bobby rolls again 1 more time before Eric catches him

Shawn clambered over the top of the fence, but stopped before he dropped down to the other side. He leaned over and held out his hand. "C'mon Bobby!"

OOC: 19:27, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 9,6,4,4,3.  Dexterity + Stamina.

20:02, Today: Bobby rolled 2 successes using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((9,6,5,8)).

Bobby grabbed a hold of Shawn's hand, his face screwed up with nervous worry as he gritted his teeth and moved his feet. The two boys cleared the top of the fence and fell over to the other side. Shawn expected Eric to climb over the fence. Maybe Eddy too.

But instead Eric stopped, looking up at the fence, breath puffing out of his flushed cheeks as he yelled at Shawn.

"You little dweebs." Eric said. "You ran like cry-babies." There was only the metal of the chain-linked fence separating Shawn and Bobby from the other two boys.

"You're babies. Cowards. Wusses." He spat, words like the venom of a snake, flecks of spit literally coming out of his mouth.


Shawn could hear Eddy snicker, clearly thinking it was funny in some way what Eric said.

Shawn stepped back from the fence driven back by the sheer force of malice coming from Erik. Why did the older boy hate him so much anyway? He shook off the question and looked over at Bobby. "Let's go." He prepared to take off running when Bobby did.

And so they ran. Fast. Through the neighborhood, heads over shoulders glancing back to make sure they weren't being followed, weren't being pursued.

The danger of getting pummeled by Eric once again seemed to fade as the boys made their way through the development of single family homes, waving parents happy to see kids play during the summer time. Dogs barked joyful alerts, greeting Bobby and Shawn, oblivious to the danger the boys had faced.

Finally Bobby stopped, hands on his knees, bent over, breathing hard. "What...was...that?" he asked in breathy gasps. "Wh...who...was....that?"

Shawn huffed and puffed as he crouched down to catch his breath. "He's...his name's Erik. He hates me, I don't know why. Sometimes at school he beat me up."

This seemed to alarm Bobby. "What?" he asked again, not seeming to like the answer. "You mean, like, a bully?" he was catching his breath now, only to have the fear of this new-found problem set creep up on him. He gave Shawn a look that seemed to say: But things were going so well...

Shawn tried to look reassuring for Bobby's sake. "It's no big deal - it's summer now, so it's not like he can find me at school. Nothing to worry about!" He gave Bobby a big smile.

Bobby took a moment to consume this message. "Yeah, I guess you're right!" He said, the idea of summer falling into place in his mind, the future of school far enough away.

Then he frowned. "It's just that...in my old school there was someone just like Eric. He used to corner me before in the long hallway between the library and Mrs. Stone's class." Bobby seemed to shudder at the memory. "Every day."

"Oh, that sounds really bad." Shawn frowned at the thought of getting caught by Erik every day at school. "But I'm sure by the time school starts again he'll have forgotten all about me."

"Should...should we, I dunno...do something about it? Or just go play and do something else?" Bobby asked, clearly hoping it would be the latter based on the tone of his voice.

"Let's just do something else!" Shawn was still a little concerned at the idea that Eric would still be after him at school, and wondered if maybe using the Numbers game could help him once he'd learned more. But he wouldn't involve Bobby in that.

Shawn waited for a second, thinking about the Numbers Game and the wonderful and forbidden knowledge it might offer.

"Watcha thinking about? Let's play G.I. Joe's!" And Bobby ran off ahead of Shawn

Shawn decided one he'd learned more from the Fortuneteller, he might try using the Numbers Game. But right now, he just wanted to play with Bobby and enjoy his first day of summer vacation. "Hey, come back here!" He laughed and ran after Bobby.

05:46, Today: Bobby rolled 3 successes using 7d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((7,7,9,9,4,10(+3),1)).

The kids ran and ran, playing Joe's for hours in the neighborhood.

OOC: Shawn rolls wits + Expression

OOC: 07:44, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more. Wits + Expression.

It was getting dark out. Or a least dusk. It was one of those summer nights that Mom used to call a good 'drive in movie night.' Not too hot and not at all humid.

"Should we go home?" Bobby asked suddenly coming to the conlusion that they were out late.

"Or just...play some more?" The last question was laced with that feeling that seemed to say: This is so much fun I don't want to stop.

Shawn gave it some thought. Playing with Bobby was fun, but ever since the Circus had come into his life, he hadn't really felt comfortable out in the open at night. Plus, he didn't want to disappoint Mom and Dad. Eventually, he settled on a compromise option. "Why don't we play the way home?"

"Alright! You bet!" Bobby said with the now-familiar sense of optimism that Shawn had come to known since the his friend had consumed the underworld's Tweedberry concoction. Bobby, maintained whatever growth these experiences of a young adolescent's maturity gave him. But having forgotten, he was now stuck in an innocence that Shawn increasingly did not have. Bobby was unphased by the idea of the Circus. Indeed, he didn't even know about it anymore.

"Race you home!" He yelled, putting extra effort into his run

22:38, Today: Bobby rolled 3 successes using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((9,10(+2),8,6)).

OOC: Shawn Rolls Dexterity + Athletics

OOC: 23:07, Today: Shawn Cramer failed (no successes) using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 7,6,1,4,7,6. Dexterity + Athletics.

Bobby made it to the house first. The boys got inside before the darkness fell. And they slept well, having worked all of the energy and excitement of the day out.

OOC: Shawn Joins Thread

Shawn: Mom Wants to Talk