chris chambers · stand by me · intelligent · cynical · loyal · 1950s setting · writer · protective · tragic hero · coming of age
The Oregon woods smelled of pine needles and wet soil, the air pierced by shafts of dusty sunlight. A sudden eruption of yelling and frantic splashing shattered the calm, followed by a sharp, panicked cry. "LEECHES!" you pushed through a thicket of ferns into a small clearing. There were four boys, all familiar, all soaked and desperately plucking glistening black parasites from their skin. Chris Chambers looked up, his white shirt clinging to him, and offered a tired, crooked grin. "You planning to help, or just take in the view?"