Free The Wanderers by Richard Price Page A

over.
    "Ducky Boys."
    "What?"
    "Ray just slapped aroun' a Ducky Boy."
    "Richie, I'm goin' home," C declared. Richie ignored her.
    "Where'd he go?"
    "Into the woods."
    "You think they'll come back?"
    "They always do."
    "So what? We got fifty guys here," said Perry. They looked at him like he'd broken his head instead of his hand. Perry laughed, swishing his cast through the air. "I'm ready."
    "Somebody take 'im home before he gets hurt," said Jo-Jo.
    "We playin' or not?"
    "I ain't takin' no chances," said Raymond Firestone.
    "You guys just don't like losin'," said Perry.
    "Motherfucker, we gonna whip yo' asses so bad you gonna have to shit out the other end."
    "I thought you was goin' home," Perry continued. Raymond shrugged.
    "C'mon, what's wit' you faggots?" Perry asked. No one said anything. Guys kept coming over to find out what was up. When almost everybody was standing in the center of the field, Perry shouted, "O.K.! Half time's over! Let's get the fuckin' show on the road!" and walked to the sideline. The guys looked at each other, shrugged, and went for their helmets.
     
    Joey saw his father standing with the rest of the spectators. He felt better. He wondered what happened to the bottle of Tango. He wondered what his father would do if the Ducky Boys came. When he picked up his helmet his eyes locked with Emilio's. He waved a short wave, but Emilio quickly looked away. Joey got hard and tight. He grabbed his helmet and marched onto the field.
    Emilio had watched the crowd gather in the middle of the field. He moved closer. When people started drifting back he picked up something about a fight and some ducks. All he knew was if those niggers started a fight or anything he would kick their asses. Fuck the ducks.
    Ray Rodriguez was tall and fast. He played safety good enough for any high school team in the city. But like Ed Weiss, he'd wound up at a school without a football team, so he played with the Stingers. His close call during half time gave him nervous superspeed during the second half. And he played like a pro. He kept seeing that razor in front of his face and that Ducky Boy sitting on his chest with a cloudiness in his eyes that signified a conscience and an intelligence the size of peanuts. The Del-Bombers threw a long bomb, and Ray outran Leslie Frances, intercepting the pass in the end zone for a touchback. As he caught the ball, he slipped to one knee on a wet patch of grass. Facing away from the field, he looked up into the face of the Ducky Boy who tried to kill him He was standing ten yards away against a tree staring expressionlessly at Ray. Ray froze. The Ducky Boy motioned Ray forward Ray stood up and backed into a goal post The Ducky Boy drew his thumb across his own neck and clenched his teeth Ray turned and ran.
    "What's with you?"
    "They're here!"
    Richie's eyes widened. "Where?" Ray pointed to the end zone. Nobody there. "Where?"
    "I ain't fuckin' around, Gennaro. He was there."
    "What now?"
    "What happened?"
    "Ray saw the guy."
    "I ain't shittin', I'm goin' home."
    "Hey, c'mon, man. The game's almost over."
    "I don't care, like ... hey! There he is!" Not only was the Ducky Boy back but six or seven of his friends were standing by the goal posts. "Goodbye. You guys can hang around."
    "There's only six there. We can take 'em."
    People started leaving. The football players congregated in the center of the field with Perry in the middle. "Lissen, I ain't runnin' from midgets."
    "They ain't midgets. Whynchoo knock down a tree, Perry."
    "I'll knock your fuckin' head off, man. I ain't leavin'." Perry startled himself with his own bravado. He didn't know why he was coming on tough.
    "Oh, my God, look," said Eugene.
    The six Ducky Boys had multiplied into hundreds, luring the woods and the football field. The remaining fans packed up and hightailed it for the park entrance except Lenny Arkadian and Emilio Capra.
    "Jesus Fucking H. Christ!" Richie strapped his helmet on.
    "I think my mother's callin'