Author's Note:
Thanks for the idea and encouragement, Millie.
***
The basement door opened, and the woman shouted, "Aaron, take the garbage out before you go to bed."
"I know, mom. We're busy right now," and he leaned forward and gazed intently, hearing the basement door close. "That's it, Carl," he said quietly. "Wack it. Wack it! Yeah! Do it!"
"Yeah, man," Wilson said excitedly. "You're close! Just a few more strokes and you're there, man."
"You're close, Carl," Ryan said with just as much anticipation in his voice. "Like, just one more. Like, you can do it. Like, ...Like ... Fuck it! Just shoot it!"
And Carl cried out "Ohhh, ... Yeah, Dude. YEAH!" and cheers sounded from the others as he slowed to stop his flailing arm and calmed. "... Oh, my GOD, that was so satisfying."
... and they watched the big screen monitor as the dragon slumped in defeat.
***
Carl set the hand controllers on a side table and took off the VR headset, placing it on the table with the controllers. He ran a hand through his thinning hair as he turned to face his friends sitting on the couch behind him. "Yes!" he exclaimed pumping his fist in the air.
Aaron stood, reached out his right hand to shake Carl's, pulling him in and throwing his left arm around Carl for a hug.
"You did it! You won the final online battle against The Writers for us, and that makes 'The Trolls' the champions!"
Ryan and Wilson also stood to hug Carl, as they celebrated their victory.
"Dudes, that was some campaign!" Carl said. "That took a lot of teamwork. I couldn't have done it without the rest of you flipping off your opponents, too."
"But, like, yours was the WORST," Ryan said. "The Writers put their best into that final one."
"Yeah, man," Wilson said. "Did you see that fire it shot out of its ass when you were sneaking up on it?"
"Dude," Carl said, "I felt it! That's why I had to run around it and cut its head off with the sword. I couldn't just ignore it. And shooting it in the ass might not have stopped it from burning me with another fart." He turned back to the TV screen and thrust his hand out defiantly, flipping his middle finger out in a 'Fuck you!' sign. "Take THAT 1, Writers!" he shouted.
"Hey, guys," Arron said, "This calls for a celebration. To 'THE TROLLS!'" he exclaimed, and they all pumped their fists in the air. "Let's grab the trash on the way out and head down the block to the Sheetz Quick Stop for a Slurpee."
"Great idea, man," Wilson said. "That's why you're the boss!"
"That, and because I have the VR system," Aaron said.
The four friends went up the stairs to the kitchen, where Aaron grabbed the trash bag, and they left through the kitchen door. As he put the trash in the large bin outside, Ryan asked sheepishly "Hey, can one of you guys, like, spot me for a Slurpee?"
"Yeah, no problem," Aaron said. "I got ya covered. Grandma paid me to cut her grass this morning." As they walked down the driveway toward the sidewalk, he asked "What are you guys doing tomorrow?"
They turned left at the end of the driveway, beginning the trek past the neighbor houses.
"Man, I've got a volunteer shift at the fire station," Wilson said. "I need to be there from seven in the morning all day AND all night!"
"Dude, they're not paying you yet?" Carl asked as if surprised.
"Naw, man. But I'll get in as a paid fireman, soon as I pass the online exam."
"What about you, Carl?" Aaron asked.
"I've got inventory at the supermarket, dude. That's an all-day thing."
"I saw Rachel going in there yesterday," Aaron said. "Do you ever talk to her?"
"Fuck that slut," Carl said angrily. "I wouldn't touch that cunt with YOUR dick! I haven't talked to that bitch in ten years."
"Did you ever burn her car like you planned?" Wilson asked.
"Not yet," Carl replied. "I'm waiting for the right moment."
"What did you finally do with that guy you caught her with?" Aaron asked.
"Oh, I got back at him," Carl said. "I sent an e-mail to his parents telling them he was a home wrecker. Then I sent them a large envelope with a pair of Rachels used panties she had stained. I said, 'That's from your son's junk!' I'll bet he still hasn't heard the last of it from them."
"You told his parents?" Wilson said. "Man, that's cold!"
"Like, I'm free tomorrow, Aaron," Ryan piped in. "You have another lawn to do?"
"No," Aaron said. "But now that this battle is won, we need to find someone else to fuck with online." He suddenly stopped, crouching low, and holding his arms out to block the others.
"What's up, dude?" Carl asked quietly.
Aaron pointed to the next house, with tall hedges along their driveway which were about twenty feet away from the side of the house. The hedges mostly blocked the guys' view of the side of the house, so at their distance, they could only see a little light.
"There," Aaron said quietly, pointing toward the hedges. "See that light through the bushes near the back of the house. That's the window I was telling you about."
"Man, you mean Brooks' old lady?"
"Yeah," Aaron said quietly. "She leaves her bedroom blinds open, like she's a slut, wanting everyone to see."
"Let's go see, like, if she's there," Ryan said in a whisper. "I want to see her boobies."
"Dude! Grow up!" Carl said. "They're called TITS!"
There were a line of cars in the driveway, so the guys bent over and walked along the cars, using them to conceal their approach to the back window. As they came up near that window, Aaron squeezed between two cars and put his back against the house, with the others following his lead.
The bottom of the window was at about their head height, so Aaron ducked under it as he passed, allowing the others to get closer on their side of the window.
