The boys murmured their approval as she sipped at the whiskey, taking just a little and making a face. She handed the bottle to Lonny but he motioned it back to her. "You gotta do better than that."
She took a second sip and a third at Lonny's insistence before he would accept the bottle and take a gurgling swig, smacking his lips and handing the bottle off. "That's the only way to drink white lightning: get it down fast and sit back and wait."
Beth watched the bottle going around. By the time it got back to her it would be near empty or gone. At the most, she only had to take one more sip. Perhaps they would get too drunk and she could control them. When the bottle reached Mike, next to her, he tossed off what remained and reached, to her heart skipping dismay, into his coat and pulled out a fresh pint, pulling out the cork and offering her the bottle.
"Drink up," Lonny urged, "You got some catching up to do."
Beth sipped at the whiskey again and had to sip three times before Lonny, with a sneer, snatched the bottle from her hands and suddenly strong young hands were grabbing her roughly, pinning her arms at her sides, forcing her head back. "Ill scream!" Beth yelled.
"Go ahead," Lonny said kneeling on the seat and looming above her with the bottle. "Nobody wild hear you. Ain't nobody around for miles.
She lashed out with her feet but only succeeded in kicking the steering column. "Wooo-eee! She's got spirit! I like 'em with spirit." He had her head brutally locked in the crook of his arm and forcing it back until she thought he would break her neck. His other hand was trying to pry her mouth open. She bit his finger hard and he yelled and twisted it free. He sucked on it a second before slapping her hard in the face, hard enough for her to see stars. "Fucking bitch!" he spat and Beth didn't know which stunned her more: his slap or his language.
She didn't have any time to think about it. Lonny was splashing white lightning ad over her mouth and face and some of it seeped in her mouth and down her throat and she opened her mouth to catch her breath and Lonny turned the bottle upside down as the whiskey gurgled out.
Beth gagged and started and they let go of her neck so that she could cough and catch her breath. She finally heaved a sigh and fell back, her eyes closed. Enough of this white lightning found its way down her throat for her to feel it already and it was with a dulled sense of resignation that she let them pull back her head once more and pour more whiskey until she gagged and choked.
Then they sat in silence for a few minutes, watching her catch her breath and then lean back in the seat, her eyes closed. Those that were holding her arms felt them relax and they let go. She opened her eyes and saw all the young boys smiling expectantly at her. She could feel the alcohol beginning to take effect and she tried to focus her mind. You'll never get away with this, you know. Why, just forcing me to stay where I am, getting me to come up here, all of this can be called kidnapping. You know what the laws are for kidnapping?"
Lonny laughed again, jabbing with his elbow at his friends and giving Beth a little squeeze. You invited us up here, right fellas? That's contributing to the delinquency of minors. How about them apples?"
The boys all laughed. The bottle was thrust at Beth again and she drank to assuage her fear. What kind of thing had she fallen into? What kind of people were they? First Tina and then Wilma and now these leering kids. The whiskey burned down heir throat and into her stomach. Beth knew she had to get out of the mess she was in. If nothing else, she could roll the camper downhill to a place where she could call for help or be seen.
Then her rapidly fogging mind realized she would be rolling downhill backwards in the dark and there were so many twists and turns. Which was the first one, right or left?
While she was thinking, the boys were moving. Mike suddenly had her by the wrist. "Come on," he said, getting out and pulling her. "Not 'nough room. In the back then we all can get in."
Beth stepped out of the cab and fell drunkenly into the bushes as the boys laughed and pulled her roughly to her feet. She was pulled, half leaning, along the length of the camper and helped in. She was pushed inside with Mike yelling, "Let her have a seat, give the li'l lady a seat
She found her way to her bully and sat down heavily. The white lightning was having its effect. She tried to focus as the boys crowded in, an seven of them with Lonny being the eighth and loader. They began prying into things, tossing books around, laughing, investigating what food she had and even going through her clothing, holding her thin flimsy panties up and hooting.
Beth made a feeble attempt to stop them, holding out one arm and finding a pint in it. "Come on, bottom's up!" they yelled, sprawling all around her. She drank again, finding it did indeed go doom easier after a few drinks. She handed the bottle to Lonny and smiled at him in a futile attempt to get him on her side.
Mike was rolling some cigarettes and passing them around. The boys were lighting them up and inhaling, holding their breath and passing them on. Mike handed her one and Beth looked at it with bleary eyes. "I don't smoke," she said, holding it out to Lonny.
"You'll smoke this one," Lonny said. That's something special."
"What is its' Beth asked, her tongue suddenly thick.
"Grass," one of the boys said, laughing.
Beth looked puzzled, knitting her brows and looking down at the badly made cigarette.
"Pot! Mary Jane! Marijuana!" Lonny said, leaning close. "It'll turn you on."
"No!" Beth said, throwing the cigarette away.
Lonny shrugged. "Okay, then it's more white lightning for our schoolteacher. Where the hell is the bottle?"
"No, please," Beth slurred, putting her hands up. "I'll get sick."
"You'll get smashed, that's what!" Mike yelled as he grabbed her again and they forced her head back and raw alcohol poured down her throat and she choked and gasped.
One of the boys found her Coleman lantern and pumped it up and lit it, adjusting the wick so that the light was low. The boys checked the curtains at Lonny's warning. "Any little bit of light up here will travel for miles."
Beth had her hand over her mouth, still trying to catch her breath when Lonny retrieved the marijuana cigarette and handed it back to her, saying, "Take this or another belt of booze."
Beth took the cigarette and they lighted it and she puffed on it, blowing the smoke out.
"No, take a deep drag then hold it in!" Mike said.
She did as she was told. She held her breath for as long as she could exhaling in a long sigh. They made her smoke the whole cigarette and she was grateful for the time, trying to think of what she could do. There was a flashlight. She could get the flashlight and hit them with it and run down the trail. She grinned to herself and Lonny, seeing the grin, said, "Ah, the lady is getting stoned."
The trouble was, she couldn't remember where the flashlight was. Despite the circumstances, it was funny that she couldn't remember and she giggled. The harder she giggled, the more she tried to stop. Soon, it seemed like they were all laughing as hard as they could and the camper was hot and thick with a sweet pungent odor.
Beth stopped laughing, wiping her eyes and sitting up. So much time had gone by. Or had it? She looked at the cigarette in her hand and was amazed to see that it was nothing but a tiny stub! It had gone out and just a second ago she had taken her first puff!
Before she could say anything, she was handed another cigarette and somebody lit it for her. Beth sat back on her cot, crossing her legs and smoking. She had never felt so strange. She seemed to be floating, drifting and her body felt good even if it seemed impossible to know how much time had gone by or what was happening. Lonny was next to her on the cot. "Feel good, now?" he asked.