Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2001 04:55:05 -0400
From: Tom Cup <tom_cup@hotmail.com>
Subject: Angel -  Chapter 8 G/M Y/A

Angel by Tom Cup

Copyright 2001 by the Paratwa Partnership: A Colorado Corporation. All
rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means electronic or mechanical, except in the case of reviews, without
written permission from the Paratwa Partnership, Inc, 354 Plateau Drive,
Florissant, CO 80816

This is a fictional story involving youth/youth and adult/youth sexual
relationships. If this type of material offends you, please do not read any
further. This material is intended for mature adult audiences. Names,
characters, locations and incidents are either the product of the author's
imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual events or
locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

***********************************************************************

Author's note:  I would like to thank all who read and took time to write
encouraging these writing - if you are a lurker, reading the stories and
haven't even bothered to let me know, shame on you -  and all the members of
the Tom Cup Gallery for their support of these writings.  Thank you!

Please visit the member's area of the Tom Cup Library if you are looking for
Chapters 5 of "A Place Called Home"; Chapter 11 of "Angel"; Chapter 5 of The
Lion of Bolognia (Kevin Chapter 19); Chapter 2 of "In Memory of Steve;"
Chapter 24 of "Calvin" or Chapter 2 of Tommy -- The Return.  A new story,
"Terms of Living," has been added as well as the Short Story Gallery
featuring "My Brother's Smile," "Loved by Joey," Karate Master" and More!
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Angel
By Tom Cup

Chapter 8

Father Cornelius wasn't sure how he felt about the news that Darcy had been
found wandering down a wilderness pass some fifty miles from where he and
Angel had disappeared.  The officer that called said that some hikers found
the boy, dehydrated, incoherent, and wondering aimlessly on the Colorado
Trail.

How he got there was still a mystery. If he hadn't been found he would have
been dead in less than a day, day in a half at most.  Thankfully, he was
stabilized at a local hospital and would soon be ready for release into the
custody of The Church's Ranch for Boys.

There would be additional questions to be answered, of course.  The child
welfare people would investigate, Bishop Albright was due to arrive later in
the day, and Father Cornelius had questions of his own. Darcy had not given
any information as to where he had been or how he'd gotten there.  While
other test results had not come back as yet, the blood work done at the
hospital, showed minimal alcohol use.  It was the suspicions of everyone
involved that the boy simply tried to runaway and, like most runaways, had
gotten into some mischief leading to his discovery.

Father Cornelius really didn't care about the speculations.  He was
interested in the answer to only one question:  did Darcy know where Angel
was or what had happened to him?

Bishop Albright wanted to check on Father Kennedy's progress before leaving
to question Darcy.  He had time to think things through before arriving to
meet with Father Cornelius and immediately apologized to the priest for the
harsh tone of his telephone call.  Father Cornelius was gracious, of course,
and took full responsibility for the boys' disappearance.

"At least we have one of them back," Father Cornelius said as hopefully as
possible.

"Yes," reflected the Bishop absentmindedly as Father Cornelius escorted him
to Father Kennedy's room, "but he is not the one the Church seems anxious to
have back."

Father Cornelius took immediate note of the Bishop's comment. He studied the
man from the corner of his eye wondering if the Church already knew of his
indiscretions with the boy.  But how could they? The priest thought. I need
to get a grip on myself.

Father Kennedy was awake and smiling as they entered the room. He wanted
news of Angel and listened carefully as the Bishop, with Father Cornelius'
help, told him of the recovery of Darcy.

"There is something you are not telling me Paul," the old priest stated
looking deep into his friends eyes, "What is troubling you."

The Bishop looked toward Cornelius who immediately began to excuse himself
but Father Kennedy intervened, "Paul, this man is one of only two people,
that we know of, that the boy has spoken with.  Do you not think it wise to
be forthcoming with him?"

The Bishop sighed deeply, "You may stay Father Cornelius but I must insist
that what I say here and now remain between us. Also, you must agree to
share everything the boy has said to you and anything else that may be
relevant to this discussion. I am in a sense breaking holy orders by
confiding my suspicions to you."

Father Cornelius nodded.

"I was visited," Bishop Albright began, "I was told to find the boy and
return him to the Church."

"I don't understand," Father Cornelius sought clarification.

"I think you do Father," the Bishop continued, "Angel has been under the
care of the Church since birth."

The three men sat quietly together in the room allowing what had been said
to sink into their respective consciousness.  There was more to the mystery
than a boy who suddenly began to speak, who when he spoke said things that
bordered on prophetic, or who had manage to disappear.  It was to late for
the Bishop to simply find the boy and return him to his superiors.  They all
realized they were becoming co-conspirators, conspiring to find out the
truth concerning Angel.

"What do you have in mind Paul?" Father Kennedy asked.

"Are we agreed then?" Bishop Albright asked looking distinctly at Cornelius.
  Cornelius met his gaze and nodded.  He knew that there were other things
about Angel that needed to be shared with the Bishop and Father Kennedy but
he would wait for a better time.

"Well, the first thing is," Bishop Albright said looking fierce but more
relaxed, "We have to get you out of here.  You are no good to us laying
around in a hospital bed."

*****


"Where are we going?" Jonathan asked again.

They were traveling west as best as Jonathan could guess.  Angel had wakened
him before sunrise and insisted they needed to start on their way.  Jonathan
had asked then where they were going but Angel had only insisted that they
hurry.

The priest was in fairly good shape but was having trouble keeping up with
the youth.  Angel scampered over hills, rock outcroppings, down twisting
nearly invisible paths; stopping only occasionally to get his bearings.  It
was clear to Jonathan that the boy knew where he was headed.

By noon, they entered a gulch with a pond, which was fed from one end with
running water, and rock over hangings that shielded them from the sun.
Angel announced that they would rest there from the heat of the day and
began tearing small strips of cloth from his alb.

"What are you doing?"  Jonathan asked.

"Check under those rocks over there," Angel answered as he tied the last of
the cloth together, "We'll need a few worms."

"What?"

"Trout," Angel answered pointing to the pond.

It was by no means an easy task but within two hours they had managed to
catch two of the fish. They cooked them on a small fire that Angel started
with friction of two sticks, dried leaves and pine needles.  Jonathan was
even more intrigued by the boy.

"In an hour it will be cool enough to move on," Angel announced stooping to
drink from the pond.  He then doused the fire with a few handfuls of the
water.

"Where are we going?"  Jonathan returned to the song he was most familiar.

"You're taking me home," Angel answered.

"Angel," Jonathan started to a full seated position, "the ranch, I'm sure,
we're going in the wrong direction."

"I'm not going back to the ranch.  I'm going home. I'm going to free my
brothers."

*****

Darcy watched the three men enter his room.  It took him a moment to
recognize Father Cornelius simply because he had never seen the man in
street clothes. Having this frame to work from he now recognized one of the
other two men as Father Kennedy.

"Who are you?" Darcy asked his head cocked towards his third visitor.

"I am Bishop Albright. I have some questions for you. Are you up to
talking?"

Darcy searched the faces of the men briefly, sighed deeply and lay back in
his bed.  "I don't now where he is," he stated plainly, "and I wouldn't tell
you if I did."

"I see," answered the Bishop, "Tell me, why would you not help someone who
may be in need?"

Darcy laughed, "Angel?  He doesn't need your help."

"Why do you say this?" Bishop Albright asked.

"What help does the devil need?" Hissed the boy.

"Darcy!" Father Cornelius spoke out of shock.

"It's all right Father," the bishop responded raising his right hand in a
gesture ordering silence. "So you think that Angel is of the devil?"

"No, he IS the devil," Darcy spat glaring and pointing at Cornelius, "and he
is his minister!"

Father Cornelius cringed at Darcy's attack.  He stepped back against his
will. He had never seen Darcy so animated and hostile. The boy looked to be
on the verge of a psychotic break. The three men exchanged glances before
Bishop Albright spoke.

Perhaps Fathers," he began but was interrupted but a light tap on the door.
The men turned to see a doctor motioning them out of the room. Darcy began
to laugh uncontrollably and with a confused glance back in his direction the
men exited.

"I'm afraid we will not be able to release...." The doctor looked at the file
heading, "Darcy to you at this time."

"I see," answered Bishop Albright for the group, "He seems most agitated."

"Well, if you've been through what he has..." the doctor commented.

"What exactly has he been through?" injected Father Cornelius a little
impatiently.

"Perhaps we'd better use a conference room," responded the doctor.

The conference room, of course, was three floors up.  After waiting silently
at the elevator for longer any of them cared, they all agreed to use the
stairs.  The doctor led them into the conference and closed the door.  In
his best detached manner, he stated the facts:

"At approximately 3:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon a teenage male was admitted
to Emergency Care.  The male was dehydrated and incoherent."

"Yes, yes," Father Kennedy snapped impatiently.

"The boy was sodomized," the doctor said bluntly as much for affect as to
rebuke the priest's impatience.

"What?" asked Father Cornelius in shock, "When?"

"Sometime after you reported him missing," the doctor nodded sensing he had
regained command of the conversation, "and repeatedly."

"I don't understand," Father Kennedy felt suddenly weak and frail.

"I have, of course, already notified Child Welfare as is mandated in these
circumstances," the doctor reported, "Physically the boy is fine.  But
emotionally..."

"I understand," responded the Bishop standing and taking command of the
situation, "Thank you doctor.  Gentlemen, I believe that we have taken
enough of the doctor's time."

The Bishop walked to the door and opened it.  The doctor followed behind him
and was waved through.  It wasn't until he was standing inside the elevator
looking up at the backlit numbers that he realized that he had been
summarily dismissed.  The smile immediately left his face.

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