Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 16:22:30 -0400 From: Tom Cup <tom_cup@hotmail.com> Subject: David's Fortunes - Chapter 6 Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 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 alternative 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: These chapters were written some time ago and are based on "David's Christmas Present" which can be found here on Nifty. The original author was unable to finish the story and asked for others to do so. For reasons that I won't go into here, these chapters have been only available to the members of TomCup.com. We are releasing them now for the enjoyment of Nifty readers. Because "David's Fortunes" begins where the original ended, at chapter 11 of "David's Christmas Present", the reader may wish to read the original eleven chapters before proceeding here. If you are familiar with the original story, we hope that you will enjoy the alternative ending in the following chapters. ************************************************************************ What's New at TomCup.com? Of Our Teenage Years Chapter 13 Added 5/20 The Innocents Part 4: Paulo and Beto By Richard Dean Chapter 8 Added 5/18 Private Lessons Chapter 6 Added 5/12 KOA Boy Chapter 6 Added 04/23 Stephen Miller's Journal Chapter 12 Added 4/13 Mentoring Brandon Chapter 8 Added 4/13 Raptors By Richard Dean Chapter 7 Added 4/13 Age Before Beauty Chapter 4 Added 4/08 Calvin: Identity Crisis Chapter 12 Added 4/02 In Memory of Steve: Chapter 9 Added 2/13 Short Story: Ambrosius Added 1/29 Short Story: Blair Manor Added 1/29 Sexfiles File 10 Added 11/30 Short Story: Can I Stay With You Added 11/30 ************************************************************************ David's Fortunes By Tom Cup Chapter 6 The Only Thing Left To Do David looked out of the window of Gerald Lee's house. He had been pacing for hours wondering where Gerald, John and especially Adam could be. He had thought of searching the reservation but decided against the measure, realizing that staying put was the best recourse. Gerald said that he would be expecting him and told him to wait if he were not there. So David waited. Through the window, David saw a young man, about Adam's age, dressed in ceremonial regalia. The young man's face was grave as he stared back at David, a torch held in his right hand. David calmed the fear that leapt into his heart. Gerald had assured him that Adam was OK and resting comfortably. But what if Adam's condition had changed between the telephone conversation and the time it took David to arrive at the house? Often injuries from accidents don't show up for hours, sometimes days, after the incident. David took a deep breath. Gerald Lee would do everything in his power to care for Adam, David knew, just as David would. The young man said nothing when David opened the door. He turned and began walking away. David followed him. He led David east through the reservation for nearly a mile. David followed silently. They then suddenly turned to the south. David could see flames in the distance, beyond a hilltop where the crescent moon was rising. He breathed a sigh of relief. They were nearing their destination. ************ Three elders sat on the north of the great circle, washed by the dancing firelight. To their right sat three more elders, grim in their continence. Across the circle, to David's right sat three elder women. Adam was seated with his back to David. David was directed to sit with him. Gerald Lee stood before the council gathering. "Here me! I bring before you two of the community, wounded of spirit, in much need of healing medicine! They walk the Red Road, they sit at the Golden Door; they are lost in the Great Mystery! They do not know which direction to turn; to the East, South, West, North, Above, Below or Within. I pray for strong medicine. I beseech thee to call upon Grandfather Sun, Grandmother Moon, Father Sky, Mother Earth, the Thunder Beings and the Stone People; bring strong animal medicine to their aid. I beseech thee!" The center elder nodded and Gerald seemed to vanish in a cloak of shadows. David glanced sideways at Adam. The boy would not look at him. He sat trembling, staring beyond the flames at the three elders that directly faced David and he. David wanted to reach out and touch him, to calm his fears. He wanted to tell Adam that all was forgiven. David wanted to assure Adam that nothing would ever come between them, not Gwen, not government authorities, not mistakes on either of their behalves; nothing. But he found that he could not move. His gaze was brought back to the center of the circle as the medicine man began to sing and dance about the flames. ************ Adam was frightened. As his grandfather walked John and him to the spot on the hill, Gerald told Adam of what he had learned from horse. "Horse is powerful and wise. Horse has entered the darkness and knows the way to light. He gives answers so we may instruct others. He can see the humor in all things and he knows that responsibility leads to wisdom. Horse runs with steady feet, for he is balanced in all things. You, my son, must learn of Horse's steadiness. You run without reason. Your destination is unclear. Tonight we shall make strong medicine." "I don't understand Grandfather," Adam said. "You are swallowed within. But there are seven directions to be understood; that of the East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Within. You have no balance because you look in only one direction. So you are lost. We will help you to find yourself." "What about Dad?" Adam whispered, "What about David." "David Saunders is a good man, as men of the white race are counted, but he too is lost. We will help you both to find yourselves." "Grandfather," Adam said, "I'm sorry. I still don't understand." "I ask you to think on Horse's question," Gerald said solemnly, "Why the hurry?" Adam was puzzled by the question. He hadn't thought of himself as being in a hurry. But the more he thought on the question, as he was forced to wait first for the ceremonial circle to be prepared and then for David's arrival, he was consumed with his own impatience. The elder's sat stoically staring through him. He felt they could read his mind. He felt they could see his very soul. By the time David arrived a deep shame had settled within Adam that made him tremble. He wanted to weep at his own lack of knowledge of himself. ************ David didn't hear anyone approach. He only realized the presences of the two men as Adam was lifted and taken before the elders. Adam fell before them with his head bowed. He trembled and wept. The elders looked at him dispassionately. They waited until Adam calmed himself before they spoke. They spoke in Cherokee. The meaning of their words was lost to both David and Adam but the tone was grave, ritualistic. A pouch was produced. David didn't know from where. The pouch was extended to Adam. Adam reached into the pouch nine times, each time removing a stone and laying it on the ground. Cries came from the surrounding darkness as each stone was removed and announced. David didn't understand why but he found himself trembling. "Dragonfly medicine," one of the elder women crooned, "filled with illusion. Why do you deceive yourself? Why do you wear a mask? Crow asks, why you see things with only one eye, when you have two. You must learn to look at things in more than one way." The woman continued through the nine stones Adam had chosen. Sometimes Adam nodded his understanding. Sometimes tears rolled down his cheeks because of the understanding the woman gave him of himself. He felt as if his soul had been pulled from him hot with jagged edges and then washed with soothing waters and made smooth as a pebble long tumbled in a running stream. By the time the medicine man came to him and blessed him with singing prayers, Adam felt renewed. He stood before the council and thanked his mothers and fathers. David's eyes released their eyes. Adam vanished into the darkness. David was lifted to his feet and brought before the elders. ************ When David awoke, he didn't know where he was or how he had gotten there. The first thing he noticed was that he felt better than he had ever felt. His entire being felt refreshed and alive. The second thing he noticed was that he was nude. The room was dark. He wrapped his blanket around himself, sat up and shook off his chill. "Adam," David whispered. "I am over here." David forced his eyes to adjust as the faint light of the morning sun began to light the small, bare cabin. He made out Adam's figure sitting in a corner. Adam sat motionless. He was also nude, his arms wrapped around his knees as he stared in David's direction. "Where are we?" David asked, "What happened?" "I don't know. The last thing I remember is being led out of the circle. I don't know how we got here." "Yeah, that's about the last thing I remember too," David said sliding over to the corner where Adam was sitting. He opened the blanket for Adam to share. "How long have you been sitting here?" "Not long. I got cold. They only left one blanket." "Why didn't you just curl up with me?" David asked, pleased to feel Adam's body fold into his. "There was no hurry. I wanted to let you sleep. I wanted to watch you wake." David cocked his head and turned Adam's face toward his own. He searched Adam's eyes. "Adam? What is it?" "I learned a lot last night." "So did I" "So why have we been in such a hurry?" "Love is like that sometimes. You get swept away in the moment." "We've been running David. At least I have." "What do you mean?" "I've been running away from my past. I've been hurrying our relationship because I didn't want to lose you. I didn't know it until last night. I didn't do it on purpose. But I wanted to get as much of you as possible just in case it ever ended." David sighed. "Ditto." "So if we really love each other what's the hurry? Why are we still running?" "I don't know Adam. I don't know what happened last night but I'm not afraid anymore. Maybe it's that everyone in the community knows that we are lovers and accepts it. I don't know." "It's more than that. David, there's something here, something about the ways of this people that's... it's ... I don't know." "Healing," David whispered, "Makes you want to take root." "Yes," Adam agreed, "That's it. I don't want to run anymore." "What are you saying Adam?" "I want to stay." "I see...." "I don't mean that you have to stay, if you don't want, but I do want to stay." "I see...." "Please don't be angry, David. I love you. I really do. I'm yours. Really. But I have some growing up to do. I know that now. I have lessons that I need to learn and I want to learn them here. I think I can learn them best here. Do you understand?" "Yeah," David breathed, "I do. I really do. I kind of figured that we had come to the same conclusion." "What do you mean?" "I have some things to deal with back home. I'm tired of running too, Adam. If I had been upfront with Gwen maybe none of this would have happened." "I'm glad this happened," Adam said and then became suddenly alarmed, "Oh my god, the truck! What about the truck? Oh god David I'm so sorry!" "Forget the fucking truck. Who cares?" "I'm sorry. I should have never done such a stupid thing." "You got that right. I should spank that tight ass of yours. But I don't think that's necessary. You realize you'll probably have to..." "Yeah, go to court. Have to do community service or some shit." "Yup, most likely," David sighed. He pulled Adam tighter into his arms, "So I'll go back. Settle things with Gwen and mom, get Arnie settled in as the new CEO of Powernet and join you here." "I don't want you to give up your life for me. I told you. There's no hurry." "Adam, I'm not giving up my life. I'm finally ready to start living my life and I want to live it with you, here among our people. I want the twins to experience what we experienced here. I have never in my life felt so part of a community, so at home, so rooted to a culture with real direction. I want that for the twins too." "Oh my god, the twins. I have to go back. They'll think I've abandoned them." "No, love. The twins will understand. Besides, we'll be up here every weekend until we're ready to settle in ourselves." "You're really going to let me stay?" "Yes." Adam began to weep. "I love you so much." "I love you too." "Can we make love now?" Adam asked. "I think the air is clear between us. It's the only thing left to do." ************ The knock on the cabin door had startled Adam and David but by the time they untangled themselves, and David peeped out the door, whoever had knocked was gone. Outside the door were a tray of food and two changes of clothes. David shrugged, brought the items in, and resumed his lovemaking with Adam. They spent a second night in the cabin before deciding it was time to rejoin the rest of the world. They walked slowly through the reservation, hand in hand, making their way through smiling faces to the house of Adam's grandfather. Gerald Lee was pleased to house Adam until David could return with the rest of the family. John was ecstatic. Adam quickly reminded his brother that there would be no hanky-panky between them. "I'm a married man," Adam proclaimed. The drive back wasn't lonely, despite the fact that the seat next to David was minus its passenger. David laughed as he passed the accident scene. The truck had been removed. He turned up the song he had set on repeat since leaving the reservation. Gladys Knight's voice boomed over the speakers. I've had my share Of life's ups and downs But fates been kind The downs have been few I guess you could say That I've been lucky I guess you could say That it's all because of you David threw his head back and bellowed the chorus, even though his voice was strained and sore from the repeated singing of the song. If anyone Should ever write My life story For whatever reason there might be You'll be there Between each line of pain and glory `Cause you're the best thing That ever happened to me Ah, you're the best thing that ever happened to me David laughed again and banged his fists on the steering wheel to the thump of the song's base. Visions of Adam and his love making, the smell and taste of Adam, was still rich in his mind. The slow, lingering, good-bye kiss that Adam gave David (while grinding his groin into David's) before his departure, aroused David as much now as it had then. The kiss said, `hurry home dear, I'll be waiting.' David pressed the accelerator to the floor. He had no intentions of procrastinating. ************************************************************************ Send comments to: comments@tomcup.com To support this and other stories by the author, join at http://www.tomcup.com. If you like this story, check out Tom Cup's "Calvin: A Coming of Age Story." Available at Barnes and Nobles Bookstores, Amazon.com, your local independent bookseller, or from Tom Cup.com.