Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:27:40 +0000
From: David Lee <dlee169@hotmail.com>
Subject: Second Chance, Chapter 1
Second Chance (a new love story by David Lee)
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of
consenting age. If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in
your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave
this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the
legal age to read this, please do not do so.
The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original
story. You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit
authorization from me.
Disclaimer:
This story is completely fictional. Many of the places mentioned, and none
of the characters exist in real life. Some may possess physical or
personality characteristics of people I know or have known. But if you see
yourself in this story, your imagination is better than mine!
"Second Chance" is a romantic story centering on the lives of high school
kids and adult lovers, but not normally in a cross-generational sense.
References to sex with under-age kids may be made for the sake of the story
line. However, I feel that child molestation is a crime and should not be
glorified or tolerated.
This is not my first attempt at writing fiction. My other stories on Nifty
include: "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004),
"Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004), and "Tales from Bentonville" (November
16, 2008) under High School. Some characters from previous stories may
have cameo roles in this one. However, you need not read them first.
I am now posted on Nifty under the category of "Prolific Net Authors" which
will make it easier for you to access earlier stories. Some of these
stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us along with those of other
writers that may interest you.
My only reward for contributing to Nifty is your emails. Please write if
you like the story. Please include the name of the story in the title of
your email because my email service sometimes puts them in the "spam" file.
Finally, thanks and hugs to Tom and David who edit for me so that there are
fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable
suggestions.
I have gotten in the habit of recognizing readers who email since the last
posting (in the "author's notes" at the end of each chapter). I will try
to continue this. Please let me know if you would rather have a nickname
posted or do not want any mention at all.
David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
Second Chance, Chapter 1
Eric Larson was not a happy camper. Actually, he wasn't camping yet, but
his father was going to be dragging him out on a six day, five night trek
into the wilderness. YUCK! Even worse was the fact that they would be
going with another father and son team whom Eric had never met and didn't
care to meet. However, Eric's protests had fallen on deaf ears.
He had sometimes assumed that his mother's criticism of his father had been
motivated by an attempt to estrange the two Larson males after the messy
divorce, but now he was beginning to wonder if she had really been trying
to keep him away from an aggressive, controlling man who seemed to be
intent on making his life miserable. Yet, his dad hadn't seemed like that
in the past. Of course they'd not spent enough time in each other's
company in several years for Eric to know his father.
For at least half of his two-week stay with his dad this year, Eric would
have no access to a cell phone, a computer, a video game, or anything else
that was an integral part of his world. How was he supposed to survive?
God, there wouldn't even be refrigeration or plumbing facilities much less
air conditioning. Primitive camping was not something that Eric found
appealing in any sense of the word. He knew that there would be mosquitoes
and other bugs. He'd have to sleep on the ground in a tent. He might even
be attacked by bears or wolves.
But Scott Larson had insisted that this trip WAS going to happen. He was
not about to lose the $100 deposit per person that he'd sent to guarantee
their reservations. He was also eager to see his old college roommate,
Ben, with whom he had reconnected by email after a 15 year hiatus.
----------
Ben Brady's son, Josh, was a couple of months younger than Eric and was
also heading into his junior year of school in the fall. Ben and Scott had
agreed that it was high time that their offspring met. They hoped that the
boys would hit it off like they had and become good friends too. If so,
the widower and the divorcee might plan future trips together.
In recent years, Josh and his dad had become closer than most teenagers and
their fathers. They had gone through a difficult period of emotional
isolation while grieving the premature death of Josh's mother. But after
nearly two years, and a number of counseling sessions, they had not only
made their peace, but actually bonded almost like brothers. Josh knew that
he could say almost anything in front of his dad without feeling
self-conscious.
Living in the Twin Cities area, Ben and his son had gone on numerous
camping and canoeing adventures in nearby lakes. Usually, their outings
spanned an afternoon or a couple of days at most, but their dream had
always been to make an extended journey into the Boundary Waters in the
northern part of Minnesota. Now that wish was going to become a reality.
A four-hour drive to Ely was all that stood in the way of meeting up with
the other guys at the outfitters lodge. Then they could leave the stress
of civilization behind and become one with nature for a week.
----------
The drive for the pair coming from eastern Iowa could take more than twice
as long. Even if Eric and his dad took only a short lunch break, it was
still likely to take around nine hours. That meant if they allowed a
little extra time in case of a flat tire or other problem, they would have
to leave around 7:30 in the morning in order to arrive in time for the 4:00
p.m. orientation with the outfitter.
Eric was even less pleased at the prospect of arising before 7:00. Hell,
this was supposed to be vacation, not boot camp! No teen in the civilized
world got up before 8:00 or 9:00 in the summer.
The father and his disgruntled son had packed everything the night before.
Scott had taken Eric to the local Wal-Mart to buy rubber sandals for the
trip. They'd also picked up a second bottle of Deep Woods Off containing a
heavy concentration of Deet to ward off insects. Scott checked off each of
these on his master list.
Eric was not happy to be limited to such a small number of clothes. He had
two pairs of nylon shorts with support liners, three pairs of microfiber
boxer briefs, a running suit with long sleeves, two pairs of socks, warm-up
pants, and a hooded nylon jacket. The latter two items had been sprayed
with Camp Dry to increase their water repelling capabilities. The only
other pieces of clothing consisted of a baseball cap and a pair of hiking
shoes. Eric wasn't sure that anyone could exist more than three days with
that amount of apparel. At least his dad let him pack a separate bag with
a couple of outfits for the trip home.
----------
It was a grouchy Eric who grudgingly greeted the day on Saturday morning.
His father's cheerfulness made his mood even darker. ("Morning Becomes
Electra", but not Eric!)
A warm shower eased some of his discontent, but not all, since he didn't
have time to take care of one particular need. Just as he was taking his
swelling appendage in his hand, he heard his father calling him to hurry.
Eric wondered when, and if, he'd be able to relieve himself in the next
week! The thought dampened his spirits again.
Even the hearty breakfast that his father had prepared didn't serve to
lighten his mood. However, he did manage to put his share away and it did
taste surprisingly good.
The only thing that nearly put a smile on his brooding young face was that
his dad handed him the car keys to drive the first leg of the journey.
Dad's late model Sebring convertible was going to be fun to drive. Eric
would stop at the first rest area to put the top down when the temperature
rose enough to do that. Suddenly, he wasn't as sleepy as he had been.
----------
With the cruise control set at about three miles over the speed limit and
the TomTom GPS to guide them, Eric and Scott were making better time than
they had expected. After a couple of hours, Scott suggested that they
should stop for a potty break and a snack. Eric was happy to stretch his
legs. He was also willing to ride for a while instead of drive. Storm
clouds were moving in and it looked like the top would have to be put up
again. Eric could catch up on his sleep while his father was behind the
wheel.
----------
The light drizzle that fell for the next couple of hours didn't prevent the
guys from being ahead of schedule, so they had time for a leisurely lunch
at a restaurant famous for its barbeque. The sandwiches that they ordered
were piled high with meat and there was a wide variety of sauces to add to
the taste. The effect of being sated with good food caused Eric to relax
to the point of carrying on a pleasant conversation. He opened up about
things that he liked and disliked about living in the Chicago suburbs. He
talked about swimming and diving, but said little else about school. At
least Scott got caught up on his son's life a little.
----------
Around 3:30 Scott and Eric rolled into the drive of North Country
Expeditions with Eric again at the wheel. The owner, Dan, greeted them and
showed them where to park. Then he pointed out the bunkhouse where they
would stay for the night. Before he could talk further he was summoned
back to his office by an employee who was new at the job.
Eric could not believe the accommodations. The small, musty room was
almost completely filled by two sets of bunk beds. The teen tested one out
to find that it consisted of a plywood foundation covered by a thin
vinyl-covered pad that resembled a wrestling mat. On top of that was a
sleeping bag, but no pillow. This seemed more like a prison camp than a
bunkhouse. Eric flipped open his cell phone to call his mother to figure
out a way to rescue him. There must be an airport somewhere in this
God-forsaken spot.
After telling her about the horrible conditions he was faced with, he
handed the phone to his father.
"She wants a word with you," Eric said smugly.
"Hello. No, it's not that bad! Hell, he's a guy after all; he needs to
suck it up and become a man. No, I won't. (Scott began to make fake
static noises.) Uh, sputter, sputter, you're br-squawk-king up..."
Then he shut the phone off and put it in his pocket.
"Give me back my phone! You can't do that!" Eric nearly screamed.
"I can, and I will. I'm your father and you will not speak to me in that
tone." Scott replied calmly. "Now, let's start unloading our gear from the
car."
Eric was pissed. He was seething inside, but held his tongue. He wasn't,
by nature, a belligerent kid and he knew that his father would win this
particular battle anyway. However, Eric was intent on not having any fun
for the rest of the trip. His dad could take away his phone and force him
to go, but he couldn't force him to enjoy it! He'd show his father!
----------
They were on their way back from the car when a Chrysler Pacifica pulled up
with a teen behind the wheel. The Brady's had arrived.
Ben got out of the passenger seat quickly and ran to greet his old
roommate. The two hugged and pounded each other's backs before standing
back to get a better look.
"God, Ben, you haven't changed a bit!"
"You haven't either, Scott. You've kept your college weight and all of
your hair. You look terrific!"
The two men were so engrossed in their conversation that they had pretty
much forgotten about their sons for the moment. Eric and Josh were sizing
each other up during that time as Josh emerged from the car.
The teens had similar physical characteristics. They were both lean and
trim, but Eric was about an inch taller, and Josh weighed a couple of
pounds more. Neither guy carried an ounce of extra fat.
Both boys had "dirty" blond hair which was long enough to curl up around
the baseball type caps they were wearing. Neither had enough beard to
shave on a regular basis. Even their hazel colored eyes were alike. They
could be mistaken for brothers by anyone who didn't know otherwise.
The awkward silence between the boys didn't last long. Josh Brady was the
type of person who never meets a stranger, so he strode up to Eric offering
a firm handshake and looking him in the eye.
"I'm Josh. You must be Eric. I'm really glad to meet you. My dad was so
excited about seeing your dad again that I thought I was going to have to
give him a Valium! This is going to be an awesome adventure!"
Eric had made up his mind that he wasn't going to like anything or anyone
connected to this "adventure", but he soon found that he could not dislike
this amiable guy who was facing him. There was something about his good
nature that was contagious. He was like Winnie the Pooh's friend Tigger
except he didn't bounce.
In no time the two were involved in an easy conversation getting to know
each other. Eric was impressed with Josh's laid-back manner, self
confidence, and ability to talk about any subject intelligently. Josh was
impressed with Eric's extensive vocabulary and knowledge. It was evident
that he was well educated. Neither guy was lacking in smarts.
By the time the adults realized that they were neglecting their offspring,
there were no introductions to be made. The boys were doing fine on their
own. Their fathers beamed with pleasure that the two seemed to be hitting
it off so well.
Personal conversations were soon interrupted by Dan and his aides as the
orientation began. The campers watched a video about packing out any
litter that would not decompose naturally or could not be burned safely.
Then they were told what food supplies would be in the packs and when each
should be used in order to preserve freshness. Finally, they set the time
to eat breakfast at 7:00 so that they could catch an early tow to the
second lake ahead of a group of boy scouts who were also going out.
After all the details were settled, the guys got into Scott's convertible
(the boys crammed in the small back seat) and headed into town for dinner.
Everyone was ready for a good meal with a large salad because they knew
that greens wouldn't be on the menu until the returned to civilization
again.
When they came back from town, they got their personal packs readied and
took their showers. Everyone agreed that it was sensible to make an early
night of it.
A private, leisurely shower was particularly welcome to Eric. He let the
hot water cascade over his body easing away some of the stress of the day.
With a soapy hand, he finished the task that had been interrupted in his
morning shower. He felt clean and a lot less frustrated as he made his way
back to their Spartan accommodations.
The boys chose to sleep in the top bunks leaving the lower ones for the
"old guys". Their comments about age earned them playful swats on their
behinds from their fathers. Eric marveled that his dad would show that
kind of affection.
----------
Eric was not used to waking up at 6:30 when he wasn't in training and he
didn't like it at all. He was still pissed at his dad. However, Josh was
up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. His exuberance again seemed to have its
effect on Eric. How could anyone stay grumpy in the presence of sunlight?
It took practically no time to get ready. They dressed quickly and headed
to the bathroom to empty their bladders, brush their teeth, and apply
deodorant. (Neither boy wanted the other to think that he smelled bad.)
They didn't need to shave, and there wasn't much point in styling their
hair because they'd be wearing caps all day anyway.
The teens were already putting a dent in their share of the continental
breakfast when their fathers showed up. Scott teased Eric just a little
about being up and around so early. Eric took it better than expected,
even bantering back about the "old guys" being slow.
A big van pulled up hauling a trailer which had two, two-man canoes
securely tied on racks. The guys stowed their gear in the back of the van.
There was a food pack, a cooking utensil pack, a tent pack, and two
personal packs (each shared by father and son). Everything added up to be
a fairly big load. It looked as if they were ready for almost anything.
----------
The drive to the lake took about 20 minutes. Once there, the canoes were
transferred to racks on top of a small, flat-bottomed motorboat. The packs
were spaced equally to balance the weight. The passengers sat on narrow
metal seats facing the back.
The boys were glad that their fathers had recommended keeping on their
warm-up pants and jackets because the breeze from speeding across the water
was chilly. They hunkered down, sitting closely together for warmth. Eric
wasn't used to having this kind of close, physical contact with another
young male, but didn't mind it. Since Josh didn't pull away, he felt no
reason to either. Being close together, they could talk without their
fathers overhearing them.
It took about as much time to get across the lake as it had taken to get to
it. The tow was worth the money because it cut off many hours of paddling
in the same water where motorized craft were allowed. Once they got across
their first portage, they would only be competing with other canoes or
kayaks – and not many of those.
On the way, Eric admitted to Josh that he had not done much canoeing and
that he didn't want to look like a wuss. Josh gave him a few pointers
about paddling proficiently in order not to wear out too quickly. He made
a double entendre about making every stroke count so that your arms
wouldn't be too tired to do other stroking when the need arose. Eric
grinned knowingly, enjoying the fact that his new acquaintance was probably
as horny as he was and not afraid to joke about such things.
----------
The first portage was extremely short; possibly a city block in length.
The men hoisted the canoes on their shoulders leaving the boys to carry the
packs. Fortunately, the canoes were made of Kevlar so they weighed about
40 pounds instead of 60 like aluminum ones. The men had no problem, but
they left it to the boys to take care of the rest.
The boys soon discovered that the packs were heavy. The one that held the
tents was probably more than 60 pounds and the personal packs were not
light either. Eric was beginning to see the wisdom of taking fewer things
than he had originally planned. They ended up making two trips.
It seemed like each portage was longer than the previous one. The final
one for the day was about 9/10th of a mile. This time, the men shouldered
a light pack each as well as the canoes. The boys each had a heavy pack on
their back and a light one in front. It took strength and endurance, but
they thought it beat having to make a second trip. When they finally
stumbled to the opposite shore, they were questioning whether carrying a
"lazy man's load" had been worth it.
Eric was getting the hang of paddling efficiently. He grinned every time
he thought about saving his arms for stroking later. Of course, he'd have
a difficult time getting any relief with his dad in the same tent. Maybe
he could go off "exploring" on his own. He briefly wondered if Josh would
do that too.
----------
It was slightly after their usual lunch time when the party found an empty
campsite that looked suitable. The boys opted to eat lunch before setting
up the tents. They were both starved!
Several lunchmeat sandwiches and a few cookies later, they were beginning
to feel human again. But eating first might have been a mistake. Clouds
gathered as they were finishing lunch and soon began to unload great big
drops of rain.
Everyone hastened to get the tents up and the rain-flies over them. Then
they stowed half of the packs inside each. Josh and Eric opted to crawl
into the same tent so that they could hang out together. Their fathers
were happy to wait out the storm in each other's company in the other tent
because it gave them additional time to get caught up on what had gone on
since they had last been together.
The boys' conversation initially revolved around school. They discussed
which subjects and extracurricular activities that they liked best. Both
loved literature, writing, and the arts as well as math and science. Josh
was really into art while Eric favored writing more, but they both seemed
to be well rounded.
After Josh mentioned being on the swim team, Eric's eyes lit up. He loved
talking to people who loved the same pursuits. When Eric said that he was
going to concentrate more on diving techniques next year, Josh smiled. He
too, felt that his skills lay more in that direction but he needed to swim
well if he remained a part of the team. His school had removed the high
boards for reasons of liability. If a student were injured diving from one
of them, the school district could be in deep doo-doo.
After comparing tastes in music, TV, and video games, Eric steered the
conversation to sports other than swimming.
"So who do you pick for being in the World Series this year?" Eric
inquired.
"I don't have a pick. I think that baseball is the most boring game in the
world. I don't keep up with professional sports at all. I only follow the
ones in my high school and sometimes the Golden Gophers. You can't live in
Minnesota without being a Gophers supporter."
"Wow, are you always that honest?" Eric asked. "I feel the same way about
those sports as you do, only I keep up with some of them because, well in
my high school you have to if you're in theater and music – even
swimming. Lots of people think those activities are gay."
"Whoa! You'd be in trouble at my school if you used the term "gay" like
that. I'd be in trouble at home too. Dad said you shouldn't use it as a
term of derision because you never know who you might be hurting. He
almost acted as if I'd insulted him, personally."
"He's right. I'm sorry. It's just that everyone around me says it. I
didn't mean it to be demeaning." Eric insisted.
"I'll bet you have a lot more friends at school than I do," Eric said
trying to change the subject. "I feel like a loner most of the time."
"Actually I have a lot of acquaintances, but don't have anyone close
anymore. There used to be a guy that I hung out with all the time, but he
got a girlfriend and she's jealous if he doesn't spend all his time with
her. She tried to fix me up with her best friend, but that went in the
crapper in a hurry. Then her friend started rumors about me because I
wasn't interested in making out all the time."
Josh's last statement turned their conversation toward the thing that's
almost always on the minds of young males – sex. Eric was again
surprised at Josh's candidness. Josh admitted that he "hadn't done it"
with a girl yet and that he hadn't dated much especially after his bad
experience. He complained that girls wanted to go steady and tie a guy
down the minute he was nice to them. He had plenty of things to do at the
present that didn't include girls.
Eric, in turn, found himself being just as truthful. Had he been in the
locker room at school, he might have made a few comments to make other guys
think he wasn't a virgin, but here in a fabric shelter on an island in the
middle of a big lake during a rain shower he didn't try to be anyone that
he wasn't. It felt remarkably good to be able to share like that with
another guy. Who could have predicted this? Certainly not Eric!
"Um, so you're saying that you've only had sex with Mrs. Hand and her five
daughters?" Josh quipped.
"Pretty much," Eric responded remembering the time that his friend, Caleb,
had felt him up and made his dick spasm when he was first learning that it
was made for more than peeing.
Josh was thinking that "pretty much" meant either Eric had had help from
someone else or had experimented with alternative ways of getting off. It
might be fun to compare notes later when (or if) they got comfortable
enough with each other to discuss it.
"Would you like to sleep with me tonight? Oops, that sounds Freudian,"
Josh laughed.
"Yeah, it would be cool to share a tent. I feel like I've known you all my
life."
"Same here." Josh said.
"I bet our dads would like the chance to hang out together too." Eric
suggested. "Hey it's stopped raining. Should we build a fire so they'll
feed us sometime tonight?"
----------