Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 11:25:07 -0500
From: Sean E <ekidky@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Bully and the Bullied - Part 6

DISCLAIMER: I won't say anything more than just the usual - if you
shouldn't be reading this, then don't.  This is a short story that involves
boys who are coming-of-age, containing things that boys get into, including
sexual situations, feelings, etc.  It is my first attempt at fiction,
having written only one other series based on my personal life's
experiences growing up, titled "Life's Road of Discoveries" (also found
here on Nifty in the Young-Friends section, posted early in 2008).  This
series has no basis in truth, whereas all characters and situations are
fictional.  Any resemblance in real life is purely coincidental.  The era
is based in the mid-1970's.

This story will spread across 9 or 10 parts of varying lengths, and I hope
that those of you who take to it and read it through will enjoy it.  As
always, any feedback is welcome (to EKidKy@hotmail.com).

I sincerely hope you like it.  :o)

OH! And for everyone who has shown their support thus far, a big thank you
- from my heart!  Sorry it takes so long, I've kind of been having a hard
time last month or so, lots of things happening and stuff, but hey - I DO
intend to finish this out, so here you go... :o)


The Bully and the Bullied
Part Six - ...Sometimes Bring The Sweetest Rewards
--------------------------------------------------

    With the holidays over, life returned to a more normal pace - if there
were such a thing in the crazy lives of Thomas and Michael.  Neither waded
through the coming weeks with much enthusiasm, each lost in their own
thoughts about tackling school and their home life.  The winter was not as
harsh as usual, only dumping enough snow at times to coat the area with a
thin blanket.  Unlike the bigger cities, who were often better equipped to
handle such natural events, rural areas favored the weather only inasmuch
as they could.  Salt supplies were limited for such huge areas, so any
significant snowfall or ice would normally close school for at least a few
days.

    For this year, however, thus far everyone had only been released early
on one afternoon - and that was for a threat of rough weather that never
materialized.  Even thus, most of the January month remained cloudy, and
although the area lacked in precipitation, it did not lack in temperature.
It was bitterly cold, and the combination did not improve the moods of most
people.  Coupled with the fact both Thomas and Michael were learning to
cope with their friendship in new ways, life in their households achieved
an almost all-time low.

    It was the end of the month when one day Michael's mother walked
through the door of the local county clerk office, stopping to blink and
get her bearings while she looked around.  She was weary, having come off
of a hard 10-hour shift that proved far more hectic than usual.  She
briefly glanced at her watch, then sighed with relief realizing she had
made it with about five minutes to spare.  More than once she had tried
that month to get to the office before it closed, but seemed to always
fail, getting caught at the last minute before she could leave work.

    As she walked up to the counter she spied on open position with a woman
seated, looking busily at some paperwork in her hands.  She approached
hesitantly, unsure if the woman was ready for another client or not, and
for a few seconds she stood before the platform seemingly unnoticed.  Her
wait was short lived though as the woman looked up, and then smiled as she
recognized her visitor.

    "Well, hello Carolyn!  How are you?" she asked sweetly, a warmth in her
eyes that reflected her sincerity.

    Michael's mother returned the smile and held out her hand.  "Hello!
Linda, isn't it?"

    The other woman smiled warmly, taking the offered hand in
greeting. "Yes, how are you?"

    "Doing well, for the most part, thanks.  Just trying to stay warm and
get in here and take care of this before it expires," she explained,
handing over the necessary documents to renew her vehicle registration.

    Linda took the paperwork and glanced at it before nodding.  "I can take
care of this," she replied as she began typing into her computer.  For the
most part both women participated in some small talk, but there was an
unkempt awkwardness that developed in the air between them.  At a momentary
pause in the conversation, Linda looked across the counter to study the
other woman.  "H-How is Michael doing?" she asked hesitantly, as a nearby
printer began spitting out forms and updated information.

    "Oh, he is doing okay for the most part, growing like a weed I think
though," she responded. She thought about it for a second, and then decided
to approach the subject of their sons as delicately as she could.  "He
misses not being able to hang out with Thomas a lot.  I think those two
became the best of friends there for a while."

    Linda looked up to the standing woman.  "For a while?  I think they
still are," she said with a smile.  Leaning back in her chair, a soft
expression crossed her face.  "I know what you mean though.  I guess seeing
each other at school is about the best they've been able to do.  Quite
frankly I don't blame them, Carolyn, they're getting a pretty rotten deal
out of it, I know."  The woman's voice was sad, and there was a look of
weariness in her eyes as she reached across and pulled the paperwork from
the printer.  Tearing off the necessary forms she handed one of them to
Michael's mother, who looked at it and nodded.  As she was writing out the
check for payment, Linda sighed.  "I hope you know Carol, I really have
nothing against them being friends... It's just things aren't going so well
with us at home right now and..."  Her voice trailed off.

    Carolyn looked up as she finished the check and handed it over.  She
hesitated, unsure of what to say until she noticed the other woman seemed
visibly troubled by something.  "Are you okay?" she asked kindly.

    Linda hesitated before letting go a long sigh.  "I think so, I just
have a lot on my mind right these days, a lot going on."

    Carolyn nodded. "I understand that."  Instinctively she smiled and
added, "The boys will be fine Linda, it's hard on them but they'll make
it."  She grunted as she put away the new paperwork into her purse.  "My
back is killing me I think, these 10-hour shifts are almost more than I can
handle!"  She looked at the clock.  "Well, at least it's going home time
now, for me anyway.  You guys close up at 4:30, right?"

    Linda nodded as she stood up, reaching for a new tag and handing it to
the other woman.  "Ten hours?  That has got to be murderous I would think.
You're a nurse, right?"

    "Yes unfortunately, or so I feel sometimes at least.  It's not really
that bad though.  It can get tiresome sometimes, but shifts like this are
pretty far and few between."

    Linda nodded before a thought suddenly occurred to her.  "Uh, are you
in a hurry to head home?  Want to grab some coffee or something first?"
Her mind was racing quickly.  "I promised Thomas I would bring him home a
cheeseburger and fries tonight, and I was just thinking, if you wanted,
there's a diner across the street."

    Michael's mother was intrigued by the offer.  Although tired as she
was, she thought she detected a hint of anxiety in the others voice, and
upon observing her companion more closely thought perhaps it might be a
good idea.  "Sure, I think that would be great," to which Linda smiled and
stood up and swiftly left the counter area.  While Carolyn waited, other
people were closing down their workstations and moving off toward the back
of the office.  Within moments, as she waited patiently, she observed
people begin filling out the front door, a guard there overseeing the
entrance.  At first she felt a little foolish just standing by herself, but
before long someone passed behind and startled her.  "Ready" came a
familiar voice.

    "Sure," she responded warmly as the other woman took her coat from a
nearby coat rack and slipped it on.

    "Let's go then!" Linda said, smiling as they both made their way past
the guard and out onto the street.  Leading the way, Linda walked down the
sidewalk a short distance to the street corner before crossing and entering
a small diner.  Moving to a window booth on the far wall they both sat down
and settled in.

    Before either woman could say anything, a young girl appeared by their
table.  "What can I get you ladies?"

    Linda looked up.  "Two ultimate burgers with Swiss cheese, fixed with
everything except mustard, one large order of fries and one large order of
onion rings, to go.  I'd like an iced tea for here, though.  What about you
Carol?"

    Hesitating only slightly to give it some though, she decided it wasn't
such a bad idea after all.  "Make it two, I think I'll take Michael a
burger home as well, but make both of ours with fries, no onion rings."

    "Swiss cheese? No mustard?" the young girl asked.

    Carolyn hesitated, glancing at the woman across from her, who laughed.
"It's actually pretty good, something different Thomas talked me into
once."

    When Carolyn grinned and then nodded, the girl acknowledged then moved
away.  Watching her as she disappeared behind the counter, Carolyn remarked
"That's pretty quick service!"

    Linda giggled.  "I know, you don't see that much anymore!"  Both women
chatted for a moment about things in general before they lapsed into a
short silence.  Carolyn, anticipating there was more to come, tried to
remain as openly warm as she could, filling the gap with patience as she
watched the other woman hesitate and sort her thoughts.  Eventually Linda
sighed after the girl returned with their iced tea in hand, which they
began sipping slowly.  "Carol, I have to admit something, and to be honest,
I'm almost ashamed to even say it, but..."  She hesitated, then continued.
"I know what happened in our house isn't right, and it has nothing to do
with Michael, he's a great kid!"

    Carolyn nodded.  "So is Thomas, he is a sweet kid, too."

    Linda nodded.  "I know, he really is given everything he goes through.
Sometimes Carol that kid is everything I need to make my day just a little
brighter, you know?  It was hard on him when his father died, and it was
even harder when we lost our home a few months afterwards.  I just couldn't
afford to keep the payments, even though it wasn't that big of a house."
She looked up into the other's eyes.  "You know about that, right?"

    Michael's mother shook her head.  "Not really.  I think Michael
mentioned once that you two had to move in with your husband's parents
because of money trouble, but that was about it."

    Again Linda nodded.  "I wasn't sure what Thomas may have told him or
not.  It's true, though.  We had only been married a few years.  He worked
down at the AFW plant and we got by okay, not the best but not hurting for
anything.  After he passed away, the plant closed a few months later and
they disappeared -- along with taking everyone on all the benefits and
pension plans."  Seeing the astonished look on the other's face made her
sigh and continue.  "Yeah, I know.  They got in trouble with the IRS too.
You remember the stories back then?  Were you guys living here when all
that went down?"

    "Some of it, yes.  They had a lot of people working off the books or
something, right?" Carolyn asked.

    Linda nodded.  "When the investigation finished they found the company
only reported about half the people working for them, and were eating up a
lot of the taxes and deductions they charged everyone with but not turning
them into the system.  John was one of those unfortunately - and that left
us with no social security or anything to draw on."

    "Oh my goodness, how could they get away with that?"

    Linda shrugged her shoulders.  "Nobody knows or understands it for
sure, and the last I heard they're still trying to figure it all out.  All
we know is the company beat the system some way for a long time until they
got caught, and then all the extra cash they hoarded disappeared.  People
like us were left with nothing.  Social security paid us a little, but it
wasn't anything near what we should have gotten with John's support, you
know?  They had no record of John ever paying anything into it because of
the company so they gave us the bare minimum, which - didn't make it very
far.  Paul Reed, the sheriff back then, he got me a job here in the clerk's
office and that's where I've been ever since.  Thomas and I were one of the
very lucky few to even find a job, because a lot of people had to move or
leave their homes."

    "Oh my," was all Carolyn could think to say.

    Linda shrugged.  "Like I said, we were lucky, but even then it was
hard.  Don't get me wrong, we did our best, or rather I did my best, but it
was touch and go for a while.  We held onto our house as long as we could,
but eventually the bank had no choice."

    She sighed.  "Carol I grew up in an orphanage, so I know what it must
have meant to Thomas to find a friend like he did in Michael.  I mean, in a
sense I have no family, never had anyone; we grew up more worried about
protecting ourselves from the other kids than anything else.  If you made
friends with anyone, they left you or stabbed you in the back, stole from
you, or worse.  When I left and married John, life was like a bed of roses
for me to just be away from there, and John and I were really happy.  When
Thomas came along, you wouldn't believe how happy we were, and I was glad
that we were being able to have a family.  I vowed I would never put any of
our kids through the torment I grew up with in the orphanage.  But when we
lost the house, I was about to lose it all.  I guess I cried for a week
before the notice came.  The only place we had left to go was to my
husband's parents, and they were not - how you say - ones with open arms as
much.  At first it worked out okay, they were kind enough as it was..."
She drifted off and stared out the window for a moment.  "But as they've
gotten older, they have become more and more... I'm sorry; I don't know the
word to use... Just more dependent I guess."

    Carolyn saw the other woman in a new light and realized how visibly
upsetting the moment had become.  She waited a moment, then gently reached
across the table to pat the others arm. "Dependent? How do you mean?"

    Linda stared out the window for a moment before returning her gaze to
the woman across the table.  "I don't know, things like washing, cooking,
cleaning, taking care of them I guess.  I know that sounds like a normal,
everyday routine but I'm talking about - it's like we live there, but thats
all we do, just live there.  Thomas and I both work most of our evenings
and weekends doing everything, sort of like a maid and butler, you know?  I
try to shield Thomas as much as I can, but sometimes it's hard.  Grams and
Gramps don't do anything anymore, and if we're not there doing what they
expect, good Lord, you can only imagine the ruckus they raise!"

    "You mean you... do everything?" Carolyn inquired, with a start.

    "Pretty much, cleaning, cooking, dishes, gardens, tend to the pets -
you name it.  Which, I'm not complaining, not really.  Don't get me wrong,
but I mean WE are the ones imposing on them.  I never expected a free ride
or anything like that, but..."

    Carolyn wrinkled her nose.  "I doubt that, sounds a little excessive if
you ask me."  She paused before going on.  "Have you thought about getting
away?  You know, moving out?"

    Linda stared across the table, searching her new friend's face, before
slowly shaking her head.  "I don't know if we could ever do it, to be
honest.  I mean, we're doing better now, but it takes everything I make to
buy groceries, pay the bills, and raise a growing teenage boy!"  She
laughed softly before falling silent.

    "I don't understand Linda," Carolyn probed carefully, her brow furrowed
in curiosity.  "I mean, you've been in the clerk office what, five years or
more? I know they don't pay the best, but..."

    Linda again stared out the window before replying.  "Well, I buy all
the groceries and pay the utilities, upkeep the car and everything...  I
guess its not that bad, but - "

    "What do you mean ALL the groceries?  You mean for you and Thomas,
right?"

    "No, I mean all as in all four of us."  Seeing the incredulous look on
the other woman's face, Linda explained.  "In the beginning, Pappy bought
their own food, but somehow over the years it grew into either me picking
this up for them, or that, until I was eventually getting all of it.  He
started helping and paying for some at first, but anymore he doesn't
bother.  I brought it up to both of them a time or two, but they were all
over me about how unappreciative I was about having a place to stay, and
that it should be a small expense compared to what it would cost living on
our own.  Even that wouldn't be so bad except they eat like there is no
tomorrow sometimes, almost as bad as Thomas."  She grinned at that thought
before returning her gaze to the other woman.

    "Please, don't get me wrong Carolyn, I'm really not complaining, I'm
just - Right now, I don't like how things are turning out.  Thomas's grades
have been slacking lately -"

    "So has Michaels," Carolyn interrupted, but quieted so that the other
woman could continue.

    Linda sighed. "In a way, it's my fault - my fault for not standing up
and intervening like I should have. Right now it's getting even harder.
Thomas is rebelling against them, sullen and quiet to the extreme.  He has
been that way for a month or more with no end in sight, and that is trying
Gramps patience to no end. Quite frankly, I feel like the old man deserves
it in a way.  Pappy can be so hateful at times, and so angry!  He is always
belittling Thomas, forcing him into doing things he's just not interested
in."

    "What kind of things?" Carolyn asked.

    "Oh, like fishing for starters, or hunting, cars - things like that.  I
mean, don't get me wrong, I think some of those things would be interesting
for Thomas to at least learn a little about, but he just has no interest in
them, not right now anyway.  I mean, he is only 13 years old, and he has
never had anyone to do those things with It's almost as if Pappy see's the
things Thomas interested in as being girlish or childish in some way, I
don't know.  Or, maybe something else, I mean, sometimes I think its
because Pappy can't relive the things he missed in his childhood or John's,
so he tries to make Thomas relive it for him.  Sometimes though, I think
it's more, and I don't know..."

    Linda's eyes began to mist over as she looked up into the other's face.
"Please believe me Carol, I don't know why I'm dumping this on you, other
than I just wanted to try... try to explain..."  At that she choked up and
couldn't continue, and Carolyn quietly got out of her seat and sat down
next to the woman.  As she put an arm around her, she said sympathetically,
"You don't have to explain anything to me Linda.  It's honestly okay.  I
mean, I didn't realize things were as bad there, but I wish I had known."

    Linda saw Carolyn's warmth and friendliness and smiled weakly.  After
taking a tissue from her purse, she dabbed her eyes and blew her nose.  "It
isn't always that bad, honest, but I just don't, I mean, Thomas and I just
don't have a lot of options, that's all.  I don't pretend to understand
what's happening.  I mean I tried, I really tried to intervene after a few
days but Pappy is being, well... he's being a prick about the whole thing."

    Carolyn started in surprise. "But Linda... I mean..."

    Linda shook her head.  "No, let me get this out, please."  She paused
yet again looking out the window as silence fell between them.  During the
pause the waitress returned with their food, wrapped neatly to go, along
with their bills.  They both nodded to her in acknowledgement as she
retreated, smiling.  "I don't know how your kid is doing, but mine -
something has changed in him, and its starting to worry me, and I don't
think it's just this thing between our sons either.  I mean, maybe it was
just the timing of it all or something, but it has gotten worse, and if I
don't do something before long I'm afraid it will get uglier."  She took a
deep breath and continued.  "Don't get me wrong, Thomas doesn't give me any
trouble - he usually does what I ask him, tries to help me out.  That's not
the way it is with his grandparents though.  For example, whenever they
even talk to him or ask him to do things, he just ignores them."

    Linda looked hard into Carolyn's eyes.  "It's like this switch has been
flipped in some way, and Pappy oh so wants to punish him, and I have to
admit there have been a few times I've felt like doing it myself, but
there's the thing.  Like I said while ago, I don't feel like Thomas
deserves to be treated so ... so ... I don't know my word, but if I do
punish him, I feel like I'd be punishing him for the wrong thing." Linda
laughed before adding, "Does that make any sense?"

    Carolyn drew back and crossed her arms. "Yes, it makes perfect sense,
but ... Honestly I don't know or see why you put up with it.  That to me is
abuse, pure and simple.  it sounds like Thomas is just rebelling and trying
to find his own ground to stand on."  She paused and collected her
thoughts.  "You know, I have seen a few elderly people get into the rut
you're describing, more than once.  They unintentionally build
inter-dependence upon their children or relatives and before they realize
it, they've driven themselves into a corner, believing they're helpless or
hopeless, and ultimately drawing the conclusion the world owes them
something."  She sighed.  "It sounds to me in a rough sort of way that
maybe that is what's behind it all, happening to the two of you.  You
married their son, and took him away from them.  Oh, I don't mean
physically or intentionally," she rushed to add, seeing Linda's eyes widen
with alarm.  "I mean, when he died, you were the one left standing, the
only tie left to him, and over the years they've come to think that you owe
them something in return.  If that's so girl, you don't!"

    Carolyn leaned in, placing both elbows on the table in front of her.
"Linda, understand something here.  I'm sure I don't know all the details,
or anywhere near enough to pass any kind of judgment, and to be honest, it
isn't my place to pass judgment here.  But I will tell you what I think,
what I feel, and it's this: if you've been living this way for so long, you
have to break the cycle, no matter how painful it may be.  What is
happening sounds abusive, maybe not physically, but it is still abusive.
Tell me, are either of them physically handicapped or incapable of looking
after themselves?"

    Linda shook her head.  "No, I don't think so.  Large, yes, do they pack
some weight on them, yes, but they got along fine before we got there, and
they are only in their upper 50's, so they are not as old as you might
think.  They could do things if they wanted to, they just purposefully
don't, or else they make you feel guilty and sorry for them about it."

    Carolyn nodded.  "I understand, and that fits the pattern even more."
Once again she took the others hand in hers.  "You really need to do
something about it then and the sooner the better.  It's for your own good,
for Thomas's good and your in-laws too."  She looked hard at the other
woman.  "I was right in what I said, wasn't I? I mean while ago, about
being physically abused.  Have they ever gotten physical with you, in any
way?"

    Linda shook her head. "No, they have never hit -" She stopped, and then
looked up into the others eyes.  "I have never known them to hit either of
us, but do you think - "

    Carolyn slowly nodded her head, knowing she was about to reveal
something she had been told in confidence, but feeling the woman had a
right to know.  "Michael told me Thomas has been slapped a few times -"

    "Oh my God! ... No no no..."  Linda lapsed into silence from the shock
of it, and then started crying.  They both sat for a long while, debating
the situation, before tears began welling up in her eyes.  When she spoke
again, her voice was barely a whisper.  "He never told me, I never knew..."
It was all she could say.  More than once her mouth opened to go on, but
only silence fell between them, and she eventually turned to look out the
window.

    Carolyn sighed.  "I'm sorry, I really am.  You know if the kids shared
that much, there could be more, but..."

    Linda shook her head.  "I know, honestly, I know.  The first thing I'm
going to do is ask Thomas about it tonight."

    Carolyn hesitated.  "I wouldn't do that yet Linda, if I could help it.
If Thomas has denied it before, there may be a reason for it, and you'll
just put him into a corner and then be back to where you two started."
Looking at the questioning expression she nodded.  "If you really want to
know, let me get Michael to talk to him about it.  You know how close they
are, he'll be more likely to find out than either of us would right now.  I
don't know, he may even be able to look for, you know, any physical signs
or something."

    Thinking about it a moment, Linda slowly nodded her head.  "Okay, I'll
trust your judgment on this.  Carolyn, I - I don't know what to do..."

    Carolyn sat back and thought about the situation for a moment.  "Well,
I've got an idea to get you started, and I can talk to some girls I know
who have been in sort of the same situation you're in.  Maybe we could pull
our heads together." She paused, raising her eyebrow before adding, "That
is, if you want me to."

    Linda smiled.  "I had no idea where this conversation would go, but
lady, I don't know, I just feel better about it."  She smiled for the first
time in a while.  "I see where Michael gets his empathy and compassion from
now."

    Carolyn blushed, but did not pursue it, instead giving the other woman
a hug.  When they parted, she looked at Linda and with a mischievous grin,
declared "Okay, I have an idea now..."

    - + - + - + - + -

    Michael flopped onto his bed, glad that at last the long day had come
to an end.  It had neither been the best of days, nor the best of weeks for
that matter.  Normally an A and B student, he got a D+ that day on a paper
he had turned in for one class in particular, and then after sitting
through an exam in last period math, a subject he normally loved, he was
not at all encouraged.  Earlier that week he had came within seconds of
being in a fight, and he already knew trouble was brewing in another area
of school for which he had no ready answer.

    As he closed his eyes, his life flashed before him in a haze.  It
seemed that anymore he had lost much of his ambition - his drive.  Although
he had been told over and again by both his mother and his best friend, he
could not help but feel he was somehow responsible for what Thomas had to
go through.  For a while he carried that burden on his shoulders, unwilling
to shuck it in favor of the idea that grown-ups were screwing around with
his life in places they had no business.  Although things had been fairly
smooth before that eventful day of the fight on the bus, it seemed that
since that day his life had taken a drastic turn for the better.

    "Why do Thomas's grandparents and Mom have to be so unfair?" he asked
himself from time to time, almost immediately followed by "What can I do to
make it up? How can I make it better?"  He posed those questions one day to
Thomas, but the other boy just sadly shook his head.  It had seemed as if
their fate was sealed, and they simply tried to enjoy each others' company
at school, the only place they were truly separated from their outside
world.

    Michael was tired as he looked at the clock on the nightstand.  Without
really even noticing the time he rolled over onto his back and shut his
eyes.  He was tired, and with little difficulty he fell into a troubled
sleep.

    When Carolyn arrived home that night, she called out in the house, but
received no answer.  Setting the food from the diner down on the table, she
walked to the staircase and called again.  This time she heard a mumbled
reply coming from above, and then returned to the kitchen.  When she set
the food out she felt, rather than saw, her son walk up behind her and lean
against the cabinet.  When she turned, the sight before her eyes caused her
to stop.  "Michael?  Are you - what happened?" she asked, taking and
cupping his chin so that she could look at the side of his face better.

    "What?" he replied, unsure of himself before he turned and saw his
reflection in the mirror.  "Oh, it's nothing Mom, I fell asleep is all."

    "On top of the cover it looks like! And it being what, 50 degrees up
there?" she asked shaking her head, but let it go.  His face was red from
the marks indented by the spread, but in addition she saw weariness in his
eyes.  When he nodded, she shook her head and let it go and pointed to the
food.  "It's a little cold, but we can warm it up in the microwave if you
want."

    Michael raised an eyebrow, something ever so characteristic when he
found a change of routine that intrigued him.  "Take out?  What's the
occasion?  Somebody have a birthday today?"

    She gently cuffed him, laughing.  "Since when does it have to be a
special occasion for me to bring in something for my favorite son?"

    Michael rolled his eyes.  "Mom, I'm your ONLY son!"  Then he grinned,
taking his food and setting it in the microwave.  "Thanks."

    She walked over and gave her son a hug.  "You having a rough day
kiddo?"

    He looked up at her.  "Is it that obvious?"

    She smiled as she nodded, kissing the top of his forehead.  Nothing
more was said, but for some reason Michael felt something had changed.  His
mother seemed to be almost happy for some reason, or at least her mood was
one much lighter than normal.  When he asked her "What?" she just
smiled. "Nothing, kiddo."  He knew something was up then, but did not press
the matter, instead sitting down at the table and munching his food.

    Much of the weekend went by with Michael in a daze,

    After church on Sunday, both Michael and his mother lay about the
living room, watching various shows on the television while Michael
desperately tried to regroup himself and tackle his homework.  He both
showed and told his Mom about his failing grades, an issue she took
exception to rather sternly.  In the end he placated her with the idea he
would do better beginning that weekend and ultimately she accepted it
without giving him too much grief.  He struggled to concentrate on
rewriting a poorly executed report done earlier that week, not one that
promised an improved grade but at least it was an improved effort
nonetheless.

    It was late in the afternoon when Michael, nearly finished with his
effort, stopped in surprise when he heard a vehicle approaching outside.
As he closed his notebook and crossed to the window, his eyes widened in
surprise as he recognized the occupants.  "Mom!!" he called excitedly,
rushing to the door and opening it.

    As he watched, both Thomas and his mother got out of the vehicle and
crossed the yard in the cold wind.  Thomas himself nearly ran to the open
door, stumbling at the top step and practically falling into Michaels arms,
who had reached out to steady his friend.  The move became awkward for them
both, however.  He righted himself and stood up, trying to disentangle but
at the same time regain some composure from the shock of seeing his friend.
As his mother arrived behind him, he finally laughed.  "Aww, heck with it
you dope!"  He pulled Michael into a quick hug as the two women greeted
each other inside the doorway.  He quickly turned, however, and gave
Carolyn an enormous hug as well and Michael, taking the cue, reached out to
his friends mother and did the same.

    Linda was taken aback slightly, confusion crossing her face, but seeing
her co-conspirator grinning on the other side she laughed, "Okay you two!"

    Both boys let go, grinning, but it was Michael who looked at first his
mother and then the other woman, asking, "How? I mean...?"

    Thomas chimed in.  "I know, I was just as surprised as you were when we
left home while ago."  When Michael arched his eyebrows, the question still
hanging, Thomas continued.  "Mom told Gramps and Grams we were just going
out a while, and I didn't want to really, you know, Super Bowl is coming on
in an hour or so, and..."

    Linda was looking at Carolyn.  "You would not BELIEVE what I went thru
to get him out of that house!"

    Carolyn laughed, causing Michael to look at her incredulously.  "You
KNEW??!!"

    When his mother only smiled in return, he returned his attention to his
friend, who was already shedding his coat and hanging it on the coat rack
by the door.  The euphoric feeling was almost overwhelming.  "Umm... want
to watch it down here or up in my room?"

    Thomas scrunched his nose.  "Upstairs?" he asked in way of a question,
leaving the decision up to his friend.  Michael thought for a second about
whether they would want the bigger picture or the privacy, and he decided
the latter won.  He nodded and grinned, then gave his mother a look that
clearly said 'We will talk about this later!' before grabbing his friend's
hand and pulling him up the steps.  Both women laughed at the clownish
antics before heading towards the couch for their own evening together.

    - + - + -

    For most of the evening, both boys watched the game without incident,
each happy to be sharing the time together, and each happy that their team
was living up to its name as the NFC champions.  Sprawled on Michaels bed,
both lay reasonably close together, enjoying pizza yet again as the women
surprised them by bringing some upstairs at one early in the evening.
Linda watched the two momentarily and inwardly sighed - she had not seen
her son as content as he was now for quite some time.  In a sense she was
saddened at how she had not - no, could not - see how deep their friendship
had run in the short amount of time they had known each other.  Although
she was at a loss as to how she would do it, for the moment she resolved
that something was going to have to change in their home life, that the
degree of separation could not be condoned any longer.  She realized that
now, more than ever, her son needed freedom from the oppression in which
they were living, and he was going to somehow get it before it was too
late.

    At one point during the second half, both boys were watching a rather
intense drive by the opposing teams, when suddenly their team intercepted
the ball.  Thomas immediately rolled back on the bed, throwing both arms in
the air and exclaiming rather loudly "All right!  Shit, did you see
that??!!"

    Michael grinned at his friend, but also quickly rolled over onto his
side, motioning his friend with a quick finger to his lips. "SShhhhh!!  Not
so loud!"

    Thomas, thoroughly chastised after realizing what he had done, returned
a sheepish look.  "Sorry man, I.. just..."

    Michael giggled.  "It's okay, just..."  He paused, pointing to the duct
in the floor next to the entrance.  Before continuing, he pulled his friend
down to his side, and in a low tone explained.  "It's not too bad, but when
that duct is open, I swear, I think my mom has ears like an elephant
sometimes!"

    When he saw his friend was grinning with such an infectious expression,
Thomas could not help but grin back.  In a hushed tone he responded in
kind, "Okay, okay, I understand... but you got to admit - that was fucking
cool, you know?"

    Michael laughed and then gave his friend a long stare.  "I love when
you do that, even if it does sound weird sometimes."

    "Do what?" Thomas asked curiously.

    "Swear like that.  It's like, I dunno, just knowing you go to church
and stuff, I just never really imagined you to talk like that any, you
know?"

    "So? You do it too, you know!" he replied, giggling.

    Michael grinned.  "I know, but still... It's just, I dunno, kinda cool,
that's all."

    Thomas nodded.  "Yeah, I know.  I only do it around you though, or if I
get really, really mad about something."

    Michael nodded, the smile remaining on his face.  At first Thomas just
returned the gaze, but eventually he mouthed the word 'What?', making
Michael finally relent.  "I don't know man, it's just, like... you're here.
You're really here, you know?  You have no idea how much I've missed you
and stuff."  He rolled his eyes a little before he continued.  "I mean, I
know we see each other at school and everything, but - it's just different,
I can't explain it.  Here I just feel like, I don't know... just happy."

    Thomas slowly nodded, at a loss for words at that moment.  He had
already been dreading the end of the game which was rapidly approaching,
sure that his Mom would want to leave as soon as possible afterwards.  It
was a school night and already they were going to be pretty late as it was.
At the same time, however, he really understood what Michael was saying.
After the events of the last month or more, it had seemed the two were
going to end up being separated for good.  The surprising events of the
evening had unfolded though, and here they were.  He didn't trust his voice
to respond just then, so he tried to show what it meant to him in another,
more private way.  He picked up the pizza tray between them and set it on
the floor before turning back.  Closing the distance between him and his
friend, Thomas scooted over close and wrapped both his arms and legs around
Michael, embracing him as full and complete as he could, holding the boy
for which he had once given up on ever being able to do again.

    Michael returned the hug tightly, and there they remained for a moment.
Their chests connected heart to heart, beating strongly underneath each
other's touch.  Michael nervously pulled his free hand out and quietly
pulled Thomas's shirt loose in the back so he could put his hand inside,
rubbing his friend's back as they held each other.  He was lost for the
moment, feeling the warmth and security they shared, while the TV continued
playing the game in the background.

    Michael finally sighed and pulled back a little, leaning in and
whispering into his friends ear, "Love you bro, you know that don't you?
That has never changed between you and me - I still love and trust ya -
with my heart."

    Thomas nodded, whispering back, "I know, I love you, too."  To that end
he pulled his head back to stare into the eyes of the other, smiling.
"With my heart, and I still trust you, too."  He felt incredibly at peace
as he rolled back and sighed, scooting in to lie next to his friend as
close as possible, then giggled.  "You know something?"

    "What?"

    "Well, all the time we missed out on being friends, then we became
friends, and then I got to be the mushy one, you know?  And now, you're
just as mushy as I am sometimes, and I never imagined it would be that
way."

    Michael laughed at that.  "I know what you're saying yeah.  I don't
know, I guess I just changed some and everything.  I used to didn't be that
way, you know?  Then there you was, and you needed somebody, and I realized
I needed somebody too, and well, we just sort of..."  His voice trailed off
as he looked into the other boy's eyes.  Then he whispered "Ah heck..."  He
had intended to just lean in and nuzzle his friend, but was surprised when
Thomas turned his head and met him instead, planting a light kiss on his
lips.

    When they broke, Thomas smiled and whispered, "Told ya I still trust
ya... with my heart."  Michael felt the kiss surge through him from the top
of his head to the tip of his toes.  He sighed and smiled before giving
Thomas one final hug, pulling and turning his friend to meet him one more
time.  In the interim he unintentionally ended up grinding his groin into
the other ever so slightly, but smiled when he felt and realized his friend
was returning it.  They stared at each other for few seconds before Michael
let out a sheepish sigh.  "I know bro, I know.  I wish our Moms weren't
downstairs, or I would..."

    Thomas grinned wide, a mischievous look crossing his face, but then
settled as he carelessly lay his arm onto his friends side, pulling them in
as tight as they could get.  Michael smiled, then whispered, "Maybe we can,
like - do some stuff again someday, if you still want to, that is..."

    Thomas grinned and pushed even harder, grinding the two of them
together even more.  "Does that answer you?"  Seeing the other's expression
caused him to laugh.  "Yeah, I hope soon, too."

    Michael grinned.  "Bet your ass on it!" he whispered.  A sudden
commotion from the TV made them both turn their attention in time to see a
touchdown take place, and then the moment was forgotten as both starting
cheering, returning to the game.

    - + - + -

    It was some time later after the game ended that both Michael and his
mother were standing in the doorway, watching their visitors slowly top the
hill and disappear.  Gone from sight, Michael sighed before looking up at
his mother, who looked down upon his young face and smiled.  He once again
turned into her and hugged her tighter than he ever had before, burying his
face in her shoulder.  "Thanks mom," he said softly, not letting go.  There
were no words to say, nothing that could tell her what that night had meant
to him.  He knew she had something to do with it, although not exactly
what.  He didn't care though, choosing instead to try and just do the only
thing he knew how to do, and that was thank her from the bottom of his
heart.

    She held him for a while, basking in the gratitude and love she knew
her son was struggling with, and then realized that Linda was right:
Michael was a very loving and emphatic person for a boy.  She knew that
would wear off as he grew older, but having that as a start would go a long
way in helping him build relationships in the future, and thankfully it was
not something he would have to be taught.  She finally gave him a hardened
squeeze before softly responding.  "I know your team won and you guys are
keyed up, but you really should be getting into bed."  When he looked up at
her with his shining eyes and smile, she had to keep herself from melting.
There were other questions she wanted to ask, but they could wait.  Right
now, she wanted him to go to bed happy and not worry about anything.

    Michael headed for the stairs, a distinct bounce in his step...

    - + - + -

    Austin Mathews was furious.  Each step the hefty student took through
the hallway was planted hard, making a resounding 'clap' echo through the
corridor.  Even with all the students now changing classes, some dwelling
near their lockers exchanging books or talking with their friends, his
steps could be discerned above the usual background noise.  As he
progressed through the corridor, many of students that looked up at the
approaching footsteps quickly scattered out of the way.  Others followed at
a safe distance, their curiosity getting the better of them.  Something was
going down with the 15 year old, and they were sure it wasn't going to be
anything good.

    Ever since the first subtle and then drastic change had taken place
with Jeremy Riddle, many students saw a change in the overall atmosphere in
the school.  For a while the hallways seemed lighter, filled with more
laughter and relaxation than before.  Although no one noticed it enough to
put a finger on it, when Riddle was at the prime of his time with his gang
of friends, most kids went out of their way to avoid them.  Neither the
hallways nor the bathrooms were known for being a safe haven, and that made
most of the kids nervous.  More than a few of them made it a pact at times
to never go into the bathrooms during class exchange for fear of what they
might find or worse, what could happen.  When they did, they found friends
to team up, drawing strength in numbers.  Strange as it was, however, it
wasn't only the boys who did this, as many girls had to practice safety as
well.  Girls found the hallways easy prey to catcalls, groping or
harassment of an equal tone.  In almost all instances, the perpetrators
usually ended up being one of Riddle's inner ring of members, and after a
time people began to note who was included in that ring and who was not.

    As the months passed by, however, things were changing in a big way.
Riddle had suddenly and mysteriously changed, almost drastically one might
guess.  No longer did he find the torment and belittling of others a once
favorite past time of his, and his inner circle eventually grew frustrated.
Not only had their leader undergone some massive transformation, but that
transformation threatened to take them with him.  The general student
populous didn't give as much merit to their group like they once did, and
it was affecting their lives in a totally different and unexpected way.
Which is what was leading up to the here and now with Austin Mathews.  He
had once belonged to that circle, having risen in ranks - if ever there
were such a thing - as being Jeremy's second-hand man.  Moreover though, he
and Jeremy had been best friends, though odd the relationship was.  They
didn't necessarily hang out, and Jeremy had always had this thing about
being touched, even in the oddest of ways.  It wasn't noticeable to most
people, but he picked up the little hints here and there.  In gym, if they
played basketball, which was a very physical game in and of itself, Jeremy
seemed to sidestep a lot of opportunities of camaraderie amongst the team.
When they did exercises, he always demanded more room than others, and more
than once had to be called down by the coach to shore up as much right as
anyone else.

    Austin did notice these things, and others, and already had an idea the
kid had either some sort of phobia or that something deeper, much deeper
was behind it.  But it was always confusing trying to talk to him about it.
Jeremy was a very private person, not really talkative about his private
life.  Austin knew the kid had lost his mother at a young age, but beyond
that he really knew very little.  Whenever he tried to approach the
subject, his friend would change it.  If he queried him as to why, he got
accused of sticking his nose where it didn't belong.  The most confusing
part of it all though came when he shied the whole thing off on other
people, laughed about it and carried on like it was nothing.  He wasn't a
careless person, but one who simply didn't care who he pissed off and who
he didn't.

    People used to be afraid of Jeremy Riddle for that very fact.  Now it
was different.  Gone were the pushes, the taunting, the outright dares and
mockery that made up his style.  People either befriended Jeremy because of
the bad-boy attitude or because of fear.  Those who were lucky enough to
get on his good side, that friendship still usually meant they were held at
a distance, but at least they got to enjoy the ride while it lasted.  Very
few made it to that level of connection, however, because Jeremy ended up
pushing them back or away.

    Not so with Austin, however.  Of all the people to get into Jeremy's
inner circle for a while, Austin had seemed to stay, and not just out of
reach.  There were a few times - albeit rarely - that Jeremy let his guard
down around him, and Austin could see hollow eyes behind the thinly veiled
mask.  The eyes were haunting, almost soul-less, as if deep down Jeremy
knew what he was doing was setting himself up for trouble.  His dad, the
school system and whoever else might be alive in his world though, had
tossed him out like a rag doll.  For whatever reason though, he did cling
to one person to keep him grounded, and that was Austin Mathews.  One time,
and one time only, he had given his friend a hard stare, then told him:
"You have to keep me in check man, don't let my shit kill me, you hear?
Keep me in check..."  At first Austin didn't understand and just laughed it
off.

    But now Jeremy's attitude had suddenly changed, and the kid was totally
shut off from the rest of the world.  Austin had stuck by his friend for a
long time, telling people it was just a phase, that he was having problems
at home, or whatever other excuse he could come up with.  Truth was, he had
no idea what was going on with the bully.  Since the magical bus incident
with a 7th or 8th grader back in the fall, however, things had changed.  At
first Riddle joked about it, laughing it off - but Austin realized
something was different.  Jeremy now simply lived in a world all by
himself, withdrawn from other people that eventually included Austin
himself.  They had not spoken now for months, and as it was mid-March,
Mathews had all but written off their friendship as ever being renewed.

    Today was a testament to that fact in more ways than one.  He had just
come from one of the bathrooms, where one of his own buddies had been
hanging out.  The guy was quite loudly "educating" people of a conversation
he overheard earlier that morning.  It seemed that Riddle had been in a
shop class with Austin's younger brother, and somehow the two had gotten
into an argument.  That was not unusual in and of itself -- Austin's
younger brother was very much a hothead, quick tempered and prone to talk
with his fists rather than his head in a lot of situations.  In this
situation, however, Riddle had belted his brother not once, but twice.
Without warning the younger Mathews was down and out of the battle before
it had even begun.  At first Austin couldn't believe it; this was his
brother he was talking about, "family" in every sense of the word.  Still
the more details he gathered, the more convinced he became of its
certainty.  This led to the here and now, the reason for his "march"
through the corridors toward the gym.

    As Austin rounded a corner, he knew exactly where he was heading.
Having been Jeremy's right-hand for as long as he did still had some
privileges, and one of those was in knowing the other teen's schedule.
Jeremy would be coming from gym heading for lunch about now, and he was
determined to meet the kid head on.  He did not know anything about how his
brother was or what caused the fight to start with - if a "fight" was what
you'd call it.  He just knew it was an incident he could not let go
unpunished - at whatever the cost.  No one ever beat up on his kid brother
before and no one was going to start it now - not even if it was his former
best friend...

    In the distance, at the far end of the corridor, he could see a
familiar figure standing by an open locker, lazily putting books inside.
As he drew near the door closed and the kid turned to face him, coming to a
halt as he recognized who was approaching.  At once each knew it was the
other; Austin could see the expression, the now-familiar mask go blank as
they approached.  Almost unnoticeable amongst the other kids in the
corridor was a shift in Jeremy's stance, but it did not go without
registering on Austin.  He sneered in the realization that Riddle had been
expecting this, all but confirming his guilt.  He drew up to within a few
feet of his now ex-friend and stopped.  In a voice low and filled with the
hostility he was now ready to vent, he declared, "Who the fuck do you think
you are hitting on my brother?"

    Jeremy crossed his arms and seemingly leaned back against the lockers
behind him, his face remaining expressionless.  In a sense, he gave the
impression of one who was worried little about the other boy's presence.
Everyone could tell, however, the cold voice that responded was far from
someone who should be taken carelessly.  "Oh, was that YOUR brother
Mathews?  My, how word travels so fast anymore, doesn't it?  How
interesting..."

    Austin lost it at that point.  The jeering attitude brought back the
old memories, the defense mechanisms he knew were Jeremy's world.  Without
another word he launched himself forward with the intent to pin the other
boy against the lockers and beat the crap out of him.  Jeremy, however, was
prepared; with surprising speed and agility, he used the lockers to push
himself out of the way right at the last second, causing Austin to ram both
his shoulder and fist into the metal wall behind the former bully.  With a
loud crash Austin went to the floor in a heap, causing most everyone in the
hallway to burst out with laughter.  Angered by the mockery, he spun
around, rising quickly and facing Jeremy, who now held a smirk on his face.
"You fuckin idiot!" he hissed, now totally enraged.

    As Austin charged once again, Jeremy grabbed the other boy by the shirt
and literally threw him out of the way, into the lockers located on the
other side of the hallway.  The students in the hall barely got out of the
way, and the commotion created by the two left little doubt that a fully
fledged fight would soon be underway.

    Had it not been for one of the gym teachers entering the hallway at
just the moment Mathews fell headlong into the second set of lockers, the
ensuing sequence would have turned ugly.  Recognizing the two and shouting
both their names as he stepped between them, he noted the fact that the
Jeremy stood still, his fists clenched but well reserved, while his
opponent struggled to get back on his feet.  Although the teacher was burly
in his size, he barely kept Austin at bay.  Other adults started converging
on the scene, causing the kids in the hallway to suddenly quiet, and the
scene was at once under control.

    "Okay," said the gym teacher, "What is going on here?"  When no one
spoke, he turned to Riddle.  "Jeremy, spill it."

    Jeremy looked at the man for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing really coach, I think Austin just lost his balance and went
flying."  He looked bemused for a sec, staring hard at the other's eyes as
if trying to convey something.  "Of course, he tried to fight with gravity
but gravity ended up winning."

    Everyone within earshot sputtered in laughter, including some of the
adults now nearby.  Even Austin had to smile at that, suddenly keeping his
temper in check.  He got the message this needed to wait, and having been
tempered somewhat, he looked up at the coach and nodded.

    With the silence broken, students began breaking up.  Although
suspicious, especially regarding the body language he had just observed,
the gym teacher knew he really couldn't push the issue any further.  Hoping
to himself he wasn't making a mistake, he let the two go, staying long
enough to assure that they went their separate ways.

    - + - + - + -

    That afternoon, as the students were heading to the buses, Austin was
still irritable.  He had been unsuccessful in finding Jeremy in any of the
usual hangouts for the rest of the day, and it did little to settle the
searing edge in his stomach.  He wanted to flatten the bully, to regain
some of the family honor he felt had been toyed with and lost, but at the
same time, something in the expression - that damned, impassive expression
- had caused him to stop.  It was eating at him from his core, and he
didn't like it.

    There is a point where students get about 7 to 10 minutes at the end of
each day before they board their buses for home.  It gave many of them the
chance to exchange or do some last minute management with their books
before heading home, among other things.  Austin was one who had study hall
as his last period, and as such he rarely had needed to take anything home
with him.  It wasn't that he was that smart, just that his classes didn't
load the students down with work like others did.  When the bell rang, he
wearily wandered toward the doorway leading outside, noting the weekend was
upon them all.  As he reached the exit, he suddenly heard an unexpected
voice in his ear, "You want to hear me out or do you really want to fuck
with me?"

    Austin turned, stunned at the challenge, but also annoyed at having
been caught by surprise as easily as he did.  Seeing the other boy though
caused him to pause, not in fear, but because of the morbid curiosity in
seeing the way Jeremy was furtively glancing around for something.  As he
stopped, it made Jeremy come up by his side and pass something almost
imperceptivity into Austin's left front pocket.  "This is what your brother
was doing this morning, and he was about to get caught.  I had to pop him
before you guys ended up in a shitload of problems..."  With that, Jeremy
continued out the door, never looking behind him, leaving the other stunned
yet again at the revelation.  Puzzled, Austin put his hand in the pocket
and grasped what appeared to be a small plastic bag.  When he removed it
just enough to see its contents, his eyes widened in horror, shoving it
back deep into the pocket that separated it from other people's view.  He
stalked out the doorway toward his bus, this time furious yet again for the
second time that day.

    Only this time, it wasn't at his former best friend...

    - + - + - + -

    The old man's mood had changed little in the last few days, having
steered itself south into a bottomless pit.  Pity and anger and frustration
occupied every ounce of his being, his soul even.  He had given life
everything he had and it had spit him out, laughing at him, mocking with
indignation at him.  He hated his life, hated the fact he had nothing to
show for all the years he had put into it.

    Even before he married, he was in constant trouble, even some of which
amounted to skirmishes with the law.  He grew up as the wild one in the
bunch, the oldest of 7 brothers and sisters who would have nothing to do
with him.  Even to this day, throughout his whole 54 years of living, he
felt abandoned.  He knew where not one of them lived, what they did or
where they went.  He knew nothing of their families; whether they had kids,
gotten married or flew off to greener pastures elsewhere was a singular
mystery.

    It wasn't just his fault, he considered.  Sure, he never wanted
anything to do with them either, but be that as it was, after all these
years not a one of them lifted a finger to find him, to contact him.  They
made their message plain and clear - stay away.  Even when he married, they
made no attempt to see him, see that he was bettering his life, his mood.
Not even his parents showed up - something that still dug deep within him
to this day.  It angered him, angered that they couldn't see he was trying
to do right, trying to make amends.

    The only thing that seemed to make up for it all was the sweetest
person he had ever came across in his days of partying, one who swept him
off his feet.  It had taken forever to grasp the nerve, steel himself to
clean up his act and begin dating with her, but she had changed his life.
So beautiful she was, so entranced did she throw her spell over him - he
was mesmerized.  They had even produced a son, something that caught him by
surprise, shocked him even.  But there they were - starting a family,
learning to be a family - and living as one.

    That is, until he could no longer fight it.

    At first it was just a little beer here or there, but it kept luring
him in even more.  Next the occasional bars, the hard liquor - the
whiskey. Soon it was controlling, calling to him over and over again.  They
had little money, and that made it worse, because it was making it harder
to satisfy that damnable thirst of his.  He could not quench it, could not
quell the numbness or resist the power and rush it gave him all over -
especially that night.

    He had been working hard for weeks to do a job, and when he was finally
rewarded, he made his way home, proud even.  His wife had even shared in
his joy, his triumph, and they both knew there were things they needed, so
they pushed the boy, now 5 or 6, he didn't remember exactly how old, pushed
him off on the old neighbors for a while and then headed down the road for
town.  Along the way, he got in his head that he should be rewarded as well
for himself.  That damnable thirst, ceaselessly tickling at his throat!
"I'll just have a drink or two, then be back before Ma finishes her
shopping' he thought.  They reached the store and he dropped her off,
explaining he needed to go to the hardware store for something.  She was
suspicious, even queried him, coaxing him to go in with her, but no...  He
couldn't do that, he'd be back in just a few minutes, he said, and then he
would join her.

    Off he went, heading for his usual watering hole, and inside he pulled
up to the bar.  Not one, not two... he lost count that evening, couldn't
understand why he couldn't settle that damnable thirst. Then he lost it,
track of time, even track of space.  When he finally got up to leave, he
was floored - over half his check was in the bill.  He argued with the
bartender, 'Surely not? Surely you've miss-added some here?'.  Astonishment
turned to anger. Just short of having the cops called, he had to give it
up, pay the bill, swearing and cursing time and again about highway
robbery.  He was drunk, barely able to function as it was, but as he
climbed into the truck, he was angered more at the fact he had spent so
rotten much and gotten so little for it.  That damnable thirst was still
there!

    That night cost him everything, he realized it.  His life, his wife,
his dignity; never was life going to be the same again and he knew it.  The
fight, the accident - his insufferable time spent in the hospital, even
that damn physical therapy.  No work, no income, but still that damnable
thirst!  For a while he sobered up, knowing that to get well he had to
fight it, but never completely got rid of the hangover it belted him.  He
had just about, he thought at least, gotten some semblance of feeling back,
some order to things, but there came that kid in again, all sullen and
sulking as usual.  He couldn't stand having his own life with the miserable
hell he was fighting from, why did he have to deal with someone else's too?
But that particular night kid came in, he had had enough.  After having the
snot beaten out of him, the kid finally opened up and confessed to him.
The kid told of the months and the rage that had built, the ignorance and
neglect.  The old man might have even been able to muster a little
sympathy, until the bombshell was dropped: the whole time he had been in
therapy, his son had been turned into a stinking whore.  A whore, a faggot,
a queer... The old man had screamed at that! How much worse could life
punish him?  Had he not lost enough, paid enough for his dues, when now
THIS had to come along?  He lost his brothers and sisters, his parents, his
wife and now even his son??!!  Looking hard at the boy, he wanted nothing
to do with the fucker.  `You're no son of mine!' he had told him with a
rage, before getting through the door of his room and slamming it shut,
leaving the bawling kid behind.

    For weeks he repeatedly told the kid he never wanted to set eyes on him
again, but there came a time when he had to relent and he knew it, all
because of that damnable school system.  He couldn't put the kid up for
adoption - the courts wouldn't let him.  It was his responsibility, they
told him, his charge.  His charge?!  `Yeah, your charge -- you abandon
him, you get locked up probably for life!'  The sheriff made the threat
very clear and very real from the onset.  What the hell, the old man knew
nothing about raising a kid!  It was his punishment he figured, his
damnable soul being tormented yet again for everything that was unfair in
life.  Slowly he seeped back into his misery and depression again.  Having
been barred from returning to the water holes, as he called it, the only
place he had left was there at the house.  He finally got a job, finally
started pulling the farm into something that could be useful, lame as it
was.  He and the faggot made best they could with each other, avoiding as
much as possible.  As far as he was concerned, the old man didn't even know
the kid existed most of the time.

    Living alone, living in despair, he found the only solace he could in
quenching that damnable thirst of his.  The beer, the whiskey - even the
insolence; damn that kid!  Someday, he had vowed, he would make him pay for
it - pay for it all!  Pay for the attitude, pay for the ignorance - pay for
the smirk self-righteousness that he was so filled with in that crap-loaded
teenage head of his!  Eventually he did, and oh how it had hit him.  It
came to him if the kid was going to be a faggot, why couldn't he himself
get something out of it too?  Oh yeah, he showed him - he showed him what
his life would be like for the rest of his damnable eternity if he could
help it.  He gloated at the cries of anguish he could still hear in his
head, when each of those glorious days and nights he took it from his son,
giving each thrust from his own wild savage loins could pump into him.
Yeah, the kid was learning a lesson, one he would never forget!  He made
sure each thrust was as ravaged, hard and painful as he could make it, and
damn how hard that had been, being so young and tight and constricted!  But
it was worth it, worth making him pay - pay for all that insolence.  If he
was going to give and get from those kids, those damanable kids in school,
then the old man made sure he took it for all it was worth.  And although
it had a level of satisfaction, the old man knew he wanted to hurt the kid,
make him suffer, so with careful consideration he made sure he waited time
enough, too.  Long weeks passed just so the kid would heal enough from
being split so wide and hard.  And just when he thought it had been enough,
the next time would become just as painful as the last.  The old man
smirked at that thought, at how ingenious he had figured it all out.  Well
hell, his life was pure, livid, bottom-of-the-pit hellish, why not bring
the kid along with him?  He was a faggot after all, right?  After all, in
his eyes, he was just as responsible for his misery as his own...

    Yeah, as he pulled himself up from the table and headed for the truck
again, noting he had a fresh $20 bill in his pocket.  Why not?  Looking at
the empty cans he had already drained, he thought to himself that no, he
wasn't buzzed enough, wasn't ready enough for what he planned... He'd go
get a few drinks and then tonight... yeah, the lust in his eyes was heavy,
and he could feel the tickle that extended deep in his loins... Oh yes, why
he shouldn't have some small satisfaction escaped him; he was going to make
life for the kid a pure living hell once more...  And maybe tonight, maybe
even then, he would make it the worst of all nights imaginable...


(To be continued... AND I promise, there IS something good coming out of
all of this, just be patient with me, starting next chapter I really am
getting there.  :o)

---------------------------------

Comments to: EKidKy@hotmail.com
Other series by me:
   - Life's Road of Discoveries
     (www.Nifty.org, Gay-Young Friends section, Early 2008)
   - Terry and Sam - Short Story, Holiday Christmas Collaboration w/Ruwen
     (www.Nifty.org, Gay-No Sex section, Late 2008)