Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 04:41:48 -0000
From: Da Beagle <the_asmodean@hotmail.com>
Subject: Through Time HS Story

	I have always been a dreamer, and for surprisingly practical
reasons. Reality sucked. School ate up far too much time for one and for
two, well; it ate up too much time! Besides as time passes I find that I
have little or nothing in common with the people around me. Every day I
stare out the window as I receive lessons and watch the world pass me by,
never quite seeing things from anyone else's point of view I suppose the
fact that I was gay just complicated that matter. I mean, it can be nerve
wracking to ask someone out, one hundred-fold if you're gay and don't know
if anyone else is.
	This small town just wasn't ready for someone like me I guess, even
though history clearly shows I could have lived a normal life centuries
ago. Funny how we have the idea that people from our past were somehow less
intelligent than we are now. In some ways they were highly advanced, like
in the idea that you could sleep with whatever you chose. Of course they
had a strange sense of wit as well. King Edward of England had a tube
forced into his anus and a red-hot poker rammed into his innards to kill
him to avoid marking the body externally. It was thought a witty end due to
the fact that he was a homosexual. So you see, he wasn't killed for being
homosexual, it was just an amusement in the end. No pun intended.
	Anyway school was better that what passed for home. My parents were
a great pair. Somewhere for someone, I guess. They left me behind as a ward
of the state right after birth. In fact, they didn't even take me home from
the hospital. Do you think they knew I was gay way back then? Naa. Probably
would have aborted me if they knew that soon, nice people that they were.
Anyway, I make my way at Homer House, a group home for teenage boys. The
staff likes me ok, and is usually nicer to me than they are to the kids
that will pass through for six months or so since they know I live there
permanently. But it's a bit false, you know? I never get hugged, never been
kissed goodnight or had a bedtime story read to me. Life's a bitch I guess,
huh?
	This old town I live in is steeped in history, all kinds of
interesting stuff happened here like a battle, just over the next hill from
the school, one of the bloodiest in our history I've read. It's said that
the conquering army was especially bloodthirsty here for the amusement of
the King, who had come in person to watch the battle. The invading army
slaughtered the previous occupants and claimed this land as their own, and
it remains so to this day.
	I was supposed to be in gym class as my last hour but it was
frequently too much for me to bear, so I was heading over to the
battlefield to get some peace. You see, since I hadn't dated a girl at all,
or even tried to I had been labeled and certain all-male functions weren't
always done with sportsmanlike conduct in mind. So I would immerse myself
in the past, sometimes hearing the battles rage as I slept on a grassy
knoll, or dream of being the consort to a handsome young prince. Anything
was better than gym god knows who needs all the bullshit anyway? I had long
ago realized this was the best way to do things, my escape from gym was
much better than the all too real slings and arrows of my classmates.
Without going into too much detail, let's just say that somehow they would
always `forget' we were only playing touch football if I happened to have
the ball.
	Today I wandered over to one of the last buildings remaining from
the battle, what was once a tower I think, now just a crumbling circular
stone wall with a space where the door should have been. The highest
portion of the remaining wall was about six feet high, but about a third
was just gone. I walked into the largish structure, which was half buried
in the hill it had been built upon, and imagined what it must have been
like to be a lord here, the enormous responsibility of ruling a land and of
guiding your army to victory. I walked, lost in the past as I imagined the
fierce battles and the discoveries that were made when this structure was
whole. The Middle Ages were such a strange time, so full of discovery and
advancement, but also a haven for a bloodlust like no other time in
history.
	I slowly traced around the remaining wall as I had a million times
before, and as I walked I traced my fingers along the rough-hewn stone and
felt small pieces of mortar crumble under my light touch. If only the
stone's could report on what they have seen in their time, that sure would
beat gym class all to hell! I glanced over the low wall at my gym class in
the distance playing soccer. Damn, if I had known I would have played sick
just to watch all those boys in shorts! Oh well, life goes on. I sat behind
the wall so I was not in view of the school grounds and looked about the
flagstones on the floor. My favorite was a dark gray stone with a green
streak running through on one corner. I knelt down to inspect the stone up
close. I was pretty sure the green was a type of quartz; at least it looked
like that. I stood to cross to the opposite side of the tower; the hill on
the other side was my normal daydreaming spot. There was a small stream
gurgling along and it was very calming to me. I stepped forward and had the
odd jarring sensation you get when you are climbing steps in the dark and
your foot expects another step, and instead you find yourself trying to
keep your balance from the unexpected floor height. I looked down as a
matter of course, just as I would if I had tripped over my own feet. Not
that I do, or ever have, or could do...oh hell, you know.
	      The gray portion of the stone seemed to have sheared away
from the green and sunk into the ground roughly an inch and a half. On
closer inspection the green edge that now showed clearly seemed to be
smooth, almost as if it had been ground flat. I pushed with my hand on the
gray portion and it gave way another quarter inch or so before lodging
firmly in place. Driven by curiosity I began to inspect the area vacated by
the stone. The sides that it had left exposed were smooth to the touch,
almost as if this stone were portions of a puzzle, like Jenga.
	It felt quite solid now and showed no signs of budging anymore than
it had already. I stood on the stone again, and then pushed with the toe of
my sneaker trying to force the stone down. At last out of pure mulishness I
pulled the green portion with my fingers and to my amazement it slid across
the top of the flagstone with an audible click.
	I peered into the space now vacated by the green stone to find a
hollowed out area in the neighboring stone. I hesitantly reached into the
hollow with my heart racing, this was so cool! My hand clasped around
something in the gloom and as I tried to withdraw the item it held
steadfastly. Well, what do YOU think I did? I pulled harder, naturally. I
felt the object move, and then snap off, which sent me tumbling away from
the hole along the remains of the stone floor. I righted myself and found
that the object in my hand was a worm eaten piece of wood that looked like
the remnants of a handle. I walked back to the opening and knelt down to
look a bit closer. I could see the broken off portion of handle protruding
from a circular piece of iron attached to a rod that disappeared into a
slot in the stone. I grasped the remaining handle and pulled again. Slowly
the handle moved, screeching in protest. A low rumble could be heard and
the vibration from beneath my feet was unmistakable. What had I just done?
I stared in amazement as the far wall began to vibrate, then move in
slowly. No, not in, it swung like on a hinge. How could someone have not
found this before? I walked towards the doorway and saw a stone corridor
leading into the darkness. I realized now that this tunnel was buried under
the mound of dirt that made this ruin look partially submerged. I peered
into the opening in amazement. This would make me famous! This was so cool!
I stepped into the mouth of the doorway, and then moved in a few steps
before standing still to allow my eyes to adjust to the gloom.
	I glanced at my watch. One twenty two, a half an hour to explore
this before the group home van showed up. Man I was going to be on the news
for sure with this! I waited impatiently for my eyes to adjust and then I
heard a powerful clap as the door swung violently shut behind me and I was
trapped in the darkness. Panic set in quickly and I rushed headlong into
the door pushing and prodding and finally beating on the stone with my bare
hands. Tears borne from a fear of the dark and maybe being entombed in here
for the rest of my life sent my heart galloping at a frantic pace. After a
few minutes of that I began to realize that it was slowly getting brighter
in the corridor. I turned slowly to see where the light was coming from,
must be another way out! I stepped farther into the musty smelling corridor
and slowly made my way forward. The walls were rough like the tower stones,
but the floor had been worn smooth by use it seemed. I turned a corner and
found myself looking at a blue light about 4 feet off the ground. I say
light, but it was more like a glowing orb. It's light faded and was
immediately taken up by another about two feet down, and then it too winked
out to be replaced by yet another light a bit farther down the corridor.
The one nearest me lit again and I had the opportunity to study it better.
It seemed to be a ball sitting in an iron cup that was fastened to the
stone walls. I reached out to touch the light source, having completely
forgotten the being buried alive thing, and felt the surface.
	It was cool to the touch and had a springy, gel like feel to it. I
watched as it grew brighter at my touch, then winked out. I watched each
orb turn on in succession and was vaguely reminded of an airport runway.
	I moved on down the corridor and around the corner to the next
light. I was mildly surprised not to have spider webs clinging about the
place, not that I was complaining you understand. The hallway made another
quick turn and I was faced with stairs descending deeper into the earth. I
hesitated for a moment and then proceeded down the steps, after all the
door was shut behind me, right? The light of another orb could be seen and
I reached the bottom of the stairs and found myself in a huge underground
chamber. To call it ornate would be like calling a Rolls Royce an economy
car! Gold gilt ran up the pillars strategically placed to hold the domed
roof up. Archways with jewel encrusted keystones stood guard between each
pillar.
	The room was vacant of furnishings of any kind, although there were
two silver pillars standing alone in the center of the chamber. As I
studied the room further I took in the vaulted ceilings and the fanciful
artwork that covered the stone ceiling- sea nymphs, dragons and wizards in
various poses. I walked to the nearest wall, which showed a castle under
siege, fire
	billowed from the walled in courtyard. Soldiers battled from
horseback and on foot while archers let fly from the castle parapets.
	I walked along the length of the artwork and noted the stunning
detail brought to the soldier's faces and at last came to the end of the
mural. A man sat upon a charger gazing out over the field of battle, and a
younger version of him was mounted on a roan stallion by his side. The
second horseman was handsome with a rugged, angular face. That's not what
caught my eye and my breath in my chest, however. Beside him was a boy my
age carrying a satchel on his back. He had short brown hair and the most
beautiful face I had ever seen and eyes that were like jade. He was slim,
but I had the idea he was well toned under the tunic and breeches he
wore. He seemed to be gazing at the carnage with a sad expression, which
made me feel...hey, what artwork! This guy is done so well I was actually
feeling emotion for him!
	After dragging myself from the image that had so fired my
imagination, and loins I might add, I continued around the room drinking in
the murals that were so eerily well done. At last I reached the center of
the room, inspecting the two silver pillars that stood about seven feet
tall. They reminded me of the physician's symbol, you know the snake
wrapped around the staff? Only it wasn't a snake, just a continuous loop of
silver that ran the length of the pillar. I noted a blue slab on the floor,
cut in a circle so that it looked like one of the light orbs I had
seen. There appeared to be writing on the outside of the disc though. I
stood on the circle and tried to sound out the alien language that was
written at the circle's edge. I turned around completely while sounding out
the syllables. So weird.
	Somewhere in the back of my mind I noted that the room had more
light. I smelled fresh mown hay, which was impossible since it was January
and the snow had long since covered the fields. I also felt a gentle breeze
flowing through my hair. I turned around looking for the source of the wind
and noticed the area between the two pillars had changed significantly.
	There was the inside of a barn in front of me.
	And the boy with the light brown hair and green eyes was looking at
me open-mouthed.

	So what did you think? Comments accepted at
the_asmodean@hotmail.com, or visit my web site at
http://www.asmodeanskeep.homestead.com/asmodean.html

	All mail will be answered.