If you are underage or graphic sexual stories are prohibited in your community...do not read this. This story is completely fictional. I would appreciate all comments especially those of a constructive or encouraging nature. My e-mail address: edswanky@hotmail.com
Christopher Answers
Chapter 22
Bang! Bang! Bang! Justin rapped on the locked steel door. He paused to listen but heard no response. Bang! Bang! Bang! Again, no response. By this time Christopher was standing at the top of the stairs.
"If you hit him, he'll have you arrested. What then Justin, do you kill him? Is that what you want! Is that what your mom wants! Why do you think she didn't tell you! She knew that you'd do exactly what you're doing. Goddamit Justin, for once, USE YOUR HEAD! He isn't worth it and you're gonna hurt your mom a lot worse than he did. Can't you see that! If you want to hit somebody, HIT ME! Go ahead, HIT ME! HIT ME!, you big, dumb jock!! You want to fight! Fight me!!!"
Christopher ran down the stairs and started swinging. His little fists just bounced off Justin's chest. Justin stood there and made no move to defend himself. Christopher kept pounding him until he couldn't swing anymore. Tears were streaming down Chris' cheeks, he finally stopped out of sheer exhaustion and sat down on the steps.
Justin was dumbfounded. He saw Christopher angry before... but never like this! Chris covered his face in his hands. Justin sat down and draped his arm around him. Chris' whole body shook. Justin pulled Chris tighter towards him. Christopher relaxed and hugged Justin, burying his head in his chest. In a barely audible little-boy voice, Chris said:
"I'm sorry Justin, I love you too much to just stand by and watch you make the biggest mistake of your life. Your life may not mean anything to you, but it does to me, your mom and your friends.
Justin's eyes misted as he stroked his young lover's hair. He leaned over and gently kissed the top of his head. His embrace almost crushed the fragile boy that clung to him, seeking forgiveness.
"You're right Chrissy! C'mon, he's not here anyway." Justin easily picked him up in his powerful arms, carrying him up the stairs and toward their car. He opened the passenger door and sat Chris on the seat, then walked around and got in the driver's side. The parking lot was dark and empty except for their car. Christopher slid over, Justin continued to comfort him by stroking his hair. He lifted his chin and kissed him full on the lips. They were snuggled close together when a car drove up and parked about four or five spaces behind them. A big man got out and walked up to the driver's side. It was Elder John.
Justin didn't hear the car or notice him approach until he tapped on the half-opened window.
"Well, well, now what do we have here! You kids shouldn't be here! This is private church property." He just assumed that it was a teenage boy necking with his girlfriend until Christopher sat up. He was shocked!! Right here in the church's parking lot, a coupling of males, a blasphemy!
He didn't recognize either of them. Justin looked through the window and squarely into the eyes of Elder John. He proceeded to quote scripture; his favorite scripture about the evils of homosexuality.
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination."
"Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."
Justin abruptly opened the car door, knocking Elder John back a few feet. "Gee, I'm so sorry sir, this door sticks, did I hurt you."
Elder John staggered backward and his glasses fell to the pavement. "Here, let me get those for you, it was all my fault."
Justin continued apologizing profusely as he leaned over. His head accidentally speared directly into the bewildered man's solar plexus.
Justin retrieved the glasses and stood up quickly. Again, he accidentally smacked Elder John's chin with his head. John's neck snapped back like a prize fighter caught by an upper cut.
"I'm so sorry again, I guess your quotes from the bible have me all nervous. Are you OK? "
Gary's dad didn't say a word, he was still woozy from the head butt.
Justin reached out and latched on the lapels of his coat to steady him. He brushed off some nonexistent dirt from John's sagging shoulders. When he released him, John almost fell down but managed to stay upright. John held his chin and doubled over from the pain he felt in his chest.
Shaking his hand enthusiastically, Justin said, "Thank you sir for making us see the error of our ways, it was wonderful meeting you and I hope you will continue to pray for us sinners!"
"I will," he said in an automatic response to Justin's feigned plea for spiritual forgiveness.
Justin got back in the car, started it and before pulling away, he said, "You have a good night now, ya hear!"
"Thank you", John was heard to say in a weak voice.
Justin drove away not saying a word to Christopher who sat there with the biggest grin on his face that he'd ever seen.
"Now that's what I call using your head!" Chris said. As they rounded the corner, Justin and Christopher began laughing so hard that he had to pull over and stop the car.
Elder John managed to get in his apartment and went straight to bed. He was glad that the President of the school board decided to postpone the meeting until Monday. John had opposed it but the President insisted that the Principal shouldn't be replaced until after Gary's funeral.
Taylor's parents listened intently as he told them about being gay.
"I've known this at least two years now. When we moved here and I met Tim the day we were unpacking, I knew it. Before then, I had never really given it much thought. Girls didn't interest me but I've always liked being around other boys."
"Tim is upstairs right now and I want you to know that we've gotten back together. It isn't a passing thing. I love him with all my heart and plan to spend the rest of my life with him, if he'll have me."
Taylor's father hung his head down as if he'd just been punched. His mother's reaction was measured but encouraging.
"We only want the best for you, Tay. You've been so unhappy this last six months since you and Tim stopped being friends. Do his parents know?"
"They've known about Tim for over two years. All they want is for him to be happy."
Tay's mom hugged him and his dad encircled both of them with his arms. She said they only want him to be happy too. Tim watched the scene from the top of the stairs. He thought how lucky both he and Tay were to have parents that loved them unconditionally. Then he thought of Gary and Gary's dad, it made him sad.
Dave and Tom were sitting at the kitchen table with Craig and his parents. Craig invited them to stop by and pick him up. He wanted to go to the Mall but also wanted to stop to see Gary's mother. He kept thinking how lonely she must be all by herself. Since the three of them were teammates of Gary, they had a lot of good stories to tell his mother. Dave and Tom were glad because they had talked earlier about the same thing.
They were just about to leave when the phone rang, it was for Craig. Justin's mom knew that Craig didn't live very far from the church. She had just finished talking to Gary's mother and found out that she told Justin about how her husband had shoved her into the wall. She knew her son! There was no question in her mind where he went after leaving Martha's house.
She frantically told Craig the story and begged him to drive over to the church to see if he could stop Justin.
"I'll do what I can, don't worry." He hung up the phone and quickly explained what was happening to Dave, Tom and his parents. They bolted out the door and piled into Craig's car. The church was only a few blocks away. Craig ripped around the last corner near the church when Dave spotted Justin's car at the side of the road. Craig slowed down and did a U turn. He pulled right behind them and the three of them jumped out not knowing what to expect.
Justin and Chris were surprised to see their three friends. They got out of the car and stood talking. It took at least 10 minutes to swap stories about how they wound up here by the side of the road.
Justin and Chris decided to go with them to see Gary's mother and then head over to the Mall together. Justin used Craig's cell phone to call his mother and assure her that everything was fine.
Martha was very surprised and happy to see Justin and Chris again so soon and with three more friends of her son Gary. After some initial awkwardness, the conversation got easier. Craig was his usual self, he knew just what to say to lighten the spirits of the group. They talked mostly about the baseball team and humorous stories that involved Gary.
The light was returning to Martha's eyes. They moved into the kitchen where she prepared them some sandwiches and drinks while they each told their favorite Gary stories. At least an hour had gone by when the front doorbell rang. Martha excused herself and left the kitchen to answer the door.
She was surprised to see her husband's older brother Russell. He lived about 300 miles away and rarely visited, the last time being at least 5 years ago. Martha called to tell him about his nephew's death but he wasn't home, so she left a message on his answering machine. She didn't expect that he would respond or visit. She expected only to receive a sympathy card. He too didn't get on very well with his brother John. The change in him was more than Russell was willing to accept.
He was the one person who knew the reason behind John's transformation ten years ago. When Gary was six or seven years old, he was a very loving kid. He got along great with his Uncle Russ. He reminded him so much of his youngest brother, Michael. Michael was 4 years younger than John and 7 years younger than him. John and Michael were about as close as two brothers could be. At age 13, Michael confided to John that he was gay. It came as no big shock to John, he recognized that his brother was different as far back as when Michael was 7 years old. The kid was very loving and affectionate. There was no pretense there. John was supportive of him when he came out. Michael was still Michael as far as John was concerned. He loved Michael for himself and the fact that he was gay didn't change that.
Two years later, Michael was viciously attacked and killed by a gang of gay bashers. They were given only slaps on the wrist in the way of sentencing. The judge was not very sympathetic to the plights of gays so he gave them the minimum sentence allowed by law. Michael was depicted as having brought it on himself. The jury at the time was anti-gay and they bought into the argument presented by the defense.
John always blamed himself for not warning Michael about what could happen to him as a gay person in the very prejudiced town where they grew up. It took awhile, but he got over it, married Martha and they had their only son Gary together. Gary was almost the spitting image of Michael and John doted on him constantly.......until the age of seven.
One morning John woke up from a dream. His son Gary was exactly like Michael, loving and affectionate. John's dream was of Michael's battered body but now it was his only son Gary who was laying there.
At that moment, John decided that he would try to change his seven year old son..... make him tougher ..... make him straight. John started to read the bible and centered on the quotes that denounced the sins of homosexuality. This is what he would teach his son. The touching and open affection he displayed to his son would have to cease. He replaced it with his selected biblical quotations. Gary was not going to wind up like his brother Michael. Through his son Gary, John saw this as a way to atone for the death of his brother. Gary would not turn out to be gay. He would make certain of that!
end chapter 22
Please let me know what your thoughts are? What do you like/dislike about Christopher-answers?
My thanks to those who continue to respond and help to shape this story, I appreciate it more than you may realize. ed swanky
E-mails to: edswanky@hotmail.com