Dolphin Boy Chapter 1 Discovering Noah
WARNING:
This is a story of friendship, commitment, love and trust. It is not a sex story. However, this story deals with love between male teenagers. If you are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, please do not read this story. There may be some sex scenes in this story; however, sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal to read this story where you live, don't read it. Reproducing this story for distribution without the owner's permission is a violation of that copyright.
Author's Message: Well are the first five chapters. Please excuse the fact that they are un-edited so may contain typos, left out words - blah blah etc. Have a Happy fourth - And let me know how you like the story.
LAF,
Sam (sam_lakes@hotmail.com)
Dolphin Boy
by Sam Lakes
Chapter 1 – Discovering Noah
Being wealthy does have its advantages, but that is something I only dream of. I worked my summers with my uncle crewing on his yacht, which he charters to wealthy snobs. Well, to be honest not all of them are snobs some of them are pretty nice people like the last people who we just dropped off at some island in Microasia and now we are going back to Brisbane, Australia.
I love the work and my uncle pays for my trip here and back to the States. I’m sixteen and this is my third year working for my uncle during school vacation. My uncle Ray is my mom’s brother. He’s really a pretty good bloke to work for. My first month here we spent in dry dock – that’s where they pull the boat out of the water and clean and paint her and do any engine repairs and such. You would think that a sixty-foot motor ketch wouldn’t be that big but believe me when your painting her bottom she’s plenty big! There always seems to be work to do.
Uncle Ray is pretty cool dude except when you piss him off. I tried to avoid that as often as I can and in fact so far this trip I had avoided upsetting him by doing something stupid. Little did I know my luck had run out, so to speak.
As I mentioned we were sailing to pick up another charter group. Uncle and I took turns on deck while the other was catching some shut-eye. Normally, I handle four hours on four hours off pretty good but I had stayed up late last night writing to mom and just sort of daydreaming about things. I seemed to no sooner get to sleep then Uncle was waking me up. I took over the helm. Normally I stand at the helm but this time I pulled up the Captain’s chair and sat at the helm. Unfortunately within a very short time I fell asleep at the helm and seven hours later a bucket full of cold seawater awoke me.
“God damn! Son of a bitch! Jason how long have you been asleep at the helm!” was just the beginning of a tirade that continued for fifteen minutes and ended with me in tears. If I could have jumped off the boat at that point I would have. We were like way, way off course. I went up to the bow of the boat one to contemplate whether I should just jump overboard and end it all and to keep out of Uncle Ray’s way and two, to cry. I hate people seeing me cry.
About two hours later Uncle Ray called me aft.
“Yes sir.”
“Look I’m sorry I went off on you like that, but it took us way off course. I’ve plotted a new course. You take the helm and I fix us something to eat. Now keep a sharp look out.”
I knew he felt bad. He always does. Sometimes, I wished I lived with him all the time. Although it was never mentioned and I’d never had the guts to ask him, I knew that he was probably gay cuz he never has a girlfriend or talks about having a girlfriend and he sometimes talks about his mate, Peter Sanders. I’ve never actually met Peter, but I’ve seen photos of him. If I knew for sure I have about a million questions I would ask him I’m sure. I’m pretty sure that I’m gay. I’ve never told anybody, but I suspect Mom knows because I’ve never had a girl friend…for that matter I’ve never had a boyfriend. I’m pretty shy. Things changed for me when we, Mom and I, left Dad. He’s an alcoholic idiot who used to beat on mom and I. I hope he dies an early death.
Uncle Ray brought up a couple of his super sub sandwiches and some cokes for us to drink. “There ya go!”
“Thanks, Uncle Ray.”
We pretty much ate in silence. As I finished the last of my sub washing it down with the last of my coke this dolphin or porpoise jumped out of the water right near the starboard side of the yacht and startled both of us.
“Damn! That bugga was close!” Said Uncle Ray.
I went over to the starboard side to see if I could see him and nearly fell in when he leapt out of the water missing me by only a foot or two and I let out a scream, which caused Uncle Ray to roll with laughter.
After a minute the same porpoise did the same thing again but this time I saw him coming. I swear he was looking at me. I also noticed he was alone.
“Uncle Ray don’t they usually travel in groups?”
“Yeah, usually too dangerous for them out here on their own. Why?”
“This guy is alone.” I said as the porpoise swam along the side of the boat and moved his fin like he was waving at me. I waved back. I had this urge to reach out and touch him. When I touched him and I felt a warm energy travel up my arm until my whole body felt warm – it was like some other force took over control of my body. It was weird. I knew he wanted us to follow him. “We have to follow him!”
“Yeah right, Jason!”
“Uncle, please!” I pleaded, “Noah needs our help!” I had no idea who Noah was or why I said what I said. Uncle Ray looked at me strangely and shifted course.
“Noah? Noah who?”
I heard myself saying, “Huntington! Please!”
For two hours we follow the porpoise. Uncle Ray told me that several years ago two Yanks, Noah Huntington and his son, were lost at sea during a typhoon. Extensive search was done to find them. The body of Noah Huntington was found or what was left of it. His son Noah the III was not found and it was presumed that the boy suffered the same fate as his father. He wanted to know how I came up with the name Noah. I didn’t know I told him but in truth I did know. It came from the porpoise. It was nearly sundown when we spotted an island.
“Oh my gawd! I bloody well can’t believe my eyes,” he said as he peered through the binoculars and then handled them to me.
I looked and there it was a shipwrecked yacht! I could see no signs of life from this distance. We were half an hour away from the island. We anchored at sunset; there were still no signs of life on the island and uncle decided it would be better to wait until daylight. We had dinner and then retired.
Right before daylight I heard someone in the salon area, I figured it was Uncle Ray and fell back asleep. Uncle Ray woke me two hours later with the smell of bacon and eggs. As I sat down at the table in the salon he said, “You were up early.”
“Ha-ha, just cuz you got up before the crack of dawn no need to make fun of me. Especially, seeing as I haven’t had any coffee yet!”
“I wasn’t up. I thought that was you…I guess that little island has at least one inhabitant. We better go have a look after breakfast.”
When we got up on deck we saw the porpoise, which surprised us, but not nearly as much as the person next to the porpoise. The porpoise nudged him with his nose and he spoke slowly and softly, “Are you here to rescue me?” I couldn’t help but stare because he was so beautiful at first I thought he might be a girl.
“Noah Huntington?” asked Uncle Ray. The boy nodded shyly. “Come on board,” Uncle said as he lowered the ladder.
The porpoise again nudged the boy and the boy swam to the ladder and climbed on board. I still hadn’t done anything but stare. He was about my height, lightly muscled and lean and tanned all over. His long wet hair reached just below his perfectly formed butt. He stood before us completely naked. He looked at me and smiled shyly. I know I blushed because I had been transfixed on his body.
“Well, Noah welcome on board, I’m Ray Stetson and this is my nephew Jason Andrews.”
He looked at me with his soft brown eyes and all I could say was “Hi.”
“Jason, why don’t you get Noah a pair of shorts,” Ray said pulling me out of my daze. I quickly ran down to my cabin and got a pair of shorts that I thought would fit. I guess he was probably 14 or 15 years old as he looked like he was only beginning to develop hairs in his pubic region. I wondered how long he had been shipwrecked and if there was anyone else.
“…Turt is a great swimmer she’s not much slower that Dolf and can hold her breath far longer. So I expect her to be here soon, but I must let her know that I am leaving so she will not think I was an unexpected lunch for the sharks,” said Noah.
“Well, I was planning on leaving today,” said Uncle Ray, “I mean she is only a sea turtle.”
“No. She is my friend and I am her friend. There may be thousand of sea turtles but there is only one Turt. Haven’t you read “The Little Prince”?”
“Well, yes when I was a child. What has that got to do with anything?” asked Uncle Ray.
“Well, you should read it again. The Little Prince and the Fox were talking and the Fox was saying to the Little Prince ‘But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow.’ …Oh, hi, Jason are those for me?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said as I handled him the shorts.
“Thank you, sir,” he said politely as he took them, “I’m really not used to wearing clothes. I out grew them a long time ago and as I am here alone there seemed little point,” He handed them back to me, “and as your Uncle said you will be leaving soon then I will not need them at all for I am not leaving.”
“Oh, my gawd! It’s a bloody turtle!” yelled Uncle Ray.
Noah looked at me almost a pleading look. I looked at Uncle Ray and he said in an angry tone, “No way! We are already two days late! We leave as soon as he gets his stuff if he has any!”
Since I had known Uncle Ray I had never argued with him or gone against his direction but I understood Noah’s point of view although I had never read the Little Prince.
Noah dove into the water and instantly the dolphin was by his side and he grabbed the dorsal and they left for the shore.
“That kid is nuttier than a fruit cake. We’ll send somebody back for him. Come on up anchor.”
“NO! We are not leaving without him!”
“He’s a nutter! It’s just a sea turtle! A dumb sea turtle! Now up anchor and let’s go we’ll send someone back for him we’re late and I have lost enough money as it is.”
I thought for a moment then spoke, “Uncle Ray, you said his mother was rich I am sure she will pay you for your time.”
He thought about what I had said then he smiled. “You fancy him, don’t you? Ha-ha. I saw you sneaking glances at him and all his glory!” He laughed.
I was so embarrassed and ashamed. Ashamed because I felt that it was wrong how I felt. We’d never in the three times I worked for him even broached the subject of being gay. I turned away from him.
“Jason, it’s all right. Been there and still am. Take the dingy and go let him know we’ll stay until his turtle comes. Meanwhile, I’ll try and raise somebody on the radio or see if I can get the satellite phone working. Let see fifty thousand US dollars rescue one kid, ten thousand for time and trouble…” I shot him a most disapproving look and he laughed, “Just kidding mate! You are so gullible. Ha-ha!”
In a flash I was rowing towards the shore where Noah was sitting.
Noah showed me around the small island. I was amazed at how he had managed to survive on his own.
“Jason, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure?”
“What is the date?”
“July 23, 2002.”
“Wow…I’m 15 years old…I’ve been here for seven years – it seems like I’ve been here forever. Did my mom send you to find me?”
“No. We found you because I fell asleep at the helm and got way off course and then the porpoise led us here.”
“Actually, he’s a dolphin. Good ol’ Dolf. I’m gonna miss him,” he said softly.
Uncle Ray called to tell us to get back to the yacht as he had a call going through to Noah’s mother. We had a satellite phone, which we had to have for our passengers. I don’t think I will ever forget that phone call.
“Mrs. Huntington, Noah is here now,” said Uncle Ray as he handed the phone to Noah.
Gingerly, Noah took the phone, “Mama, is that you?” He nodded his head and the tears began to flow, ”Is-is that you-you? Mama…mama…mama I’ve missed you so –so much. Yes, I’m fine…I’m bigger now…Are…are you going to come and get me. Mama…” He was sobbing heavily.
“Jason, take the phone, let me try and calm him down a bit,” said Uncle Ray.
Uncle Ray took Noah in his arms and tired to comfort him while I told Mrs. Huntington what was happening I think she was crying almost as hard as Noah and I was fighting back the tears too – and loosing.
“Please I have to tell my mom something…something bad,” he said reaching out for the phone, which I handed back to him.
“Mom, Daddy died, mama please come and get me.” Again he erupted into tears.
We lost transmission. I sat down next to Noah and join Uncle Ray in trying to calm him down. After a few minutes Uncle Ray stood up and Noah wrapped his arms around me as he continued to cry. After an hour he’d cried himself out but still held on to me.
“Mr. Stetson, I want to leave now. You’re right Turt is just a stupid turtle. I want see my mom,” he said with his bottom lips trembling.
“Hey no problem, mate. Why don’t you and Jason go and get the things you want to bring and we’ll be on our way.”
He hardly spoke at all and I knew he was deep in thought, possibly a little worried about the future and even though he had very little in his life their were his friends – the dolphin named Dolf and the turtle named Turt. They had been his only companions for seven years, almost half his lifetime. He put his things in the dingy and told me politely to leave that he wanted to spend a little time with Dolf. I left but as I rowed the dingy out to the yacht I watched him he was definitely heartbroken about having to leave Dolf but in a way I believe the dolphin knew and was trying to cheer him up.
As we left the island I saw him look at the island and say goodbye then he move up to the bow. I started to join him but Uncle Ray stopped me. “Leave him be for a while then you can go. It may be hard for him for a while and he’ll need a good friend.”
Noah had remained pretty much to himself most of the trip back to Brisbane but our last night Uncle Ray was at the helm and I was sitting on the forward deck thinking about nothing in particular and Noah came up and sat down next to me.
“We’ll be in Brisbane tomorrow,” I said.
“Yeah, Jason?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you hold me?” he looked away then back to me, “I don’t mean to be a baby, but it just feels nice to be held by someone, it makes me not so scared.”
“Sure.”
He got up then sat between my legs and leaned back and I wrapped my arms around him. He tilted his head back and looked into my eyes. “Thank you.” I smiled and said nothing. I was so comfortable holding him – it felt so good. Moments of silence passed.
“You see all those stars up there. I know them all – well the constellations. When I was sailing with my Dad he would hold me like you’re holding me and we’d look at the stars and he’d point out the constellations to me. When I first was on the island I was so scared at night I’d crawl into a locker on the yacht to sleep – I cried so much but it never helped and I guess I finally got braver and decided to see how many constellations I could recognized…” he wiped his eyes and sniff a bit and I just held him just a little tighter and kissed the top of his head.
“I’d pretend my Dad was there and I was showing him what I knew. I started studying everyday and at night I would tell him what I’d learnt that day. I guess you think that’s sort of nuts, huh?”
“No. I would think you’re nuts if you didn’t do that.” We sat in silence again. I really liked Noah…I wanted to know him better; I wanted to ask him about his life on the island. I know there have been times when I would fantasize about being shipwrecked and the adventures I would have, but he had lived it. He had lost his dad and in a way his mom. He had been all alone without anyone and five hundred miles away from another living soul. Suddenly my childish fantasies didn’t sound so great. I have what seemed like a million questions, but I didn’t ask them – I just sat there with my arms around the most beautiful and bravest boy I’d ever met. Tomorrow, he would leave and I’d probably never see him again. He’d go back with his mother to Ohio and I’d return to San Diego.
“Jason, you live in America, right?” I nodded. “Could you come and visit me in Ohio? I really like you and I know tomorrow I’ll be going back home with my mom and I’m just a little scared.”
“Scared?”
“Yeah, what if she doesn’t like me any more? I’m not the same cute little boy anymore – my hair is long like a girl’s but I don’t want to cut it and not because I want to be a girl. I want to keep my hair long because it will always remind me of the island – when I was eight I was sort of a spoiled rich kid I was…what’s the word, ummm…arrogant, yes that’s the word arrogant – the island changed me and the way I think of myself and other people. I don’t want that to change I don’t want to be arrogant and I think if I keep my hair long then people will ask me why and I can tell them because it reminds me that I am not better than you. It reminds me to be humble.”
He squirmed a bit and I realized that I was hold on to him too tightly.
“Sorry.”
He tilted his head back and look at me with the most adorable smile. “It’s okay. I like you holding me, it’s just a little hard to breathe,” he giggled. I so wanted to kiss him at that moment. He giggled again. “You remind me of Dolf, in a way, he sometimes got a bit intense too! He was very handsome for a dolphin you know, I think that is what I’ll miss more than anything – he was a bit of a rebel you know. Dolphins swim in a pack you know for protection. He’s gone back to his dolphin family now. I used to pretend that he was my brother and some evil wizard turned him into a dolphin or sometimes turned me into a human. I almost believed it too several times. And when I’d get like that he’d bring me back to reality. He’d leave for like two weeks.”
“I probably will never tell anyone what I am telling you know because they think I’m crazy but I know he and I understood each other. I really loved him.”
We talked and talked when my watch came I went back to helm. Uncle Ray had set the autopilot on. Making a remark “Good thing we didn’t have it on before. But just keep an eye on things,” he smiled and went off to sleep. I let Uncle Ray sleep an extra hour or so then we went to bed.
When I was almost asleep Noah said softly, “Thank you for rescuing me, thank you for being a friend. Wherever life takes me I hope you won’t be too far away.”
“Me too.”
“Jason, I love you.” I knew he meant that as a friend and nothing more but it also made me feel like maybe someday it could develop into more.
“I love you too, Noah, more than you can imagine.”
We then said goodnight again and I fell asleep feeling very happy about life.
We arrived in Manly around one o’clock. A team of security guards kept everybody at bay while we locked up the yacht. We were ushered to a limo and wisked off to Stamford Plaza, a pretty posh hotel in Brisbane. Again there were news people that we were protected from. I nearly laughed when people thought I was Noah and Noah was pretty well ignored because everyone thought he was a girl. Of course anyone with any intelligence would have made the connection.
In the elevator Noah was holding on to my arm for dear life. “Jason, all the people scare me. Please stay with me,” he whispered. I moved my hand up and took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and gave him a wink. We got out of the elevator and led to the stairwell and walked down two flights then took another elevator down to the second floor and took the stairs. Eventually we ended up in a car and drove to an employee entrance of the Hilton and then to Laura Huntington’s suites.
I when I first saw Laura Huntington there was no doubt in my mind that she was Noah’s mother. Of course they were in each others arms in a flash and I can honestly say there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere in the room even Uncle Ray had a few tears. We hugged, kissed and hugged again and cried.
Finally we all calmed down.
“Mama, I don’t want to cut my hair.” He told her what he had told me but added looking at me and then down to the floor as if he was ashamed of himself, ”Before Daddy and I left port I had been real nasty to a boy older than me and Daddy got mad at me he told me I was arrogant and rude and he-he was ashamed of me. You won’t make me cut my hair will you?”
“Of course not honey, I respect your decision and I know your dad would be very proud of you. Your dad always loved you so much and he told me so many times that you were his greatest gift to me – and you are.”
“Well, I promised to give a short press conference with you and Mr. Stetson and Jason. Do you think you are ready for that?” He nodded.
“How about you gentlemen?” We nodded. Now I was scared. I had never been like the center of attention and not even as close to it as I am.”
“Jason, Noah if they ask you a question and you don’t want to answer it just look at me and get a slight nod like this.” She demonstrated what she meant.
As we left Noah took my hand. I was a bit worried she’d object, but she didn’t she smiled and gave us a wink.
“Jason makes me feel safe,” Noah said.
She stood on my right and put her arm around me and whispered in my ear, “Thank you, for finding my son.”
Laura Huntington was an expert at handling the reporters and being in control of them instead of them being in control. She let them know that she would be spending as much time with her son as he needs and the Huntington Companies were quite capable of running themselves for a while without her of course if there was an emergency she would be available to advise but her son and his happiness came first. I think she, Uncle Ray and Noah ganged up and nominated me as the hero.
To the question how do I feel about being a hero I shrugged my shoulders. ”I don’t feel I’m a hero or anything special – I fell asleep at the helm. The real hero wasn’t me. I wasn’t brave or courageous or anything like that. I think the brave person, the courageous person, was Noah.”
After the press conference we return to the suite. Uncle Ray and Mrs. Huntington said they had some adult things to discuss and would be in the hotel lounge and if we got hungry we could order room service. Noah and I both ordered steaks, salads and cokes.
As I was eating my steak I did the scene from Matrix about the steak not being real and Noah looked at me like I was nuts. “It’s a scene from the Matrix.”
“Matrix?”
“Oh, it’s a movie, a really awesome movie.”
“The last movie I saw was Lion King.”
“Yeah, I liked that movie. I have it at home on DVD.”
“DVD?”
“Yeah, it’s like a CD but it’s got a movie recorded on it not music.”
“Neat.”
We finished our food and I suggested we watch a movie. So we got comfortable on the couch sitting side by side. Noah took my arm and put it over his shoulders and snuggled into me. We looked at each other in the eye.
“You don’t mind do you?”
“No. I love being near you and holding you. You know the real hero wasn’t me it was Dolf. I wanted to tell people that but I didn’t because I thought they’d get weird.”
“Yeah, I’m going to miss him. I don’t think I’ll ever see him again.”
A single tear rolled down his cheek. I wiped it away gently with my hand. Then I kissed his cheek softly saying, “He’ll be fine. I know he will and so will you.”
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful and then the time I began to dread was seeing them off at the airport. I don’t know if I can express myself well here – it’s like I had been living a fantasy from the moment Dolf touched me and then meeting Noah. But it all came to an end at the airport. Mrs. Huntington gave me a hug and again thanked me giving me a little kiss on the cheek.
How I managed to keep from crying when Noah hugged me and kissed me on the cheek I don’t know – no words passed between us. I turned and walked away with my heart feeling as if it was breaking into and tears flowing down my cheeks. I never looked back. I didn’t want Noah to see me crying but I knew he knew I was crying and I knew that he was crying too.
What do you think so far- Sam. sam_lakes@hotmail.com