Duckblind

Duckblind By Obsidian_Hunter Obsidian_hunter@yahoo.com

Before I begin perhaps a little information is in order, This might be a long one so get comfortable or skip ahead. The format I use in this story might be odd, but this is how it came to me. I just write the story as it appears in my head. I don't know why it jumps around, why history comes after the present, or why I leap from person to person. It might be confusing at first (It was when I wrote it) but I hope you will be able to get the tempo without to much difficulty. As I once said to a teacher, "I just write the damn thing, I don't try to control it, I just let it go, and if it works I am happy. All I can do is hope to please others, or to get others to think." For those of you who see mistakes in the story, I am sorry, I know little about duck hunting, less about slang, and even less about everything else. I don't know why duck hunting was the theme to this story, It came to me in an idea and I ran with it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little story, and if you have any comments (nice ones preferred, thank you) please let me know. Oh... one last thing I wish to dedicate this story to the one who understood me when I was standing in the fields and shadows and learning what it was to be an Obsidian_Hunter. That will make no sense to anyone but the person I intend it for, so don't ask. Enjoy. O_H.

Dedication revised: I would also like to thank two very special people for their help, humility and support, be it passive or active. Meg for pretending to love my writing, and Ardveche for his role in reminding me how bad a speller I am, and for the work he does that keeps my interests active. O_H.

The smell of the open marsh, the weight of the rifle in his hand and the smell of the gunpowder; that is what kept Mark coming back to the sport of Duck hunting. Personally, Mark did not like shooting ducks, he had raised some as a child and his father still kept some down on the ranch. Today though was a special day, Mark was not here to hunt with his rifle, he was here with his camera. Mark had the idea of putting together a small book of duck pictures for his niece Amy. She was only six but had a fascination with ducks and would spend hours looking at the mounted birds at his house. Mark was sure she would be a duck hunter one day but Amy's Dad (Mark's brother Jacob) said that she was not allowed to touch a rifle till she was "responsible". So Mark was up at five in the morning in his family's duck blind armed with his camera and his trusty .38 pistol he jokingly called marsh monster, waiting for some good shots.

Mark had been coming to his duck blind since he was a kid and his dad had been hunting there since he was a kid. The original duck-blind was built by Mark's great-grandfather shortly after he purchased this very sizable piece of land back in the early 20's. but the old one was all but abandoned for a newer one Mark's dad built when he was twelve. Mark could see the old blind from the new one, in fact he spent a great deal of time in the old one especially if he had a friend with him. The old blind was more like a small cabin, it had the main "shooting room" and second room to sleep or store gear, but it was really cramped to walk around in, you had to crouch a little as the shooting room was only big enough for maybe two guys their rifles and a dog who didn't move around too much. The extra room was more spacious you could lay down and still have room for a little gear.

Mark looked around, all the world was still. God's creation was here before him, and he was there too. Life has it's unexpected good things. Well... maybe for a little while.

Headlights... He had seen those same headlights on his wall, five days a week ever since he was born. They would slide across his walls through the shades, filling the darkness with light. Why didn't he react when he saw those headlights? No it was too early for those headlights.

Rumbling... The rumbling of that engine, the sound that always shook the windows. the sound that comforted him when he thought he was alone, the sign that his dad finally came home. Why didn't he hear that engine?

The date... It was his birthday, even on his birthday his dad came home at his usual time, never earlier. His dad would come in, wake him up and they would share the pecan pie his dad always bought. Why would he change that routine after sixteen years?

Time... Three hours before his dad was supposed to be home, one a.m. that was the time His dad came home. But it was ten, not one. Why would his dad be home at ten?

Dad's voice... Calling out from downstairs, "Son I'm home." Because dad knew he would wake up when he got home. "Surprise! I got off early tonight for your sixteenth, bud." Why didn't he move?

Warmth... The warmth from his bed, never had he felt it as warm and soothing as he did at that moment. The warmth off another body, that's what was new. The warmth coming off Corey's body was that what kept him from reacting?

Dad... Standing in the doorway, Pie in hand with sixteen glowing candles ringing it. "Happy Birthday..." He yelled moments before the pie slipped from his fingers and smashed to the floor. then the rage that shot through his face. Why didn't he take action? Why? Why?

That's all Max kept thinking as he moved through the darkness, Corey was driving slowly and silently, His tuxedo jacket was resting on Max's shoulders in a vain attempt to keep him warm and comfortable. Around them the dark wooded roads swallowed up the lights coming off Corey's headlights.

"Max?" Corey said from the driver's side. "Max, talk to me."

"About what?" Max asked.

"Are you okay?"

"No... Why didn't I wake up?"

"Max don't blame yourself..."

"Don't blame myself? What the hell do you mean? don't blame myself? Who should I blame? You for giving me love? Or my dad for showing me that he loved me?" Max said sadly in to the window.

"Max... It's okay, in a couple of days your dad will be okay."

"Okay? It will never be okay... You heard what he said... He's never said anything like that, I have never seen him this angry before."

"Look Just wait, I promise you it will be okay."

Max smiled weakly as he looked over at Corey who's full concentration was on the road. "You know you are the worst liar I know."

Corey smiled "You know I don't lie."

"No, you cant lie, well you can't around me. that's how I knew that when you told me you loved me it was true."

"Well I do, and I swear it will be okay." Corey took one hand off the wheel and laid it gently on Max's lap "It's okay."

Into the night they went.

Corey stood at the door in the finest tuxedo Max had ever seen, in his hand were clutched sixteen roses. "Max? You sure you want to do this?" Corey asked.

"You going to tell me you got all dressed up and came over here, just to take no for an answer?" Max said in his best coy voice.

Corey chuckled. "Well it would be a waste of this really nice tux, if I did..."

"You always surprise your boyfriends with tux's and roses on their birthday?"

"Only when I know I am going to get lucky" Corey said as that mischievous smile of his spread across his face.

"Oh? And what makes you think I am that easy to "get lucky" with?" Max said as he moved closer to Corey.

"Because It took a limo as well to get in Jimmy Bennigan's pants." Corey said with A wide smile.

Max's jaw fell to the floor. "YOU SLUT!" he yelled jokingly.

"Hey, It maybe easier getting into your pants, but the reward is a lot better." Corey said as he moved only inches away from max.

"Well at least I got roses out of this deal. But what do you think my dad will say if he sees them?"

"Tell him it was from a girlfriend." Corey chucked as his face grew dangerously close to Max's

"You are friendly, but hardly a girl..." Max said as his lips grew even closer to Corey's.

Corey smiled "That's true... So?"

"So? So what?" Max asked strangely.

"So... where's the cake?" Corey asked as he took a step to his right and walked past Max in to the kitchen.

Breathe... Steady your hand... Breathe... Finger on the trigger... Breathe... Line the shot... Breathe damn it... Ready... Breathe in... Steady... Breathe out... Pull trigger...

Click...

Mark smiled to himself, it was a good shot, Had he brought his rifle instead of his camera he would have bagged a nice plump duck.

Mark set up for a second shot, a nice drake was moving right in to a perfect spot. Clean shot, easy "kill", Mark thought as he raised his camera to his eye.

The drake swam lazily into mark's view finder, "smile baby..."

BANG! The drake exploded in to a cloud of feathers and blood. The sky was suddenly filled with a swarm of marsh birds and plaintive cries. Mark threw himself on to the floor of the blind as a natural reaction.

Mark looked up, but did not move, he listened for any sound of life. Then he heard the sound of a voice. "You got him!"

Then another voice. "Was there any doubt? No more spagettios for us."

"How about duck A'la spagettios?"

Mark heard splashes in the water in front of the blind and the second voice was now closer. "I never want to eat that stuff ever again."

The splashes then moved away. Mark rose to his knees and crawled his way to the opening to the blind. He could see the old duck-blind, there he saw two boys. One had the drake's limp body in his hand and the other was coming out of the blind with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

Mark recognized them, well maybe he did... One of them was the Miller boy... ummm... Casey? Kevin? Conor? The other was Max... yeah Max, Max Kantrell. He was old man Kantrell's grand-son. The Old man kept a picture of the boy in his shop and pointed it out every time Mark was in there buying Machine parts for his dad's ranch. His dad was Philip Kantrell, Mark's best friend, Mark went to school with him and was at his wedding sixteen years ago and at his wife's funeral ten years ago. The Boy did not stop crying at the funeral, the only time he stopped was whenever Phil held him.

What were they doing here? Phil would have asked him to use the blind, and would have told him that the boys were out there if he had known. What was going on?

The Kantrell boy was the one with the blanket, He held the blanket tight to his body. he smiled weakly and seemed very tired. The other boy seemed more energized, more free and happy. What was going on?

"See Max a little bit of good luck and a lot of good aim, gets you a good breakfast."

Max smiled as he pulled the blanket tighter. The other boy rested the duck on a log then disappeared in to the blind, he came out a minute later with a portable Sterno stove and cooking gear. Max sat down at on the log near the duck as the other boy prepped the stove. Mark watched quietly as the boy started cooking a breakfast of duck and powdered eggs, the whole time Max sat unmoving and silent.

"Where are we going?" Max asked.

"Well we can go to my house." Corey replied.

"No... My dad must have called your dad by now." Max said in a very worried voice.

"Okay, then you tell me."

Max thought for a minute. " Well I know a place where they won't look for us."

"Really where?"

"It is over on the Copper River Ranch, In the Marsh area."

"You want to go on to the Dupre ranch?" Corey said suddenly with a tone of surprise and fear.

"Yeah, It's in the back woods and Mister Dupre doesn't go shooting anymore so it will be abandoned."

"But Old Man Dupre shoots trespassers! Remember Frankie Harsy?" Corey asked with even more concern in his voice.

"Frankie Harsy was robbing the house at the time, and he was only hit in the arm. This place is miles from the house and no one goes there except for Mister Dupre's son."

"I don't know..."

Max was surprised, Corey usually was the confidant one, now Max was taking the lead. "I cant go home... And I can't stay with you... Look if your scared then drop me off outside the ranch and I'll make my way down there on my own."

Corey sighed heavily, The sign that he had made a choice he thought was wrong. "Okay WE will go down to the Dupre place, but let me stop by my place for some gear and supplies."

"But won't your dad see you?"

"Hell no! I have snuck in and out of there like a ghost, even with my dad sitting on the front steps. Trust me I'll get the stuff."

Max smiled. "Okay, just be careful."

The phone rang in Will's office, as town sheriff he was responsible for every petty, stupid and pointless incident that happened. If the dog next door took a dump in your rose potter, well shit... call Will... and Will was good at his job, granted if the people of his town would use a little common sense then he would be out of a job, so why screw with a good thing?

The phone rang again. Will's office also acted as his part time bedroom, when he was on duty he slept there because his wife hated those late-night calls from people bitching about music or drunks. So Will used his sofa as a second bed, granted he would rather be pressed up to his wife at 3am.

Again the phone rang. Will slowly lifted his head from the pillow he had been drooling into, Grunting a short chorus of profanities he sat up and looked around for the phone.

Ring number four and five. Will reached over to the phone that sat just out of reach which meant he had to get up, and he tried really he did...

Ring Six. Will managed to reach the receiver, and not without a Herculean effort he was able to mumble, "Yes?"

"Will? Is that you? It's Philip... you awake?"

"No Phil, I am just answering phones in my sleep, it's just one of my many strange habits."

"Look I'm sorry Will, but it's important."

Will wiped the last of drool from his lip "Sorry, bud, you know flying the sofa skies makes me cranky, what's up?"

"Will, have you or any of your officers seen my son? He ran away tonight and hasn't come back."

"Oh shit? What time was this?"

"About ten, he was with Corey when he left."

"Why did he leave?"

Silence...

"Philip? you still there?"

"Yeah... we had a fight, I said a few things, and well he left."

Will rubbed his eyes. "You two never fight. What the hell could you two have been fighting about?"

"Look Will, It's not important... he's gone, he's not at Corey's house and there is some gear missing from Corey's place."

"Really? Maybe they went camping to blow off some steam."

"I hope not..."

"What?"

"Never mind... look If you find him please, please bring him home."

"You got it Philip, And don't worry, He will be okay."

"Look Phil, It's cool. Just grab your shit and come over to my house around six tonight. okay?"

"Yeah okay. Your sure your dad is cool with this?" Philip said.

"Give me a break... my dad is cool with it." Mark was a little frustrated with Philip's hesitation.

"Well all right, do you want me to bring the beer?"

"Shit yeah! If my dad saw me with it he would ship me off to military school." Mark smiled wide.

"Okay Mark, I'll get us what I can find." But there was hesitation in Philip's voice.

"Look, why are you worried? We're just going hunting."

"I know... But... I... ummm..."

"What's the matter? You don't want to go?"

"It's not that... See... I don't know..." Philip looked down at his feet.

Mark didn't quite understand. "Look, don't worry. It's just another hunting trip, Okay?"

Philip nodded. "Okay."

Mark smiled. "Okay see you tonight."

The room was humid and uncomfortable, all the heavy breathing was making the room more unbearable every minute. Or was it Philip who was getting uncomfortable? Philip didn't know... He didn't understand, all he knew was at that moment he was not happy. He had been hunting lots of times. He and Mark went twice a month every season for the last six years. Shit they bagged their first birds together when they were twelve. Why was he so damn uncomfortable now? Maybe it was because of what had happened the night before. Well, he was drunk... He was not even sure it had happened, if it wasn't for the fact that his shorts were laying inches from his head and he felt a small breeze blowing across his crotch, he would have been sure it was all a dream. A bad, uncomfortable, and at the same time pleasurable dream.

There was a light snoring coming from Philip's right side, but Phil did not look, He knew who was there, he had woken up to that snoring countless times. But this time it was different so damn different. What had he done? Why? He knew how and what he felt, and this was NOT the way he thought or felt. Mark was his best friend, but he would never have thought he would have... he knew what he had seen a few days before, but it could not have really been real, but here he was...

Snoring... The soft snoring of his best friend.

Philip stared at the roof of the duck-blind.

Mark watched from the blind, He still could not understand what was going on. There was something unusual about the way the two boys were acting, they seemed more comfortable and open than Mark was used to. The Miller boy seemed very self-assured and yet seemed to be taking care of Max. Max always seemed a little weak, but not in a bad way. It was just that he never talked in public, he always kept to himself. Even when he spent weekends helping at his grandfather's shop he would only come out of the storeroom to drop something off then would return to the back without so much as a whisper. Mark knew that Max and his dad Philip were closer than Mark and his dad could ever be. Phil always looked out for his son and regretted the fact he could not be with him all the time or the fact that Max had lost his mom at an early age.

But here and now Max seemed to open up, he was still a little quiet but there was a glow about him, he smiled, even if it was weakly. There was something in that smile... Max's eyes followed the Miller boy's every step and action, was that in the smile? Yes... yes it was. It was in the smile...

Was that the smile of a best friend? No... Wait... Mark had seen that smile before. Where? Mark looked farther back in to his memory, that smile, that weak loving smile. "Oh shit..." Mark whispered to himself.

"Are you sure?" Mark mumbled below his breath.

"Damn it you are to damn unsure of yourself! get a spine man, You are going to be fine!" Mark half yelled from across the room.

"I know, but what kinda date is it when your parents set you up?"

"It is called a desperate last maneuver." Mark chuckled.

Phil looked in to the mirror and was suddenly uncomfortable again.

"Look no one is expecting you to fall in love, get married and have a dozen kids with this girl, they just want you to go out and have fun."

Phil fidgeted with his tie for the sixth time.

"You know you are the most nervous person I know."

"How nervous was I that night?" Phil asked absentmindedly.

"What? When?" Mark asked in a confused tone.

"You know what I mean." Phil added as he reached for a bottle of aftershave.

"Oh shit man!" Mark knew what Phil was asking and it still pissed him off. "That was like four month's ago, It was not your fault and it hasn't happened since. So why in the hell do you always have to bring it up?"

Phil put a small amount of aftershave in his hand and slapped it to his face.

Mark got up from the bed and walk over to his friend. "Look it doesn't make you gay, okay? We were drunk, and I admit it, I took advantage of our condition. I didn't mean for it to happen like that, but it did. Man you know you are my best friend and I don't ever want you to be upset. So please stop dwelling in the past, please... please let it go, okay?"

Philip dropped his eyes for a second then looked back up in to the mirror. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay bud."

Just then the doorbell rang downstairs, Philip's body suddenly went stiff.

Mark just laughed at his friends sudden reaction.

"Philip?" Up the stair came the voice of Phil's mom. "Philip honey your date is here."

Phil shot a worried glance at mark. "How do I look?"

Mark smiled, "You look great, and you smell even better." Mark added with a chuckle.

The two boys stepped out of the room and walked downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs was Phil's mom and the cutest girl both boys had ever seen. She was about seventeen, she had shoulder length golden red hair and a beautiful pair of jade colored eyes.

"Philip, I would like to introduce you to Lisa Price, her family just moved to town last month." Phil's mom said, ignoring Mark entirely. Not that that was intentional but after all she wanted Lisa to meet Phil not Mark.

Lisa shot a small weak, loving smile at Phil, and Phil just stared in to her eyes silently.

"Do you Philip Alexander Kantrell take Lisa Elizabeth Price to be your lawful wedded wife? To have and to hold... for Richer, for Poorer, in Sickness...

Mark Stood silently next to Phil, He could see that Phil was just about ready to either pass out or make a solid break for the door. Mark remembered everything the three of them had done in the last two years, graduating High School, starting at the local college, Mark's proposal to Lisa... Lisa becoming pregnant about two weeks ago... Mark knew Phil was very excited about losing his virginity (to a girl, the past did not count) but to jump the gun two weeks was not usually Phil's style.

"And do you Lisa Elizabeth Price take this man to be your husband?"

Mark smiled broadly, these two were meant for each other. There was not a question about it. But Mark did wonder how he managed to get Phil all the way up here without Phil puking all over the church. Mark glanced around, Nearly the whole damn town was here, Mister Kantrell, Lisa's family (including her damn cute younger brother, ahhh to be sixteen again), Shit even Sheriff O'Neil and his son William were here. Mark shot a quick smile to Will without Sheriff O'Neil noticing. Will blushed a little and shot a quick smile back. Mark glanced over at his own dad, There he sat silent and unmoving, the perfect picture of a human statue, he did not even flinch as Mark's brother Jacob bumped his dad with his elbow when he turned to wave to his girlfriend (only God and Jacob could remember her name).

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife! You may now kiss the bride."

But Phil was frozen for a second, he only stared at Lisa's jade eyes through the thin elegant veil. With one slow breath he reached out to her lifted the fragile covering. Lisa had that same smile she had when she first met Phil, that weak, loving smile.

That weak, loving smile... could it be? Could They be in love? No... well... it would explain some things...

The Miller boy continued to cook the food as Max sat still and silently.

"Hey Corey?"

"Yeah?"

"Nothing... Never mind."

Corey! that's the other boy's name Mark thought.

"Just checking to make sure I am still here huh?"

Max smiled weakly and turned his head away, "Yeah I guess so."

"Look Like I told you I ain't going anywhere." Corey replied as he stood up and walked over to Max with two steaming plates in his hands.

Corey handed Max a plate then leaned in close. "I promise." And gave Max a long kiss gently on the lips.

"Oh shit..." Mark blurted out as his hand slipped on a rock it was resting on and he fell face forward into the cold morning dirt.

Mark was kissing dirt, he could taste it in his mouth, he heard laughing. Mark pushed himself up from the ground, "thanks for helping me out ass wipe."

"Hey I warned you... you were... are drunk." replied a very liquor laced voice of Will, then he followed it up with more laughter.

"I am.. am.. not... you's the one who'sssss dwunk."

"Dwunk?" Will fell over laughing. He continued to laugh uncontrollably as he tried to get back up on to the log he had been sitting on.

"Oh sssshut up." Mark said as he staggered his way towards the duck-blind. "I'm going to bed."

Will managed to pull his top half up on to the log, "Otay I's gots to piss a race horse. Be right there."

Mark stumbled in to the dark room, outside he heard Will pissing a long stream in to the bushes. Mark reached over to the lantern and turned it on. Mark was not quite as drunk as he let on, But he was sure Will was. Mark knew he was gay a few years back, but you try and be gay in this town, Ain't going to happen. But it was okay to "experiment", most boys in his town did, shit it was one of these boys who's "experiment" made Mark realize he was into guys. This was the easiest of the games to get in to another guy's pants. get liquored up, get far away from everyone else and let it happen. Shit what seventeen year old guy doesn't have sex on the brain (Well Phil, but that's different) and once you get them liquored up then all the gates open and sex comes out. God bless the man who invented booze.

Mark undressed quickly he took off everything except his shorts and climbed in to his sleeping bag. Will Finally stopped pissing, and Mark could hear him stumbling towards the blind.

Mark got comfortable in his sleeping bag. Mark had pulled this trick on a few guys, Jim from Chemistry class, but he was easy, he was gay to begin with (too bad he moved to Texas), Derek the boy who worked for Mark's dad during the summer (God what a summer that was) and Phil, that one should never have happened (Mark's only "failure"). But Mark wished silently it had worked out, but gave in to the fact that his best friend was straight and would always be so, no mater how much Mark loved him.

Will crashed noisily into the room and plopped down on top of his down filled sleeping bag. He rolled over on to his back kicked off his shoes, and jerked his pants off with one grand move. Then he just lay there, All he had on was his tee-shirt and a pair of blue jockey shorts, a spot of wetness was clearly seen on the spot where the head of his crotch was pressing. Either Will did not piss it all out or he was wet with pre-cum (it happened to Mark when he was drunk so it was possible), in either case Mark was getting excited.

The light from the lantern was all the light in the room and it was on Will's side of the room. Mark watched Will's breathing carefully, He was not breathing hard (a sign of stress or excitement) he was breathing gently (a sign of comfort). Mark timed his move carefully just as Will began to breath in, Mark reached over will towards the lantern and made a gesture of turning it out. At that moment Mark's chest was pressed to Will's, Mark froze for a second and let the feeling linger. but he noticed that Will held his breath, he did not exhale he held it, he allowed their chests to stay together for a few seconds. Mark felt Will's heart quickly speed up and pound through the tee-shirt. Mark then turned off the lights and returned to his side of the room. Now wait...

"Mark?" Came a whisper in the darkness.

"Yeah."

"You ever do it in here?"

Good question, it meant he was thinking about sex. "Yeah, why?"

"How was it?" Hmmm... usually it was "with who?" not "how was it?"

"It was good, why?"

"Just wondering." There was a moment of silence. "Mark?"

"Yeah."

"You ever jerk off in here?"

"Yeah sometimes when I am really horny."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Ummm... would it be okay if I did it?"

Mark smiled in to the darkness. "Sure, I was thinking about doing that myself."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"So it doesn't make me a freak or anything if I jerk off with you in the room?"

"Huh? Hell no, So long as you don't go around telling people."

Will laughed just a little. Mark heard Will sliding around a little on top of his sleeping bag, he knew he was pulling off his jockeys.

Mark opened up his bag and rolled out then moved on top of it.

"Mark? What are you doing?"

"Well I didn't want you to feel like you were the only one who wanted to do it."

Will chucked, "Pervert."

"Hey your the one who wanted to jerk off."

Mark heard a soft rhythmic sound, he knew it was Will staring to jerk off. He had seen Will's prick a lot of times in Phys. Ed. so he could imagine it in Will's hand now, sliding around between his clutched fist. Mark began his beating off in earnest, he wanted to keep in step with Will.

The two boys beat off slowly for what must have been three or four minutes, Mark could hear Will's breathing and wiggling on the sleeping bag. The soft scraping of flesh on the nylon cover made a gentle swishing sound. Will suddenly stopped, but his breathing remained hard. "Mark?"

Mark did not/could not stop jerking off, "yeah?" he gasped as his hand pistoned away in the darkness.

"Have you ever been sucked off?" Mark stopped dead.

"Yeah. Why?"

"How does it feel?"

"It feels great, why?"

"Well... do you know how it feels to suck some one?"

"What are you asking?" Mark slowly began to pump again, in hopes of finding out what Will had in mind.

"Well, promise not to tell anyone?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Can I taste your ummmm.."

"My what?" Mark added without missing a beat.

There was silence.

"What is it you want to do?"

"Well could I..."

"You want to taste my cum?"

Weakly and ashamedly Will whispered "Yes."

Mark smiled in the dark.

Max smiled in the dark.

Max and his dad had finally managed to get a free weekend, so they went hunting. Well Max's dad hunted, Max watched, Max was a little too afraid of guns to use one, but he loved the sight and sound of a rifle. Plus, now Max and his dad could be together, they had always been alone since his mom died. His dad never remarried and didn't even date. Max figured it was because he never wanted anyone to come between them.

Max heard his dad snoring in that slow rhythmic way. But Max's mind drifted back to Corey. Max could see that beautiful face smiling gently at him, he could see the moments they managed to steal at school. He thought about the first time they kissed. He half wished Corey was there now.

But what would his dad say? He couldn't very well go camping with them both, At one moment be "Dad's son" and the same time be "Corey's Boyfriend". And the idea of dad having a gun within arm's reach, well forget that idea.

Maybe Dad would understand? Yeah and wrestling is real.

The snoring stopped. Max sighed and closed his eyes.

Phil woke up to find himself in that small room he remembered, even down to the slight breeze coming under the door. as he slowly opened his eyes he heard his son let out a long sigh.

Phil missed these moments. It was rare that he could find the time to do things with Max. He worked hard to earn enough money for Max's future. All the money he earned went right in to a savings fund for when it was time to go to college, and with the 4.0 GPA he had he damn well better get into a good one.

Phil knew he could never be the type of dad Max deserved, Max was a reader, he read everything he came across, and Phil was not in to reading. Max watched all those nature and history programs (his fascination with World War II amazed Phil), while Phil watched Football. Phil did all the things that interested Max, even at the risk of being bored into a coma. But he never complained, he would go to a interactive display on the making of Latex gloves if it meant Max would be happy and they would be together.

Phil wanted Max to have everything he had and more. Phil and his dad had a great relationship, they were the best of friends, and they talked every chance they had. That's what Phil wanted with Max, and for the most part he had that. But there was something Max always kept tucked away. There was always a barrier that he kept up, something he never shared.

Phil knew Max was a little different, more like his mother then he could ever know. Shy, quiet, and there was that smile. That lovely smile, the smile his mom had when ever Phil was near, that smile she had when Max was born, the smile she had when she kissed him goodbye on her death bed. That was Phil's smile... And Max was blessed with it.

Phil loved that smile, and he never wanted to see it fade.

Phil closed his eyes took a deep breath and he slowly drifted into sleep's warm arms.

"Just lay there Mark, don't move and they won't see you." Mark said silently to himself. But he lifted his eyes towards the two boys. The look on their faces... then he saw the Miller boy... Corey? glance towards the shotgun that was laying against the duck-blind. But Mark knew what that meant, if he went for it he would have to be faster. but hope he does not go for it.

No luck... Mark saw the boy dive for the shotgun. Mark pushed up with his left hand and swept his right hand down to his belt. One swift yank and the pistol was in Mark's hand and swept upwards towards the Miller boy. The Miller boy managed to get to his shotgun and raised it to his shoulder but he was too slow, Mark had him dead to rights before he could even start to chamber the next round. Holding himself up with his left hand (God bless the one handed push-ups Coach Willon made Mark do in college) and the pistol was aimed directly at the Miller boy.

"Don't Even think about it boy!" Mark yelled at the now frozen Corey. Mark glanced over at Max, he was stuck to his seat with a look like he had just seen Death himself. "Put the gun down, boy! I won't hurt you." Mark held the gun there, but his left arm was getting very tired and his left knee was on a very sharp rock.

"Please Corey put the gun down!" Mark heard Max yell. "Mister Dupre Please don't shoot him!"

"I don't want to shoot anyone. Put the gun down and I'll put mine down."

"How do I know you won't shoot us?" Corey yelled back.

"Cuz if I wanted too, I would have already!"

Corey looked unsure.

"COREY, PLEASE!"

"Yeah come on Corey put the gun down." Mark said through his teeth, his knee was hurting from the rock it was laying on and his arms weren't doing much better.

Corey looked at Mark, then Mark's gun, then at Max. Mark knew he was going to give up. But he was going to take his time about it.

"Hurry up will you!" Will whispered loudly as he held Philip up on his shoulders. Phil's boots were grinding in to his shoulders. Phil grabbed the large branch that was barely above his head and pulled hard to lift himself up.

"Shut up they'll hear you!" Phil hissed back.

Phil crawled along the wall till he reached the oak tree on the inside of the wall, jumped on to one of the lower branch and then dropped down to the inner grounds. In the distance he heard two dogs barking and they were getting close. Phil dropped to his knees and pulled out two dog biscuits from his pockets just as the two German Shepherds (Panzer and Faust) came running up barking and snarling. "Hey, boys, only me." Phil whispered as he tossed the biscuits to the two guard dogs. with happy yelps the dogs grabbed up the snacks and ran off.

Phil crouched low and ran as fast as he could towards the house. Mark said he had a date, Mark let it slip out and he was hell of embarrassed he mentioned it and shit if Phil had ever seen him with a girl. So it was worth the risk of getting an ass full of Mister Dupre's buckshot just to see what kinda girl would date Mark. Plus he did not want to wait for the hunting trip they had planned to find out who it was.

Phil did his best commando dive/roll, well his dad called it a commando roll, over the row of neatly planted flowers. Of course Phil landed on his ass on top of what once was a small patch of daisies. Phil then crawled over to a window that looked in to the living room.

OKAY, two shadows by the fireplace, was that an elbow? Two forms rolled around a bit. DAMN IT! Get in to the light damn it! Okay whispers, whispers were good, maybe he could get a voice. No... damn windows. FOR GOD SAKE GET IN TO THE DAMN LIGHT! Okay, now that was definitely an ass, but who's? Okay, one head, short hair... must be Mark. Okay head number two... umm... short hair too... ummm... okay... that's weird, must be that Campbell chick from over on Oakdale. Okay now, wait, ahhh okay is that a dick? yeah, must be Mark. Lucky bastard look at her go... okay now she's standing up, um where are her tits? Mark was dating a flat chested girl? Dummy... ummmm.. what the hell is that?!?!?!?!?!?! Now that looks like a...

"OH SHIT!" Phil yelled as he jumped up and bolted towards the wall.

Phil used every ounce of strength as he leapt up and grabbed the branch of the oak tree. he pulled himself up but he had grabbed the wrong branch, the one he had was not quite strong enough to hold his weight, with a loud snap the branch gave way just as Phil lifted himself up. The sound of Phil cursing and the branch breaking was sure to get Mark's attention.

Still injured and bleeding Phil Forced himself up on to the good branch just as he heard the front door opening. With a mighty leap Phil threw himself up on to the wall just as he heard Mark's voice call out "PANZER, FAUST, ATTACK!" But the dogs were not really a concern as Phil scrambled across the wall. Just as he reached the place where Will was waiting, his hand slipped off the wall and Phil fell off in to a rather large decorative plant.

"Who the hell is out there?" Mark yelled form the other side of the wall.

Will was about to answer when Phil managed to throw a dirty, bruised and bloody hand over his mouth and mouthed the word "NO!" then grabbed Will's arm and ran/limped off into the darkness.

On the drive back to Will's house, Will kept asking Phil who was with Mark, but all Phil did was stare in to the darkness.

Corey was staring into a big black hole on a big black gun. All his instincts were screaming, he just couldn't get his thoughts straight. Max was screaming, this guy with the gun was screaming. "Oh shit." He whispered to himself. In the time it took to chamber the next round, he was toast. If he managed to get the round in with out getting shot then he would have to aim, then he would have to fire and hope Max was not hit in any cross fire, too many factors. But if he didn't do anything and something happened to Max he would kill himself. Corey allowed himself one quick glance at Max, for that moment he saw someone who he had to protect no matter what.

"Please Corey put the gun down!"

God those words hurt something down inside, but it would be no good if he was dead, then there would be no one to protect max. Corey adjusted his grip careful. Sweat was falling in to his eyes.

"OKAY! OKAY..." Corey said as he slowly lowered the shotgun. He could see the relief in the eyes of both Max and the man. Corey placed the shotgun on the ground and let go. The man let out a clear sigh and lowered his own pistol.

Damn it, he thought, if this guy hurts Max I will kill myself.

Mark let out a clear sigh as he saw the shotgun barrel drop, only when it was on the ground did he put down his pistol. Mark tried to recover for a second, he looked at Max, the poor boy looked like he was about ready to crap in his pants, if he hadn't already.

Mark Still on his hands an knees looked up, "You boys ought to know better than to come hunting and not tell me. You two could have gotten hurt or something." Mark decided not to touch the subject of seeing the boys making out just yet.

Max and Corey just looked at each other confused, they were probably trying to figure out if Mark had seen them kissing. But then Max's eyes began to tear up... oh shit, this kid's emotional thought Mark as he stood up and began to wipe himself clean. Corey looked like he was going to go over to Max but every time he tried to step forward he would look at Mark and back down.

Mark started moving towards Max but as he did Corey suddenly went stiff, like a dog ready to defend his master, and like someone lit a fire under his ass he finally bolted to Max and began to caress him gently and whisper to him.

Mark looked down at his feet, that's all he could do, this was not exactly the time to be watching them.

********** End part one

Hope you enjoyed that, there is more to come. This is my first "published" story so advice, corrections and positive notes are appreciated and can be sent to Obsidian_hunter@ yahoo.com

Good Hunting. O_H.