This story is fictional, though some events and places may be real. The characters and events surrounding them are completely fictional. This story does not, in any way, denote the sexuality or opinions of any non-fictional persons or places. This story in no way reflects the actual town of Hazard. I am sure it's a very cool place to live. This story has no bearing on the opinions of said places or know people or events. The inspiration for this story came loosely from the song Hazard, by Richard Marx.
The normal copyrights for this story are held by me. Any copying or placing of this story on any site without my consent is prohibited without authorization from this writer. This story contains graphic sexual content between males. If you are not legal, whether by age or place of residence, read at your own risk. It is in no way, the responsibility of this site on which you are reading this or that of the writer.
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Hazard
chapter 35
I had been snagged to help plan the Halloween dance again. At the last minute even. They had originally planned it as a haunted house. I thought about it and came up with an idea.
We used the same decorations as last time. Since we didn't have to buy decorations. We had more money to spare. So We got lots of dry ice and fans you know them big standing ones. This is where the cool part comes in.
We got a camera and filmed several people dancing in different costumes. We had zombies, gruesome bloody victims, Freddy Krueger like costumes, Ghostly woman and men in period costumes. Thinks like that. We had thirty in all.
We set up projectors we hid in the sweet heart columns we placed around the dance floor. The fans and dry ice were placed just beyond the columns. We still had the coffins and the graveyard but this used as a distraction from the real Halloween fun. We called it Dancing with Ghosts.
TJ had just recently been dumped by Nikki. The reason she gave was the long distance. I wasn't so sure. In her emails she had talked about some guy in her classes. So I wondered. I didn't say anything to TJ about it. He was still upset over the fact That Uncle Teddy wasn't his Dad. He said though that he was glad that he wasn't related to Ruth though.
Uncle Teddy was still waiting on a stem cell donor. He was holding up well but you could see he was tired most of the time. TJ and I visited him regularly. TJ had come to the realization that even though he wasn't his real Dad. He was the only Dad he knew. You could see the love he had for his dad. Same as I had for my adopted dad aka uncle.
We went stag to the party. TJ and I originally were going as bloody corpses. I pointed out that bloody corpses don't walk. So we decided to go as the Walking Dead from the comics. The show didn't come out until 2010 so don't bother checking.
We had guts hanging out. TJ had an eye hanging out too, where I had a big gaping hole in my throat. I had a lot of fun making them out of plastic wrap, hose for the guts and paint. It took us close to four hours to get ready.
When we walked in we were instant hits. Everyone loved our costumes. It made it worth the effort. Especially when I saw my brother smile for the first time in a while. TJ had gotten really serious. He didn't joke as much and would stare off into space at times. He was like an old man of thirty or something.
Some people complained that this was the same as last year. Well Connor did. He had started a rumor about me sucking the coaches dick so I could get the coach to kick him off the team so I could take his place. No one could prove he started the rumor but we knew it was him.
"So what are you guys? Zombie fag lovers?" Connor asked TJ and me. Connor had on a Sparta warrior costume.
"Bro if you don't step away, I am going to make your costume look like you're my hippie zombie bitch in that mini skirt."
"Dude go fuck yourself."
"I don't know Brown you bend over I might fuck you instead." TJ said looking at Connor's ass. I had to admit Connor had a nice ass. Shit Connor would be hot if he wasn't such a cumstain.
I pulled TJ away from Connor and company and joined Sam. Sam and I had not seen each other much. His sister had gotten out of the hospital and was pretty banged up with a broken pelvis, shoulder and arm. He had been hanging around her mostly. We had taken time to meet up at our spot on the river though. He loved to watch the sunset.
The music started. It was the same DJ we used at Dads and Nancy's wedding. I made it a point to stop and say hey. We threw water on the dry ice and turned on the fans. The Dance floor started to fill up with fog. Once people got into dancing we started the projectors. It worked out perfectly.
TJ had a camcorder and recorded different people Dancing with the ghosts. It was hilarious. They didn't realize it at first. The funniest one was Connor he was dancing with a projection of Carol in a period costume and didn't know it. Then he was dancing with me in a period costume. He took a swing at it. When his hand went right through it he freaked out.
TJ was laughing so hard the cam went all over the place. It was hooked up to a large screen via a remote connection. I danced with TJ, Carol.
I was dancing with Sam when his current girlfriend shooed me away. Something familiar about that. Sam came and got me after I walked off the dance floor and pulled me back on and started dancing.
"Not going to happen bro. I told her you're my best bud and she needs to deal with it." He yelled over the music.
The dance was a success. Everyone enjoyed it. They kept asking what I planned for next year. Hell I won't be here. I told them that and they all said I needed to help plan the next one for them. Fuck that. I hated Hazard as much as it hated me. I planned only to come back to visit Grandma and Dad once he left the marines. I wanted out of this town.
Over the next few weeks I took SAT test. I am pretty sure I did ok. I emailed Dad, Ez, Nikki and Nancy on a daily basis. I got return emails from everyone except from Nancy.
I decided to call Nancy on Sunday the 14th of November. She picked up after the fifth ring.
"Hello Noah. What do you need?"
"I just called to say Hi and to see if your coming for thanksgiving still?"
"No. I want a happy Thanksgiving with loved ones so Nikki and I are spending it here with friends."
"Oh." I was a little taken back by that comment.
"Anything else?"
"Just that I made a really good painting of you and Dad in the gazebo from your wedding picture. I plan on giving it to you for a part of your Christmas present."
"I blew up that picture and hung it so I don't see the need for another one that won't look as good."
"Oh, okay. I just thought it would be a nice gesture that's all." That hurt.
"I don't appreciate you calling unless it's important. If you have nothing worth talking about I have better things I can do than you babble on about your childish fantasies." She said and hung up.
I couldn't help wonder what fantasies she meant. I was baffled. I always thought Nancy liked me. Over the past few months she acted as if I was just an annoyance. I thought about emailing my dad about it. I decided against it. In hindsight I should have.
I checked my email the next day and saw one from my dad. I opened it up and started reading it. I was basically yelling at me. it read:
Noah,
I talked to Nancy last night. She told me she is getting tired of your negative attitude towards her. She also informed me that you have stopped emailing her. This is not what you told me. You told me you email her several times a week and call her at least once a week. I do not appreciate you lying to me.
I do however expect you to treat Nancy with respect. She cares very much about you. She said she calls you and you do not answer her calls nor her emails. It wouldn't hurt you to talk to her when she calls or spend some time with her on the phone. She had planned a wonderful thanksgiving with you and your Grandmother. She now doesn't want to be around you because of your attitude towards her lately. I can't stop you from emailing Ez but I can stop the skype. You can skype with Ez until Christmas.
Dad
I just stared at that email. He basically chewed me out for something I didn't do. Nancy completely lied to him. I wanted to call her right now and tell her off but that would just make matters worse. I wanted to tell my dad my side but he already thought I had been lying to him. That was out. I just sat there.
TJ had come home at nine from visiting his dad. He was standing over me reading the email. He put his hand on my shoulder. I started to silently cry. I felt the tears running down my face. What hurt the most was that Dad didn't say Love dad like he always did. He chose Nancy and abandoned me.
TJ pulled me from the chair and opened his email. He sent My dad an email.
Uncle Jared, I don't know what Nancy told you but Noah sends her emails every time he emails you and Ez. He calls her at least once a week. I don't know why she told that he was being a douche to her but I can tell you he hasn't lied. As far as Thanksgiving was concerned she informed Noah today that she wanted to spend it with loved ones so she was spending it with friends.
TJ
TJ and I went to bed. He spent the night with me instead of going to his own room. I hadn't had a dream about the past in a long time but I did tonight.
I was playing with my little soldiers I just bought from the store in the front yard. I really wanted a GI joe but I didn't have enough money. I saved for a whole two months. I was happy enough I had one fifty green and fifty tan so I had my two armies.
The boy next door to me was poor like me but he had a dad who worked so they had more money. He would play with me some times. He didn't have much in the way of toys though. Just some hot wheels and soldiers like me but most of his where lost.
He saw me and went and got his soldiers. We played war I was green and he was tan. He had more of the tan ones than I had green but I didn't care. I was just happy I had someone to play with. When you eight years old it didn't matter.
He was called into to eat dinner so I gathered up the soldiers and divided them up. I don't know if they were exactly the same ones I had but I had fifty of each. I put his in a bag and left them on his porch.
The next day his mother came to the door. My mother answered and called me to the door.
"Noah get those soldiers you took from Matthew."
"I left them his on the porch."
"Noah you left him some he said you took the rest." Matts mother said.
"They are mine I bought them." I said.
"Noah Jared, Don't you lie. Go get them now or you will be sorry." Mom said in that tone that told me a beating was coming.
I went and got the soldiers and gave them to her. I don't know why Matty lied I thought we were friends.
"I would rather Your son didn't play with my son anymore."
"I understand. Noah will be punished."
"I don't want to play with a liar anyway." I said and ran past her out the door. I could hear my mother screaming at me to get my fucking ass back inside. I ignored her.
I ran as fast as I could down the street. I was pretty fast for a little kid too. I ran the all the way to Taft historic park. There were no kids there. I figured they were all having breakfast before going to school.
I figured I would go to school early. Not like I ever got breakfast anyway. I walked down the street. I realized I didn't have my book bag or homework with me. I knew that I would be yelled at for that by Mrs. Irons. She was mean to begin with but if you didn't have your homework she made you stand in front of the class and tell everyone why.
I thought about skipping school but If I did there was no place to go. I decided to just face it. I would think of something. I sat on the steps and tried to think of something. I came up with a story about how I forgot my work sheets and left them on the table this morning. Not exactly a lie. They were in my bag at home. I forgot to grab it in my mad rush to get out of the house.
When class started Mrs. Irons asked us to put our Homework on her desk. I explained that I forgot mine. She made me go stand in front of the room. I told my story to the class. It slipped my mind that Matty was in my class.
"He's lying he got caught stealing by my Mom and he ran away to avoiding be punished." Matty yelled out.
"Noah, no one likes a liar. Go take your seat. I will be calling your mother about this tonight." Mrs. Irons said.
At recess I was teased and pushed. Matty even threw a mud balls at me. The rest of the day I had to endure mud stained clothing. When I got home my mother grabbed me and started with the belt. When I didn't cry she turned it around. I was saved by the phone ringing. I was wrong about that.
"I understand Mrs. Irons. I will see that he is properly punished. He won't lie again I assure you of that." She said looking at me in my mud stained clothes. I knew she saw that. I would be punished for that too. She beat me so bad with that belt buckle she broke the skin. On my butt. I refused to cry.
The next day I refused to talk. My mom made me wear the same mud stained clothes as I did yesterday as punishment. I was invisible. When the kids started teasing me and Matty made fun of my dirty clothes.
To make things worse Mrs. Irons called my mom again that night about my dirty clothing. I was beaten again for embarrassing her. I was a total disappointment and nothing but trouble. I was useless.
"I am going out of town for a few days for a job Tina lined up for us. Saty out of trouble." She said the next morning. Tina was a black girl who took the same medicine Mom did. They dated guys together sometimes.
I didn't see Mom for almost two weeks. I felt like she abandoned me. by the fifth day I was terrified. I had been left alone for a few days before but never this long. I stayed home from school just in case she came home. I was afraid I would have no one to take care of me I'd be like the Oliver kid begging for food.
I woke up from that dream or Noah history test as I called them. I woke up TJ who sat up beside me. I felt that same way now as did then, alone and abandoned.
"Bad dream?"
"Yeah."
"Talk about it?"
"No." I said laying down. TJ snuggled up behind me and draped his arm over me. I looked at the clock 4:34. I fell back asleep.
The next day was a school day so we did our thing. I got my S.A.T scores back I scored a 2200 I was stoked. After football practice I went home and checked my email. There was one from Dad and Ez.
Bro, I don't know what you did to Nancy to piss your dad off but no skype for a while. I sent Norma an email too.
I opened Dad's, it was a few short lines.
I do not like you getting TJ to lie for you. Noah this is not like you. Straighten up your act. I expect you to apologize to Nancy. No skype from Ez or me until Christmas.
Apologize for something I didn't do? No fucking way. If he wanted to believe her fine. If he wanted to punish me for something I didn't do fine. I will not apologize though for something I did not do. Fuck her fuck him.
Thanksgiving came. We invited Uncle Teddy, TJ and Coach. Grandma found out that he wasn't spending Thanksgiving with family so she invited him. It was the normal food you'd expect. We had finished eating and enjoyed talking about football we were on a no loss streak again. We were hoping to go to state again only this time win.
Dad was going to call around eight that night. I was till pissed. I didn't want to talk to him. I hadn't emailed him since that one email. He emailed me though I refused to even open them. I didn't delete them.
Ez had tried to get me to email my dad. I told him I didn't lie or get TJ to lie for me either. He said he believed me but then he said he can't see Nancy lying either. I was getting pissed at him now too.
At seven thirty I decided to go give the animals their thanksgiving treats. Grandma reminded me that dad was calling at eight. I remembered. Which was why I was going out now. I figured if a fucked off enough I'd miss his call.
The horses enjoyed their apples. I couldn't help but hug Thunder. For a horse he was pretty affectionate. He always seemed to want a hug around his neck. I needed that myself. I loved my dad but all of the sudden it seemed like he didn't want me.
I held on too Thunder. He seemed to sense my need for it. he rested his big muzzle on my shoulder. As wrapped my arms around his neck. I absorbed the love from the big horse and buried my head in his neck. I know it's stupid. TJ would be there if I asked for one. Sometimes though getting love from animal is better. It's completely unconditional love. Well maybe not cats. Don't feed them and see how much love they give when their scratching you.
I went back into the house. Coach had left. Grandma told me I missed talking to my dad. I said sorry I just got caught with the critters. She told me how disappointed he was. I looked at TJ. He looked down at his feet. He knew why I wasn't there but didn't say anything.
Uncle teddy was staying the night. TJ helped him up the stairs. He was really beginning to look bad. I hoped they find a match soon. His Doctor had told him that if they didn't find one by Christmas it would be too late. TJ came down looking like he wanted to cry.
We said good night to Grandma and headed back to the trailer. I heard the phone ring and TJ answered it. "Hold on Uncle Jare."
TJ handed me the phone. I shook my head no. "Talk to him bro."
"Hello." I said taking the phone from TJ.
"Hey, kiddo. I know your mad at me but I do care about you. You know that right?"
"I guess."
"No guessing about it. I love you very much Noah. You're my world."
"Nancy's your world." I said.
"Noah, yes I love Nancy and she is important to me. So are you though. I don't want you to resent her for being in my life too. You need to learn not to be jealous of her."
"I'm not."
"Okay. Oh and Nancy still waiting for that apology."
Okay now that total pissed me off. I never did anything to Nancy but she was acting like I owed her an apology for something she lied about fuck her. I hope I never see her again.
"She'll be waiting for forever then. I am not apologizing for something I did not do. I did that when I was little with my mother. I am not doing it now." I said and hung up.
I felt bad for hanging up on my Dad but I was beyond pissed I was hurt deep inside. I heard the phone ring again. I ran down the trail. I grabbed my coat and left the trailer. I needed to be alone. It was dark. I could barely see as ran down the trail. The moon was my only light. I hit the power line and ran down it past the high school.
I was on auto pilot. I really paid no attention to what happened around me. I ran across Route 15. Thankfully there were no cars. I would have gotten hit because I didn't even stop to look. I ran towards the river. I slowed down as I got to the trail.
I walked until I saw the rock. I climbed up and sat and stared. The moon was shining onto the dark water. It was kind of eerie but at the same time beautiful.
The moon was scattered there was no clear picture of it in the water. My life was like that scattered image of the moon in the river. If looked up at it was clear. If I looked at the river it was scattered. That was my life all scattered.
I been there all night. I felt the sun rising on me I had fallen asleep. I moved and found a blanket over me. I looked to the right and saw Sam laying under it with me. I rolled over towards him. I felt an arm come around me from behind. I looked at the arm and knew it was TJ.
"Family." He whispered and kissed the back of neck.
"Family." I said
"Family" said Sam smiling at me.
I appreciate your enthusiasm but hey I need some love time too lol. I put out chapters as fast as I can. I do need to spend time though with the other half. That being said if you don't see a chapter for a few days please don't start emailing me asking for when I am posting another chapter. Thanks folks for understanding.
Hurry back Sam I miss my editor :)
Thanks for reading Hazard :)
Quotes every writer and critic should live by:
"I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of." Joss Whedon
"Arrogance, disrespect and demand have higher price. Kindness, respect and tact give better prize." Angelica Hopes
Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain - and most fools do. Benjamin Franklin
People who live in glass houses shouldn't take baths. From a high school teacher
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