Note: This is a complete work of fiction. I am not implying that any character within this story is gay or bisexual. This is just my fantasy, so let me have it!!! I'm planning on making this a continuing plot, with twists and turns and everything else thrown in. So please, don't be afraid to send any comments my way. Since I've never been to New York I may need a little help with some scenery and stuff. Please e-mail me at tumbler99@yahoo.com
'N SYNC Savior
Chapter Two
As my mind folded into itself, closing off the rest of the world, I heard the footsteps echoing in the alley. "Please Lord, don't let him come back....I don't think I can handle it." I prayed silently as the last string of consciousness slipped away. The tension from my body was released and I drifted to sleep on the cold concrete floor.
Adam walked slowly down the street, enjoying the brisk night air. He whistled the groups new single, "I Drive Myself Crazy," as he watched the pedestrians. He'd always been fascinated with psychology and why people acted the way they did. He hadn't told anyone about his secret love, but he enjoyed playing the game in his mind, and sometimes acting on it in real life. He had always been the little boy to talk to the new kid on the first day of school, to pick that slow runner for his baseball team, to help out anyone in need. His family was constantly telling him to get a real job, one where he could help people like he wanted, but no matter how inviting that scenario sounded he knew he couldn't leave the group - they meant too much to him.
As he passed a darkened alley he heard a young man yell angrily.
"I just gave you what you deserved, flirting with me all night. And don't tell me you didn't enjoy it." There was a slight pause and then he heard footsteps running away. He looked at his watch and quickly scanned the rest of the street. He could have sworn that 30 seconds ago it was busy, people walking in and out of the shops. Now it seemed as if it were deserted. He peered into the dark alley, making out a lumpy shape lying on the ground. His mind told him to keep walking to the hotel, but his conscience wouldn't let him. He turned sharply and walked into the dark.
My eyes opened and I looked around. I felt the cool breeze on my skin. It felt like I was lying on a bed of clouds, floating through the air. I looked around and saw the beautiful light shining down. My body wasn't cold; a warmth spread through it that I have never felt before. I slowly tried to stand up, yet my body felt no pain. I looked down at my legs and gasped. I was dressed exactly like I was before I met Mark, before our little walk, before he....
I shook my head forcefully and stood. The ground honestly looked like a cloud, but my mind told me it had to be fog. How could I be standing on a cloud? My head tilted to the sky as my body turned a 360. The sky was the dark blue of the ocean, pouring into my soul. I felt rejuvenated and alive, free from all my worries. I felt the smile that had been begging to be released spread across my face. Trees lined the area to my left and front. Emptiness lay behind me. But the emptiness didn't feel lonely, like it normally did. The area behind just didn't seem to have as much scenery.
I started forward, walking to the trees. I looked at my feet as they slid through the clouds....no, that was fog, it had to be. Disorientation spread through my body as I quickly looked up. As I neared the edge of the forest I heard the sound for the first time.
"LLLLLLLLLLLLLuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhh," I heard a whispering voice say.
I strained my ears and listened harder. I couldn't make out the word....yet I felt a desperate need to know. I was here for a reason, and this....person....might be able to help me. Somehow I knew that.
"TTTTTTTTTTTTTrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhh," the voice said. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I couldn't make out the words.
I walked faster, trying to get closer to the voice. But the further I walked the harder it was to concentrate. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest, overshadowing the quiet whisper. I felt the tears stream down my cheek. I felt the anger start to build up. I stopped running and turned around quickly, lost in the numerous trees.
"What do you want? What are you trying to tell me?" I felt myself trip, falling to my knees. I know I must have looked pathetic as my hands reached to the sky. "Please....help me," I whispered.
The forest was quiet as the voice disappeared completely. I felt my hope disappear with it - despair set in. I slowly sat down, rolling to my side. My body instinctively curled into a ball as my tears dried and I gave up. I was lost....I was alone....I didn't care anymore. My eyes closed as I felt myself slip away again.
Adam approached the shape lying on the ground and stopped dead in his tracks. He was looking down at me - my pants pulled to my ankles, my blood running down my legs and face, my limp, lifeless body. He kneeled down and slowly turned me on my back. He reached his hand to my throat, checking for a pulse. He leaned in and placed his ear next to my mouth, listening for any signs of breathing. He let out his breath as he realized that I was alive. My heart was beating faster than it should have been, but my lungs were filling with air. He stared at my face for a second, wondering what was going through my mind, and then looked down the alley. He thought back to the words he had heard just minutes ago. His mind raced, thinking of possible scenarios. Looking again at my body he realized that he had to do something. He scanned the alley quickly and found some discarded sheets. He grabbed a handful and tried to clean me up the best he could. My blood was still fresh, allowing it to be wiped off easily. He was gentle, trying not to touch me any more than he had to. He slowly lifted my hips up as he slid my pants back on. The buttons were too awkward for him and he was forced to stop.
He jumped back slightly as he heard me moan. "Please....help me." He saw my eyes flutter underneath my eyelids as I curled once again into a ball. Not knowing what to do he sat back and watched, waiting for some sort of signal.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, shoving me forcefully. I quickly jumped to my feet and turned around wildly. "What? Who's there? Where are you?" I looked around this place that I once thought was beautiful. Now it seemed like a prison - a vast, open space I would never leave.
"Please, don't be frightened." I jumped at the sound, still not seeing anyone.
"Please, just look down here." I dropped my eyes, seeing the child for the first time.
"Wh....who are you?" I gasped, trying not to be shocked.
"My name is Jonathan. I'm....well, I'm your son."
Adam sat down with his back against the wall. I was moving a lot now, kicking my legs and flailing my arms. I was continuing to talk, mumbling words and phrases he couldn't understand. He knew something was happening - but he just couldn't tell what.
"My son?? How can you be my son? I...."
"Please, just listen. Please calm down. I'll explain everything," he said, cutting me off. I felt his small hand reach up to mine, pulling me down with surprising force.
"My name is Jonathan, and I am your son, but just not yet. I won't be coming around for many more years, don't worry. It won't be until you and J...., um....I mean, you find me alone in the streets. After talking with the authorities and getting permission, you'll adopt me and make me your own." He peered into my face with the softest grey eyes I've ever seen.
"I find you in the streets?" I asked, shocked at what was unfolding before me. "But....how could anyone ever abandon you?"
"Not everyone is as kind as you would believe. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. You don't need to know anything about me yet. You'll find that out in due time. I'm hear to get you back together. If you don't wake up soon, you won't be there in a few years to find me. You have to wake up, father. Please, for me, wake up." He looked into my eyes and I felt myself get lost. I could see everything when I looked at him. My body lying in the alley; a strange man watching me sleep; little bits of his thoughts. I snapped myself back to the present....or, um, reality....or, um, where ever Jonathan was. I shook my head and looked at him again. He was so beautiful, his soft grey eyes, his light blond hair, his beautiful smile. He was perfect and I knew I couldn't let him down.
"But Jonathan, I don't want to go back. Mark....Mark hurt me. I flirted with him and he just gave me what I asked for. I deserved it."
I felt the tears start to well up, and then Jonathan's hand was on my cheek.
"Don't cry. Please, for me. Yes, you were hurt. And yes, you flirted with him. But please wake up, for me. Please, you must." He stroked my cheek and trailed his small hand up my face. He slowly brought his fingers over my eyes, closing them. I felt myself fall. I couldn't feel anything but the cool air at my back. My eyes wouldn't open, my mouth wouldn't open, I couldn't move. All I could do was listen. "LLLLLuuuuuhhhhh.....TTTTTrrrrruuuuuhhhhh.....LLuuhhvv.....TTrruuss..... Love.....Trust.....Love.....Trust."
My body was screaming; my mind was screaming. The world turned black and I couldn't move. I never felt myself land; I never felt the hard concrete against my skin. But suddenly, I was back.
Adam watched as my body stopped moving. He started, fearing that my heart had stopped. He was slowly reaching out his hand when I sat upright. My mouth opened in a scream but nothing came out. My eyes opened quickly and saw his hand reaching for me. My mind reacted quickly as I scrambled away from him. I knew that it wasn't Mark; I knew that I was safe; my body just wouldn't listen. I felt the scream well up in my throat, only to be stopped by the cascade of tears. As they streamed down my cheeks I felt my body slump. I couldn't take it anymore. This whole night had been too awful - it was too much.
Adam stared in shock. He had never known a person to move that fast. Yet now I was lying on the ground, crying like a baby. Without a second thought he crawled over to me. He sat down and pulled me onto his lap, hugging me like a child. He nestled my head under his chin, rocking me back and forth. He hummed a quiet lullaby, something he remembered from years past.
As he continued to rock me I felt the tension drain. I was so tired, exhausted from everything that had happened. My tears slowly stopped leaking, my body stopped shaking, and I slowly fell asleep. My head was leaning against his shoulder, his mouth close to my ear. I felt safe and comfortable as the darkness took over for the final time that night.
He felt me fall asleep but didn't stop. He wasn't going to take any chances yet. For the next 10 minutes he would just rock quietly, hoping I didn't wake up. "What the hell happened to him? I mean, I know what happened, but how could it have? Who is cruel enough to force himself on a boy this innocent? Even with the blood and tears, he looks like an angel sent from heaven."
Adam continued to rock me until he grew tired. Working at the arena all day, setting up for tomorrow's concert, had tired him more than he realized. He would have to get to his hotel room and get some sleep. But what would he do with me?
He glanced around the alley, eyeing my backpack and suitcase. It was obvious that I was a tourist, and I must have been alone if I had been taken advantage off like I had. He continued to rock as ideas formed in his mind. If he took me to a doctor, he would never know what happened to me. Besides, he didn't know my name, age, home town, anything. He couldn't let that happen. It would be just as bad if he took me to the police station. Thoughts whirled through his head, but nothing seemed right. His eyes slowly drooped and then closed. His head slowly dropped until his chin was resting on me. He snapped awake, realizing what he would do.
He stood up lightly, standing me up at the same time. He pull on my backpack and grabbed my suitcase with one hand. He put my arm around his shoulder and grabbed my waist, half dragging, half walking me toward the street. I don't weigh that much, so it wasn't impossible, but he felt himself tire before he had even gone 40 feet.
"Come on Adam. You're always telling yourself that you're in good shape. Now is the time to prove yourself." He gathered a second wind, lifting me up higher, and forced himself to the end of the alley. Gritting his teeth he finally succeeded in getting us to the sidewalk. He looked down the street, fearing that there wouldn't be a taxi, but luck must have been with him. Traveling down the street, in their direction, was a big yellow taxi with a lit sign.
Setting down my bag he flagged the cab. He stumbled with the door, causing him to lose his grip on me. My legs buckled and I slipped to the ground, but he caught me before my head connecting. He threw my bags in and hefted me one last time. He collapsed on the seat next to me and closed his eyes. The drive stared back in wonder, even though he had seen things very similar to this.
"Where to buddy?" he asked with a smile.
Adam opened his eyes and looked up. "Oh, um...."The Mercer Hotel," on the corner of Prince and Mercer." He closed his eyes again and slowly drifted away. The driver just turned around and laughed, not even wanting to know.
After navigating through the busy streets and intersections the cab finally arrived at the front door. A bellboy opened the door, causing Adam to jump.
"What the hel....Oh, I'm sorry. You startled me." He slowly stepped out of the cab as the bellboy reddened.
"I'm sorry Mr. Cook. I didn't know you were asleep." He peered into the cab, looking at my slumped form. "Um...and your friend? Sir?" The bell boy looked lost, as did Adam for a second.
"Well, yes, please help me get him out. Grab his bags and take them to my room." He turned quickly and went to the other side. He wondered what the girls would think when they saw a middle aged man carry a young teenager through the lobby. "They probably won't even notice," he thought. "They're so hung up on catching a glimpse of the group." He slowly lifted my body out, placing me on my feet and leaning me against the car. He pulled out a couple 20's, giving the driver a big tip.
"Hey, thanks man. And have fun tonight!!" The driver laughed and winked, driving away into the night.
"Some people are just sick," Adam thought. "To think that I would bring an unconscious boy into my room just to mess around with him. That's what's wrong with the world today."
He walked through a small group of girls waiting outside. He tried to hide his face but he seriously doubted anyone knew who he was. He made it to the lobby where the bigger group was waiting. Sometimes he wondered how the guys handled it. To have this many screaming teeny- boppers constantly hanging around, waiting for the slightest appearance. It seemed like they never got any free time unless they were disguised. "Oh well, the life of a star," he laughed to himself.
He finally made it to the elevator, hoping the bags were already on the way to his room. I had started bleeding again; it was starting to soak through my pants. Adam sat me on the couch, pushing the 8th floor button. The doors gave a quiet "whoosh" as they closed, blocking out the constant chatter from the lobby. As we ascended in the elevator he looked at me again. "He looks so old, but after what happened to him I would imagine he feels that way too. He must only be 19 or 20. That short blond hair is cut just like the latest style. And his eyes, they were so mournful. But no, that was only because he was crying. I couldn't even tell what color they were." He continued to watch me as the elevator stopped. He pulled me up, hoping it would be for the last time, and slowly dragged me to his room. He pulled the key card with one hand and opened the door quickly. He really was out of shape, and when you added that to how tired he was, he was surprised he'd made it this far.
He had his own room because he was a manager. Against the wall was a large Queen-size bed with warm blankets. He knew there was room for two, but not tonight. He peeled back the covers and laid me down. He looked around the room and eyed the bags that had been brought up. For a split second he wondered if he should open the suitcase, but finally decided he had to. He slowly pulled the zipper, hoping he wouldn't find anything too awkward inside.
He lifted the lid and sighed. He really was tired, his imagination was overreacting. He quickly found a pair of shorts and a clean shirt.
He walked into the bathroom and got the first aid kit, bringing everything to the bed were I was lying. He peeled off my clothing, throwing the bloodied articles in a pile by the door. He pulled out the hydrogen peroxide and cotton swabs, cleaning my wounds the best he could. I never moved an inch.
He started at my face, tracing the finger marks that were bleeding. "Whoever did this to you much have been one angry bastard, clawing at your face like this." He could see the redness around my neck, where someone had tried to strangle me. "I can't do anything for that buddy, I'm sorry." He scooted down to my legs and midsection, where I was really bleeding. Trying to be gentle he lifted my leg and swabbed at my ass. The tear was not as large as he had first suspected, but he bandaged it the best he could. "I hope you don't remember too much of what happened tonight. No one needs to go through that."
He put up the medical supplies and slowly dressed me. His fatherly instincts were screaming at him. It felt like he knew exactly what to do in this situation - he'd always known. He slowly covered me with the thick blanket and moved to a chair. He leaned his head back and watched me sleep. "This is what I was meant to do - helping those in need." As his eyes slowly closed he knew he was right. Nothing would ever be the same.
As Adam slowly drifted off, finally getting the sleep he deserved, I slowly drifted out of my unconscious state. My mind slowly started to come back to me, letting the dreams form. They came quick and furious, glimpses of this and then shadows of that. I never was in one long enough to understand anything. I felt like I was in a whirlwind of thoughts that would never stop. Scene after scene invaded my mind for over an hour, until I couldn't take it anymore. My body was exhausted from the trip, my mind was exhausted from the experiences I had endured. "Please, I can't take this anymore. Just let me sleep," my mind cried out to no one. I felt the tear slip from my eye as the scenes slowly diminished. My body relaxed and my mind settled. I finally had some peace. I just hoped it would continue for the rest of the night.
To be continued...