Date: Sun, 01 Aug 2004 22:43:18 -0400 From: rhaven Subject: The Next Tomorrow Chapter Seven This is a story from imagination, nothing more; it could not exist in our reality. Be warned it is a tale of man/boy relationships with some bad language. I'd like to thank my dear friend Astral Toad for helping me with this story. If you like this story, please visit my site for more at www.rhavenlore.com The Next Tomorrow By Rhaven CHAPTER SEVEN All I had to say was `football' and that seemed to explain everything why I had a black eye. Mom acted almost excited by the word as if it was a gift from God. It hurt to see my Mom so happy, like my life had been nothing but a disappointment until I had picked up a football. I don't remember sleeping, I left Mom and Greg to do their fooling around and hid in my room. Sleep hit more from emotional exhaustion and anything else. When morning came, I ate Mom's breakfast, with Greg still in the house. He had spent the night, leaving me with the impression that I would never have my mother alone again. Greg too Mom to work, finally giving me some time alone to think. In the bathroom, I stared into the mirror, looking at my new black eye. If it had been an accident, I would have been very proud of my black swollen eye. But since this was caused by Greg, thee was no honor in the bruise, I wore it like a scarlet letter for all to see, it was my mark of being a coward. For the first time since I had met him, I didn't want to see Sean today, I didn't want to lie to him about my eye. Ronnie and Mark appeared early that morning and sat with me on the front porch. Ronnie had been grounded for the last two days, apparently from a fight he and his brother had in the living room. Like true friends, we didn't have to do anything to entertain each other. Ronnie and Mark talked about anything and everything as I quietly listened. The truth was, all I could think about was Sean sitting on the beach of Slinger Lake, waiting for my arrival. I wondered how long he waited, before returning home. Would he hate me now, for not showing up? I was crying before I even knew it. Mark and Ronnie put their arms around me and didn't bother me with questions of why. After I managed to stop my tears, Ronnie finally spoke. "Would you like to head over to the Dragon's Lair, Jonah?" "You guys go ahead. I think I'm going in." I said weakly, but tried to smile so they weren't be too concerned. "Jonah, wouldn't it be better if you weren't alone?" Mark asked and I noticed then that he too had tears running down his cheeks. "It's okay Mark, I'll be fine." I kissed Mark on the cheek and then gave Ronnie a hug. "Thanks guys for being my friends." I stood up and walked inside before they could say anything else. I needed to be alone, I wanted to swim in my misery and feel sorry for myself. At that moment, I felt that no one cared about me. I sat on my bed all day, unable to read any of my books or write a story. I couldn't do anything, sleep would have been easy, but I forced myself to say awake, I wanted to feel bad, I wanted to hate myself. Mom and Greg returned home, their cheerful voices filling the house. "Honey, we're home." Mom said. When I didn't answer she walked into my room. "What are you doing?" "Nothing." I said grinning like a fool. Greg grabbed Mom from behind and she squealed like a schoolgirl. "So what's our little boy been doing today?" Greg asked as he kissed my mother's neck. "Nothing." I repeated, looking away from them. "Did you tell him yet?" Greg asked Mom, still kissing her, but now had his hands on her breasts. "I was about to, sweetheart." Mom said in her baby sweet voice. "Jonah, Greg and I are going to get married!" She screamed with excitement. "Isn't that wonderful?" Wonderful? How could she think this was wonderful? Was my mother so blind that she couldn't see what kind of man Greg was? No, it wasn't blindness, she didn't care about me, she didn't care about anything but herself. "Honey, aren't you excited?" She dared to ask me. "Excited... fuck you all!" I screamed, but wasn't able to say anything else. I jumped from my bed and tried to run. As I came to the door, Greg's fist stopped me. "You apologize to your mother!" He yelled. I fell to the floor from the punch in my stomach from Greg. I was having a hard time breathing as Greg lifted me up and tossed me back onto my bed. "What is wrong with you Jonah?" Mom yelled. "This is the happiest day in our life and you have to ruin it." "I told you he was spoiled." Greg barked. "Come on, let's leave the baby alone." "Sometimes Jonah, I just don't understand you." Mom said before slamming my door shut. Despair is a horrible feeling. It felt like I was trapped on the moon, no air, no hope of escape and forgotten. I could hear them in the den, laughing and joking around, oblivious to my pain. I welcomed the new pain in my stomach, savored its sickening pulsation of discomfort. Nothing else mattered to me, only the sparks of pain were real. It was something I had to grow accustomed to, pain was my new life. A new day dawned, filling my room with the warm golden glow of the rising sun. Mom and Greg had left hours ago, but I couldn't think of a reason to leave my room. Tap-tap-tap. I looked up to see Ronnie and Mark at my window. "Hi." I said after opening the window. "Are you all right?" Mark started crawling into the room and fell onto the bed, Ronnie followed him. "We were worried about you." Ronnie said once he was in the room. "I'm okay. What are you guys up to today?" I asked taking a seat on the floor. "Checking on you. Mark and I have been talking." Ronnie said seriously. "We know that something is going on with that guy here." "No everything is all right. There's nothing going on." I insisted. "Come on Jonah, just look at you. A black eye, you haven't been out of the house in two days. We know this guy is bad news. We're here to help you." Mark said sternly. "How can you help me?" I sounded as defeated as I felt. "There's got to be something we can do?" Ronnie whined. "What if we set his truck on fire?" "Don't be stupid." Mark barked. "Be serious Ronnie." "I was serious." Ronnie pouted. "My Mom is going to marry him." I said to the gasps from Ronnie and Mark. "Holy shit Jonah that sucks." Ronnie said quietly. We didn't say anything for a while, I could tell, Ronnie and Mark were trying to figure out a plan on helping me, but I knew it was useless. I had to admit that it was nice to have them here, loneliness had almost consumed me, though seeing Mark made me think about Sean more. I wanted nothing more than to see and be with him. "What about calling the police? Couldn't we make up a story on how this guy is really a mass murderer or something?" Ronnie suggested. "Who did he murder?" Mark laughed. "It'll only work if we have a body. Are you volunteering?" "Guys!" I tried not to yell, but was very tired of hearing them making stupid suggestions. "There is nothing we can do. My Mom is going to marry Greg and that's that. So please shut the fuck up!" "Sorry." They said in unison. "I think you guys should go." I looked away from them, no longer was their company comforting to me. They were my friends, but not even that was enough for what I saw in my future. "See you later, Jonah. Don't worry I have an idea." Mark whispered before he disappeared out my window. I only shook my head, not really believing that Mark had come up with a wonderful plan to save me. Most likely, it was something very dumb and would only cause me more problems. I watched the clock closely as the time approached for my mother to come home. Not that I was looking forward to it, not anymore, it was something I dread. "I'm finished talking about this Greg!" Mom yelled as she entered the house. "Well, I'm not finished talking about this. What that guy hitting on you?" "He wasn't doing anything but eating... If you hadn't noticed I work in a cafe." Mom yelled. I smiled for the first time in days. I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but I could only hope this was the beginning of the end of their relationship. "Oh yeah, the guy spends hours in the cafe and all he was doing is eating. I'm not a fucking idiot here. You want to fuck him because his father's famous." "Get serious." Mom laughed. "I'm starting to think he was right about you." I now knew they were talking about Sean and if possible, I smiled more. Mom was so lucky to spend some time with Sean, I envied her. But telling Greg that Sean had talked about him, was wrong of Mom, she only did it to make Greg more jealous, even I could see that. "That fuck was talking about me? Trying to make me look bad? I'll fucking kill him. He thinks he can come to this town and flash his money, and that gives him the right to talk about me? What the fuck does he know about me anyway?" Greg was yelling so loud the walls shook. "How about your temper? Is that a secret Greg? Sean is worried about Jonah, should I also be worried?" "Jonah? Well that little shit!" I heard Greg stomp his way to my room, I unconsciously hid behind my pillow. My door slammed opened and Greg glared at me. "What the fuck have you been telling Ponca? Did you tell him about your eye?" "I haven't said anything." I said in a weak voice. "Bullshit boy, you've been talking about me to that bastard, haven't you?" Greg raised his fist. "What are you talking about?" Mom stepped into my room; she had that look that could make me confess in anything. "Jonah you said the football gave you that black eye." "It did." Greg said quickly. "I figured the little shit's been telling lies about me." "I didn't tell Sean anything. I haven't seen him in two days." I yelled, feeling the anger swell inside me, Greg had no right to mention Sean or talk about him. "And the only lie I've told is the one YOU made me say!" I screamed. "You fucking little shit!" Greg charged and grabbed me off the bed. "I didn't tell you to lie about anything!" "Let him go Greg!" Mom hit Greg on his shoulder. "Jonah hasn't done a thing." I shouldn't have been shocked, but I was surprised to see Mom sticking up for me. Greg released my shirt and took a step away from me. "Sorry sweetheart." He said to her, not me. "I just get crazy when people tell lies about me." They walked out of my room as if nothing had happened, as if I didn't exist. I sat back down on my bed feeling completely confused. Weren't they just fighting, didn't I confess to Greg making me lie? Why was Greg still in my house? Maybe if I did set his tow truck on fire that would finally get the bastard out of here. Mom only came back to my room one more time that night and that was only because she wanted to see if I wanted anything to eat. Of course I didn't, there was no way I'd sit at the table with Greg and pretend everything was fine. My choice was clear to me now. The only choice I had. I was going to have to runaway. It wouldn't be tonight, but tomorrow. I would pack up my clothes and go somewhere, somewhere far away. I could here my mother and Greg talking sweetly to each other, heading to her room. They would soon be moaning and groaning, screw like everything was fine. I couldn't imagine what my mother saw in this man, he wasn't attractive, not like Sean was. He had no personality and he was mean. How could anyone love him? Better yet, how could my Mom choice him over me? I made myself go to bed, to sleep, to escape this reality so that I didn't have to listen to the noises coming out of mom's room. "Get up you mother fucker." I almost screamed, the shock of waking up with Greg hovering over me, pulling me out of the land of dreams into the reality of this nightmare, was more than my mind could take. "You think you're so smart." Greg whispered angrily. "Trying to turn your mother against me... didn't work did it, you little shit." I opened my mouth to say something, but Greg slapped me first. "Keep your fucking mouth shut and listen. This is my house now and my rules. You try to fuck with me again and go tattling to that fucking Mr. Ponca and I'll kill you both." Greg growled "Why are you doing this?" I cried. "Why? Because I can." Was all he said before leaving my room. I should have left then, but I was afraid that Greg was watching me. He had become my bogeyman, the monster in my closet and under my bed. I was afraid to close my eyes, in fear that he would return. I sat up the rest of the night, clinging to my pillow as if it could protect me from the wrath of Greg. Morning came, was it always did, oblivious to me and my pain. I wondered if there was anyone else in this world that felt the same way I did. Surely I wasn't the only one who felt this sad and lonely. Mom and Greg rushed around trying to get ready to leave, after they discovered they had both overslept. They argued more and I grinned at their anger. I hope that all day, that's all they did, scream and yell, fight all day, wouldn't that be perfect. Greg peeked his head into my room and gave me a wicked smile. "I'll be seeing you later." He said sinisterly. "I'm coming!" Greg screamed to my mother in the living room. I was that chained dog, desperate to run free, but trapped by the leash of fear. I was going to break free of that leash. Finally, they left, neither bothering to check on me, thank goodness. I waited several minutes to make sure they wouldn't return before I started planning my escape. It had occurred to me late last night; I would go to Africa and live. I've read every Tarzan book there was, even a few of his comic books. I could easily survive in Africa; maybe I'll even adopt an lion as my companion. Tap-tap-tap. I grumbled to myself. I wasn't in the mood for Mark and Ronnie. I didn't have time for their foolishness, I had things to pack before leaving this country forever. "Hey Jonah." Mark was alone, the second I opened the window, he started climbing in. "I got some great news for you." Mark fell onto my bed with a thud. "Yeah, what kind of great news?" I asked without really caring what he had to say. "Are you okay?" He said quietly, leaning forward to look into my eyes. "I'm just tired. Mark, I'm kind of busy. What do you want?" I was rude, but my claustrophobia was getting the better of me. I had to get out of his house, out of this state and out of this country. If I didn't, I knew I would die. Mark slumped his shoulders and took off his raccoon hat. "I talked to Mr. Ponca this morning..." "YOU WHAT?" I screamed. "Why... what did you say to him?" I was crying for no reason at all, Mark talking to Sean had really made me mad, Sean was mine, not his. Fury exploded from my heart and I grabbed Mark by his shirt. "You leave Sean alone!" I wept. "You... leave him... alone!"