Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2021 10:02:23 -0400
From: Eric Murphey <ericmurphey1971@gmail.com>
Subject: The Three Needs

This is a story i have been trying ot figure out for a long time how to
make it work properly.I hope you enjoy the first section. Im not sure how
long it will be.  It will however NOT be a serial and go on forever.  It
will be a few sections long ten at the very most I believe.   I have been
getting positive feedback on my farm idea.  If oyuve no lue what the hell
im talking about email I will tell you all about it.

Donate to Nifty.  We like them to allow us to put our stories on here for
FRREEEE

I hope you enjoy this story

The Three Needs

Section 1

By Eric Murphey


He rushes into his temporary home. He thinks its weird they have little
houses in the cemetery. Sure he knows there's a dead person in there
somewhere. But they haven't bothered him yet. Hes been here a few weeks
now and its keeps him out of the rain. That and its getting pretty chilly
at night. He has to figure out how to get a coat. He never thought about
that before he escaped the foster home. He leans against he wall on the
inside of the mausoleum and slides down the wall onto the thin blanket he
"found" on a clothesline. He feels bad about it. But they had several and
he was really cold. He hopes they don't need it. He pulls his prize out
of his pocket. A can on Vienna sausages. He opens the can of the pilfered
meat he nearly got nabbed for. He shoves two in his mouth and munches
greedily on them. He is really hungry its been two full days since hes
eaten anything. But now the grocery store there is going to be on his no
go zone for a while. That lady was following him in the store and she
chased after him after he went out the door. He swallows and shoves
another one in his mouth. Judah just turned ten and has coal black hair,
piercing green eyes. His build is slight. Not because he is small its do
to lack of needed nutrition. In the foster home they wouldn't feed him
regularly. Most of the time he only got lunch at school and that's
because it was free. He shoves another one in his mouth wishing he had
some crackers or something else. He thinks back to forever ago to the one
of the few memories he has of his parents before they were killed in a
freak explosion. They were all on a picnic and his dad was chasing him
around and he was giggling because he knew he would get tickled when
caught. His mother was laughing and his dad grinning. He knows that once
he was loved. But now this world is just shit. He eats the last two
taking more time with them trying to enjoy them. When he is done he puts
out his hands and looks skyward.

"God I'm sorry I stole. I know its against your laws and i will try not
to do it again. I was just really hungry. Can you find someone to love me
again God? I know I'm not worth it but well.." He doesn't finish because
he cant think of a reason why God should do anything for him. He knows he
is no good and worthless. He knows he heard it enough the last five years
from his foster dad. Todd is a real jerk. He started beating him and
sexually abusing him the very first night. Right after he found out his
parents were killed. What he needed was someone to hold him and love him.
What he got was abused. When he wouldn't blow him he was beaten. Then his
well it was just bad. He shivers as he thinks of it. He hugs himself. He
looks at the empty can and wishes there was more. How he would love to
have one of those school lunches now. He knows a lot of the others said
they were bad. But he loved them. He loved days they had vegetables.
Because he always got a ton because no one wanted them. Except corn. The
others liked corn. That and he knows vegetables are good for you. He
thinks how he wishes he could have a real meal. He was getting them at
the homeless shelter. Sign said free meal no questions asked. He thought
cool. So he started going every night. That lasted a whole week before
some nosy woman started asking him questions. She asked where his parents
were. When he told her at work she grabbed him by the arm and said she
was calling social services. He knew if they got him he would be back
with Todd because no one else wanted him. Todd made sure he knew that. He
looks at the door and its still light out. Its been getting dark earlier
he knows winter is on the way. He curses himself for being stupid. He
thought the truck would go south. Now he is in the middle of Indiana and
it gets cold here. Maybe he will try to get another truck ride somewhere.
He was thinking it was going to Florida. He figured he could sleep on the
beaches and stuff.

But if he was there he wouldn't have a little house maybe. He was lucky
he thinks that the door was open. He decides to go outside and enjoy the
daylight and the book he "found" as well.

He opens the book and starts reading about the boy detective int eh story
having all kinds of problems that turn out to be funny and work out for
him to solve the problem at hand. Judah is very cautious because he
doesn't steal the books. He borrows them like from the library. Its just
the book store isn't really in the market of loaning out books. But he
figures its OK if he takes them back and they aren't damaged or anything.
He walks out and places a stone on the grave he sits next to.

"Hello Zechariah been a rough day buddy. I almost got pinched getting
some canned meat. Still no luck finding anyone to help me out though. I
went to the library today cuz its Saturday. I told you I would. I looked
it up. The paper said you died of appen something. I guess its kind of
messed up my closest friend has been dead a hundred years. But I figure
you might want someone to talk to you too. I guess I'm a weird boy. But
its not like I can talk to anyone. I also found out they are having a
fall picnic at the park tomorrow for the whole city and its free. Maybe I
can get some extra food to last a little while. Do you think its wrong if
I do that. I know I been doing a lot of bad stuff lately. I been stealing
lots of food. But I don't know what else to do. I cant work or nuthin. I
been keeping track so I can pay them back. I don't want to steal nuthin.
I been asking God to help me find someone who loves me but i don't think
he cares. I think he hates me. Why else would he steal my parents from me
and put me with Todd. Yeah i don't know buddy if I should keep praying
for that. I ean I keep stealing how is God gonna help someone like me. I
ain't no good no how. Just a worthless puny wimp fag like Todd always
says. Maybe I should do the world a favor and hang myself like he said.
But I cant do that I want to go to heaven and see my parents again. If I
do that you cant go to heaven they say. I never seen it nowhere and stuff
but they said it. So it must be true." A cold hard wind blew through the
trees with leaves that are nearly done changing and falling from the
trees.

"Gosh its getting cold." Judah says wrapping his arms around himself
trying to warm himself. "But its almost holloween too. SO I can get some
candy to eat too. I can get a ton maybe. I know its not the best thing to
eat. But its better than stealing I think." The wind blows again.

"Zech I better get back into my little house. Its getting cold and I cant
get sick."
He walks back into it and picks up the summer blanket and wraps it around
himself. The sun is nearly down and he cant do anything so he decides to
just sleep until morning. Before he does he double checks the book is
safe and isn't near the door because sometimes it leaks when it rains
hard. He lays down on the concrete floor the blanket wrapped around him
tight. He puts his extra shirt under his head as a pillow and goes to
sleep.


***********************

Jim turns on the TV and sits down to his dinner. Not really much left so
he is having a can of tuna, some crackers and a grape soda. He has his
grocery delivery set for tomorrow. But tonight the pickens are a little
slim. Jim is 28 years old. His father passed when he was still in high
school. His mother last year. His dad was the only person int eh world he
ever truly felt comfortable around. His problem didn't seem to happen as
much with dad. He uses a fork and puts some tuna on a cracker. He then
puts a circle of mustard on it and pops it in his mouth. He thinks not he
best dinner but at least I like it. He is watching a hockey game. His dad
used to love hockey and Jim has the same love. He always feels like his
pop his right there watching with him. He knows its crazy but he doesn't
care what anyone thinks anymore. Why should he he hasn't left the
property since he graduated high school. The trailer house is old but in
decent shape. His dad taught him how to take care of it.

The ref makes a bad call.

"F-f-f-f-f-fucking j-j-j-j-j-jerkoff." He stutters out.

Jim has a sever stutter and high anxiety makes it worse. Being around
people makes him extremely anxious. Why wouldn't it. Ever since he
started school others have told him he was stupid because he stuttered.
He is far from stupid. He was offered scholarships to several high
profile universities. He turned them all down. He made a deal with his
dad to finish high school when he found out he was sick. He kept that
promise but sees no reason to continue. He doesn't need the money. His
dad was pretty smart and Jim owns a few little apartment buildings. He is
no where near rich. But, his needs are simple and it more then covers his
expenses and Jim can save about half of what he brings in. He is thinking
about buying another little house with three apartments in it. But he
hasn't managed to get up the nerve to get in touch with the agent yet. He
knows that he wont. He just doesn't want to have contact with anyone
else. Its bad enough he has to deal with the grocery delivery guy one a
month and he put it off an extra week this time to avoid him. He is a
nice guy. But he is chatty. He is talking constantly and asking Jim
questions. Of course Jim only answers with nonverbal answers. But the
Uber eats guy that brings his McDonald's everyday. Jim likes him. He
hands him his food Jim takes it the guy says thanks for the tip and
that's it. He is gone as fast as he shows up. He finishes watching the
Red Wings get creamed. Used to be they never got beat. Now they cant win
a game he thinks. He shuts off the TV and decides to go to bed. He takes
a shower and goes to his room climbs in his bed naked and pulls the thick
weighted comforter over him. He smiles as it weighs against his body. It
was his birthday present to himself this year. He always wanted one and
it was kind of expensive. But he figured it was worth it. He dozes off
warm and comfy.

**************

Around 3 am though Judah has no way of knowing the time. He wakes up
shivering because the floor he is sleeping on is so cold. He sits up
pulling the blanket as tight around him as he can and walks to the door.
He sees its snowing hard.

"Yeah God hates me. I just want to be loves is all. At this point just
not getting treated like crap would be OK so long as I can eat."

He goes to the corner and tries to get warm leaning against the wall
trying in vain to get back to sleep.

His stomach rumbles.

"God can I just die?" He asks the air and tears start slipping from his
eyes. "I just want....." Then he stops. "No one is listening." He finally
says.

He does finally get back to sleep after a few hours. He wakes up the sun
coming through the door and is warming him as it hits him. He stretches
and his tummy rumbles. He looks down at it.

"May as well not be noisy. I ain't got nuthin for ya." He says frowning.

He walks outside after he puts on his other shirt. SO two thin long
sleeve shirts. Its only about 30 degrees and he ventures out. At least it
isn't windy he thinks. He has to find some food is his main goal at this
time. Well first he stops by the trees to pee. He walks by the grave of
his friend.

"Wish me luck buddy I'm going to see if I can find some food."
He ventures off away from town because he knows he best stay away from
there for a while. He has been almost caught too many times. So he
trudges off through the six inches of snow that has fallen overnight. His
tennis shoes worn and to small. Nearly falling apart do nothing to keep
his feet dry or warm. He goes through the woods and he thinks its maybe
ten in the morning from where the sun is. He is wrong its more 11:30. He
sees a little trailer with smoke coming out of the chimney. A little
garage next to it. He sees a car in the driveway and a man carrying
groceries into the house. Another man opening and holding the door as he
comes up the steps onto the deck. The man bringing in the groceries is
talking nonstop. The man holding the door doesn't say a word. Judah
watches and waits. Because he sees the trash cans on deck. He figures
maybe he will find something to have in those. One thing he is learning
is people are wasteful and sometimes you can get a pretty full belly from
what they throw out. His stomach rumbles again. The man in the car takes
off and the man in the house just goes in. Judah waits a minute and
starts to get out of his hiding spot at the edge of the woods when
another car pulls up. A guy jumps out holding a McDonald's bag. Judah
swears he can smell the fries from 200 yards away where he is sitting.
The man opens the door before the delivery driver can knock. Judah sees
the security cameras on the side of the trailer. The man gets the food
and the guy in the car is gone. He waits a while because this seems to be
a busy place.

*********************

Jim opens the bag and takes out two hamburgers and the large fries. He
grabs a grape soda from the fridge. He sits at the table and enjoys the
food. He is a finicky eater and refuses to eat any fry that is crunchy or
has any black on it. SO he only eats about half the fries that's why he
gets a large. Once he is done he puts the bag on top of the kitchen trash
bin and its full. SO he figures he may as well take it out. He puts it in
the garbage pail outside and secures the lid on the old metal can. He
heads back inside and sits down to read a book. Jim likes to read because
he isn't a fan of a lot of noise.

************

Judah was thinking about just taking off because its a busy house that
and the cameras. But when he sees the man come out and put new trash in
the can his tummy rumbles again and he figures he can run away from this
guy if he has too. That and he wont be looking at his garbage. Who does
that. So what if he does. Its garbage he is throwing it out anyway. You
cant get in trouble for taking trash can you? He waits a few minutes and
then carefully walks to the trailer house and slowly to make no noise
walks up onto the deck. He looks around and listens and doesn't hear any
noise from the house.

He takes the last three steps and opens the lid. It makes a bot of noise.
He doesn't think anything of it. It wasn't very loud.

In the trailer though Jim hears it and turns on the monitor. He sees the
little boy reach into his trash and take the McDonald's bag off the top.
He watches as he opens it and sticks his hand in and pulls out the
rejected fries and shoves a few in his mouth. He continues until they are
gone. Jim is at a loss. What the hell do I do in this situation. He keeps
watching and he sees the boy pick through the rest and he pulls out a few
crackers that were left over last night Jim just tossed. It was only two
after all. No reason to save two. The boys gobbles them quickly. The boy
must have heard something as he turns his head quickly to look over his
shoulder. Must have been nothing. He goes back to searching. The boy sees
a few green beans left in a can and tips it back and taps the can to let
them loose and drop into his mouth. He sees a loaf of bread. Its only got
a few pieces left Jim had thrown it out because it had a few specks of
mold on it. The boy rips open the bag and pulls out the pieces. He sees
the mold and picks it off and shoves a bite in his mouth. Jim makes a
sour face. He thinks should I give this boy something to eat. He decides
yes he cant have him eating moldy bread. He gets up and the boy hears him
pull the door open and is off the deck in a flash and half into the woods
before Jim gets the storm door open. Judah gets back to his hiding spot
and is watching. He sees the man look around and shrug then head back
inside. Judah heads back to his little house as its cold. He can feel its
a little warmer then before or he is just getting used to it.

********

Jim sits in his little trailer thinking about the little boy he saw
eating from his trash. He is upset about it. He decides he has to try to
figure out what the problem is for the boy. At least to make sure he is
OK. He puts on his boots and a heavy coat. He starts walking and gets to
the edge of the property. He looks back at the trailer. Then back to the
woods and the little foot prints in the snow. He decides that his own
disgust in humanity is worth the effort to makes sure this boy is OK. He
cant have that in his head. He will never get to sleep worrying about
him. He follows the footprints and he sees they lead to a mausoleum.
Clever boy he thinks. Probably not super warm but out of the weather. The
door opens and he sees the boy walk out. He slips behind another
mausoleum and he hears the boy talking to someone.

"Yeah Zechariah. I got so lucky. Theres a trailer on the other side of
the woods and I got lots to eat. I got some french fries. Man they were
so good. I wonder if they had McDonald when you were alive?"
Jim realizes he is talking to a grave.

"Yeah and I got a few pieces of bread for later in my little house. Its a
little moldy. But hey at least I didn't have to steal it right. Maybe God
doesn't hate me cu he provided lots of food for me today. But man i got
so scared. I was up there on his porch and stuff then he opened the door.
I nearly peed I got so scared. But I ran real fast and got out of there.
Cuz I ain't getting caught and have to love with Todd again. I don't want
to be hit no more and well you know the other stuff. But i think tomorrow
I will sneak back over to that trailer house and see if he throws out any
more good stuff. Sides I don't think that man would call social services
on me. He looked kinda nice. I got to go poop. I will be back in a little
while. Maybe I will read to you again. I liked that it was like you was
really here."
Jim watches and he sees the boy trek off towards the river. Jim sneaks
around to look into the "little house" and he sees the thin blanket and
that's all that's in there. Jim backs away and wipes his prints in the
snow away and heads back to his house. He cant get the boy out of his
mind. Every time the wind blows he thinks of that little thin blanket. He
shakes his head. At dinner he makes himself a chicken breast some
potatoes and green beans. He just cant eat it thinking of that boy being
happy for some french fries and moldy bread. He covers it and puts it in
the fridge. He turns on the game and watches the Red Wings lose yet
another game. A winning streak this year is two games he thinks. He turns
it off and hears the wind whistling outside.

"F-f-f-fuck." He stammers out.

He puts on his boots and his coat he goes to his hall closet and pulls
out a thick blanket. He heads outside and the wind it biting and cuts to
the bone. He walks through the woods and thinks a second. He goes back to
his house. He grabs a plastic shopping bag. He puts a jar of peanut
butter in it some jelly a plastic knife ans some bread. He grabs some
juice boxes and puts them in the bag as well. He grabs the bag and the
blanket and heads out again. He walks through the woods. He smiles
thinking back to when he was a boy playing in these woods. He knows them
like the back of his hand. He finds where the boy is easily enough. He
opens the door very carefully not to make noise. He sees the boy sleeping
in the corner. He sighs and he puts the blanket over him and tucks it
around his sides. The boy pulls it around him and sighs in his sleep. Jim
puts down the food next to him. He heads back home and heads to bed
feeling a little better about the boy. He climbs in his warm bed and
falls asleep and dreams of the little guy. But in his dream he is
laughing and racing around the yard. Jim wakes up as usual pretty early
and goes and turns on the TV and starts to make toast and remembers he
gave his bread away. He shrugs and gets out some cereal. He has breakfast
on the couch watching cartoons. He loves cartoons. His mother used to
tell him to grow up. But he didn't care he likes them.

*************
Judah wakes up and looks at the blanket and the bag and is confused as to
where it came from.

But right now he isn't that worried about it as he eats three Pb&j
sandwiches.


Eric