Ben stared at me for a few seconds before standing up......

I couldn't tell what was happening. I couldn't read Ben's face. I wish now that I could have because what happened caught me totally off guard. I was thinking about what he was about to say when I suddenly found myself lying on the ground and a dull ache in my left lower jaw. I was stunned.

Next thing I knew, Ben was on top of me, pinning me down by putting his feet on my arms and sitting on my chest. He started hitting me, hard. In the face. Hit after hit. After about the tenth punch, i had no idea what was going on. I couldn't even struggle after that. I had been knocked senseless. I knew that something was hitting me in the face, but I had no idea that it was my best friend's fist. I soon felt a weight being lifted off me and I didn't even flinch when I felt the kick to the stomach.

"You're a fag, my best mate is a fag."  Ben screamed as he continued to boot me in the gut.

I couldn't reply, what with having no idea who, or where I was right at that moment. All I did know was that I was in pain and I was probably about to die. That's when I heard the voice of an angel coming to my rescue.

"Hey! What are you doing?" With that, the assault stopped. Dazed, and very sore, I managed to look towards where Ben was. I saw Zeb standing there with his back to me and Ben sitting on his ass on the ground. He slowly rose up, keeping his eyes on me. Then he sniggered.

"I hope you enjoy your time in W.A. I can't blame your parents for wanting to get rid of you. You're a disgrace to mankind. I hope you suffer for a long time with AIDS, you fag." and with that, he stalked away and in that instant I knew, our friendship was over. I was no more than a dirty rat in his eyes.

I was so battered and bruised, that I couldn't even cry. Zeb helped me to my feet, and I winced as I felt a broken rib rubbing against my lung. Hobbling slowly, the two of us made our way back to Zeb's house.

I was right about having a broken rib. I also had a broken arm and the doctor said that if I'd had one more kick to the face, I'd have a broken nose, and very probably be dead. I didn't hear anymore of his speech, because the morphine drip that had been placed in my wrist suddenly took effect, and I was out of it. Like a light. No hallucinations (I was a bit disappointed about that). Nothing.

When I woke up a few hours later, I was in a room with three other people. I looked around. Next to me, there was a guy (could have been female, I couldn't tell) with his/her head bandaged and a tube down his throat. That struck me as odd considering he should be in intensive care if he's like that. I figured they must have been out of beds there, or something. The woman across from him/her was coughing uncontrollably and was stabbing at a button that didn't seem to be doing anything. I felt sorry for her because it was obvious she was in pain, and not getting any help.

I reached over to my call button, and gave it a press. Nothing. I couldn't help feeling like they just didn't have these things connected so that they didn't have to leave their station. Oh well, when you have nothing else to do, all you can do is scream. And that is exactly what I did. I made it sound like I was in a lot of pain, even though I wasn't. It took the nurse about three seconds to get to the room. When she did, I immediately stopped and pointed to the old woman who was coughing her guts up. With a horrified look on her face, the nurse rushed over to her, and drew the curtain around her. I felt glad that I'd helped her out. I looked at the guy opposite me, and he was simply sleeping. He was about 25, at a guess, and he was quite good looking. In fact, he was bloody gorgeous. I started feeling drowsy again, and the last thing I heard before I fell asleep was the old lady's coughing ebbing away.

I looked around the room and noticed that the old lady was gone. The gorgeous guy across from me had his curtain drawn, and I could hear slight moans coming from his bed. He must have been wanking. I couldn't help but smile. I looked to my right, and saw Zeb sitting in a chair asleep. He stirred and looked at me.

"Hi Cam, how are you going?"

"Tired. Where's that old lady?" I croaked.

"She died. Don't you feel envious of her?" when I looked at him, he just had a blank look on his face, as if what he'd just said were perfectly normal.

I couldn't even answer him, that's how confused I was by what he just said.

"Well, if you were dead, you wouldn't have to worry about what all the homophobes think. You wouldn't have to pretend that you're not gay. You wouldn't be a drain on your parents, and your friend Ben wouldn't have to worry about what people will say about him being friends with a fag. But most of all, if you were dead, I wouldn't have to  put up with you  and your pathetic life. In fact...." with that, he reached for the call button and pushed it. This time, though, it actually worked.

A nurse came in, and looked at Zeb, ignoring me completely.

"Nurse, Cameron here wants to die. Will you help him out?"

"Certainly." and she pulled up a gurney, and she and Zeb dragged me on to it. They then strapped me down, and Zeb put some tape over my mouth.

I struggled as much as I could, but it was no good. I was wheeled away on the gurney to certain doom. I managed to raise my head enough to look back at Zeb. He was waving at me and smiling.

"Goodbye Cameron. See you round, maybe"

He winked at me..........

I yelped. I looked around the room. The old lady was standing by her bed, dressed in her normal clothes. She saw that I was awake, and shuffled over to me.

"Hello there, young man. I just wanted to say thankyou for helping me earlier. I thought help was never going to come."

She bent down and gave me a hug.

"Its alright, ma'am. I could tell you were in pain, and this is a hospital. Even though you wouldn't think so. I couldn't have just ignored that. It would have made me no better than the person who did this to me." I smiled at her, and took hold of her hand and gave it a squeeze. With that, she walked out of the room, and I had a chance to just sit and think. I thought about how much I wished I were dead. How much I wanted Zeb to like me. How happy I was that Mrs Barrett had taken me under her wing. How my parents wanted me to go to the other side of the country. I felt tears start to well up in my eyes.

That's when I heard Running up the hall way. Zeb ran into my room, and almost jumped on me as he reached my room. As much as I never wanted that hug to end, it was hurting me. I couldn't voice that, because my face was nearly buried in his armpit, so I just groaned, and he let me back down.

"Sorry about that." Zeb said sheepishly.

I just grinned at him. Mrs Barrett walked in.

"Hey there, I just spoke to the doctor, and he said that your wounds are pretty superficial. You can come home now."

The mention of the word home caused me to burst into tears. It took me a few minutes to be able to speak.

"I... *sob*... my home is on the other side of the country." I cried even harder.

Mrs Barrett hugged me. "Look, I was going to leave this until we got home, but I have some news for you. I spoke to your parents, and I told them that if they don't want you living with them, that you can live with us, and still finish school. Your father took a bit of persuading, but he eventually agreed. Then, just as I was about to leave, your mother thanked me and told me she's glad that I did this. So, you live with us now."

I had stopped crying, but the tears started running again. I was so happy that I'd get to stay with the best teacher at school, not to mention her drop dead gorgeous son.

When we got back to Mrs. Barrett's house, I asked her if I could go for a walk and be by myself for a while. I wanted to contemplate some things. She didn't really want me out and about until I was feeling tip-top again, but I convinced her that I'd be safe.

I walked slowly through the bush that marked the boundary of the city I lived in. I always liked coming here when I wanted to be alone and when I wanted top contemplate all that needed contemplating. I also came here with Ben a couple of times. We would just sit on a log and talk about every thing and nothing. Those were the things I enjoyed.

I didn't hear the guy following me until it was too late.

I turned around just as he threw his first punch.........

More to come? I think we know the answer to that one already...
What does this guy want with Cameron? Why is he attacking him for no reason? You'll find out in Episode Five..... Coming soon (hopefully).

Anyway, usual stuff: comments welcome at aussie_wallaby@yahoo.com.au. Flames will be read then
discarded, genuine comments will get a reply as time permits me. If I don't get a chance to write to you, I apologise, I am grateful for all the support and I hope that I will be able to reply to all e-mails.

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