Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:30:40 EDT
From: HnstSkr4@aol.com
Subject: The Journey Begins - Chapter 9

Author's Notes:

Before I get into the Legal stuff, I want to say thanks first to my Editor,
Pete.  He always does a wonderful job.  Second, I want to thank my
Readers. You guys are the best.

Okay, these characters are not meant to resemble any living or dead person.
I make no apology to anyone who is offended by anything in this story.

If you don't agree with the idea of guys being in love, then find something
else to read.

Let me know what you think of the story by emailing me at
_Hnstskr4@aol.com_

Copyright 2009, 2010 by Chuck B.

The Journey Begins

Chapter 9 - The Threats

Date 4/23/09
10:00 pm CST
From: Helper102@cmail.net
To: Eric16@cmail.net

You have been warned time and time again.  If you do not step away from
your current path, then expect trouble at school.

Date 4/24/09
10:00 pm CST
>From Helper102@cmail.net
To Eric16@cmail.net

You still have not taken to heart my warning.  Be forewarned, I am watching
you.  If you don't back off, you're parents will know who you are.

Date: 4/25/09
10:00 PM CST
>From Helper102@cmail.net
To: Eric16@cmail.net

You only have till tomorrow to move away from the faggot.  I know you're
not gay.  You will be attacked tomorrow if Steve is still in your life.
You won't know when the attack will come.  Be warned, if the attack doesn't
stop you, then you're parents will.


I can't believe these emails.  It's pretty straight forward.  If I don't
ignore the feelings inside of me, this fool will attack me.  I can't even
imagine being without Steve.  I don't want to lose him.  I don't want to go
back to the way things used to be... to the way things used to be
before... before I came out to myself and the world.  Don't know who sent
the email out to me.

I tried to find this person, but every time, I try to find them, they
disappear.  Whoever is sending out these threats knows who I am and no
doubt means to cause me pain.  I can't let them win.  I know that my
parents will find out eventually, but I wanted to do on my time schedule,
not the time schedule of an enemy.  Out of the blue, Sarah comes online as
I get ready to send off the emails to the ISP (Internet Service Provider).

"Sarah, I want to show you something."

I cropped all of the emails into one email and then sent them to her.

"Eric, please tell me that you've emailed these to the ISP and that you've
called the police."

"Well, I am going to send them right now. As far as the police go can they
do anything?"

"Eric, this person has threatened to attack you.  I think it's best to be
safe.  Now you sign off so you can call the police."

I felt stupid calling the police.  I already know this is Dale's work.  It
even has his smell about it, the smell of a coward who has to hide his
face. I took the advice of my sister and dialed the police.


I didn't know if I should call them now or in the morning.  I decided to
just call them and give it up.

"Hello, you've reached the non-emergency line for the Lake View police
station, how can I help you?"

"I've been receiving some threatening email. I'm a gay teen and whomever is
sending me these emails knows that I'm gay, knows my boyfriend, and is
threatening to tell my parents if I don't break up with my boyfriend. He is
also threatening to beat me up if I don't break up with my boyfriend."

The line was quiet for just a second or two.

"Can I ask your name?"

"Eric Keiser!"

"Okay Eric, are you out to your parents?"

"No, I'm not out to my parents."

"Which high school do you attend?"

"Lake View Junior / Senior High."

It was quiet again on the line for a second.  The lady on the phone got
back to me.

"Eric, have you already sent these emails to your provider?"

"Yes I have, just before I called you."

"Great, I also need you to forward those emails to us.  You can reach me at
Cyndi@LVpolice.net. We'll do everything we can to keep you safe. Eric, I'm
not going to send out an officer to your house at this time.  If anything
happens at school I want you to call or see your principal immediately."

I don't feel any better about the emails, but it's good to know that the
police department is looking out for me.  Now I'm hoping that I can sleep.
It just doesn't sit very well with me.  Is someone trying to play a cruel
joke on me?


It's passing between sixth and seventh hours, so far nothing has happened.
There hasn't even been a hint of the threat.  You know, I feel guilty.  I
really, really feel guilty, because I haven't told Steve yet. Steve doesn't
need to be worried about me.  We have too many other things to worry about,
there is school and our relationship to worry about.  As I approach my
locker, a feeling of dread comes over me for whatever reason.  I didn't get
it at first until I opened my locker.  In the bottom of my locker, there
was a piece of folded paper.  As I opened the paper up, I realized that
whoever sent me the emails had struck again.  It was not written in any
handwriting that I recognized instead it was written in cursive by using
several different handwritings and then cut to fit into one note.

"You were warned not to be seen with Steve anymore.  You were warned that
if you didn't back off that you're parents will find out and you didn't
listen.  Now, I have no choice but to tell your parents.  Bye Eric! Oh and
since you didn't listen, I can't keep you from harm!"

I grabbed my books for my English Comp. & Lit class and headed straight to
the class.  I didn't even sit down at my desk.  Miss. Gonzalez was at her
computer doing some typing when I approached her desk.

"Miss. Gonzalez, I need to go the office."

"Mr. Keiser, why do you need to go to the office?"

"This was in my locker!"

I handed her the note and she quickly picked up the phone and called the
office.

"I'm sending Eric Keiser down to the office.  It's in relation to the email
that was sent out this morning."

"Eric, Mr. Owens wants you to go straight to the office."

I was afraid of meeting up with an attacker, afraid of the threat coming to
a head.  I don't want Steve to know what's going on, he's already worried
enough as it is.  When I reached the office, Mr. Owens was waiting for me
behind the front desk.

"Mr. Keiser, go to my office!"

He didn't look happy but I don't think he's mad at me.  I think he is mad
at the situation.


A situation that shouldn't be happening except for the fact that Dale Scott
is a major twit.  Mr. Owens sat his large, intimidating frame down in his
desk.

"So, what brought you to my office?"

I handed him the note and he read it over.

"Eric, I want to ask Mr. Smith to come down since he is in charge of the
GSA here at the school.  I want his advice on this situation.  Are you okay
with that?"

"If it means that the school is safe for me and other gay kids, sure, I
have no problem with it."

Picking up his phone, Mr. Owens dials the extension for Mr. Smith's room.

"Mr. Smith would you please report to my office!"

He then got up and walked out of the office and made an announcement.

"Mr. Smith's 7th hour class is to report to the media center immediately!
You will be given 3 minutes to get to there after which time you will serve
an after school detention with me."

It didn't take long for Mr. Smith to enter the room. He saw me and a look
of concern washed over his face.  Did he think that I was in trouble?

"Mr. Smith, did you check your email this morning?"

"Yes Sir, I did.  Is that what this little meeting is about?"

Mr. Owens didn't say a thing.  He handed Mr. Smith the note that I got from
my invisible enemy.

"Hmm...Eric, it seems someone doesn't have your best interests at heart."

Mr. Smith looked worried and Mr. Owens seemed a little lost.

"Look, my parents can't find out about this or I'll lose my home.
I... I... have no place to go."

"Eric, would you please go out into the office and wait for us. I need to
talk to Mr. Smith."

Mr. Smith and Mr. Owens seemed to take forever talking behind closed doors.
Finally, I was called back into Mr. Owens' office.

"Eric, I want you to know that we want what is best for you.  We plan on
handling this situation without your parents hearing a thing.  I'm going to
send you to the media center along with Mr. Smith.  If anything else
happens you are to report back to me immediately! You're excused."

I could tell something was spinning inside Mr. Smith's mind.


Mr. Smith looked like he was deep in thought as we walked out of the office
and into the hallway. A group of students walked past us and then, he
looked at me.

"Eric, do you think Dale is behind the threats?"

It's funny, but prior to my coming out, I never would have thought Dale was
capable of this type of action.  Now in light of everything else, I do
think that Dale is capable of this and so much more.

"I don't know if he typed the emails or the notes, but I'm sure he's behind
it somehow."

Mr. Smith didn't say anything else about the notes the rest of the way to
the media center.  He just kept us down in the media center for the rest of
the hour. With five minutes left of class, Dale asked if he could use the
restroom.  When the bell rang, I went straight to my locker.


I made it to my locker and got it opened in a heartbeat.  Inside my locker,
I found another note.  This one left little doubt that they knew that I had
turned over the note to Miss. Gonzalez and that I was sent down to the
office.

"I know that you turned the note in to Miss. Gonzalez.  You can't take a
little joke!  Are you all your kind such babies?  I've got my eye set on
you.  You've left me no choice but to tag you tomorrow."

Steve came up from behind me as I read over the note.

"I can't go yet, babe, I've got to get this note turned into the office."

"I want you safe, so do what you have to do.  I can wait."

Steve has to be the most awesome boyfriend on the face of the Earth.  As I
walked in, Mr. Smith was checking his mailbox.  I waved the note in front
of me.  The secretary seemed to know what was up and sent to me Mr. Owens'
office.

"Mr. Owens, you told me to come to the office if I found anymore notes.
This one was waiting for me in my locker at the end of the day."

I handed him the note.  His eyes quickly scanned it and then he dialed the
number for the police.

"Hello, this is Mr. Owens at Lake View High School.  I have a student who
has received threatening notes in his locker once an hour ago and once
again moments ago.  My understanding is that he called you last night to
make you aware of some threatening emails.  Yes, student's name is Eric
Keiser.  I'll hold him until you get here.  Thank you!"

"Eric, I'll need you to stay here until the officers get here."

Steve looked at me and whispered into my ear.

"I'm not leaving!"

I took his hand and waited until the police arrived.  We sat here in the
office and worked on our homework.  The longer it took for them to get
here, the more nervous I became.  Mr. Owens promised that my parents
wouldn't find out, but the police never made that promise.  I'm not sure
this is going to end well.  What else can I do?  I have to do... I have to
stop this and the only way to stop it is to tell my story to the police.
Have to be brave, so they can help me catch who ever sent out those emails
and those notes.  Steve, I know, is here by my side and that makes
everything okay.  I saw the squad car pull up to the front of the school.


Guess this is the moment of truth, my chance to stand up to hate.  For my
sake and for our happiness, I need to talk to the cops.  As my eyes watched
the two officers enter the building, my heart dropped.  Shouldn't be afraid
of what's about to happen, but I am.

"Steve, I'm scared!"

He gave me this weird little look.

"Why?"

"I have this bad feeling about this."

He took my hand and lightly gave me a squeeze.  The officers entered the
office and the secretary pointed in my direction.  Now I was sweating.
They turned around to me and Steve.

"I'm Officer Bowen, and this is Officer Vasquez.  You must be Eric Keiser?"

Officer Bowen is tall around 6'2" and lean, but strong.  He has hazel eyes
and light brown hair.  His partner, Officer Vasquez, is around 5'9", nicely
built, brown hair, and brown eyes. From the looks of it, even Steve was
taking in the scenery.  At least now, I don't feel guilty since Steve was
taking in the view too. Mr. Owens came out of his office and invited us all
into his office.

"Which one of you is Eric?"

Now, I was really nervous.  I raised my hand.

"So if you're Eric, who are you?" he said, pointing to Steve.

"I'm Steve Hill, Eric's boyfriend."

Officer Bowen opened his notebook and pulled out three pieces of paper that
were stapled together.  He gave me the papers and I flipped through them.
These papers were copies of the emails that I received last night.

"Are these the emails you received last night?"

"Yeah, those are them, were you able to track them at all?"

Officer Vasquez smiled as Officer Bowen replied to my question.

"Yes we have, but I'm not going to give any names."

I was kind of feeling a little disappointed, I want to know who sent those
emails. I just wonder if there is a connection between the emails and the
threat notes.

"Do you have the threat notes?"

Mr. Owens opened a folder on his desk and handed them to Officer Bowen.  He
looked them over quietly while Mr. Owens sat down at his desk.  He also
handed over two CDs.

"Those CDs are copies from our security camera.  We've already viewed them,
but the person that we suspect of planting the notes was not visible.  They
covered up their face, so we couldn't identify them."

"We don't have a lot to go on, so we would like to ask you a few questions.
Do you know anyone who might be holding a grudge against you?"

"There is one person, Dale Scott.  He's been holding my sexuality against
me since I came out.  It's none stop.  I can't prove that he's behind the
emails or the threatening notes, but I am sure he is behind it.
Ummm... will you have to talk to my parents?"

"Why? Are you worried about it?" Officer Bowen asked me, as if I had asked
the wrong question.  Should I be worried?

"I'm worried about it because my family doesn't know that I'm gay."

Officer Vasquez gave me this look that he understood while his partner
seemed a bit put off by my response. Does this mean that my parent's will
be contacted?

"Look if Eric's parents find out that he's gay, they'll kick him out of the
house."

"I understand and I'm sorry, but we have a job to do.  Besides, you're
parents might know something that you don't. Can we ask for your number?"

I took a big gulp of air.  How can they do this?  How can the people whose
job it is to protect and serve the community, do something that will
jeopardize my wellbeing?

"It's 555-4455."

Officer Bowen took out his cell phone and called my house.  You have no
idea how my heart is dying right now.  Steve and I might as well give it up
right now.

"Hi is this Eric Keiser's mom?"

"Great!"

"I'm Officer Bowen with the Lake View Police Station.  I'm at Lake View
High School investigating some threats made against your son."

There was some silence on Officer Bowen's end of the line.

"So there was a rumor circulating around school that your son was gay.  Any
idea who might have been behind the rumor?"

Steven and I both wanted to scream out the name of Dale Scott.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time. Bye now!"

"Well Eric, we have the emails, the notes, your testimony, and we'll let
you know what we dig up.  Thanks for everything."

As Steve and I walked out the office, I caught a glimpse Dale.  He gave me
an evil eye.  If looks could kill, I would have been dead a hundred times
over.

I didn't say anything to Steve out of fear that Steve would have beat the
kid up.  I could feel myself getting ready to cry.  We walked out to
Steve's car.  The minute that the I got into the car, I started crying.
Steve climbed in and gave me a hug and a kiss.  As Steve kissed me, I had a
weird feeling that we were being watched.