This chapter contains scenes of abuse which some readers may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised!
Brett Reilly snuffed out a cigarette and leaned against the hood of his car, waiting in the parking lot of the local police station. He'd been there for quite a while, debating whether he wanted to go through with this one more time. He had already made the drive back to his old hometown from Pittsburgh, so he figured he might as well do what he had come to do. He entered the municipal building and signed his name on the form at the window.
He'd done this enough times that he knew exactly what steps he had to take to bail his brother out of jail for yet another drunk driving offense. He had the money order already prepared, since the cops didn't accept checks or cash. He spoke with the clerk and paid the bill. After a few minutes, a disheveled Joey McKenzie was ushered into the lobby, a free man once again.
"Thanks again brother!" Joey said as he extended his hand for Brett to shake.
"I'm fucking sick of this, Joe," Brett snapped. "I know I keep saying next time I'm going to leave you in here, but I'm fucking serious this time! I'm sick of bailing your ass out."
"Aw, come on Brett! You know I'm doing my best!"
"Yeah, well... Your best sucks, Joe! Why don't you ask your father to bail your ass out next time?"
"He's your father too, you know!"
"Don't remind me! One of these times you're going to kill somebody. Then nobody will be able to bail you out because you'll be in there for murder."
"I know. Hey, can you give me a ride home? They impounded my car."
"Yeah, I guess," Brett grumbled. "Last time, I swear."
* * *
A month had gone by since Dustin had seen Sarah at the diner. He'd kept her number, but he hadn't built up the nerve to call her. He was sitting in class on a late September afternoon waiting for Dr. Thompson to finish up a lecture so he could meet somebody who'd left an invitation for a blow job on the bathroom stall wall. He was kind of tired, but he was willing to forego his afternoon nap for the slight chance that someone was serious about giving head. He was looking forward to having a rare evening off work. He glanced over at Luke, who looked just as bored as Dustin did. Dustin wondered what he might do to get him naked. They'd become friends during the month they'd shared class together and were lab partners.
"Well, I can see I'm enlightening you all so much. Do any of you have any idea what I've been talking about for the last half hour? Anyone?" Dr. Thompson asked.
No one volunteered.
"Mr. Smith?" Dr. Thompson said.
"Something about computers?" Dustin offered.
"Have a nice weekend. Class dismissed!" Dr. Thompson said.
Dustin gathered up his books and saw Luke hanging back so he could chat with Dr. Thompson. Maybe Luke was the mystery guy who wanted to give head in the men's room? Dustin smiled at the thought. He walked to the restroom and sat down in the farthest stall from the door and waited. The restroom had a double door entry, so you had time to prepare if you heard the first door open if you were in the middle of something before the second door opened. This wouldn't be the first time Dustin had fun in this restroom, that is, if anything would come of it this time. He'd spent many an afternoon waiting for someone who was brave with a pen but who no-showed when it was time to play.
After a few minutes, he heard the door open and then he heard someone get into the stall next to him. A foot slid under the divide, and Dustin tapped it with his foot.
"Come on over," Dustin whispered. The door of the other stall opened and then his door opened. It wasn't Luke, but it was someone from his class.
"You're the guy?" the guy asked.
"Yeah. You want this?" Dustin asked, groping his crotch.
"You know I do."
"What's your name?" Dustin asked.
"Logan. I... I've never really done anything like this before."
"That's what we all say."
"No I'm serious. I've never even kissed a guy before. I was half afraid I was going to get beat up when I came in here."
"The only thing that's going to beat you up is this," Dustin said, letting his dick spring loose from his shorts.
"Holy cow!" Logan gasped.
"It's big, isn't it? You want to suck it?"
"I... well... yeah..." Logan eyed Dustin's thick cock lustily.
"Then get on your knees and suck it!" Dustin commanded.
Logan dropped to his knees and licked at the head of Dustin's dick.
"You can do better than that!" Dustin said encouragingly. "Come on... Suck it. Don't be scared of it. It's not going to hurt you. It's just a cock."
Logan wrapped his lips around Dustin's cock and managed to get about halfway down before he backed off. He bobbed on it a little. Dustin smiled to himself. Jesus, this kid was such a rookie! He'd have considered this blow job a dismal failure if not for the fact that Logan looked so cute trying to take more of Dustin's cock and gagging on it.
"Here, I'll show you," Dustin said. He grabbed Logan by the hair and took control, thrusting his cock firmly into Logan's mouth. Logan gagged but he took what Dustin was giving him. Finally Dustin let the poor kid come up for air. As fun as this was, Dustin wanted to get off.
"Let me fuck you," Dustin suggested.
Logan's eyes bulged. "I don't think my ass could handle something like that."
"You don't know that. I'm very good, and I'd be real gentle with you. Come on. You've already come this far."
"Are you clean?" Logan asked.
"Do you want to see my papers?" Dustin replied.
"You got any lube?" Logan asked.
Dustin smiled. Of course he had lube! Before too long he worked his cock into Logan's ass. True to his word, Dustin broke Logan in gently standing from behind. Logan whimpered in pain and pleasure, and his semen splattered against the restroom wall where he'd arranged this rendezvous. Dustin grunted as his body rewarded him for his work. His seed flowed into Logan's devirginized ass.
"That was great," Logan sighed, wiping up the cum and lube from his asshole with some toilet paper. He'd done well for a first-timer. He was in solid four territory, even as Dustin struggled to remember his name.
"Thanks," Dustin said. Something with an `L...' Luke? London? Lupin?
"Want to do it again sometime? Maybe someplace a little more private?"
"Sure... Uh... I guess that'd be cool."
Logan wrote his name and number on a slip of paper and handed it to Dustin.
"Okay. Thanks..." he glanced at the paper. "Logan."
"Thank you! See you around."
"Yeah," Dustin said. He sat down on the toilet and heard Logan leave the restroom. He looked down at his cock, which was beginning to throb as if it knew it was being noticed.
"Jesus, don't you ever get tired?" Dustin asked his cock. "You just got some ass and you're already hungry again!" He ran his fingers on the underside of his cock and squeezed a few leftover drops of cum from it. He licked the droplet from his finger and smiled.
"What am I going to do with you?"
Dustin cleaned himself up and made his way to the exit. He found Luke in the usual spot where he would wait for his roommate, only this time, since Dustin had been delayed, the roommate had already arrived and the two of them were getting ready to leave.
Luke spotted Dustin and called to him. Luke's roommate stood up and locked eyes with Dustin. They both recognized each other. Nate looked like he might throw up.
"Oh crap!" Dustin said to himself. "It's the ten!"
"Dustin, I want you to meet my roommate."
Dustin walked over to Luke and Nate and smiled. Luke introduced them to each other and Dustin and Nate awkwardly shook hands. Nate's hands were very sweaty.
"N... Nice to meet you," Nate said nervously. "Luke's told me a lot about you."
"Really?" Dustin said.
"Just that there's this absolutely brilliant guy Nate had to meet sometime. Nate's studying religion here."
"Religion?" Dustin replied, he almost started laughing.
"Religious studies," Nate corrected. "Don't act so surprised."
"Nate's father was a wacko-fundamentalist who ruined his life," Luke explained. "I'm convinced Nate's trying to put right what once went wrong in his family."
"So, you two are roommates, huh?" Dustin asked. It occurred to Dustin that Luke had never mentioned anything about being gay.
"Yeah," Nate replied. "Roommates..."
"That was a pretty boring lecture today, huh?" Luke said, oblivious to the way Nate and Dustin were looking at each other. "Dr. Thompson is usually more interesting than that."
Dustin could see the fear in Nate's eyes. He'd seen that look on the face of many a conquest he'd met out in public, their eyes begging Dustin not to let the wife know he liked cock. He grinned. He thought Nate was even cuter in the daylight.
"I don't think I've ever been interested in anything Dr. Thompson's had to say," Dustin said, almost forgetting Luke was even there. "So what does one learn in religious studies?"
"Comparative religions, church history, that sort of thing," Nate replied.
"A bunch of boring mumbo-jumbo," Luke said.
"I don't know. It sounds fascinating," Dustin said. "Have you ever spoken in tongues?"
The seductive way Dustin asked the question right in front of his boyfriend caused Nate to turn a deep shade of red. "N... Not much..." Nate stammered, his face almost glowing.
"Pity," Dustin said, his voice almost a whisper. Realizing that he and Nate were standing much closer than he'd intended, Dustin backed away. "Anyway, nice to meet you, Nathaniel. See you later, Luke."
"He seems nice," Nate said as he watched Dustin walk away.
"Yeah. You're such a flirt, Nathaniel," Luke replied. "Nathaniel... You know, I don't remember ever telling him your full name."
"Well you probably told him sometime and forgot."
"Why Nathaniel? Why not Nathan?" Luke continued. "And he always smells like Irish Spring soap just like..."
"Okay Luke. You caught us," Nate interrupted Luke's suspicions. "That Duncan guy was the one who fucked me the day before school and by complete coincidence he's in your computer class. Gee, I can't believe you caught us!"
Luke looked at Nate in disbelief. Sure, that's what he was thinking, but hearing Nate say it like that made his thoughts seem rather silly.
"You're right. I guess it was dumb of me to think that. I'm still a little paranoid."
"Hey, you're the one who's taking a class from the guy you slept with."
"Can we not start another argument please, Nate? I've told you I haven't slept with Dr. Thompson since the summer. I've waited here for you after every class just like I promised. We both made mistakes. We both apologized. Let's just move on. Okay?"
"Yeah," Luke said. "You never told me the guy in your class was a redhead."
"Well, I know you're a sucker for a redhead," Luke laughed.
"You have no idea..." Nate thought to himself. "Let's go home," he said.
Dustin could hear his house phone ringing as he fumbled with his keys trying to unlock the door to his apartment. He didn't give his house phone number to very many people. Most just called his cell phone.
"Hold on! Hold on!" Dustin said as he scrambled to get inside.
"Another fish on the line?" Mr. Johnston asked as Dustin finally managed to get the door open.
"How the fuck would I know?" Dustin finally got the door open and hurried inside.
"It's been ringing all afternoon! About time you finally answered it!"
"God! Shut up you useless jagoff!" Dustin shouted. He picked up the phone, but it was already too late.
"Fuck!" he shouted.
"They do have *69 you know," Mr. Johnston called through the wall. "Calls back the number who just called you."
"Jesus! Mind your own business you fucking asshole!" Dustin snapped. Dustin quietly moved to the far side of his apartment, which always smelled like pot because his neighbor on that side, Craig, was a major stoner. He quietly dialed the number, hoping Mr. Johnston wouldn't realize he had followed his advice. He received the phone number of the person who had just called him.
"Great..." Dustin sighed.
He dialed the number and waited.
"Hello?"
"Hey mom, I saw that you called me," Dustin said quietly. He wrapped the phone cord around his finger.
"You really should get an answering machine," Dustin's mother said. "I've been trying to reach you all day, Dusty."
"I've been at school," Dustin replied.
"A likely story. I need you to come over here tonight."
"What for?"
"I need to talk about something with you."
"This is my only night off this week, mom."
"You can't spare one hour to come see your mother? I haven't seen you in weeks. It's important."
"I'm busy!"
"Yeah, I know your definition of busy. If you had any decency..."
"Okay fine!" Dustin snapped. "I'm going to take a little nap and then I'll be there around seven. Okay?"
"Don't get smart with me. Seven may be too late..."
"I wasn't getting smart. I'll be there at seven."
"Lazy since the day you were born. They had to cut you out of me, you know."
"God, not the labor story again!" Dustin cried. "I'll see you at seven." Dustin hung up the phone and sighed. His nerves always felt tingly after talking with his mom.
"You're welcome!" Mr. Johnston called through the wall.
"Mother fucker! I swear to God!" Dustin replied.
Dustin lay down on his bed for a while. He had a lot on his plate. He had a project due in one class, a paper due in another, and a stack of reading to do for another. He didn't really have time to go visiting. He'd hoped to use his evening off to catch up on some of that class work. Instead, he found himself riding back to his hometown and on the familiar streets of Donora. Just seeing his old house made his belly hurt. He parked his bike and let himself inside.
"Hey mom, I'm here!" Dustin called.
The voice which replied sent chills down Dustin's spine.
"About time you got your worthless ass over here."
"Dad?" Dustin replied, his voice choking.
Dustin's parents had been sitting in the living room. Now they both rose and faced Dustin.
"Dusty..." Dustin's mom started. "I tried to tell you..."
"Why didn't you tell me he was here! He can't be in the same house as me! I've got a PFA order against this bastard!"
"Is that anyway to talk about your old man?" Dustin's father asked. He reeked of beer.
"That's the way I talk about my rapist," Dustin replied.
"That's enough, boy! You're going to get that stupid order rescinded and you're going to tell the court that you were making that shit up. All those lies you told about me have ruined my life! I can't even get a job because of you!"
"You could never get a job before either. You should be in jail!" Dustin snapped. "I can't believe everybody just turned a blind eye and pretended you didn't rape me!"
"You call it rape, I call it teaching that faggot ass of yours a lesson. You needed to be taught a lesson, selling your faggot ass on the street like that! It's disgusting! I was protecting you!"
"You raped me and shoved a broomstick up my ass! You ripped a hole in my colon! You almost killed me! I almost died because of you!"
"If I'd have wanted to kill you I would have! I wouldn't have failed like you did."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dustin asked.
"You know what I mean, you fucking little bitch."
"Frank that's enough!"
"Oh shut up Carol!" Frank replied. "This stupid piece of shit is even more fucking worthless than you. I've had enough of this bullshit! I'm trying to set my family straight so we can all move on from this fucking idiocy."
Dustin felt like throwing up. "You don't know the first thing about love, or family! You only know how to bully and hate! If you taught me anything, you taught me how to hate somebody with every ounce of my being! You're an evil monster and I'll never forgive you!"
It happened so fast Dustin never knew what hit him. His father sucker punched him right in the face and knocked him out cold. He woke up a minute later in severe pain. He knew a broken rib when he felt it, and figured his father had kicked him while he was down.
"Get your queer ass up, you fucking faggot!"
"Frank please! Stop it!" Dustin's mom pleaded.
"Shut the fuck up or you'll get it too!" Frank sneered. "Come on, bitch boy! Think you can take your old man after all these years? I'll bet you've been waiting for this moment for a long time, haven't you, you fucking faggot? You think you're so smart going to your stupid college? You trying to prove you're better than me? You're nothing! A worthless fucking queer! A useless fucking piece of shit! You always were and you'll always be shit!"
Dustin got to his hands and knees and struggled to get back to his feet.
"Come on, faggot! Get the fuck up!" He turned to Carol. "Put that phone down you fat fucking bitch!"
"I'm calling the cops Frank! You've gone too far!"
Frank snatched the phone out of Carol's hands and smashed it against the wall. Dustin made it to his feet and lunged at his father, but in his weakened condition Frank easily over powered him. Frank punched him in his sore ribs and then knocked Dustin back to the ground.
"Still trying to get the drop on your old man, huh? You think you're better than me, huh? You're nothing more than a piece of shit, you worthless fucking faggot!"
Dustin climbed back to his feet. "You're right. We don't need to call the fucking cops. Next time I see you, we'll need to call the undertaker. I will kill you, Frank. I swear to god. I'm going to kill you next time I see you."
Frank just laughed. "You're going to kill me, fairy boy? You couldn't even kill yourself! If you couldn't get that right, what makes you think you could do anything to me, let alone kill me? You're a disgrace to the family! Cutting your wrists like some gutless little bitch? Seriously? `Boo hoo hoo! My daddy's so mean to me because I'm a sick little faggot!' Pathetic! What are you some kind of pussy? You'd have done the world a big old favor if you'd just never been born at all! You're no son of mine, that's for sure! Why don't you do the world a favor and just shoot yourself next time?"
Dustin's eyes burned with tears, and he cursed himself for allowing his father to get to him. Tears were never acceptable. His father had only said things that Dustin himself had thought for years. All he'd done when he tried to kill himself was leave himself with a few stupid scars he'd tried to hide under his phony tough-guy tattoos. Dustin's father couldn't have hurt him any worse with his fists than he'd done with his words. Years of therapy undone in a moment.
"Frank, you're disgusting," Carol said.
"Shut up, you fat fuck!" Frank said, coldly slapping Carol and knocking her down. "You're the one that's disgusting! This is my fucking house and I want you out of here! You fucking assholes all betrayed and abandoned me! It's no wonder that boy turned queer, having a fat dyke like you for a mother! You better sign those divorce papers tonight, just how my lawyer wrote them up!" Frank turned to Dustin. "As for you... You better drop that fucking protection order or I'll make what happened that night look like a picnic! You call the cops and I'll do more than shove a stick up your faggot ass! You hear me, you sick fucking faggot?"
Dustin didn't reply with words. He just flipped his father off, and that was the last thing he remembered before waking up in a pool of blood on the floor. The shattered remnants of what used to be his mom's living room lamp lay all around him. Every part of his body ached, and he was bleeding from his head. He could still hear his parents arguing upstairs. He pushed himself up off the floor and crawled to the door. He had to get out of that house. He worried about his mom, but for his own survival he knew he had to get away. It was just like old times. He dropped to his knees in the driveway and threw up. He managed to make it to his feet and staggered to his bike. He sat on it for a minute and looked at the house. He could still hear the muffled sounds of his parents arguing. He started the bike and slipped off into the night, barely able to see with one eye swelling shut and the other burning with tears. If he never went back to that house it would be too soon.
If you're in an abusive relationship, there is help available. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE: (800) 799-SAFE (7233). You're not alone!
Any thoughts? You can reach me at jkwsquirrel@yahoo.com
Next time - The Comfort in the Queen