Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2005 19:04:23 -0800 (PST) From: kyler pettry Subject: a demon and his damsel Here are the legalities. If you are underage, you know, if you are doing something illegal, you know it. You are here and you shouldn't be, you know it. So go away. If you are of age, and you are violating no laws, then feel free to proceed. I hope you enjoy the story below. It is the first part to a series. If you have any comments criticisms, or hot mindless little mutterings that you would wish to whisper in my ear, you can reach me at kpettry2000@yahoo.com. I check my mail obscenely throughout the day, thus confirming my lack of social life. ____________________________________________________________________________ The shadows in the barn did little to thwart the power of the sun as it heated the air. The cloistering warmth cause large droplets of sweat to form on all over Eric's body. The thin material of his white tee was soaked under both arms and clung tackily to his back. The dust from the ground and the bits of flotsam from the hay he was pitching clung to his skin, binding to the downy hairs that covered them. Eric could feel the small rivers of sweat as they ran down his broad, muscular back. They tickled him, but after the repetition of the day he'd given up trying to scratch that particular itch. The long day had left the eighteen year old with a strong yearning for the cooler days of the fall. Eric stopped for a moments, resting himself against the pitchfork. He wiped his brow for the thousandth time that day. He was sure had there not been the ever present sweat he would have had a heat rash. He could feel the golden curls of his head, plastered to his forehead, making the urge to rake his fingers through it all the stronger. He looked around, taking in the barn, he noticed he couldn't even hear the horses in their stalls. The heat being too much for them to handle as well. They'd fallen quiet by mid morning, when the sun was already so hot that it had heated the dew off the ground and had been hard at work flash frying the air. He looked at the last two stalls, resolving to just get it done. He closed the door of the now finished stall, the fresh bedding having just been laid down. The wheel barrow felt like it had lead weights in it instead of hay. The stalls seemed to take longer by themselves than the rest of the barn had all on its own. But when he was done he sighed his relief at his having finished. He wanted nothing more than sitting in the cooler air of the house, his thoughts running to the cold water the well would pull into the faucet of the shower. They had hot water, but frankly that was the last thing the lithe teenager wanted right then. Putting the wheel barrow and the pitchfork away, Eric left the shadowed confines of the large barn, and crossed into the full blaring world of the sun. Over the course of several weeks the drought had blasted everything with even the slightest hint of moisture. The ground was infrequently littered with the brown hairs that should have been lush green grass. His large stained works sneakers looking almost skeletal in their faded whiteness. Eric was the type of boy that looked straight ahead when he walked, always looking for the next thing to do. It was a point of pride for him that he never shirked his work load. Hell with only he and his mother, there just wasn't time to be lazy. He only paid attention to the grass because to look up was to be nearly blinded. The porch offered relief from some of the sweltering heat. The creaking of the old screen door and the slam as he entered the coolness of the house followed by the heavier thud of the old oak door swinging to a close, told him that he had indeed found a reprieve. He could feel the thin drafts of blessedly cold air that flowed along his skin. He could already feel the sweat that coated him drying to nothing more than a sticky film. His long legs, encased in denim, brought him into a kitchen tiled in soft green with wooden cabinets of an oak that matched the front door. The old frigidaire sat in the corner like a toad with its rounded edges. The soft hum that came from it lured him with its promise of cold. Eric opened the door, his finger on the latch, the unit was far too old to have a magnetic seal. Like most of the appliances in the old house, it had past its prime sometime prior to the nineteen seventies. His hand met cold air as it closed around the jug of orange juice. The freezing fluid rich with pulp made his throat ache in a very pleasant way. Eric drank until he needed to come up for air. His muscular chest slightly heaving to pull enough air into his lungs. He set the jar back into the coldness of the refrigerator. "You planning on letting all that cold air out?" The voice was feminine with the husk of hard living behind it. He turned, the door closing as he moved out of its way. "No ma'am. Barn's done." Sarah Parker was still a good looking woman. If anything, the years after her husband's death had only made her more so. Her pale complexion turned to deep gold by too many hours in the fields. She was a hard woman, but kind, and full of a compassion more than one man would have loved to know. "Good...rest should keep till later, too damned hot to do anything else now." She said, filling her glass of water from the faucet. Her own shirt just as soaked as Eric's, not that he'd had any doubt that she would be skimping on the work. He often felt guilty because half the time he couldn't keep up with her. "There anything else need's doin till evening?" he was hoping not, it was just too damned hot to do anything besides sit in a tub of cold water and wait till night fall. "Got to make a run into town. Ethel's foot's actin up again. Doc Medder's got the ointment." She said, slowing the flow of the water down her throat. She knew how the heat could push you, she also knew the kind of stomach ache you could get from being too greedy with cold liquids in this kind of heat. "What time ya need it by?" Eric had been an early bloomer, but he still couldn't get over how deep his voice was when echoed back to him by the walls of the kitchen. "Afore six, got to put it on every twelve hours." She replied. He would have just enough time to take a nice cool bath, and change his clothes. "And while you're out, you can pick up some groceries, I figured I would make somethin' nice tonight." She said, he thought he could detect a little smirk in her voice. "What's the occasion?" "Danny's comin over." Eric had to stifle a mental groan. He really had nothing against his mother dating, in fact, he'd been the one pushing her to do it. Without his prodding she might well have been a widow till the day she died. It was just his luck that she would have to fall for the first snake that crawled into her yard. Daniel Berchardt Perkins was about as useless as tits on a boar hog and always had been. Useless since birth Daniel spent his time working a nice job his uncle got him at the local wood mill. Otherwise he would have been flipping burgers at the local hamburger hut. As that was about all his meager intellect could handle without overheating. The only thing the man had going for him was a stomach you could wash clothes on and an ass as firm as a melon. Eric never had quit gotten over the odd feeling of checking his mother's boyfriend out, but then, he hadn't gotten over being gay either. He was still deeply enough in his denial that he considered himself bi. Though he really couldn't for the life of him remember the last time he'd thought about a girl sexually. "Well now, that is an occasion." Eric retorted. "Don't start, just get something." Sarah had long ago given up on trying to get those two to see the nicer side of one another. She had in the end just settled for peace in her house. "You goin out with Richie tonight?" "Wasn't planning on it, but I can if you want me too." He really didn't like being asked to leave his house so his mother could tumble the local boy wonder. Thankfully that wasn't what she was getting at. "You usually make yourself scarce when he's around, I just wanted to know how much supper to make." The tone of her voice said that he'd had his get out of jail free card, and if he smarted back to her, he wouldn't get another. "I should be here." He made his tone respectful. "Good, you don't see enough of your ol momma these days. She gave him a hug and told him to 'get'. He laughed back at her as he climbed the stairs, "Old hell, you still get carded every time you go out!" She scowled at him, and even though he didn't see it, he knew she was doing it. Sarah hated to be carded. And no matter how long she worked in the sun, she never seemed to look any older. Oh there were a few laugh lines, but nothing had ever really taken away that look of amazed innocence. That was why it so often surprised people when she showed them that the sheep was really a wolf in disguise. He turned the water on filling the large basin. The water was cool, not cold, he wasn't a masochist. But as his body slid into the less than tepid water, he felt places low on his body tighten. Looking down, he could just barely see his dick head peaking out of his foreskin. He set about scrubbing the sweat off his body. He only gave himself a few pleasurable rubs before rinsing the water of his slightly larger cock. Dunking down he washed the soap out of his eyes and slid back up. The towel on the hook next to him hung at his waiting. He pulled it into service drying his body. Eric grabbed first the white boxers and slipped them on. Then he pulled on a faded pair of worn jeans over them. He looked in the mirror, seeing his tanned, strong body. The muscles well defined by serious work and the slight attention of the school gym. To say Eric was proud of his body was a bit of an understatement. He knew how hot he was, he'd had enough girls tell him over the years, and one or two guys. The fact that he could have just about any partner he wanted never made him vain. It was just something that was. To be conceited about it would have given it more importance than it needed. Sure, he liked to get off, he was a healthy red blooded man. Though the local market was somewhat lacking in his choice variety. Eric had known he was gay for a while, or at least, had leanings in that regard. Ever since he'd spent a week vacationing with his cousin in Maryland. They'd quickly discovered their similar interest and had set about making the best of their time. Ever since then Eric had stopped even pretending to show an interest in the local female population. Half the school thought he was sick, the other half thought he was terminal. He chuckled to himself, none of them had the slightest clue. Giving himself one last look, Eric pulled on the slightly too tight blue tee and left the bathroom. Grabbing his not so battered sneakers from his room he snatched the keys to the beat up old ford parked in the garage. He double checked with his mother about what she needed, grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and was out the door. The old ford making a rumble as it jostled down the road towards Kellinwood. The sputtering that had began as a slight knocking had gotten worse. The roaring engine had started to chug and surge with loss of power. And while Kiereth knew nothing about engines, he knew this one was not well. Barely knowing how to drive a vehicle did not help him in the slightest with its maintenance. Not that he would have been able to stop and give the car the care it needed. They were right behind him. He'd nearly lost them several times, but they seemed always to find him when he least expected it. Surely they were putting a great deal of effort into searching him out. Though why, he really couldn't fathom. There was nothing overtly special about him. He'd never committed any crimes against men, save those that his kind had been responsible for since the dawn of time, whether they committed them or not. Kiereth felt the "mustang" give one last chug and sputter to a grinding death. His loss of power steering a small matter as he wheeled the dying carriage to the side of the road. He was well and truly fucked, he knew and he didn't like it, though what he could do about it was beyond him. His lean strong fingers pulled the hood release and the covering popped open, just in time to release a cloud of white smoke that he was sure signaled the end of both his ride and his luck. Getting out of the car he made only a cursory inspection, though why he didn't know, he wouldn't have known what was wrong if it had been lit up with a neon sign. Kiereth sighed, he would just have to walk, and hope that a friendly passerby would pick him up, before they did. He didn't even want to think about what could happen to him should he be found out in the open with no accessibly means of escape. Snatching his pack from the back seat of the now defunct mustang, Kiereth headed down the road in the direction he'd been traveling. His long, limber legs eating the distance somewhat faster than another's might have, but not fast enough to be conspicuous. Besides, he didn't know how long he was going to have to be walking, he didn't want to tire himself out too quickly. After all there might be running and screaming later, and one always wants to be at one's best for such events. It was several miles before Kiereth saw the sign. It was the same reflective green all road postings seem to find so suitable. It declared for all the world to see that the town of Kellinwood greeted travelers and could be found a handy five miles up the road. Well, isn't that nice, if only they could have had the decency to position themselves several miles to the east, his day would have been just peachy. Kellinwood, Kellinwood, sounds like a nice little place. Kiereth's mind began to host thoughts of settling down for a while. The last thing they would expect of him would be to go to ground in a backwoods place like this, with, according to the sign, a population of only two thousand. No, they would be looking for him in the nearest large city. His decision made, his size twelve's were moving a slightly brisker pace. Evening had started losing ground to twilight and the light was definitely failing in its duty to keep everything viewable. Kiereth had no trouble seeing in the dark, but he tried not to be out of doors when night fell, he found it only seemed to breed trouble. Something about his own dark urges coming to light when there was no light, or something like that. He'd never had much store in proverbs. It was then that he felt it. The tingle, that sensation that he had come to so despise. It began as an itch in the back of his head. Like a spider or something was trapped just under his skull and was trying desperately to escape. Then the tension in his muscles began to build. They were close, way too close. To be this strong they had already found the car. He had no doubt that they would know it was his. The itch was getting worse, it was beginning to hurt. He briefly thought about running to the woods, though quickly discarded it. He was already hungry, and he knew nothing about these woods, if he didn't get something to eat soon, some of his lesser known, and even lesser liked traits would start showing themselves. He didn't want innocent people getting hurt. He turned to face the direction they would be coming from. It was in that instant that he was bathed in light. Not anything magical considering that the light came from a pair of headlights. Headlights that were in a truck so beat down and knocked in that it was a miracle they worked at all "Hey mister, you look a bit lost, you need a ride or something?" Kiereth couldn't see the driver for the blinding lights, but he could tell the man was young. He walked around the side of the truck and looked at his would be savior. He had to blink twice. Then again, just to make sure his wets dreams hadn't managed to stray into his waking thoughts. This boy was cute in the way you only see in really really good pornos. "Yeah, my car died a little short of town here, and I don't know anybody in the area." Kiereth tried to put on his best, "I'm lost, will you please take me home" puppy dog face. "Damn, you sure do have some bad luck there mister. The only mechanic in town shut down for a couple days. His sister's up in Camilla, havin surgery." Kiereth played along with the banter, "Yep, sounds like my luck. I don't suppose you would be willing to gimme a ride into town, would ya? I'd rather sleep in a motel than the back seat of that shit mobile." The young man scratched his head, the finger moving some of those golden locks. It made Kiereth want to nibble things. He squashed the image as hard a s he could. It wouldn't do to antagonize his ride with staring at him like he was a t-bone. "Well, actually, I am just headed back from there. Got to be home lickity split...but," the young Adonis added when he saw the downcast look on Kiereth's face, "My mom and I do rent a room upstairs, and it is empty right now. I'm sure she wouldn't charge you anything for just one night." He smiled and Kiereth thanked the holy lady goddess that this wonderful being had just graced his universe. "Now that sounds absolutely wonderful." He smiled back, giving his best 'I won't bite' impersonation. Which of course he would, should the blonde ask. "Excellent, hop in, its just around the corner." Kiereth went around the truck and slinging his pack into the back, hopped in. The door was closed and they were moving. About a mile from where 'Eric', as Kiereth had learned, had been so kind to as to pick him up, a sleek black car passed them. And from it Kiereth got the distinct impression of malevolence. He breathed a ragged sigh of relief as the car passed without turning. Within five minutes, the beleaguered ford had argued its way into the drive way of a quaint, if somewhat dilapidated two story ranch house. Eric directed the clamoring behemoth into the garage and the two got out. "Would you mind helping me with the groceries Kieth?" Eric asked, and Kieth being the name that Kiereth had given him. "Sure." He pushed the jovial spirit just a little. At that point, for a hot bath and bowl of something equally hot, he would have sacrificed a goat to Hillary Clinton and not felt off about it in the least. "thanks, mom is gonna kill me as it is for being late." Eric grabbed four of the plastic bags, the simple movement causing the muscles in his forearms to bunch. That action cause "Kieth" no small amount of discomfort, located mainly around the groin area. He noticed he was seriously having trouble not looking at the blonde little god as a meal with feet. Eric led the way up the wooden steps into a house that while old, and in need of paint was awash with good times and heart felt feelings. "Kieth" liked the home immediately. It was the type of house one would expect on the "Walton's". Though he could feel a trace of sadness at the core of the structure. It was as if the house wept silently in its most secret heart for something. He vaguely remembered Eric telling him that his mom rented the room, there had been no mention of a dad, so Kieth assumed that father had either ran away with a cocktail waitress or had died. He opted for the dead scenario, and his gut told him "BINGO!!!". "Mom, I'm home!" Eric yelled. His strong tenor arching its way throught he house, much as it did its way up Kiereth's spine. Though Kiereth doubted the house enjoyed it half as much. There was no immediate response. The three bags of groceries in 'kieth's'hands seemed to anchor him to the spot. Eric looked back at him, "just set em on the table. I'm gonna go make sure its okay." Kiereth nodded his head, and voiced a slight affirmative. Eric's strong form disappeared up the stairs. Kiereth looked at the house as he set the bags on the old kitchen table. From the deep scars and aged appearance the table was from the same die lot as the rest of the house. And probably every bit as handmade. Closing his eyes, he could feel the years in the old farmhouse. He could hear laughter and tears and joys that hovered at the edge of knowing. He liked this place, he liked the people that had lived there. Eric's heavy feet clumping down the stairs brought him back and he banished the distant look that he knew was in his eyes. "everything's fine, she said your welcome to stay. Supper should be on in about an hour." He couldn't believe it, she was apologizing for the lateness of her own supper. Sickly it made part of him suspicious to have someone so genuinely nice being pleasant with him. Kiereth shook his head, "Don't apoligize, I wouldn't even be having supper if it weren't for you. I can hardly believe you picked me up on the road. There aren't a lot of people that would do that these days." Eric shook his head in agreement. "Nope, folks just don't trust like they used to. Course it's a different world now that it twas before." He looked at 'Kieth' and smiled, "to be honest, I was about to drive on by, but you looked familiar." When he saw the raised eyebrow 'Kieth' gave him, the golden god explained, "I have a friend, Marc. He looks just like you from the back." It took a great deal of effort on Kiereth's part not to make a joke out of that one. First he wasn't sure how his host would take to that kind of graphic humor, and second, the boy in front of him showed no signs of being anything other than painfully, heart breakingly straight. Straight boys tend to be a little put of by gay humor. "Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you did it." And that was no lie, had it not been for his timely arrival, Kieireth would have found himself in a hurt locker. Eric, for his part, just shrugged his shoulders and waved it off. "One day you'll return the favor." Kiereth followed the younger boy into the kitchen and helped where he could in the preparation of dinner. The matriarch of the house, the most elusive 'Mom', graced the room ten minutes later, looking quite lovely in a quaint way. She had the look of a woman who was about to use her beauty. When he commented on her appearance, Eric took his compliment with a snicker. "Yeah, she's got herself a date night." He continued to snicker even after she swatted him on the arm. "How about you just shush up and show our guest up to his room, and where the bathroom is. He'd probably thank you for a shower." It was then that 'Kieth' let out his endorsement for this notion. He knew he didn't stink, mainly because his nose would have smelled it light years ahead of theirs, but mainly because he just liked to feel clean. Odd how running for your life makes you forget just how wonderful the little things can be. Like hygiene. He followed his host up the stairs to the second level. His eyes quietly loving every movement of his supple under its thin denim covering. He could have wept when they reached the top of the stairs and that perky ass was no longer at eye level. He knew he had to eat and soon. It was only when he was forced to deny himself food that his other hungers reared themselves this fervently. While thoroughly lickable, Eric Parker was by no means irrestible. He was still a boy, and Kiereth should have had far better control. "Here it is." Eric flipped on the light switch and stood back so that 'Kieth' could take a look. The bathroom matched everything else in the house in its antiquity. The old, well worn feeling was present in the yellowed porcelain, and the cast iron old tub. It even had matching clawed feet, bringing a smile to Kiereth's full lips. "Thanks, this is so much more than I could expect. You and your mother are a god send." Kieth put his sincere feeling into the statement. It was harder and harder to find people in the world that would have help others with no thought to themselves. Eric smiled off the compliment, like it was nothing. "It's no problem, hell what goes around comes around. Sides, it's nice to have another guy in the house, even if it is only for one night." Eric smiled a smile that had the same as ten thousand light bulbs. It left Kieth dazzled. "There's towels in the cupboard, if you need anything, just call." And eric, and Eric's incredibly sweet ass walked back down the hall. Kieth quickly entered the bathroom and locked the door. He looked around and set his pack, which he had recovered from the back of the loudest ford he had ever heard. Kiereth looked into the mirror hanging over the sink. He grimaced at the sight. He'd lived out of that mustang for two weeks running every day of it. He didn't know how they were still on his trail, but he knew the harried life was not for him. His long black hair, pulled back in a pony tail was lack luster and oily. His skin, normally pale had a sallow look to it. His large eyes, so dark they were nearly black stood out on a face that had seen too few meals in the last month. His mouth, usually a slight red, had paled to the color of anemic flesh. He ran the water on full heat. His hands dug into his pack. When they surfaced again they held a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush. Kiereth opened his mouth wide and prepping the toothbrush, proceeded to do himself a very big favor. Eric could feel the man's eyes on his back as he walked back down the hall. He couldn't tell if it was interest or just the staring trick that Kieth seemed so good at. Frankly Eric wanted to do some staring of his own. Under all that road grim, he bet that good ol Kieth cleaned up nice. That hair, so long, none of the guys around here had long hair, was too much trouble to fight with. Sides, in Kellingwood, a man with long haired was a sissy or worse. Nope, none of the boys would dare. Maybe that was why Eric had always had a thing for long haired types. Guys with refined, almost androgynous features. He knew that Kieth was definitely his type. Too bad the guy seemed straight. Even though he had almost fragile looking features, he exuded a masculinity that was hard to put a name to. Whatever it was, it left Eric panting. The thought of that man sleeping in the room next to his set his teenage heart to pattering. He knew he would be breaking out the lube just as soon as his door was closed. His mental wondering found him at the bottom of the stairs, where the table sat. But the groceries were missing. He found them in the kitchen, with his mother. She was hard at work cutting onions for the hamburger steaks and boiling the pasta for the macaroni and cheese. "You show him everything okay honey?" her voice called over her shoulder. Eric nodded even though he knew she wouldn't see, "Yep, he looked pretty overjoyed when he saw the bathroom. I don't think he's been in a real shower for a while." She nodded to the wall, "Yep, still, he looks like a nice enough sort. What do you think?" She already knew that he approved, otherwise Eric would never have picked him up, much less brought him home. "Seems like a nice enough guy. Kind of mention he was headed to California, but wasn't a real big hurry to get there." Eric talked while he helped cook the meal. His mother was a good cook, but Eric, Eric was in a wholly different league. His grandmother Tandy had taught him just about everything she knew before she'd past and he regularly proved that he could make a meal out of biscuik and a rubber band. "What's wrong with his car?" she asked idly. Eric shook his head, "Don't know, he described how it died, I didn't want to worry him, but it sounds like a cracked head. And Phil won't be back for another week. I think the poor guy's stuck here for a while." Eric didn't' mention just how deliriously happy that made him. He might actually have someone to spend some time with around here. It definitely didn't hurt that that someone was more than average in the looks department. "You think he'd be interested in a little work on the side while he waits? He ain't very strong looking, but I'll bet we could find something for him to do." Eric smiled right next to his mother. No 'Kieth' didn't look very strong, but there was more than enough to do that didn't take a weight lifter to get it done, and frankly any little bit that was taken off of their hands was a blessing, no doubt. "I don't know, haven't mentioned to him yet." Eric popped an olive he was dicing for the salad into his mouth. "But I'll run it past him when he's out of the tub." Putting all of his separated ingredients into the large bowl he added, "I'll take our plates upstairs ma, give you and Danny some alone time." Sarah eyed him like an eagle eyes a cute little bunny. 'Some alone time, huh. And just what do I owe this unexpected pleasure? Did you stub your toe in town, has my son got a brain lesion?" Her pretty lips were full with a smile, and filled with gentle humor. "No I just figured that you wouldn't want a stranger around you and Danny on your date night, and he always plays hell with my digestion." He quipped back at her. Her smile showed teeth, "well that's right nice of you, if he doesn't mind I'm perfectly amenable to getting my freak on right there on the dining room table." Eric coughed as he popped another olive. His expression red, then green. "OH god! Mom!" He didn't echo her laughter. Normally it was hard to see where all the stories came from about his mother. Everyone in town said she'd been more than wild. And that when Joseph Parker tamed her, he'd broken the wildest stallion to ever come off the plains. Most people half expected her to go right back to her ways after he died, but she never felt the need. She had a little boy, and once he was big enough, she was able to scratch that old mischievous itch by setting him down a peg or too whenever he might feel himself a bit too clever. Thirty minutes later the steaks were done, the macaroni was done, the gravy was done, and the salad was pulled from the fridge. Two plates were made and waiting when Keith walked down the stairs. Looking up from his stop at the table Eric nearly doubled over. Black loose fit pants and nothing else. Keith even left his feet bare. But the best part of it all was the shirt that had managed to get itself lost on the from the bathroom to the dining room. Keith's entire upper body was bared to Eric's questing vision. The semi stranger was lean, his body toned and hard. He might look fragile with a too large shirt covering him, but underneath his shredded physique bespoke the lie. "You guys shouldn't have waited on me." He said, his teeth blindingly white." Eric also noticed something else. Keith's canines were just a slight too long. Not like vampire teeth or anything, but they added an exotic little spice to an already delicious meal of eye candy. "We didn't, mom's got company coming. We have been banished to the upstairs." Eric smiled, hoping that it didn't look as nervous as he suddenly felt. " figure we can watch TV in my room while we eat, if that's okay with you?" Keith readily agreed, though was admonished by Sarah as she came back in with another dish, whose fellows were already littered around the table. "But, if you want to eat down here, that's perfectly fine." Kieth shook his head, "no ma'am, upstairs is more than fine. I get a little nervous around strangers." Sarah cocked her head a little bit. As though to say, "We're strangers lad." Keith seemed to take her meaning and blushed slightly, "What I mean is, you and Eric have made me feel so at home, anywhere is fine, I wouldn't want to spoil your evening's plans." She smiled, "Well thank you. If you're still hungry after the heaping plate my son fixed you, your welcome to more, there's plenty." Keith thanked her again. The door suddenly sounded like it had someone at the other side, main clue beign the loud knocking. Eric rolled his eyes, and grabbed his plate, he motioned for Keith to do the same. He gave his mother a peck on the cheek and headed for the stairs. Keith followed suit. The ascended to the sound of more banging and sarah saying loudly, "keep your knockers on Daniel...at least till I take em off." From the way that Eric's head shrank down into his body like a turtle, Keith could only guess at the color of his face. Though if his ears were any indication, it would be somewhere between alizaron crimson, and true scarlet. At the top of the stairs and at the end of the hall they found Eric's room. The queen size bed not managing to monopolize the large room. The TV and dressers being the only other thing present. There were a few posters on the wall, one of the rock, and another of a band, Keith vaguely recognized them, though couldn't place the name. And since it wasn't on the poster he didn't bother to ask. "Nice room." He said, attempting small talk. "I like, enough room to do whatever I want to do." Eric grinned back. "Make yourself comfortable." They both sat on the bed, Eric opening the door of a small refrigerator that sat next his bed, tossed a can of pepsi at Keith. "Thanks man." "welcome." Kieth took a bite of the food and his thick brows drew together in a deep furrow. Eric couldn't read whether the reaction was favorable or not, asked, "Do you like it?" Keith nodded vigorously, "Are you kidding, it's wonderful. When all you've really had is convenient store gourmet a good meal isn't anything to scoff at." "Well dig in, there's plenty more." Eric and Kieth ate, and after a while slipped into a discussion of whether not Kieth's car was salvageable. And when he heard how long it might take to fix, he didn't bat an eye. That was when Eric asked him if he would like to spend the time there at the farm, earning a little extra money. Keith thought for a minute and accepted. "Dude, if this is normal fare for you guys, I'll be more than happy to work here." The two continued talking long into the night. After two, however Eric decided that he was exhausted, having done a lions share of work during the day, and looking forward to a good deal more in the morning, he opted for sleep. Eric showed Keith where his own bed was hiding and the two parted for the night. Both knowing the morning would be waiting for them far too early for comfort. They'd made plans to tow the dead mustang back to the Parker's house. Eric hoped he was wrong and the head wasn't cracked, though he wasn't holding on to much hope. The dappling sunlight that streamed through the cream curtains pulled Kiereth to consciousness. The slow languid roll of sleep departed and left him blinking into the burning light of the morning. He stretched his long frame out on the bed, feeling his back, unaccustomed to a real bed after so many weeks, pop as things readjusted. He smiled as a small bit of tension left him. He threw back the covers and got to his feet. The bare wood of the floor was already warm with the sunlight coming through the window. He looked down at himself, still feeling cleaner than he had in weeks. Moving to the window he'd noticed the night before he looking at himself full length. His body was thinner than he ever remembered it being. The muscles were delineated sharply, his hips poking a little too far out. His face which had always been slightly mousy was damned near gaunt. It finally hit home just how much the scared rabbit he'd been. One final look at the creature in the mirror and he turned to go with disgust. Kiereth had always had his looks, for more years than most people lived, he'd been sexy. It had been the one thing that set him apart from his fellows, now he saw that as being taken away from him too. Well, there was nothing for it, but to build up his weight and get himself settled in a safe place. Maybe hope for a life again. He pulled his pants on over the boxers and slipped on a tee. His shoes followed and he left the room. No one was in the kitchen, and a peak in Eric's open room door showed it to be empty. His only thought was that he'd overslept. A glance at the clock on the all showed it was only nine, it was still early yet. Kiereth walked out the front door, his eyes roaming the yard not seeing any movement but the occasional swaying of dead grass. Now Kiereth was left wondering. It was then that he noticed the barn door open wide. He set off at a comfortable walk, the sun making thought of trotting an impossibility. He'd expected the barn to be cooler, out of the already stifling heat of the sun. He'd been mistaken. It was several degrees cooler, but it was still well and truly beyond hot in there. Had there been any moisture, he'd have sworn it was a big, smelly sauna. Kiereth called out, "Eric, are you in here?" He heard a grunt followed by a baleful curse, "Yeah...yep, I'm up...damn it...I'm up hear." The voice came from the second level. Quickly locating the ladder, Keireth ascended. He found Eric next to a pile of saddles, the end of the rack had collapsed and Eric was struggling under the weight. His face was flushed, either from the heat or the fact that he had several hundred pounds of riding leather leaning on him. Kiereth ran to help. Reaching for a pole leaning against the wall next to the rack, Eric stuffed it up against the bottom and braced it against the rack. Settling back, letting go gingerly, making sure his patch held. He laughed, shaking his golden curls. "Man, I thought you were gonna sleep all morning, I'm sure glad you didn't." he laughed, throwing a playful punch at 'Kieth'. Kiereth for his part looked at him like he was crazy, "All morning, its only nine for crying out loud!" He was smiling, but his stomach was getting the sinking feeling that nine was several hours removed from Eric's normal waking hour. "Only nine," Eric nearly snorted, "Bud, I was up at five!" He laughed again. Kiereth laughed at his own foul luck. "God that is inhuman." Eric nodded, "Been doin it all my life, and it still sucks, only thing is, now a days if I get the chance to sleep late, I can't, body clock is set to predawn!" Kiereth just shook his head, knowing now that he had a brand new obstacle. A thought running through his head, "By the way, where is your mom, I didn't see her in the house." Eric looked slightly annoyed. "She's with Danny." The sneer that accompanied that name was a travesty on a face as beautiful as Eric's. Kiereth wanted to know what bastard put it there and do something nasty to him. "He's going to Tulsa for a week, He asked her to go with him." Sarah had just left her son alone with a perfect stranger in the house? Kiereth was shocked at the open invitation given to a total stranger. "Oh, well, I hope she has a good time." Kiereth hoped that didn't sound as lame to Eric as it did to him. The tousle headed teen just smiled, "Leave it up to Danny and she will. He can't walk five feet without throwing a boner!" Keith tried his damnedest to keep from grinning. From everything he'd heard about this Danny, the two would probably never leave the hotel room. But hey, if Keireth had been straight and in Danny's position, he wouldn't of done a thing different. "Well, enough talking, let's get your skinny ass moving and go see if that shit wagon of yours is salvageable." He headed for the ladder and tossing 'Keith' tried not to notice the skinny ass comment, knowing he was being overly sensitive because of his weight loss. "Sure thing, I want to know how much its gonna cost me to get the thing fixed." In truth, thoughts of fixing the car weren't foremost on his mind. The car hadn't been in great condition when he stole it, and it was even worse off now. The two left the barn, the sun hitting them with a vengeance for the few moments they'd been able to thwart its power. It rained its fiery temper upon them, all the way to the truck. And though the age pocked ford had never had air conditioning, it did have two windows that could generate surprisingly cool amounts of rushing air. So it was with a cloud of dust the size of a Sahara sandstorm that the two boys drove away from the Parker ranch. And for once enjoying the absolute wonderous tranquility of not sweating to death. __________________________________________________________ I would like to thank everyone who commented on my last story, "When Dark Powers Stir". I am sorry for the delays in the posting, lots of changes, lots of interesting upheavals. Anyway, this is the first chapter as you can no doubt tell, and hopefully there will be many more. I tend to like cowboy rednecks myself, so get ready, there will be some hot HOT HHHHOOOOTTTT sex to come!!!! (I do apologize for not delivering the hoped for orgasm this chapter, but after all, it's so much more enjoyable when you know em) Love peace and chicken grease, and as usual you may be able to send comments, pics or anything else you might think my perverse mind would like to kpettry2000@yahoo.com.