Chapter Sixteen

Ripp crashed onto the bed in a sorrowful daze, his head still spinning from the meeting with his father earlier in the day. Johnny crawled across the width of the bed to lay a hand on his shoulder, kissing his cheek.

“You okay?” he checked.

“Yeah,” Ripp sighed, before pulling back the covers as he slid under them.

The two boys laid in the dark for a spell, Ripp resting his head on Johnny’s chest and enjoying the soothing sound of his heartbeat, while Johnny smoothed down his brown hair as he held him close.

“Been one hell of a weekend, huh?” Johnny mused.

Ripp scoffed a little in reply, before moving away from his chest and making eye contact. His fingers stroked Johnny’s face as he moved closer, enlisting some help as he did so.

“Kiss me,” he urged in a hushed tone.

Johnny smiled as he pulled them both closer together, clutching Ripp’s face as their mouths idly brushed together. Something stirred within Ripp as he increased the strength of his kisses, rolling on top of Johnny as his breathing deepened. Johnny gripped him tightly as he felt engulfed by the blaze raging through Ripp’s being. Ripp’s lips left Johnny’s to glide along the green flesh of his cheek and across to his ear.

Johnny nibbled at his bottom lip, his breathing increasing in pace as he clutched Ripp’s head. Ripp began to work down Johnny’s face to plant soft kisses along his neck, but paused as he found himself about to explore his chest, watching it rise and fall for a moment as he realised where the moment was leading. His head rose once more to Johnny’s face as he peered down apologetically, feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment.

“Sorry,” he muttered, “I didn’t mean to push anything…”

“It’s okay,” Johnny smiled, pulling him closer before caressing his face, “I want this so much…”

Ripp beamed, fanning the flames while moving to kiss his lover’s lips once more as they gripped each other fiercely. A joint moan arose from the pair as they embraced, Johnny’s hands reaching downward to tug at Ripp’s shorts before creeping up his back to pull him closer still. Unlike Ripp, Johnny’s knowledge of sex stopped there, and now he relied on his younger partner to teach him all that needed to be learnt.

Ripp teased Johnny’s senses with his mouth as he worked down his body, exploring his torso with his lips as he slid down the bed. Johnny began to gasp for air as though there was little left, the anticipation growing to unbearable proportions.

After a while, Ripp ceased his torment and climbed back up the bed, placing a single kiss upon Johnny’s lips before rising to a sitting position. Johnny paused in thought for a moment as he remembered an important aspect of his past that needed to be questioned.

“’Old on,” Johnny interrupted, tapping Ripp’s leg, “You are clean, I take it?”

Ripp smiled a little as he gazed down at the green lad. Johnny couldn’t help but notice a sadness in his smile that was reflected in his blue eyes.

“Yeah, I’m clean,” Ripp reassured him, before their bodies merged into one. Their eyes closed as they basked in the raw emotion which floated through the air like an intoxicating perfume, mixing with the natural scent of their bodies to add fuel to their already raging fire as it consumed their very souls.

Tank slept fitfully once again, the spirit of his mother watching with sadness in her eyes as she stood by his side. He flinched a little as her icy fingers glided across his forehead, but continued to torture himself with the talk he had with Ripp once safely tucked away in his room.

Although Tank’s eyes stung with the threat of tears, the salty waters remained in check as he struggled to process his thoughts. Ripp laid a hand on his shoulder as they both recovered from the impromptu confrontation with their father, and Tank became grateful that, for now at least, Ripp seemed to have pulled himself from the pit of despair just enough for him to notice the world around him. It was time they had that talk.

“I’ll be okay,” Tank dismissed with a smile, which quickly faded as he got to the point. “I take it Johnny and Philly know what you did with your cherry?”

Ripp’s hand dropped to his side as his head hung, feeling the flames of shame lick at his cheeks.

“Yeah,” he replied, before looking back at Tank, “Look, I needed someone to talk to, and you…”

“Were still bein’ a jerk,” Tank finished dryly, “I know.”

Ripp returned his gaze to the floor as he stirred uncomfortably, bracing himself for the interrogation.

“How old were you?”

Ripp mumbled incoherently as he continued to study his shoes.

“What was that?” Tank quizzed with a frown.

Ripp remained quiet, prompting his brother to repeat the question.

“Thirteen,” he muttered, tears welling at his eyes as he gazed back at Tank. “I was thirteen when I fucked Mike, okay?!”

“Mike?” Tank echoed softly, not expecting to be given a name. “How old was this Mike?”

“He was fifteen at the time,” Ripp explained, “There was this meetin’ arranged by a support forum I’d joined, that’s how we bumped into each other.”

“What about these others?” Tank tested with a hint of suspicion, “Did you meet them through these gatherings?”

“They were part of the forum, but no,” Ripp replied, his tone quietening as he felt another pang of humiliation, “There’d be posts about ‘looking for friends or more,’ that kinda thing…”

Tank straightened up in his seat as he eyed him sternly, barely daring to believe his ears.

“’Old on,” he checked, “You just went meetin’ these guys that you didn’t know?!”

“We spoke a little first,” Ripp offered with a shrug.

“On the phone?”

Ripp arched an eyebrow as he looked back at Tank. “Didn’t have a cell phone, did I? Only way I managed to get one at all was my wages from work, and that weren’t ‘til later.”

“We have a phone here…”

“Oh come on, Tank!” Ripp bit, “I couldn’t even check the site without one of you guys breathin’ down my neck!”

“You’re missin’ the point!” Tank retaliated, his voice raising as he struggled to keep a grip on his patience. “Are you really that naïve?! You have any idea how many pervs are crawlin’ the net these days?”

“The place is moderated y’know,” Ripp supplied, burying his discomfort at the mention of predators.

“That don’t make a scrap o’ difference,” Tank snapped, “Middle aged guys go on these places all the time, seein’ who they can prey on. You’re damn lucky you ever came back, you could easily have wound up in a ditch somewhere…!”

“Like either of you woulda cared at the time,” Ripp grumbled in reply.

The brutality of his words clamped upon Tank’s throat with a cruel grip, restricting his use of speech. Ripp took advantage of the break in words to deliver his own harsh verdict on the matter.

“Try putting yourself in my place for a minute,” Ripp explained coolly, “Your dad spouts off about the very thing you’ve known yourself to be. You’re made to feel like a freak; you’re unloved, unwanted, you feel worthless. Your only friend is an eight year old who can’t understand any of what’s going on with his fucked up family. Your dad and older brother treat you like a piece of shit, life as a whole ain’t worth living.” Ripp’s voice reached a crescendo as the resentment grew inside, now almost yelling the rest of his speech. “Now you sit there an’ tell me you’d care if you got out alive!? That you’d even want to come back to a place where your own family wouldn’t notice if you’d gone?! Only reason I ever stayed was because there was nowhere else to go – I begged Mom to take me with her when she left!”

Tank was left with his head buried in his hands as the words filtered into his tormented mind. The boy was right of course, both father and oldest son had made Ripp’s life a nightmare. There was something Tank needed to rectify though, and it also served as a chance to finally tell him what he’d wanted to say.

“I have cared, Ripp,” he uttered meekly, not hiding the extent of the damage dealt by his accusations, “I’ve always cared… I know I ain’t shown it before now an’ I’m sorry, but it’s true. Dad cares too, I know he does.”

“Dad hates me,” Ripp remarked woefully, once more tumbling into the chasm trapping him the day before.

“He doesn’t hate you,” Tank told him, slipping an arm round his shoulder, “You’re a great guy Ripp, you’re everythin’ he loved about Mom… maybe he just feels guilty about that an’ won’t admit it…”

Past bitterness and present feeling of loss took their toll on the younger youth, the very mention of their mother pushing him over the brink and into a weeping wreck.

A tear trickled from the corner of his eye, leaving a trail that glistened in the moonlight as the salty droplet brushed past the tip of his ear. If Lyla remained in her body she would have felt a similar sensation in her eyes, but nonetheless she gazed upon him with a heavy heart. There was a slither of light that parted the clouds as she realised he was in fact back to the boy she’d remembered him to be, the protective brother who used to fight Ripp’s corner in school. The beam of light grew ever wider as she felt another feeling, that of relief, and in her curiosity she began to leaf through his memories, wondering how and when this change occurred.

The air was still, punctuated only by the happy panting of the two boys as they lay in each other’s arms. Johnny gazed down lovingly at the young man below, whose blue eyes sparkled in delight as they merely smiled at each other for a moment, peering into each other’s eyes while they combed their fingers through their partner’s hair.

“That was incredible,” Johnny grinned fondly, brushing his nose against Ripp’s.

“Sure was,” Ripp agreed, a warm smile taking hold of his lips as he ran a finger along his cheek, “I’ve dreamed for so long of this moment.”

Johnny leaned closer, and Ripp could feel his breath upon his face as his alien lover spoke again.
“I love you so much,” he whispered softly, pecking Ripp’s lips.

“I love you Johnny,” Ripp replied, his grip tightening on Johnny, “I love you so much.”

Johnny allowed more of his weight to press against Ripp’s body as he placed a lingering kiss on his lips, and soon their mouths locked together as the dormant flame in their hearts began to burn with a new intensity.

Much time had passed and Lyla had disappeared, leaving Tank wide awake and hyperventilating as the images of his nightmare lingered in his mind. He hadn’t screamed as Ripp had done the night before, a mere yelp escaping his lips as he’d jolted from his slumber, and once recovering his bearings he swung his legs down from the bed, sitting there for a moment as he felt himself shaking.

He attempted to regain control of his breathing, swallowing a rising lump in his throat. The mixed emotions playing havoc with his mind were also swallowed back into his stomach where they began to stew, inducing a wave of nausea that rippled through his being. Before long that ripple grew into a wave that sent him racing into the bathroom.

Groaning and shuddering as the last of his meal left his stomach, his hands gripped the bowl as he pulled himself to his feet. After tugging at the cistern handle, he made his way over to the basin and flushed the sickly taste from his mouth. When his eyes met the mirror however he froze, once more in distress at the sight of the reflection in the glass.

“Mom…?” he whimpered, a hand slowly reaching for the polished surface.

“I’m so proud of you Tank,” she told him, “The way you’ve turned things around, reverted to the person I remember you being…”

Tank swallowed hard as words from his memories drifted through his mental ears.

“Don’t let yourself change into the beast your father has become.”

Tears flowed from his eyes as he studied her face, the scene of her murder plaguing his mind’s eye once again. There was no question any more, Ripp had been right… and with such a cruel image painted too. He wished so hard to not remember her in such a way.

“I’m sorry,” he uttered, “Sorry for not being as close as I could have been…”

“Don’t worry about that,” she soothed, “Some bond better with their fathers…”

Tank’s head lowered at the mention, yet she seemed to sense the cause and continued.

“I married him for a reason,” she told him with a smile, “It’s never too late to find the buried treasure.”

“I so hope you’re right,” he replied, his eyelids clenched shut as he propped his head against the mirror. “I just want my father back.”

He opened his eyes and lifted his head, only to find she had evaporated and left him alone in the bathroom. Again feeling in despair, the sobs worked their way back up his throat as he sank onto the toilet seat.

Never had he been so glad for an en-suite bathroom. Walking back to the bedroom, he sat upon the bedclothes as the mental images continued to linger. Only now he was grateful for that, his hand diving under the pillow to retrieve his notebook. There was no way he could sleep until every last demon had been exorcised onto the paper.

For the second time that night, the heat of passion radiated into the room from the two boys as they clung to each other. Johnny placed tender kisses along Ripp’s throat, before already starting to sit up as he grew impatient.

Ripp frowned as he watched, his eyes widening a little as he guessed what he had in mind.

“Whoa, whoa!” he exclaimed gently but urgently, pulling him back towards him, “I went down for a reason.”

“You did?” Johnny asked with a frown, “I thought it was jus’… I dunno, like kissin’ I guess.”

“Foreplay?” Ripp checked, smiling a little.

“If that’s what you call it.”

Ripp chuckled at his innocence. “Ah, you have a lot to learn,” he mused, before his smile slipped a little, “Like why it’s so important to do that first.”

“It is?” Johnny pondered, scratching his head in bemusement and frustration. Ripp sensed his annoyance and sucked at his fingers, before sliding his hand down Johnny’s back. The green boy gasped at this new sensation, the fire inside instantly becoming an inferno as he leaned forward, clamping his lips over Ripp’s as they embraced.

The urge now was too strong to resist, and Johnny once more began to rise. Again, much to his aggravation, Ripp tugged at his arms.

“Haven’t you learned anything?” Ripp challenged, growing annoyed for Johnny’s sake, “If you don’t go down first, it’s gonna hurt!”

Johnny paused as he considered Ripp’s movement with his hand before, and finally the penny dropped.

“Oh!” he exclaimed, “Why didn’t you just say?!”

“I didn’t wanna break the mood,” he replied quietly.

Johnny chuckled, leaning forwards to taste his lips again. This time he heeded Ripp’s advice as he began to crawl down the bed, experimenting with what he’d picked up the first time. He never noticed the look of relief on Ripp’s face before he began to instruct his apprentice, peering downwards as he felt Johnny’s inexperienced fumblings below his waist.

“You okay down there?” he asked with a smile.

“I think so,” the little voice replied from further south, “Didn’t see what you did, but I’ll give it a shot…”

After a while, Ripp gave an indicative tug at Johnny’s head as he spoke.

“Whoa, that’s enough,” he told him.

“Aww, was jus’ getting into it too!” Johnny smiled as he climbed back up the bed, now rising for a third time to a sitting position.

“Some other time you can finish the job, if you like it that much,” Ripp winked with a twinkle in his eye. “Now take it easy, don’t wanna hurt yourself…”

Too late, he mused, his stomach lurching as he noticed Johnny’s features crease into a flinch.

“Ow,” he complained softly, “Wonder if women have to mess about like this?”

Ripp could only shrug in reply, before Johnny’s warmth spread through his whole being, their bodies fusing together for the second time that night.

Tank gave another yawn as his right hand slowly began to cease its scrawling, his eyelids sliding downwards of their own volition. Time for bed, he told himself, and tucked his notebook back under his pillow.

“Oh for…!” he grumbled, swallowing hard but this time for a different reason. Vomiting, the fright of seeing a ghost and crying are all thirsty work, he observed in frustration as he rose from the bed.

Softly padding along the landing so as not to wake the others, he made his way to the stairs. As he passed Johnny’s room he paused, frowning in confusion as his ears detected something from within.

“Still awake?” he asked himself, scarcely above a whisper as he backed away from the stairs towards the door. The nature of the sounds filtering through the wood struck him as odd, his innocent mind not sure what to make of them at first.

Hold on, isn’t that Ripp? They’re both….?

“Oh boy,” he groaned to himself, feeling his cheeks redden as he scurried down the stairs to the kitchen. With all that he’d endured so far in the night, this was just the icing on a cake he didn’t care to eat.

The flames of desire continued to heat the room, Ripp finding new lessons to teach his eager student as the hours ticked by. This time he rose to his knees and gripped the headboard, although something triggered an attack of anxiety as he felt Johnny’s presence behind him. Reminders of previous conversations drifted through his mind, mingling with other, stronger memories that returned from the shadows of his past to haunt him once more. He found his growing worries harder to bury as he felt hands upon him and, as sensitive skin brushed against his own, he could already hear the frightened cries rising from his throat before they became audible to his partner.

“Stop, please!”

Johnny frowned in confusion at the odd nature of his request, and in concern at the urgency of his cry. The latter caused him to quickly release his grip and back away, waiting for Ripp to slump against the headboard before approaching to slip an arm round his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Ripp uttered, allowing Johnny to pull him closer into his arms.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Johnny reassured him, “What is it, bad memories or somethin’?”

Ripp nodded before beginning to explain.

“This guy I was with,” he began, “He didn’t wear the condom I gave him, didn’t use lubrication either.” He cringed at the memory as he continued. “He wouldn’t stop when I told him to, even when I was screaming just from the pain…”

“Geez,” Johnny breathed, “Sounds like rape to me!”

“Oh, it wasn’t rape,” Ripp reassured him, “He just got really rough. Still freaked me out though.”

Johnny frowned in concern, an alarm beginning to sound loudly in his head.

“’Old on a minute,” Johnny challenged, a fear now nagging at the forefront of his mind, “You gave him a condom, and he didn’t wear it?!”

“Yeah,” Ripp spat in reply, “Had to be treated for STDs too, the bastard.” He looked back at Johnny as he realised what he was getting at. “I’m clean now, just as I said I was – not surprisingly, he was my last one.”

“And you’re absolutely sure about that?”

“I went for a routine check after I finished my treatment,” Ripp affirmed, “All clear.”

Johnny allowed the initial tide of relief to wash over him, before noticing something amiss in what Ripp had said earlier.

“How many nasty surprises did he give you?”

“Two,” came the bitter reply, “And I was still lucky, apparently. Something to do with it being easier to catch other shit ‘cause I was bleeding.”

“Sheesh,” Johnny muttered, before eying the younger boy with a deliberate stare. “How can you sit there and say that weren’t rape?! You even freaked out while I was about to…”

“I went there expectin’ to get laid!”

“You weren’t expectin’ him to tear your ass open, were ya?!” Johnny countered, “You said yourself, you were beggin’ ‘im to stop but he kept goin’. That’s rape, Ripp.”

Tears welled at Ripp’s eyes as his head shook, still trying to cling to the theory he’d lived by since the incident occurred. Johnny meanwhile was growing more angry by the minute as the picture became clearer; not at Ripp of course, but whoever it was who’d done this to him.

“It started out fine,” Ripp whimpered, “We made out, we stripped, both of us were hard as rocks… It was only when I felt the pain, when he was already inside me…”

“Don’t matter how far you went,” Johnny told him, “Stop means stop, an’ if ‘e respected ya he’d ‘ave fuckin’ listened!” Johnny’s anger bubbled over, his voice raising as he continued to speak. “He couldn’t even put on that piece o’ rubber you gave ‘im, he put you at risk through that alone! Then he leaves off the lubricant, on purpose no doubt; if he’d jus’ forgotten it he’d ‘ave stopped.”

Johnny’s blood was boiling now, every word he spoke adding another stroke to the canvas as it became plain what had really happened. “He didn’t invite you over for a fuck, he wanted to hurt you from the get-go. Course it started fine, he needed you to think that so he’d get away with it.”

Johnny could have continued on his tirade, but stopped himself on noting Ripp’s stricken expression.

Tears were now streaming down the pale cheeks of the younger lad, Johnny's words smashing to pieces any hope he had left that it was no more than a bad sexual experience. The memories came flooding back as though it had happened hours before, of how much he had trembled after it was over, how angry he had been at the young man, how violated he’d felt…

It was the latter that served as the trigger, that pressed home the full impact of an event that he’d hoped to have forgotten, although then Ripp never cried. Now was different, his shoulders shaking visibly from the force of the sobs as Johnny took him into his arms.

“I’m sorry,” Johnny murmured as he stroked his hair, “I’m so sorry.”

Chapter Fifteen

Buzz smiled to himself as he noted how different Tank’s room was to Ripp’s; the lack of used dinnerware, the nature of the posters adorning the walls… the piece of paper laid upon the bedside cabinet?

Frowning, Buzz approached the sheet of paper and picked it up to investigate further, recognising the handwriting of his eldest even in its scrawled form – rough notes for his school-work? He often wrote drafts in this way, although he didn’t usually leave them lying around. The title of ‘Jack-in-the-box’ was different, Buzz pondered, not like him to write about toys. It was curiosity that pulled him further into the work, each line at first serving to spark more intrigue than the last.

“You okay?” Johnny asked, watching Ripp slump against the back of the sofa.

“I need a cigarette,” came the plaintive reply.

Tank straightened up in his seat as his steely gaze bored into his younger brother.

“I beg your pardon?!” he checked slowly.

Ripp was brought back to earth with a bang as he sheepishly eyed the muscular form in the chair.

“Oops,” he uttered, quickly lowering his gaze to the carpet. Johnny smiled awkwardly as he looked across at Tank, coughing apprehensively.

“Anythin’ else you wanna tell me?!” Tank prompted bitterly.

“Go easy Tank,” Johnny urged him, “It ain’t like he could even trust ya ‘til recently.”

Tank nursed his forehead for a moment, before looking back at Ripp.

“Don’t lecture me about it,” Ripp groaned, “Things just got worse an’ worse, to the point where drums were no longer enough.”

“How’d you manage to keep somethin’ like that quiet?” Tank asked, “How’d you get hold of them?”

“Oh, a friend of mine at school,” Ripp explained, “Straight before you ask, but he’d tuck us away in one of the cubicles. Dunno how he got them, didn’t care. I was just at that point by then, where I’d asked to try one,” he continued with a shrug, “He’d offer me these strong mints too, to get rid of the smell on my breath.”

“When was this?”

“Not ‘til about, ooh, six months ago I think.”

“I weren’t too happy about it either,” Johnny offered, “But what can you do? It ain’t like keepin’ candy from a baby, he’s too old for that.”

“Better than sleeping around, right?” Ripp reminded.

Tank gave a resigned shrug, before a random thought caused him to groan.

“Shit,” he muttered, looking back at Ripp, “Just remembered – you know what else I left back home?”

Ripp merely shrugged in reply.

“My school books!” Tank explained, “They got all my work in ‘em… can’t pick up fresh copies of that at the store!”

“We gotta go back home, in other words…?” Ripp uttered meekly.

“Come on,” Johnny offered, slapping Ripp’s knee, “We’ll all go, back each other up.”

“Nice idea,” Ripp agreed, “Maybe I can get those packs I left at home too… if Dad hasn’t found them, that is!”

Buzz’s head turned in fascination at the sound of a key turning in the lock, and leaned over the banister on the landing to peer down at the door as it opened. His heart skipped a beat on the sight of his eldest children, noting dryly their tentative entry into what was still their home, and slunk down the stairs just in time to notice the owner of the green hand clutching that of Ripp’s. Buzz’s reaction, however, surprised even himself – he no longer cared, suppressing only the mild disgust at the sight of two males holding hands.

“Hi guys,” he greeted weakly, causing the two former residents to turn with a start at the sound of his voice.

Ripp’s grip tightened on Johnny’s hand as he fought against the memories of their last encounter, and Tank was engaged in a similar battle as he swallowed the forming lump in his throat.

“Hey Dad,” the sixteen year old replied as he struggled to regain control of the situation, “Look, I just came for my school books, I don’t want a war.”

“Neither do I,” came the sullen reply, and movement of his hand pulled Tank’s eyes to a scrap of paper he was holding. The boy’s heart plunged into a pit of dread as he once more gazed at his father, guessing before any other word was spoken what that paper contained.

“Is this how you’ve really felt all these years?” Buzz questioned with sadness in his eyes, “Like the jack-in-a-box doll?”

“Oh, that one,” Tank muttered evasively. He nursed the back of his head uncomfortably as his next remark slipped from his mouth before he had a chance to stop it.

“You weren’t meant to see that…”

“Pretty hard to miss when it’s layin’ on your end table,” Buzz explained, smiling sadly as he glanced at the paper in his hand, “Yeah, wouldn’t want my dad seeing something like that either, if I could even write something like this.”

Tank gazed back at his father, not hiding the tears beginning to gather at his eyes, but letting him speak as he sensed there was more to follow.

“Maybe there’s more of your mom there than I thought,” Buzz pondered, “That’s some talent you have there...”

“Thanks,” Tank accepted in a dismissive tone, “Look, I just came for my school bag…”

“Sure,” Buzz nodded, “Doubt any of us are thinking straight enough for anything more.”

Tank briefly frowned at his father’s quick agreement, before deciding flight was the best course of action for all three of them at this moment in time. Too much had happened for them to now engage in an ugly confrontation.

“Come on Ripp,” Tank offered, pulling the quiet teenager away and up the stairs.

Johnny watched them go, keeping an eye and ear open for the closing of a bedroom door before looking back at his boyfriend’s father.

“You’re gonna like this even less,” Johnny began, “But that incident with Ripp needed to get reported. You all need serious help…”

“I know.”

Johnny stared in surprise at Buzz as he spoke, and the man returned his gaze as their green eyes locked onto each other.

“Oh, it’s easy for people to think that I haven’t noticed,” Buzz told him, “But I have. Sure, it took me long enough, but little things like spotting your son’s plastered wrist and knowing you’re the one who caused it…”

“Three guesses who’s payin’ for it,” Johnny hinted, crossing his arms.

“Tricare will,” Buzz told him, a knowing smile playing upon his mouth at noticing Johnny’s puzzled expression. “Government funded insurance firm, they look after us army boys.”

“Oh, right,” Johnny acknowledged with a shrug, “I dunno much about that kinda thing.”

“Wouldn’t expect you to,” Buzz concurred, “Even if they don’t cover it all, it’ll take most of the weight off my wallet. Not that it matters; I wouldn’t expect anyone else to pay for my mistakes.”

Johnny scoffed at his remark, before speaking.

“Ripp did,” he told him, “He’d sooner have put himself into debt than see you faced with the bill. He even begged me not to say anythin’ about how he got in that state.”

Buzz smiled sadly as his head lowered, his gaze upon the floorboards as he allowed himself to drift.

“Doesn’t surprise me,” he mused, “I was the same. Didn’t wanna go to school the following day, knowing the questions I’d get about the bruises. I’d even get into fights just to prove that’s how I got them.”

Johnny slowly rubbed at his arms as he watched the general in his reverie. Words from the doctor rang in his mind, about the abused becoming the abuser. Everything about his behaviour suddenly slotted into place – well, nearly everything.

“What about Tank?” Johnny challenged, “What’d he do to piss you off?”

“He didn’t,” Buzz admitted, “Just… something came back, something about a knife…”

“Knife?” Johnny checked, now thoroughly puzzled. His confusion only grew when Buzz’s hand travelled to the site of his scar.

“Why they’re coming back now I don’t know,” Buzz pondered, “But I’ve been getting these strange dreams lately, and there’s always a knife involved. That episode with Tank triggered some kinda flashback, it’s all gotten worse since then.”

“Sounds like repressed memories to me,” Johnny suggested, continuing when Buzz looked sharply back at him, “Somethin’ so bad happened, your mind’s response is to block out those memories. Now it seems they’re fightin’ back.”

“You’re well informed,” Buzz mused.

“You tend to take more interest in medical stuff when your mom works in a hospital,” Johnny said, “An’ you tend to be more fascinated by science and the paranormal, when your uncles are scientists and your dad’s from another world.”

Buzz smiled a little at his remark. In all his hatred for Johnny’s extended as well as immediate family, he’d not bothered to learn anything of what made them all tick.

“True,” he conceded, beginning to wonder if this ‘enemy’ was as fearful as he’d always been led to believe. If aliens really meant ill will towards humans, why would one of them care to talk to him in such a way? It was almost as though he offered the kind of help he’d secretly sought all these years. Buzz decided, after some deliberation, to put that idea to the test.

“Where do I start?” he asked.

Johnny fought against the smile at the thought of a teenager giving advice to a grown man, replacing it with the noting of his mental age rather than physical. Buzz may have been somewhere in his thirties, but his troubled childhood seemed to keep his inner self at no more than Ripp’s age. He needed to break the chains of his past in order to mature and move on, and his question was a valid one.

“Well, the military seem to look after their soldiers,” Johnny observed, “I’m pretty sure they’d put you onto some kinda therapy…” Upon noticing the disapproving twitch of the man’s eyebrow, the green youth changed his manner.

“What is it about the mention of therapy that gets such a bad reaction from you guys?” he demanded, “Even Ripp yelled at me for darin’ to suggest it, an’ he’s normally so passive!”

Buzz gave a mild shrug as he once more crossed his arms.

“Something about disclosing the details of your sordid past to strangers,” Buzz replied dryly, “I couldn’t even do that with my then wife.”

“Those closest to you are the last ones anyone would trust with that kinda info,” Johnny explained, “Besides, therapists are paid to help, not judge.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe nothin’,” Johnny countered, “There’s a reason Ripp confided in me an’ not you. Apart of course, from the fact that you’d have killed him.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Buzz reminded him.

“Yeah,” Johnny agreed, “When it all came out, what he’d wanted to keep from you. You proved him right, in other words.”

Buzz fidgeted apprehensively on his feet as the hard truths were laid out before him. He’d received harsher beatings for less, and just the fact that he was now talking with an alien, a male that had won the heart of his son, was enough to remind him how different he really was to his father. The cycle was already beginning to break, albeit at a painstakingly slow rate, and with these long forgotten memories now returning to haunt him, Buzz had another reason to speed up the process. Who knows, he questioned quietly, he may even be forced onto such a programme, since his violent episode would surely reach the ears of his superior by the time he left for Nevada the next day. Assuming of course that he would even keep his job; he knew only too well the implications of his actions.

Tank watched with masked disdain as his younger brother replenished his nicotine levels, but knew better than to make his feelings known on the matter. He’d already suffered the wrath of Ripp’s vicious tongue for finally bringing up his promiscuous past, and both of them had been drained by not only that, but also the meeting with their father earlier.

“Better now?” Tank asked sardonically, as Ripp flicked the cigarette butt into the desert sand nearby.

“Oh yeah,” Ripp replied as he ducked back into the room, struggling to pull the window closed. Tank walked over and hooked his fingers over the frame, while Ripp cleared the way and foraged in his drawer for the tube of mints he kept there, popping one into his mouth before stashing the rest of the pack into his pocket. His eyes fell on the remainder of the boxes upon his bed, flitting across to his older brother as he turned to face him.

“Can I ask you a big favour please?”

Tank smiled significantly as he noticed his gaze. Without Ripp speaking another word Tank was upon his school bag, hoisting it onto Ripp’s bed and stowing the cigarette cartons into his backpack.

“Thanks,” Ripp smiled, “Kinda obvious why they got left, huh?”

Tank arched an eyebrow in reply.

“Come on,” he beckoned, “We’d better get goin’.”

Ophelia frowned as they ate in silence. She was in no mood to talk after a combination of renewed bereavement and the fate of her boyfriend’s mother, but she hadn’t expected it all to affect her aunt as well. Unless there was another reason, of course.

“Somethin’ wrong?” she asked innocently.

Olive shrugged in reply, mentally wrestling with the decision of whether or not to explain her own drop in mood.

“Well, guess you’ll know sooner or later,” came the unexpected response.

Ophelia cocked her head in bemusement, but let her continue.

“Just wondering about my son,” Olive confessed, checking her niece’s reaction carefully.

“Son?” Ophelia echoed, taken aback by the news, “What son?”

“The son who got taken away when he was little,” Olive explained, “The social worker wanted to keep his very existence secret. Given who his father is, I suppose that’s understandable.”

“What do you mean?” Ophelia asked, more confused by the minute.

Olive eyed the teenager with a mixture of apology and uncertainty, wondering how best to explain that it was possible to be romantically involved with the master of death.

Chapter Fourteen, Pt 2

“Jackpot,” he smiled to himself as he browsed the forum. He had conducted an online search in his bid to find others like him, confident that such people existed, and had come across a support forum for homosexual and bisexual teenagers. He hesitantly looked about himself from his seat in the school library, hoping that no one he knew – Tank especially – would happen by and notice what was on his screen, before leisurely browsing through the various threads. The site had a lot to offer, from places to vent to arranging meetings. It was during one such time that he came across who would turn out to be his first boyfriend.

They shared small-talk and stories over a coffee as they got to know each other, relaying their experiences of tolerance or discrimination and comparing notes. When it came to Ripp’s turn, he grew upset as he recounted all that he had to endure from the oldest members of his household. As innocent as he was then, he hadn’t noticed the warmth in the gaze from the boy next to him, although Ripp had shot him a sneaky glance now and then to drink in his chiselled features and flowing blond hair. His name was Michael, or Mike as he preferred to be known, and his rich blue eyes became sad as Ripp finished his story.

“Damn, you poor thing,” one of the others remarked.

“You miss her?” another asked with concern.

“Very much,” came the choked reply, “I just wish I could talk to her alone when she calls, so I could tell her everything…”

“Don’t you have a cell phone?”

“No,” Ripp replied with a shake of his head.

“Can always ask your old man,” one suggested, “Say it’s in case of emergencies – you wouldn’t be lying, that’s why my mom got me one.”

Ripp snorted as he gave a cold reply.

“Dad don’t care about me,” he growled, “He don’t even know where I am now. He never asked.”

“Hey, I’m sure he does really,” Mike soothed, nursing Ripp’s shoulder, “You’re still his son after all.”

“Not if he found out about this,” Ripp replied, his head turning to face him. Tears began to seep from his eyes, which Mike reached to brush away.

“Come here,” he offered, pulling him into his arms.

His eyes closed, blinking away more tears as he rested against Mike’s chest, drinking in his bodily warmth and enjoying his tender touch as he felt his fingers begin to stroke his hair. So long it had been since he’d felt such closeness with anyone, the warmth flowing through his own being was starting to seem unfamiliar. The blond boy began to peck his head as he held him closer, his free hand clutching Ripp’s as it rested on his lap. Ripp felt his heart begin to race as his eyes opened and his gaze lowered, watching as Mike’s hand caressed his own, allowing his fingers to stroke the lad’s hand in return before looking back into those beautiful blue eyes.

Their friends wore knowing smiles, deciding now was a good time to end the gathering and leave them to it, as much as they could in a public place.

Ripp thudded back to reality as he glanced about himself. The faces passing them by were unfamiliar, but no less accusing as they watched the two boys in their embrace. Sensing his apprehension, Mike released his hand but his arm remained round his shoulder as he spoke.

“We can go somewhere else if you’d rather,” he offered, “Don’t wanna sound pushy, but no one’s home…”

Not realising the true meaning of his remark, Ripp slowly nodded in reply. All he wanted then was to enjoy his touch somewhere without getting gawped at by strangers.

“Well, here we are,” Mike announced as they stepped inside his domain, “Make yourself at home.”

“Thanks,” Ripp replied, glancing about himself but suddenly becoming a little edgy. He had never been in this situation before, and now was unsure of what lay ahead.

“You okay?” Mike asked, his hands gliding round Ripp’s waist.

“Yeah,” came the response, “I’ve just never done this before.”

“It’s cool,” Mike smiled, guiding Ripp’s arms around him before drawing him in closer, “Just relax, let it happen.”

Ripp’s breathing quickened in anticipation as he felt Mike’s breath upon his face, his eyes closing as he tasted another boy’s lips for the first time. An unfamiliar heat spread throughout his soul as he soon became lost in Mike’s arms, pulling him near as their mouths began to caress each other.

As he grew more sure in his movement, he allowed his hands to run up and down Mike’s back, tightening his grip as they shared the blaze now fiercely burning between them. Ripp could feel Mike’s probing tongue as it sought to explore further, brushing against his own as their clutches strengthened. A moan arose from Mike’s throat as a hand lowered to Ripp’s rear, pushing his lower body against his own. Ripp grew aware of a hard object like a rod pressing against him, where he was already beginning to feel uncomfortable in a strange way. Funnily enough, the pressure now upon that area seemed to ease the ache a little, even adding a pleasurable feeling that he had never encountered before. His breathing continued to increase in pace as he too let out a soft moan, their lips parting as he felt Mike’s mouth upon his cheek and neck. He could feel himself perspiring, the strange sensation in his cargos growing more intense as he lifted his head, granting Mike’s lips easier access to the tender flesh along his throat.

Mike’s head raised once more to Ripp’s level, his eyes smouldering with desire as his voice lowered to just above a whisper.

“You want to come upstairs?” he offered.

Ripp eagerly nodded, not knowing what to expect but ready to embrace whatever it may be.

They wasted no words once they reached Mike’s room, gripping each other firmly as their mouths once more locked together, before tugging at each other’s shirts. Mike pushed them both towards his bed and onto the mattress as he continued to ply him with kisses, grinding their bodies together as Ripp’s tongue grew inquisitive, reaching for the warm cave of Mike’s mouth. The blond youth pulled them both to a sitting position, his hand firmly clutching the bulge in Ripp’s groin and prompting another delighted moan as their lips met again. He guided Ripp’s hand towards his crotch before his fingers worked at the fastening of Ripp’s trousers. Ripp moaned again as he felt Mike’s grip, deciding to try the same himself, and soon their hands worked together as they continued their embrace.

Mike pulled his head away a little, just enough to allow him to speak as his breathing deepened.

“You like that?” he asked.

Ripp merely nodded in reply, beginning to nibble at his bottom lip as Mike continued to knead him for a spell. He then removed his hand to coax Ripp’s lower garments away from his body, the brunette boy kicking off his shoes as he did so before returning the favour. He had heard about sex before, if only from his prejudiced father, whose abhorrence of all that took place now piqued his curiosity as he wondered just how hideous it really was. His heart quivered in anticipation and excitement at the prospect of being able to find out.

Mike paused for a moment to rummage in a drawer, producing a small foil package which Ripp eyed in bewilderment.

“What’s that?”

Mike smiled at the question, before briefly explaining.

“I’ll show you how to put it on,” he finished, passing the foil to him.

Ripp accepted the package and began to wrestle with it as Mike once more reached for him, talking him through applying the thin rubber jacket once Ripp had freed it from the metallic seal. Once it was in place, the older boy instructed Ripp to turn round as they slid off the bed, Ripp’s hands now resting upon the bedclothes as his heartbeat quickened again, this time with a slight anxiety.

“I’m a little nervous,” he confessed.

“You’re bound to be,” Mike smiled, “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. Let me know if I am and I’ll listen, okay?”

Ripp nodded, firmly gripping the sheets as he felt him enter, chewing on his bottom lip as he gradually accommodated this new presence. Mike pressed forward a little too sharply, causing Ripp to grimace in pain.

“Ow,” he complained, “Slow down a little…”

“Sorry,” Mike apologised, before obliging. “This better?”

Ripp nodded and Mike continued to ease his way deeper inside him, prompting a gasp as Ripp’s eyes closed, his clutches tightening on the bedclothes.

“You okay?” Mike checked.

“Mm-hmm,” came the happy response.

Satisfied that he would no longer hurt him, Mike gave a moan as he plunged forth up to the hilt. Ripp’s back arched as he also gave a moan of delight, again nibbling his lip as Mike began to build up a rhythm.

“Does that feel good?” he murmured into his ear, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Yeah,” Ripp groaned in reply, “Very… very good…”

He felt Mike’s breath on his face and turned his head to meet him, his eyes opening enough to peer back at the young lad who he’d granted such intimate access to his body. His hand laid on Mike’s face, bringing his head closer as he yearned to taste his sweet lips, moaning into his mouth as he once more felt Mike’s grip. Time lost its meaning as he immersed himself in his touch, enjoying the loving attentions he’d so sorely lacked at home since his mother had left.

“I don’t wish to see that, thank you!” she remarked in a light-hearted manner, watching as he stirred in his sleep. She had removed her hand when it grew obvious how far they were going, and now observed the boy with crossed arms and a playful stare as a smile flickered across his lips.

“Can I look again yet?” she asked no one in particular, leaning across to peer at his features.
Upon finding the same expression she did last time she checked, she rolled her eyes and feigned a check of her watch.

“Men,” she chided with a smile, “Well, they say a man thinks about sex every seven seconds.”

Her gaze flitted across to the green lad who was idly stroking his hair as they slept, and out of curiosity she investigated his memories for a moment. Her eyebrows twitched in wonder as she glanced between the two, while they continued to enjoy their very different dreams.

“Wow,” she acknowledged, her blue eyes once more resting upon the blond youth as a sadness tugged at her heart, “One year away from adulthood, and you’re the one who’s still a boy?”

Ripp seemed to settle, and to test the water she lay a finger once more upon his brow. Now it was merely his thoughts on what had happened, and to her relief they weren’t all good.

It had been nice, he admitted that much. Ripp could still picture them cuddled together afterwards as if it had happened yesterday, although even then it hadn’t felt quite as good as it could have been. Something was missing, only then of course he had no idea what. It hadn’t occurred to him at the time that Mike was mostly interested in the physical contact, even though he had plainly enjoyed his company in other ways. He was too young to realise that sex was meant to be a communication of love, and through the time that followed, he held no greater expectations of it than the gratification it offered him at the time. Looking back now, Ripp shifted awkwardly in his sleep as a rising tide of shame crept upon him. Now he knew better. Just a pity it took an exceptionally bad experience with one lad to make him realise the kind of damage he’d been causing himself.

“You’ve learned some hard lessons,” the woman muttered sadly as she continued to stroke his brow, “Haven’t you, my boy?”

The words drifted unheard through the air as she sought to explore further.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Ripp pushed through the crowd of chanting teenagers in his bid to find out what this latest scrap was in aid of. His eyes widened when he recognised the now muscular form in the midst of the struggle, and grew angry as he threw himself among the grappling boys.

“Tank!!” he yelled as he pulled him off his opponent, before pushing him away, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

“Get off!” Tank snapped, lunging forwards once more. Ripp exerted an unusual burst of strength as he forcefully shoved him backwards.

“Leave the guy alone!” Ripp snarled, “What’s he ever done to you?”

“He’s alien!” came the angry reply, “Don’t tell me you ain’t noticed!”

Ripp refused to glance behind at the blond boy in question, his attentions focussed on the youth in front of him.

“What if he is?!” Ripp challenged, “Live and let live? Don’t that mean anything…?”

“Don’t start that shit again,” Tank retaliated, his eyes narrowing at his younger brother, “Aliens are the enemy, remember?”

“That’s Dad talking,” Ripp reminded him, “Ain’t you got your own mind?!”

Tank stubbornly shook his head in disbelief as he gazed back at Ripp. “You don’t give up, do ya?” he sneered.

“No I fucking don’t!!” Ripp yelled back, the frustration now bubbling over as he could feel his fists clenching, “What’s happened to the real Tank, huh? You never used to be like this!”

Tank remained silent for a moment, glancing between brother and alien as the words stung at his blue eyes. Aware of this, he marched off without another word.

Ripp allowed a moment to compose himself as he nursed his brow, before a voice behind startled him.

“Thanks.”

Ripp turned to face the lad he’d saved from his brother’s wrath, noting that indeed he was alien, but still not understanding why that should be a problem. Forest green blood glistened on the boy’s lips as it trickled from his nostrils, complementing the jade sheen of his skin. His eyes weren’t the extraterrestrial black Ripp had come to expect however, his very human irises a peaceful shade of green. Nothing in his demeanour posed even the remotest of threats as far as Ripp was concerned.

Ripp dug into his pocket as he approached, pulling forth a tissue that he applied to the blond teenager’s face, soaking up some of the blood from his mouth and nose.

“I’m really sorry about this,” Ripp apologised, “As much as it pains me to admit it…”

“He’s your brother?” the boy finished with a wry smile, “Was kinda obvious from what you were sayin’.”

Ripp allowed his head to drop for a moment as the arms of despair and humiliation encircled him.

“Yeah, guess it would be,” he uttered, idly eying the emerald liquid upon his tissue. A hand laid upon his arm, and for some reason Ripp felt hot under the collar as he looked back up at him. There was a sadness in his eyes, understandable given his skirmish earlier, but there was also a kindness hinting that finally there was someone Ripp could turn to.

“I’m Johnny, by the way,” he introduced, a sheepish smile playing upon his lips as he realised they hadn’t even met.

“Ripp,” came the reply as they shook hands, Ripp marvelling at his gentle touch. “Johnny’s a cool name, wish I had a name like that.”

Johnny chuckled at his remark, before delivering his own.

“Ripp’s not bad,” he grinned, “Better than Tank.”

Ripp sniggered at his comment. “Yeah, true,” he smiled, finding himself trying to disguise the coy nature of that smile as he began to study Johnny’s features. Despite the bruises and the bloodied nose, Johnny wasn’t at all unpleasant to the eye, and Ripp was drawn to his smile and the gleam in his eyes.

“Look,” Johnny began, quickly pulling him from his happy ponderings, “If you wanna talk, I’ll be happy to listen.”

Ripp smiled with a mixture of gratitude and unhappiness as he considered his offer. It wasn’t as though he was in a position to judge after all, they were both frowned upon by the rest of society. Telling him of his orientation would be the easy part however, he mused.

“That’s very nice of you,” he accepted, “There’s a helluva lot to get through though…”

“I can tell,” Johnny observed, again laying a hand on his arm. “There’s a lot of pain there that needs to come out…”

Ripp’s eyelids bunched tightly together as his eyes ached, allowing the tears to trickle down his cheeks as the words of his new friend pierced his very soul.

She eyed the sleeping boy with a disgusted stare. Tank had become a bully? Where did all this spiteful talk come from? No, wait, that sounded familiar… Buzz! He’d been teaching their little boy to hate?! Unbelievable… Why did she have to take the short cut that night? Why couldn’t she have kept to the main streets? She did usually, so why were things so different? That act of foolishness had cost her life, and now she had no way to reach any of her children in this dark time, when they needed her so badly.

The night was crystal clear, the stars glistening upon the black velvet of the dark sky as Lyla ambled down the side-street. She hummed a tune to herself as she walked, her eyes darting about with no more than curiosity as she noticed movement in the shadows.

“Hey there baby,” a man’s voice purred in a low tone, laced with menace as its owner stepped into sight.

“Hi,” she greeted in a cheery manner, aiming to disguise the anxiety now growing within as her heartbeat quickened. “Not tonight thanks, I gotta get home.”

Another man appeared before her, joined by a third. Her face became serious as she realised she couldn’t joke herself out of this one.

“Look, I’ve got three little boys,” she persuaded, “Just let me go home, huh?”

A grimy hand clamped over her mouth as she was pulled into the darkness.

Ripp thrashed about in his bed as the scene unfolded before his mind’s eye, trying valiantly to drown out his mother’s screams as the tears began to flow freely down his cheeks.

“No,” he whimpered drowsily, “Mom…!”

Johnny’s brow twitched into a puzzled frown as he stirred from his slumber, his tired eyes widening in disbelief as he realised that Ripp was in the grip of what was plainly a terrible dream. He tried to sit up as he urged the troubled youth to wake from his agitated sleep.

The violence reached a crescendo in Ripp’s mind, pulling him bolt upright in his bed as a pained cry resounded from the depths of his throat.

“Nooooooooooooooooo!!”

Lyla’s ghost vanished as he awakened, leaving the stricken boy screaming and crying as it transpired what had happened. It was plain now, he had been fed those dreams by her somehow, and he had witnessed her murder. His mother was dead, his father a monster. His anguished heart felt it all too much to take.

“Hey, ssh, it’s okay…” Johnny soothed as he ran an arm across Ripp’s shoulders, but his words seemed to carry no weight.

“Mom!!”

Lights blinked into life from outside the room, their glare filtering through the gaps between Johnny’s door and its surroundings. The door then opened, intensifying the glow in the room and antagonising Johnny’s eyes as he looked up at the approaching figure.

“Hey,” Tank uttered as he sat by Ripp’s side, “It’s okay, just a bad dream…”

“It wasn’t just a dream!” Ripp whimpered in reply, “It was Mom…”

“Mom?” Tank checked in bewilderment.

“She’s dead Tank, I just saw it happen!”

Tank at first stared aghast at his younger brother, but his logical side was quick to sweep such news under the carpet.

“Whad’ya mean you saw it?” he challenged, “That’s impossible!”

“I don’t get it myself, but it’s for real, I swear!” Ripp protested, “It was like watching a movie!”

As movement beyond the room hinted at the volume of Ripp’s cries, Tank was left wondering whether the cracks were already beginning to show in his brother, or whether there could be any truth in his words. This was Strangetown after all, and however unoriginal its name, it had been called that for a reason.