Glacier Bay Stories 2
DISCLAIMER: Glacier Bay Stories is a work of fiction and all principal characters are the result of my diseased mind. Though the stories might be based on fact everything contained in these pages have been endorsed or blessed by those who gave them to me. While Glacier Bay is patterned after Juneau, Alaska, it is not a definitive description of said town nor its inhabitants. I have nothing but found memories of my late childhood there and I hope that you become to enjoy this sleepy little town as I do.
Glacier Bay Stories is copyrighted and any use of said name without permission is punishable by law. Do not remove from Nifty without first obtaining permission from the author.
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GLACIER BAY STORIES
CHAPTER TWO: DEVIN'S AWAKENING
BY: ROGUEWOLF
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If not for that tragic four years I would not be the man I am today. The pain, the joy, the heartache defines me and begs me on till morning. Set your sight on the stars and your dreams can be realized...Anonymous
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Lighting flashed and the thunder roared, causing Devin Jenkins to jump up in bed with a start. Every few seconds the darkened room would be lit briefly by the flash of light only to be doused in darkness once again.
His chest was heaving and a thin layer of sweat covered his smooth body as he searched the room for any unseen attackers. Calming himself down, he slowly began realizing that it was only a dream. Maybe brought on by the storm or his wayward sub-conscious. Either way it was too real for his taste.
Pushing back the sheet from his body, he leaned over the edge of the bed and peered at Justin Woods, his best friend who was staying the night. Waiting for the flash of lighting, he assured himself that Justin was still there sleeping.
From the flash, he could just make out Justin's blond hair peeking out from the covers as he lay on his side facing the bed. In the strobe like effects, Devin could see the top of one hand as it rested on the smooth cheek. Sighing loudly, he stared at the form of his friend for a moment before lying back down in the middle of his bed.
Now that the thunder had subsided, he could faintly hear the sixteen-year-old snoring. Smiling in the darkness, he let the familiar sound sooth him to sleep. The nightmare fading in his young mind as a dream gripped him and took him on a journey where he was the hero and Justin was his lover.
The morning sun lit the room brighter than the lighting the night before. The sun reflected off the posters that lined the room giving off a rainbow affect across the light brown carpet. The room was a normal teenager's room. In one corner stood a desk that had a brand new computer sitting on it. Directly across the desk was a dresser, most of the drawers were open and clothes were overflowing from where Devin had tried to stuff everything inside without bothering to fold them.
Next to the dresser was a bookshelf lined with mostly teenage fiction and trophies from Devin's sport achievements. Next to the queen-size bed was a stereo cabinet that had top of the line components stacked neatly on top of another. Next to the stereo was two CD towers filled to the breaking point with all types of music. Against the wall directly in front of the bed was a twenty-seven inch TV and a DVD player. Across from the bedroom door was Devin's private bathroom, his "inner sanctum".
Groaning loudly, Devin buried his head under a pillow and cursed god for making something as rude as the sun. Only in god's perverse mind would anyone make a ball of fire that rose directly in front of Devin's picture window burning his eyes every morning.
"Dev." Justin called out from the floor. "Are you awake yet?"
Devin answered with a groan that caused Justin to giggle. He sat up and leaned against the edge of the bed and looked at his friend hiding from the bright light of the sun. Devin's unruly hair was hidden under the pillow and the only body part Justin could see was a foot, sticking out from the edge of the bed.
Trying to suppress a giggle, Justin ran his fingers down the exposed foot. Devin yelled and his foot disappeared under the covers.
"Asshole." Devin mumbled and moved to the furthest edge of the bed.
"Get up. It's after eight already." Justin chirped loudly bouncing the bed in the process. "We have things to do today."
"Let me sleep another twenty minutes." Devin pleaded, still hidden from sight.
"I'll shower first." Justin informed him as he stood up and stretched his lean frame. Walking over to the window, he wiped away the condensation before smiling broadly. The day was shaping up to be a beautiful fall day. Clear skies and no hint of the storm that racked the coastline the night before. Quite unusual for a September day in Glacier Bay but appreciated by the inhabitants.
Whistling loudly, mainly because he knew Devin hated any noise first thing in the morning, he grabbed his bag and entered the inner sanctum. Like everything else in the Jenkins house, the bathroom was lavish. Twice the size of Justin's bathroom that he had to share with two younger brothers.
Justin's family wasn't poor by any means but next to the Jenkins house, his own dwelling looked like a shack in comparison.
Pausing to turn on the water in the glassed enclosed shower, easily big enough for three people, he relieved himself before standing in front of the huge vanity mirror. Checking to make his smooth face hadn't turned up any blemishes he opened his bag and prepared to brush his teeth.
When he finished he stripped off his shorts and stepped into the steaming shower letting the hot water cascade gently over his stiff body. As he worked out the kinks from the hard floor, he sighed contentedly. Taking his time with washing, he started bouncing his head in time to the music that blared from the bedroom. Devin had gotten up.
Washing his hair to the angry sound of Stabbing Westward, he started singing along with the screaming vocals of Christopher Hall as he complained about violent moodswings. That prompted Devin to barge into the inner sanctum and add his own squeaky voice to Justin's deeper voice.
Devin continued to sing as he relieved himself, trying to sneak glances at his friend in the shower. But Justin always took a hot shower and kept the glass steamed over.
Devin called out over the music, "Hurry up. Only two more days of freedom till school starts."
Justin turned his head and yelled back, "Five minutes."
Devin left his friend rinsing his hair and walked back into his room. Smoothing out the covers a bit, he made a halfhearted attempt at making his bed. Justin, the neurotic freak that he was, had already made up his makeshift pallet. The covers neatly folded on Devin's computer chair. Just waiting for the maid to put them away sometime later in the day.
Devin picked up the blankets and placed them on the floor before sitting down at his computer. His parents had just bought him a new one for the upcoming school year and he loved the new twenty-one inch flat screen. Turning it on he waited for it to boot up before getting online. Quickly checking his mail, he sang along with the music and waited for Justin to finish his shower.
Hearing the music stop, he turned around and saw Justin replacing the CD with one from his bag. Giving him a questioning look, he walked across the room and grabbed some boxers. Justin grinned at him and pushed play.
Behind the Wheel from Depeche Mode blared out of the speakers causing Devin to wince.
"God I hate them." He grumbled as he walked past his friend who was dancing around in his boxers as he sang the weird lyrics.
"You know you love `em." Justin called out, rubbing his damp hair vigorously causing water droplets to rain down on Devin as he walked past.
"I would rather get kicked in the nuts then listen to that weak shit." Devin said with a grimace as he wiped his face from where the water caught him.
"But it makes you shower quicker." Justin said with a smile as he continued his dance.
Devin slammed the door behind him and leaned against the sink sighing loudly. Just seeing his friend dancing around half-naked caused his heart to beat faster and a thin layer of sweat had broken out on his forehead. If only Justin knew what he did to the brunet every time he walked into the room.
Devin peered at himself in the mirror and did a bodybuilding pose. Wrinkling his nose in disgust, he quickly brushed his teeth. No matter how much he exercised, he stayed the same skinny kid he always was. He stood right under six feet and weighed one hundred and fifty pounds soaking wet fully dressed.
But it just wasn't his skinny form that disgusted him; he had the thickest and curliest hair in the world. His dark curls crowning his thin face and mocking his almost perfect blue eyes. His face was thin with high cheekbones and a small nose centering his features made him appear younger than his sixteen years.
Many times he had dreamt of having a body like Justin's. Justin was an inch shorter but had a broader frame that already hinted at the perfectly sculpted body to come with adulthood. His stomach was flat and had definition of a six-pack and his chest was already very defined. Probably due to the heavy lifting he did all summer long on his father's fishing boat.
He had straight blond hair that always fell in his blue eyes and his face was angular and strong. When he smiled, which was often, his face glowed and his eyes sparkled. Everything about the young man turned him on. And the really bad thing, Justin was oblivious to it.
Devin wasn't the only person lusting after the blond. Every single girl in school pied over him constantly. When he walked down the halls you could actually hear the sighing and see the girls drooling over his bubble butt. But no matter how many times he heard how sexy he was, no matter how many times girls threw themselves at him, he seemed shocked to hear that anyone would find him attractive. It was just his nature. A god that didn't know he was a god.
Like Devin, Justin had many different girlfriends but never seemed serious or even interested in pursing them for sex. Many days Devin drove himself crazy trying to figure out Justin's sexuality. But the seemingly ambiguous blond didn't fit into any category, straight or gay.
Devin shook his head and stripped off his shorts and got into the shower. Wondering if anyone else lusted after their best friend, he washed himself as fast as he could to avoid the stirring in his crotch. Especially since both boys had a habit of entering the sanctum at will. The last thing he wanted to happen was his friend to catch him playing with himself in the shower.
As usual he resigned himself to a life of friendship and took out his frustration on his curly head as he scrubbed his head roughly. Finishing the shower, he dried off and brushed his teeth before pulling on the fresh pair of boxers.
He paused at the door and listened to the sounds of Depeche Mode filtering in through the door. Breathing deeply, he opened the door and walked into the room.
"That asshole." He muttered as he turned off the stereo. Justin had already dressed and left the room. Walking over to his closet, he grabbed the first pair of jeans he saw and stepped into them.
Grabbing a black T-shirt to match his pants, he attached the chain to his pants and put the wallet in his back pocket. Hitching up his baggy pants, he put on his socks and laced up his boots. Grabbing a pullover, he grabbed his keys and walked out of the room.
Walking down the long hall, he ignored the many pictures that adorned the walls. Pictures of him as a child in hundreds of poses, alone or with his parents. He hated that hallway; those pictures represented everything that he hated about his life. His curly hair, his skinny frame, his normalcy before he became this freak that liked other boys instead of girls. If only his parents really knew him, they would take down all those pictures and hide them in the darkest part of the basement.
But they didn't know and treated him like another trophy to put on display. Just like this house he thought as he walked down the curving staircase. Just another possession to fill up the house and brag to all their snobby friends.
His house was huge, covering two acres with a four-car garage and guesthouse. In the back was a covered pool house, designed especially for the winter months. His father always said that what was a pool that you could only use for a few months a year. Typical waste of money that he lived by.
The formal living room was right out of a magazine, plush furniture and white carpet. Expensive marble statues sat on dark wood stands around the room that matched the art decorating the walls. Plants placed meticulously around the room to give it just enough of a homey feeling for the dinner guests to comment on. Room after room was carefully constructed down to the last detail.
Each guestroom, six in total, all had different motifs and themes. Most of the rooms had never been used in the four years they had lived in the small mansion. But one can never have to many guestrooms his mother stated ritualistically.
He made his way through the dining room, a fifteen-seat table centered perfectly, and into the kitchen. The kitchen was easily the biggest room in the house. Not only did it have a casual dining area but a huge wrap around bar where Devin ate most of his meals. A huge island in the center had three grills with a rotisserie spit for cooking chickens and every appliance ever made littered the countertops. The cabinets all had glass doors and each dish was placed neatly so as everyone could see the order that ruled the house.
He breathed deeply, whatever Nine, the cook, was making smelled delicious. But then everything the chubby woman made was delicious. He often wondered why the talented chef worked for his parents instead of her own restaurant.
He could hear the sizzling of the bacon and a steady chopping noise came from where she was dicing up vegetables. And there he was.
Sitting at the bar, chatting at Nine while she prepared breakfast. He was dressed in a loose fitting T-shirt and baggy blue jeans. His hair was perfectly combed and fell off to one side of his face. As usual, a picture perfect specimen of maleness and vitality.
"Morning Nina." Devin called out cheerily.
Looking up without stopping her dicing, she answered, "Good morning Devin. How did you sleep?"
"Great." Devin replied as he sat down next to Justin. "Except for this guy snoring all night."
Nina laughed a musical sound that shook her ample body. "Every time you complain about that."
"It's loud. Really loud." Devin complained as he reached for his orange juice.
Justin shrugged and ignored his friend. "What are you cooking for us today?" He asked, breathing in the smells.
"Devin's favorite." She replied, throwing the mixture of celery, peppers, carrots, and onions into a bowl. Adding in the eggs, she continued, "Omelets."
Licking his lips in anticipation, Devin pushed his friend, "I'm special."
"You're telling me." Justin pushed back with a grin. "Everyone knows you're a bit...special."
Nina interrupted their bantering, "And I'm making pancakes for Justin. Strawberry pancakes."
Justin laughed, "You're not the only special one around here."
"Nina. You traitor." Devin accused, trying to pout without giggling.
Shaking her spoon at him, she turned her back and concentrated on the pan in front of her. Devin turned his attention to his friend and asked, "When do you have to be home tonight?"
"No time really. Why?" He asked, sipping from his glass.
"I was thinking about going to the glacier and hiking around for a while." Devin said absently, his stomach making noises from his hunger.
"Jesus boy. Got a tiger in your pants?" Justin asked.
"You know it." Devin answered, grabbing his crotch suggestively.
Without turning her back, Nina said, "Don't be a pervert Devin."
"How do you do that?" He asked incredulously.
"I can hear your little dirty mind thinking all those dirty thoughts." She replied absently.
"That's cause you're really a pervert too." He fired back with a grin.
"Flattery will bring you toast along with your omelet." She laughed plating up the dishes. Making sure everything was perfect; she brought over the food and placed it before the two boys. "Now eat before it gets cold."
Both boys dug in to the hearty breakfast. The only sounds came from Nina who was busy cleaning up the mess from breakfast. A tidy kitchen is a useable kitchen she always stated with a spoon to emphasize the importance.
In the Jenkins house, Nina was definitely the queen. Not only of the kitchen but of the house as well. Even Mr. Jenkins stepped lively around her when she had her dander up. In a no nonsense way she had adapted the household to her own desire and ruled with a spoon. Devin loved her.
In many ways, Nina had taken the place of mother and father to the sixteen-year-old in the four years that she had been signed on. Devin had already confided things to her that he dared not speak to another living soul.
As he finished breakfast, Nina stood across the counter from him and said, "What are you planning on doing today?"
"I think we're going hiking at the glacier." Devin said noncommittally. "But who knows."
"Your mother has that luncheon today." Nina stated blandly, a disapproving frown on her chubby face. "She wanted to remind you to stay away until three."
"I know I remember." Devin sighed.
Nina patted him gently on the hand and said, "They have that benefit tonight so if you want dinner you better tell me now."
Standing up, he said, "I'll get something from somewhere. Don't bother cooking tonight."
"Dear, I'm the cook. I always have to cook something. Heaven knows no one cooks around here for me." Nina said with a sparkle in her eyes.
"You're just so abused." Justin teased her, pushing his plate away. "Aren't you."
Keep talking like that and you won't get any more pancakes." Nina warned him with a grin. "Now you two get out of here and enjoy the last weekend of freedom."
The two boys laughed as they left the chubby woman to her prepare for her luncheon. As the cleared the kitchen, Justin asked, "Does your mom always make you leave during these luncheons?"
Shrugging, Devin replied, "Yep, she doesn't want me underfoot when she's entertaining guests."
"That's harsh." Justin stated as he paused to grab his bag from the stairs. Digging out a gray sweatshirt, he wiggled into it.
Devin followed suit by pulling on a black pullover. "It's better than being on display like they used to make me do." He admitted, though he always felt hurt by her lack of interest in his life.
Justin shook his head sadly. Indifference from one's parents was something he couldn't understand. His own family complained that he spent too much time over at the Jenkins already and wished that he would stay home more on the weekends.
In the two years that he had been hanging out with Devin, he had still not met Devin's father and only briefly met Mrs. Jenkins once about a year earlier. To his thinking, Nina was the one responsible in the day to day life and the raising of Devin. It made him sad when he thought about it but being sixteen, those gloomy thoughts did not stay long.
"I still can't believe they made you dress up and perform ballet for their friends." Justin stated sadly knowing how embarrassed Devin was to even be taking ballet glasses.
"Luckily everyone realized that I sucked." Snorted Devin. Shuddering, he added, "Thank god I don't take those anymore."
"You and me both." Justin snickered. "I was having problems convincing everyone that you weren't gay."
Devin shot him a look that stunned Justin. Lashing out angrily, he asked, "Who thought I was gay?"
"Just some of the kids at school. No one." Justin cringed from the tone of voice.
"Someone had to say it if you mentioned it." Devin pursued it further. "Who said that?"
"Just some of the jocks." Justin said offhandedly, trying to change the subject.
Devin grabbed Justin by the arm and turned him around till they were facing each other. Look directly into Justin's eyes, Devin stated with force, "I'm not gay."
"I never said you were."
Suddenly realizing that he was dangerously close to giving himself away, Devin grinned and said, "Anyway, if anyone is gay it's you. You're the one who listens to Depeche Mode."
"Shut up."
The two laughed, the tension melting away as Devin walked into the garage followed by Justin. They climbed into Devin's brand new Jeep Wrangler. He had opted for black but his parents decided on red instead. Either way, it was Devin's pride and joy.
"I still can't believe you're parent's bought you a brand new car for you're birthday." Justin said in amazement. Devin had the car for most of the summer but he still couldn't get over it.
"That's cause they felt guilty for missing my birthday." Devin said with a hint of anger in his voice.
"Not that you didn't help that thinking at all." Justin quipped candidly.
"It helps to know how to pout." Devin agreed laughing as he started the vehicle. "Are you up for a hike?"
"Hell yeah." Justin screamed as Devin shot out of the garage.
Turning up the radio, the two sang along and enjoyed the morning sun as it crashed through the windows of the jeep. As they roared down Mendenhall Loop, they passed little traffic. They were headed for the Mendenhall Glacier, a long winding flow of ice that snaked up the mountain and disappeared from view. The glacier ended in a basin; a half moon shaped inlet called Glacier Bay. Hence the name of the town that sprung up just miles away.
The glacier was a favorite hangout for the locals and at any time of day you could see dozens of kids running around on the trails. At the base of the inlet was a parking and right passed that was an observation building built on top of a small hill that overlook the inlet. From the roof of the building you could see the glacier across the bay as it started it's journey back into the mountains. All around the building were small stark hills that rose out of the evergreens, tall and silent. The hills were marked by a pattern of deep gashes, like someone had taken a comb and carved trails into the rock. These gashes bore evidence of the glacier in past times.
The parks services had built running trails all around the bay and carved steps into the hills for tourists and gawkers to reach higher locations to enjoy the beauty of the blue/green glacier. In the early months of spring, one could see chunks of ice fall off the ice flow and crash into the frigid water. On the left side of the glacier was a waterfall that cascaded from a half mile above. The park was solace; the park was a natural part of Glacier Bay.
This is where Devin parked his jeep, just on the edge of the bay. They saw several cars they recognized but knew it would be almost impossible if they met the occupants. Both boys jumped from the jeep and started immediately for one of the upper trials that winds up the hill and comes out just above the waterfall.
"I think it's going to be nice today." Devin commented as they entered the evergreens. "I just might have to take this off." He gestured at the pullover he was wearing.
Justin nodded and started stripping off his sweatshirt. "I know, I wish it would make up its mind."
"Come on." Devin teased. "You know you like running around half naked."
"Only for you." Justin fired back as he wrapped the sweatshirt around his midsection. "Besides, you're the only one who can truly appreciate it my body."
Devin looked at his friend from the corner of his eye with a confused look. What did he mean by that? Could his friend know? And if he does, what does he mean? All these thoughts only led to more questions that he had no intention of analyzing at the moment. So instead, he tied his pullover around his waist and sped up the pace a bit.
"Where you going to fire?" Justin asked, grinning slightly for some reason.
"Just trying to work off breakfast fat ass." Devin lied, no way willing to tell him the real reason.
So the two hiked for almost an hour before they broke through the trees and the bay filled out below them. They stopped for a moment at the edge and took in the sight.
In the distance Devin could just barely make out the town, some fifteen miles away. The bay emptied into the ocean and he could see a steamer heading up the passage going to destinations unknown. For a minute he fantasized that he was on that steamer, heading somewhere for an adventure. Somewhere he could forget his life and his problems.
While Devin was lost in his own thoughts, Justin was looking down. From their vantagepoint, he could see bits of the trial as it snaked its way up the mountain. He could see people occasionally as the broke from the trees only to be swallowed back again. He could see most of the trials from here and something about half way down the mountain caught his eye. A bright yellow something laid on the rocks.
Peering intently at it, he realized it was a pullover, much like the one Devin was wearing. Nudging Devin, he snickered, "It's that Becky Williams."
Devin followed his finger and suddenly smiled, "Yep, that's her. Who's fucking her though?"
"I can't tell. I can only see his ass how about you?" Justin said through his chuckling.
Devin didn't recognize the boy but he could see that whoever it was had blue hair. "Oh my god."
"What?"
"I think its Brandon." Devin said hesitantly.
"Who?" Justin asked.
"You know the painter guy. The one with blue hair." Devin said, struggling to think of anything else about the loner. "I think his name's Brandon."
"The one with all the paintings in the student commons?" Justin asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, him. The weird one." Devin said through laughter.
"That can't be him." Justin disagreed with a snort.
Devin pointed out, "That guy has blue hair. Who else in this town has blue hair? It has to be him."
Justin laughed, "I think you're right. That's too funny. Becky must be giving him a pity fuck."
"At least he's getting some." Devin said, a hint of longing in his youthful voice.
"Awe." Justin said sarcastically. "Your hand getting tired?"
"Whatever." Devin said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "Like you don't stroke one off everyday."
"Sure I do but my hand still gets tired now and then. I don't have the practice that you get." Justin teased, stretching loudly.
Devin couldn't resist hitting the boy in his stomach. Justin grunted and glared at him. "I hate it when you do that you know."
"Why do you think I do it?" Devin countered. He started walking back down the trail in the opposite direction of their assent.
Justin followed him, racking his brain trying to find a way to get back at his friend. He was so wrapped in his own thoughts that he didn't see Devin stopped. He crashed into his friend rather hard and sent the boy flying a few feet forward. Looking at him, he asked, "Why'd you stop?"
Devin didn't say anything but gestured down the trail ahead of them. A whistle escaped Justin's lips and he uttered, "Damn."
About hundred yards down the trail, five teenagers were laughing loudly, roughly pushing one another as they walked lazily up the trail. Out of everyone they hoped to see at the glacier this group of guys were not one of them.
Even in the warm morning sun, they were all wearing black leather jackets. Each dressed in all black, each mirroring one another down to the boots they wore. They were all seniors this year and were well known to be troublemakers around the town.
Both boys, immediately turned around and walked back the way they came. Neither wanting to risk any hassle with the older youths. As they walked quickly up the trail, Devin said absently, "I hope they don't see Becky and Brandon together. "
"I know. Do you think we should warn them?" Justin asked, slightly winded by the pace Devin had set.
"If they're still there." Devin stated slowly, clearly not wanting to be anywhere around the couple if the group of boys found them together.
Becky had dated all of them one time or another over the last three years. Devin did not know how they would react to seeing her with someone else and frankly he did not want any part of it.
But the debate was muted when they reached the spot and looked down. The couple was gone and they quickly followed suit. Besides, they had only two more days till school started again and they wanted to make the most of it.
When they reached the jeep, Devin unlocked it and Justin jumped inside. Pulling out, Devin asked, "What's next?"
"Who cares?" Justin called out over the radio, screaming out the window at a family walking on the road. "Who fucking cares?"
To Be Continued
NOTES: I can be reached at Wolfflyer26@Yahoo.com for any comments or questions. Cheers.
Copyright©2002 Glacier Boy