The Metamorphosis of Jeremiah Long, Chapter 18
Warning:
This story contains scenes of love and sexual interaction between males of similar age. If the reading or possessing this material is illegal in your country, state, province, county, municipality, etc., please leave this site immediately and do not proceed further. If you are under the legal age to read this, please do not do so.
The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without explicit authorization from me.
I have written several other stories. My longer ones on Nifty include: "Always and Forever" (March 25, 2004), "Jacob and Jacques" (May 30, 2004), "Zeke" (August 29, 2005), "Tales from Bentonville" (November 16, 2008), "Second Chance" (September 24, 2010), and "Tommy and Tanner (October 21, 2012)under "High School" and "Someone to Watch over Me" under "Beginnings" in the gay male section.
My short stories include: "Brad and Alan's Canoe Trip" (April 22, 2004 under "Camping", "Of Angels and Dragons" (November 8, 2008) under "Camping", "A Christmas Tale" (December 22, 2009), "Wyatt's Thanksgiving" (November 20, 2012)under "High School", "Brazil Affair" (October 1, 2010), "A Technological Christmas" (December 23, 2011), and "Patrick's Christmas (December 19, 2012) under "Beginnings," I have one story in the Sci Fi/Fantasy category called, "Seth's Gift" (October 10, 2010).
You can easily access most of my tales by going to the "Author" button in Nifty's home page and scrolling down to David Lee. Some of these stories are also posted at: www.storylover.us and www.saberpeak.com.
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Thanks and hugs to Tom and David (boxerdude) who edit for me so that there are fewer mistakes! They not only proof-read, but make other valuable suggestions.
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David (dlee169@hotmail.com)
The Metamorphosis of Jeremiah Long, Chapter 18
Cade and Harrison spent a quiet Christmas together too. Because they had seen Cade's family so recently, they didn't make a trip for the holiday. Harrison hardly had time to breathe for the first part of the break because he was in high demand for serving various holiday lunches and dinner parties. He hadn't found a computer job yet, so he was eager to make good tip money while he could. He would rest later.
Cade was ready for a break from his routine. He had scheduled a few swimming practices over the winter vacation, but needed time to unwind as well as a chance to get a jump on the units he would teach after the holidays. He had hit the ground running when he took over Coach Fanning's duties, and he felt like he hadn't drawn a deep breath since.
Most of the boys showed up for the swimming sessions. A few missed at times, but had valid reasons for not attending. Spencer Bruce hadn't arranged to be excused although he didn't make any of the practices. Cade called his house several times, only to get the answering machine with no response. He wasn't terribly surprised because the last time he'd seen the boy, he appeared to be out of it, perhaps high on something. Spencer's father eventually returned Cade's calls and excused his son because he was on vacation at his grandparent's ranch in Montana.
Lloyd Bruce wasn't concerned about his son being so far away, but what he didn't know was that Spence spent most of his waking hours in the company of the young foreman, Billy. Since there weren't as many chores to do in the winter, the two had the leisure to explore their mutual desires frequently.
Billy found excusess to go off to town for supplies or to take Spence to see some far-off sight of mountain scenery on a regular basis. The big extended cab pickup with tinted windows provided a fairly comfortable place to play so long as the weather didn't get too cold. Spence was in hog heaven, and he actually did see a lot of spectacular landscape.
The only drawback of his Montana getaway was that he had to fly roundtrip and therefore couldn't bring back a supply of weed to tie him over until summer. However, he still had a bit at home which he'd been carefully rationing. He didn't pass it around a lot to his new friends at school, but he did often enough to ensure being popular with them.
District swimming finals occurred a few weeks after school took up again. Davy was perhaps the most excited boy on the team, because he'd never been involved in a group sport before starting high school. Now he was eager to experience it all and show that he could hold up his end.
The squad of Bradon, Nate, Jon, and Davy did rather well for freshmen. They were only a few points shy of qualifying for state, and received lots of praise from Coach Carstenson. He assured them they would be going to the state meet as spectators even though they wouldn't participate. He felt they would benefit from watching other swimmers compete, and thus be better prepared for next year. Besides, he wanted to reward them for their hard work.
Spence did miserably at the district level and said he didn't care because he was dropping the sport at the end of the season. He had lost interest. Cade was disappointed, but not surprised.
Wyatt was among those who qualified in several events. His boyfriend, Jesse, had entered the program too late to earn a place at state, but he would be going along as part of the support group like Davy and Jon even though he would graduate before next season, so the learning experience wouldn't pay off for the team. Cade knew enough about his history to feel he should be included in the trip. Wyatt persuaded Cade to allow them to room with Jon and Davy since they all did charity work together at the meals program. He mentioned that Jesse would feel more at ease with them because they'd never treated him like an outcast.
Jon and Davy were a bit surprised that a couple of senior friends would choose them as roommates for the two nights they'd be at state, but were pleased to be with the upperclassmen. Bradon and Nate had already been asked to share with a couple of sophomore guys, so no one felt left out.
As the boys were settling into their accommodations, Wyatt talked about his reason for wanting to be with them.
"Jesse and I really value your friendship at church. You're special to us. You made me feel welcome from the start, even when I was acting pissy and you also made Jesse feel welcome when you met him."
"You never shunned me even though I was on the street and smelled bad," Jesse added. "Other guys at school avoided me like I was a pariah."
"Um, I take it that's a compliment, but I'm not sure what the word means," Davy admitted.
"It's a fancy way of saying `outcast' or sorta like a leper," Jesse blushed. "It was in the vocab part of our college entry exams and I sure knew what it was!"
"Anyway, I have another reason for wanting to room with you guys because we all share the same secret," Wyatt grinned as he drew Jesse close to his chest and kissed him on the lips.
"We thought we'd all be more comfortable in a group where we could cuddle and kiss openly and do whatever when the lights were out," Jesse blushed.
"We appreciate that!" Jon said, speaking for both of them. "We usually sleep raw, and I bet you do too. We love going naked whenever we get the chance. Other guys might not understand."
"You're right on both scores!" Wyatt grinned. "This way no one's embarrassed if we pop a boner when we're naked together."
The restaurant in the hotel where several of the teams were staying was attentive to the coaches' dietary requirements for their teams. The boys were provided with healthy meals which included plenty of calories to sustain them for competition without lots of artery-clogging fats.
The kids who were not competing in rigorous events had to be careful not to overindulge since they weren't expending as much energy as the rest of the team. They could, however, get some exercise in the university pool swimming laps at various times when it was free. Boys like Jon, Davy, Bradon, Nate, and Jesse took advantage of the opportunity when they could in order to burn off the extra calories as well as improve on their techniques. At those times, some of their teammates hung around and cheered for them as they raced against one another.
Many of them used the sauna or steam room to warm up after being in the relatively cool water. The boys tended to head for the steam room since the atmosphere was foggy enough to hide any wood they might throw. Most everyone left their towels on hooks outside to keep them dry and went in nude.
It was after their first time in the steam room that Davy and Jon were exiting with their cocks at about half-mast when a couple of big guys from an opposing team happened by. The two of them grabbed their towels quickly to cover up, but the other boys had seen them and started to pick on them.
"Hey fags, come suck our cocks," the larger of the two called.
"What makes you think we're queer?" Jon asked, staring him in the eye.
"Because your little weenies got hard the minute you saw two real men come by."
"I only saw a couple of boys; didn't you Dave?"
"Shut up you little fucker. I'm gonna teach you not to mouth off to seniors!"
Before things could get out of hand, Wyatt and Jesse came out of the steam room too, naked and looking impressive. They had overheard most of the exchange.
"Back off and leave our buddies alone!" Wyatt commanded.
"Says who?"
"Says me," Wyatt answered. "I'm taking courses at the community college to qualify as a paramedic so I might be able to patch you up after I teach YOU some manners."
"If you get into a fight, you'll get kicked out and you won't be able to compete, so mind your own business!" the second bully said.
"Same goes for you guys if you fight. Besides, it would be worth it to beat the shit out of you." Wyatt sneered.
The guy with the biggest mouth made a lunge for Wyatt who deftly stepped aside and helped send the guy into a locker door. During the confusion, the smaller of the two took a swing at Davy who used a high kick to send him to the deck.
"I think my wrist is broken; I'm gonna sue!" the kid cried.
"Boohoo, that boy kicked my ass and I'm gonna sue," Wyatt mocked. "There are several witnesses who can testify as to who started this, and who was picking on someone smaller.
Who is willing to tell what they saw?" Wyatt said to the group in general.
"I am, and I'm the coach of these two," said a man who had come running to the spot from down the hall. "They have shown poor judgment in picking a fight and using anti-gay slurs and I plan to mete out appropriate discipline when we get home. Ryan and Dirk, you need to begin with an apology. If you make it genuine, you might cut a little off of your penalties."
The two punks made half-hearted apologies which didn't impress anyone, but at least they weren't going get away with their behavior scot free.
"I guess I need to apologize for them as well," the coach shook his head. "A few of the seniors in our school have had a very difficult time adjusting to the new anti-bullying law, but we're going to get there eventually. If you wish to press charges against them, I can't say I blame you. I heard how they talked to you."
"Nah," Davy spoke up. "As long as we weren't harmed, I'm not looking to make a federal case out of it."
"Thanks!" the coach sighed. "I will follow through on it. I think they got in deeper than they expected. You didn't back down."
"Wow, little bro, you DO pack a wallop in those feet," Wyatt grinned at Davy. "I take it you've had some training."
"Yup! Jon and I both have, and we plan to continue. Mr. Carstenson's friend, Harrison, is teaching us. He's been a black belt for several years already and I think is up to about the 4th dan. He's amazing!"
"I'm glad you're going to be able to take care of yourselves after we graduate," Jesse said. "We all need to know how to defend ourselves these days."
Throughout the meet, the team enjoyed many successes; including setting a couple of new state records during the two-day event.
Wyatt won all the events he was in, including the relay. It made him proud to have accomplished so much in the current season. If he were being totally honest, he'd have to admit he'd been a bit lazy the past couple of years. But he'd changed, and he credited Jesse with giving him his new outlook on life. Jesse had become his role model. Wyatt hadn't been a particularly responsible guy in the past. He'd never been forced to exert much effort for anything. He was bright enough to make decent grades without studying hard, and his parents have given him plenty of spending money so he didn't struggle financially.
Jesse's lot had been almost the complete opposite. He was quite intelligent, but had still worked hard because he was motivated to get out of his home and surroundings and knew that a good education was his key to success. Living with Wyatt in a safe, clean environment meant that he could spend more energy on achieving his academic goals and still have time for fun. Both young men were benefitting from their relationship by improving their GPAs and impressing their teachers. They didn't have any problem getting excellent references from the faculty as they applied to colleges.
All the kids on the team cheered for their comrades and most were pretty good sports whether they won or lost. Cade was proud of his guys and pleased that their record under his coaching was exceeding that of his predecessor. It was gratifying to outdo the man who had molested him half a lifetime ago.
The state meet was a fun experience which all would remember for a long time to come. A lot of bonding occurred, some of which would last a lifetime.
Davy and Jon became closer to their senior roommates than before. It was like having a couple of older brothers. Jon could scarcely believe Wyatt was the same surly acting punk he'd met back in the summer. He suspected Jesse had been part of the reason for the positive changes.
Davy and Joe were thrilled at the prospect of seeing Cirque in February. They realized it wouldn't be quite like a circus with animals and all, but it would have acrobatics and lots of great acts and it was coming to town around Valentine's Day.
Rockwell was among the local businesses which had guaranteed enough monetary support so the troupe wouldn't go in the hole if ticket sales didn't come up to expectations. With a secure source of revenue, they were willing to come to a smaller city.
City leaders were happy to have a nationally known attraction at the recently remodeled auditorium downtown. Helping to support such groups was a way to help the community remain an attractive place for employees and their families to live. To make sure the companies like Rockwell recouped their outlay of cash, several of them offered tickets at a reduced price to people who worked for them.
Brent and Brock were each entitled to a fair number, so they contacted various friends of their boys to see if anyone was interested in buying a block of seats at the lower rate and going as a group. So many responded positively, that the men had to find colleagues who weren't taking advantage of the offer in order to get enough seats for all who wanted them.
The list was long. Mark's family all opted to go (taking Megan too), as did Jenna's and Willa's families, Cade and Harrison, Wyatt and Jesse (with Wyatt's parents), and Todd and Jim who brought Bill Bullock with them.
The adults sat in front of their offspring in order not to look like they were keeping tabs on them. As a result, several boys took the opportunity to surreptitiously hold hands with their love interests, hiding their activities with a jacket or program.
The show was spectacular! The simple but exquisite props, brightly colored costumes, and precise movements left the audience spellbound. Everyone left raving about the evening, thanking the men for organizing it, and asking to be included in other future events when possible.
It pleased Brent to hear Joe's lyrical laughter and gasps of amazement during the performance. Knowing that his son was carefree and happy was all the reward he needed. However, he also received a big hug on the way to the parkade.
Spring descended on the Midwest suddenly in April and lasted about 36 hours, give or take. For the past month since the official start of the season, it had still felt like winter - with chilly, rainy days that caused the cancellation of numerous outdoor sports events.
Many of the swimmers had gone out for track, but they had had little chance to show off their abilities or even work on improving. Running around in the gym wasn't the same as being on the track or the field. Probably the shot putters and high jumpers suffered the most from lack of practice.
Once warm weather returned, it seemed like summer. After 30 some hours of transition, the temperatures soared into the 80's and the humidity increased dramatically as well. Experts attributed the abrupt swings in temperature to climate change, predicting that there'd be more in the future.
School had kind of limped along during the second semester. On the dreary days, many kids seemed lethargic and didn't feel terribly motivated to do their work. On the warm ones, their minds tended to be filled with expectations of what summer might bring.
Fortunately through it all, Cade and Harrison helped Davy, Jon, and Joe stay pretty much on track. Tutoring secessions, though fewer than in the past, made the boys concentrate on their studies. Karate kept their bodies in good shape and their energy levels up.
One pleasant afternoon Davy and Jon left school as quickly as they could and rode their bikes to the park where they'd first met a year before. They wanted to celebrate their first anniversary by themselves. As a cover for their activities, they took along golf discs to play with on the course, but those remained in their backpacks for the most part.
It was a warm, sunny day and the soft grass growing in their "secret" place looked lush, green, and inviting. Jon had thought ahead and had removed a large book from his backpack and replaced it with a thin blanket. He spread it out in the little clearing after they had worked their way through the underbrush.
"What exactly do you have in mind, Master Watson?" Davy asked as he ran his tongue across his upper lip.
"Probably what you hope I do," Jon grinned.
After that, they stopped talking and simply went with their feelings. They helped one another shed their shirts, shoes, and shorts. Lying in a public place nearly naked had its effect on their bodies as they made out under the bright spring sky.
"Remember how scared I was last year?" Davy asked.
"I remember that we were both shaking, but I believe it was as much from desire as from fear," Jon mused. "I know my heart was pumping overtime at the thought of touching your beautiful uncut dick."
"Nothing's changed all that much," Davy said as he placed Jon's hand over his chest to experience the evidence of his elevated pulse.
"Is this turning you on?" Jon asked with mock surprise.
"Check for yourself," Davy suggested as he moved Jon's hand down to his bulge.
"You're pitching a big enough tent for us to camp out in," Jon teased. "Doesn't it hurt being that confined?"
"Yeah; do you want to rescue me?"
Again their conversation ceased as they helped each other divest the last of their clothing. They continued to kiss, but not for too long as their mouths explored other body parts. Jon squirmed and moaned as Davy nibbled on his sensitive nipples. Then he lowered Davy to the blanket and turned around so that he could do the same thing to Davy at the same time. They readjusted their bodies to center on the blanket, but their legs extended beyond it. Neither noticed the slight discomfort, because it was a convenient position in which to access each other's body as they worked toward their belly buttons which they stopped at to bathe for several minutes.
When they got to the main attraction, they were reminded again of how far they'd come in a year's time. Now they could take each other to the pubes with little difficulty even though their penises had grown a little in length. With their fingers kneading fleshy globes and straying into warm cracks while they bobbed their heads, neither could hold out long. Their senses went into overload mode. When Davy's body stiffened, it signaled to Jon that he was almost there. That was the last bit of stimulation Jon needed to join his lover in the throes of orgasm.
"You taste good!" Davy grinned as he milked the last drops from Jon's wilting dick.
"So do you! I'm glad we could share without wasting anything."
"I'm glad I learned one important thing from Pastor Bob; recycling cum so we don't waste precious seed!"
"I'm glad you can joke about it."
"Yeah, that part of my life is over and gone. I wonder if his case will ever go to trial with all the delays his lawyer's managed to get."
"It will happen someday. I'd be just as happy if we didn't have to testify."
"Me too, but I will do it if necessary to put that piece of shit away!"
They kissed and cuddled a bit more before getting dressed. Then they tossed the discs at a couple of the targets so they could truthfully say they'd been disc golfing if anyone asked where they'd gone after school.
For the most part, Davy and Joe had been able to put their past lives in the background in order to keep them from affecting their new ones. Davy was released from his therapy sessions and felt relieved but a little sad. He had come to see Dr. Troxel as more of a friend than counselor in the past year. He had opened up to the man completely, sharing his dreams of a future with Jon as his life partner.
Joe was still in therapy, but was rarely troubled by the nightmares which had plagued him in the beginning. If he awakened from a bad dream and was upset, he would simply crawl in bed with Davy and Jon when they were sleeping down the hall, or he would climb in their bed hugging a pillow if they were at Jon's. Something about the feel of their bed or the scent of their room signified security in Joe's mind.
In the middle of May, an event which made national news jolted both boys out of their comfort zone. There was a report of a shooting incident in a religious fundamentalist compound which left seven men dead. Three of those were identified as Isaiah Smith, Hezekiah Smith, and Jeremiah Long. The boys knew a couple of the others, but not all of them.
Details were sketchy at first, making it difficult to know exactly who started it or why. It had something to do with a dispute over "liberating" children who had been removed from their parents and adopted by other families. Some of the leaders demanded that they take matters into their own hands as God would want them to do, and others were more hesitant to break the laws of the land lest they end up like the Branch Davidians a few years ago in Waco.
While Davy and Joe weren't the only kids who might have been affected by the scheme, they assumed they would have been on the kidnapping list.
After a few days, one the media networks reported that Hezekiah Smith had been the organizer of the plot and that his estranged wife had turned him in to authorities fearing for the safety of her grandson. Since there was an outstanding warrant for Hezekiah's arrest for jumping bail, authorities had legal grounds to come into the compound to take him into custody. When they entered, they were fired upon without warning, and therefore returned fire in self defense. At the end of the short gun battle, one deputy was slightly wounded and seven of the "cult" members lay dead. The officer's Kevlar vest was credited with saving his life. He suffered only bruised ribs, which were painful, but not life-threatening.
It was no surprise that event had its effect on the adoptive brothers and their family. Davy felt strange about seeing a small headline on an article which covered the death of the man whose name he had shared for much of his life. He was happy that his new friends wouldn't associate it with him since he'd become "Dave Hart" before starting high school.
Joe was more traumatized. He began to have disturbing dreams again involving both his father and grandfather. Because of this, Jon and Davy spent the rest of the school year sleeping at Davy's house so they could share their bed with him. It may have put a little dent in their fooling around, but both agreed Joe's emotional needs took priority over their sexual desires.
Soon after he'd learned about the shooting, Joe asked his dads if he could try to get in touch with his grandmother in California. They not only approved, but helped him in his search. On White Pages, Brent found a telephone number for a Ruth Smith-Hayes. The entry listed Susan Smith-Hayes as an associate, so Joe knew it was the right one because he'd overheard his grandparents talk about them.
The phone rang three times before someone picked it up, but soon Joe was talking with Grandma Esther and thanking her for her role in saving him from being abducted. She told him that his grandfather and father had become more and more radical in their views and it had frightened her. She had a confidant in the compound who had kept her informed regularly, so she had decided the time was right for apprising the authorities of possible trouble. Although she had mourned the loss of her husband and son, she had begun to feel they had become like mad dogs. Joe's safety was her main concern.
After he'd visited with his grandmother, Joe talked to his Aunt Ruth whom he could only vaguely remember. She invited him to come for a visit sometime and to bring his boyfriend along. She completely understood about his orientation. Having a blood relative on his team made him smile.
During the difficult days in the aftermath of the shooting, David and Amanda Hart called several times to talk to their grandsons. They wanted to do something to take the boys' minds off of the whole thing, so they planned to open their place in Wisconsin in time to have it ready the minute school let out. The boys would be able to relax in the peaceful rural environment to help heal their psyches.
Davy and Joe were encouraged to bring their boyfriends if they wished to. Both boys assured Amanda that they did indeed want to. The minute they got off the phone, they checked with their guys to make sure it would all work out. For Davy, that was not a chore since Jon was already at his house.
Joe called Mark who was excited, but who had some reservations. He was concerned about leaving Bradon home alone. Bradon insisted that he didn't mind. After all, he would probably go on a trip with Megan if her grandparents invited him without Mark. Mark was still hesitant, but wanted very much to be with Joe, and having heard about the lake property from Davy and Jon, he thought it would be awesome.
Several emails passed between the elder Harts and the boys. Amanda also placed a call to the Witte home to talk to Mark's parents about the plans. Phil was home alone at the time and nearly didn't pick up the phone when he didn't recognize the number on caller-ID, but fortunately his curiosity got the best of him.
"Hello, this is Amanda Hart. I'm the grandmother of Dave and Joe."
"Hello, Mrs. Hart. What may I do for you?"
"I have a favor to ask, and you can start by calling me Amanda." She giggled.
"Okay, I'm cool with that," Phil laughed. "So, what may I do for you Amanda?"
"I'm calling to see if you'll allow your sons to spend a week in Wisconsin with the boys and Jon when school lets out. We'd love to have them as our guests at our house on the lake. It's very private and peaceful here and they can have the run of the property to swim, fish, use the Jet Ski, or the new ski boat Grandpa is buying. Please don't mention the boat to anyone because my husband wants it to be a surprise."
"That would be a wonderful opportunity for them. You have our thanks for the invitation and we'd like to know what we can do to help with food, transportation, and such."
"We don't expect you to do anything," Amanda said. "Joe will be celebrating his 14th birthday up here, so it's our treat to honor the occasion. He's never had a real birthday celebration and now that he's ours we plan to spoil him if possible. He's a wonderful boy.
Speaking of great kids, I must tell you about how sweet your Mark is. He didn't want to come without his brother, so we're making sure to include him in the invitation. It's wonderful to see two siblings so close!"
"Are you sure Bradon won't be a fifth wheel?"
"I'm certain he won't be treated that way. Dave and Jon are both eager to have him."
"That's great! Thanks for including him."
At long last, graduation ceremonies for the seniors, and finals week for the rest of the students, came to pass. Of course the boys attended graduation because of Wyatt and Jesse, and they were also a bit curious as to how it was done. Having taken the video camera, they captured Wyatt and Jesse publically kissing in the arena after receiving their diplomas.
School was out for the summer, and this summer would be the most carefree one Davy had had in a long time.
Author's notes: Thank to Paul R, Tony W, Larry, Mendy D, JTR, Vern, Bill K, Jim W, Douglas and Lawrence, Tom A, Bill T, Trish R, Walt S, Paul F, Roger L, and Scott W who contacted me this week. I appreciate your encouragement.
Here are some links I thought might be of interest to you:
http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201108/real-it-gets-victims-schoolyard-bullying-can-fight-back-help-ufc-royalty
Congratulations to "cutest couple."
http://www.edgeonthenet.com/?145322
British House of Lords passes second reading of gay marriage law: http://www.edgeonthenet.com/?145379