Jake C. Wallace's Blog, page 9

Wednesday Briefs #14 The Hollow: Soul Seekers


Copyright 2014  JC Wallace  Each week a group of authors participate weekly in Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. Each installment is 500-1000 words long and is posted to our blogs each week. After you read the latest in my story, click on the link at the end to visit the other flashers.~~~~~
Levi spent the remainder of the day playing with his new phone, and receiving dozens of texts from Gia expressing unabashed jealousy over Levi’s new toy and making sure he kept up on the gossip, which Levi could have cared less about. When Gia’s last text mentioned Noah, Levi ignored her.
True to his word, Logan sent a text complete with a picture of him with his girlfriend, Melissa. Levi couldn’t glean where the photo had been taken, but Levi was certain it wasn’t anywhere Logan truly wanted to be. Night and Day was how Levi described Logan and Melissa despite that, they appeared to care deeply for one another.
Levi dragged his laptop across the bed and logged into his Facebook account, which he rarely checked. The last time had been over a week ago. Besides Gia, there weren’t many other people Levi considered true friends. Compared to others on the social network, his friends list bordered on the pathetic, filled mostly with relatives. Some friends on his list were people from his college classes. A few were from Plattsburgh, including Professor Winston who’d taught Levi’s philosophy class. For some reason, they’d clicked and kept in touch on Facebook since Levi had abandoned college for the safety of home. She’d been trying to get Levi to come to Plattsburgh to visit but he’d declined each time. For the most part, Levi had accepted many of the friend requests, being nice.  Now, the small red box with the white number “one” at the top of the screen made him wonder who he’d be friending out of nicety this time.
Clicking on the red box, Noah Macy’s small face beamed back at him from the request. Fuck!He let out a moan and threw his head back onto the pillow. Why was this guy’s name constantly invading his life? Gia must have put him up to it. Levi bit down on his lip and tapped his finger against the keyboard. What harm could come from friending the man who’d saved him from freezing to death? Gia had been prepared to offer up his phone number to Noah. This act might serve to silence the subject with Gia, giving enough time for all of the hoopla to die down.
Two choices—“Accept” or “Not Now”. Tentatively, he pointed the white arrow to Accept. Just do it. With a press of his thumb the request was accepted—“friends” with Noah Macy. No big deal right? But if it wasn’t then what was with the nagging intuition that Noah was about to complicate his life?
Probably a premonition because Noah showed up at Levi’s house that night.

 
Chapter 8
Nothing. Not a twinge, or a skip of the heart, or an inkling of the warm lust Levi had experienced yesterday as he’d gazed up at Noah from that gurney. As he assessed Noah sitting on the couch across from him, he studied the contours of his cheeks, the shape of his lips and tried to recreate that perfect moment in the hospital. Nothing. Both relief and remorse struggled to be recognized.
Earlier, Levi had been relatively pain free and comfortable in his bed. Reluctantly, he’d moved to the couch in the living room after his father announcement that Noah would arrive at six P.M. No amount of arguing or excuses got Levi off that hook. The question of the day? How did Noah get an invitation to his house and from his father no less? Impossible, Levi had thought, yet there was Noah sitting across from where Levi laid propped up on pillows. Noah’s wavy auburn hair had been pulled neatly into a ponytail. None of those pesky, errant waves from yesterday were visible. In his button-up, blue shirt, khakis and leather loafers, he’d come dressed to impress.
Levi’s father had monopolized most of the conversation so far which took the pressure off Levi, however, Noah kept insisting on dragging Levi in. After a play-by-play of the events after Levi had stumbled to the cabin, Noah went on to explain why he’d been there in the first place. To Levi’s surprise, Noah was an Adirondack guide, as well as a college student and caretaker for the owner of the cabin, some big lawyer from Albany. Most weekends, Noah guided fishermen, hunters, hikers—anyone who wanted the mountain experience—through the Adirondack Mountains. During the week, he attended classes and kept up the cabin. A bonus, he added, was his unlimited use of the cabin since the owner only visited the area a few times a year. Noah had flashed Levi a wide grin with that last bit of info as if that would impress Levi.
Levi’s mother stepped into the living room, asking Noah for like the tenth time if he wanted anything. Again, his answer was no. Apparently, he wasn’t getting that saying ‘yes’ would have saved him from her incessant hospitality.  Unfortunately, his mother’s mission this time wasn’t to serve as much as to drag his father from the living room.
Great, alone with Noah.
Unease filled Levi’s gut. Noah may have saved him, but now Levi felt as if he owed Noah something and he didn’t like the feeling. Small talk was not Levi’s forte. Any kind of talking at all was something he tended to avoid. What would a normal person say in this situation?
Noah relaxed on the couch, his arm resting across the back. Levi could swear there was a nervousness underlying his cool façade.
Silence rarely bothered Levi, in fact, most of the time, it was his saving grace but he chose to break it first.
“I’m not sure if I said it at the hospital”—Levi could have said anything given the drugged state he’d been in—“and…well, I just want to thank you for helping me out yesterday.” He breathed a sigh of relief. He’d spoken and lived to tell about it.
Noah sat forward on the sofa and propped his elbows on his knees. His face brightened and a gleam flashed in his eye. His smile was a bit too wide. “No problem. Kind of a freaky day, huh?”
The understatement of the century. “Yeah, I guess.” So, Levi had said thanks and now wanted to know when to expect Noah’s departure.
When Noah sat back on the couch, getting comfortable again, Levi feared it was going to be a long haul.
“So, exactly how did you end up here, at my house, tonight?” The question sounded ruder aloud than it had in Levi’s head.
Before Levi could retract it, Noah answered. “Your father called me. He actually knows my mom. He surveyed some land for her a couple of years ago. Your Dad said he appreciated what I’d done for you and then asked me to visit.” He shrugged his shoulders.
Probably more like getting the story straight from the horse’s mouth. The fact that his father trusted a stranger more than he trusted Levi was a sickening kick in the stomach.
“So how’re the ribs doing? That was a nasty bruise. I can only imagine what it looks like today.”
Levi’s cheeks heated at the memory of Noah lifting his sweater yesterday. It increased his unease ten-fold. “I haven’t taken off the wrap that the doctor put on. He said not to remove it for a couple of days. Something about keeping the swelling down. Really, I have no desire to see it.”
Time to leave, right?
 “You’re lucky you only broke a rib. At that distance, you could have been knocked out.”
The enormity of the distance he’d fallen hadn’t hit Levi until Noah had driven the motor boat from the camp. When Levi had pointed out the massive stone ledge, Noah had shook his head in disbelief and questioned how Levi had walked away with only a broken rib.
“Yup. I’m the lucky one all right.” Levi moaned silently. A dental visit would have been less painful than this conversation, but how did he end it without being totally impolite. Then, as if on cue, Logan walked into the living room, Melissa following close behind.
My hero!
Levi introduced them to Noah. Logan vigorously shook Noah’s hand, showing his appreciation.
“Hey, thanks for taking care of Crash here for us. We just never know what he’ll do next,” Logan said, winking at Levi.
Levi glared at Logan and crossed his arms.
“Logan, don’t pick on Levi. How’re you feeling?” Melissa asked, flopping onto a chair with a magazine she’d been carrying (no doubt some kind of girly shit.)
Levi knew he liked her for a reason. “Good.”
Noah chuckled with an impish smirk. “Crash?”
“Logan, you’re gonna get it,” Levi murmured but first he had to remove himself as the focus of the conversation. “Hey, Logan. Noah’s an Adirondack guide.”
That statement not only removed the focus from Levi, but also saved him from further conversation with Noah. By eight o’clock, Levi’s ribs pulsed as the pain meds wore off.  Levi excused himself for the comfort of his bed. 
Logan assisted Levi off the couch. Climbing the stairs was a slow process, his ribs pained with each lift of his right leg. Relief came in the form of pain meds and the escape of sleep.
## Check out the other flashers at www.wedbriefsfic.com   

It's All Fun and Games! Rainbow Con!

Welcome Rainbow Con to the blog today! (P.S. I am registered to be there!)
Education is all well and good, but sometimes, you just want to have fun. We've tried to work that into the schedule at RainbowCon 2015. We have card games, gameshows, and singing scattered throughout each day for attendees who just want to spend some time relaxing (or maybe winning prizes!) with friends. There are some fandom favorites like Lord of the Rings Trivia and Doctor Who Trivia where attendees can test their knowledge and win prizes. We have gameshows like Whose Line (modeled after the wonderful Whose Line Is It Anyway?) and Name That Movie (where attendees guess what movie is being talked about). There are also fun card games (many adult oriented) like Cards Against Humanity, Top2Bottom, and That's So Gay! that are quick and fun to play.   And, due to its popularity in 2014, we've brought back Euphemism BINGO, and it's brought along Kink BINGO and Book Title BINGO (all games where awesome prizes can be won). We even have a classic, Memory, reinvented for RainbowCon as QUILTBAG Memory where you can test your memory by matching pairs of of cards after only a glimpse.   This is only a small taste of all the fun things we have in store for attendees. Prizes and laughter can be had when you show up to one of these events. Sometimes, you just need a break from the panels and seriousness of workshops, and our games give you just that.  


   RainbowCon is a four day QUILTBAG-centric event for anyone and everyone. If you love QUILTBAG fiction and media, then this is the place for you. You don't have identify as GLBTQ to attend! You just need to love and support the GLBTQ community. In 2015, we've expanded our programming to include not only content for writers and readers, but also anyone who loves QUILTBAG television, movies, comic books, educational, and fandom topics. We're an inclusive conference, and we want everyone to enjoy themselves. Check out our schedule to see all the fun we have in store for you!  

Registration is now OPEN! Come celebrate artistic diversity!

 

Wednesday Briefs #13 The Hollow: Soul Seekers

Copyright JC Wallace 2014Each week a group of authors participate weekly in Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. Each installment is 500-1000 words long and is posted to our blogs each week. After you read the latest in my story, click on the link at the end to visit the other flashers.   Levi managed to avoid further interactions with his mother and father for the night. Sleeping with a broken rib was harder than it sounded. When his ringing phone startled him from a dead sleep, Levi was surprised to see the sunlight filling his room. He snatched up the phone and pulled the covers over his head. Gia screamed at him through the other end. Even with the phone six inches from his ear, Levi heard her loud and clear.“Levi! What the hell happened? You’re in class one minute and then gone the next. Then I find out you fell into the goddamned lake and broke your rib? And I have to find out from Noah Macy that he brought you to the hospital?”“I’m fine,” Levi grumbled. Noah was quite the blabbermouth wasn’t he? Levi rubbed his head. It was way too early for this.“Now spill all of the details and leave nothing out.”Levi knew if he didn’t spill something juicy that Gia would be at his bedside within twenty minutes. He gave her a story about a panic attack, the unplanned trip to the lake, tripping over his own feet, falling into the lake, cell phone and all and a heroic rescue by Noah. Hopefully, that would satisfy her but apparently she was hoping for a more exciting explanation.“Are you sure you weren’t at the lake hit it Noah but the hot and steamy love-making burned with such intensity that your only saving grace was to jump into the freezing lake?”Close with the reason for jumping into the lake but not the cause.  “Wait. What?” Levi exclaimed, crawling out from beneath his blanket cocoon. “ ‘Hit it’ with Noah as in hit that with Noah? Noah Macy?” Maybe she was as crazy as Levi was.“No, I mean punch him in the friggin’ face. Duh.” She did sarcasm so well.Levi rubbed at his eyes. Was he still asleep. “Noah’s not even gay!”“Ugh! Do you even live on the same plane as the rest of us? Jesus Christ, Levi, last week at lunch Noah stopped and talked to us. When he left, I told you he had his foot out of the closet.”Levi remembered something about Noah and a closet, but he hadn’t thought Gia had been talking about that kind of closet. “Gia, when you tell me a hot, sports jock like Noah Macy has stepped up to bat for my team, and my jaw doesn’t scrape the floor and my eyes bug out of my head, then you can be fucking sure I’m not listening no matter what plane I’m currently visiting!” So, Levi hadn’t been wrong about the signals. Could be interesting if he was still hopped up on endorphins, but thinking of Noah Macy did nothing for at all. “You are the worst gay person I know,” Gia huffed. Sub-par at everything else, so why not the gay part as well. “When you just shrugged your shoulders I thought you weren’t interested because, well, you’re never interested,” she grumbled.But fucking lonely.Shit, where had that come from. “So just a foot out of the closet? How does that work?” Either in or out right? Who knew there were shades of being in or out of the closet?“Again. Worst. Gay. Person. Ever,” Gia said emphatically, but Levi could hear that underlying warmth few people got from her. “It means he’s told a few people he trusts, but he isn’t advertising. I think he told me because you and I are friends.”“But why would he...oh.” Levi realized his stupidity. Shit, had “pretty boy” been a compliment?  That so wasn’t important right then. “Wait, how does he even know that I’m gay?” It wasn’t anything Levi had ever advertised. “I don’t know. Maybe because you’ve never been out with a girl.”“I’ve never been out with a guy,” Levi retorted.“Sweetie, what that screams to most people is a guy in the closet.”Technically, Levi was in the closet since he knew he was gay, hadn’t told anyone, and didn’t hook up or date. Therefore, there hadn’t been a reason to tell anyone. He couldn’t get into the dating/relationship part since you needed emotions for that.  “Only you, Gia.”“A girl can have hope for her best friend, right? So speaking of hope, Noah asked me for your cell phone number but…”“Don’t you dare give him my home phone number! I don’t need a stalker.”“Hell, Levi, when a sweet piece of meat like Noah Macy asks for your number you rent a billboard to make sure he knows it. My God, he saved your life and all.”“Whatever. And now I’m going to do something I promised myself long ago I’d never do in a million years because your Italian ego is big enough for ten people. I agree with what you said. I’m not interested in Noah Macy.”“While I revel in your coming to your senses and agreeing that I’m always right, I don’t want to be right about this.” A long silence and Levi wondered if she’d hung up. Wouldn’t be the first time she’d been pissed enough to hit the “end” button. When she spoke again, her tone was uncharacteristically and scarily soft for Gia. “Sometimes I really worry about you Levi.” And he knew she did. Get in line. “Really, I’m fine. And I never said you were always right. Just this time.”“Your delusions are your own. Whatever about Noah,” Gia said but Levi knew it was far from over with her where Noah was concerned.Levi ended their call assuring Gia that it was pointless to visit him, giving the excuse that the pain meds made him tired. Today, Levi was hiding from the world. A short while later, there was a soft knock at his door. He sighed heavily. If only the world would leave him alone. “Yeah?”“Levi, I…Levi? Where are you?” Levi signed and threw the covers off his head. “Right here, Mom,” he said, really wishing he were anywhere but there.His mother frowned. “What’re you doing under the covers?”“Nothing much.” Just hiding.“How’re you feeling? Is the pain bad?” His mother bent over and picked up some dirty clothes. “Just when I breathe,” Levi muttered, pulling some stray hairs off his black shirt. “I’m sure you’ll be good as new in no time,” his mother sang in her usual upbeat tone. If there was one thing Maggie Reed was good at, it was painting the ugliness of the world with sunshine.She turned abruptly to face Levi. “But you are to stay in that bed until then,” she warned in her “motherly tone.”Levi snorted but wouldn’t argue. Would a month be pushing it?His mother disappeared into the bathroom still muttering something about having to go somewhere with someone today. As long as she didn’t bother him then Levi didn’t care if his mother went to the moon. Emerging from the bathroom, cradling a pile of dirty towels, she continued as if Levi had been listening all along. “You know Logan is very worried about you.” His mother’s statement was so matter-of-fact that Levi had almost missed it.  “Logan? Really?” Levi chuckled to himself. “Logan is worried” was Mom’s code word for “I’m worried.”Averting her gaze, Levi’s mother continued. “Of course he is. Especially this whole business of you stopping your medication.” The air hung thick and heavy. Levi knew he could end this quickly. “Well, I’m sure Logan is no longer worried since he watched me take my meds last night. He actually handed them to me,” he emphasized.His mother’s mouth dropped open a bit then closed. “Really. He didn’t tell me that,” she said, shaking off her surprise. “Well, I’m sure he’s relieved that you took it.”Levi nodded. “Yup, he’s the one who’s relieved.”His mother surveyed the room unable to find anything more to tidy. “Your father is at work. Logan had to run an errand and said he would check in on you later. Need anything before I leave?”Where should I start?“I’m good,” Levi assured her, grateful the house would be empty soon. Levi pulled the covers back over his head as his mother vacated the room. Sleep would have been a sweet escape, but the throbbing in his side and another knock on his door wouldn’t allow it.“Mom, I still don’t need anything,” Levi yelled. “Hiding under the blankets won’t block Supermom’s powers.”Peeking from under the covers, Levi found Logan leaning against the doorjamb, smirking. He was dressed in his usual uniform – flannel shirt, white t-shirt, jeans minus the hiking boots (because their mother wasn’t that upset anymore) and his Giants cap “Not even if it’s made of kryptonite?” Levi asked, wincing as he struggled to sit up. “Not even kryptonite can stop Supermom.” Logan stayed in the doorway. Levi surmised the distance was due to Logan’s uneasiness after the events of the previous night – and not to mention the night before that as well.“Mom said you had to run an errand? What about work?” Logan rarely took a day off but occasionally it happened.Logan raised his eyebrows. “Day off so I thought I’d run out and pick up a little something for my little bro, Crash.” Logan was enjoying the resurrection of Levi’s nickname way too much.“And what exactly dragged you out of the warmth of your bed on one of your rare days off?” Levi’s interest was definitely piqued.Logan pulled a white plastic bag from behind his back and then, with a grin even the Cheshire cat would envy, tossed it onto the bed beside Levi.Levi opened the small bag, pulling out a box. He glanced at Logan still looming in the doorway, the same satisfied grin still on his face.“An iPhone? Are you serious?” “Just try not to get this one wet…or drop it in the driveway.”“But how did you get Mom and Dad to...” Levi bit on the inside of his cheek. “They don’t know, do they?”Logan pursed his lips and shifted his shoulders, folding his arms across his chest. “No, and they don’t need to know another “Levi phone” bit the dust. Just consider it an early birthday present— and Christmas, Easter, Hanukah. You know all of the major ones.”Knowing how expensive the phone was, Levi’s elation died a little. Yes, he’d wanted an iPhone for over a year, no, he hadn’t been able to save the money, and yes, here was one in his hands, and, no, he couldn’t keep it. Logan’s sanity in this house was holding on by tiny frayed threads. He’d been saving to move out. This phone must have taken a chunk of his savings.Logan shook his head. “Jeez, I’d imagined a tad more excitement. I mean, every other word out of your mouth for the past year has been iPhone.”Excitement couldn’t begin to cover how the phone felt in his hands and he didn’t want to appear ungrateful. “It’s just…I mean, I love it, really I do but…it’s too expensive. You need the money to move.”Logan lifted an eyebrow and a quizzical expression crossed his face as if he hadn’t expected that reaction.“Anxious to get rid of me?” he mused.“You know I didn’t mean that.” No, Levi never wanted him to leave, ever.“Enough arguing.” Logan raised his hands and shook his head. “It’s all set up with your number. Of course, yours truly is already in the contacts because, hey, I’m awesome,” he proclaimed with a cocky grin. “Just turn it on and it’s all set. I’ve only got about twenty minutes before I have to meet Melissa so we can spend some “quality time” together.” He half moaned, adding the air quotes, and rolling his eyes deeply. “I’ll check in later. May even send you a text.”Before he could beat a hasty retreat Levi said, “Thanks, Logan.” Logan bowed slightly and was gone. Then the house was oddly silent. ##  Check out the other flashers this week at http://wedbriefsfic.com/           

Wednesday Briefs #12 The Hollow: Soul Seekers

Copyright   JC Wallace  2014 Each week a group of authors participate weekly in Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. Each installment is 500-1000 words long and is posted to our blogs each week. After you read the latest in my story, click on the link at the end to visit the other flashers.   Freeze frames of self-imposed methods of death flashed before Levi’s eyes—a gunshot, slitting his wrists, electrocution, jumping from something high, overdose.
Pills.
“What would ever make you think I hate you?” Logan asked, his voice a bit shaky. “Just take some deep breaths and calm down. It’s not that bad.” 
It was thatbad, worse than an atomic bomb, a tsunami, a hurricane—any moment he would be swept away into oblivion or disintegrate into a pile of dust.
Levi released Logan and jumped up from the chair. The black bag his sole focus. Within it, salvation from a world of suffering. Sweet release.
Pulling out a bottle of meds, Levi worked at the child safety cap. He had to open it. Swallowing all of them was the only thing that could save him.
Logan plucked the bottle from his hand. “I’ll open it.”
Levi reached out for the lorazepam prescribed to halt his panic attacks, intent on swallowing every last pill. “Just give it to me,” he cried, trying to grab at the bottle, but he crumpled onto the bed in pain.
Deep inside a scream reverberated. I can’t take this anymore!
Logan held his palm out with two tiny pills.
More. He needed so many more.
“Levi, take these now,” Logan commanded.
Levi grabbed the quick acting pills and they dissolved under his tongue. “I need more,” he cried frantically. “Give me the rest of them, please, Logan. Please!”
Logan frowned looking at the dosage again. “It says to take two.”
“I need more,” he cried.
Logan paled a bit then steeled his expression and said, “No.” He pushed the bottle into his front pocket. He stared down at Levi who continued to sob and seemed unsure what to do. “I’m going to get you some clean clothes.”
Levi wrapped his arms around his head. The intense anguish, distress, sorrow were slowly fading and morphing, replaced with grief, mild aching, and melancholy.
Logan returned to the bed with fresh clothes. Levi’s sobs faded into small gasps. His eyes burned, ribs ached, the bone crushing pressure now a small headache. Most importantly the imprudent plot to end his life was gone, the hollow once again empty.
Logan knelt on one knee before Levi. “Feeling better?” His tone was tenuous.
No, I was going to hurt myself and I don’t even know why. But he couldn’t tell him that. He nodded. Logan’s expression was neutral, but the fear was evident in his eyes, as if unsure of what Levi would do next. Levi felt the same way. His life had taken a U-turn, from out of control to fucking crazy.
“Levi, what just happened?” Logan asked, never afraid to ask the hard questions of Levi.
Too bad Levi didn’t have any answers. First, the crushing pain at school followed by the euphoria that had burned so hot that he’d propelled himself into a lake, and now, again that terrible pressure in his head and then a gut-wrenching despair worthy of ending his own life. What if Logan hadn’t been there?
What if…
Logan continued. “I mean, Levi, I can’t remember ever seeing you cry...well, except when you hurt yourself or when Nana died, but other than that...” He shrugged his shoulders seemingly at a loss.
What could he tell Logan? The craziness of the entire day—Logan deserved the truth, honorable Logan, who’d never let Levi down. How could Levi tell Logan that his mind was crashing and would soon take Levi with it? Would he become a drooling shell, slumped over in a chair, unable to move, communicate, trapped in a hell designed just for him or would he just explode like a dying star and fill the the air with his molecules?  Doubts were beginning to surface that stopping his medications were the cause. Actually, there had been periods of time when he had gone without certain medications. Dr. Ross had called them “medication holidays.” It had been only a few times in the last ten years and he couldn’t remember why. Even during those times, which may have been as long as two weeks, nothing this had happened like this. Ever.
Levi licked at his dry lips and told a bold-faced lie. “A headache. I think they said something about a concussion at the hospital. I think it was the standing.” Yeah, that sounded good. “I thought my head was going to explode.” Right, because he only cried from pain. So easy to lie when you were in the middle of a break with reality.
Logan tilted his head. Blank and expressionless, Levi couldn’t tell if Logan had bought his lie as well as Levi himself had. Logan’s eyes softened but not before an incredulous look flashed at Levi. “You should talk to Mom. Maybe see your therapist again. I know going away to school and having to come home was hard on you. And you know you can talk to me too.” The earnest look on Logan’s was mixed with an underlying sadness. Levi couldn’t blame him for worrying. Levi was worried himself.
“I know. Maybe, if things don’t get better soon...” He didn’t want to promise Logan anything he wasn’t going to do.
Logan spared him from having to go on. “Do you want me to help you get changed?”
Levi wrinkled up his nose. “Fuck no! My own brother? Get out!” He forced a smile, hoping to bring levity to the anything-but-funny situation.
“I thought the same thing after I said it,” Logan chuckled slightly, exaggerating a shudder.
Logan’s smile quickly faded and Levi could tell he wanted to say something more. Questions were forming, doubts layering.
“I really meant it when I said I was sorry for—you know everything,” Levi said.
“That’s what big brothers are for.”
Levi highly doubted they were made to put up with all his of nonsense.
“Get some sleep, Crash. I’m right in the next room if you need anything.”
Logan really meant it, but Levi also knew he wouldn’t be bothering Logan, no matter what.
Logan started for the door then swung around. “Oh, I forgot, Gia called for you. She was freaked out by your exit from class. She said that she called your cell about a hundred times and it went straight to voice mail. You should call her back or at least text her.”
Levi sighed heavily. “Unfortunately, my phone sleeps with the fishes.”
Logan laughed out loud. “You dropped your phone in the lake, too?”
More like chucked it. “Unfortunately.”
“That really sucks,” Logan said apparently trying to sound less than amused.
“Yeah, since that was my second phone since November. Dad is going to kill me especially after what happened to my last phone. I will be phoneless for the foreseeable future.”
Logan rubbed at his stubbled jaw. “So, what’s worse? Dropping your phone in the lake or dropping it in the driveway where Dad runs it over?”
Levi already knew the answer to that one.
“The Dad one most definitely,” Logan answered for Levi, his eyes reflecting the light from the ceiling.
“Goodnight Crash,” Logan said again, giving a wave as he shut his door.
Levi smiled but it was short lived. He was going to miss Logan the most when he lost his sanity. Luckily, he’d avoided questions about what exactly had happened at the lake. Unfortunately, that avoidance had been his near suicide attempt.  # # Check out the other flashers at http://wedbriefsfic.com/


Wednesday Briefs #11 The Hollow: Soul Seekers

JC Wallace copyright 2014    When his mother finally spoke, her words just drove the asshole point home even further. “I’m just so tired,” his mother confessed. “Ever since he was little…he’s draining me. It’s always something with him. When will it end?” “Let me talk to him,” Logan said and then it was silent for a moment. Levi wondered if Logan was hugging his mother, trying to comfort her. Levi laid his head onto the pillow. When Logan entered the room, Levi closed his eyes. I need to pee so badly! When he didn’t sense Logan near, Levi peaked out of one eye. Logan grabbed the chair at his desk and swung it around to the side of the bed. When Logan glanced in his direction, Levi shut the eye, even let out a little snore and waited. “I know you’re awake. You may fool Mom but I ain’t buying it.” Levi sighed and opened his eyes. Logan straddled the chair, which he’d set down backwards. He rested his forearms over the back of the chair, his ball cap swinging casually in his hands. His mouth curved into a mischievous smile. He still wore his work clothes – plaid flannel shirt, blue down vest. His faded jeans and work boots were caked with dried mud. Every inch the Adirondack man. His attire spoke to just how upset their mother had truly had been. Normally, Logan wouldn’t have made it past the back porch with those dirty clothes much less the boots. “Hey, Crash.” “Ugh.” Levi moaned and wrinkled his nose at the long forgotten nickname Logan had given Levi after he’d broken his leg when he was younger. It had stuck like superglue for over a year.  The wry smile on Logan’s face told him it was going to stick again. “So a broken rib, huh?” Logan asked. Levi nodded his head. “Yup.” Pulling at a stray thread on his comforter, Levi intentionally avoided looking directly at Logan. The world’s most uncomfortable silence ever filled the space between them. Biting hard into the side of his cheek distracted him further as he waited for it. “You know mom and dad are really worried about you.” There it was. Levi snorted. “Dad worried about me? Yeah, I don't see it.” Logan sighed and looked down as if studying his hat. “I can see it in his face, Levi. He may not say it, but he looks…sad.” The words Dad and sad in the same sentence were an oxymoron. “And Mom—” Levi cut Logan off. “I heard Mom. She's tired of me,” he spat, folding his arms over his chest.  “That's not true. All he said is that she’s tired.” Logan had always played the peacemaker between Levi and their parents. “Same difference,” Levi said, staring straight ahead stubbornly. “She was crying. Don't you even care?” he asked in sheer exasperation. Like any normal person, Levi really wanted to care. What kind of a person wouldn’t be distressed knowing they’d made their mother cry? Only someone who was dead inside, someone who lacked the ability to feel on a deeper level, someone like Levi. Yes, he was bothered that his mother had been crying, but it bordered more on annoyance than anything else. “She always treats me like a baby,” he said defending himself. Logan had stopped twirling his hat about in his fingers. The hard lines of his mouth and jaw, the furrow in his brow, his cold hard stare, told Levi that Logan was either too enraged to speak or debating if he should say anything further. “You know Levi sometimes you can be such a brat.” He'd muttered it but Levi had heard it all the same. “Well, we all can't be as perfect as you, Logan,” he replied, trying to volley the hurt from Logan’s statement but, truthfully, it was the last thing he’d wanted to do. Damn, they were acting as if they were kids again.  “Yeah, I never get tired of hearing that.” The crestfallen look on Logan’s face and defeated tone told Levi that he’d hit his mark and he hated that he’d gone there. Weariness dulled Logan’s eyes to a grayish-blue color. It was far from weariness due to a lack of sleep. It was the weariness from realizing that the long hard battle you’d been fiercely fighting is an act futility. Levi cringed. What was he doing pushing Logan away? Guilt stabbed into his chest. And then the pressure, was back, rapidly filling his skull. Logan had closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Levi either had to get Logan out of his room or get himself out. Bathroom! Flinging the covers off, Levi bolted to a sitting position, fighting stop his cry of pain. His movement brought Logan to his feet. “Where’re you going?” “Bathroom. I can do it myself,” Levi snapped, when Logan reached out to touch him. Just as in class earlier, the force continued to rise in his brain, squeezing nerves to the point of screaming. He willed himself to rise. Successfully pushing off the bed, he could only stumble due to the competing searing pains in his side and in his head. He slammed into his desk, gripping the edge to remain upright. “Are you okay?” Logan jumped to his side, his hand on Levi’s shoulder. Levi clenched his teeth so tight he expected them to shatter into pieces. Air hissed through his teeth as he tried to breathe through the never-ending pain. Lowering his head, he tightened every muscle searching for the power to overcome the force that was working to destroy his mind. “Is it another panic attack?” Levi shook his head. That’s when he saw something out of his window – the a large man standing beneath the streetlight across the road.  Dressed in a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled low over his face Levi could swear he looked right at Levi. “Is it your ribs?” Logan asked, bending to see Levi’s face. Another wave of pain shuddered through Levi as he clamped his eyes shut and dug his fingernails into his scalp. Tendrils of pain whipped around his brain. A warm rush washed down his legs. “What do you want me to do? Logan asked, frantically searching for any kind of answer. “Do you want me to get Mom?” Levi grabbed Logan’s wrist, unable to reply, muted from his battle to save his sanity. What kind of demon had his mind created to assault him so ruthlessly? And how long before it took over completely? Weakness invaded Levi’s legs and he wavered a bit. “I got ya.” Logan wrapped an arm around Levi. The pressure was melting away to a dull throbbing ache, returning the attention to his screaming ribs. Ironically, the searing burn meant the pain in his head was dissipating. Looking out of the window the figure had vanished - if it had even truly been there. “Let’s get you back to bed,” Logan whispered, guiding Levi. That’s when Levi felt the wetness of his sweatpants and the awful realization that he’d pissed himself. A dark wet stain covered the front of his sweats. Even his socks were wet. “Fuck, I pissed myself!” he exclaimed in disbelief. “You what?” Logan looked down at the front of Levi’s pants and for a minute was flustered. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t mean…” he cried, tears quickly flooding over his eyes. Logan shook off his bewilderment. “Hey, it’s no big deal. I’ll get you some dry clothes. Here, sit in the chair” Logan said. Suddenly, as if a bucket of icy cold water had been dumped over him, Levi was submerged within a cesspool of overwhelming sorrow, immersed in a swelling sea of grief—heartache...sadness...loss...misery. The swirling anguish overtook his senses. No longer was he a hollow, empty shell, but overflowing with the sadness and agony of a million tormented souls. A never-ending despair reached deep, twisting and turning his heart, scratching at his insides with raw and icy claws. Pure hopelessness ripped through his mind. “Oh, God, Logan!” Levi cried as Logan set him onto the chair. “I…I c-can’t do this anymore!” Large sobs wracked Levi’s body. Tears streamed from his cheeks onto his already wet sweatpants. He grabbed Logan by both arms, frantically searching his brother’s face for comfort, reassurance. Logan crouched in front of Levi who threw his arms around Logan in one desperate motion, crushing against him.  The desolation and misery were mind numbing, and crushed Levi’s will to exist. Logan pulled him close. “Hey, Levi, it’s okay. Whatever it is, it’s going to be okay.” His reassurance fell on deaf ears. “Logan, I’m an awful person. I don’t deserve you or Mom or Dad. You’re right I’m a selfish brat,” he managed between sobs. “I only care about myself. Please don’t hate me for ruining your life. I’m cursed and only cause everyone pain and suffering.” Levi squeezed his eyes tight, witnessing the grey barren plane of his existence— Oh God—the sadness, the utter hopelessness. Millennia of desperation rotting inside of him while hundreds of ghostly claws descended on his body, ripping huge gashes into his skin, digging into muscles and ligaments, gouging at his eyes, ripping out the protective bones of his chest, devouring his heart.  Only one way to stop the pain. End it now.  # # Check out the other flashers at www.wedsbriefsfic.com    

Pink Lace and Stolen Hearts available at Goodreads!

 
Pink Lace and Stolen Hearts, my Love's Landscape story, is up on Goodreads! YEAH!  You must be a member of the MM Romance Group to read it. If you're not, become a member because there are dozens of awesome, free stories during this event.
 Goodreads

Get ready for some cruise ship flash fiction!

 To celebrate Gay Pride Month the Wednesday Briefers will be at Beth Wylde's Yahoo Group!!  We have created a fictional setting on a gay cruise and each of us participating wrote flash fiction based on that setting. In the future, we plan to create short stories from these flashes! There will be a flash fiction post from each author as well as additional posts and prizes!  You have to belong to the Beth Wylde group before you can read the posts and participate. Do that now at this link - https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/bethwylde/info Until then, check out my weekly flash fiction at www.jcwallacebooks.com/wednesday

Wednesday Briefs #10 The Hollow: Soul Seekers

Copyright JC Wallace 2014
Each week a group of authors participate weekly in Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. Each installment is 500-1000 words long and is posted to our blogs each week. After you read the latest in my story, click on the link at the end to visit the other flashers.

 

The entire agony of the trip to the hospital—walking to the shore, the boat ride, lying in the back seat of Noah’s SUV, bumps and twists and turns—blurred in Levi’s mind as he laid on the gurney in the ER.  The flimsy pale blue curtain around his bed did little to drown out the noises of the hospital. X-rays had been taken, blood had been drawn, parents had been called and pain medication had been administered. The pills took the edge off the pain and clouded his mind. If only he could sleep before his parents arrived. If only I could crawl into a hole…
“Hey, Pretty Boy.”
“Hmmm?” Levi replied, without opening his eyes. The floating sensation was actually kind of nice.
 “How’s it going?” Noah whispered as if it were a requirement.
“Oh, just peachy. Your original diagnosis was correct, Dr. Macy,” he teased and couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. “One broken rib.” He waved one digit in the air in Noah’s direction.
Oh, how he hoped they sent him home with more of this pain stuff. What had he felt earlier in the woods? Euphoria? Yeah, this was a lot like that.
Noah circled around the gurney. His hat was off again. More locks of hair had escaped their tie and floated wildly around hisface. The pools of his emerald irises were deep and inviting. Such long eyelashes. Soft, rounded lips. When Noah gently rested his hand on Levi’s forearm, goose bumps sprung to life and unfamiliar warmth spread from beneath Levi’s navel, twisted and turned, and traveled south. Levi gazed up at Noah with a wide smile.
Noah cocked his head to one side, raised an eyebrow, and a lopsided smile curled his lips. “Feeling pretty good right now?”
Levi nodded closing his eyes. He couldn’t lie. He felt awesome. “They should put this stuff in the water.”
A loud burst of laughter filled the room. Opening his eyes, Levi lost himself in the smiling man before him. He was beautiful.
 * * * *

Unfortunately, all good things must end and within two hours, Levi was in his own bed. A nagging ache in his side and the same old anxiety replaced the medication-induced euphoria. No such luck with being sent home with the little magic pills, no chance of extending the artificial high. And halted just as swiftly as it had surfaced, that new sensation, all warm and soft, filled with want and aching need. Lust.
Only the skeletons of a former glorious rapture remained. A growing black hollow expanded across Levi’s chest and only added to the enormous sense of loss weighing heavily on his entire body. Fear of never feeling any emotion so real again fueled his anxiety. It felt a lot like mourning.
Closing his eyes Levi tried to take slow deep breaths, but the bandage wrapped tight around his ribcage restricted the expansion. Okay, so scratch deep breathing from his list of anxiety fighting tools. Muscle relaxation, number two on the list. Yet, the thoughts whirling about his head kept focusing on those moments on the gurney, the feelings, and Noah. No matter how far from this day he traveled in time, Levi doubted he could ever forget the emotions he’d felt gazing up at Noah. Next time he gazed upon Noah’s face, Levi knew he would feel nothing.
A wave of panic spilled over the top of the dam.
Levi’s attention shifted to the black zippered pouch still on his nightstand. One pill could strengthen the dam, make it taller and stronger. Why suffer with another panic attack when it was preventable? Except for his brief time he’d spent at college in Plattsburgh, his meds had faithfully squashed the panic for years. A low level of perpetual anxiety remained, but it hadn’t crippled his life as the panic had. So why continue to abandon a tried and true method?
Because he’d felt something earlier.
Not the fake euphoria from the pills at the hospital. That was a lie. What he’d felt in those brief moments on the run in the woods was genuine emotion. Was his mind finally waking up from its long, anti-depressant induced slumber? God, how long had he been on meds? Ten years?  A short week of abstinence apparently wasn’t long enough to make a significant difference. Assuming that the feeling part of his brain would flip on like a switch when he’d quit the meds had been wrong. But something was happening, changing and that brought him a single ray of hope.
It had to be enough to sustain him as he waited for his emotions to emerge from their sleep. He needed to stay positive.
God, I need to take a piss!
Levi’s bathroom was only ten feet from his bed but might as well have been a million miles away. The relentless, searing hot poker thrusting into his right side made movement not only scary but near impossible.
Voices in the hallway caught his attention. His mother was speaking right outside of Levi’s door. During the car ride home from the hospital, Levi had endured his mother’s lamenting of his accident. Why hadn’t he been in school? Whatever had possessed him to go to the lake alone? What had gotten into him since he’d left college in Plattsburgh? All questions a frightened, caring mother had the right to ask. Questions Levi had miserably failed to answer.
Levi willed his mother to go away, too tired to face another interrogation. The door opened slowly and Levi clamped his eyes shut. Fake sleeping always worked. His mother had no problem waking her children but get the sniffles, skin your knee or anything worse, and she’d let you sleep for a week if that’s what it took to heal you.
“Levi?”
Soft footsteps on the rug, rustling of fabric, a gentle hand on Levi’s forehead then retreat.
Out in the hall his mother spoke again. “He’s sleeping.”
“What did he say happened?” The booming voice rattled across Levi’s nerves even from out in the hall.
Ugh, his father.
Luckily, he had been out on a job with Logan when the hospital had called them. Levi held his breath as they spoke.
“He said he slipped off a large rock and fell into the water,” his mother whispered loudly.
“And what the hell was he doing at the lake in the first place?” Levi was convinced his father’s voice could crack concrete if he became angry enough.
“He said he needed a break.”
“A break?” his father snorted. “That boy just needs to buckle down and focus on school. This nonsense has been going on for far too long.”
The words sank Levi’s heart. His father had never understood his mental illness.
“Art, you know he has issues and they aren’t going to just go away just by trying harder,” his mother said in Levi’s defense. “I think he needs to see Dr. Ross again.”
His therapist?
His father snorted. “He saw that woman for over five years and a lot of good that has done.”
“I’m worried, especially after today.” There was a short pause. “Art, what if this wasn’t an accident?”
Huh?
“What do you mean?” his father growled.
Levi lifted his head to hear better. God, his bladder was about to explode. Wouldn’t wetting the bed just add to his freakiness? 
“When I called Logan to tell him about Levi earlier, he said not to give him a hard time about this. When I asked him why, he told me that Levi’s been having a hard time lately with the anxiety. He said Levi told him that he’d stopped taking his meds over a week ago.”
Levi gasped. Logan told their mother! How could he have betrayed him and to their mother of all people?
“And?” his father asked after an extended silence.
“You don’t think that Levi tried to intentionally hurt himself do you?”
Holy shit! Did she really believe that Levi had tried to…commit suicide? Oh, Logan was so dead.
 “That’s nonsense,” his father retorted, apparently having none of that.
For once, he was the one on Levi’s side. Levi closed his eyes now trying to block out their voices. Surely, this would blow over after Levi assured his mother it had been an accident, even if it was an intentional accident.  However, before any of that happened he might be in jail since he was going to murder Logan.
Another voice joined his parents in the hallway. “Mom, don’t say stuff like that,” Logan said, his annoyance apparent.
Speak of the devil.
 “I’m going to eat dinner,” his father grumbled and Levi heard him descend the stairs.
“Logan you said it yourself he stopped—”
“Mom, Levi didn’t do this to himself. I know he didn’t so cut him some slack. You and Dad are always giving him such a hard time.”
Any anger for Logan harbored by Levi faded fast.
“We’re no harder on him than we are on you,” she said defending herself and her husband. “In fact, we’ve cut Levi a lot more slack than we ever did for you. It’s just…I’m…” her voice wavered slightly.
Oh great. Was his mom crying?
 “Listen, Levi is going to be fine. Don’t worry.” The calm, softness in his tone confirmed to Levi that his mother was indeed crying. Well, didn’t that just make him feel like a selfish asshole.

# #
Check out the other flashers this week at: http://wedbriefsfic.com
 

Welcome Crystal from Crystal's Many Reviewers to the Blog!

If you don’t know who I am, then you’re one of the lucky ones! But that’s about to change after this posting because I’m strange like that. Trust me; once you know a little about me, you will always remember me. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but I tend think on the positive side. So sit back and enjoy the ride to get to know a little bit more about me, my blog, and how I started out reading M/M books.
To be honest, I haven’t always read M/M books; I suppose you could say that I’m a newbie in the genre. But I don’t think that makes me any less important of a reader in this genre. The first book that I read that had M/M relations in it would have actually been Bend by Bailey Bradford. At the time, I was all into ménage stories, and I found that one. When I realized that it was an M/M/F book, I was a bit worried at first because I wasn’t sure if I would like the M/M aspect of the story. But turns out that I did enjoy it! And I couldn’t get enough of the M/M stories. So all the authors out there who I have read your books, make sure you thank Bailey because it all started with her!
Then that brings me to the starting of my blog, Crystal’s Many Reviewers. When I started the blog, the only thing that I knew was that I wanted it to be completely open to EVERYTHING. I wasn’t going to discriminate against any genre, every one of them were open to be advertised on the blog. After a rough start, because I did have some authors who flat out refused to allow reviews of their books on a site that had LGBT books advertised as well. Don’t even get me started on the number of times I was told that I was going to hell because of the fact that I read “the devils books” but really? I didn’t care. Why should I stop reading what I enjoy because of someone else’s thoughts and opinions?
Since I have started reading primarily in this genre, one thing that I have realized is how insanely nice the authors are to work with. They will just spend time talking with you, ask your advice on their books, advertise your blog as much as you advertise their books. And not only that? But they also support each other. It doesn’t matter if one author is a best seller on who knows how many lists, they will still promote and support the new up and coming authors in the genre. They will give advice to you if you need it, if you ask for it. They just overall support you no matter what, without asking anything in return.
Now, let’s bring this around to me reviewing books. When you have read/reviewed as many books as I have, you start to get bored of the stories. You start to get bored of the sex. (Yes, I know I said that! But it’s the truth!) You want something MORE from the stories. Let’s be honest here, when there are 2 men together, there’s only so many things they can do… It does get kinda boring after a while reading the same thing over and over again. My best advice to authors in this genre or wanting to write in this genre? Make your story about more than just the sex. Take the time to add the backstory of the characters and give the reader a reason to want to turn the pages, a reason to not want to put your book down do something else.
When it comes to reading this genre, there are TONS of authors who I completely love:
Bailey Bradford will always be my first love in the genre because she is the one who introduced me to this world.
Lori Toland, who is my amazing author bestie, has some great books out there now. The very first book of hers that I read, The Long Con, made me fall in total lust with her writing and since then I have successfully stalked her for over a year now. Her Replacement Guitarist Series is the first M/M Rock Star series that I have ever read, and I have can’t get enough of those men! Lori was/is amazing at helping me get the M/M portion of the blog taking off. If it wouldn’t have been for her putting me in contact with the right people, then I wouldn’t be where I am today.
MA Church was completely able to suck me back into enjoy Syi-Fi books with her story The Harvest: Taken. But my all-time favorite of hers will always be Faded Love. That book even though it was short, it packed a huge punch. (And she also shows that just because a story is short, that doesn’t mean it’s not a great read.)
Kindle Alexander, caught me so off guard with how amazing their stories are and even more than that, with how caring and loving they are as people. They truly care about all of their fans, and will go out of their way to support everyone.
There are tons of other authors in this genre, some who I found by complete fluke, (Like my amazing host who’s blog I’m stealing the spotlight of today!) Now onto JC, I actually met JC by complete fluke!!  We were signed up to host during another authors release day blast, and we were on at the same time! But instead of arguing about it, we decided to share the spotlight, and that’s how I found out about Shaney, (who I completely love!). After the event was over, and JC finally realized how awesome I was and offered a review copy of Curiosity Killed Shaney. As soon as I finished reading it, I was on messenger begging for the next book. And from there, our awesome relationship has bloomed!
The best way I could say that you can find new authors in this genre, is to just check out what other authors are sharing. I search the Amazon Top 100 Gay and Lesbian list everyday and when I see new authors who have a 99 cent release, I 1 click that sucker. (That is how I also found JJ Black!). So if you’re looking for new authors to read, I would completely recommend that!
If you haven’t read this genre yet, but you’re on the fence about it? I say go ahead and take that plunge. It’s completely worth a shot and you never know what you will find!
 ********************
Links that I talked about in the post: (Not sure if you wanted them or not but I figured what they heck!)
Bend
http://amzn.to/1tkZfgF
Bailey Bradford
http://amzn.to/1kJfNyb
The Long Con
http://amzn.to/1gz31mk
Lori Toland
http://amzn.to/1kdD2Mg
The Replacement Guitarist
http://amzn.to/1tMMgqq
MA Church
http://amzn.to/1reOlNP
The Harvest: Taken
http://amzn.to/1tMLfi5
Faded Love
http://amzn.to/1wipyIN
Kindle Alexander
http://amzn.to/TSg0FU
Curiosity Killed Shaney
http://amzn.to/1orNXJY
JC Wallace
http://amzn.to/1tl0JaI
JJ Black
http://amzn.to/1gz3BAv
Amazon Top 100:
http://amzn.to/1gz2sZN

Blog Links:Email: crystalsmanyreviewers@gmail.com
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Want to submit a review request? Fill out the form here:
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Wednesday Briefs #9 The Hollow: Soul Seekers

Copyright 2014 JC Wallace
Each Week a group of authors participate weekly in Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. Each installment is 500-1000 words long and is posted to our blogs each week. After you read the latest in my story, click on the link at the end to visit the other flashers.

Welcome my new weekly flash story The Hollow: Soul Seekers. My previous story Diventando: Becoming has been pulled so I can prep it for publication. I will let you know in the future a date of publication.




I-I mean…” The words stumbled out of Noah’s mouth and he drew in a deep breath. “What I meantto say is that I’ll go into the other room while you change so you don’t have to walk all the way over there.” Again, the nervous smile. What the hell was that? Noah was one of those confident guys Levi had always envied. A guy that wasn’t bothered by anything.
Levi’s stomach did a flip. Warily, Levi regarded Noah’s words and body language since he’d arrived at the cabin. Noah had been sending up flags that most gay guys would call gaydar. Levi didn’t believe in gaydar. He considered it a dangerous mistake to assume someone gay. What Levi did know was when macho jock types were sending signals. It wasn’t as if Noah was a stranger. Being gay in this small town wasn’t exactly news but being openly gay was. Noah was an acquaintance of Gia’s from high school, but she’d never once let Levi know he swung toward boys – well, now men. If Noah was Gia’s friend he’d trust him since Gia didn’t tolerate losers. And Noah was trying to help him in what was one of the stupidest situations he’d ever allowed himself to be in.

When he didn’t agree immediately, he spoke. “I promise not to look,” Noah said, then held up two fingers and smiled. “Scout’s honor.”

Levi nodded and turned his upper body to lay the clothes on the coffee table. A stabbing pain ripped up his right side and he cried out. Instinctively, his left hand went up to protect the area as he fell forward toward the table. His right palm slammed into the floor before his head could strike the table’s jagged wooden corner.
“Shit, Levi.”

Pain throbbed in his side. Muscles in his chest and stomach clenched tight, restricting his lungs. He gasped for air as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Frozen in pain, he struggled to remain upright as darkness clouded his vision.

A fuzzy Noah knelt before him.

“What’s wrong?”

Noah immediately began inspecting Levi’s body. “Where?” He pushed the coffee table away and moved to the side protected by Levi’s left hand.

Levi signaled with the hand protecting his side. Closing his eyes helped Levi to direct his attention toward relaxing his muscles and away from his physical torment.

“Your side hurts?” “Move your hand so I can take a look,” Noah directed.

Levi shook his head, continuing to guard the vulnerable area with his hand. The intense pain was slowly fading into a hot throb. No more pain was his current motto.

“Please, just let me look.” Noah’s voice was calm and oddly soothing. “I’m sure it’s nothing. I promise not to hurt you.”

Again, Levi refused. That shit hurt way too much. Call him a pussy and see if he cared.

“Just let me look pl—

“ I’m okay,” Levi forced out. Now if someone would stop trying to rip his side apart he wouldn’t be called a liar.

An exasperated sigh escaped from Noah. “You’ve always been so stubborn. Just trust me.”

Was that a hint of aggravation in Noah’s voice? And what did he know about Levi’s stubbornness?

Glancing over his shoulder, Levi caught a glimpse of Noah where he knelt. His hands planted firmly at his hips, his green eyes had darkened and his face hardened. Just the sides of his shoulder-length auburn hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. Shorter pieces of wavy locks hung at the sides of his face. When had he taken off his hat? His hard stare told Levi he was serious about checking his injury.

"Okay.” Levi relented and removed the hand blocking Noah and then clamped his eyes shut, prepping for the pain.

“I’m going to lift up your sweater so I can see,” he informed Levi. Noah slipped a finger under the sweater’s hem near Levi’s hip. The tip of Noah’s finger gently swiped Levi’s skin causing him to flinch.

“Did I hurt you?”

"No,” Levi assured him. Why had he jumped?

Carefully, Noah peeled the damp fabric up toward Levi’s armpit. Reflexively, Levi wrapped his arm around his chest to prevent too much skin exposure. Noah didn’t seem to notice his act of modesty. Yeah, this wasn’t embarrassing or anything.

“Hell, Levi!” Noah startled him-again.

"What?” Levi craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the area, but the pain limited his twisting.

Noah still held up Levi’s sweater, squinting at the area as if trying to get a better look. “What did you say happened? You fell into the lake?”

Yes, that’s exactly what he’d said. “Yup.”

“Did you hit your side against something?”

It had all happened so fast, he wasn’t sure. He’d tripped coming onto the rock but had he fallen? No. Well, actually, he had fallen into the water—twenty feet into the water right onto his side—the side currently holding Noah’s attention.

Without getting too specific, he said, “I didn’t hit anything, but I fell pretty far and landed on my side in the water.”

"And where exactly where were you that you fell far enough to cracka rib?”
Levi’s head snapped around. “I broke a rib?”

Noah nodded. “Oh, yeah. At least one.” He squinted and reexamined the area. “Maybe two.”

No way. He had to be wrong. “How do you know they’re—”

“Broken?” Noah finished his question. “Well, your entire side is reddish purple from right here under your armpit to about here.” He twirled a finger over a spot Levi couldn’t see. “The bruising is worse right in the middle. Kind of a deep purple, almost black. Bruising like that can only mean broken bones.”

"But it didn’t really hurt until now,” Levi protested, feeling as if his entire body was on display for Noah’s perusal. He grabbed his sweater and pulled it down.

Noah blinked at the action and then said, “Well, cold tends to numb injuries and you fell into a huge pool of ice water.” He raised himself from the floor and returned the ball cap to his head. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

 Oh, no way. “Are you kidding me? I can’t go to the hospital. What am I supposed to tell my parents?” His father was going to go ballistic—Levi screwed up again!

Levi managed to sit on the floor, panting and tried to catch what little breath his side allowed. Definitely fucked something up.

“Listen we aren’t going to mess around with this.” Again with the directness. “You need x-rays. You could have punctured a lung, or liver, or be bleeding internally,” he continued.  “No messing around with this Pretty Boy.”

Levi frowned at the name and didn’t all of those possibilities sound a little over the top. Levi decided he liked the reassuring, smiling Noah better than the direct, take charge, Noah but decided not to argue. The idea of slowly bleeding to death suddenly increased Levi’s cooperativeness.

“How do we get out of here?” The thought of walking across the room sent phantom spikes of pain into his feet much less a mile back to his car.

Noah turned from the cabinet he’d just opened with a pile of fleece blankets in his arms. “By boat,” he said matter-of-factly.

Right. Why hadn’t Levi known that?
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