Band of Gold

Chapter 21

            

~ "Well, what do we have here? It's a fresh one." A voice said in the shadows.

The sound of a train passing on the tracks above filled the cold, dark air.

Charlie sat curled in the corner, shivering and huddled up to his jacket.

A middle-aged man with a thick beard and raggedy clothing approached him and squatted before him. "Hey there, pretty boy."

"Leave him the fuck alone" another voice said from the shadows.

The bearded man turned his head then stood up. "Mind your business."

"Fuck off." The voice said then got in the man's face.

The bearded man backed off and headed back into the shadows.

Charlie, still shaking, said. "Thank you, sir."

The man smiled then tossed Charlie a blanket. "There are better places than this kid. Come on."

Charlie was hesitant.

"Of course, it is your call, but there are more assholes like beardy over there."

Charlie nodded then stood up. "My name is Charlie, what's yours?"

"Stokes." He said then shook his hand. "It is nice to meet you kid."

Stokes took Charlie to an area underneath the freeway. There was a fire pit with a pot of food heating up and a bunch of blankets. "It ain't much, but it will keep you alive."

"I don't want to impose."

Stokes smiled at him. "Come on in, kid." He said then he sat by the fire to warm his hands.

Charlie did the same. He glanced around and happened to see a guitar peeking out from one of the blankets. "You have a guitar?"

Stokes smiled. "Gotta make money somehow, kid."

"I play the keyboard...well, I use to anyway." He said sadly.

"No kiddin'. Looks like we will have to get you one."

Charlie looked confused "You mean...steal one?"

Stokes chuckled. "We'll say...borrow one."

Charlie smiled.

"Get some shut eye kid and I am sorry I can't do much about the rats."

Charlie nodded then rested his head and pulled a blanket over his body. He could feel them crawling around him, but he remembered the alternative with that bearded guy. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and took a deep breath. ~

Charlie twitched remember the feeling of the rats crawling on and around him. Shawn snuggled closer to him and pressed his cheek against the back of Charlie's neck.

Charlie sat up quickly and gasped.

Shawn rubbed his eyes and sat up a bit. "What's wrong?"

Charlie immediately felt embarrassed. This is one of the big reasons why he did not like spending the night with someone. He never knew if he was going to have these night terrors. Not only that, but what if he talked in his sleep and embarrassed himself even more.

"Charlie?" Shawn asked sweetly.

"Sorry. Bad dream." He said then glanced around for his boxer briefs. He stood to grab them and Shawn sat back and watched him with a smile on his face. He was getting a terrific view of his ass.

Charlie slid them on and headed towards the bathroom.

Once he was in there, he splashed some water on his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He felt happiness when he thought of the night he had just spent with Shawn; however, there was something inside that made him question this. He remembered the last foster parent he had used to call him a piece of shit fag that was only good for a paycheck every month. The rats were worth it to get away from that bitch he thought to himself.

He thought of his mother and how she used to call him her little pitch perfect angel. That was far from the shit he heard from his foster parent. He tried to drown out the negative voices and focus on his mother, but he began to panic when he couldn't quite remember the sound of his mother's voice. He splashed more water on his face and tried to breath slowly.

"Charlie? Are you okay?" Shawn called from the bedroom.

Charlie shook his head then headed back to Shawn. "I'm fine. Did you need to use the bathroom?"

Shawn shook his head slowly. "I just want you back." He said then patted the bed.

Charlie crawled into bed and Shawn immediately snuggled into him. He then placed a few soft kisses on Charlie's neck. "Do you want to talk about the bad dream?"

"Not really." Charlie said coldly.

"Well, I am here if you need me."

Charlie wished he could believe that. He wondered how long he would stay if he really did reveal what some of his dreams were about. Perhaps Shawn would then agree that, indeed, he was not good enough for him.