Light of the Body

Light of the Body continues the adventures of Jacob, Callum, Suzy, Zane and Mr. Barnaby in the town of Pembroke Eve. Jacob and Callum, now living together with Jacob's parents, are disturbed by a dog barking in the distance one night while getting intimate. Jacob finally insists they investigate the reason for the dog barking and a strange man confronts them as they venture into their backyard. The events that follow are completely weird to say the least, even for Pembroke Eve standards. The man bites Callum in the scuffle that follows, and as Jacob soon finds out, that bite is a transference. Callum is now pregnant! In fact, the whole town has been infected, with half acting like living zombies and the other half in the hospital in the same condition as Callum. What is causing this outbreak? Only Jacob and his friends, Zane and Mr. Barnaby, seem to be unaffected. But they need to find Suzy. She's missing and the townsfolk that are the living zombies have been saying Suzy the right one. What is she the right one for? And what's more, are these events all connected?

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author‟s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Light of the Body Copyright © 2010 Mark Alders ISBN: 978-1-55487-537-5 Cover art by Angela Waters All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.extasybooks.com

Light of the Body The Pembroke Eve Chronicles Book 2

By

Mark Alders

Dedication I dedicate this to my family

Chapter One

I

‟m Jacob Theison, a guy still haunted by what happened here in Pembroke Eve two months ago. So much so I can‟t sleep, or when I have, it‟s been disturbed and broken. My nightmares are filled with so many memories of aliens and machines and of the whole town being farmed on those tables, it‟s like I‟m haunted. I can‟t believe we defeated them, gave them a taste of what it was like to mess with the folk of this town. Everyone had those alien rings attached to them, permanent souvenirs, reminders of how close we came to becoming their cattle. I shudder to think about those events. Thankfully I had Callum, Zane, Suzy and Mr. Barnaby to help me. Thankfully the town had me, the one guy not affected by their mind field. I don‟t mean that in a smarmy way, either. Far from it. I love this town and would do anything to keep it the way it has always been. That much I know. I sat in my chair near my bedroom window. The room filled with the sound of Callum‟s gentle 1

Mark Alders breathing and of the net curtain swishing across the carpet. A slight breeze filled them. They billowed around me. I looked down at my navel. No, I wasn‟t contemplating the origins of the universe or whether or not there was or wasn‟t a God. I literally stared at my navel. The alien ring wouldn‟t come off no matter how many times I pulled or twisted it. I tentatively touched it, doing so always gave me the shivers. It was cold. I sighed. I caught the scent of rain even though no clouds dotted the sky around the full Moon. The view was so clear I could see right over to Wilson‟s field. The place where the aliens had landed. A dog barked in the distance, then a closer one replied. I was about to get up, return to bed and Callum‟s warmth, when I smelt something else, something I couldn‟t place. It was sort of—I dunno, it was like the odour of cupboards hardly opened for years and cockroaches had reared generations within it, kind of like how the kitchen smelt in the cabin in the woods, but stronger. Much stronger. I looked back down at my navel. “You comin‟ to bed, baby?” Callum asked sheepishly as he turned in my bed, the bedclothes half-kicked off him. His navel ring caught the light. That and the beautiful snail trail he had that led down to the nice bulge between his legs. I dismissed all the worry I had in my mind, my thoughts consumed by him. My stomach turned in 2

Light of the Body that beautiful way it did when pangs of desire overtook me. I wanted him. My gaze wandered down beyond my navel ring to my own cock. It had become aroused, too. My foreskin had slid back to reveal the tip of my ripe head, ready for attention. I looked at him once more. He had kicked off the bed clothes. Yep. He was hard, too. “Whenever you want me to,” I replied with a boyish smile. I was willing to let him lavish plenty of love all over my body. That‟s what having a boyfriend was for, wasn‟t it? Callum lived with me on my parent‟s insistence—mine as well, of course. Mum was the most enthusiastic. In fact, she was beside herself when he accepted her offer. To her it was like finding a super bargain at Mr. Barnaby‟s General store and being the only one in town who knew about it, too. She was livid with excitement when Callum dumped his clothes and other belongings he had in my room. I think she saw it as gaining a son and having someone else to look after, but I think first and foremost, she was happy I had found someone. I was happy. I was happy for Callum, for myself and for my parents. We were a family. It had only been a couple of months since the episode with the aliens and then there was Derek‟s funeral. Geez, Callum gave an awesome eulogy. 3

Mark Alders So touching. I couldn‟t contain myself. I had let the tears flow and my emotions overwhelm me. I even hugged Suzy. Derek‟s parents were there. I realized where he got his good looks from. I missed Derek. He saved our lives and I wish I could have thanked him for that. I went over to the bed. Callum smiled and opened his arms to welcome me. That smile of his meant he wanted me as I wanted him. I came over him, my lips close to his. I whispered, “Do you know how late it is?” His smile widened. “I don‟t care.” “You know we have that meeting with Mrs. Doherty tomorrow, don‟t you?” He put his arms around me, rubbing his warm, strong hands across my back. He pulled me even closer so that our bodies came together, his skin warm against mine, his erection pressed against my stomach. “Just kiss me already.” I pressed my lips against his, immediately his taste overwhelmed me. Sweetness and cinnamon spice, and something I haven‟t been able to describe, consumed me as our mouths parted and our tongues touched. He teased, letting his tongue dance with mine for a moment, then retreating, making me chase it. I groaned with pleasure. My mind span. My body, immersed in his passion, became numb. We were one, embracing each 4

Light of the Body other tight, our limbs a beautiful tangle with the bedclothes. He forced me onto my back, coming over me and sending in his tongue deeper. I had no choice but to take it all into my mouth. He didn‟t do it so that I felt he‟d forced himself into me, but made it perfectly clear he was in control. He rolled his tongue around mine more and more, then delightfully, he tickled the frenulum underneath. I caught his taste even stronger than before. I was now completely and utterly his. I knew his moves, his familiar dance and I succumb to him. We parted for an agonising moment. I gasped, my stomach did somersaults. My cock grew hard, my balls ached. “I want you, Jacob,” he said with so much want in his voice I couldn‟t do anything else other than nod. Pangs of ecstasy welled up inside me from my butterflies. I closed my eyes, waiting for whatever he would do next. Anticipation built up to the point I thought I was going to explode right there and then. He kissed my neck. Warm and tender was his touch. I gasped again, arching my back so I could move closer to him. Another dog‟s barking disturbed me. Involved with Callum‟s wonderful touch over me, at first I didn‟t take much notice. His efforts concentrated on my nipples. The canine‟s clamour was a 5

Mark Alders distraction I didn‟t need. I don‟t even know why it interrupted me in the first place. I mean, geez, Callum, my beautiful lover, was ravishing his attention all over me. I wanted him. I was ready. I was willing. Then another dog barked, this one much closer and somehow more desperate than before. “Did you hear that?” I moaned, coming out of my moment. A shiver travelled down my spine. My body grew cold. Something about the barking riled me on a deep level, even deeper than the way I felt about my boyfriend. Callum didn‟t reply. The dog barked again, this time yelping and, if there was such a thing, screaming with that bark. A female‟s voice also pierced the air. The noises were so close I could have sworn they came from next door. Both of us sat up in the bed. I devoted all of my attention to the commotion going on outside. “I heard that.” A mix of curiosity and disappointment wavered in his voice. “We‟ve gotta see what all the fuss is about, Callum. That sounded too close for comfort. What if someone‟s in trouble?” “I was afraid you were going to say that.” I had clambered off the bed, reaching down to pick up a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. He did the same. At first putting on clothing proved to be a 6

Light of the Body little more difficult than I had anticipated considering my body was still surging with my arousal. Callum‟s boxers billowed out in front of him. He had a raging erection. He adjusted himself many times before he obviously became satisfied he had done the best he could to get into them. “Ready?” I grabbed his hand and headed for the window. No point walking through the house, this way was quicker anyway. I always went out the window when I was younger, avoiding any unnecessary arguments with my Mum about why I was out so late or whatever. Besides, I didn‟t want to wake them. I helped Callum out of the window. “So, if it‟s an axe wielding maniac reeking bloody havoc all over the neighbourhood, exactly what are we going to defend ourselves with, our boners?” In interesting timing, the button of his boxers came undone. His cock slipped out of the slit. He quickly adjusted himself again and I helped him button up. “I want to see what the fuss is. If there‟s anything to worry about we‟ll run back to the house and call the cops.” I had lost my stiffy the moment I got outside. Only Callum could maintain an erection under duress. But he was right. What if we were confronted by some sort of weirdo? What if that weirdo had a gun? I don‟t 7

Mark Alders think we would stand much of a chance. We gingerly walked toward the noise. Many horrific thoughts rushed through my mind, including how I was going to explain to the police why I was outside chasing after someone in my boxers hand in hand with my boyfriend. The dog continued to bark, more intense and more aggressive than before. We crossed the garden. I had to see what all the commotion was about. I was compelled. I had to admit the night air was cool. Perhaps I should have spent a couple of extra seconds putting something warmer on. Damn my curiosity. Too late now, anyway. We were near the back of the garden and at the side fence where all the screams and barking had come from. Callum clenched his hand tighter in mine and came around so he was behind me. I peered over the fence. A dog, one I hadn‟t seen before, sniffed and scratched at the ground near the fence, stopping only to bark. I bet the stupid mutt had caught scent of an echidna or some other animal foraging around in the undergrowth beyond our neighbour‟s backyard. Typical, I got out of bed— no, I missed out on Callum‟s loving—for this? I mean, there were always critters scurrying back and forth, especially animals who had come from Wilson‟s field, a native animals supermarket with 8

Light of the Body all those vegetables and stuff growing there all the time. I sighed. “Who‟s there?” Callum asked from behind me. “Can you see anything?” “There‟s a dog scratching and barking at something behind the fence. I don‟t think I‟ve seen it before.” I tried to get a better view by standing on my tippy-toes. The dog didn‟t stop. I‟d say the barking and his fretting got worse as I tried to get its attention by whistling at it. Surely, there couldn‟t be anything worthy of that much commotion behind the fence, could there? “C‟mon then, let‟s go. It‟s freezing out here and I want to get back into bed.” “Always thinking with your dick, aren‟t—” The dog stopped dead, looked at me and snarled, bearing his fangs and looking rather rabid, if the truth be told. I was taken aback. Was the dumb animal now sensing me? I stepped back, feeling my heart pound loud in my chest. I could have sworn the animal was about to attack me. “What? What‟s the matter?” Callum‟s voice trailed off as I looked at him, directly into his eyes. Concern flashed across his face, reflecting my own feelings. The image of the dog, its teeth as white as the moonlight, haunted me. I tried to gather my thoughts. Had the dog been bitten by something? 9

Mark Alders Why was it interested in me? Surely, the animal was more concerned with what made it bark in the first place. Dumb mutt. “Something‟s not right here.” He pulled me back, but I went to the fence once more. “Wait.” I was determined to see what the problem was. I knocked his hands away, peered over the fence again. The dog was below me, hackles up, ears back. It snarled once more, saliva dripping from its fangs. I whistled again, adding a here boy, before I realised my mistake. The animal jumped, coming over the fence with one fluid motion. The whole thing played out in slow motion. The dog came at me. The crazed animal cleared the fence. I reacted by stepping back. Too late. Its clawed paws thudded onto my chest, and my feet, caught on wet slippery grass, gave way underneath me. Not even with Callum holding my hand would I have stood a chance. I was flat on my back, the dog‟s snarling lips and white menacing fangs hovered over my face. Callum screamed.

10

Light of the Body

Chapter Two

I

couldn‟t move My muscles didn‟t want to cooperate with what my mind had instructed them to do. Then again, I reckon that probably had something to do with the fact my mind didn‟t know exactly what I needed to do to get out of this mess. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Callum hit the dog with his bare hands, slapping it on its rump, to no avail. The dog stayed put. Then, like a signal had been switched on, the animal‟s ears pricked up. The dog took his eyes off me and raised his head toward the fence he had jumped over only moments ago. I opened my mouth, wanting to scream out, more out of sheer terror than anything else. Callum was certainly doing a great job of that with his yells. Me, I was frozen. My breathing had become erratic and all I managed to pass over my quivering lips was a stuttered whining sound. I hiccupped. Yep. I was scared out of my brain. 11

Mark Alders The dog jumped off me and Callum rushed to help me up. It took me a while to realise I was back on my feet, the warmth of Callum‟s embrace soothing me, seeping into my body, reviving me from what I could only classify as a nightmare. Slowly, as my thoughts became clearer, I pulled myself away from Callum to see where the dog had gone. The animal had begun barking at our back fence, but his bark sounded different like a cross between a seal‟s bark and a wolf‟s howl. I‟d never heard such a thing. If I had to describe a panic bark, one filled with urgency, then that was it. I don‟t know what was scarier, the dog knocking me over, baring his teeth and looking as though I was his next meal, or the desperate noise he made. That‟s when I saw whatever it was the dog was barking at. Callum saw it, too, if his gasp was any indication. A man was crouched on top of the fence. I assumed he was a man. I couldn‟t really tell. He was silhouetted by the Moon and his face and body were shrouded by a tattered cloak and hood. How he balanced up there was anyone‟s guess. I stared at the intruder, still couldn‟t find my voice and my hiccups got worse. Callum once more gripped me tight, but his voice had no problem escaping from his lips. He hadn‟t been jumped on by a frantic animal, had he? 12

Light of the Body “Who the fuck are you?” he screamed, as bravely as I had ever heard him even though I knew he was as scared as I was, even more so. The man jumped down into my garden. He came down like he was flying, landing with no sound as his feet touched the ground. The whole thing looked surreal. The dog snarled when the stranger was in my garden proper, but unlike what the animal did to me, it went straight in with his teeth onto the man‟s leg. Both Callum and I screamed when the dog attacked the man. In the tussle and confusion that followed, the dog yelped in agony. There was a brief moment of silence, before a crack of bone pierced the still night air. The dog slumped onto the grass, not moving anymore. The stranger brushed his hands, but never uttered a word, as if what he had done was something insignificant and without effort. The man looked straight at us both, his eyes catching the moonlight. I was held to the spot. Callum gasped. We held each other, waiting for the man to make the next move. My legs simply didn‟t want to work. So much for our plan to run back into the house and call the cops. Fat lot of good we were now, standing like frightened critters in high beams. 13

Mark Alders “Suzy is ours,” the man said with a guttural groan, “and you would do well to stay away from her. I don‟t want her spoiled. You will all become her drones as she will become our queen.” Every emotion rushed through me, but above all, I was as angry as hell. I didn‟t understand one iota what the fuck he was talking about. This man, this stranger, had killed an innocent animal and was now sprouting gibberish. What did Suzy have to do with all this? Why do we have to stay away from her? But before I could open my mouth to utter any words of protest, Callum let go of my hand, stepped in front of me. “Callum!” I cried out, all too late. The man lunged at him, screaming, “I warned you.” He bit him on the neck. No, not like a vampire would, you know, like the way they do in the movies or on the TV, all deliberate and calculated. This was done lightning quick, more of an open-mouthed jab than anything else, an offensive attack if you will. Callum fell, stumbling over his own legs, landing on the wet grass square on his arse. Again, his reaction had more to do with the man lunging at him and causing him to flinch than what he actually did. I went to him, without thought or a moment‟s hesitation. “Callum!” I yelled again as I knelt down beside him. “Are you all right?” 14

Light of the Body He rubbed his neck. The bite had drawn blood, his fingers stained. I turned to look back at the man, give him a piece of my mind, but he was gone. The only thing encroaching in on me as I looked around my back yard, to try and gather any clue as to where the man went, was the crisp cold night air. Callum‟s hands clambered for mine so he could get up. I got him to his feet. “You know, I think that dog was trying to protect us,” he said groggily, using me for support. I nodded. “You may just be right.” I assumed the man had jumped back over the fence and found someone else to bother. A dog barked in the distance, the sound coming from the direction of the Westfell forest. Was that where he came from? Or was that where he went? My attention was drawn away by the outside light being turned on. “You both okay?” my Dad shouted. I turned to look at him. He hurried toward us, silhouetted by the outside light from under the pergola, a dark heroic figure charging to our aid in the night. “We need some help here. Callum‟s been…hurt.” My voice sounded desperate, which in a way I suppose it was. My emotions rose up inside me as Callum began to buckle under his own weight. I had to use all my strength to keep 15

Mark Alders him from falling back down onto the grass. The bite must have affected his muscle control or something, because he was like a dead weight. “I‟m okay. Really.” Callum brought his arm around my shoulder with a thump. To my surprise, he let out a chuckle. “Geez, we must be a sight, Jacob. I mean, we‟re out here in our underwear in the dark, grass-stained knees and dripping with sweat. Your Dad‟ll think we‟ve been rolling around. You know, getting busy with each other or something.” “I don‟t think he‟ll think that at all. I think he saw enough to know we‟ve been attacked.” Typical Callum. Always thinking with his dick, even when he‟s been bitten by a stranger who trespasses, kills a dog and then offers weird warnings to justify his actions. Who was that man? I made a mental note to try and find out at the earliest possible chance I got, after making sure Callum was okay first, of course. Again my curiosity piqued. My dad came over to us. He was in his favourite pair of flannel pyjamas. He must have been woken by all the commotion going on tonight, too, because he would have never worn them outside. He would have changed first given half the chance. Come to think of it, so would have I. Wearing boxers and a T-shirt outside in the 16

Light of the Body middle of the night was crazy. What was I thinking? What were we thinking? “Your mother is calling Sherriff Tucker and the ambulance is on its way,” he said with an authority I had never heard from him before. I was about to explain what had happened, tell him about the dog and the man, when he went to Callum‟s other side and offered his support. Callum could no longer walk, his legs unable to lift, let alone support him. Had the bite paralysed him? We walked him up to the house. “Are you sure you‟re okay?” My stomach churned with fear and anxiety when Callum‟s eyes rolled around in their sockets, like he was about to pass out or something. He nodded. “Yeah. I just feel a little woozy, is all. I‟ll be okay once I lie down for a bit. You‟ll lie with me, won‟t you, baby?” “Of course I will. I‟ll go with you anywhere, you know that.” He offered me a quivering smile. We lay Callum down onto my bed, making him as comfortable as possible. He closed his eyes when his head touched the pillow, falling fast asleep. Were we supposed to let him sleep? Or was that for a different condition when you had to keep a person awake? Oh, yeah, that was for a concussion, right? 17

Mark Alders Callum looked terrible. He was grass stained all over, dirty, sweaty and yes, there was even a dark patch at the front of his boxers. The poor guy had been so scared he had pissed himself, yet showed so much bravery, so much concern for me that he overcame all his emotions and fears and tried to protect me. God, I loved him. I kissed him on his forehead, his warmth permeating my lips. That was a good sign, wasn‟t it? My dad patted me on my shoulder. “That mark on his neck sure looks nasty. Hopefully the ambulance will be here any second.” Dad was right. The wound had festered. “It‟s a bite.” My dad reacted by taking in a breath. “I‟ve never seen a bite like that.” “The strange man did it.” Before my dad could answer, those seconds had passed. Two ambulance men entered my bedroom without a word. One of the men nodded and I stepped away from the bed, letting them do their job. I was kind of dumbfounded I had to admit as they lifted Callum onto the stretcher and began carrying him away. One of the ambulance men said, “This is the tenth incident like this in the last two hours. We‟ve had over fifty people admitted with bites to their necks tonight.” 18

Light of the Body “Um, can I come to the…can I be with my boyfriend…I want to—” The ambulance man lifted his hand reassuringly. “Of course you can ride in the ambulance with him, son. From what we‟ve seen tonight, he‟ll need all the support of his loved ones he can get when he wakes up.” “I‟ll join you, too, Jacob,” my dad said. “Sure, Dad. I‟d like that.” My mum, phone in hand, came into view as we went toward the front door. The blue and red flashing of the ambulance lights danced along the walls and ceiling. “Bob Tucker will meet you all at the hospital. He‟s already there.” She pecked me on my cheek when I passed. “Jacob, darling, I‟ll bring you something warm to wear as soon as I can, so don‟t worry about that. You just go, look after Callum.” “Thanks,” was all I said in reply, not in an ungrateful way, not at all. I was so overwhelmed, so numb with all that had happened I didn‟t know what to think, let alone what to say. I hadn‟t even considered what I was wearing. I didn‟t care. My thoughts were only for Callum. Yet, I appreciated everything my parents were doing right now. They were fantastic. When the men loaded Callum into the ambulance, his eyes opened. “Suzy is the right 19

Mark Alders one,” he said through parched lips before sinking back into unconsciousness.

20

Light of the Body

Chapter Three

T

he hospital‟s emergency ward was filled with patients with bites on their necks. Most were in their pyjamas or various stages of undress, depending on how they preferred to sleep. There were nurses putting on hospital gowns on a lot of them. Amongst the crowd there was Mrs. Foo Hue cuddling her unconscious husband, tears streaming down her face. He had been bitten, too. Some patients were sleeping or unconscious or whatever you want to call it. Others screamed, white with fear and clawing at the air as if trying to grasp onto the last remnants of their lives, their relatives doing their best they could to calm them. A few lay huddled on their beds, rocking back and forth, gently nodding, being consoled and encouraged to eat or drink. I was sick to my stomach. Dad looked the same, as green as I felt to be honest. To my horror, I recognised more and more people, the town only recently recovering from the 21

Mark Alders alien ordeal. Now this, whatever it was, was affecting us all once more. If I didn‟t know any better, I‟d say the town was cursed. After dad had filled in all the required forms and we were all in the care of the hospital staff, a man in a white coat approached while we were shepherded into a cubicle. Callum was placed onto the bed by two burly orderlies. A doctor entered and flipped through the chart. “Ah, a stage one case. Good. There‟s time, then.” I found it hard to believe a doctor would attend us so quickly. Seemed to me there were a lot more people in the ward who looked a lot worse than Callum. I held Callum‟s hand. “What‟s wrong with him, doctor?” I blurted, no longer concerned with the result, only glad someone was here to help my beloved boyfriend and find a cure. He looked grim and a flash of what I could only describe as disgust crossed his face. “Well, to put it as directly as I can, he has been impregnated.” “Say what?” The doctor came over to me, looking down his nose as only doctor‟s can, with an aura of supremacy that reeked arrogance. Whether or not that was his intention, I couldn‟t tell. I didn‟t get an instant sense of annoyance from him as I did with most medical practitioners. The man radiated a warmth I was comfortable to be within. I liked 22

Light of the Body him. I looked at his badge. Dr. Frederick Woolsey, Obstetrician. “Your boyfriend,” he continued. He checked the chart once more, his eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. He appeared to make sure he had got his information correct as to who I was in relation to the patient. “Your boyfriend is pregnant.” My dad swayed and grabbed me by my shoulder. I felt a bit weird, too, my blood rushing in my ears as the doctor‟s words swam around in the numbness of my mind. I opened my mouth. “How?” I said with a gasp. Okay, I knew how women got pregnant, that‟s what men were for. But how did a man get pregnant? Were we even capable? I mean, men don‟t have the equipment to carry a baby? Wait, what was I thinking? I shook my head, dismissing that stupid line of reasoning right out of my brain. This was ridiculous. How could a bite from a man, a stranger, make someone pregnant, let alone another man? I stood for a long moment in silence. Slowly but surely jealousy crept up from the dark place we all have within us. If that man had banged up my boyfriend, he‟d beaten me to it. Callum was going to father his child! Jealousy soon turned into anger, then denial…then every other emotion I could name and plenty I couldn‟t. Oh God, how 23

Mark Alders stupid was I feeling that way? It was impossible for a man to get pregnant anyway, so why was I even thinking as if it were? “….not what you‟re thinking, young man,” the doctor said. In the storm of my thoughts and feelings I had missed everything the man said to me. “Whaaaat?” was all I could manage in a slow drawl. My dad embraced me, supporting me from collapsing onto the floor. My legs felt weak. The doctor smiled at me before he turned serious again. “I can see you‟re a bit overwhelmed, it‟s a normal reaction. Unfortunately, what I am about to tell you isn‟t normal at all, but has been going on for over a week now. We have had some success and a lot of failure, so time is of the essence. You understand?” I thought I understood—well, no I didn‟t, but I nodded in affirmation anyway. “Go on. Hit me with it, Doctor.” “All you need to know for now is that some creature…some sort of…and we think it‟s an insectoid life form from the ultra sounds we have performed, has been impregnating the people of this town. Why, we don‟t know. All we know is that the bite is the method of delivery. Those people in stage one, as your boyfriend is right now, they have been the easy ones to cure—for 24

Light of the Body want of a better term. Some of the others, those at a more advanced stage, they have become…Well, don‟t worry about that now. Let‟s concentrate on getting Callum back to you as soon as we can, shall we?” I smiled, or rather, let a nervous quiver cross my lips. The thought of Callum giving birth to another person‟s baby, insectoid or not, freaked me out to say the least. How would he do that anyway? Yeah, he had a big cock, but passing anything but urine though it wouldn‟t be possible, would it? Would he have to have a caesarean? I hiccupped again, nervousness taking over every other emotion that played out inside me. Thankfully, we had come to the hospital in time. “Thanks,” I whispered. Tears welled in my eyes. Seeing Callum on the bed, helpless, dirty and knowing something…something insect-like and…and alien was growing inside him, overwhelmed me. I began to cry. Through my misty eyes I saw a nurse deliver a tray onto the bed stand. On it sat a little white, plastic jar. The nurse plucked the container off the tray, opened it and took out a large pill. The doctor said, “Just know that we‟ll be administering Callum with medication used for abortion procedures. The chemicals within these sort of pills get into the bloodstream and cause the embryo to dissolve. The life form grows quick, we 25

Mark Alders only have about two hours to start this procedure after the initial bite, otherwise the medication becomes ineffective and surgery is required.” She opened Callum‟s mouth while placing the pill into kind of syringe. He stirred, acknowledging they were helping him. “Ready, Doctor,” she said with a voice so calm, cool and collected I think I would have screamed at her if I weren‟t so overwhelmed with emotion myself. People like that, clinical and emotionless, get to me, especially in situations like this. The doctor continued his spiel without missing a beat, “The surgery we‟ve done on advanced patients hasn‟t been so successful. The insectoid embryo attaches itself to the heart, sending feeders into the stomach, lungs and aorta. At a certain stage of development, the body lights up, the embryo mature enough to—” The doctor cut himself off, helped the nurse administer the medicine into my boyfriend. “Nurse Goodchild will give him one of these pills every hour until he can pass the dissolved foreign material safely. You will need to be with him when he begins to wake from the induced coma the embryo imposes on its host, in about six hours or so. Until then I suggest you get some rest. He will be in pain and support from those he loves helps greatly. I‟m sorry, but there‟s nothing else we can do. Any other medication taken now can reverse the effects of 26

Light of the Body the abortion pill. It will be a rough night for you all.” My dad shook the doctor‟s hand as soon as he had finished performing his duties on Callum. “Thanks, Doctor. We‟ll be with Callum as long as he needs us, won‟t we, Jacob?” I couldn‟t answer. I fell onto Callum, hugging him tight. My beautiful boyfriend, so helpless, so vulnerable, I couldn‟t contain my composure any more. My body shuddered with my emotions. I cried and cried over him. He was my world, without him I don‟t know what I‟d do. How long I held him, how long I cried for I couldn‟t say. All I know is that Sheriff Tucker was talking to my dad, and that my mum had brought clothes for all of us. Nurse Goodchild came back, giving Callum another tablet, her method quick and precise. He was still in his coma, breathing gently, but like before, receptive to what she did. He looked so peaceful it broke my heart. All I know is that I missed his quiet voice, his warm touch and his caring nature. I wanted him back to normal. I take it I‟d been sobbing over him for a least an hour considering he was receiving another dose…or was this the third treatment? If it were the second administration, then that would mean the sun would be up soon, about five or six in the morning considering it was well past three when 27

Mark Alders this all happened. Dad came over to me, his eyes sad. “Here, put some clothes on, Jacob.” He handed me a pair of jeans and a shirt. Not my best clothes, but wearing something other than boxers would be a nice change, and warmer, too. I had only just realised my scant covering, aware of something other than Callum‟s welfare for the first time since we got into the hospital. Mum came up to the bedside. “Go home and take a shower, get freshened up and come back in a couple of hours. From what the doctors and nurses have told me, Callum won‟t be conscious until this afternoon at the earliest.” “But I‟m not leaving him, Mum. He needs me.” She ruffled my hair and kissed me on my forehead. “Darling, I‟m telling you this because when Callum does wake up, he‟ll need you to be strong for him. We‟ll stay and watch him. Now go. Get some rest.” “But…” My protest was weak. She was right. Callum would need me later. “Go. That‟s an order, Jacob.” I got up. She always had a way of telling me straight what was best for me. I let go of Callum‟s hand, missing him as soon as I did so. “Okay, I‟ll go and shower, but I‟ll be back soon.” She smiled like only a mother could to her son, one filled with love and warmth. “Good enough 28

Light of the Body for me. Keep your phone on you just in case, okay, darling?” I hugged her, then dad. They were great. Clambering into my clothes, I kissed them both before I left, giving Callum a peck on his lips, his taste lingering on my lips as I walked out the ward. My thoughts wandered to my friends. Was Zane okay? How about Suzy? The man-thing had mentioned her specifically. What did he have in mind for her? What was the purpose of impregnating the town anyway? Why was she the right one? The right one for what? Then I thought of Mr. Barnaby. If he had been affected, I don‟t think he‟d last, the poor guy. He was old and not able to fight off any sort of attack. He could be in a coma on his shop floor right now, an embryo inside him. My stomach churned. The thought of alien things growing inside people made me sick, especially seeing as all my friends could be affected, too. What did the doctor say, the body lit up in advanced cases? I shuddered. I now knew what to look for. Then again, I didn‟t see any of my friends at the hospital. Was that a good sign? Or had they already been impregnated and it was too late for them? I swallowed hard, all the thoughts going around in my head not helping me think 29

Mark Alders rationally. I snorted. What was rational about this anyway? I picked up my pace. I didn‟t head for home, decided to see Suzy instead. I don‟t know why, but I had to know if she was all right—well, okay I did know. Whatever was going on, she had something to do with it. What that was I didn‟t know. Not yet. The first place to look would be Zane‟s house. They had spent a lot of time together over the last few days.

30

Light of the Body

Chapter Four

I

had to walk to Zane‟s. I didn‟t have the keys to mum‟s car and I didn‟t fancy going back into the hospital to ask for them. If I went back in, chances are I wouldn‟t be so easily convinced to leave. Mum was right. I needed a shower at the very least. Perhaps I could grab one at Zane‟s house. The walk to his house would do me some good anyway, give me some time to think, time to mull over what had happened in the early hours of this morning. How wrong was I? Have you ever had the feeling someone was watching you? Or worse yet, someone following you? That‟s the feeling I got when I reached the top of the hospital road. I clutched my arms around myself. I would have turned back, should have turned back, but something pulled me on. That awful odour invaded my nostrils again, the 31

Mark Alders one that smelt like the musty cockroach cupboard smell. A cold wind brushed up and penetrated my clothing. I shivered. My cheeks lost feeling and, when I touched them with my numbed fingers, they felt freezing. From the bushes that border the sides of the roads in this part of Pembroke Eve there came a rustling noise. I turned. A shadow moved across the bitumen, but was gone within an instant. “Who‟s there?” I yelled. “Stop fooling around whoever you are. I‟m not in the mood.” I really didn‟t feel like any more hassles. In fact, I didn‟t feel like any hassles for a long time. I‟d seen enough to last me a lifetime. The bushes no longer moved—well, other than movement created by the gentle breeze that now came from the east. I pondered this. The sea breeze didn‟t come in this early. Not at dawn anyway. I turned my gaze away. I really, really, really didn‟t need this right now. As I walked on, my thoughts were once more filled with the image of Callum lying on that hospital bed. Of how he was before we went out into the night to see what that dog was barking about. His lovely smile, his sexy blue eyes that reflected his gentle soul and his wonderful wandering hands and that dirty mind that controlled them. 32

Light of the Body I chuckled to myself, thinking of him like that cheered me up. A pebble then skipped across my path, as if it had been kicked toward me. Again, I turned. Still no one there. Now, I don‟t have to say how this was beginning to annoy me. I didn‟t have time for childish games or the patience. “Show yourself or leave me alone!” The bushes thrashed again. The sun slipped behind a cloud and everything darkened, like curtains had been drawn across the sky. Again a chill knifed at my skin. I took a step backward. A figure emerged from the undergrowth. When the figure turned toward me and I caught a glimpse of his face, I placed my hands firmly onto my hips. Not impressed one little bit. It was Suzy‟s ex-boyfriend. “Fuck, Corey, you gave me a bloody heart attack with all that sneaking around.” Corey didn‟t reply. Instead, he sauntered up to me and looked directly into my eyes. He was wearing the clothes I had always seen on him, that stupid red sports jacket with the numbers 89 on the back and his best blue jeans. Somehow he was different, like the shell of him was Corey, but behind his blue eyes there was no one there. He seemed empty and the result of that was a pale and withdrawn look that clung to him unnaturally. Certainly unlike how he normally 33

Mark Alders looked with a smug, I‟m-better-than-you expression, especially after the time I had given him that blow job down at the creek all those years ago. The smarmy bastard. I didn‟t like him one bit, even more so now since Zane had told me what he did to him. I‟m glad Suzy broke up with him. He leaned over, still expressionless. He stopped when his nose was only millimetres away from my face. He hovered, taking in the air in great volumes. Through flared nostrils, he said, “Keep away from Suzy. She is our queen.” I saw red. “Or what?” I questioned, folding my arms. But those words he spoke sent ice-cold shivers down my spine. I had heard them already today. This was getting freaky, if such a thing was possible considering what I had gone through already. Corey‟s body glowed with a light coming from inside his chest, visible even through his Tshirt. He might have an embryo inside him. I stepped back a few paces. But why wasn‟t he unconscious or in the hospital? This was all creeping me out, but before I could add any more to the conversation, Corey fled back into the bushes. “What does that mean?” I screamed at him over and over. I ran to where he had disappeared, not thinking of my safety at all. What if he bit me? The question had popped into my head once I realised what I had done. I took a step back. 34

Light of the Body Thankfully, I couldn‟t see Corey. In fact, I couldn‟t see anything at all in the undergrowth— not a bird or a bug or a critter. Nothing. How could he have gotten away from me so quick? I walked back onto the road. The clouds had moved on and the ground was once more bathed in sunlight. The cold had left me and for the first time I was warm. I dismissed what had happened from my mind. I had more important things to worry about than an insect embryo-infested Corey Harrington. I worried about whether or not Suzy was at Zane‟s. What the hell was I going to tell Zane when I got there and everything was normal with him? He might not even know what‟s going on in the town. He had been holed up with Suzy the past week, just as I had been with Callum. I could hear his wisecracks now. He‟d have a good „ol time cracking jokes until I convinced him everything that was going on was real. Good thing Zane‟s house was only a few doors up. His house was a place that needed a good measure of tender loving care, I had to admit. I mean, there were car parts and bits of rusted metal everywhere. Most of the scrap was submerged in knee-high grass. A lawnmower would no longer be adequate. You‟d need a flame thrower to control the weeds and a neighbourhood busy-bee to clean up all the crap scattered about his front 35

Mark Alders yard. It wasn‟t Zane‟s fault, he only lived there. His parents were…lets just say, not as fortunate as some, deciding not to work and only having Zane as a means to supplement their meagre income. They didn‟t like him at all, referring to him many times as the useless bastard. I felt for Zane. He was a good man and deserved so much better. What kind of parents tell their children that sort of thing? Talk about selfish. He told me on more than one occasion those welfare payments for him had ran out last year. He was now eighteen and a burden as far as they were concerned. Luckily, he had applied for study assistance so he could continue in school. Good on him, I say. Then again, I bet his parents took that money off him for living expenses or some such. More like drinking and smoking money, I‟d wager. Once at the front door, I rang the bell. Moments later, the door creaked open. Zane smiled once he saw me. The trouble was, other than his bright green Garfield boxer shorts, that was pretty much all he wore. “Hey, Jakey,” he said lazily as he scratched his stomach below his alien navel ring, his skin so white and his hair so dark in contrast. Kind of sexy. I could see what Suzy saw in him. Hey, I could see what I saw in him!

36

Light of the Body “Are you going to put something decent on?” I offered, not really wanting him to get dressed, but deciding my words were appropriate. “Why? I‟m only answerin‟ the door. It‟s not like there‟s a special occasion goin‟ on, is there?” He grinned with a cheeky smile. “What if I was someone important like the Prime Minister or something?” I asked, my tongue firmly in my cheek. I liked this sort of talk with him and to be honest it took my mind of Callum and everything else that was going on in the town. Zane snorted, then said, “But you ain‟t anyone important. You comin‟ in or what then, buddy?” I patted him on his shoulder, accepting his invitation. “Sure, you know I can‟t say no to good looking men, especially half naked ones.” Zane led me to his room. The way there was an interesting one, that‟s for sure. If I thought the front yard was a mess, inside his house was no better. There was, for lack of a better word, crap everywhere. I mean, it wasn‟t dirty, not by any stretch of the imagination. It was cluttered full of odd and sods and so many things, from books to ornaments to furniture, that I couldn‟t walk in a straight line. Nothing in this house was new, most coming from council pick-ups, I‟m sure. All their money going on smokes and booze—all of Zane‟s money, too. 37

Mark Alders “So what‟s up then?” he asked when he closed his bedroom door behind me. “I know that look.” I sighed. “You aren‟t going to believe the freaky morning I‟ve had. Callum‟s…Callum‟s in the hospital and I…I need someone to talk to.” My throat tightened, my emotions rose up inside me. “Seeing as you‟re a good mate, I decided to come here while he‟s still in a coma, you know, to freshen up, if I can.” “He‟s in the fuckin‟ what?” Zane glared at me, composed himself and then added, “Is he all right?” “He should be okay…from what I understand. The doctor suggested I go stretch my legs—well, Mum and Dad suggested I go get cleaned up and then come back when I‟m all fresh. Callum‟s going to need me soon. I want to be there for him when he wakes up.” Zane looked rattled, but tried to hide his emotions by stretching, pretending he was still in the process of waking up. The sight of him flexing in front of me was…how can I say it? Attractive. His armpits, with their little tufts of black hair sprouting out of his white skin were so darn cute. I had always liked how he‟d pierced his nipples. I‟d never seen a man with pierced nipples before, not in real life, anyway. His demeanour changed, his glare intent on me. He shrugged his shoulders, as if he‟d resolved 38

Light of the Body whatever it was he was thinking about. “Sure, you can do whatever you like to make yourself feel better. I‟m here for you, buddy. So, is Cal okay? Really, I mean, he‟s gonna be fine, right?” I sat down on his unmade bed. He lifted up his arms to stretch some more. I got the distinct impression he was showing off for me. I didn‟t mind. He was the coolest straight guy I knew— well, I think he‟s straight. “I think he‟ll be fine,” I repeated. “The doctor reckons he got to him in time—say, you seen Suzy today?” I didn‟t want to tell him everything yet. I don‟t think I‟d be able to remain composed if I recounted the story so soon. Besides, there‟d be plenty of time for that later. “Nope.” His boxer shorts slid down off his thin bony hips when he sucked in his stomach. I could now see his thick, dark public hair above the elastic. “Normally, she ain‟t over till after ten o‟clock. Mainly „cause I don‟t get my arse outta bed till then anyway and she don‟t see the point prodding me into action.” “I see,” I said, kind of half-heartedly. I didn‟t mind his show, but I was also becoming concerned with Suzy‟s whereabouts. An uneasy feeling tickled at the nape of my neck. “You spoken to her lately?” “Nope,” he repeated. “I was about to go to her place, seein‟ as I got woken up and all by the 39

Mark Alders Prime Minister bashin‟ on my door this morning. You wanna join me?” He winked at me. “Yeah, that‟ll be good.” Having him come with me was a good idea. I needed all the support I could get. Besides, there was no way I was going to get any rest now. My mind turned over and over with all the things that had happened since…well, I tried not to think about it. “After we‟ve done that, we‟ll all go see Callum, see if he‟s awake. Doctor says he should have his friends and loved ones around him when he does.” “Sounds cool by me. Anything for my buds. But I think you should tell me everything that happened with Cals. Sounds serious if you ask me.” He wrinkled up his nose. “Say I‟ve gotta change out of my old boxers first. I slept in these ones and they stink. I kind of did a bit of whacking off last night dreaming of…stuff. You don‟t mind if I change, do you?” Right there and then, he pulled down his boxers. I gasped.

40

Light of the Body

Chapter Five

Z

ane was…um, well Zane was well endowed, that‟s for sure. He most certainly wasn‟t shy about letting me know about it, either. I couldn‟t take my gaze off him, yet I felt so dirty for doing so. I was all for Callum, after all. He was my boyfriend. Yet, seeing another man naked and so close, too, was fascinating to say the least, especially a magnificent specimen like Zane. Sure, I‟d seen him naked before in the spaceship and the cabin in the woods, but not this close and never alone. My cheeks grew warm as I studied him. The skin of his cock was snow white, like the rest of him, really. He had a nice blue vein that ran from the base to the end. Something I hadn‟t seen the last time I saw him with nothing on. Then there were his testicles. My gosh, A lot bigger than Callum‟s and even my own for that matter. What‟s more, Zane‟s were a soft scarlet colour, like pale rouge. I also noticed that the head of his penis, the 41

Mark Alders bit that wasn‟t covered by his foreskin, was that same shade of red. I think I had my mouth open, although, I couldn‟t be certain about that. My gaze roved over his body, feasting on all he had to offer. Sure, I could look, so long as I didn‟t touch. Callum was the only one for me, but I was a gay man and seeing dick was seeing dick. Men were visual animals and the vision before me pleased me to no end. I did love Zane, but on a different level than how I loved Callum. With Zane it was more a brotherly kind of love. Still, that didn‟t stop those little butterflies in my stomach as I studied his beauty. The room grew warmer. Or was it me? The sunlight that streamed in through the window certainly looked fierce, so I told myself. He moved away. His genitals swayed hypnotically as he waltzed over to his chest of drawers and rummaged through them. I couldn‟t help but wonder if Suzy had touched him in the same way I touched Callum. Had she taken him into her mouth? Had he been with her in the way only two lovers can be? If she had, she was sure a lucky girl. Then again, she also liked to play games, hard to get being her favourite, especially when it came to Zane. 42

Light of the Body “I think we should catch up with Mister B, too. Make sure the „ol dude‟s okay.” “You like Mr. Barnaby a lot, don‟t you?” Zane offered a crooked smile. “He‟s like the grandfather I never had, so yeah, he‟s a winner in my book. Better than my dead beat parents anyhow.” I believed we had enough time to see Mr. Barnaby after we had established Suzy was okay. Yeah, I agreed. It would be nice to see the old man. He was a mate, after all. “You‟re a good bloke, you know that?” I shifted my weight on his bed. With the effects of all his attention, my stomach slipped into overdrive with those flutters, my cock going semi. I‟d never had a straight man exhibit himself for my sole benefit before. It felt kind of special in a funny sort of way. It was also damn fucking alluring knowing I could never have him but at the same time have him let me see everything, including that beautiful tight arse of his as he opened a bottom drawer and bent over to get something within it. “So…um, you and Suzy, you…you know…you both—” He stood up, a bundle of clothes in his hands. “You mean are we fuckin‟ like rabbits? No way. She‟ll keep her legs closed forever, I reckon. I don‟t think I‟m good enough for her. I—I‟m certainly not good enough for most folk in this godforsaken town.” His stare went beyond me for 43

Mark Alders the first time since we had entered the room. His thoughts were on other things besides showing off for my entertainment. “That‟s not true, Zane. You‟re good enough for me and Callum, and well, you‟re more than that, you‟re family. I don‟t want to hear such shit.” He blinked, coming back into the moment. “It‟s not like I haven‟t tried, you know. I‟ve done my best to try and get her to want me in the way that you and Cal want each other.” His voice sounded sad and I felt for him. Why is it all the nice guys always end up getting left behind? Suzy would rather have that freak Corey than be with a gentleman like Zane. Okay, so she dumped him, but only because she had no choice. No one wants to be with a paedophile. Sure, Zane was a little different, but to me that made him all the more special. He was unique and if Suzy didn‟t see it, then as far as I was concerned it was her loss. I‟d have him in a heartbeat—with Callum‟s blessing, of course. “What about…other stuff? Has she even kissed you?” “Nope.” I was about to open my mouth to say something, let him know that he wasn‟t the one at fault, when he unexpectedly turned his back to me. Why did he do that? He seemed to be in a rush. A stark contrast to all that slow stretching 44

Light of the Body and posing he had been doing only a few moments ago. Moments later, Zane turned to me, his eyes intense. He blinked, offering a nervous smile. I understood why there was a sudden change in his demeanour. He was obviously feeling the consequences of what we had been talking about. He wanted someone to have him. He was naked and he was parading around like the love drunk man he was. His pinky-red head revealed itself more and more as he got harder. His foreskin slid back, retracting of its own accord. Moments later, he had a full on erection. Fuck he was huge when fully hard. I tried not to look at him in that state. Sure, while he was flaccid it was all fun and games, but erection territory meant an entirely different thing. A red flag warning if you will. I didn‟t want to ruin our relationship, not in any way. Geez, it was hot in here, and I wasn‟t referring to the temperature, either. Suzy was nuts, fucking nuts if she didn‟t jump his bones at the first opportunity she got. He fumbled with a pair of boxers. A wonderful bright red Cars pair complete with Lightning McQueen design and the Boys in the Hood catchphrase from the movie. I stared at him for the longest while as he literally stuffed himself into them. He certainly did have all the right equipment under his hood. He clambered into the 45

Mark Alders rest of his clothes. I couldn‟t help myself. I let out a giggle behind my hand. I saw the funny side of this even if he didn‟t. “Easy for you to laugh. You can relieve yourself all over Cal. I got no such luck. My hand‟s my only friend, hey?” “As I‟ve told you before, if you want to try out the same team, I‟d be all over you like a kid licking a lollypop. Just don‟t be so eager next time to show me your cock, otherwise you may not be able to control yourself.” I winked at him. Zane smiled, then mumbled, “I think… um, you might be right there, Jakey. I…I, I‟m um… sorry. As soon as I finish gettin‟ dressed we can get outta here, okay? Suzy‟s usually at the General Store this time of day. She buys me a Mars bar and then comes over once she‟s done the rest of whatever it is she does.” He looked uncomfortable and he seemed to shudder, like he‟d eaten something sour, wincing as he slipped on a shirt. “Are you all right?” I couldn‟t help but ask. I knew he‟d hurt himself, and I knew that feeling all too well. Putting away that much meat before it was flaccid would have hurt anyone. I also suspected he had blown his load, too, but I wasn‟t one-hundred percent sure about that. If he had, he‟d sure be uncomfortable for a while. Poor guy. He nodded, but didn‟t offer any other reply. 46

Light of the Body I got up off the bed. As soon as he buckled up his belt, he opened his door and dashed out of his room. I followed. By the time I caught up to him, he was well past the front gate. “Hang on, will you?” I said. His pace was fast and he walked with his head low, as if he were full of determination, full of purpose. I think he was actually embarrassed he had performed for me. As I had told him, I didn‟t mind at all. “We betta hurry if we‟re gonna catch Suzz at the Store. She don‟t muck around—well, not with stuff like that anyway.” “Hey, what‟s the matter with you?” I grabbed his shoulder. “I told you, I don‟t mind what you did. I liked it to tell you the truth. I like how someone is so secure in with their own sexuality that they can do what you did without a second thought.” He stopped, looking intently with his beautiful dark brown eyes. He looked hurt. Then, as he stared at me, his expression softened. A nervous smile quivered across his lips. “I‟m sorry, Jakey. I shouldn‟t of done that.” I frowned. “You haven‟t done anything to offend me. And if you did, I most certainly would have told you. It‟s nothing you wouldn‟t have 47

Mark Alders done for Callum, with or without me there, now was it?” He slipped his hands into his jeans‟ front pockets, looking more relaxed, as if what I said lifted a weight of him. For all his awkwardness and clumsy gestures, he sure had a sensitive side. I liked that. Zane wasn‟t self-centred, prudish or filled with hot air like most straight guys were. Guys like Corey. Actually, speaking of Corey, what happened to him? A cold shiver ran through me when I thought about those words he said. I had heard them so many times today already. What did they mean? My mind wandered back to Suzy. I hoped she was okay. We walked on toward the General Store, our pace blistering. I know he wanted to see Suzy. I wanted to see her, too. I‟m glad we both had the same purpose. As we walked into the main street toward the shop, Zane said, “Well, I‟m certainly gonna pay for being all cocky, that‟s for sure. I won‟t be doin‟ that in a hurry again. Not without a visit to the bathroom straight after, I mean.” “Oh,” I said with a smile. My suspicions were confirmed. He had cum in his pants. I slipped my arm around him so I could be closer to him, reassure him I didn‟t really care. His smile widened. I sure loved it how he trusted me. I 48

Light of the Body trusted him. In fact, Zane and Suzy and Mr. Barnaby and Callum and myself had been through so much—probably go through a lot more, that we only had trust. Zane had proved that today without a shadow of a doubt. “I love you, you know that, don‟t you?” He stopped. Looked at me and replied, “Cum spackle is a bitch to get out of pubes, you know?” His voice was flat, as if what he was saying was something ordinary. I laughed. Not the usual reply to an I love you, but for Zane, that was as good as it was probably going to get. We walked on, the General Store in sight. Again he stopped. “So you really didn‟t mind, then?” I reached up and pecked him on his cheek. “Not at all, you show off. You can do that any time. Just know I won‟t let you leave without you relieving yourself first, mainly because I would like to see that, too.” “You‟re the best.” We continued on our path. “If you were single, I‟d give you one for sure, make you beg for more until you gagged for it.” I thought about that. Since when did being with someone mean I had to miss out on a great fuck from an adorable bloke? I knew Callum would approve, especially if Zane were involved. If I knew one-hundred percent that Zane was 49

Mark Alders interested, I‟d do my damndest to try and get him between the sheets, between both of us. “Hey, I can take anything you give me, you know. My arse is yours if you want it.” “Yeah, but that‟s Cal‟s hole, and I wouldn‟t do nothin‟ to break up our friendship. You mean too much to me, both of you.” He let out a gasp of air through his nose, then chuckled. The resulting smile wrinkled his nose and revealed his eye teeth. I liked him when he was happy. “Just my luck the person who wants me is an attached bloke and the girl I want isn‟t interested in me on any physical level. Fucking geez, I‟m sure a magnet for the wrong kind, aren‟t I?” “You‟ll win her over, I‟m sure of it. If not, I‟ll give her a piece of my mind just for you.” “Thanks, Jakey.” The rest of the time was spent telling Zane everything that had happened that morning with Callum. **** It was nearly 10:30 am by the time we got to the General Store. I went straight to the counter. Mr. Barnaby greeted us all in the cheerful way he always did. I got straight to the point and the reason we had come here in the first place. I told him what had happened to Callum and probably 50

Light of the Body the rest of the townsfolk, too. I also asked him if Suzy had been in yet or not. She hadn‟t. The thing about Mr. Barnaby is that no matter what I say to him he always made me feel important. Words like Oh, I see or That sounds terrible for Callum and Are you all right, dear boy? were uttered by him in between my natural pauses. He hadn‟t noticed anything weird, then again, he said he had been stocktaking all this week and really, what impregnated town member was going to come in the General Store for supplies? From what I had seen, those affected were in a coma or flailing their limbs like people possessed. Zane paced the floor like an expectant father next to the massive display of Pine-o-clean—good price, too, at a dollar forty-nine a litre, which I would have to tell mum about at the soonest possible moment. I knew he was waiting for Suzy. He was right to do so. My concern for her had reached a level of sheer panic. Where was she? According to Zane she always stopped off at the General Store before going to his place. When I had finished telling Mr. Barnaby everything I knew, he said, “Actually, now that you mention it, I have noticed some strange happenings going on lately.” He rubbed his white goatee. Zane came over to the counter. “You have?” 51

Mark Alders “Yes, I have. Last night Aloysius started playing up just as I was about to settle in for the night. He was doing exactly the same as what that dog did to you, Jacob. He was fretting, trying to keep me away from the windows and doors. Yes, he was.” “Um, I didn‟t know you had a dog, Mister B,” Zane said. “What breed is it? Bet‟cha got one of those shitty dogs, one that sits on your lap and all.” Mr. Barnaby raised an eyebrow. “I think you mean a shitzu, and no, I don‟t have one. Too much hair all over the place. Not a good look for a shop. I don‟t have any dog, never have, never will.” “So, who‟s Aloysius, then?” I blurted. I placed a dairy whip bar onto the counter from one of those impulse displays. Mr. Barnaby waved his hand, letting me have the chocolate without paying. “My friend,” was the man‟s short sharp reply. We all looked at each other. Mr. Barnaby turned and fiddled with the newspaper stand next to the counter, straightening them up. Zane raised his thick black eyebrows when he looked beyond the counter and into the back room of the shop. “Who did you say Aloysius was again? You hidin‟ some bit of fluff to rumple your foreskin back there, or what?” “Aloysius is a he, and no, I didn‟t mention who he was. Did you want a free Mars bar, Zane? I 52

Light of the Body know Suzy buys them for you all the time. Your favourite, I believe.” “Yeah, sure do,” Zane replied snatching the confectionary from a shelf quick smart and wasting no time unwrapping it and gobbing it down. I think Mr. Barnaby mentioned the magic word. Free. Watching him eat that chocolate was even more erotic than seeing him exhibiting his fine body in front of me, if that was at all possible. Do straight guys even realise how alluring something so simple as eating a suggestively shaped object can be? Before Zane had finished, the shop bell tinkled. We all turned to look at the door. No one was there. It took me a moment to realise that no one had entered the shop, even though the door had been opened. I mean, my thoughts were still wrapped around the idea that Mr. Barnaby had a friend we didn‟t know about. Who was Aloysius? Was he a cat? No, he had already said he didn‟t like hair in the shop. Or was he something else entirely? The sound of a can or something falling off one of the shelves came from the back of the shop. The sight of a tin of Baked Beans rolling toward us confirmed my initial thought. The can stopped at my feet. 53

Mark Alders “Who‟s there? Hello!” Mr. Barnaby called out. “I have a great special on Baked Beans if you‟re interested. Buy forty tins, get ten half price!” “I‟ll go see who‟s there.” Zane picked up the can, plonked it onto the counter and dashed down the aisle to investigate. As soon as he left me, the atmosphere inside the shop seemed to darken and get close. In fact, it felt like a storm was about to blow in and drop heavy rain or something. The air was almost electric. I got that smell caught in my nostrils, of rain and stale insects. I realised I was holding my breath, feeling the urge to take in air. I gasped and worry consumed me. Zane had been gone for a while. “Zane?” I shouted. There was no reply. The only sound was the gentle purring of the refrigerated case that ran down the centre of the shop and the whirr of the heating fan above me. Even though warm air flowed from that vent, a cold chill shot through me. There was something in the shop with us. I had sensed the presence before. I was about to call out for him again, he emerged from behind the end of the week‟s specials bay—a display of soap powder and pretty cheap, too, a dollar ninety-nine a case. He shook his head. From that I gathered he hadn‟t seen 54

Light of the Body anyone back there. But why didn‟t Zane reply before? Surely, he didn‟t ignore me deliberately. When he came up to the counter, another can rolled toward me and from the same aisle, too. This time a tin of spaghetti. Mr. Barnaby tutted. “What is going on here?” He lifted up the counter‟s access board. “If there‟s someone in my shop, show yourself!” I turned in time to see Corey Harrington step over the clutter of stock next to the tinned food aisle. He looked like he did this morning, pale, gaunt and with a blank expression. He looked frightening. Corey barged past me and went to Zane. He eyed him up and down and then took in a lungful of air when he bought his nose close to his skin, like what he had done to me earlier. Zane recoiled. “What‟s up with you, man?” In a voice cold and distant, Corey replied, “If your filthy seed contaminates her sanctity, your life won‟t be worth living, mortal. She is the right one. She is our queen and not for the likes of you. You are impure. You are nothing. Don‟t even bother with your mateship ritual. You will come to nothing if you proceed down that path.” “What the fuck does that mean, jerkoff?” Zane spat. “I can smell it on you. You stink of your own filthy excitement. I can smell you want her. If you 55

Mark Alders so much as touch her, I‟ll kill you in the name of my Masters and the honour of my Queen.” Zane opened his mouth, about to reply, when Corey‟s eyes then rolled into the back of their sockets. He shuddered and his arms jiggled violently at his sides. We all stepped back, like he was a bomb about to explode. His body glowed. A cold wind blew through the shop. Well, not a wind as such, it was more like a tornado or something. I covered my face as newspapers, magazines and flyers filled the air, some cutting into my skin. I yelled. By the time the wind subsided, Corey had disappeared. Whether he went out the door or simply vanished was anyone‟s guess. All I know is that he was gone as mysteriously as he had arrived. What had gotten into him? Was he possessed or something? Again with the queen talk. At least this time he offered some more information, as cryptic as it was. Mr. Barnaby came over to me. He placed his hands onto my shoulder. “Are you all right, my friend?” “Well, that‟s somethin‟ you don‟t see every day,” Zane said. “What did he mean by all that don’t touch her stuff?” Mr. Barnaby asked. I looked at Zane, then at Mr. Barnaby. “Whatever he meant, we can‟t just stand here 56

Light of the Body doing nothing. We have to get to the bottom of this.” Zane smiled. “Now you‟re talkin‟.” “So where do we start, then?” Mr. Barnaby said. “Corey‟s house,” I added. “We should have enough time to do some poking around before Callum wakes up and needs us all.” “Let me call Mrs. Leary to look after the place. I‟m coming with you.” Mr. Barnaby let me go and grabbed his phone that was hiding under the disturbed newspapers. He was dialling before I could blink. The old man could move when he wanted to. Zane frowned. “I think Suzy may be in a bit of trouble, you know that? Seems to me her exboyfriend still has somethin‟ to prove. I bet he knows why all the town folk are goin‟ all possessed and shit. I bet he knows for sure.” I agreed. “Yeah, and the key to all this seems to be freak boy Corey. I bet if we find out where he‟s been disappearing to, we‟ll find some clue as to where she is.” Mr. Barnaby placed the phone back into its cradle. “It‟s done. We can all go and do a bit of good „ol fashioned investigating. Mrs. Leary will be here soon.” I seriously think Mr. Barnaby enjoyed all these mysterious goings on. Then again, I had to admit, 57

Mark Alders I was certainly most curious to find out what this was all about, too.

58

Light of the Body

Chapter Six

W

hen Mrs. Leary arrived, Zane came over to me. Mr Barnaby was engaged in chit-chat with the woman, handing over keys and giving her contact numbers in case of emergency. Zane decided the time was right for whatever it was he needed to say. I suspected the freakish encounter with Corey Harrington had something to do with what was on his mind. “Am I that obvious I have it bad for Suzz?” I took his hand. “Sometimes. But there‟s nothing wrong with that.” Yep. It was about Corey Harrington. Then again, everything seemed to be about Corey, lately. “Aww, shit.” He screwed up his face. “So, you reckon I should just come right on out and ask her on a date? How about to the Spring Dance? When all this stuff is over, I mean. Seems everyone knows I slap my monkey over her pretty much all the time, don‟t they?” 59

Mark Alders “You do what you think is right.” I hadn‟t thought of the Spring Dance. That was a couple of months away now. Should I ask Callum to go with me? Perhaps we should all go together, as a group. Perhaps we may get to meet this Aloysius person if I could convince Mr. Barnaby to come, too. “But if you asked me out, I‟d be on my knees before you could finish your sentence. That‟ll give you some relief.” Zane laughed. “You‟re such a tease, Jakey. Gotta love you for that.” I smiled, there was his return I love you, done in a way only he could manage, as an off-handed remark. Mr. Barnaby had decided to take the General Store‟s truck to Corey‟s place, because he lived at the other end of town. Besides, I don‟t think Mr. Barnaby wanted to walk that far. I didn‟t blame him. As I thought about the events of the day, I wished we had the field generator‟s knowledge to tap into. Damn, I knew we should have kept it. Perhaps it could have told us how we were supposed to deal with people with insectoid embryos inside them. How did insects get that big in the first place? Were they mutants? The chemical factory on the far side of the Westfell had been abandoned for decades. No one ventured near there. Was that where they had come from? 60

Light of the Body My mind continued to turn over ideas while Zane and I waited out the front of the store for Mr. Barnaby. When the truck approached, I realised Zane was staring at me, his eyes glistening. Gosh, he was sweet. “Will I ever have a chance with her?” he asked. “I sure hope so, cause if you haven‟t I think you‟re going to have to find another outlet to let off some of that testosterone of yours.” “Perhaps a threesome with you and Cal, hey?” “Now who‟s the tease?” “Who‟s teasin‟?” I didn‟t know whether or not to ignore that. Zane was sure hard to figure out. One minute he was hot, the next as cold as ice. I shrugged, deciding not to add any more to the conversation. Saying that the truck was uncomfortable was an understatement. It was a cabin thing for a start, which meant that there was only a bench seat at the front and someone had to sit with their legs either side of the stick shift. I was given that position. At least I didn‟t have to sit on Zane‟s lap. I don‟t know how I would have handled having him so close, especially after his performance earlier on. We were squashed, but we were saved any embarrassment. In the end, the drive to Corey‟s wasn‟t too bad, though Mr. Barnaby drove the truck like the 61

Mark Alders apocalypse was upon us. I didn‟t know trucks could move that fast. We turned into Corey Harrington‟s street with a squeal of wheels and me having to hold onto the seat for fear of squashing Zane into the passenger door. “Here we are then,” Mr. Barnaby said as he pulled into Corey‟s driveway. “And something tells me we‟re expected.” Sure enough, Corey was by his mailbox. There were a dozen or so other people with him, standing there on his front lawn staring at us. All of them had that zombie-like appearance. Their bodies glowed, even through the material of what they were wearing. I was about to ask Zane to get out of the truck so we could confront Corey and ask him where Suzy was, when everyone on the lawn started to make their way toward us. Zane caught my hand when I reached over him for the door handle. “Are you crazy?” he questioned, his face had gone from morose disinterest to astounded horror within a blink of an eye. “Haven‟t you ever seen a zombie flick?” “Yeah, but this isn‟t a movie. Besides, these people are from our town. Look, there‟s Mrs. Weatherstone, and that‟s Mr. Wilson. Why would they hurt us?” But as I spoke those words a terrible feeling washed over me. I knew these 62

Light of the Body people were not themselves. Sure, they had the appearance of those I knew, but inside them, they were different. Zane was right. “Actually, they don‟t look all that friendly at all,” Mr. Barnaby interjected. I mouthed something incoherent as the townsfolk surround the truck. Not only that, they were beginning to pelt the vehicle with anything and everything they could find scattered about the road or around Corey‟s front yard. A stone struck the windshield with a loud thwack and a spider crack scratched up the glass. I screamed. “Quick, Mister B, get us out of here!” Zane yelled. Mr. Barnaby thrust the gear-stick into reverse, nearly whacking me right in the balls. Thankfully I shuffled up the seat in time. The truck jerked. Before I could tell whether or not we had moved, Corey jumped up onto the vehicle‟s windshield. He looked right at me, like before, his eyes were intense yet distant. I must have screamed again, because Zane cursed out loud, holding his ears. I was close to him and he uttered many obscenities, but words that more than adequately described my experience as Corey‟s bloodshot eyes bored into my soul from behind the glass. 63

Mark Alders Corey punched at the window. After a few attempts the glass gave way and I was showered in shards. Blood splattered all over my clothes. This time I didn‟t scream. I was numb with disbelief. Zane came over me, shielding my face with his arm as best he could. His body pressed against mine. Everything went dark. I can‟t remember the next few seconds, other than having something pull at me. My body was being yanked out from underneath Zane and I screamed. The truck must have been moving at a great speed and erratically, too, because as I slid off the seat, unable to control myself, I fell. Zane come over me as I fell onto what I could only imagine was Corey. My landing was softened by something, but that didn‟t stop me from falling into unconsciousness. I opened my eyes and saw nothing. At first I thought I was dead. Well, not dead as in buried six feet under, but dead as in how I imagined it would be because I was surrounded by darkness. But then again, if this was death and death is nothing, how would I know? I then knew I wasn‟t dead. That was a relief. I heard movement around me, like foot shuffles. God, I hope the zombie people of the town weren‟t here with me in this dark place. That‟d be all I need to top off the freaky day I‟d 64

Light of the Body been having so far. I thought of Callum. I wanted him near me. To hold him. To touch him. Anything. My stomach tightened, my fingers tingled and the adrenalin pumped through my veins. I was ready to jump up and run away. But something stopped me. I thought Zane spoke. Well, I didn‟t hear him speak as such. It was more like a groan, and then a whine, which was followed by more groans. Yep, that was him. I hoped he was okay and not injured in the fall off the truck. All I needed to top everything off would be two people I loved in the hospital. As I listened, I thought his groans had a sarcastic undertone to them. Like a gee I knew this would happen kind of tone. Yes, that was Zane. I take it he wasn‟t feeling the best. I bet he was feeling the weight of the fall ring through his bones. I know I was. Which was another reason why I didn‟t get up and run. I was sore all over. I had this revelation when I tried to move toward the sound of his moans. I think I had been used as a punching bag. I winced. “You okay, Jakey?” Zane‟s voice pierced the darkness even though he was only whispering. But his voice sounded a little different. As if it was muffled by something. I thought I smelt that 65

Mark Alders musty insect aroma I had been smelling all day. Was there someone else here with us in the dark? I dismissed that thought. If there was someone else, surely I would be able to hear them. I sat up as best I could, then replied, “No. Not really.” Then another thought struck me. “Where are we exactly?” Where was Mr. Barnaby? Where were the other people of the town? Then again, if they were here I would be able to see. Their glow would at least give us some light. Zane coughed. “We‟re in the storm water tunnels that go under the Longmuir.” Ah, that certainly answered the question that had only just sprung into my mind. He shuffled closer. Was he injured? I wished I could see. “Are you okay?” He didn‟t answer my question, but said, “It was Mister B‟s idea to come here. And „sides we had no other choice from what I could tell. The whole fuckin‟ town are all zombiefied and kind of wantin‟ our brains or somethin‟. Well, that‟s what I reckon anyway. The folk of this town seem to be all concerned with dead starfish boy Corey. I think he‟s some sort of leader of them or some shit like that.” “I got that. What I want to know is the why and the how.” “Say, you think Suzz has somethin‟ to do with all this, too?” Again Zane‟s voice sounded weird, 66

Light of the Body even though he was closer to me. His voice had a gruffness and murkiness to it I hadn‟t noticed before. Was the darkness heightening my sense of hearing? To me it didn‟t sound quite like him, like I was hearing a recording of his voice played back through the old tape deck my dad keeps in the garage. I used to record my voice on it when I was a boy, laughing at how silly I sounded. I wanted to be a radio DJ back then, until my voice broke and it lost any originality, that is. Zane was now next to me. His breath wisped against my skin and the heat off his body warmed me. He placed his hand into mine. I didn‟t recoil. Besides, I wanted his touch and being in complete darkness made his company even more welcome. “I‟m kinda scared. Mister B‟s been gone a while. He took the only flashlight, too.” “How long have I been unconscious?” But that wasn‟t really the question at the forefront of my mind. I wanted to know where Corey and his army of zombie town folk were. Surely, they would have followed us into these tunnels? My mind span as I tried to concentrate. All I could draw was a hazy nothingness from my conscious. I simply didn‟t have all the information I needed to formulate any hypothesis as to what happened while I was out of it. “A while,” he said. He pressed against the side of me. I swore he moaned again. 67

Mark Alders “Are you all right?” I found myself repeating. It was then Zane took his hand away from mine. Whether or not he did it to divert attention away from himself and my question or not, I couldn‟t tell. He placed his hand across my stomach. Strangely, I liked what he did. In fact, my insides fluttered as he moved his hand across my shirt. He had a soft touch that was sensual, too, and I couldn‟t help but become caught up in the moment. “What are you doing, Zane?” I pressed my eyelids closed, trying to think of Callum. But the heat in the storm pipes and the musty smell and the closeness of Zane made my mind fuzzy and my feelings inside become alight with desire. I shook my head. “I can stop if you don‟t like it.” He ran his hand under my shirt and up toward my chest, concentrating his touch around my nipples. I gasped. “I know you need someone to look after you, Jakey. Cal can‟t do that now, can he? I can. I can look after you real good.” “Don‟t,” I snapped, sounding a lot harsher than I had intended. I hoped I didn‟t dissuade, but I also hoped I had made it clear I didn‟t want that sort of affection, not from him and especially not now. “Please don‟t.” What had gotten into him? I thought he was straight? I thought he only wanted Suzy? 68

Light of the Body But he persisted. “You want somethin‟ more then?” Before I could answer him, he took his hand away from under my shirt and placed it at the inside of my leg. He rubbed me there. Again his movements were perfect, and as he moved his fingers over me, his breathing became quicker and deeper. I gasped when he unbuckled my belt and unzipped my jeans. My underwear was no obstacle as he ran his fingers though my pubic hair. I became warm, even more so than when Callum was intimate with me. I placed my hand onto his, stopping him from exploring me any more. I couldn‟t let him do this. Yet, how he behaved was different than before. Sure, when he flashed his cock right in front of my face that was Zane showing off. Doing what he does best. This was different. It was like I wasn‟t with him at all. Something didn‟t feel right. When I thought about what was happening, I felt dirty. Then again, I wanted to know what he would do next. Was that wrong? Of course it was. I should be at Callum‟s side instead of letting a straight guy feel me up. Geez, that sounded stupid, even to me. This wasn‟t Zane at all. As I was about to get up, let him know this wasn‟t a good thing to be doing, he 69

Mark Alders pressed his hot, wet lips onto mine. A wash of his manly odour invaded my nostrils. I went dizzy. I got hard.

70

Light of the Body

Chapter Seven

Z

ane‟s kiss on my lips then became a whole lot more and the next words out of his mouth when he had finished kissing me, most certainly revealed that. “I want to have you. I want to have you so bad it hurts. I always have.” “But…but what about Suzy? I don‟t think—” But before I could finish my sentence, or even my train of thought for that matter, he pressed his lips against mine. I was gagged by his silky, wet tongue invading my mouth, trying to dominate the new territory as quickly as possible. He tasted so different than Callum, sweet and sickly all at the same time. He tasted like forbidden fruit, which is what he was. My cock went so hard it ached. I groaned. He took that as a signal to continue. That and the fact I placed my arms around him, pulling him closer to me, sealed it for him. Why I did that I couldn‟t even hazard a guess. Damn him. Why did he have to do everything so right? Bastard. 71

Mark Alders I had to admit, his kiss was sensational. Gentle. Teasing. Warm. Deep. Every emotion poured through me as I lost myself in his arms and I became so rock hard with my passion for him I didn‟t know how long I‟d last. He broke his kiss. All I could do was gasp for air as I tried to cool my thoughts and get myself out of the erotic spiral that happens when I‟m given this much attention. He fumbled with my clothes, trying to remove my jeans and get me out of my shirt all at the same time. Even though I couldn‟t see a darn thing, I could imagine the look on his face. It would be like the time he paraded around for me in his room. I could also imagine his beautiful cock as hard as anything. Fuck! My pre-cum oozed from my own dick. I was ready for him. Moments later, the cool of the air stuck to my skin. Zane had peeled my clothes off me. I‟m glad there weren‟t lights on, that‟s for sure. I bet I‟d look like some cheap, dirty ho as I lay on the concrete, legs spread, ready for what would happen next. Geez, I was pathetic. As I tried to recall in my mind the events that led up to this, he grabbed my cock in his hands, his grip tight. He retracted my foreskin and rubbed his fingertips over my head, letting my pre-cum lubricate my cock. His tongue, his hot, wet, sensual, magnificent tongue then licked me, teased 72

Light of the Body me, before he plunged all of me into his mouth. I let out a delighted whimper, being inside his mouth felt divine as he rolled his tongue around my head. He worked the length of my shaft like he had done this sort of thing all his life, pulling down at the root of my cock as he continued to blow me. Sometimes he stopped so he could concentrate his efforts on my frenulum, other times he moved frantically over my length. Everything he did was fucking wonderful. No wonder Corey took him into the back shed and got him to suck him off. Zane was an expert. At first my fingertips tingled. Then my toes. Then, as he worked himself up to a rhythm and he increased the pressure of his touch, my stomach began to tremble. And I‟m not talking about the gentle tickle of butterflies either. My stomach shuddered and in time with the movements of him over me. “My…fucking…God,” was all I could say. How lame was I? I wanted to scream out, both with joy and with disgust. I hated myself right now. How could I let this happen? Tears welled in my eyes, and my bottom lip quivered as Zane continued to work on me, his free hand now gently cupping my balls, massaging them. I placed my hands onto his head, not caring if I ruffled his hair. He groaned and continued, not worried I did such a thing. Before I knew it I was 73

Mark Alders helping him maintain my desired movement. His actions were so much better than when I touched myself, even better than when Callum blew me. I mean, his tongue had the right kind of hardness and softness and all at the same time, too. It was just…fantastic. I approached the point of no return. My legs went stiff and numb and my cock ached. I arched my back, forcing myself deeper into his mouth, so deep he made gagging noises. Or was he teasing me again? Whatever. I was in heaven. I let out a moan. I had to blow my load inside his mouth. Then I would be happy. He deserved everything I could give him. He stopped, letting me go. My cock slapped onto my stomach. “No!” I pushed his head down. Again my voice sounded so harsh, but I didn‟t care. I had to finish this. “Shhh,” he said as he pulled my hands off his head. “I‟ve got somethin‟ more for you.” My cock tingled and the only sensation below my waist was a dull throbbing that consumed me and seemed to be ingrained in every fibre of my being, every muscle, every bone. My body could no longer delay. My mind yearned for his touch and I was in the last throes of resistance before the inevitable climax. Whatever he was going to do he had better do it damn quick. I didn‟t want to 74

Light of the Body waste all this effort and have to start all over again. I don‟t think I could live with myself. My wish came true. After he spoke, he opened my legs wider, pulling them up so he could access my arsehole. I whimpered again. His warm, wet tongue licked my balls before he moved down to where he seemed to want to be. At first he teased, tickling the rim of my anus. Fuck, even Callum never licked me there. My thoughts became a whirl of ecstasy as he stopped his light playful touch and licked me like I were a girl, hard and wet with long lashes of his tongue across my arse. I was his pussy and it felt magnificent, special even. Straight guys were awesome. Harder and harder he went, sometimes piercing me with his beautiful wet tongue. A wet slurping noise filled the darkness around me as he made me wetter and hotter and hornier. A gentle groan finished off his licking, but the tingling sensation remained. I was ready to accept him. No, I needed him. My cock throbbed as I realised what he intended to do next. An intense pressure came over me, deep inside, both painful and pleasurable as his cock pierced my arsehole after all his attention. What he gave me was indeed better than his tongue. I had him. All of him. And I had given myself to him willingly, too, if only to reach the 75

Mark Alders peak I so needed right now. His lips once again silenced any protest I may have had. But I wouldn‟t have protested. I needed this more than the air I breathed. His love was welcome. He kissed me, gently pushing in his tongue to part my lips. I tasted myself. In that moment my body convulsed. The build up of pressure, the long climb up to where I was could no longer be the reason for holding myself back. I orgasmed, soaking myself in my own cum. Warmth washed over me and I welcomed it. Fuck it was good. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Zane moaned and his body shuddered. He must have cum, too. I wrapped my arms around him, pressing him close to me, letting him get wet with my fluid as he continued to pump more of his own inside me. He collapsed onto me, his heat and mine stifling the air, but wonderful. I became intoxicated by it. He panted and grunted more and more as he kept on unloading himself into me, music to my ears. I came down off my high. Voices penetrated the dark before an intense light flooded the tunnel. I shielded my eyes. “Holy fuck!” Zane screamed. But it didn‟t come from above me. Rather, the voice came from the light. “Get the fuck off him, you disgustin‟ mother fucker!” 76

Light of the Body In the confusion that followed, Mr. Barnaby yelled at the one I had just given myself to. He ordered it to get off me. When the thing I believed to be Zane pulled out of me, emptiness consumed me, so much so it was tangible. But I couldn‟t think of that. What was going on? “There, Zane!” Mr. Barnaby called. “Quick! Get the fuckin‟ bastard! I threw the net! I threw the net!” Zane yelled at the top of his lungs. “Shoot, Mister B. Shoot!” My eyes began to focus. At first I could only see shapes or what I thought were figures, presumably the real Zane and Mr. Barnaby, moving about in the tunnel with me as I scrambled to my feet. A gun fired. My ears rang. “Got it!” Mr. Barnaby shouted. My eyes became accustomed to the flashlight beam that roved erratically across the tunnel walls. To my sheer and absolute horror, a cloaked figure was lying in the dirt next to me. He wasn‟t a man I had ever seen before. His face was insectlike—no, it was cockroach like, yet also human. A cross between the two. Its beady, dull eyes stared up at me. It was dead. A nauseous feeling overcame me. I scrambled as quickly as I could away from the man that had…that I… Oh my God, I couldn‟t even say it let alone think about it. I dry heaved, 77

Mark Alders forcing myself to try and not chuck up my guts. I had been fucked by an insect man. No wonder I thought Zane sounded weird at first. It wasn‟t him at all. I was covered in dirt and cum, but I picked up my clothes. I didn‟t want Zane or Mr. Barnaby to see me like this. What had I done? “Hey, Jakey, you couldn‟t wait to get your gear off, could you?” the real Zane said, as cheeky as ever. I didn‟t answer him. In the gloom I could see his painfully beautiful face complete with that wonderful boyish smirk of his stare at me as if judging what I had done. Guilt pricked at the back of my neck as I clambered back into my jeans, not even bothering to clean myself off. Again I retched, this time at my own smell. I felt ashamed. How could I have been so stupid? What had gotten into me? Mr. Barnaby came up to me. “If it‟s any consolation, Jacob, this thing isn‟t the only one. Corey was one of them, too.” “Yeah, when we pulled you off him after you fell from the truck, we saw the fuckin‟ bastard for what he really was. Seems they can disguise themselves, these things. Real freaky, hey?” Mr. Barnaby patted me on my shoulder. “You were fooled just as we all were.” “Bet you thought you saw Cal giving you what for, right?” Zane said as he wrapped up the net he 78

Light of the Body had used to throw over my insectoid lover, trapping it so Mr. Barnaby could shoot it. I‟m glad the thing was dead. My cheeks grew warm. “Yeah, that‟s it,” I lied. “I mean, I thought it was weird how Callum was out of the hospital so quick.” God that sounded weak even for me. Why would Callum be out of the hospital, and more to the point, how could he have found me down these storm pipes? “Say, how did I get down here anyway?” I added, changing the subject. I didn‟t want anyone to know I gave myself to what I thought was Zane, even though deep down I knew I was being affected in some way by the insect man. “We both brought you down here, thinking you‟d be safe while we called the ambulance and got as many of the infected townsfolk into the hospital as we could,” Mr. Barnaby began. “As soon as that insect man disguised as Corey died, the folk around him stopped dead in their tracks and did nothing. I suppose you could say they no longer had any purpose. I guess from that you could say these things are controlling the infected people of this town. I mean, the whole east side of Pembroke Eve has been taken over according to the ambulance men. This is spreading fast.” Zane gave his trademark crooked smile. “To stop „em we‟re gonna go bust some insect dudes‟ heads in. Mister B reckons they‟re using these 79

Mark Alders storm pipes to get around the town unnoticed. We only figured that part out when we saw you— sorry, Jakey…but if you could see what we saw…” he trailed off. I think he knew I felt bad enough already. I nodded. “The one on top of you was the fifth one we‟ve seen down here already. Thankfully, I carry my trusty shotgun in my truck,” Mr. Barnaby said with a beaming smile, like Santa Claus at Christmas he was, but twice as jolly. Yep. He enjoyed getting out of the General Store and hanging out with us. I then felt pains in my stomach—well, the pain was lower, more like my lower intestines. What had the insectoid man-thing given to me when he came? Dizziness struck me. The thought of having anything inside me made me feel queasy. “What happened to the real Corey, then?” They looked at each other. Finally, Mr. Barnaby said, “According to the ambulance men, he‟s in a critical condition at the hospital. His whole body is riddled with—what did they call them, Zane?” “Neural cells or some shit like that, I think.” “What?” I asked. I knew it. I was infected with something, too. Mr. Barnaby‟s face screwed up, probably from the stench down in these pipes more than anything. That insect smell was overpowering. “From what they told us—and this is all 80

Light of the Body conjecture, mind you, the host is taken over somehow and their behavioural patterns, voice and thoughts are transferred to these insectoid men. That‟s how they can look so real, even to the folk who know them. But that one on you, he looked like—” Zane coughed, cutting Mr. Barnaby off. “Well, we know how they transfer it now we‟ve seen it first hand. Seems they give the dude or gal they want to copy a good fuckin‟.” I threw up.

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fter I had wiped my mouth of my own filth, my mind span with all sorts of thoughts and feelings. Eventually, I said, “So let me get this straight, I would have been copied had you not come in and killed that thing?” But as I thought about it, what they had said earlier didn‟t make any sense. My insect impregnator sounded and acted like Zane and he hadn‟t been taken over. Or had I imagined the thing giving me one was Zane because I had such strong feelings for him? From the way Zane shifted his gaze away from me every time I looked at him, I‟d say he knew what that insect man looked like. I licked my lips, more out of nervousness than anything else. Did they see the fake Zane fucking me senseless? I was knocked out of my reverie when Mr. Barnaby said, “That about sums it up, dear boy.” I looked at Zane and this time he kept his stare upon me. He smirked. It was then I knew he knew. Unable to help myself I went to him, 82

Light of the Body hugging him. “What happens to me now? Am I going to be taken over by…an insect brain?” I gasped. I couldn‟t even think about it. The thought of something growing inside me, taking me over made me both angry and depressed. Zane hugged me back, his embrace strong and welcome, but brief, like a straight boy would have done it, two slaps on the back and then the let go. “Dunno, Jakey. But I know what‟s goin‟ on here is somethin‟ more than what those ambos are sayin‟. The dude ploughin‟ you looked like me.” There. He had said it. I looked right into his eyes and said with all the conviction in my heart, “I thought it was you, Zane.” My shame washed over me. “I‟m so sorry. I don‟t know what came over me. I…Callum is in the hospital and I open my legs at the first chance I get. You‟ve got to believe me, something affected me, but I don‟t know what. Geez, I‟m pathetic, aren‟t I?” He laughed, patting me on my back. “You can‟t help it. I‟m hard to resist, I know. Once you‟ve seen Zane in all his glory, you can‟t go back, hey?” Mr. Barnaby rolled his eyes toward the heavens. “I think we should get on with things.” A great sense of relief joined in my emotions and I let out a lungful of air to celebrate that feeling. Talk about a roller-coaster ride of feelings lately. “As far as I‟m concerned that thing tricked 83

Mark Alders me. I would never do such a thing under normal circumstances, you know that, don‟t you?” “I know you wouldn‟t, Jakey. You would have done something in my bedroom when I put on that show for you if you were like that. You‟re a top bloke who got duped by a dirty fuckin‟ bug thing, is all.” Then it dawned on me. “You put on that show to prove a point, didn‟t you?” He looked serious all of a sudden. “You got that straight. If I have to trust you with my life, I wanna make sure I can trust you in the first place. This town freaks the shit out of me as it is, even more so lately. I need friends I can rely on. You and Cals and Mister B and Suzy, you‟re all I got.” He was right. Trust was the only thing we had for each other, especially with all the townsfolk either getting pregnant or being copied or whatever it was these insectoid life forms were doing to look like us. If he couldn‟t trust me, then I wasn‟t any good to him. We all had to trust each other. Mr. Barnaby had walked ahead, shotgun tucked under his right arm for easy access, the flashlight‟s beam roving the walls as he checked every nook and cranny. “Come on, gentlemen. This isn‟t a men‟s meeting. We have work to do.”

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Light of the Body “I suppose we need to go kick insect butt as you say, Zane,” I said as I went up behind Mr. Barnaby. Zane clapped his hands. “Now you‟re talkin‟. The sooner this freak show is over the sooner I can go home and do stuff all.” Mr. Barnaby stopped, checked his shotgun and loaded another bullet into it. “I believe we should go deeper into the storm pipes. Theses old east side pipes eventually lead to the chemical factory. Perhaps that‟s where we need to go.” My guts ached again and I grabbed myself, wincing with the pain that shot through me. “Whatever we‟re going to do, we‟d better do it fast. I think the stuff that insect man gave me is reacting inside me.” Zane came up beside me, his eyes flashing concern. “Don‟t you dare turn into some sort of weirdo that can control the banged up folk of this town, you hear? I‟m never gonna flash my dick to you again if you do. I swear to God.” I couldn‟t help but let out a chuckle. “Then we‟d better make sure we hurry. Seeing your old fella is the highlight of my day. Say, next time, when you want to twirl around with nothing on, make sure Callum and I can take pictures, okay?” He let out a guffaw. “Deal. Just don‟t put them on the net.” 85

Mark Alders “Oh? Don‟t you want anyone else to see you in all your glory? A specimen like you should be shared around,” I said in the cheekiest voice I could muster, giving Zane a taste of his own medicine. He placed his arm around me. “Naw, it‟s not that. I gotta keep the mystery goin‟ for all my web fans. I wanna get paid for my skin vids and pics and havin‟ stuff on there for free is only supposed to act as a teaser. Heard some guys make a nice bit of dough on the side jackin‟ off for people to see. Say, you wanna help me set that up…when this stuff‟s all over, of course?” I wasn‟t surprised to hear that at all. I sighed, resigning to the fact I would never beat Zane at his own cheeky game. “Sure. Why the hell not?” Mr. Barnaby tutted. “I‟ll never understand you young folk. Why is it about what you‟ve all got in your pants? When you get older, you‟ll learn there are some things far more important.” “Hey, don‟t worry, Mister B. We don‟t understand you either.” I laughed. Sure was great to have the real Zane next to me. I wished Callum was here. I missed him more than anything. After walking through dirty tunnels filled with rats and bugs and God knows what else, we came to a chamber, a sort of junction where four tunnels merged into one. The place was huge. The odour 86

Light of the Body of stale urine and that ever present cockroach smell hung thick in the air. I gagged, covering my mouth and nose with my sleeve. “What the fuck died down here?” I said, tasting the pungent air in my mouth. Zane handed me the net he‟d been lugging for the last hour or so. “Here, take this for a moment, will you. I need to take a slash real bad. Besides, adding some more piss into the mix around here won‟t spoil the ambiance, that‟s for sure.” “Sure.” The net wasn‟t heavy, more like one of those light weight throwing nets fisherman use on the river Longmuir in the rainbow trout season. I had watched my dad in the past try and catch some of those prized fish as they come back from their spawning grounds. I remember being soaked to my bones and as cold as all hell while we wadded in the river for hours, doing more chatting than catching fish. It was great fun. Zane unzipped. Seconds later, a squelching noise came from above. Mr. Barnaby flashed the light in my direction, momentarily blinding me. “Get the net ready, Jacob. Get the net ready!” Stars scintillated in my vision as I fumbled with the net. I blinked madly, trying to restore as much of my sight as I could. I needed to be able to see if I was going to throw the net and capture whatever it was that was behind me. Mr. Barnaby needed me and I couldn‟t disappoint him. I cursed as the 87

Mark Alders net fell onto the floor, slipping from my fingers as I tried to unravel it. I stumbled as I picked it up, unable to catch my balance, landing flat on my face in the stinking dirt of the chamber. “Fuck!” Zane screamed. But it wasn‟t because of what I did. An insect man charged for him. A shot rang out. Then another. Two bullet shells fell beside me and I knew I had to get up. I scrambled up to my feet, caught in the net, but thankfully standing. The insect man was dead on the floor. Zane stood above it, kicking its carcass furiously and shouting obscenities, which included questioning its lineage. The front of his jeans were stained dark. “That was a close call,” Mr. Barnaby said, dabbing his brow with a handkerchief he pulled from his top pocket. “I think it came from above us from what I could tell.” I swallowed hard, looking up. Above us was a cathedral-like ceiling with a hatch at the centre. The hatch was open and light flooded in from that hole, bathed us in a strange orange glow. I assumed that‟s where the insect man had come from. Why hadn‟t we noticed the light before? To me it didn‟t look like sunlight. It would seem the hatch led into a room and a ladder along one of the walls led up to the hatch. “Where does that go, Mr. Barnaby?” 88

Light of the Body “I believe we‟re under the chemical factory, if my bearings are serving me correctly, that is.” He loaded his shotgun with a haste I hadn‟t seen from him before, his fat fingers nimbly placing the bullets into their chambers. I think he must know we‟ll soon face more insect men, and in greater numbers than one or two here or there. Zane came up to me, helping me untangle the net from my legs. “You all right there, Jakey? That was quite a fall.” “I was going to ask you the same thing.” I let my stare fall down to his crotch, letting him know what he‟d done. I couldn‟t blame him really, my priority would have been to get my cock back into my jeans as quick as possible if I knew one of those insect men were behind me. Poor guy happened to be pissing at the time he shouldn‟t have been. He snorted. “Always when you‟ve got your dick out your pants does somethin‟ go wrong. Nearly got myself caught up in my zipper, too. Damn fuckin‟ bug men. Now I‟m gonna stink of piss until I can change. Just my dumb luck.” At least he could see the lighter side. I glanced down at the insect man Mr. Barnaby had smoked with the shotgun. One of its legs twitched. I sure hoped the thing was dead. I looked up again. 89

Mark Alders To my horror, more insect men clambered down from the hatch with a sort of agile scurry even though they only had two legs. Some were already on the ladder. I let out a yelp, nudging Zane. He saw what I had. “Say, how many bullets do you have left, Mister B?” “About twenty or so. I brought plenty.” The sight of more and more of these insect men pouring out from the hatch above filled me with dread. I don‟t think the net would quite cut it any more. I dropped it. So did Zane. “Why do you ask?” “Because, Mr. Barnaby, we‟ve got company. Look!”

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ane and I yelled at Mr. Barnaby to fire the gun. He did so, letting off two shots in quick succession before having to clamber with the gun to get it re-loaded as soon as possible. All too late. We were surrounded by hundreds of them. “Jesus fuckin‟ Christ!” Zane yelled as three of them grabbed him and pulled him away. He said a lot more, but his voice was muffled by the many hands that grabbed him. “Zane!” I cried out before I too felt them claw at me. I was being taken up the ladder, carried on the back of one of the insect men, having no choice but to look down at the chamber floor as I ascended. Another shot rang out before the gun went silent. Mr. Barnaby was swamped by insect men. “Mr. Barnaby!” I added. But what happened to him next, I didn‟t know. I was pulled through the hatch and thrown onto the ground next to Zane. The insect men surrounded us like a living cage. 91

Mark Alders We were in a hangar-like building. What made me realise these insect men had been planning the town‟s takeover for a long time, well before the aliens invaded, was right before my eyes. Probably well before the chemical factory even closed down for good about five or ten years ago. There was a huge central pillar, a pulsating amorphous being with hundreds of vein-like tendrils radiating out of it. At the end of each tendril a mass, like a clump of living matter hung, supported by more tendrils. If I didn‟t know any better I‟d say I was looking at a massive living organism. Was this the mind of the hive of the insect men? There was even the sound of a heart vibrating the foundations of the hangar, but to my surprise many of the townsfolk, the ones with the light in their bodies, were walking among the insect men, carrying things and doing what I thought looked like work. Were they slaves? So many questions. I nudged Zane. He groaned, but didn‟t speak. Instead he got to his feet, pulling me up in the process. “What‟s up?” I said. But he didn‟t have to answer. What he pointed at filled me with more dread than even the sight of all those insect men charging at me earlier. There was Suzy Gwendolyn Smith. My mouth opened. Numbness radiated up from my legs. I couldn‟t move. I couldn‟t think. 92

Light of the Body Suzy was inside the central pillar, a part of it, and all sorts of vein-like things came out of her body, most from her head. “What…what‟s happened to…you, Suzz?” Zane questioned with so much pain and disbelief in his voice it was tangible. My throat went tight. I couldn‟t speak. I felt for him. I felt for her. She was naked, immersed in some sort of fluid. Was she a slave, too? “Bring them to me,” her voice boomed, but I couldn‟t see her lips move. Was she transmitting her thoughts? Or was it not her at all, her mind, soul and body now a part of the hive and any thought or free will she may have extinguished like the fragile flame of a candle against the wind. We were pushed toward her, the insect men making sure any escape would be met with force, the force of their numbers that was. “Suzy?” My voice sounded feeble as I finally managed to say something, my throat dry, my muscles still numb. Standing in front of her made me feel insignificant. I grabbed Zane‟s hand, somewhat involuntarily. He didn‟t recoil. I think he was as dumbfounded as me to find her here, especially like this. “Silence, Jacob,” she bellowed. “You shouldn‟t have come here, either of you. You were warned.” Her voice was loud and powerful, amplified by 93

Mark Alders the living thing she was within, but in my mind, at the very back of my conscious I heard a little voice. A child-like voice, one I had to strain to hear. It was saying, Help me. It was Suzy‟s voice. Suzy‟s real voice. “I‟m the Queen of the new human insect race and soon you and Zane will serve me and our cause,” she continued. Electricity zapped across the tendrils as she spoke, making the insect men chatter excitedly. Zane tightened his grip in my hand, something Callum would have done when he was scared out of his mind. He looked like he‟d seen a ghost, his face drained of blood and his mouth agape. Tears welled in his eyes. “What…what‟s happened to you, Suzz?” he repeated, but this time disgust had seeped into his words. I wanted to know more, my initial reaction at seeing her as a part of the machine of the hive no longer at the forefront of my thoughts. If I was going to help her, and indeed the whole town, I had to know more. “What have you done to the townsfolk? I know you haven‟t been a part of this for long, we saw you yesterday.” She smiled. “That was my double, created purely to fool you. I have been with the insectmans since the aliens left nearly two months ago now. They have been waiting for me to take my place as their Queen, as the one who has calmed their thoughts and given them true 94

Light of the Body purpose. Without me they are scattered, aimless. I bring them order. I clarify their purpose.” To me it sounded like Suzy was some sort of central brain for these…what did she call them? Insectmans? A weird name but accurate, I supposed. I hypothesized they had a sort of hive conscious and that conscious needed many controlling minds to function, with Suzy acting as the central core. To control people they needed to have agents out in the field, like the double of Corey Harrington for one. From what Zane had told me, the infected folk of his street stopped dead when he was killed. He was controlling that group, getting directions from Suzy. No wonder all the doubles said she was the right one. She was. She was organised and—well, Suzy was Suzy, and she could be a cold hearted bitch when she wanted to be. The insectmans needed someone like that to help them sort out the real issues at hand without worrying about insignificant details. I let go of Zane, stepped forward. “What‟s happened to your double, then?” I asked, trying to buy some time as I wrestled with my own thoughts as to how we were going to get out of this mess. “She has been reabsorbed into the hive.” “I see.” That didn‟t help at all. Seems she didn‟t want to humour me. “So what about the 95

Mark Alders townsfolk with the embryos inside them, just like my Callum? What happens to them?” Inside my mind I heard that little voice again. Oh God, I’m so sorry about Callum. My concentration was broken by Queen Suzy‟s bellowing voice across the hangar. “…we have many out there helping transmit our will. We also have a few out there inseminating humans to increase our numbers. We need both, the control and the advance, one not able to function without the other. That is how we procreate. That is how we survive. We will survive. We must.” My suspicions were confirmed. First they sent out insectmans to impregnate people, then they sent out doubles to control those infected. “Clever.” You must help me, her voice said again. There is a way, but you must hurry before their numbers get too great and I am overwhelmed by their thoughts in my head. I don’t know how long I can keep them from taking me over completely. Help me, Jacob. Help me. I didn‟t know how to answer the voice. I was pretty certain I wasn‟t telepathic. “How?” I blurted, wishing I hadn‟t the moment the word passed my lips. There was an agonising moment of silence before the tendrils erupted in wave after wave of electrical pulses. “I don‟t understand the

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Light of the Body question,” Queen Suzy said, her voice seeming angrier than before, impatient even. I could smell that cockroach smell again and, as I took in the odour, something struck me. Pheromones. They were using pheromones to control those they intended to copy. Of course. How simple. Such a tactic would give them time to do what they needed to do. The scent the insectmans released coaxed me into thinking that I was with Zane instead of an insectmans wanting to infect me or whatever else it had in mind. It was an effective tool, seeing as Zane was still in the forefront of my thoughts, that arousing private show he did earlier saw to that. My mind would have envisaged him acting out my desires. Yeah, that‟s it. I was thinking about him and the pheromones highlighted those thoughts to the point of me being able to be controlled. It had nothing to do with Callum or any other feelings I had. The scent tapped into human desires on an almost primitive level and projected it. I liked cock and Zane sure had a fine example of one. The insectmans became Zane—the Zane I desired. “I…I…um, I was thinking out loud. As a mere human I don‟t think I understand all that you‟re telling me, that‟s all I was saying.” “There is nothing to understand,” the Queen spat. There was less and less of Suzy in her as our conversation went on. Her words became more 97

Mark Alders intense and harsh. “Just know that you will soon become a part of us, your bodies used either as incubators or as transmitters for your doubles. We will stop at nothing, Jacob, to get what we want, including fabricating someone of importance to the one we desire to seduce and manipulate and bend them to our will.” I knew she was referring to the incident in the tunnel where I couldn‟t keep my cock in my pants. I flushed with embarrassment. They were using Suzy‟s memories of her friends and her knowledge to help control people, too. You must fight fire with fire. Use their scent against them. They communicate their orders from the transmitters using various chemicals amongst each other, that’s why they need me. I can see things they can’t. I can direct them and help the transmitters guide them better. But you must hurry. I can’t fight their will much longer. As they grow in number more of what I am is lost. They are taking me bit by bit. Help me. Help me, Jacob. Help me. How do I use smell against them? What sort of smell would affect them? I wished I was telepathic. I didn‟t ask. I didn‟t want the Queen to get any more suspicious than she might already be. Her stare bored into my soul. I shuddered. This time Zane piped up. “Suzz, it‟s me, your Zane. Talk to me, Suzz. Talk to me…please.” He was becoming overtaken by his emotions, his 98

Light of the Body voice like a broken whisper, rising and falling in pitch as though he had just hit puberty. “You will make a perfect transmitter, my Zane. Hundreds of your copies will roam the lands we conquer, keeping my will in my drones minds.” She spoke his name as though it were poison, spitting it out. “I will enjoy watching you being turned into one.” He looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot. “You‟re not fuckin‟ Suzy! Suzy would never do the things you‟ve done. I‟ve seen how you make us your transmitters and I won‟t let you do that to me. I don‟t take it up the arse…not for that…” his words trailed off, and again his voice emotion soaked. “You will become a transmitter or die.” Zane was about to be fucked real good, but not in a nice way. I know, it‟s what happened to me. “What are you going to do with me? You‟ve already tried once and failed, your Majesty.” Her cold, dark stare studied me and her brow creased before she said, “You are right, turning you into a transmitter failed, your double killed. You will now have to be an incubator, just like your boyfriend, if you are going to serve us.” “Callum?” I swallowed hard. “I thought the doctor said he was going to be okay? I thought the abortion pills were given to him in time?” 99

Mark Alders She laughed. “So long as the transmitter is alive who controls the group of incubators Callum is a part of the embryo will mature.” What the fuck did she mean by that? Who was the transmitter in the hospital? The only people I saw were in various stages of pregnancy. There was the doctor and a couple of nurses and that was it. Oh God! It couldn‟t be, could it? The doctor? I grabbed Zane‟s hand again, a sense of urgency overtaking my doubts and fears. What could I do to stop them from harming anyone else I cared about? How could I save Callum from giving birth to one of them? A question popped into my mind, one I didn‟t want to know the answer to, but had to ask. “What happens to an incubator once they have delivered an insectmans?” “They become our slaves, their bodies giving off our light,” she replied. The insectmans chattered joyfully all around us. Many humans without the light inside them walked zombie-like around the hive, tending to the tendrils. I take it those were the people who had already given birth and were now mindless slaves. I recognised a couple of people, Mrs O‟Doherty one of them. My heart sank. We were supposed to be meeting with her today. Who would run the Food Emporium now? Two months ago Mr. O‟Doherty 100

Light of the Body was murdered by the aliens, now it looked like she was a vegetable, a puppet of the insectmans. I tried to swallow in my dry mouth. Anger boiled up within me, calming my stomach but making me seethe with disgust for these things. Being gay, I had seen my fair share of hate. But I now hated these things and I needed to know how I could free our town of them. I wondered what weapon I could use to wipe them from this place. I then thought about what the real Suzy had said to me.

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hat smell could I use against these bastards? I thought as I looked around, trying desperately to see if there was anything in here I could use against them. Other than lots of insectmans and living human zombies, there wasn‟t anything else in my vicinity. Damn it. Phenol, Suzy said with a pained voice. Was she able to hear my thoughts? Phenol? What the hell was phenol supposed to mean? Was that something I could use against them? What smell was Phenol? Then again, I supposed the more important question would be, what contained Phenol? I can distract them one last time, to give you a moment where they will become confused. Don’t worry about Mr. Barnaby, I will protect him for as long as I can. You must run, Jacob. You must run so you can help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Her voice trailed off, now so distant I couldn‟t hear the words she spoke anymore. I imagined she was 102

Light of the Body finding it more and more difficult to defy the living thing she was hooked up to. Again I felt for her. Before I could think of the meaning of her words a shot rang out, echoing throughout the hangar. All the insectmans around us scattered, frightened by the weapon‟s sound. “Hey, Mister B!” Zane said, twisting around, looking for the old man. But there wasn‟t any time to worry about anything other than getting the hell out. Suzy—the real Suzy—gave us a chance and I was going to do my best to make sure we utilized it. I pulled on Zane‟s hand to get him to go with me, yanking his arm out of its socket. I didn‟t care. I ran for the nearest door. Zane began pulling me back. “Hey, we‟ve got to get out of here, Zane!” I snapped, more angry with him than I would have imagined considering he had no idea Suzy had been talking into my mind. “But Mister B. He‟s still in there.” “Listen. If we don‟t get out of here, we‟ll be no good to anyone. Suzy has told me how to defeat these insectmans and that‟s what we‟re going to do, clear? Now hurry the fuck up!” I could feel my panic rise up—my blood pressure increasing as I glared at him. 103

Mark Alders Thankfully he didn‟t argue with me. As soon as I mentioned Suzy his frown softened, his eyes no longer pleading. He relaxed his grip and let me lead him toward the door. We ran with all our might, dodging frightened insectmans as I took advantage of Suzy‟s distraction. We got out of there as quick as we could, coming to the exit door far quicker than I had thought considering we were quite a way away from one. As a few insectmans gathered in our path, no longer stunned by the first shot being fired, another shot pierced the air. They cowered, scattering before us like cockroaches startled by he kitchen light being turned on. Seemed Mr. Barnaby had been able to re-load the weapon. My thoughts went out to him. I hoped Suzy could protect him. I hated the idea of leaving him behind. The sight of daylight out those doors spurred us on and we bolted toward it, not stopping until we were clear of the chemical factory and well into the streets of the east side of Pembroke Eve. Sweat poured off me, my breathing laboured. We made it. Zane pulled his hand out of mine. There were stains under his armpits. He was panting, grabbing at his side. “Stop…Stop, Jakey…I‟ve got 104

Light of the Body a stitch!” He doubled over, coughing and gasping for air at the same time. I looked around, not familiar with this part of town. “Okay, we stop. But only for a little while.” I gasped. Running blindly like that had left me in the same state as Zane, but also a little bewildered. The east side of town was sometimes referred to as, the golden mile. I could see why. The views of the ocean were at the doorsteps of huge Mediterranean-style houses with sweeping balconies and lots of glass windows. I knew a couple of the folk who lived in this part of the town, and to say they were well off would be an understatement. The house nearest us wasn‟t a house at all it was a church. Perhaps the rich felt guilty and needed to know they could have their sins forgiven right on their doorstep. Funny place to have a church. Come to think of it, Thomas, the freckle-faced, funny-toothed straight boy who made me jack off thinking of him and the boy who helped me realise I loved Pembroke Eve and that this town was worth fighting for, used to live in the golden mile. I wonder what happened to him after High School graduation. Perhaps he met a button-nosed girl and had freckle faced, buck-toothed, buttonnosed kids. Perhaps he still lives here. Who knows? 105

Mark Alders I contemplated the past and became amused by the array of buildings in front of me, an action that helped me gather not only my bearings but my breath as well. Zane called out, knocking me from my reverie. “Stuff the stoppin‟, we gotta go, Jakey! There‟s one of them insect dudes comin‟ this way. Look!” “Fuck!” The only choice we had was to get inside one of the pretty houses and pray we hadn‟t been seen. Zane grabbed at my hand. His palm was sweaty and it took us a couple of times to get our grip sure. We both ran to the church. We approached the sand-coloured rendered building, complete with modern stained-glass windows, ones that soaked up the view, and no visible roof other than an oversized cross above the entrance door that seemed to reach up to the heavens. I sure hoped the insectmans weren‟t religious. The door was open and the church was deserted. I sighed relief. Both of us charged right in and ran up the aisle, past hundreds of pews and the large alter, toward the door that led to the living quarters. When inside the priest‟s home, we locked up everything we could think of behind us and drew the curtains. I hoped out of sight meant out of mind for these insectmans. If Zane saw one as he said he had, then perhaps it wouldn‟t figure 106

Light of the Body things out and come searching for us without a transmitter drone near by. He did say he saw one, right? We stumbled into the kitchen. Zane let me go. He went straight to the fridge and without hesitation opened it, rummaging inside searching for God knows what. The light from the fridge highlighted the beautiful sheen on his skin from all the exertion we had endured. His shirt was soaked. The top of his jeans at the back had a dark patch of perspiration, near his belt. No, I wasn‟t checking out his arse, although I had to say, I was now. He smelt manly, too. A combination of store bought deodorant and perspiration and the musty odour he had. “You wanna drink, Jakey?” he asked as he handed me a can of coke, a smile on his face beaming victorious as he closed the fridge. “Sure.” I opened the can, the click and fizz echoed throughout the kitchen. Admitting that a drink would be a good idea right about now, I guzzled the contents. Zane decided to use the can to cool his forehead, doing so with a relieved sigh. He ran it along his face, slowly, seductively, rolling it across his cheek bones, his chin, his jaw line until he found his neck. He let out a delighted moan as the can touched his Adam‟s apple and he rested it there for a moment before continuing to use it to 107

Mark Alders cool himself all over his exposed skin. Fuck he was sexy and he knew it. I stirred. Why is it straight men are so fucking hot? If Callum were here, I‟m sure he‟d agree by ravaging me at the sight of Zane cooling himself. I needed something like that right now. I needed a good roll between the sheets. Geez, I missed my boyfriend. I smiled, before I said in a voice as cheeky as I could muster, “Why don‟t you just make love to it, hey? My God, Zane, you know you work me up real bad sometimes, mate.” He had closed his eyes, relishing the cool touch of the metal over himself. Opening them, he pressed the can against his lips before he lent over and kissed me tenderly, right on my mouth, too. His touch cold and salty and so sweet, sending shivers down my spin, not helping my growing erection and the discomfort I now felt as my clothes restricted me. “Would you like to be the can, then? Would you like me to fuck you red raw, my Jakey boy?” I opened my mouth, more out of shock than anything else. “Stop teasing, you bastard. What was that for anyway?” I finally managed, a pang of annoyance shooting up inside me to quell any more erotic thoughts I may have had. My cock softened. 108

Light of the Body “For getting me outta there, Jakey, what else?” He winked. Did he want something from me? Or was I reading too much into it? Was he really showing me his appreciation or something deeper? “So, what‟s this all about? You know, with what Suzz said and all,” he added, stopping my train of thought. I touched my lips where he had planted his affection. My skin was still cold but also wet. I resisted the urge to lick the remnants of his kiss off me. Instead I wiped any sign of him off my mouth with the back of my hand. “She spoke to me into my mind somehow. I don‟t know how. I just…she said she knew how to stop the insectmans.” He came close to me. “Do you know why I kissed you?” The question threw me for a moment, and again for the second time in as many minutes I was stunned. “Not really. No.” He let out a chuckle. “You like cock, Jakey, no doubt about it, and I know I‟ve got one to bait you with. I can read you like a book, you know?” He turned serious, his eyes intense. “If you were lyin‟ to me, I‟d know it, you‟d flinch away from anythin‟ I did if you were hidin‟ somethin‟. You never flinch away normally.” I laughed, too, but not a laugh filled with joy. More curious and cautious than anything. God, was I that predictable? But he was right. If I had 109

Mark Alders used false pretences to get him out of the hanger, I wouldn‟t be able to face him, not straight away anyway, not without building up enough bravery to do so. “Yeah, I didn‟t flinch and you‟re absolutely right.” You know, if Zane were gay I’d let him fuck me until I begged him to stop. Then I’d gob him down until he was so dry he’d beg me to stop. I’d do that just to show him how much of a slut I could be for him. Zane must have known how I felt. I was obvious, I know it. “I know. Pity Suzy don‟t feel the same way as you. My cock‟d look awesome with her pussy wrapped around it.” He winked again. “So, what did she say?” “She said that the insectmans don‟t like Phenol. It interferes with their communications processes or something like that. I suppose it inhibits transmitter messages, too. She was quite adamant I should get some. There‟s only one problem?” “What‟s that?” “What the hell is Phenol? And what‟s it in so that we can use against them?” Zane came over and patted me on the shoulder. “It‟s Pine-o-Clean. What else?” “Disinfectant?” “Yep. Just like how I used to kill ants when I was a nipper. They hate the shit. That and a magnifying glass.” He chuckled and a sparkle

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Light of the Body ignited his eyes. He was relishing past victories with insectoid life forms. I cocked an eyebrow. “You know, you may be right. We‟ve got to get to the General Store. I saw some on special, tonnes of the stuff, right up at the front near the first display case. I don‟t think Mr. Barnaby would mind if we took some.” “And we gotta get a dispenser, somethin‟ to spray it over the bug men real good. Soak „em in it. That‟ll teach „em for messin‟ with us.” “Great, that‟s settled—” A loud bang stopped my words. It sounded like a door was being forced open. My heart skipped a beat when I realised it was the front door of the priest‟s quarters we were in. I froze.

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ane grabbed me, pulled me out of the kitchen. I dropped the can of coke. “Let‟s git the fuck outta here,” he said with fear in his voice. As we came into a lounge, a shadow moved across the wall. We weren‟t alone anymore. “Hold it!” I blurted. “What?” “We can‟t go in there. There‟s something in the room, I‟m sure of it.” Zane pulled me back. “Then we git upstairs.” “But we‟ll be trapped.” “Not if I can help it, we won‟t be.” “But—” Before I could continue my protest, he had led me halfway up the stairs. The sounds of heavy objects crashing and thumping onto the floorboards and that terrifying chatter of insectmans came from behind us. Zane pulled me harder. My heart thumped loud in my chest, from both exertion and fear. 112

Light of the Body On the second floor landing we dived into the first room we came to—a large library sort of setup, with views of the ocean and wall to ceiling windows to take advantage of that view. The priest here sure had it good. “Who says there‟s no money in religion,” Zane quipped, but his voice lacked that endearing cheekiness he usually had. Another loud bang sounded out from the floor below us, then another and another. Dishes or something similar were being thrown against the walls. I take it that these insectmans were searching the cupboards for us and clearing them out in the process. I swallowed hard as Zane, now with an added measure of frantic determination, was checking the walls along the library. What he was searching for I had no idea. Beads of sweat trickled from my brow and numbness crept up from my stomach to consume me. I was about to question him, tell him that finding anywhere to hide in this room was a complete and utter waste of time, when there was click. A section of the wall, filled with bookshelves and uncountable books, slid open. “How the hell did you know that would be here?” I questioned as he shoved me into the room beyond, a room about the size of a phone booth. As soon as Zane joined me, he pulled a lever above his head and the wall slid shut, blanketing 113

Mark Alders us in darkness. As my eyes became adjusted, a dusty beam of light illuminated us. Its source a small spy hole in the wall located between a gap in the books. At least we could see out. I had to say, this was one cramped little room. Basically, there was enough room for me and— well, me and that was it. Having Zane with me made for an interesting experience. There was a small bench on which I sat, my knees pressed up against the sliding wall, causing me great discomfort straight away. My lower back ached. Zane then sat on me. Yep. He sat on my lap. Although, he didn‟t straddle me. He sat so his legs come across mine, his arse resting on my right leg. He had no choice and couldn‟t do it any other way. You see, the spy hole was at a perfect height, too low for someone standing and too high for someone sitting. When he was on my lap, that‟s where its perfect placement became useful. “I know who lives here, is all,” he said. I was taken aback. Not understanding his statement until I realised he was answering a question I posed to him earlier. “Um…who?” There was a tangible moment of hesitation, as if what he was about to reveal was something he had never told anyone before in his life. “I know the man from…he‟s a priest my family knows. He‟s a…he‟s a corrupt mother fucker, as the size of this house and its fancy contents will tell you.” 114

Light of the Body I ran my hand across his back, trying to show him that I understood if he didn‟t want to tell me any more. “You don‟t have to go on,” I whispered, the pain in my voice surprising me. I had heard so many stories about the priesthood, some from close friends, about what they did to boys. I shuddered and that pang of anger returned. Zane was hot and his shirt damp. In fact, I could smell his muskiness, his manly odour mingle and mix with the air around me. I became so intoxicated with his scent I could almost taste his tang when I licked my lips. The temperature inside the room began to rapidly rise as our breathing and the heat off our bodies had no where to escape to. I became quite giddy. Add that and the weight of him against me and I could safely say I was beginning to regret having found this hiding place. I tried to shrug off any erotic thoughts by concluding it was a lack of oxygen that was making this whole experience a little too close for comfort. “Naw, it‟s okay, Jakey, I can tell you about him.” Zane shifted his weight, having difficultly getting comfortable, too. He looked out of the spy hole in between glances my way. I began to sweat more, my fringe now dripping. As I sucked in more air, trying to cool myself, I caught the scent of stale urine and something else. I took in another deep gulp. Yeah, that was it. The 115

Mark Alders other odour was a hint of cum, from which one of us I couldn‟t tell. Both of us hadn‟t changed out of our clothes. I dreaded to think of what he thought of me. I stank, too. He added, “He‟s actually a pretty cool dude, for a man of the cloth, that is.” “You mean he didn‟t molest you?” “Fuck no. He was the only guy who gave me the time of day when I was growin‟ up.” I raised my eyebrows. “I don‟t understand.” Zane went stiff for a moment before pressing his eye up to the hole. I tried not to breathe for fear of giving us away. Could the insectmans smell us even though we weren‟t visible to them? For that matter, could they detect our body heat, even through walls? If so, then there was no point in trying to hide, was there? My mind toyed with the many questions popping into my thoughts, Zane seemed to relax a little, his attention back on me. “You‟re one lucky bastard, you know that?” He grabbed my hand, the sweat making his skin slippery. Nevertheless he held me tight. “Is there something you want to tell me, Zane?” “You‟ve got folks that care for you. I don‟t. Never have.” “What are you talking about? I care for you, more than you can ever know. You‟re more than a 116

Light of the Body friend, you‟re a brother I‟ve never had, so don‟t talk such crap.” He froze once more. Again there were agonising seconds as he studied the outside world. Again I tried not to breathe, although such a thing was becoming harder and harder. The priest hole was like an oven. Sweat poured off me, getting into my eyes. I had to wipe myself all the time. No longer could I smell. Everything overwhelmed me. Having Zane so close wasn‟t a good idea. I wanted to take off all my clothes and—well, I could dream of what I wanted to do with him if I got him naked in such a small space, but suffice it to say, such a thing would make this room even hotter. I thought of Callum and how we had been trapped on that spaceship in a similar situation. Callum was scared out of his mind, and I had to admit, having Zane with me was sort of reassuring. He was definitely a take control kind of guy. I admired that. After what seemed an eternity, he turned to me and said, “The dude who lives here, the priest, his name is Father Young. He kind of took me in and showed me I wasn‟t a waste of space as my parents told me pretty much every day. He would fly kites with me, play cricket, that sort of shit. He was awesome. I was only a kid when I was with him…but he was also a rotten fucker, too. He got 117

Mark Alders into trouble with the clergy or some shit like that and had to go away for a while. I hated him for so long for abandoning me.” He paused, stopping to wipe away sweat off his brow or tears disguised. His fringe had become plastered to his forehead and he flicked it away from his eyes. “My parents are fucked up real bad. They only had me „cause I was a welfare payment, I told you that already. But what I haven‟t told you, besides the fact that Dad‟s spent more time in the dole queue or drinking until he couldn‟t move and Mum‟s a fat lazy fuckin‟ bitch, is that I do everythin‟ in that house. And not once have they ever said that they loved me. Parents are supposed to love their kids, aren‟t they?” His voice broke when he spoke the last sentence. I squeezed my hand in his. “Go on.” I knew he had to let this out. I knew he also wanted to tell me more. I was there for him. “You‟re a champ, Jakey, you really are.” In the gloom of our sweat box he smiled, one full and one that revealed his eye teeth. “You know I‟m eighteen now, and well, I‟ve got two weeks to get the fuck outta my house. My parents kicked me out onto the street, they did it yesterday. No goodbyes, just a git-the-fuck-out-you-freeloadingbastard and that was it. They don‟t give a flying fuck where I go, so long as they don‟t have to feed me or whatever. The government money dried up 118

Light of the Body and I‟m no longer any good to „em. I was actually thinking of comin‟ here, to shack up with Father Young, but he said I couldn‟t do that.” “Why not?” “He‟s under investigation again. He‟s out of town and in his last email he was—well, he was in the shit real deep. Won‟t be back this way for a couple of years, I‟d say.” “So who‟s looking after his house? Why is there food in the fridge and stuff?” Zane shrugged. “I dunno. Perhaps some other priest dude is lookin‟ after it. The place is exactly how I remembered. Nothin‟s changed, even the pictures on the walls are the same. Maybe the church has taken it over. Whonose.” “And this…this room, how did you find out about this hiding spot?” I was full of questions, but I also wanted to hear him let it all go. Good for the soul getting rid of secrets. Zane checked the spy hole before answering. “He used to hide me in here when my Dad came around to collect me. This was my safe house and I would spend months here sometimes. Fuck, I would get a whippin‟ for bein‟ outta the house after dark or when I never came home. Dad didn‟t care I was gone. It was just a fuckin‟ excuse for him to take out his frustrations on my arse „cause he couldn‟t git his fat wife to suck him off or whatever. He‟d hit me until I couldn‟t scream no 119

Mark Alders more. Jakey, he beat…me…bad…all the time. Sometimes with a metal pipe he called the punisher. He punished me for anythin‟. Even if I spilt a drink or some other thing like that. I hate him and I hate her. I know kids aren‟t supposed to hate their parents, but I do.” “Oh…God.” Tears welled in my eyes. Helplessness took me over. I couldn‟t do anything to change his past, but at the same time I was thankful he found the strength to tell me, too. “That‟s how I know…Father Young,” his voice, too, was weighted with emotion, his shoulders began to heave, and his sweat could no longer hide his tears. “Father Young sounds like a top bloke.” Zane‟s stare became distant for a moment. “He sure is. Hey, you know what‟s funny?” “No? What?” “The fact that my parents actually had sex once to produce me. I shudder to think of „em slappin‟ skin and touchin‟ uglies, you know? Dad probably got so shit-faced one day they forgot to take precautions. I‟m a fuckin‟ accident. A worthless piece of shit accident.” Again I let him know I understood by running my free hand over his back. “You‟re no such thing, mate. I‟m glad they had you, because in my book they produced one fine example of a man. The only true gentleman I‟ve ever met in my life.” 120

Light of the Body “Thanks.” He hugged me. I became engulfed in everything that was Zane, his warmth, his smell, his caring. I closed my eyes, taking him all in, letting him know I cared for him on a far deeper level than anyone else had in his life. “You can come and stay with me, okay? I insist. The spare room is yours to move into whenever you want, you hear?” Now it was his turn to protest. “But I don‟t wanna—” An object falling onto the floor made us both jump. Zane didn‟t check out the spy hole, instead he planted his lips onto mine. He kissed me, but not like he did in the kitchen. This time he sent in his tongue.

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Chapter Twelve

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tasted him on an intimate level. My mind clouded with confusion. His kiss was perfect, not too soft, yet commanding enough to know he was in control. He ran his hands over my face, brushing away my hair as he continued to conquer me. I couldn‟t let out a moan. I didn‟t want to give our position away. I didn‟t want the insectmans to discover us. Not now. Not when I had Zane‟s tongue dancing in my mouth. He continued his kiss and his heat, his sweat, his spice, his sweetness all mingled with my own saliva in my mouth. I was in heaven—no, I was in hell. Fuck. I didn‟t know what to think. All I know is my body had suddenly come alive, my nipples ached, my cock hardened and my vision became blurry. A good kiss is always accompanied by not being able to see. And Zane gave one fucking good kiss. 122

Light of the Body I thought of Callum as he continued to explore me, his tongue chasing mine, going underneath to tickle, then on top to let me know he didn‟t want this to end any time soon. My sweat continued to pour off me, adding to the taste of our passion. I couldn‟t describe it any other way. Zane wasn‟t teasing, wasn‟t testing me in any way, he wasn‟t even doing such a thing out of expectation. He kissed me because he damn well wanted to. Plain and simple. Then it was over. He let me go and the second he did I missed his touch. My lips tingled from his attention. I stared at him, because there was nothing else to do or say. He checked out the spy hole. He hugged me once more, tighter this time. He touched his face onto mine, our stubble rasping, breaking the silence in our priest hole. I shuddered with delight. “They‟re gone…for now,” he whispered into my ear. I opened and closed my mouth, unable to form the words I wanted to say to convey my disbelief such a thing had happened. All I could manage was an exasperated, “Urrrmmmm.” He placed his finger onto my lips. “Shhh. I know you‟re with Cal, and that‟s all good…and…and I respect that more than 123

Mark Alders anythin‟, but I had to do that, Jakey. I want more, you understand.” I was still stunned. Zane continued, “That wasn‟t just a kiss. I meant so much more than that. You mean so much more than that. I gotta show you how much more you mean to me, Jakey. Please. I don‟t wanna be untouched anymore. I don‟t wanna be unloved. I‟m fucking sick and tired of being unwanted. I want…I need you to touch me, Jakey.” I realised how he felt. He was lonely. Truly lonely. No one other than a corrupt priest ever took notice of him, and that was only when it was convenient for him. Zane wanted affection, and for him, for most of us—no, all of us—affection meant something physical. Being physical, hugging, touching, or just plain old sharing your deepest feelings with someone you loved, no matter the sex, had nothing to do with sexuality. My Grandpa used to tell me stories of his mates in the war, soldier mates who would touch each other to reaffirm that they all cared for one another, right until the end. I never understood what he meant when he sat me on his knee and told me those stories. I did now. Zane wasn‟t gay, not in the sense he only liked men. Then again, perhaps I was wrong. Zane wouldn‟t under any other circumstance be 124

Light of the Body interested in being with another man. But now, after he had opened up his heart and revealed how he felt, he wanted the experience to come to a logical conclusion. He wanted finality and affirmation. The only way we, as humans, could do that was to be with someone on an intimate level. He wanted me to be the one who would heal the wounds of his past. “Answer me one thing,” I whispered. “Anythin‟. I‟ll do anythin‟ for you, Jakey, you know that.” “This will be our secret. No one is to know. Whatever we do here right now with each other will stay with us both forever. You are more than my brother, Zane, but I know you‟ve been hurt many times in your life. I will do anything to heal you, you know that. You‟re not useless or worthless, you‟re fantastic. I love you so much, but no regrets, no guilt and above all, no more sorrow. I‟m here for you for as long as you need me. But after this, it‟s Zane as Zane has always been. Clear?” He came over me, smiling. “Thanks. I just gotta…do this. To see what it‟s like to be with someone I care for so much. I want for Suzz so bad, you know, but Jesus, it‟s real…lonely. I need you to…do this for me. I…really…do.” He was crying, his hot tears dripping onto my face. I reached out and hugged him, feeling so close, 125

Mark Alders closer than I had ever felt with anyone. I never wanted this to end. Unlike before, when the insectmans disguised as Zane wanted me back in those tunnels and I rejected his advances at first, I had no such desire this time. As I embraced him I couldn‟t help but think I was in some sort of weird dream, but at least I now understood him. I wanted him, too. I was going to do my damndest to make sure he got all of my love, enough to last him for the rest of his life so he could get on with being the wonderful human being he was. “I‟m ready for you,” I said. Nervous butterflies sprang up inside me. I wanted to make sure I got this right for him. I didn‟t want to hurt him, not at all. He stood up, taking off his shirt and unzipping his jeans as quickly as he could. I stood up, too, also disrobing. “You can tell Cal about this if you like. I don‟t wanna cause any friction between mates. I love him just as much, too.” I came up to him, running my hands over his chest, concentrating my touch over his pierced nipples. “Callum and I aren‟t exclusive to each other, you know. If I said I was bringing you into my bed, he‟d be in there, too.” He kissed my forehead and embraced me, roving his hands across my back, using his nails. It felt good, and contrary to the fake Zane that 126

Light of the Body fucked me earlier, the real Zane‟s touch was full of deliberate movements, reflecting his feelings and his need to be with me. “I‟d like to be with you and Cal. When he‟s better, I can show him how much I love you both, all at once.” You know, I wasn‟t surprised to hear this at all. Zane wanted someone to love him, and by God, I was going to do that. If he had his way, I‟m sure he‟d like to make love to all of us, including Suzy. A foursome. How kinky! “We‟d love to be with you, too, my Zane.” Before I could contemplate this new arrangement, he kissed me again and his taste burst in my mouth. His hands had roved down to the small of my back, massaging me there. He was like someone who wanted to experience everything all in one go. I couldn‟t blame him. I wanted all of him, too. He felt my arse, pulling me closer to him. Our heated bodies touched, lubricated by our sweat, the experience was fantastic. I tingled all over. My cock was now as hard as it was ever going to be. I was ready. His hands continued to explore me. I pulled away from his kiss and he moaned with disapproval. “Don‟t worry, I‟m going to show you something special.” His deep brown eyes, innocent, wanting and staring, as I moved down as best I could onto my 127

Mark Alders knees. He placed his hands onto the top of my head, running his fingers through my wet hair. I kissed his navel ring, bringing my hands onto his stomach at the same time. He was quivering, I could feel it. I looked up at him and smiled, before I grabbed his cock. He was huge, bigger and thicker than Callum, no question. I pulled back on his foreskin so I could get to his beautiful head. Pre-cum dripped from his piss slit, and I licked him clean, the tang so strong in my mouth, stronger than anyone‟s I had ever tasted. At first I was taken aback by the sensation, but soon let it wash over me enjoying it. I slid my mouth over his length. Zane let out a delighted yelp. I couldn‟t take all of him into me, his cock that big and hard. But I did my best. I‟d choke on him first rather than let him down. His stomach moved more erratically. His breathing became excited and he seemed to begin to swim in ecstasy. Cupping his balls, those magnificent ripe red hangers, I found my rhythm over his beautiful cock. About thirty seconds into the blow job, the taste of him grew stronger and stronger in my mouth with each push on him. He yelled out, “Fuuuuccck!” Gasping for air, he added. “Stoooop! Please, I want to have you! I‟m not gonna last much longer.” I came off him, a slurping sound filling the priest hole. My saliva and his pre-cum made his 128

Light of the Body magnificent cock shine with our passion, the vein that fed it bulging, pumping more and more blood into it to make him harder and oh, so fucking desirable. He looked awesome. His foreskin was retracted, revealing his head, a big and beautiful sight to behold. I yearned for him to take me. I‟d love to take all of his cock inside me, the ultimate way to show his affection. I turned around and bent over as best I could in the confined space, ready to take his pounding, but to my surprise he twisted me back around. “What‟s up?” I asked, genuine concern in my voice. “First I wanna suck you off, then I‟m gonna fuck you until you see stars!” He took command and pushed me against the sliding wall. “Oh…my…God!” I yelped out. I shuddered with pleasure. Those wonderful butterflies consumed me. A split second later, he was on the bench, his beautiful eyes taking in the sight of my erection. Before he began, he touched my body everywhere, exploring every inch of my skin from under my arm pits to the sensitive place between my balls and arse. I let him. I loved it. Without warning he took me into his mouth. My cock throbbed as he made his way down my length. He slurped and sucked and I knew he relished everything I had. His hands continued to 129

Mark Alders explore, but concentrating on my arse, fingering my hole, getting me ready for his magnificence. I spread my legs as wide as they would go so he could do whatever it was he wanted to do. He was good. He moved his mouth over me, he used his tongue, slipping it into my foreskin so he could roll it around my head, taking in all of my taste. He also moaned delightfully while he worked. He did it so right and he did it with so much love it took my breath away. He had come out and he was beautiful. Then he came off me, stood. I smiled, knowing what he wanted next. Before he moved around so he could take me, he kissed me again. The taste of myself mingled with his own inside my mouth. My thoughts became consumed with him and what he did to me. Pangs of ecstasy rose up in fits and jolts, like electricity coursing though my veins. He shuffled so he was behind me. I closed my eyes, waiting with baited breath and gasps of joy for him to take me. He did. His hot, wet cock pressed against my arse. He forced himself inside me. I gasped. That initial jolt of pain dissolved once I let myself be taken away. He touched my prostate moments later, sending tingles of pleasure up through my body. Fuck! 130

Light of the Body He hurt and gave me so much joy all at the same time. He sank himself deeper and deeper into me. I yelped and shuddered all over. I wanted to take all of him and I arched my back and pushed my buttocks against him to let him know he could give me more. He was against the wall, having no choice but to sink himself deeper into my warmth. I was more than satisfied. Zane lent over so he could nibble my ear, kiss my neck and tickle my cheek with his lips. The sensation of his breathing against my skin sent more shivers of delight through me. He pushed his cock in deeper and deeper, so deep I gasped. I knew my arse wouldn‟t explode, but fuck, he filled me up real good. No sooner had I recovered from his penetration, he moved his hands. They came to touch my own erection, jerking me off. I loved it. He wanked me slowly at first. His fingers played with my foreskin, rubbed my frenulum, felt my length. Then with movements more forceful and rhythmic, reflecting his own actions as he continued to make love to me, he gained more speed and desperation. I could tell he was close to climax. He kept on ravishing kisses all over my neck and face. Our heat and sweat and passion poured off us both. Our bodies became one. I moaned more and he did, too. I gasped for air, the warmth 131

Mark Alders intense between us, yet welcome. I could no longer breathe through my nose. “You should have done this with me ages ago,” I said between shudders of delight and overwhelming emotion, unable to hold off any more. I came. My whole body shuddered with my climax, my arsehole tightening around his cock with each wave of elation I experienced as my cum splashed all over the priest hole‟s wall. During my ejaculation, Zane continued to touch me, catching some of my fluid in his fingers, feeling my silkiness and using it to lubricate me. “I…was….scared.” He let go of my cock, pushed himself against me, going inside me with all of his length and embracing me tight, so tight I couldn‟t breathe, before his whole body trembled. He came, too. He convulsed with each pulse of his ejaculation. More and more he gave me, planting more heated kisses all over my face as I twisted my neck to let him. Zane cried out when he finished his final shot. But he didn‟t pull out, deciding he would keep himself within me until he was flaccid. I liked that touch. It showed me he never wanted to let me go. I wasn‟t just a fuck tool, a release for him. I was his love in physical form and he needed me. I couldn‟t wait for the moment when Callum and I could share our love with him, too. 132

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Chapter Thirteen

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hen we parted, he let me sit on his lap. We stayed naked. His hands, those wonderful wandering hands of his, kept on exploring my body, like he wanted to keep reaffirming to himself that this love was real, as if his touch over me solidified that in his mind. I straddled him, my now flaccid cock touching his navel ring. It was cold. “I sure want to share more of those experiences with you, Zane, you were awesome. But promise me you won‟t ever shy away from me or Callum or any of us ever again. We all love you, you know that?” I kissed him, then added, “Say, when you paraded around for me and then when you kissed me back there in the kitchen, you weren‟t testing me at all, were you? You were testing yourself. You wanted to see how far you could go.” He rubbed me tenderly across my chest, planting more meaningful kisses over my face and neck. “I‟m so sorry for leadin‟ you along, but I had 133

Mark Alders to be sure you‟d accept me. I‟ve been…rejected all my life and…well, I had to make sure, is all.” “I wouldn‟t lie to you ever. If I said I wanted you with all my heart, then that‟s how I really feel. I‟m so glad you came out to me and we shared what we did together.” I kissed him again, chased his tongue with my own, experiencing his wet and wonderful warmth. After we shared our passion once more and his taste became a part of me, I parted. Our breathing so deep, but in unison as we touched each other in all of the places that were no longer secret. “Suppose I‟m a fag boy now, hey?” he said, his eyes sparkling with joy. “Yep, and I‟m glad.” I giggled. He laughed, too. “Suppose it‟s time we kicked some bug dudes heads in, too. That way I can fuck you some more without worryin‟ about „em no more.” “You‟re such a charmer, but you‟re right. We‟ve got work to do. I tell you what, I‟d kill for a shower and some fresh clothes right now though.” “Yeah,” he said with more delighted giggles. “I hear that.” We both dressed, helping each other and continuing to feel each other up in the process. Zane was getting hard again. “You really do mean so much to me, Jakey.” He pulled on the lever that opened the sliding wall. 134

Light of the Body Cool air hit me like a slap on the face. Cool, fresh air. God, I must have looked a sight, dripping wet, stinking to high heaven and so lovesick for both Zane and Callum that I could hardly walk. I was a mess, but in the best way possible. “Although, I don‟t fancy being chased all the way through town by insectmans, you know. The General Store is too far away for us to walk.” “Then we drive.” I looked at him and yep, he had that trademark cheeky grin, that sexy smile that lit up his face and revealed the true measure of his soul. He was back and better than before. “The church has a ute. I used to drive the utility vehicle around the farms, doin‟ errands for Father Young. Then again, he wanted me outta his house so he could gamble or whatever the fuck he did to end him up in trouble.” I wiped my brow. He slipped his hand into mine and squeezed. A joy oozed out of him I had never seen before. “I would have let you ravish me all over the moment I met you,” I said. “I know. I had to stop myself so many times. You were the result of many night-time jack offs, I have to say. Plus, I didn‟t want Suzz to think I wasn‟t interested in her. I didn‟t want to put her off and ruin my chances.” 135

Mark Alders “I think she‟ll think it‟s marvellous that you‟ve opened up and showed me how you really feel. Girls love that stuff.” “They do?” “Hell, yeah. You‟ll be in for sure.” “Thanks, Jakey. I‟m so lucky to have you.” “I‟m lucky to have you, you mean.” I planted a kiss on his cheek and in that moment I knew I was the most loved man on the planet. I smiled, full and beaming as we left the priest‟s library. Soon, we found the ute Zane had mentioned and we were driving out of the streets of the golden mile. A place I think I‟ll remember for the rest of my life. I let him drive, he was the man, after all. One thing I noticed as we made our way into town, taking the Westfell road that seemed to tour the forest in this part of Pembroke, was that there were no townsfolk about. Even in the town centre the streets were deserted. I thought I caught glimpses of movement in the shadows, but other than that, nothing. Not even a bird or ground critter stirred. Zane parked the utility right in front of the General Store, a feat in itself. Most times the parking bays at the front of the shop were full, more so when Mr. Barnaby had some bargains on. Pine-o-clean at that price a litre would have the town in a frenzy, spring was approaching fast and 136

Light of the Body so was the traditional cleaning season. Mr Barnaby sure knew how to capitalise on the whims of the town. Good on him, I say. Zane pulled on the handbrake. “So we all going to the Spring Dance together, then?” I asked. “When this is all over, I mean?” Funny I should have said that, the damn thing never interested me before. I hated the dance. Not now. I couldn‟t wait to get dressed up, receive corsages from the two men I loved and dance and drink and show the whole world I was as happy as I had ever been in my life. “You better believe it. I‟m there.” He came around and opened the door for me. I blushed, no one had ever been such a gentleman— well, okay, Callum had been, but it was such a nice feeling being treated as though I were special by two beautiful men. Zane grabbed my hand once more, leading me into the store. The echo of the shop bell was our only welcome. The place was deserted, too. Where was Mrs. Leary? Why had she left the shop open and unattended? I looked at Zane. He must have been thinking the same thing. The worry in his eyes matched my concern. But that didn‟t stop him from doing what we came here for. He started pulling bottles of pine-o-clean 137

Mark Alders off the display. I joined him. No time to worry about that now. “Better grab a sprayer or somethin‟, you know, the pressure bottle type, ones that can hold a heap, too.” I knew the ones he was talking about. Dad used a pump action bottle to spray the roses of aphids at our place. I went to the back of the shop, the place where all the garden knick-knacks were kept. On the bottom shelf, there they were, an assortment of bottles perfect for what we needed. I lent over to grab two of the biggest bottles. A sort of shuffling noise came from the storeroom. I froze, stunned by the realisation that we may not be alone as I had first thought. Fuck, I hoped it wasn‟t an insectmans, not yet. We weren‟t ready. We hadn‟t even poured any of the disinfectant into the bottles yet. Talk about being caught with our pants down. Why was nothing ever easy? I picked up the bottles and began to step away from the garden display, trying not to make any sound. The floor boards creaked and I cursed myself for being so clumsy. I froze again, the sound of blood rushing through my veins filled my ears. Other than that, silence haunted the store.

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Light of the Body Silence until there was that noise again. A shuffle. A scrape. A long drawn out rasp along a surface. I swallowed hard. “Hey, there you are,” Zane said, scaring the living shit out of me. I held my chest, catching my breath. “Shhh.” I glared at him, but not in an uncaring way, no way. I wanted him to know I was worried. He picked up on my message. “Where?” “The storeroom.” “Here.” He handed me a couple of bottles of pine-o-clean, unscrewing the lids as he did so. I opened one of the pressure pump bottles and poured in the contents. Once a few bottles of the disinfectant had been emptied into the container, I sealed the lid and pumped on the handle to fill the bottle with pressure. Seconds later, I couldn‟t push down the handle any more. The weapon was primed. Zane had also prepared his own. We were both ready. “Follow me. We got some nasty bug to squash.” I loved his attitude. With Callum—well, he would have been behind me, cowering as I took the lead. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Callum was Callum. But Zane, well he was, as I have said, a take control kind of guy. Sometimes, just sometimes, that sort of guy was perfect to be around. This was one of those times. 139

Mark Alders I was scared out of my brain. So much so, I think I would have dropped everything and ran. That was the logical thing to do when confronted by an insectmans, one who could impregnate me with a single bite to my skin. I could quite easily turn and run. But I couldn‟t. Zane needed me. We stepped into the storeroom. Together. Spray bottles at the ready. Zane went to the left and I went to the right. The room was illuminated by a single incandescent bulb, the old fashioned type. It‟s wattage low. Perhaps Mr. Barnaby didn‟t want intense light destroying any of his stock that he stored back here. And when I say stored, he certainly did. The storeroom was packed to the ceiling of boxes and bundles of wares. That shuffling noise rang out again, this time accompanied by a noise that sounded like foot falls onto the floor. I had never heard any insectmans sound like that. They scurried, light on their feet, able to climb up walls and stuff. This sounded like it belonged to something heavy. Something big and heavy. “Who‟s there?” I called out, being as brave as I could and putting on my most manly voice. “Yeah, show yourself,” Zane added. A large crate in front of me moved. I raised up the spray bottle, making sure the nozzle was pointed in the direction I wished to fire it. 140

Light of the Body Zane came close to me, flanking me. Together and one step at a time, we moved forward. If we were going to be attacked, then we would fight the thing—whatever it is, together. “Who are you?” I repeated. A hiss and another sliding, scraping noise disturbed the silence after my words. Then, a voice, like nothing I had ever heard before in my life, pierced the air. It was harsh, yet evened out to a velvet silkiness, as if each word was passed over sandpaper, then smoothed out, like wood worn from years of use. “Is that you, Jacob? Zane?”

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ane looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. I was confused, more so than when I found out he wanted me on an intimate level and that my fantasy of being with him had come true. “Yeah, I‟m Jacob. So who the fuck are you, then?” Again the hiss and the elongated words, this time the voice said, “And Zane. You there, too?” Zane stepped forward. “Sure am. Now you gonna show yourself, bug man, so I can test out this spray and see what the fuck it does to your mother fuckin‟ ugly face?” A chuckle filled the air and if I didn‟t know any better, I‟d swear it was getting warm in here. Funny, I wasn‟t even thinking of Zane or Callum. “You‟ll find that I‟m no bug, man or otherwise. I‟m Mr. Barnaby‟s dearest friend, just as you both are, too. I finally get to meet you face to face. How wonderful.” 142

Light of the Body “Aloysius?” I uttered through parched lips, my heart beat returning to normal. I lowered the bottle. “The very same,” the voice hissed. The crates moved, and to my complete and utter surprise, the biggest reptile I had ever seen came into the dim light. Its scales were a fiery red, its body so massive most of it was in darkness. Wafts of smoke curled around its mouth and nostrils. In the haze, the dim light of the storeroom, its piercing reptilian eyes, huge and bulbous blinked impatiently. I stared, mouth agape. Zane grabbed my hand. “I thought you were a dog. You ain‟t no dog.” “Indeed, I am not. And I am glad you both have discovered your love for each other. Mr. Barnaby told me you had an eye for Jacob, Zane.” “He did?” Zane‟s cheeks flushed. How could I miss such a thing like that? If Mr. Barnaby had seen Zane eyeing me off, then why hadn‟t I? I smiled. I knew why. Callum. I was so involved with him I didn‟t see anything else. Here was me thinking Zane was a straight man. No wonder I was confused by the way he acted. I wasn‟t deciphering the signals properly. “Yes. Now go, do what you must. I can only eat so many of those bug men as you call them. They give me bad heart burn. Oooh, I can feel the one 143

Mark Alders who attacked Mrs. Leary sit right in my craw. The poor dear‟s in the hospital now. I called the ambulance. You know, it‟s not a nice feeling at all having food stuck in your throat, not when it‟s so close to supper time, anyway. I do really want my supper. Whole sheep and minestrone tonight. Yum.” I didn‟t know how to answer Aloysius. He seemed so unreal to me. Then again, these past few months I had seen aliens, living zombies, insectmans and Suzy wired up to a hive mind. Heck, a dragon was nothing. Geez, even a talking dragon was somewhat…dare I say it? Normal and oh, so right. Mr Barnaby‟s friend was awesome and I couldn‟t wait to see more of him. Zane pulled me away, obviously eager to get on with his bug hunt. As I was led out of the storeroom, I yelled out, “I‟ll catch up with you later, Aloysius. Nice meeting you. We‟ll make sure Mr. Barnaby gets to make you that dinner.” But I didn‟t get an answer. If I did, I didn‟t hear it, Zane had pulled me clear out of the shop. “We get Suzy first. Hit „em where it hurts. Then we get to the hospital and rescue as many of the folk as we can. Okay?” “I agree. Lead on, beautiful.” “We go by ute. I can‟t wait to spray some serious shit all over their insect arses. They‟re gonna pay for what they‟ve done.” 144

Light of the Body Coming out in front of the shop once more, the street wasn‟t as deserted as it was when we first arrived. Corey Harrington was waking toward us, his chest ablaze with the light of the insectmans. “Let‟s get out of here if we‟re going to. Look!” Zane, opening the ute‟s door for me, twisted around. “I thought that fucker was dead?” “Nope. They must have created another doppelganger of him.” “A what?” “Never mind. Let‟s just go already.” I scrambled into the car and Zane soon joined me. The doors slamming. From the side mirror the image of Corey running toward us haunted me. About fifteen or so insectmans in their real form poured out on the street to come behind him. Then more came. Zane fumbled with the ignition keys. After a couple of agonising seconds, time where my life slipped by in my mind and a sudden sorrow at the possibility of not being with either Zane or Callum ever again struck me, the engine turned over. A puff of black smoke remained where we were parked as Zane floored it. I was thrown into the back of my seat. Unfortunately, in the rush, in the desperation that had consumed me at the sight of Corey and his creepy posse, I hadn‟t put on my seat belt. I soon 145

Mark Alders fixed that. I didn‟t feel like experiencing this ride from a crash test dummies point of view. Zane clicked in his belt, too, having to take one of his hands off the wheel. I wished he hadn‟t chosen that particular moment to do so, because right in front of us more and more insectmans came out from alleyways and shops and every other nook and cranny along the street. We were surrounded. “Fuuuuccck!” he screamed as he tried in desperation to do about six things at once. He did well. Gaining control of the vehicle, but also deciding that he needed to go faster, we charged right through the first barricade of living insectmans. The ute took a battering and I shielded my face as a couple of them found the windshield, the glass shattering but thankfully holding solid. “Go, Zane!” I shouted, more for encouragement than anything else. Many insectmans came under the wheels, sending us airborne before we crashed down into even more of them. The windshield came away and we were showered in glass. I could feel many shards nip at my skin. I could taste my own blood. Zane kept his foot to the floor, continuing to curse, but amazingly able to keep the path of the vehicle as true as he could considering we were surrounded by kamikaze bug men. 146

Light of the Body “Use the fuckin‟ spray, Jakey! Use the fuckin‟ spray.” “Right!” Without a windshield we were vulnerable. I tried to reach down and pick up one of the bottles between my feet, but the seat belt made life difficult considering it had decided to take the inopportune moment to lock. A couple of insectmans landed on the bonnet. I yelped and watched with horror as they clambered up toward us. Zane did his best to try and shake them, unfortunately he had to keep the vehicle on the road as much as possible. I didn‟t fancy becoming intimate with a fire hydrant or a telegraph pole. There was enough to worry about. The wheels squealed from all the swerving and a few more insectmans had joined their comrades on top of the ute. One fell off, but that didn‟t matter, plenty more were there to replace it as we continued to charge at breakneck speed through the winding streets of the town. I hoped with all my heart we wouldn‟t get a blowout, not with what I had in mind. I had decided, probably out of insanity and partly out of desperation, that it was a waste of time trying to release the seat belt from its lock, so I undid it. Without it I was able to pick up the bottle.

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Mark Alders Seconds later, as many insectmans hands reached into the cab and tried to yank us both out of our seats, I let the contents of the bottle rip. I sprayed the stuff around like I was a trainee fire-fighter on his first day. It was a beautiful sight, soaking the bastards in disinfectant. When the chemical hit them, they froze, stunned if you will. Hopefully, if what Suzy had told me was correct, their link to the transmitter—in this case, Corey Harrington—was cut off. They had no direction and no purpose and they fell off the ute like aphids do on the roses when dad gets out the citrus spray. I had a ball and laughed as they fell by the wayside. “Fuck! Git this one, quick!” My laughter stopped. I turned to look at Zane. Next to him, clinging onto his door, was an insectmans. I had been so caught up in the moment I hadn‟t noticed the ones on the drivers‟ side. The window was smashed and the insectmans had one of its hands on the wheel, trying to steer us off the road. Zane looked stressed, his eyes wide with fear. But he never took his eyes off the road or his hands off the wheel. He was brilliant, keeping the ute on a straight path, despite the insectmans best efforts. “Ready!” I pointed the nozzle at the bug man. 148

Light of the Body I pumped the handle a couple of times, building up the pressure inside the bottle I had lost. I pressed the trigger. The spray struck the insectmans true. A magnificent sight, for sure. Strangely, the thing screamed when the chemical hit it, perhaps it was disappointed it was unable to complete its orders from Corey. Whatever. I didn‟t care. So long as the thing was off the ute, I was happy. Unfortunately, Zane received some splashback. Droplets of the disinfectant must have found its way into his eyes, because he blinked furiously before deciding he needed to do something a bit more drastic. At first he tried to wipe off the disinfectant with his arm, while at the same time keep his hands on the wheel. The vehicle swerved, more out of control than before. The extent of the disinfectant getting over him didn‟t become apparent until he screamed out, “I can‟t see!” Many more insectmans began clambering onto the ute. I panicked. I didn‟t know what to do first. That wasn‟t true. I knew what to do. I had to take the wheel and drive. Zane needed me and he was in no condition to do anything as he tried to clear his eyes of the chemicals. “I‟ll take the wheel.” But because he couldn‟t see he had no idea what I was doing. His hands left the wheel for a 149

Mark Alders split second, thinking I was there, ready to drive straight away. He was wrong. I scrambled to try and get to the wheel, unable to get my hands into position in time. But before my mind could even register the series of events that happened next, and all within a split second, too, the ute‟s wheels screamed as we veered off the main road and headed down an access way. We struck a road sign, causing us to swerve to the other side of the road, taking out more insectmans in the process. I was thrown from my seat, landing over Zane‟s lap, my head now jammed between the wheel and his legs. We became airborne before striking something with a loud bang and a splash. Water sprayed all over me. Fuck, we had crashed straight into the Longmuir river.

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managed to pull myself up, un-clicking Zane‟s seat belt as I did so. His eyes were bloodshot. “You okay?” He nodded and gave me one those beautiful smiles. “Yeah, I‟ll be right. Let‟s just git the fuck outta here. Say, don‟t forget the bottles.” I grabbed his hand and together we climbed out the vehicle where the windscreen would have been, but not before I did as he asked. One of the bottles, the one I had been using to ward off our attackers was already half empty. We should have filled up at least another two bottles. I mean, how many more insectmans were we going to encounter before we reached the hive? The ute sunk lower into the river, gurgling and spluttering as water flooded into the spaces normally reserved for air. I didn‟t panic, because I knew the Longmuir was shallow here and we could both swim. What concerned me—no, what scared the living shit out of me—was the fact the 151

Mark Alders insectmans didn‟t mind the water either. Sure, they had been flung from the vehicle because of the impact, but that only delayed the inevitable. They swam toward us. Together we jumped into the water, using the bonnet as a spring board, trying to get as much distance as we could from the sinking vehicle. The less distance we had to swim the better, these bug men seemed to be as fast on the water as they were on the land. We hit the water. For a moment I was blinded by the splash. Zane tugged on me and when I gained back my sight, he was under the water. Perhaps he lost his footing. I pulled on his hand, helping him up, not wanting to let him go as I began making my way to the Westfell side of the Longmuir. The water was up to my neck. When he came up, he gasped for air. “Thanks, Jakey.” He squeezed my hand. “At least that disinfectant‟s outta my eyes now.” “Good. C‟mon, we‟ve got to get to the Westfell bank.” “But we‟ll have no car. We‟ll have to walk to the factory.” He was right. But we were also half way across the river. No turning back now. I stole a glance at the sinking ute. On the shore, Corey stood there with his hands on his hips, staring at us as only a transmitter could, cold and calculating, the light of 152

Light of the Body his body intense. Two insectmans were right behind us. “One problem at a time, Zane. It‟s hard enough pulling along these bottles as it is let alone trying to move as quickly as possible through water.” “Then gimme one. I‟m okay now, I promise.” He was right, he pushed through the water as though he were a man possessed after I handed him a spray bottle. Moments later, Zane was pulling me. Then again, the water had receded as we moved closer to the shore. It was now at waist height, and I‟m sure if it weren‟t for our clothes, we would have made better time. I turned again. The insectmans who pursued us were nowhere to be seen. Neither was Corey. I thought that rather weird. Seemed these guys were determined sons-of-bitches, so why would they give up so soon? I dismissed that thought. The sight of the shore approaching gave me hope. The only reminder we had ever crashed into the water soon faded. The roof of the ute sunk under the water with a final gurgle. Zane and I fell onto the shore. I was exhausted, but also thankful we had made it. “Well, at least we got cleaned up,” I said. “I had no problem with gettin‟ dirty with you, but you‟re right. Pity we‟re saturated to the bone.” “I think we‟d better take off our jeans. They‟re only going to burden us, and besides, I don‟t fancy 153

Mark Alders getting a rash all over from the wet cloth rubbing me all the way to the chemical factory as we try and evade more of our bug men friends.” “If you want me to git me gear off you don‟t have to be so polite about it,” he said with a chuckle, unzipping himself. “I‟d git naked for you in a heart beat, you know that.” He was right about that. I smiled. I had already started to peel off my jeans after I had taken off my shoes, thankful when I was out of them after a lot of tugging and hopping on the spot. “I really do like the real Zane, you know?” “I do, too.” Zane took off his shirt, throwing it onto the ground, but not before wiping his face with it. I decided that was a good idea. The less burden the better. We had a long way to go on foot. Both of us now stood in nothing else but our boxers. I smiled at him, his bulge just as impressive even when hidden by silk and he had been submerged in cold water. Lucky fucking bastard. “You ready?” I grabbed his hand, feeling secure once more as he tightened his grip in mine. He came over and kissed me on the lips, his tenderness clear, a hint of his tongue and lots of saliva accompanied it. I missed his intoxicating taste. “Ready as I‟m ever gonna be,” he replied once he had finished his kiss, a kiss I never 154

Light of the Body wanted to end. But I couldn‟t think of that now. We had work to do, and as my dad always said, play time is the reward of work. I couldn‟t wait to play with Zane and Callum. A thought struck me. I had two boyfriends. I was the lucky bastard. We ran up the bank until we were underneath the canopy of the Westfell, bottles in hand, ready to tackle the whole hive if we had to. We hadn‟t gone far when Zane stopped. “What?” I asked with a whisper. “I saw somethin‟ over there.” He pointed with the bottle to his right, toward a massive thicket of undergrowth clinging to the pine trees, dark and unwelcoming. “Insectmans?” “Dunno. Seemed too large to be one of „em to me.” He took a couple of steps forward with great care, the leaf litter crunching under his bare feet, echoing throughout the forest. I swallowed hard in my dry throat. “What was it then?” A crash of a tree, a thunderous snap of wood being torn from its roots made me jump and Zane yelp. I was ready to run back to the river, take my chances with Corey and the insectmans he controlled, when he moved forward. After the leaves and dust had settled, Aloysius sauntered over toward us. 155

Mark Alders “Fuckin‟ hell,” Zane said. “That‟s no bug man. It‟s that lizard thingy we saw in Mister B‟s storeroom.” Zane‟s description, although lacking in eloquence, summed up what we saw. A red dragon, scales as bright as Zane‟s Cars design boxers, came over to darken the already waning light underneath the canopy. “I have such a stomach ache, Jacob and Zane. You wouldn‟t believe how many of those bug men I had to eat just to get out of the store. They‟re everywhere, you know. Say, you both look a little different since the last time we met. Why are you all dripping wet and in your underwear? Is that some sort of human custom I don‟t know about?” “Um…we kind of had an accident,” I replied, aware of my state of undress. My cheeks flushed. I was a bit embarrassed to say the least. “Those bug men decided that they wanted to stop us from doin‟ what we‟re supposed to be doin‟. The bastards. The church ute is trashed. Gonna be payin‟ for that one, I bet.” A lick of flame curled around the dragon‟s mouth. “I‟m sure all will be forgiven when the folk all know you were only trying to help.” The beast then belched and a foul smell nearly knocked me over. I waved my free hand—the one holding the bottle—in front of me to try and get some air. 156

Light of the Body Zane was coughing, too. Dragon breath was deadly, especially when it held no fire. “Geez, you‟re not wrong when you said you had a guts ache, Aloysius. Your breath stinks to high heaven. No offense intended, but damn.” “Oh, none taken. And please excuse me. I‟m so sorry, but that last one I ate, the one disguised as young Corey Harrington—well, he tasted the worst. Most upsetting. I fear my sheep and minestrone supper tonight is going to have to be cancelled.” Zane snorted. “Well, that explains why those bug men disappeared and stopped chasin‟ us. Their transmitter got eaten.” “Please explain this transmitter you speak of,” Aloysius commanded, more flames bellowing from his lips. “Sure, but it may take a while and we‟re in a kind of a rush,” I said. “Yeah, we don‟t wanna be rude, not to a dude like yourself. I mean, you saved our lives, I reckon, but we gotta get to the hive and rescue a damsel in distress.” I laughed. Zane was right. We were two knights charging to the rescue. We even had the dragon. “You‟re certainly my knight, Zane.” “And I gotta say your lance is one damn fine weapon,” he said with a giggle. “So‟s yours.” I winked. 157

Mark Alders Aloysius coughed. “Freudian analogies aside, tell me all you know on the way to where it is you‟re both going. To make it easier, climb up on my back. I‟ll give you both a lift.” “You fly?” Zane questioned. He must have been curious seeing as the dragon didn‟t have any visible wings. “Oh, heavens no. I…well, you‟ll see. Let me just tell you, you‟re in for the ride of your life.” I have to say, right here and now, that wearing boxer shorts, even though a good idea at the time, made no sense whatsoever when trying to get comfortable on a dragon‟s back. Zane must have had the same problem, because through gritted teeth, he shouted, “Fuckin‟ Jesus, my ball sack feels as though it‟s burst!” I couldn‟t get comfortable. To sit back so I wasn‟t squashing my family jewels into my stomach meant I couldn‟t hold on to Aloysius‟ scales. I needed to hold on. When the dragon had said this would be one hell of a ride, he wasn‟t kidding. Aloysius ran and at breakneck speed, too. Dodging tress, jumping over creek beds, dashing through the undergrowth. Zane clung onto me, embracing me tight as our bodies pounded against the dragon‟s back as he charged through the forest. 158

Light of the Body A few insectmans came at us, bounding out from vantage points within the forest. Aloysius snapped them up in his jaws, all without letting up his speed, unfortunately or fortunately. I couldn‟t tell, I was in so much pain. Any relief from my ball pounding would be welcome. Zane‟s fingernails dug into my stomach, and I didn‟t have to look at him to know he was hurting, too. Dragons may be magical creatures, the one we were on may be the only one on Earth, but as far as I was concerned, this was no magical experience. The thing that helped me the most was to place the spray bottle as close to my groin as I could without losing my balance and falling off. The smooth plastic a far better option banging against me than hard dragons scales. Zane had done the same, but didn‟t stop cursing in my ear. Perhaps I should have taken the chances with my wet jeans. The thicker cloth may have provided a better cushion. A rash a more pleasant experience than having my testicles hammered up into my throat. Then again, perhaps not. With water in my eyes and my knuckles white from the pressure of having to hold on for dear life, I realised we were slowing. We crossed the main road that went from the town to the golden mile, travelling for a few moments more before the 159

Mark Alders canopy thinned and the few trees scattered about meant Aloysius didn‟t have to run so fast. A clearing soon dominated the view, the light from the sun more intense against my skin, no longer filtered by the canopy. Aloysius stopped. “The chemical factory is just beyond the trees and bushes that line the clearing. Go, but for heaven‟s sake, be careful.” I clambered off the dragon as best I could considering I could no longer walk and my legs wanted to go in two directions at once. It took me a couple of minutes to even stand up straight. Zane had his arm around me, using me as support as I used him. “Aren‟t you coming with us?” My throat felt as though it contained all of my insides. Zane coughed and coughed, still doubled over. I sure hoped he wasn‟t going to puke. “I don‟t ever wanna do that again,” he said with a gasp. Aloysius belched again and that foul air swam around me. I coughed, feeling green all of a sudden. I hoped I wasn‟t going to puke. “I can‟t, my friends. I think I‟m going to lose my lunch. Those bug men just aren‟t sitting right. I think I‟ve eaten too many.” Before I could answer, the dragon had bounded out of view. Seconds later, birds took flight in the distance with a cacophony of chirping and squawking, upset they had been disturbed. I 160

Light of the Body guessed that‟s where Aloysius threw up. I shuddered at the thought of how disgusting dragon sick would look, especially bug man induced vomit. Zane picked up his spray bottle. “Let‟s git this over with.” We marched toward the chemical factory, expecting to see a million or so insectmans greet us. From the outside, the building looked deserted. I didn‟t like this one bit. A cold wind kicked up around us and dark clouds blanketed the sky, making me wish we were back in the forest. An ambulance was parked near one of the exit doors. I nudged Zane. He acknowledged me by saying, “You know, I wouldn‟t be surprised if it‟s the ambulance men who are the transmitters, too. I mean, think about it. They have access to anywhere and they bring the people into the hospital. Who‟s to say the folk were infected before they were taken to hospital?” “I think there‟s a lot more than that to this, Zane. I think the doctor is also involved. Remember that the transmitters need to be close, otherwise they can‟t control the infected folk or keep the embryos viable.” Zane shuddered. “Maybe they‟re all involved. Maybe all the hospital staff are transmitters. I reckon they‟re probably doin‟ weird experiments, 161

Mark Alders shipping chemicals to the hospital from here and usin‟ them on the everyone, to keep „em from rejecting the embryos or some shit like that. What if that‟s it?” Two ambulance men got into the van, accompanied by a nurse. What was her name? Nurse Goodchild, I believe? There was someone in the stretcher. Who, I couldn‟t tell. Not from this distance, but their body was glowing just like Corey‟s and every one else who had been affected by the insectmans. I bet the person was about to give birth. “I think you may be right, but we‟d better get a little closer to make sure. But do it so we‟re not seen. We‟ve got to make this disinfectant last.” “Easy for you to say, bet you‟ll be eatin‟ your words when we‟re confronted by a zillion bug men ready to give us one so we can be their bitches.” “Well, if we could have carried some more bottles we would have. We‟ll just have to make do. Okay?” I stepped forward, making sure I stayed as low as I could, using the undergrowth to keep me covered, hopefully. Zane crept beside me. The ambulance drove away. The air was still. The gathering storm above us growing in intensity. It began to rain. 162

Light of the Body Great pelts of water trickled down my back. “C‟mon, let‟s go now that the ambulance is out of sight.” We got up and ran toward the chemical factory. When we were about to reach the building, hide amongst the many barrels and crates scattered about near the exit doors and find shelter from the storm, a couple of insectmans came into view. From where I had no idea. “Fire, Jakey!” I lifted up my bottle, pumped the handle, aimed, and before the insectmans could react by getting any closer, I doused them in the disinfectant. They froze. Unable to receive communications from either the transmitters or Queen Suzy, having no direction or purpose, they became statues. Ugly statues. It was a beautiful sight to see them in such a state. I smiled, but the smile was soon wiped off my face when Zane charged over to them and twisted their heads off their bodies. He pulled and yanked with all his might, shearing the insectmans major arteries. Yellowy-white puss-like fluid sprayed all over him. The sound of tearing sinew and breaking cartilage filled the air. The bodies slumped onto the ground. He was covered in insectmans filth, and it even dripped from his eyebrows and fringe. He had a gleam in his eye I had only ever seen once. When he 163

Mark Alders wanted me. Seemed blood lust and sexual desire are pretty much the same thing—or at least similar in emotional weight. I shuddered. I‟m glad I aroused Zane. I wouldn‟t want to get on his bad side. After he had dispensed with the insectmans, and he had gone back out into the rain to wash away the gore of his kills, he came up to me and pecked me on the cheek. “I was kinda worried the rain might wash away the disinfectant and they‟d come to life again. We don‟t want them bastards creepin‟ up behind us, now do we?” He was right, and I hadn‟t thought of that. I embraced him, making sure I got a grope of his arse in the process. “I told you. You‟re my knight for sure.” “Thanks.” We snuck around the building until we could find a way of getting inside. I didn‟t want to go barging in the front door, having to ward off God knows how many insectmans and all at once, too. That wasn‟t my idea of bravery. More like foolishness. My plan was to get in unnoticed and try and reach Suzy without too much trouble. I knew it was a long shot and it would fail miserably, but we had to try. Toward the western side of the chemical factory we found a small window at ground height. The 164

Light of the Body hinges and handle were rusted shut and wouldn‟t budge no matter how much we pulled. I‟d say the window hadn‟t been opened in years. Zane pushed the nozzle of his spray bottle onto the pane, cracking it. The glass must have been brittle. Thank God. We were in. “Fuck!” said Zane. “What?” I answered as I began taking away the broken shards of glass from the frame so we could crawl in. “I broke the nozzle. That little directional thingy has snapped off. I won‟t be able to adjust the stream now. Shit. Sorry.” I looked at his bottle. Yep. It was broken. Damn it. “Here. Replace your nozzle with mine. I don‟t have much left and what I‟ve got we can use for reserve.” He did as I instructed. We now had one full bottle in working order and one about half empty and useless for the task ahead. I had a bad feeling about this.

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Chapter Sixteen

O

nce inside the building, the room we had found ourselves in was a laboratory. A huge laboratory. All sorts of tubes and vials and containers filled benches and shelves. There were numerous charts everywhere, most detailing human anatomy. Some even mapped out insectmans physiology. If I understood what I read, it looked to me as though the experiments were combining insect and human DNA to create a kind of super human, one resistant to radiation, cold, heat and various other extremes. What I think they were trying to do was breed people who wouldn‟t drop dead within seconds if exposed to conditions most insects take for granted. But what was the purpose of breeding these sorts of people? Whatever they were doing, it seemed to me they had succeeded. Although, I wouldn‟t call this new species super. It scared me to death to be honest. 166

Light of the Body Zane whistled. “Whatever‟s goin‟ on here, it‟s some nasty shit.” I picked up a file and flicked through the pages. It was a hospital report. They were administering drugs to the townsfolk. Zane was right again. The hospital staff were giving drugs to help the embryos. My heart skipped a beat when I scanned down the file to see the name of my boyfriend. Patient 574 Callum Wilber Burrows, 19, male. Stage two of insectmans gestation. No rejection from the patient. Type four anti rejection drug trial positive. Birth in 14 days. Caesarean scheduled. I stared at the page for the longest time, feeling the deepest sorrow I had ever felt for someone. My Callum, my beautiful, beautiful Callum lay helpless with a thing growing inside him. The words on the chart confirmed to me that the doctors and hospital staff were all in on this. I felt anger, so profound and so poisonous that it stained my soul. No. I hated them. I wanted to kill every single insectmans and anyone who had anything to do with them. Zane nudged me, a concerned look drawn on his face. He had seen what I had. “Cals‟ll be okay,

167

Mark Alders mark my words. He‟ll be right…and…and I‟m here for you, Jakey, you know that.” “I‟m glad I got you, too. I really am. I just hope we can get to him in time.” “Well, from what I can figure out, if we get rid of the transmitters and get Suzz outta that machine thingy, then Cals will have a chance, as will everyone else in this town.” I closed the file and proceeded toward the doors that I assumed led out into the hangar, Zane at my side. Before I got to the far side of the laboratory, something caught my eye. Four huge cylinders filled with liquid and going from the floor to the ceiling were tucked away in an alcove. There was so much machinery around the cylinders, mostly stuff that looked like it belonged in a hospital, that it was hard to see what was inside them. When we got closer, Zane gasped. I did, too. There were people inside. They must be on some sort of life support, because they were breathing. Well, not breathing as such, seeing as they were immersed in liquid, but their stomachs rose and fell and one of the machines next to each tube had a heart monitor that let out constant beeps. They were alive. Covering their noses and mouths was an oxygen mask kind of thing, only one that looked a hell of a lot more complicated. They also blinked. 168

Light of the Body I touched the plastic and a moment of disbelief struck me. Inside the cylinders were the hospital staff. The real hospital staff, the originals. They were naked, too. The whole alien abduction vision came flooding back into my memory. I went woozy and Zane caught me as I stumbled. “You all right, Jakey?” Zane asked as he grabbed me tight around my shoulders, being my strength at this trying time. “This is some serious shit, isn‟t it?” There was Dr. Woolsey. Then I recognised nurse Goodchild. The two others I didn‟t know, but one was a man and the other a woman. “We‟ve got to get them out.” “Sure. So, how do we do that without killin‟ „em?” I didn‟t have the first clue how to switch off the machines, but I went back into the laboratory proper and opened the emergency fire cabinet. Inside, an extinguisher, an axe and a red button behind glass that said, break in event of fire. I take it the button was a link to the fire station. Only one thing interested me. The Axe. I grabbed it. “Say, now you‟re talkin‟” Zane said in excited tones. “I could have used that outside when I wasted those two bug men. I‟ll grab it when you‟ve finished destroying some shit, okay?” 169

Mark Alders “You‟re welcome to it.” I swung at the first cylinder, the one that contained Doctor Woolsey. The glass or plastic or whatever you want to call it smashed and fluid gushed out all over the floor, drenching both Zane and me in the process. The doctor fell onto the floor like a dead fish. Not moving. Zane went to him, checked his throat after he took off the mask. “I‟ll see to „em, you free „em.” I didn‟t need to be told twice. I continued to smash the cylinders. By the time I got to the last tube, Zane had woken up Doctor Woolsey and nurse Goodchild. It was good to see them alive. I had a feeling we‟d need the real hospital staff before the day was over. Doctor Woolsey spluttered something, unable to form words. His face a twisted mask of horror. He held out his hand to me, gesturing something, sort of pleading. What was he trying to tell me? I struck the last cylinder and the man inside fell onto the floor. He began moving straight away. “Just relax, okay?” Zane said to the woman. He helped her sit up, satisfied everything was okay with nurse Goodchild. “Everythin‟s gonna be all right. We‟ve got the disinfectant.” She looked at him, a cross between confusion and sheer admiration reflected in her eyes. “The…what?” Doctor Woolsey croaked. 170

Light of the Body “That stuff‟s the only thing we know that‟ll stop these bug men. Makes „em freeze „cause they can‟t communicate with their transmitter,” Zane explained. He helped the doctor to his feet. The doctor was still trying to clear his throat, but managed, “That‟s brilliant. Phenols, right?” Zane smiled, a look of pride washing over him. “But…you‟re making a…terrible…mistake.” “We are?” I went over to Doctor Woolsey. He was young as far as doctors go. I‟d say middle aged. His body was toned, even though there were a few grey hairs at his temples. The rest of his hair, including those on his body, were a nice rich brown. By now, all four were standing up, trying to cover their nakedness while at the same time recovering from their experience, still wobbly on their feet. “They‟ll be all right,” Zane said. I tried not to let my gaze wander, seeing doctors naked seemed to be taboo or something. They were only ever supposed to see their patients with nothing on, not the other way around. From the glimpses I did catch, I‟d say whoever Doctor Woolsey and the other guy were with, they were lucky. Both had nice…equipment. Zane on the other hand had no such worry looking at any of them. He was smiling with that cheeky grin of his and I had to wonder what he 171

Mark Alders was thinking? No. I didn‟t have to guess. He was bisexual, I now knew that with certainty, and cock and pussy appealed to him in equal measure. He was taking in his fill. I caught myself smiling, too. But my affection was directed at him. The doctor cleared his throat again, but before he could utter a word, Zane yelled out, “Say, that dude‟s got no navel ring!” I turned. He was right. I remembered seeing on a chart near some of the equipment saying that they had been placed into the cylinders the day after we defeated the aliens. That meant he wasn‟t abducted, because the aliens only wanted human bile and the rings helped them access that. It also meant he wasn‟t human. So who was he then? Once again the doctor tried to speak, but in the seconds that followed, I found myself careening across the wet laboratory floor, stopped by one of the work benches scattered about the place. The man—the stranger—had pounced on me, grabbing me by my throat and constricting my neck so I couldn‟t breath, couldn‟t call out for help. I grappled at his arms in panic, trying to pry his grip away from my throat. I struggled to get to my feet, my legs thrashing about, unable to get any grip on the wet floor. I was pushed back again by the man‟s sheer strength and the weight he had against me. I fell back against the bench, all the instruments and 172

Light of the Body glass vials fell down over us, showering me. Many cut me and all of those cuts caused pain to shoot up through my body. But I couldn‟t yell. Instead, my vision became blurry and my lungs felt as though they were going to explode. Nurse Goodchild screamed. Zane charged at the man, trying to yank him off me. Whoever he was, whatever he was, he overpowered me and I wouldn‟t say that I was a weakling. My nails scratched his skin, drawing blood, but his hold on me didn‟t relent. All that confronted me was his sinister smile. I grew dizzy from the lack of oxygen and I found my body no longer wanted to support my weight. I went limp and as the man came over me, his knees buried into my chest, I feared it would be my last moment on this Earth. I gasped, my final plea for help, when a thud pierced the air. I was showered in blood. The man was thrown off me. I reached up to grab at my throat, more out of instinct, gasping for air and thankful I could take in another lungful. Standing over me was Zane, bloody axe in hand. “I told you I needed this after you‟d finished with it, Jakey.” I clawed my way up to my feet as my strength returned, using anything I could find to support me, including the helpful hands of my beautiful Zane. Doctor Woolsey helped me up, too. I 173

Mark Alders hugged them both, making sure I paid special attention to Zane, planting many, many wet and wonderful kisses all over his cheeks and lips. “Easy now, save some for later,” he quipped. But I knew he loved it, both being the hero and having all of my attention lavished all over him. “That‟s what…I was trying…to tell you. The man in the last cylinder was a plant. Someone who would make sure any attempt at rescuing us would be met with failure.” Zane snorted. “They didn‟t count on me and my trusty axe, now did they?” “You certainly did save the moment with your quick thinking, but I‟m afraid it may be all too late. We‟re riddled with neural transmitters. Whether we‟re conscious or not, we‟re helping them. They know you‟re here.” That much I had already figured out, but my curiosity rose up again. I had a question. “Say, Doctor Woolsey, what exactly is going on here?” I continued to rub my neck, a dull thumping pain emanating from where the stranger had his hands around me. The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment. “I‟m sure you‟ve figured out the drugs made here stabilize the embryos within their human host, but what you don‟t know is that this experiment, all of this, is about colonization.” 174

Light of the Body Now I was confused, and it wasn‟t because I had just been deprived of a minute of oxygen, either. “I don‟t understand.” Nurse Goodchild stepped up to us. “Perhaps I can explain it better.” She smiled. She sure was pretty, for a woman. Long black hair, legs straight guys wolf whistle over, and tits—well, tits that would look at home on the cover of Ralph or FHM. “They‟re creating monsters that will be able to withstand conditions on other planets. Everything you see here is monitored by the government and backed financially by them—” “So what went wrong?” Zane asked. Doctor Woolsey cleared his throat again. “There is another one like the one you just killed from what I know. Two insect men hybrids were created. They were the first viable test subjects, the original of the new species if you will. The ones who took to the genetic alteration and became the templates for production.” I raised my hand. “Wait, let me get this straight. Everything was going smoothly until one of these hybrids or whatever you want to call them got out and began infecting the general population, is that it? One of them was that man who bit my Callum, wasn‟t he?” “Yes, that about sums it up,” the doctor replied. Nurse Goodchild added, “Once the experiment got out, as you say, nature took its own course. 175

Mark Alders Within six months the factory workers, all 250 of them, became infected. As time went on, they developed, grew, and now…now they are spreading. Now they are what is commonly known as an infestation. One we may not be able to control.” Queasiness consumed me again. Zane came over and took my hand. I needed that right now. I needed to feel his strength. “Say, where‟d that other nurse chick go?”

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Chapter Seventeen

“I

don‟t know. I know she‟s a nurse at the hospital—although, for the life of me I can‟t remember her name.” Doctor Woolsey said, scratching his head as he looked around the laboratory. “She had a navel ring,” Zane said. “That‟s a good sign, if you‟d ever believe it.” I concurred with Zane. The navel ring was a permanent feature on all of those who lived in Pembroke Eve during the alien incident. I never would have thought someone not having one would be like a red flag, warning us something wasn‟t right. No one came into Pembroke Eve unless they were a tourist, and the season didn‟t start until the week of the Spring Dance. It would be safe to say only townsfolk had them. “Her name‟s Nurse Smith,” nurse Goodchild said. “She‟s usually on night shift, the graveyard roster as we like to call it.” 177

Mark Alders Doctor Woolsey separated from us, looking around the lab for the missing nurse. I was about to pick up the spray bottle, the one that worked, when nurse Goodchild began fussing over me, checking out the numerous lacerations I had across my chest and stomach. After she had looked over me, deciding she needed to find a first aid box, I looked around the laboratory, too, Zane in tow. The longer we couldn‟t find the missing nurse the more concern crept up like fingers across my skin. The nurse couldn‟t have gone far. I didn‟t see the doors open and she wasn‟t wearing any clothes. I crossed that last thought from my mind. Being naked never stopped me from doing anything. To be honest, I‟d spent more time out of my clothes than in them over the last few months, and I don‟t mean that I‟d been having a lot of sex either. Look at me now. I was in my boxers. “Here she is!” Doctor Woolsey cried out, his voice sounding desperate. We all ran to him. The doctor was on his knees. On the floor next to him, legs splayed and arms twisted at terrible angles, lay nurse Smith. She had blood all over her and her neck looked like it had been…it looked as though something had ripped away all the flesh revealing her spine and sinew and…I turned, hiding my head in Zane‟s chest. 178

Light of the Body The sight of all that gore made me feel a little woozy for a second. Zane hugged me. “I think there‟s somethin‟ else in here with us.” As he spoke those words the sound of smashing glass rang out. I jumped. Zane tightened his grip for a brief moment, but let me go when the doctor screamed out something incomprehensible. Zane pushed me away, but I slipped and fell to the floor, right into the pool of nurse Smith‟s blood. I screamed, but I knew as soon as I looked up why Zane had done what he did. On one of the benches there was a man, cloaked, darkness across his face. I recognised him—no, I remembered his presence. He was the man who came to our backyard. He was the one who bit Callum. Zane readied his axe, standing like a warrior between me and the strange man. “Keep away from us, you mother fucker or I‟ll slice you in two.” Nurse Goodchild rushed to Doctor Woolsey‟s side while I scrambled to my feet. I picked up the spray bottle once more, but as I lifted it, ready to aim, a feeling of complete uselessness overwhelmed me. This wasn‟t an insectmans— well, not how they were now. This man, this thing, was one of the initial experiment that went wrong. 179

Mark Alders Would disinfectant work in slowing him down? Hell yes. Zane couldn‟t see when a little bit splashed into his eyes. I came next to Zane and pressed the trigger as the man jumped off the bench and began gliding in mid-air toward us. Whatever they had done to him, however they changed him, I didn‟t know of any man who could sail through the air like that. “Zane!” I yelled as I kept my aim true. Disinfectant sprayed all over the man‟s face, but his momentum brought him crashing down onto us. Zane was flung onto the floor, the axe careening over to Doctor Woolsey. I was pulled down, too. In fact, the disinfectant did nothing, and as the cloak came off the man, I knew why. He had no face at all—well, when I say no face, I meant his mouth was a tiny slit, his nose two little holes and his eyes, also tiny, were covered by a protective shell. He looked, for want of a better word, alien. Was this the result of the experiment on humans so they could survive on other planets? I shuddered. What a fucking nightmare. I screamed again, but the man wasn‟t interested in me. He wanted Zane. “Git the fuck off me!” Zane yelled, his legs slapping on the concrete and his arms clawing at the man‟s back as he struggled with all his might to get the man off him. Zane was pinned. The man lowered his head down to take a bite out of his 180

Light of the Body neck. That tiny mouth slit a gaping huge hole filled with rows and rows of teeth, like a sharks. I got up and pulled at the man, desperate to get him off my Zane. He wouldn‟t budge. He must have the strength of a hundred men because even when I scratched his skin and drew blood, he didn‟t even notice. Didn‟t even flinch. Zane writhed and cursed and a deep sense of failure coursed through me as I heaved and pushed with all my might. “Help us!” I yelled at Doctor Woolsey. Sweat poured off me. The man inched his way toward Zane‟s neck, my efforts to stop him proving fruitless. Zane was only seconds away from being bitten. My thoughts became a jumble of fear and panic and despair. I didn‟t want Zane to become impregnated, or worse, end up like nurse Smith. What could I do? I screamed out again. In an absolute and final measure of my desperation, I sunk my teeth into the soft spot on the man‟s shoulder and forced my mouth closed as hard and as tight as it would go. I didn‟t know what else to do. Doctor Woolsey and the nurse were frozen with fear and Zane couldn‟t move. I had to do something, and inside me, something deep down and primitive, told me that biting him was the only option I had left. The rancid, coppery taste of blood filled my mouth, but I didn‟t let go. I dug my teeth in 181

Mark Alders deeper, clinging onto him as I continued my bite. The man let out a yell, a wolf-like howl. He thrashed, trying to buck me off him. I didn‟t budge, wrapping my arms around him, squeezing tight. I sunk my teeth in even more, feeling his tendons and sinew snap in my mouth. I went dizzy when the man‟s blood flowed down my throat. Unable to take his taste any more, I let go. The bite looked terrible, but more importantly, the man was off Zane. His attention was now on me. I stepped back. Not bothering to wipe my chin which dripped with blood. I stumbled, but didn‟t fall, thankfully. My back found the bench with a nauseating thud. I had nowhere to go. The man‟s little mouth became large again as he came closer and closer to me. It was filled with sharp teeth. The cold, dark look in his beady little eyes completed the picture of horror before me, filling me with dread. This man wasn‟t human by any stretch of the imagination. He was a monster. A created monster. I opened my mouth, too. An action that would remind him that I could play his game. He stopped. Studied me, but must have decided that I posed no real threat whatsoever. He was right. I didn‟t possess his strength for one. As he came within a few feet of me, Zane screamed, but not a call out of fear, oh no. He was 182

Light of the Body yelling out a war cry. A split second later, I understood why. The axe cleaved the mutant man‟s head clean in two. I was splattered in more blood and bits of stuff I could only imagine were the monster‟s brains. “I told you to git the fuck off me!” Zane didn‟t bother retrieving the weapon from the mutant‟s body. He went to me and embraced me tight. “You okay, Jakey?” “Yeah. I‟m okay…my hero.” “Cool.” Again Doctor Woolsey yelled something I didn‟t quite catch. What was the man jabbering on about now? I know he‟s a doctor and all and saves lives every day, but as far as someone who‟s needed in a crisis, he‟s useless. “Oh, my stars!” Nurse Goodchild screamed. “I think you‟d better see this.” Zane moved away from me so I could see what all the commotion was about. Through the laboratories main doors there poured into the room uncountable insectmans. Amongst them walked Suzy. She commanded them by gesturing where her minions should be and they fell into place quickly. Moments later we were surrounded. Unfortunately, Zane didn‟t have time to get the axe out of the mutant‟s body. 183

Mark Alders “Oh, shit!” I don‟t think a three quarter full bottle of disinfectant was quite going to be enough.

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Chapter Eighteen

“T

ell me, how many times do you both have to be warned?” Suzy sauntered over to us. There was nothing behind her eyes and I knew in that instant she wasn‟t the real Suzy. This was a copy. The real Suzy must still be hooked up to that machine. “Who are you?” I asked, my tone acidic. “The voice of the insectmans personified.” “Where‟s the real Suzz?” Zane asked. The pain was clear on his face. Many hands grabbed at me. The bottle was taken and before I could raise my voice in protest, the fake Suzy said, “You have done a lot of damage to our cause, Jacob and Zane. Perhaps I underestimated you both. Maybe we will be able to find a much more useful role for you to fulfil besides becoming transmitters or incubators.” She looked down at the mutant, now at her feet. I was pleased to note she said that we had affected them. What concerned me was what she 185

Mark Alders planned to do with us. She wasn‟t going to kill us, that much was clear. She would have done it by now. No, she wanted much more from us. But what? “Whatever you‟re going to do, get it over and done with,” I blurted. “You will become carriers. It only seems fitting, seeing as you have disposed of the previous carrier.” Again she glanced down at the mutant. I swallowed hard. Was I going to be turned into one of those freaks? “There ain‟t no way I‟m going to be turned into one of them.” My stomach turned at the sight of the thing on the floor, still quivering. “It‟s either that or death.” I was about to answer, about to make it clear in no uncertain terms death was a far better option than going around impregnating innocent people, when Zane stepped forward. “Can I have one last request before you turn me into a mutant mother fucker?” Her face became blank, that smug smile she wore wiped from her features. There was a moment of pause, like she was not only thinking but receiving orders from the hive mind or something. Her eyeballs did that sort of rapid movement thing for a split second before her smile returned. “What is it you request, Zane?” Her voice had a softness I hadn‟t heard since the real Suzy was with us. 186

Light of the Body “I wanna fuck you real good. Split that pussy of yours „till you beg me to stop.” And with that he dropped his boxers. I gasped. My initial reaction was more out of curiosity rather than surprise. Why would he do such a thing now? I know for a fact Zane would never, ever, ever talk to Suzy like that. Sure, he made jibes with her about getting into the sack, but not once would he be so blunt and to the point and quite frankly so rude about it, too. But this wasn‟t the real Suzy. He was up to something and I think I knew what it was. The fake Suzy was taken aback, but her gaze roved down his body to rest at his genitals. The front of Zane was blocked, my view of his cute behind, but I knew he would have had a raging boner, one wet with his own pre-cum. Her expression, that smug smile, turned to one of lust and that confirmed it for me. Zane had touched a nerve, a weakness of the hive mind. He was a genius. Everything was clear to me now. I smiled. No matter how much they think they can control someone they cannot completely wipe out a person‟s innate desires, their instincts or their will for freedom. Zane was testing the theory. From the look of it, the real Suzy, transmitting her thoughts through the hive mind into the transmitter, could not hide her feelings for him. 187

Mark Alders Suzy, even though she never showed it as I did, had feelings for Zane and he was going to use that against them. He came closer, reaching out to embrace her. She let him, falling into his arms, exposing her neck so he could lay ravishing kisses all over her skin. What I saw fascinated me at first. Then pangs of jealousy shot up to consume me. Emotions overwhelmed me. I knew what he was doing, he was creating a distraction, using the real Suzy‟s feelings to gain us some time. But why did he have to be so…so good at what he did? Why did he have to be so beautiful? He was magnificent naked and I wanted to be that fake Suzy. I wanted to be in his arms, taking all of him into me. I wouldn‟t cry out like a girl. I‟d growl like a man in the heat of the moment as he sunk his cock deeper and deeper into my arse, just as I had done before. I knew he liked me when I did that. But this wasn‟t about me. I blinked rapidly, trying to dismiss those unproductive thoughts from my mind. Zane had bought us the time. It was now up to me to use it to full advantage. The hands of the insectmans were no longer around me, a distracted transmitter meant no orders were given. Fine with me. As I moved away, trying not to push my way too hard through the wall of insectmans that had surrounded us, she whimpered. But worst of all, 188

Light of the Body he moaned with delight. The noise he made was like a dagger to my heart. As their cries became more intense, and she began to sing out with ecstasy, I couldn‟t help but look. Their yelps of passion begged for my attention. I turned, twisting my neck, only to see her naked and Zane‟s hands explore her body with an eagerness he had shared with me in that priest hole. He pressed himself tight against her as he pushed her toward the bench and lifted her up onto it. She spread her legs for him and in that moment I closed my eyes, turned and concentrated on what I had to do next. I hoped Zane could last longer than when he was with me. I needed all the time I could get to free the real Suzy. Before I left the laboratory I glanced back. It was then I noticed Doctor Woolsey and nurse Goodchild surrounded and being taken over to the stasis tubes. I know they were transmitters. They knew it, too. Perhaps the insectmans were going to hook them up again, reinsert them back into the hive mind. I swallowed hard. I didn‟t want to think about that right now. I had to get the real Suzy and Mr. Barnaby out of here. I had to break the insectmans hold on the town. Once I was clear of the insectmans I made my way to the laboratory doors. Silence welcomed me. I came into the main hangar. As before, the 189

Mark Alders structure around me was daunting, not only by the size, but by its complexity, too. I paused for a moment to get my bearings. Thankfully, there wasn‟t an insectmans in sight. They must all be in the laboratory watching Zane give himself to their physical voice. Queasiness consumed me as I thought about what he was doing. He was indeed a knight in shining armour, giving himself, sacrificing himself for the greater good. My jealousy and concern and every other emotion I could think of and some I couldn‟t, gave way to pride. Yep. I was proud of Zane. Suzy came into sight as I walked toward the central column of the hive mind. I climbed up onto the tendrils, desperate to get to her. The organic structure around her, feeding her, keeping her alive was a massive living being, pulsating, breathing, planning, and worst of all, enslaving humans to procreate. Doing all of this with Suzy as the control, the needed calm amongst the storm of their plans. My determination grew as I clambered up the structure. I had to get her out. I arrived, finding myself on a sort of platform in front of the structure she was encased in. Unlike before her eyes were closed and I didn‟t experience her voice in my mind. I supposed she was concentrating all her efforts on the events transpiring in the laboratory. A great sense of satisfaction come over me. I made it. 190

Light of the Body Her eyes opened. Again, unlike before, her gaze was distant, as though she weren‟t even in the hangar with me, which I suppose she wasn‟t in a way. I reached out and touched an organic panel, hoping one of the buttons would release her. A painful eternity later, just as I was about to give up, Mr. Barnaby came into view. “Jacob!” he called out. His arms were open to greet me. He looked a little worse for wear, but his spirits were high. “Mr. Barnaby! You‟re all right, thank God.” “I most certainly am, dear boy. I‟ve had an experience, let me tell you. I fought them off as best I could before I was overwhelmed and placed into a cell. I was left alone for ages, managing to get out by sheer persistence and good old fashioned determination. “ I embraced him and he returned his warmth in kind, like a father would to his son. It was good to see him. “How did you get out?” I said with genuine curiosity. Mr. Barnaby let out a chuckle. “Thank goodness they didn‟t take the bullets from me, probably thinking they wouldn‟t do any damage without the actual gun. With a bit of luck on my part, I found a panel that controlled the door mechanism. I pried it open and inside I noticed it was warm. You could say it was hot really. I jammed a few of 191

Mark Alders the bullets into it and re-sealed it as best I could. I then waited. How long, I couldn‟t tell you, but it seemed like forever to me. Anyway, dear boy, the bullets eventually exploded and the door was released and here I am.” “I‟m so glad you got out, and in such a cool way, too. You‟re amazing, Mr. Barnaby, you really are.” Mr. Barnaby blushed, but a smile found his lips. “I only did what anyone else would have done.” I turned my attention back to the structure Suzy was encased within. “We‟ve really got to get Suzy out of here. I don‟t know how much…longer Zane can…distract them.” Mr. Barnaby let me go, a puzzled look on his face. “What in heaven‟s name is he able to do that could distract these things? From what have experienced they are a tenacious lot if nothing else.” I opened my mouth, about to explain, when the laboratory door burst open and hundreds upon hundreds of insectmans entered the hangar, all of them coming toward us. “Never mind. I think he‟s finished.” I hoped with all my heart and soul Zane was all right. “C‟mon, Mr. Barnaby, give me a hand here. I don‟t think we‟ve got much time.” I pressed buttons again. Many lights ignited and Suzy‟s gaze fixed on me. That cold, almost evil 192

Light of the Body stare, the one the fake Suzy was so good at, was reflected in her eyes. “Wait a minute.” Mr. Barnaby grabbed me by my shoulder. “I heard them say something about neural connections or some such thing and how she‟s now a part of them. I‟m sure you just can‟t pull her out of the hive mind.” I looked down. The insectmans had begun climbing up toward us. A few were only a couple of metres away now. “Fuck it! We don‟t have that much time.” I stopped pressing buttons and did the only thing I could think of. I charged at the structure with all my might, smashing my shoulder into it. Seconds later, I was engulfed with fluid and tubes and God know what else as the organic perspex shattered. The force of everything coming out of the container, including Suzy, was too much for me to withstand. I was thrown off the platform.

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landed on a few insectmans who broke my fall. But I didn‟t have time to worry about that. There was shouting. Actually, there were many voices shouting. In the confusion that followed I tried to scramble to my feet to see what the hell was going on, punching and kicking my way past many of the insectmans. Hundreds of them ran about everywhere, but they weren‟t doing anything with any purpose. They were aimless, now devoid of the voice of reason that had calmed their thoughts. I looked up. Mr. Barnaby was tending to Suzy. She was coughing as he tried to remove the parts of the hive mind that had invaded her body. Thank the Lord above she was alive. Although, I hoped we could save her from all of the hive‟s doing, including what they had done to her mind. Those voices I had heard earlier rang out again. They were war cries, and one of them was so clear now I could now tell it belonged to Zane. I turned 194

Light of the Body to see the most beautiful sight I had ever seen in my life. Zane was charging through the hangar, axe in hand, chopping at anything and everything in his path, including the structure of the hive mind itself. He was naked, spattered in blood and gore and grinning like a man possessed. As he destroyed everything in sight, that feeling of pride welled up once more. As far as I was concerned he was poetry in motion and quite hypnotic. Knocking myself out of my reverie, I ran over to him. He acknowledged me by pausing for a moment, giving me one of his cheeky smiles. “I‟m gonna fuck „em up real good now! Here, Jakey, grab somethin‟ to help me smash this place up. The doctor and the nurse are in the lab destroyin‟ shit, too. You should join us!” He was right. Glass was being smashed from within the lab. I looked around, noticing a metal pole near some containers. I grabbed it and joined Zane in his frenzy. Moments later, I was working up a sweat with him, beating the crap out of the organic structure of the hive mind and knocking away any stray insectmans that crossed our path. The floor was soon stained with blood and I was soaked in sweat and filth, as was Zane. An explosion rang out from the laboratory, one that shook the foundations of the hangar. Zane caught me from falling, before he returned to his destruction, not even batting an eyelid as he 195

Mark Alders hacked tendrils from their adjoining modules. Thick black smoke billowed into the hangar and angry red and blue flames licked at the laboratory doors. Two humans emerged from the carnage, shielding their eyes. I was delighted and somewhat relieved to see Doctor Woolsey and nurse Goodchild stagger up to us, both of them supporting each other. The doctor was the first to speak. “We‟ve got to get to the heart and destroy it before they can gather their thoughts and unite again.” “Why?” I asked. “I thought they were useless without Suzy controlling them?” Nurse Goodchild, her body covered in grime and blood, looked even more concerned than normal. “Yes, that‟s true, but without the control they‟ll soon revert back to their most basic instincts. And for insects that means defending their territory. We‟re in their hive, remember.” Before I could add anything to the conversation, Zane grabbed me by my hand and pulled me off the tendril we were butchering. The doctor and the nurse had disappeared from sight beyond a huge tendril with a massive nodule at the end of it. We followed. Or rather, Zane followed and I was taken along for the ride. When we came around the ganglion, the scale of what the hive mind was hit me like a slap in the face. The whole back half of the hangar was chock 196

Light of the Body full of organic matter. There were hundreds—no, thousands of tendrils and modules and ganglions all joined and all pulsating with life. At the centre, where a massive module hung, there beat the heart of this beast. At first glance and at my best calculation, I would say the heart alone was about five times the size of me. “Whoa!” was all I could manage. Again, I don‟t think an axe was going to quite be the weapon of choice here. Then again, what choice did we have? “We‟ve got to cut off the supply veins to the heart,” nurse Goodchild called. “But we‟ve got to hurry.” She and the doctor were already scrambling up to their goal. “Zane, Jacob, you take the left side where the veins feed from heart. We‟ll take the right and the oxygen rich arteries. Do whatever you can, but try and do as much damage as you can,” the doctor added. Unfortunately, I could now see hundreds of insectmans within the structure of the hive mind. It looked to me like they had their new purpose, to get us away. Many had begun clambering down the structure toward us. “Look out!” I called out, all too late. The insectmans had grabbed the doctor, pulling him in all directions. The man screamed out. I turned away as they ripped his limbs from their sockets. Nurse Goodchild became hysterical as all 197

Mark Alders the surrounding insectmans charged for the doctor‟s carcass, like vultures at a feeding frenzy. All sorts of whooping noises rang out as they tore the man to pieces. They had reverted. They were now primitive and that scared the spit out of me. The nurse screamed out again, but her commotion drew their attention. She fell to her knees, soon to be surrounded by them, too. I couldn‟t bear to watch. Zane pulled on me. “C‟mon, here‟s our chance.” “But…but…the nurse…the doctor…we.” I was up on the structure of the hive mind before I realised. Zane was not only strong as all hell when he wanted to be, he was determined, too. “They‟re gone, yeah, but we‟ve got to make their sacrifice matter. We‟ve got to destroy that fuckin‟ heart once and for all.” I hated to admit it again, but he was right. As soon as we reached the heart, he began slashing away at the veins and arteries, severing the connections with the life of the hive mind as best we could considering we were trying to knock down a house with a toothpick. There was a huge vein above us. I gained Zane‟s attention by poking him in his side. To shout at him wouldn‟t have done any good, he was a man with a mission as he hacked away with his axe. 198

Light of the Body He got the message and concentrated his efforts on that vein. I helped by pulling it down, letting him get to it easier. The flesh of it was warm in my hands, an icky kind of warmth, slimy and sticky. Moments later, we were showered in the contents of the vein. I couldn‟t see. I couldn‟t hear. All I knew was the simple fact we were being drowned in blood. As I tried to hold my breath, I felt Zane lose his footing. I yelled out as I managed to keep him from falling. How? I have no idea, but I didn‟t want him to fall into the waiting clutches of the insectmans who had most certainly finished devouring the doctor and the nurse and were at this moment climbing up toward us. I only knew I held onto him with all of my might, as he held onto me. When the blood flow from the wound slowed to a trickle, I could no longer hear the beat of the heart. I spat blood from my mouth and wiped my eyes as best I could. My stomach turned in a sickly way. I must have swallowed some of it. Zane‟s smile greeted me. He was plastered with blood, as was I. “I think we‟ve done it,” I said with great relief. We hugged, an interesting experience considering our current state, let me tell you. An eternity later, Zane whispered, “Hey, look, there‟s Mister B and Suzz.”

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Mark Alders Mr. Barnaby was coming toward us, helping Suzy walk. “You‟d better get down from there, boys,” he called out. The structure of the hive mind was beginning to disintegrate and the heart had slumped. It was now well below us—a dead, dark mass of organic matter and just as useless. I became aware of our precarious position, because when I separated from Zane there was nowhere to place my foot. We were on a module, one that began swaying wildly as it began to collapse, no longer fed by the heart. A split second after my realisation, the tendrils that supported the structure we were on snapped. We fell.

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fell on top of Zane and thankfully he landed onto the dead heart itself. Well, I thought it was a good thing until we were soon surrounded by dead flesh as the structure of the thing collapsed around us from our weight, like a punctured jumping castle with too many kids on it. Both of us struggled to get out of it as we were engulfed. I cried out. Panic struck me as I found it difficult to not only move considering I was slippery from all the blood and couldn‟t get a hold on anything, but because I found it difficult to breathe, too. I was helpless as we sank deeper and deeper into the heart. Soon I couldn‟t even hear Mr. Barnaby scream at us to get out—well, I thought that‟s what he was doing. I had never heard him say the words he shouted before. It sounded as though he was calling out for someone, but I didn‟t hear our names, rather it was like he was speaking in a different language. Then, as we sank deeper and 201

Mark Alders deeper, all I could feel was Zane‟s laboured breathing as we became cocooned in flesh. A strange sensation overcame me as everything echoed, like listening into a shell at the beach. Our hearts beat loud, our breathing, our wild thrashes as we tried with all our might to get out of our predicament, surrounded me. I went numb. I went hot, too. A heat that overwhelmed me, made me feel weak, as though it were draining away my life force. Zane no longer struggled. He grabbed onto me, holding me tight. “If I‟m gonna go, I‟m glad it‟s with you, Jakey.” I couldn‟t answer him. My face was pressed against the dead flesh. I became dizzy and my mind conjured up images that were dream-like and fantastic. I imagined myself running naked through a field of flowers. Zane and Callum ran toward me. Then I came to my house. My parents, also coming toward me, waved to beckon me on. Was my mind telling me that this was the end? My brain‟s way of letting me know that I should be thinking of the people I loved as my life ebbed away from me. Zane squeezed me tighter. I welcomed his embrace. I could no longer hear anything. I shut my eyes and darkness, a deep and welcome night, came to me. **** 202

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I opened my eyes. Above me was Sheriff Tucker, his moustache grin unmistakable. “Well there, young Jacob, seems you‟ve not only got yourself into a predicament, you‟ve saved the town in the process. You gave me the time and the break I needed to do what I had to with my friends. Thanks.” “What?” I asked, my voice groggy. My head pounded and all I could do was rub my forehead to let myself know I was alive and this wasn‟t a dream. I was on a stretcher, sheltered under a sort of huge makeshift tent. Beyond the tent there was the hangar. All around, many of the Sheriff‟s men and his friends, too, milled about. They all had guns. On the bed next to me was Zane. His eyes were closed and I assumed he was still unconscious. Next to him were townsfolk, the ones we saw inside the hangar, the ones who had finished their duties as incubators. Mrs. O‟Doherty was on the far side of the tent. She was sitting upright, her hands over her face. We were in a triage sort of set up. A few of the hospital staff tended to the people on the beds. “I‟ll let one of your friends explain,” Sheriff Tucker said, knocking me from my thoughts. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” He patted me on my shoulder before he made his way 203

Mark Alders toward the tent‟s exit. I supposed from him that was as good as a thank you got. In walked Mr. Barnaby. I smiled. I was sure glad to see him. “Well, my boy, good to see you awake. We were worried there for a moment, you know.” “Where‟s Suzy?” I said. “She‟s in the hospital. She‟s going to be fine, but it‟s going to be a while before she‟ll fully recover from the effects of the hive mind. Anyway, cheer up, there‟s someone here who‟s dying to see you.” From behind Mr. Barnaby, Callum come into view. Before I could even sit up, he was embracing me tight, laying kisses all over my face. His warmth, his touch, his smell and his familiarity all overwhelmed me to the point where I could no longer contain my emotions. I began to cry. “I love you so much, Callum.” He kissed away my hot tears from my cheeks. “I love you with all my heart, too, my Jacob.” We kissed. My salt water and his taste mingled in my mouth. I wanted him to kiss me and hold me forever. It was so good to see him. Mr. Barnaby coughed into his hand, showing his manners and Callum broke away his kiss. I missed him the moment we parted. “The sheriff tells me they‟ve got most of the critters now. He‟s called in some of his army buddies to help remove what‟s left of the hive mind. It‟s all hush, hush, but 204

Light of the Body thankfully he did. I think the hangar will be destroyed…that‟s what they‟re talking about out there anyway.” “You know, I have so many questions,” I said. “What happened to you, Callum?” He sat beside me, taking me by my hand. “As soon as the hive mind died, all of us in the hospital woke up. It was like a miracle. I could see through my own eyes and hear my own thoughts again. It was like I had come out of a dark room or something.” The joy and relief in his eyes was tangible and I could only imagine what he went through as that thing grew inside him, consuming him. “After the doctors checked us out, it was discovered that our bodies had begun fighting off the embryo that grew inside us. They reckon we‟ll absorb them or something like that. I don‟t understand exactly, but at least I‟m here with you now, Jacob. I suppose I‟m one of the lucky ones, though. A few folk in the advanced stages didn‟t make it. When their embryo lost the link to their transmitter and the hive mind, they took the host, too…” His words trailed off and a sadness overcame him. I swallowed hard. I wondered how many of the townsfolk didn‟t make it. That thought made me shudder and I reached over to hug him. For the longest time we held each other. Even Mr. Barnaby joined in. 205

Mark Alders “Hey, save some of that for me,” Zane said. I hadn‟t noticed him wake up, but I‟m glad he did. I needed the two men I loved and now was the perfect time to let them both know how much I wanted them. “Callum, Zane has something to tell you,” I said with a smile on my lips I didn‟t want to remove. “What is it?” Callum asked, his curiosity seeming to get the better of him. His eyes got that flash of interest that made him look damn sexy. Zane got up off his bed, coming over to us. He was in a hospital gown and all cleaned up. He looked as beautiful as ever with those deep brooding eyes of his and those thick sexy lips. “Let me just show you instead, Cals.” With that he knelt down, coming between Callum‟s legs so he would be in the perfect position to place his lips onto Callum‟s. He kissed my boyfriend. There were tantalizing glimpses of their tongues as they both explored each other. At first Callum was taken aback, although he didn‟t recoil, rather he sat there frozen. Seconds later, Zane embraced him and deepened his kiss so they were both open mouthed. Callum seemed to become swept away. He returned Zane‟s embrace and soon they were both in the throes of their passion, all roving hands and delicious noises. Fuck it was hot watching them kiss. I stirred. 206

Light of the Body It was then I noticed I wore a gown, too. How long was I unconscious? Why didn‟t the sheriff and his men arrive sooner? Oh, wait, I think I knew. This was a government experiment, so bringing attention to it wasn‟t a good idea. Sheriff Tucker organised this in secret and I suppose when he saw that the insectmans were no longer controlled by the hive mind, running about aimless, he acted. Then again, knowing this didn‟t answer the other question that sprang into my thoughts. How did we get out of the heart? Then another rose up. Would Suzy be okay? So many questions wheeled around in my mind, I forgot for a moment there were my two beautiful men showing their affection for one another right in front of me. Mr. Barnaby coughed again. Beside him was Mrs. O‟Doherty. She looked haggard and withdrawn, her usual feisty demeanour gone. Even her normal regal posture had slumped. She looked like she was in pain, almost doubled over. “Jacob, Mrs. O‟Doherty has something to tell you and I think Callum and Zane should hear it, too,” the old man said. Zane broke away from Callum, coming to sit next to me. The makeshift bed creaked. “You‟re next, Jakey,” he said with that adorable smile of his as he looked down at me with hungry eyes. “And so‟s, Cal.” 207

Mark Alders “Please,” she began, “this is important and I must say it now.” Callum asked, “So what‟s going on, Mrs. O‟Doherty? I know you wanted to have a meeting with us today…but you know…considering what‟s happened…” “That‟s all part of the problem, Callum dear. I love Pembroke Eve, I really do, but considering everything that‟s gone on of late, I can no longer stay here. I‟m sorry to say I‟m leaving. For good.” The first words out of my mouth weren‟t the obvious. I was concerned about her. I‟d never seen her like this. “Where will you go?” “My sister lives in the city. I am going to stay with her.” Her stare became intense. “Jacob, Callum…and Zane, I want you three to take over the running of the Food Emporium. You can live in the house and do with the place as you see fit.” To say I was stunned would be an understatement. “But…” She leaned over and pecked me on my forehead. “Make me proud.” She placed the shop‟s keys into my hand. I held them tight. No longer was I concerned with how things had transpired since I was rescued. I only felt for her. That shop meant everything. I looked up at her. Tears had welled in her weary eyes, but before I could add anything, explain that she would be all right and we were there for her, she turned away 208

Light of the Body and left. Mr. Barnaby went with her. All three of us sat in silence as we watched the world outside the tent. The Sheriff‟s friends were rounding up the last of the insectmans, making sure they would no longer bother the town. Life would soon return to normal…I hoped. I opened my hand, staring at the keys for ages.

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Mark Alders

Chapter Twenty-one

“C

allum, Zane, will you both help me run the Food Emporium?” I asked, not really quite sure how I was going to go about such a task. Sure, I was the fry cook and the clean up guy, but not once had I been shown the books. I didn‟t want to let Mrs. O‟Doherty down. “Of course we will, Jacob. You know that,” Callum said, then kissed me, his touch warm and welcome and so reassuring. Zane kissed me, too. “I‟m with Cals. „Sides, I gotta get outta my place anyway. Shacking up with you both will be perfect. We can all start fresh. It‟ll be cool.” I giggled. “You just want to be with us for the sex, don‟t you, Zane?” “Fuck yeah.” Zane hugged us both. “But I wanna check out Suzz. Make sure she‟s okay. You both comin‟, or what?” A nurse, drifted over to my bed, a gentle smile on her lips. “I couldn‟t help but overhear, 210

Light of the Body gentlemen. No one‟s going anywhere without being discharged. Sure, we‟re in a triage tent, but doctor‟s orders are doctor‟s orders. Clear?” We all looked at each other. “So who‟s the doc and when can he come and check us out to make sure we‟re right?” Zane questioned. “I‟m the doctor here,” a man said as he extended out his hand. I shook it. “The name‟s Charles Auger, pleased to finally see you awake, young man.” He was huge, at least seven feet tall. I couldn‟t imagine any patient defying him. I wouldn‟t. There was a military uniform under his white coat, another one of the sheriff‟s friends, I assumed. “I‟ve examined you both. You‟re fine to leave so long as you take it easy. You‟ve just suffered bumps and bruises and a mild case of oxygen deprivation. Everything should be okay now that you‟ve rested a while.” “How long was I unconscious?” I asked. “Four hours. Your parents were most concerned.” “Mum? Dad?” I had forgotten about them. They would be worried sick. “Where are they?” “They‟re waiting for you in the visitor‟s tent.” I sprang up to my feet. The moment I did so, I wished I hadn‟t been so enthusiastic. The tent and everyone in it spun around me. The doctor tutted. “I told you to take it easy. Now, if you‟re not 211

Mark Alders going to listen to me, I‟ll have you stay here longer.” “He‟ll be careful, Doctor. We‟ll make sure of it.” Callum helped me up. Zane came around to the other side. I didn‟t see the reaction on the man‟s face. My beautiful lovers escorted me out of there as fast as they could without it looking like they were doing so. God, I loved them. When we were out of the tent, Zane smiled and said. “I gotta go. I‟ll meet you at the Food Emporium‟s house in two hours, that‟ll give me plenty of time to get my shit together and check out Suzz, okay?” “I‟ll give you a hand, Zane. I think Jacob needs some time with his folks.” “Sure. Just keep your hands to yourself. We‟ve got all night for some fun,” Zane said. Callum laughed. “I was going to say the same thing to you.” “I got in first. Now, gimme your hand, I‟m gonna go see the sheriff so we can get some wheels. I don‟t fancy the walk into town.” Zane and Callum walked hand in hand toward a tent surrounded by unimpressed looking army folk and a few of the sheriff‟s men. I turned. A tent marked visitors was to my immediate left. I made my way to it. Inside there were many people, most relatives of the folk in the triage tent. By the back wall there 212

Light of the Body were mum and dad, a sight for sore eyes. As soon as they saw me, they ran, arms outstretched. I was soon covered in their affection. I loved it, and took them in with everything I had within me. But something nagged deep down inside me. I had to tell them I was leaving home. I had to tell them I was going to make Mrs. O‟Doherty proud. I also had to tell them about Zane. I swallowed hard. “Mum, Dad, I‟ve got something to say.” And with that the words just flowed. I told them everything. From the moment I left them at the hospital with Callum to the here and now. All through it they didn‟t utter a word. They let me talk. When I finished, they hugged me tight. Dad then said, “All you need to know is that we love you. No matter what, you‟ll always be our son. Go, do what you must do, our door will always be open for you.” I cried tears of relief and joy. Mum‟s face reflected a sadness I hadn‟t seen in a long time, more from the thought of me leaving them I supposed. I reassured her I had to do it. I was my own man and I had responsibilities now. I think she understood. It‟s not like I was leaving Pembroke Eve. Three hours later, suitcase in hand, I met Callum and Zane at the steps of our new home. 213

Mark Alders “Hey, I‟m not servin‟ no one. I‟ll do all the back of house stuff, you know, clean up and cook for us all. I don‟t like dealin‟ with the public, „specially if my dead beat parents come into the shop. I think I‟ll kill „em.” I patted Zane on the shoulder. “I understand. You do whatever you want. Callum and I both love you, you know that.” There was a moment of silence as we all looked at each other. “Are we goin‟ in or what? It‟s fuckin‟ freezin‟ out here.” Yep. That was Zane at his all time best. Callum laughed. Inside, the house was huge if a little old fashioned for my liking. Mrs. O‟Doherty had left everything. The furniture, the crockery, even the pictures on the walls. Everything. She really didn‟t want to be here in the end. Again, I felt for her. I turned to see Callum taking off his clothes. I mean, we hadn‟t even warmed the doorstep yet and he was thinking of his dick. “Last one into the bedroom,” he yelled out as he dashed away, a blur of nakedness down the hall. Zane looked at me and that cheeky smile crept over his lips. His eyes reflected that wonderful hunger of his again. “You first,” he said. I lifted up my shirt. “Oh, and Jakey?” “What is it?” 214

Light of the Body “Suzy‟s goin‟ to be fine. In fact, she wishes us all well. I told her about us, you know. She‟s happy for me and in a way I feel even closer to her than I have ever done. Thanks, Jakey for being there for me.” “Say, did she tell you how we got out of the heart?” He nodded, then winked. “Let‟s just say a certain friend of Mister B‟s decided he liked the taste of heart more than insect and leave it at that.” “I thought I heard Mr. Barnaby call out some strange stuff. I thought I was hearing things. Now I know he was calling for Aloysius. We owe that dragon a lot. He helped us so much today.” “Shhh. He doesn‟t want anyone to know.” I understood. A dragon would raise too many questions, especially with the army poking about town. “You know, I‟m glad you had that chat with Suzy.” He slapped me on my buttocks. Something I wasn‟t expecting. I jumped. “Zane!” I added with a girlish giggle. He let out a growl. “Now get in that bedroom, mister. I‟m gonna plough you both red fuckin‟ raw.” “Promises. Promises.” I took down my pants and followed Callum, my heart beating fast and my loins stirring as I ran down the hall, knowing full well Zane was close behind. 215

Mark Alders

Chapter Twenty-two

C

allum and I sat on the big, beautiful bed Mrs. O‟Doherty had in her—I mean our—bedroom. Both of us eager and ready for Zane. Seconds later, he entered the room. I patted the bed, encouraging him to come and sit between us. I wanted to show him once more how much I loved him and I‟m sure Callum did, too. Zane was wearing that beautiful smile and those sexy boxers. But not for long. Before he came closer, he pulled them down, revealing his magnificent cock, erect and ready for our undivided attention. His foreskin had relented and retracted of its own accord and his head swelled so large I couldn‟t wait to have it in my mouth. Callum gasped, his cock also as hard as I had ever seen it. Well, I had to admit, this was going to be one experience I wasn‟t going to forget in a hurry. I was hard, too. Pre-cum already dribbling from my piss slit. 216

Light of the Body As Zane sat, I began to run my hands over his body, concentrating my efforts on his chest, as did Callum. Zane‟s nipples became hard in no time. We then, the both of us, kissed him at the same time, both of our tongues touching his as he opened his mouth to take us both in. The sensation was electric. Experiencing two distinctive tastes all rolled into one and in combination with their warm wetness, too. Callum was distinctively cinnamon in taste, but also spicy, and Zane was tangy and sweet. Mix that with my own and I was in heaven. The heat between us was already intense, but the feel of my two lover‟s tongues and lips over mine, the sensation of having so much pleasure running through me made me feel giddy. Zane had grabbed Callum‟s cock in one hand and mine in the other. As we continued to kiss him, he jacked us both off. My cock dripped with pre-cum, showing my excitement. We pushed Zane down onto the bed, continuing to share our passionate kisses, letting our hands rove all around all of our bodies. My stomach quivered and those beautiful butterflies soared inside me. Soon Zane‟s face became wet with all the attention we lavished on him. But I wasn‟t finished with him yet. 217

Mark Alders Callum was the first to break away our kiss. He giggled, and it became clear Callum must have decided he didn‟t want to play games anymore. He went straight down to take Zane‟s cock into his mouth, hesitating momentarily to feel the weight of it in his hand. Before I knew it, Callum‟s lips were working Zane‟s shaft. I felt a little cheated. I wanted to taste him first, experience that wonderful tang of the first droplets of pre-cum as he writhed with passion on the bed. “Suck me off, too, Jakey,” Zane whispered. His eyes deep with an intense look, like the look he had given me twice today. His hands were on my head, pushing me down. I didn‟t need any more encouragement than that. I knew what Zane liked. It was pretty much what every guy liked. A good blowjob. No teeth, just plenty of attention and good tongue action. Callum, having heard Zane, came off him for a moment to hold his wet with saliva cock up for me to take him. His piss slit dribbled more pre-cum, so much so a great droplet of it rolled down his head toward his frenulum. I licked him. He tasted wonderful and I didn‟t regret for one moment Callum wanted to get right down to action. Together we licked and slurped and sucked Zane‟s beautiful cock. I pulled down on the root of it, making sure all of his magnificent head was exposed to our attention and the sensitive inside 218

Light of the Body skin of his foreskin was all exposed. I caught more of that tang as I licked around the rim of him, Callum‟s tongue touching mine as we worked. I had begun massaging his balls, gently cupping them, and he must have liked what I did, because he was arching his back, moaning and groaning as he flung his head back. His toes were even curled. “Fuck me!” he said with a shuddering whine. One filled with the cry of a man reaching climax. I don‟t know whether or not he meant that, but Callum and I both came off him, letting his cock slap onto his stomach. We were ready for the next step in showing Zane that we loved him so much. I parted his legs, the sight was a wondrous one, his arsehole framed by beautiful black hair. Callum smiled at me. “You go first.” Again, I didn‟t need any encouragement. I came down and licked his balls, then the space between his genitals and his rectum. A musty yet manly taste filled my mouth, spurring me on. I loved it and rolled my tongue forcefully across his skin so he knew I wanted to go to the next step. Zane gasped as I parted his legs wider, my goal now known to him. I licked around his rim, teasing him, before I went in and lavished the whole of me all over his arsehole. He couldn‟t gasp any more. Callum kissed him, deep in his mouth, muffling any protest or any 219

Mark Alders show of delight he may have had. Zane‟s stomach moved and his cock pulsed with every wave of ecstasy that washed over him. I continued to lick him all over, getting him ready for my love. Callum grabbed Zane‟s cock, jerking him off. Now was the time. I got up, took Zane‟s knees firmly into my hands and manoeuvred into place. My cock was so hard and wet with my own excitement that when I plunged myself into him I was consumed with pleasure and relief beyond words. I knew this was right. I pushed myself into him. I moved myself within him. Zane‟s whole body shuddered and even Callum‟s lips sealed over his own didn‟t stop him from crying out. At first I did it slowly, letting him relax his muscles, then, as I was able to move easier, I pushed myself in deeper. Zane was not only arching his back up higher so he could take more of me in, he was quivering, every muscle of his being shaking with delight. Callum broke his kiss once more and said, “You want to suck me off, now, beautiful?” “Yeeesss.” Callum came alongside Zane, inching himself closer so he could feed Zane his cock. I got a great view and watching them made me hornier. Nothing better than seeing a guy getting a blowjob. I pushed myself in deeper. Zane‟s mouth 220

Light of the Body took in all of Callum, his nose deep in his pubic hair. He reached over and began fondling Callum‟s balls. Callum moaned with pleasure. I continued to fuck Zane, more than happy to watch, but Callum had other ideas. He wanted my attention, too. He leaned over so I could kiss him. I did. I teased him with my tongue. The room was filled with the beautiful sounds of our love. Of my body slapping against Zane‟s buttocks, of Callum‟s lips locked with mine and of Zane, taking in all of Callum, moaning as the back of his throat welcomed his cock. Ecstasy rose within me. I finished our kiss, Callum‟s lips moist and sexy after my attention. I was in heaven and I didn‟t know how much more I could take. “Oh, fuck!” I was about to say I could go much longer when Zane pulled Callum out of his mouth, holding his cock like it were his prize. The next words he spoke delighted me. “I wanna suck you both off. I want to taste you both. I want you to cum in my mouth, okay? “ We didn‟t answer. We both wanted the same. With great reluctance I pulled myself out of Zane. A couple of moments were then spent manoeuvring around the bed so Zane could do as he wished. Callum and I both watched, standing on the bed as Zane, kneeling below us, took us into his mouth, jerking us both off in the process. 221

Mark Alders He nibbled at our foreskins with care, retracted them, rolled his tongue around our heads and then, one after the other, took us into his mouth before starting the process all over again. If what had happened before was heaven, then this was sheer paradise. Zane was fucking good. He rolled his tongue around my cock with such perfection that I blew within minutes, my cum filling his mouth. I cried out and continued to give him everything I had. But he didn‟t swallow. He then gave Callum his full attention, and as my body cooled and my cock became flaccid—and Zane continued to play with me—Callum closed his eyes tight and shot his load into Zane‟s mouth, too. Zane smiled, our cum dribbling from the corner of his mouth as he tried to hold onto all we gave him. He stood up. I knew what he wanted to do, so I went down and finished what we had started earlier. Callum caught on, too. We both sucked him off again. As his stomach began to shudder and he scrunched his fingers in my hair, I knew he was going to ejaculate, too. The signs so obvious and so fantastic to witness. That moment before cumming was the best feeling in the world. Callum let me take him, so I did. I took Zane‟s cock into my mouth but not too deep. I didn‟t want him to shoot down my throat. 222

Light of the Body He trembled, his end swelled so large I thought I‟d choke, and then, with a delighted yell, he blew, his hot sticky cum exploded into my mouth. He tasted fucking awesome. It was unlike anything I had ever tasted. Sharp and bitter and salty, yet subtly sweet, too. He came in a great globules. More than a mouthful and some trickled down the back of my throat. I tried with all my might not to swallow either, keeping Zane‟s cum in my mouth as best I could. I so wanted to taste all of our love, a fitting finale to an experience that was all about sharing what we had for each other. An experience that was all about showing Zane just how much we both loved him. Nothing meant more to a guy than taking his load, the ultimate sign of wanting everything he had. The ultimate gesture of love. He helped pull me up once he had finished unloading. We lay down on the bed, Zane between us. Then we kissed. Our cum, all of it, mingled in all of our mouths. I was unable to comprehend how such a simple thing meant so much. I never wanted this to end. I wanted to taste Zane and Callum and myself forever and ever. I wanted our love to last as long, too. Once we had shared the rewards of all our effort and our kisses moistened our faces with our 223

Mark Alders own cum and saliva, I swallowed what I had in my mouth, licking my lips afterwards. “That was fucking amazing.” Callum wiped his face with his hand and licked his fingers, seductively, one by one. “You guys…thanks so much,” Zane said, and I swear there was a tear in his eye. A tear of sheer unadulterated joy. I kissed him. Then I kissed Callum. “Time for some sleep. It‟s been a hell of a day.” We continued to touch each other, tickle and laugh as we climbed into the bed. “You‟re in the middle tonight, Jacob,” Callum said. “Then tomorrow we swap. Oh, and I bags to have Zane‟s arse next time. I can‟t wait to plough that.” Zane smiled, his lips and face still wet with our love. He didn‟t wipe it off, either. He wanted to keep it on him, savour our taste all through the night. “Deal. And I so wanna lick out Jakey‟s man pussy as well as yours Cal as soon as we wake up, okay? But yeah, I‟m beat…been a day all right fightin‟ bug men and shit.” “I can‟t wait for morning then,” I said. “Yeah, I get a stiffy no one can tame when I wake up.” Zane reached over and pulled himself closer to me. I kissed him, more of our wonderful taste exciting my tongue. I missed everything we did already. 224

Light of the Body “I‟ll give it a good go.” Callum hugged me, his hands wandering all over my body. He then grasped Zane‟s hand and together they locked their arms around me. I kissed Callum. “Next time I‟d love to gag on you, Zane. You, too, Jacob.” “Deal,” Zane said. “Goodnight,” I said. “Nite, Jakey. Sweet dreams,” Zane said. “Nite, Cals.” “Goodnight,” Callum chimed in. The clock read 12:30 AM. Moments later, I fell asleep in the arms of the two men I loved. Before I wandered into my dreams, I thought about what tomorrow would bring to Pembroke Eve.

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About the Author My name is Mark Alders. I live in a house. This house has a street in front of it which is a good thing because if it didn‟t I wouldn‟t be able to drive down to the shop and purchase the chocolate I need on a daily basis. *chuckle* Seriously, I am a mild mannered post office worker by day and an erotic romance writer (mainly male/male) at night. Not much else to say other than, like everyone else, I have bills to pay, a mortgage and family that I love and drive me crazy all at the same time. Oh, and I have a dog, too! See? Average Joe…except when I get down and write…then I let my imagination go to places I never knew existed and my characters invade my mind.