2025-07-16, 12:16 PM
‘Uncle M-M-Mike?’ I heard the nervous, disjointed voice say. The alarm clock said it was two thirty in the morning and my telephone had switched over to the answering machine before I’d had a chance wake up, shake the fog from my brain and pick up.
‘Fuck! Are you there? Please be there …’ he almost sobbed.
In an instant I was there, rolling over and sitting upright on the edge of my bed. Picking up the handset from its cradle I pressed the button to allow me to speak.
‘I’m here Danny. What’s happened? Where are you?’
He was my nephew. Eighteen years old and just setting out to find his own place in the world, having recently commenced his studies at the local university, before he would eventually take his place in the family farming business.
‘Oh, thank God you’re there,’ he replied, his speech now sounding slightly slurred. ‘I … think I need some help.’
‘What’s happened and where are you?’ I repeated, with all sorts of thoughts flashing through my mind.
‘I … ummm …’
‘Are you drunk Danny?’
‘No!’ he answered in a forceful whisper.
‘Are you hurt, or in some kind of trouble? Has there been an accident?’ I urged.
There was no reply, but I was grateful that I could still hear him breathing on the other end of the line at least.
‘Danny?’
‘Uncle Mike …’
‘Yes Danny.’
‘You c-can’t tell anyone.’
‘Tell anyone what?’
‘I’m at the … p-p-park. Central Park.’
‘Okay. I won’t tell anyone,’ I promised him, finally with at least some understanding of the situation, even without having had the facts presented. ‘Mate, what has happened?’
‘I … I don’t know what to do. They’re still out there. I can see them.’
‘Who is out there?’ I asked him. For a few moments there was just the sound of his breathing on the line, but then the line went dead.
‘Fucking hell!’ I exclaimed, slamming the phone back into its cradle. Getting to my feet I grabbed for my jeans and t-shirt, pulling them on as I headed for the door. As I passed the table in the hallway I picked up my car keys, along with the carry-all I kept beneath it which contained spare clothes and other essentials for quick trips away, then slipped on some boots and headed out the door.
As I ran for my utility one of the working dogs started barking at me from its kennel outside the house yard, but was soon silenced by a gruff, ‘Shut up!’
Jumping into the old Ford I quickly started it up and slammed it into gear, spinning the wheels on the gravel as I let the clutch out and jammed the accelerator down at the same time. There was no time to waste. Town was a forty five minute drive away on most days, but at this hour and with no traffic on the road I expected to be there in less than thirty. At least that was the plan.
As the miles sped by I went over and over in my mind what Danny had said to me. He was at the park. I couldn’t tell anyone. Someone was out there.
In calling me his actions explained a great deal and as I promised him, I wouldn’t betray his confidence. I just hoped that I would be able to get there in time to be able to help him with whatever the situation was that he had found himself in. I was deeply concerned for him, not just for what may lie ahead in the next few hours, but also for the immediate future, the days and weeks ahead, if my assumptions proved correct from what I was reading between the lines.
With not another living soul on the road at that hour it wasn’t long before I could see the glow of the city lights appearing in the skies ahead of me, and only minutes later when I topped the row of high hills to the east I could see it nestled below me in the valley, street lights neatly laid out in squares and twinkling away in the night.
I sped down the hill, passing what had previously been open grazing country and which was now rapidly being replaced by new housing subdivisions, past the racetrack on the edge of town, then the private boys’ school where generations of our family had been educated. It wasn’t until I was almost in the centre of town that I slowed down to a more acceptable — although still not entirely legal — pace, before then having to stop just briefly at the traffic lights. I was now just a few blocks away from the park and so I slowed down further, looking about me as I went at the few cars parked on the streets, looking for Danny’s new silver coloured Toyota Hi-Lux four-wheel-drive.
There was no sign of him or his vehicle as I reached the intersection at the start of the park. I continued driving slowly along the street, looking deep into the shadows of the park to see if there was any sign of activity about, but everything appeared quiet. Upon reaching the end of the block I turned right and drove down the western side of the park, still looking for any signs of movement. Then when I reached the turn-off into the car park area, I drove in.
I could see at the far end of the car park there was a single vehicle there, half hidden by shadows, so I drove toward it, pulling into a parking space just a few places away, stopping there and turning off the ignition.
Looking across at the other vehicle I could see that it definitely looked like Danny’s truck and so I got out and walked across to it. Upon trying the door handle I found it to be locked, so I tried looking inside through the window. Even though it was parked in the shadows I could tell that it was empty, so I stepped back and turned my attention toward the park, looking for any sign of movement or activity that I could find.
Cautiously I stepped over the curb and onto the start of the grassed area, standing in the shadows of a pine tree for a few moments as I let my eyes adjust to the light. There were paths running diagonally across the park from corner to corner, crossing over in the middle where a large fountain also stood. From all four side large triangles of grass stretched into the centre toward the fountain, while trees of various shapes and sizes stood along those paths and around the edges of the park. There were also a couple of buildings on the grounds, an old rotunda with ornate wrought iron decorations on the southern side where bands once played or speeches were given, while a building which housed the toilet facilities stood half way along the northern side, just down from where I now stood.
Sticking to the shadows offered by the trees along the side of the park I started walking toward the toilets, hoping that Danny may have taken refuge there, but when I walked inside the brightly lit building I found it to be totally empty.
Disappointed, I headed back out into the cool night, walking back toward where the two vehicles were parked and checking again to see if Danny’s truck was empty, then kept walking along that edge of the park. Once again I tried to keep to the shadows wherever possible, skirting around trees and looking for any spots where someone may be concealed, but found nothing.
When I reached the corner I started along the next side of the park, following the same pattern of skirting around trees and trying to keep in the shadows. If anyone had noticed me there they most definitely would have thought that I was up to no good, but thankfully I saw no one.
Coming to the next corner I turned and headed toward the rotunda, intending to repeat the process of looking amongst the shadows; however I soon came to a quite large raised garden area which was bordered by a rock edge about a foot high. Scattered throughout the garden there were quite a few flowering shrubs, while in the centre there stood a small clump of trees, growing quite thickly.
I studied the trees for a few moments, noticing that I could see through them, making out the open area on the other side which was bathed in light. Thinking that Danny wouldn’t be hiding in there I was just about to move on when I saw something move, stopping me in my tracks.
It could have just been a tree blowing in the breeze of course, but something made me take a second look and it was then that I could make out the outline of someone squatting there in the shadows.
‘Danny? Is that you?’ I called out softly.
The shadow moved slightly, but said nothing.
‘Danny?’ I called again. ‘I’m coming in. Okay?’
Stepping over the rock wall surrounding the garden I walked toward and into the clump of trees, soon being swallowed amongst their shadows. In the curious half light I could make out his shadow ahead of me, still squatting in the same position, but as I drew closer he stood up.
‘Uncle Mike?’ he asked quietly.
‘Yes, mate. I’m here. How about we get you out of here, eh?’
He nodded then took a few unsteady steps toward me.
‘You okay?’ I asked him.
He placed a hand on my shoulder to steady himself and I could feel him trembling slightly. Whatever it was that had happened couldn’t have been good, I thought.
‘Thanks for coming,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know who else to call.’
Then he did something he hadn’t done in a few years. He hugged me.
* * * * *
When we got back to the vehicles I managed to get a better view of him. His face and clothes had blood on them from several cuts, while I soon discovered blood on me as well, obviously from when we had hugged. He also had an eye that was rapidly swelling. I didn’t ask him anything about what had happened, but I think I managed to come up with a pretty fair idea of what had transpired, all by myself.
Leaving his vehicle parked where it was, we took mine and headed a few blocks down the highway through the centre of town, thankfully finding a motel with a vacancy sign lit up.
I had thought briefly about taking him to the office that our farming company kept in town, which had a sofa bed in the back room and even a shower in the hallway between our office and the one next door, but that would have just led to questions being asked when the office girls arrived for work the next morning. Finding the motel proved a blessing and while I went inside and roused the clerk from his sleep to arrange for the room, Danny stayed in the car.
With a room key in my hand, after receiving a few funny looks from him in the process when the desk clerk spotted the blood on my clothes, I went back out to the car and drove down to the parking space in front of room seventeen. I got out and then, after retrieving my carry-all from the back of the utility, I opened the door to the room and motioned for Danny to come inside.
He got out of the car and met me at the door.
‘Thank you,’ he said to me as he came inside, sitting himself down on the edge of the nearest bed.
‘You’ve already thanked me,’ I said to him. I walked over to him and inspected the damage to his face. He had a few superficial cuts and his swollen eye was going to have a beaut of a shiner in the morning. There were also a few cuts on his arms, but I think all in all the damage looked worse than it actually was.
‘Now, how about you have a shower and get yourself cleaned up then get some sleep? We can talk in the morning, okay? In the mean time, though, how about giving me your keys and I’ll go collect your vehicle?’
With a nod he fished the keys from his jeans and dropped them into my hand.
‘There are some clean clothes in my bag if you want them. There are also some toiletries and a first aid kit if you need anything from those,’ I said to him.
‘Thanks,’ he said to me, then getting to his feet he picked up a towel from the end of the nearest bed and headed toward the bathroom, closing the bathroom door behind him and giving me one last sheepish look as he did so.
Moments later I let myself out and headed back up the road toward the park, my head swirling with a mix of thoughts, some of which I found quite disconcerting.
* * * * *
Danny’s vehicle was still there when I reached the park, as I had expected. The driver’s side door had a small dent, along with a few minor scratches. I also found a mark on the window, which could have been blood, but apart from that everything looked okay.
There was also another vehicle parked farther down, near to the toilets, though I paid no attention to that one, instead just unlocking and getting into Danny’s and starting it up.
After switching on the lights I backed out of the car park and as I turned the wheel the lights fell on some bushes not far away from me. Some movement caught my eye and I noticed a guy standing there, his hand shoved down the front of his trousers.
I watched him for a moment then said to myself, ‘Not tonight I’m afraid, sunshine.’ Then putting the truck I gear I revved the motor a bit and then let the clutch out, leaving that place behind.
Danny was already asleep when I returned to the motel, having crashed on top of the bed wearing only his shorts and with the room lights still on.
He looked quite peaceful there and for a few moments I studied him, watching the rhythmical rising and falling of his chest, seeing the way his brown hair fell across his forehead, delighting in the sight of the trail of fine hair running up to his navel and the wisp of hair on his chest, while being impressed by the muscle and weight he had added since I had last seen him, which was about a year ago.
He wasn’t quite as tall as I am, being about five feet ten to my six feet, but apart from that we weren’t too dissimilar, both having the build and tanned complexions of someone who spent most of their time working outdoors. Being older, I was also a bit heavier than he was of course, but with a span of less than fifteen years between us the differences weren’t that great and we could probably even have been mistaken as brothers.
Shaking some other unwelcome thoughts from my head I picked up a blanket and placed it over him, then switched out the lights and stripped down to my own shorts, before lying down on the other bed and managing, at sometime in the early hours, to eventually nod off to sleep.
* * * * *
When I awoke in the morning, with bright sunlight streaming in through the drawn back curtains, I expected to find Danny still out to it, but instead of that I found him sitting in a chair, still in his shorts and studying me from across the top of a coffee cup.
He was framed by the sunlight coming in through the window behind him and that first look at him took my breath away. There was no other way to say it, he was a gorgeous looking kid, the likes of which I would have happily woken up with in a motel room any day of the week. But this kid was my nephew. I couldn’t go there. End of story.
‘Hey,’ I managed to croak as I sat up.
‘Hey yourself,’ he replied.
‘Feeling better?’ I asked him.
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Coffee smells good.’
‘It’s only instant shit, but it’s okay,’ he replied, before taking another sip.
I got up and walked across the room to the counter where a kettle and tray containing the essentials for making tea and coffee sat, feeling his eyes follow me as I went.
‘That was quite a scare you gave me last night,’ I said as I switched on the kettle to boil some water.
‘I’m sorry Uncle Mike. I … I just didn’t know what to do, or who else I could call.’
‘It’s okay mate. You’re family. If you can’t depend on family then who can you depend on?’
For a moment he sucked on his bottom lip, before saying, ‘Some of my family members wouldn’t respond that way.’
‘That is true. But they aren’t the ones that are here, are they?’
‘No,’ he replied, giving me a wry smile.
I tore open a packet of instant coffee and some sugar, emptying them into a cup, then when the kettle switched itself off a few seconds later I tipped the water in on top and gave it a stir, before taking a sip.
‘That’s a pretty neat shiner you’ve got there,’ I said to him.
Gingerly he touched the side of his face and winced.
‘I’ve had worse,’ he replied.
‘Of course you have. You’re a Baxter!’
‘Yeah … well … three on one, even if the one is a Baxter boy still isn’t exactly fair.’
‘No. It’s definitely not.’
We both took sips from our coffee, both knowing that the next questions wouldn’t be easy, both unsure who would be asking what. In the end it had to be me to break the silence.
‘So, it seems we aren’t as different as some folks thought, eh?’
‘You figured out why I was there then?’ he asked in a very matter-of-fact kind of manner.
‘I think so. I mean, why would a good looking young guy be in a place like that in the middle of the night? It’s either sex or drugs … and even though I haven’t seen you in a while, you’ve never really struck me as being a stoner.’
‘No, I guess we aren’t that much different then. Are you shocked, or surprised even?’
‘I’ve always had my doubts about you,’ I added, with a grin. ‘When you were a kid you used to crawl up on my lap and go to sleep, or curl your fingers through my hair. You were a clingy little fucker,’ I laughed.
‘This might sound crazy, but I used to love the feel and the smell of you. Not that I knew anything about sex back then anyhow. It was just nice being with you … but then …’
‘But then you started growing up.’
‘Yeah. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I guess that’s why I stopped getting close to you … I mean I knew you were gay, hell, everyone knew you were gay, but I didn’t know how to handle that, or even if that was what I was. It was fucking confusing.’
I nodded, remembering all too well the pain of being fourteen.
‘I also saw how you were treated and knew I wouldn’t be able to handle that same crap. Being on the farm, too, I guess it was just expected that I would know all about the birds and the bees, but no one ever really explained this whole gay thing to me. It was something all together different.’
‘Nor was it ever explained to me, mate. But a guy has to figure these things out for himself and I always hoped that you would manage that on your own without any major issues, or without suffering too much.’
‘Dad certainly didn’t make it easier for me, the way he used to always go on about gays … “No son of mine will ever be gay” he used to say.’
It was my turn for a wry grin.
‘Yeah and don’t I know it!’ I laughed, remembering all too well the crap I used to cop from my older brother if I ever showed any sign of weakness. When I eventually told him that I was gay it was like I had suddenly turned into a leper or something. For a kid, being rejected by a family member can be a heartbreaking thing.
‘He used to go on and on about you, you know. It was like he was ashamed of having you as a brother.’
I nodded.
‘Why do you put up with him? How can you put up with him saying shit like that?’ he asked.
‘He’s still my brother,’ I answered. ‘Family, remember? Anyhow, he’s stuck with me now, along with your Aunt Phillippa and her kids, and whether he likes it or not, he’s stuck with you and your brother and sister too, especially now that you’ve turned eighteen.’
‘What do you mean?’ he asked, his face contorted by a frown.
‘Has the family trust ever been explained to you?’
He looked at me strangely, like I was talking a foreign language then slowly shook his head.
‘Okay then … maybe we’ll save that discussion for later.’
‘Why? What about it?’
‘First things first, mate. How about we get some breakfast and you can bring me up to speed on what has been happening in your life. Then you can tell me all about last night.’
‘Okay,’ he replied.
I didn’t bother finishing my coffee, instead just pouring it down the sink in the bathroom, then grabbing some clean underwear from my carry bag.
‘I’m going to have a quick shower,’ I said to Danny, ‘then we can get something to eat.’
‘Right-o.’
Shutting the door to the bathroom I stripped off and turned on the taps, then adjusted the water. I stepped in and quickly washed myself, gladly washing away the worries of the night before.
When I was finished and had pulled on some clean shorts I headed back out to the room, looking for my toiletry bag. Danny was there, dressed in his jeans from last night, but bare-chested. He was holding his shirt out in front of him and looking at it.
‘I tried washing them out last night,’ he said to me as I looked him up and down. ‘The jeans were okay, but the shirt’s fucked.’
Reaching into my bag I pulled out two t-shirts and threw him one. ‘That’ll get you out of trouble for today,’ I said to him.
As he caught the t-shirt, I took notice of the bruises, which seemed to have come out overnight. He had them on his arms and his ribs, and there was evidence of a couple of gashes on his arms as well, which already looked like they had scabbed over.
After spraying some deodorant on myself I pulled on my shirt and jeans, then my socks and boots.
‘Ready to roll?’ I asked him, as I stood up and pulled my car keys from my pocket.
‘Sure,’ he answered.
* * * * *
We found a little cafe downtown, just near the courthouse on the main street, where we sat on the side walk and watched the world go by. I didn’t want to go anywhere near the company office, lest word might get back to Danny’s parents that he was all battered and bruised and it was me taking care of him.
The food and the coffee were great, hitting exactly the right spot as far as I was concerned, though I sensed that Danny wasn’t quite back to his usual self, even after the little heart to heart we’d had earlier.
I had been watching him carefully, watching him scan the faces of everyone who walked by. It was as if he were expecting whoever it was that he had bumped into last night to jump out at him again.
‘So, what actually happened?’ I eventually asked him directly. ‘You’ll feel better if you get it off your chest.’
He quickly looked around, as if worried someone might overhear, but there was no one else close by; we were alone on the sidewalk.
‘Now?’ he asked nervously.
‘We can go somewhere else if you like. It’s a lovely sunny morning for a walk.’
He played with his coffee cup for a moment then said, ‘Let’s head down along the creek.’
‘All right,’ I replied. I stood up and walked across to the counter, which was just inside the door of the coffee shop, where I paid for our breakfasts; then we set off down the hill towards the park along the creek lands.
‘You know what the place is like there, don’t you? And what they all do?’
‘Yes, Danny. I didn’t come down with the last shower. I’ve done the beats.’
Satisfied he gave me a nod.
‘I’ve been going there every now and then. Not every day or anything, just every few weeks or so, just to … you know …’
‘Get your rocks off?’ I prompted.
‘Yeah, something like that,’ he answered, while his face flushed red.
‘The first time anything happened was just by accident. It was last year, while I was still in school here in town. I had heard that things happened here, but never seen or done anything. Anyhow, one Saturday morning after sport had finished and I was heading back to school I called in there for a piss. This guy come and stood beside me and I thought he was doing the same as me, but then I noticed he wasn’t pissing.’
‘Still in school?’ I asked, somewhat surprised. ‘How old were you?’
‘Seventeen.’
‘Go on,’ I urged, thinking that not even I had done that.
‘Well, I glanced across at him and he was just playing with himself. He had an erection. I couldn’t help it, I just stared at it.’
‘Yeah, I’ve been there and done that myself. What happened then?’
‘He … he reached across and put his hand on mine. He started stroking me and I went hard in an instant. Then before I knew it I was blowing my load everywhere. Then he just left.’
We came to a pedestrian crossing and walked across it to the park, then followed a path, heading toward the creek.
‘Then after that first time?’ I prompted.
‘Well, it wasn’t exactly my first time,’ he offered.
‘Was that at school?’
‘Yeah, but just a few wanks here and there. Maybe the odd blow-job. Nothing too serious.’
‘I know all about how serious it gets at that school Danny. I went there, remember?’
‘Fuck, this is embarrassing,’ he laughed. ‘I’ve never spoken to anyone the way I’m talking to you.’
‘There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. For some of us it’s perfectly natural. We just have to be careful who we talk to about these things.’
We had stopped walking and were standing facing each other, just away from where a family of ducks swam in the creek, the mother leading the way while a clutch of youngster swam in a single file in her wake. He looked around then his eyes focused on me. The look on Danny’s face was one like I had never seen on him before. It was like the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Suddenly he reached out and hugged me, planting a brief kiss on my cheek, before seeming to remember where he was and stepping back, glancing around as if to see if anyone may have noticed him do that.
‘What was that for?’ I asked, laughing.
‘For you being here. For you being you. I should have come to you ages ago. I can’t tell you how liberating it feels to be able to actually talk about this shit with someone else.’
‘We all need someone we can talk to, Danny. Let’s sit down for a bit. I want to know about last night.’
We found a park bench which looked out over the water and sat down. I didn’t push him, but he seemed to still be a bit reluctant to start.
‘It’s okay,’ I said to him, placing a hand on his knee. He looked down at my hand then placed his on mine, letting our fingers become entwined.
‘I had been at the office,’ he said, referring to the farms’ office here in town. ‘I go there to use their computers and photocopier and stuff for Uni. Dad arranged it with the girls who work for us and I have my own key.
‘I finished there at about nine thirty, then after I left I drove through Macca’s for something to eat. Then I drove by the park, just to see if anyone was about. There were no cars around, nor could I see anyone anywhere, but I stopped there anyway and ate my burger.’
‘Okay,’ I said to him. ‘Then what?’
‘When I was finished I got out and threw the rubbish in the nearest bin then went for a bit of a wander around. I still didn’t see anyone, so I went into the toilets for a piss. There was nobody in there and nothing happened while I was there, so I went back to the car and just sat there, watching to see if anyone showed.’
‘Obviously someone did,’ I remarked.
‘No, not then. That wasn’t ’til later.’
‘Oh?’
‘Fuck! Are you there? Please be there …’ he almost sobbed.
In an instant I was there, rolling over and sitting upright on the edge of my bed. Picking up the handset from its cradle I pressed the button to allow me to speak.
‘I’m here Danny. What’s happened? Where are you?’
He was my nephew. Eighteen years old and just setting out to find his own place in the world, having recently commenced his studies at the local university, before he would eventually take his place in the family farming business.
‘Oh, thank God you’re there,’ he replied, his speech now sounding slightly slurred. ‘I … think I need some help.’
‘What’s happened and where are you?’ I repeated, with all sorts of thoughts flashing through my mind.
‘I … ummm …’
‘Are you drunk Danny?’
‘No!’ he answered in a forceful whisper.
‘Are you hurt, or in some kind of trouble? Has there been an accident?’ I urged.
There was no reply, but I was grateful that I could still hear him breathing on the other end of the line at least.
‘Danny?’
‘Uncle Mike …’
‘Yes Danny.’
‘You c-can’t tell anyone.’
‘Tell anyone what?’
‘I’m at the … p-p-park. Central Park.’
‘Okay. I won’t tell anyone,’ I promised him, finally with at least some understanding of the situation, even without having had the facts presented. ‘Mate, what has happened?’
‘I … I don’t know what to do. They’re still out there. I can see them.’
‘Who is out there?’ I asked him. For a few moments there was just the sound of his breathing on the line, but then the line went dead.
‘Fucking hell!’ I exclaimed, slamming the phone back into its cradle. Getting to my feet I grabbed for my jeans and t-shirt, pulling them on as I headed for the door. As I passed the table in the hallway I picked up my car keys, along with the carry-all I kept beneath it which contained spare clothes and other essentials for quick trips away, then slipped on some boots and headed out the door.
As I ran for my utility one of the working dogs started barking at me from its kennel outside the house yard, but was soon silenced by a gruff, ‘Shut up!’
Jumping into the old Ford I quickly started it up and slammed it into gear, spinning the wheels on the gravel as I let the clutch out and jammed the accelerator down at the same time. There was no time to waste. Town was a forty five minute drive away on most days, but at this hour and with no traffic on the road I expected to be there in less than thirty. At least that was the plan.
As the miles sped by I went over and over in my mind what Danny had said to me. He was at the park. I couldn’t tell anyone. Someone was out there.
In calling me his actions explained a great deal and as I promised him, I wouldn’t betray his confidence. I just hoped that I would be able to get there in time to be able to help him with whatever the situation was that he had found himself in. I was deeply concerned for him, not just for what may lie ahead in the next few hours, but also for the immediate future, the days and weeks ahead, if my assumptions proved correct from what I was reading between the lines.
With not another living soul on the road at that hour it wasn’t long before I could see the glow of the city lights appearing in the skies ahead of me, and only minutes later when I topped the row of high hills to the east I could see it nestled below me in the valley, street lights neatly laid out in squares and twinkling away in the night.
I sped down the hill, passing what had previously been open grazing country and which was now rapidly being replaced by new housing subdivisions, past the racetrack on the edge of town, then the private boys’ school where generations of our family had been educated. It wasn’t until I was almost in the centre of town that I slowed down to a more acceptable — although still not entirely legal — pace, before then having to stop just briefly at the traffic lights. I was now just a few blocks away from the park and so I slowed down further, looking about me as I went at the few cars parked on the streets, looking for Danny’s new silver coloured Toyota Hi-Lux four-wheel-drive.
There was no sign of him or his vehicle as I reached the intersection at the start of the park. I continued driving slowly along the street, looking deep into the shadows of the park to see if there was any sign of activity about, but everything appeared quiet. Upon reaching the end of the block I turned right and drove down the western side of the park, still looking for any signs of movement. Then when I reached the turn-off into the car park area, I drove in.
I could see at the far end of the car park there was a single vehicle there, half hidden by shadows, so I drove toward it, pulling into a parking space just a few places away, stopping there and turning off the ignition.
Looking across at the other vehicle I could see that it definitely looked like Danny’s truck and so I got out and walked across to it. Upon trying the door handle I found it to be locked, so I tried looking inside through the window. Even though it was parked in the shadows I could tell that it was empty, so I stepped back and turned my attention toward the park, looking for any sign of movement or activity that I could find.
Cautiously I stepped over the curb and onto the start of the grassed area, standing in the shadows of a pine tree for a few moments as I let my eyes adjust to the light. There were paths running diagonally across the park from corner to corner, crossing over in the middle where a large fountain also stood. From all four side large triangles of grass stretched into the centre toward the fountain, while trees of various shapes and sizes stood along those paths and around the edges of the park. There were also a couple of buildings on the grounds, an old rotunda with ornate wrought iron decorations on the southern side where bands once played or speeches were given, while a building which housed the toilet facilities stood half way along the northern side, just down from where I now stood.
Sticking to the shadows offered by the trees along the side of the park I started walking toward the toilets, hoping that Danny may have taken refuge there, but when I walked inside the brightly lit building I found it to be totally empty.
Disappointed, I headed back out into the cool night, walking back toward where the two vehicles were parked and checking again to see if Danny’s truck was empty, then kept walking along that edge of the park. Once again I tried to keep to the shadows wherever possible, skirting around trees and looking for any spots where someone may be concealed, but found nothing.
When I reached the corner I started along the next side of the park, following the same pattern of skirting around trees and trying to keep in the shadows. If anyone had noticed me there they most definitely would have thought that I was up to no good, but thankfully I saw no one.
Coming to the next corner I turned and headed toward the rotunda, intending to repeat the process of looking amongst the shadows; however I soon came to a quite large raised garden area which was bordered by a rock edge about a foot high. Scattered throughout the garden there were quite a few flowering shrubs, while in the centre there stood a small clump of trees, growing quite thickly.
I studied the trees for a few moments, noticing that I could see through them, making out the open area on the other side which was bathed in light. Thinking that Danny wouldn’t be hiding in there I was just about to move on when I saw something move, stopping me in my tracks.
It could have just been a tree blowing in the breeze of course, but something made me take a second look and it was then that I could make out the outline of someone squatting there in the shadows.
‘Danny? Is that you?’ I called out softly.
The shadow moved slightly, but said nothing.
‘Danny?’ I called again. ‘I’m coming in. Okay?’
Stepping over the rock wall surrounding the garden I walked toward and into the clump of trees, soon being swallowed amongst their shadows. In the curious half light I could make out his shadow ahead of me, still squatting in the same position, but as I drew closer he stood up.
‘Uncle Mike?’ he asked quietly.
‘Yes, mate. I’m here. How about we get you out of here, eh?’
He nodded then took a few unsteady steps toward me.
‘You okay?’ I asked him.
He placed a hand on my shoulder to steady himself and I could feel him trembling slightly. Whatever it was that had happened couldn’t have been good, I thought.
‘Thanks for coming,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know who else to call.’
Then he did something he hadn’t done in a few years. He hugged me.
* * * * *
When we got back to the vehicles I managed to get a better view of him. His face and clothes had blood on them from several cuts, while I soon discovered blood on me as well, obviously from when we had hugged. He also had an eye that was rapidly swelling. I didn’t ask him anything about what had happened, but I think I managed to come up with a pretty fair idea of what had transpired, all by myself.
Leaving his vehicle parked where it was, we took mine and headed a few blocks down the highway through the centre of town, thankfully finding a motel with a vacancy sign lit up.
I had thought briefly about taking him to the office that our farming company kept in town, which had a sofa bed in the back room and even a shower in the hallway between our office and the one next door, but that would have just led to questions being asked when the office girls arrived for work the next morning. Finding the motel proved a blessing and while I went inside and roused the clerk from his sleep to arrange for the room, Danny stayed in the car.
With a room key in my hand, after receiving a few funny looks from him in the process when the desk clerk spotted the blood on my clothes, I went back out to the car and drove down to the parking space in front of room seventeen. I got out and then, after retrieving my carry-all from the back of the utility, I opened the door to the room and motioned for Danny to come inside.
He got out of the car and met me at the door.
‘Thank you,’ he said to me as he came inside, sitting himself down on the edge of the nearest bed.
‘You’ve already thanked me,’ I said to him. I walked over to him and inspected the damage to his face. He had a few superficial cuts and his swollen eye was going to have a beaut of a shiner in the morning. There were also a few cuts on his arms, but I think all in all the damage looked worse than it actually was.
‘Now, how about you have a shower and get yourself cleaned up then get some sleep? We can talk in the morning, okay? In the mean time, though, how about giving me your keys and I’ll go collect your vehicle?’
With a nod he fished the keys from his jeans and dropped them into my hand.
‘There are some clean clothes in my bag if you want them. There are also some toiletries and a first aid kit if you need anything from those,’ I said to him.
‘Thanks,’ he said to me, then getting to his feet he picked up a towel from the end of the nearest bed and headed toward the bathroom, closing the bathroom door behind him and giving me one last sheepish look as he did so.
Moments later I let myself out and headed back up the road toward the park, my head swirling with a mix of thoughts, some of which I found quite disconcerting.
* * * * *
Danny’s vehicle was still there when I reached the park, as I had expected. The driver’s side door had a small dent, along with a few minor scratches. I also found a mark on the window, which could have been blood, but apart from that everything looked okay.
There was also another vehicle parked farther down, near to the toilets, though I paid no attention to that one, instead just unlocking and getting into Danny’s and starting it up.
After switching on the lights I backed out of the car park and as I turned the wheel the lights fell on some bushes not far away from me. Some movement caught my eye and I noticed a guy standing there, his hand shoved down the front of his trousers.
I watched him for a moment then said to myself, ‘Not tonight I’m afraid, sunshine.’ Then putting the truck I gear I revved the motor a bit and then let the clutch out, leaving that place behind.
Danny was already asleep when I returned to the motel, having crashed on top of the bed wearing only his shorts and with the room lights still on.
He looked quite peaceful there and for a few moments I studied him, watching the rhythmical rising and falling of his chest, seeing the way his brown hair fell across his forehead, delighting in the sight of the trail of fine hair running up to his navel and the wisp of hair on his chest, while being impressed by the muscle and weight he had added since I had last seen him, which was about a year ago.
He wasn’t quite as tall as I am, being about five feet ten to my six feet, but apart from that we weren’t too dissimilar, both having the build and tanned complexions of someone who spent most of their time working outdoors. Being older, I was also a bit heavier than he was of course, but with a span of less than fifteen years between us the differences weren’t that great and we could probably even have been mistaken as brothers.
Shaking some other unwelcome thoughts from my head I picked up a blanket and placed it over him, then switched out the lights and stripped down to my own shorts, before lying down on the other bed and managing, at sometime in the early hours, to eventually nod off to sleep.
* * * * *
When I awoke in the morning, with bright sunlight streaming in through the drawn back curtains, I expected to find Danny still out to it, but instead of that I found him sitting in a chair, still in his shorts and studying me from across the top of a coffee cup.
He was framed by the sunlight coming in through the window behind him and that first look at him took my breath away. There was no other way to say it, he was a gorgeous looking kid, the likes of which I would have happily woken up with in a motel room any day of the week. But this kid was my nephew. I couldn’t go there. End of story.
‘Hey,’ I managed to croak as I sat up.
‘Hey yourself,’ he replied.
‘Feeling better?’ I asked him.
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Coffee smells good.’
‘It’s only instant shit, but it’s okay,’ he replied, before taking another sip.
I got up and walked across the room to the counter where a kettle and tray containing the essentials for making tea and coffee sat, feeling his eyes follow me as I went.
‘That was quite a scare you gave me last night,’ I said as I switched on the kettle to boil some water.
‘I’m sorry Uncle Mike. I … I just didn’t know what to do, or who else I could call.’
‘It’s okay mate. You’re family. If you can’t depend on family then who can you depend on?’
For a moment he sucked on his bottom lip, before saying, ‘Some of my family members wouldn’t respond that way.’
‘That is true. But they aren’t the ones that are here, are they?’
‘No,’ he replied, giving me a wry smile.
I tore open a packet of instant coffee and some sugar, emptying them into a cup, then when the kettle switched itself off a few seconds later I tipped the water in on top and gave it a stir, before taking a sip.
‘That’s a pretty neat shiner you’ve got there,’ I said to him.
Gingerly he touched the side of his face and winced.
‘I’ve had worse,’ he replied.
‘Of course you have. You’re a Baxter!’
‘Yeah … well … three on one, even if the one is a Baxter boy still isn’t exactly fair.’
‘No. It’s definitely not.’
We both took sips from our coffee, both knowing that the next questions wouldn’t be easy, both unsure who would be asking what. In the end it had to be me to break the silence.
‘So, it seems we aren’t as different as some folks thought, eh?’
‘You figured out why I was there then?’ he asked in a very matter-of-fact kind of manner.
‘I think so. I mean, why would a good looking young guy be in a place like that in the middle of the night? It’s either sex or drugs … and even though I haven’t seen you in a while, you’ve never really struck me as being a stoner.’
‘No, I guess we aren’t that much different then. Are you shocked, or surprised even?’
‘I’ve always had my doubts about you,’ I added, with a grin. ‘When you were a kid you used to crawl up on my lap and go to sleep, or curl your fingers through my hair. You were a clingy little fucker,’ I laughed.
‘This might sound crazy, but I used to love the feel and the smell of you. Not that I knew anything about sex back then anyhow. It was just nice being with you … but then …’
‘But then you started growing up.’
‘Yeah. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I guess that’s why I stopped getting close to you … I mean I knew you were gay, hell, everyone knew you were gay, but I didn’t know how to handle that, or even if that was what I was. It was fucking confusing.’
I nodded, remembering all too well the pain of being fourteen.
‘I also saw how you were treated and knew I wouldn’t be able to handle that same crap. Being on the farm, too, I guess it was just expected that I would know all about the birds and the bees, but no one ever really explained this whole gay thing to me. It was something all together different.’
‘Nor was it ever explained to me, mate. But a guy has to figure these things out for himself and I always hoped that you would manage that on your own without any major issues, or without suffering too much.’
‘Dad certainly didn’t make it easier for me, the way he used to always go on about gays … “No son of mine will ever be gay” he used to say.’
It was my turn for a wry grin.
‘Yeah and don’t I know it!’ I laughed, remembering all too well the crap I used to cop from my older brother if I ever showed any sign of weakness. When I eventually told him that I was gay it was like I had suddenly turned into a leper or something. For a kid, being rejected by a family member can be a heartbreaking thing.
‘He used to go on and on about you, you know. It was like he was ashamed of having you as a brother.’
I nodded.
‘Why do you put up with him? How can you put up with him saying shit like that?’ he asked.
‘He’s still my brother,’ I answered. ‘Family, remember? Anyhow, he’s stuck with me now, along with your Aunt Phillippa and her kids, and whether he likes it or not, he’s stuck with you and your brother and sister too, especially now that you’ve turned eighteen.’
‘What do you mean?’ he asked, his face contorted by a frown.
‘Has the family trust ever been explained to you?’
He looked at me strangely, like I was talking a foreign language then slowly shook his head.
‘Okay then … maybe we’ll save that discussion for later.’
‘Why? What about it?’
‘First things first, mate. How about we get some breakfast and you can bring me up to speed on what has been happening in your life. Then you can tell me all about last night.’
‘Okay,’ he replied.
I didn’t bother finishing my coffee, instead just pouring it down the sink in the bathroom, then grabbing some clean underwear from my carry bag.
‘I’m going to have a quick shower,’ I said to Danny, ‘then we can get something to eat.’
‘Right-o.’
Shutting the door to the bathroom I stripped off and turned on the taps, then adjusted the water. I stepped in and quickly washed myself, gladly washing away the worries of the night before.
When I was finished and had pulled on some clean shorts I headed back out to the room, looking for my toiletry bag. Danny was there, dressed in his jeans from last night, but bare-chested. He was holding his shirt out in front of him and looking at it.
‘I tried washing them out last night,’ he said to me as I looked him up and down. ‘The jeans were okay, but the shirt’s fucked.’
Reaching into my bag I pulled out two t-shirts and threw him one. ‘That’ll get you out of trouble for today,’ I said to him.
As he caught the t-shirt, I took notice of the bruises, which seemed to have come out overnight. He had them on his arms and his ribs, and there was evidence of a couple of gashes on his arms as well, which already looked like they had scabbed over.
After spraying some deodorant on myself I pulled on my shirt and jeans, then my socks and boots.
‘Ready to roll?’ I asked him, as I stood up and pulled my car keys from my pocket.
‘Sure,’ he answered.
* * * * *
We found a little cafe downtown, just near the courthouse on the main street, where we sat on the side walk and watched the world go by. I didn’t want to go anywhere near the company office, lest word might get back to Danny’s parents that he was all battered and bruised and it was me taking care of him.
The food and the coffee were great, hitting exactly the right spot as far as I was concerned, though I sensed that Danny wasn’t quite back to his usual self, even after the little heart to heart we’d had earlier.
I had been watching him carefully, watching him scan the faces of everyone who walked by. It was as if he were expecting whoever it was that he had bumped into last night to jump out at him again.
‘So, what actually happened?’ I eventually asked him directly. ‘You’ll feel better if you get it off your chest.’
He quickly looked around, as if worried someone might overhear, but there was no one else close by; we were alone on the sidewalk.
‘Now?’ he asked nervously.
‘We can go somewhere else if you like. It’s a lovely sunny morning for a walk.’
He played with his coffee cup for a moment then said, ‘Let’s head down along the creek.’
‘All right,’ I replied. I stood up and walked across to the counter, which was just inside the door of the coffee shop, where I paid for our breakfasts; then we set off down the hill towards the park along the creek lands.
‘You know what the place is like there, don’t you? And what they all do?’
‘Yes, Danny. I didn’t come down with the last shower. I’ve done the beats.’
Satisfied he gave me a nod.
‘I’ve been going there every now and then. Not every day or anything, just every few weeks or so, just to … you know …’
‘Get your rocks off?’ I prompted.
‘Yeah, something like that,’ he answered, while his face flushed red.
‘The first time anything happened was just by accident. It was last year, while I was still in school here in town. I had heard that things happened here, but never seen or done anything. Anyhow, one Saturday morning after sport had finished and I was heading back to school I called in there for a piss. This guy come and stood beside me and I thought he was doing the same as me, but then I noticed he wasn’t pissing.’
‘Still in school?’ I asked, somewhat surprised. ‘How old were you?’
‘Seventeen.’
‘Go on,’ I urged, thinking that not even I had done that.
‘Well, I glanced across at him and he was just playing with himself. He had an erection. I couldn’t help it, I just stared at it.’
‘Yeah, I’ve been there and done that myself. What happened then?’
‘He … he reached across and put his hand on mine. He started stroking me and I went hard in an instant. Then before I knew it I was blowing my load everywhere. Then he just left.’
We came to a pedestrian crossing and walked across it to the park, then followed a path, heading toward the creek.
‘Then after that first time?’ I prompted.
‘Well, it wasn’t exactly my first time,’ he offered.
‘Was that at school?’
‘Yeah, but just a few wanks here and there. Maybe the odd blow-job. Nothing too serious.’
‘I know all about how serious it gets at that school Danny. I went there, remember?’
‘Fuck, this is embarrassing,’ he laughed. ‘I’ve never spoken to anyone the way I’m talking to you.’
‘There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. For some of us it’s perfectly natural. We just have to be careful who we talk to about these things.’
We had stopped walking and were standing facing each other, just away from where a family of ducks swam in the creek, the mother leading the way while a clutch of youngster swam in a single file in her wake. He looked around then his eyes focused on me. The look on Danny’s face was one like I had never seen on him before. It was like the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Suddenly he reached out and hugged me, planting a brief kiss on my cheek, before seeming to remember where he was and stepping back, glancing around as if to see if anyone may have noticed him do that.
‘What was that for?’ I asked, laughing.
‘For you being here. For you being you. I should have come to you ages ago. I can’t tell you how liberating it feels to be able to actually talk about this shit with someone else.’
‘We all need someone we can talk to, Danny. Let’s sit down for a bit. I want to know about last night.’
We found a park bench which looked out over the water and sat down. I didn’t push him, but he seemed to still be a bit reluctant to start.
‘It’s okay,’ I said to him, placing a hand on his knee. He looked down at my hand then placed his on mine, letting our fingers become entwined.
‘I had been at the office,’ he said, referring to the farms’ office here in town. ‘I go there to use their computers and photocopier and stuff for Uni. Dad arranged it with the girls who work for us and I have my own key.
‘I finished there at about nine thirty, then after I left I drove through Macca’s for something to eat. Then I drove by the park, just to see if anyone was about. There were no cars around, nor could I see anyone anywhere, but I stopped there anyway and ate my burger.’
‘Okay,’ I said to him. ‘Then what?’
‘When I was finished I got out and threw the rubbish in the nearest bin then went for a bit of a wander around. I still didn’t see anyone, so I went into the toilets for a piss. There was nobody in there and nothing happened while I was there, so I went back to the car and just sat there, watching to see if anyone showed.’
‘Obviously someone did,’ I remarked.
‘No, not then. That wasn’t ’til later.’
‘Oh?’