Brownsville Tales
by Kiwi
Boy Chapter 11
Not for the first time, Ronnie wished that he was more like his brother. Reggie never seemed like he had a care in the world. He just breezed through life with a smile on his face and never, ever had any doubts about himself. He just assumed that people would like him and, generally, they did.
Ronnie was much more timid, even with Boy and he was the closest friend he'd ever had.
He hoped that he'd still be a friend like that, but he didn't know. Reggie would just bore on in and ask him, he knew that but he couldn't do it himself.
His dad and Reggie arrived home and Reggie, true to form, greeted Boy with a huge grin. "Boy! Good to see ya. How the hell are you? What's to eat, Gran?"
Okay, Boy's return wasn't the big event in Reggie's life that it was in Ronnie's.
Reggie and their father sat eating their re-heated dinner. Reggie, making conversation, said, "What d'you reckon those goons on the motor-bikes are up to out there, Dad?"
"Goons?" Ronnie asked.
"Yeah, Goons. There's a couple of groups of them, just cruising up and down the streets, like they're looking for trouble. You'd think they'd find something better to do when the weather's like it is - it's foul out there!"
Boy went all quiet. He just sat and looked at his feet. Ronnie watched him, something was bothering him. The bikes? "The bikes? I saw 3 bikes before, going up and down the front street. Any idea who they are?"
"Not a clue. There's one bunch of 3 and another of 4 bikes. They're strangers in town, as far as I can see. It's hard to tell with the helmets and everything. And it's dark out there."
"Is it really? That happens sometimes, especially at night."
"Shaddup Ronnie!"
For Boy's sake, Ronnie thought it best to change the subject. "How did your embroidery materials get on, Gran?"
"They'll be fine, thanks. You saved the parcel before it got wet on the inside."
"That's good then. I guess you'll be making baby stuff now?"
"Possibly." She was still not smiling about all of that.
Bedtime came early because Boy was obviously ready for it; he was sitting there yawning his head off. They went to bed in their separate rooms, across the corridor from each other.
When saying goodnight, Ronnie asked, once again, "Are you sure that you don't mind sleeping down here? You could still go up to the cottage if you like."
"No thanks. I don't like. Stop and listen."
They stood quietly, facing each orther, heads cocked to one side and grinning as they listened to - what? Nothing?
"What? I don't hear anything."
"Exactly. Neither can I," Boy replied. "Good eh? No wind, no rain, no traffic noise - nothing but peace and quiet. This is real good, Ronnie, and it's just what I need. We're got shelter from the storm and this is where I want to be - thanks."
"Thanks? Thank you! It's so good to see you, Boy."
"'Course it is," he grinned. "Good to be here at last. G'night, Ronnie."
"Night, Boy."
Ronnie left the doors open and was to be glad that he did. He turned the lights out and settled down in bed, thinking that he was never going to get to sleep, he was way too excited for that. So, of course, he went to sleep straight-away - out like a light!
An hour or so later, he was jarred awake by a weird wailing sound. Sitting up in the dark, trying to figure out what was going on, his first thought was that it was some sort of siren going off. But, it wasn't - it was Boy!
Ronnie stumbled out of bed, turned the lights on and went over to check on him. In the other room, by the light coming in from the corridor outside, he could see Boy thrashing and wailing in his sleep.
The Kid was obviously having a nightmare. Should he wake him up? He was bloody going to anyway - he had to do something, he wasn't leaving him like that. He turned on Boy's light, sat on the bed and shook him by the shoulders.
Boy? Boy! Wake up, you're dreaming. Boy, wake up, it's okay."
Boy's eyes flicked open and, for an instant, he looked terrified, and then he relaxed. "The bikes!" he wailed. "Ronnie!!"
He sat up, wrapped his arms around Ronnie clung and sobbed over his shoulder.
"It's okay." Ronnie held him and rubbed his back. "It's all right, it was just a dream. It's over now."
"Oh, but it's not! It's never over, I'm living in a nightmare, on and on and on! Hold me, Ronnie. Hold me."
"I've got you. I've got you and I'll never let go. Never."
"Oh Ronnie! Thanks. Sorry. I didn't want to involve you but I didn't know where else to go. I've got nowhere. Sorry, Ronnie."
"Hey." Ronnie pushed him off so that he could look at his face. He shook his head at the sight and started crying himself, just because Boy was. "It's okay, Boy. Really it is. Don't be sorry, you came to the right place. You'll be safe here. I love you, Boy, and I'm so glad you came back to us."
"To you. Ronnie. Just to you. I love you, I always have and I always will.."
They embraced tightly and cried again. They broke apart and looked around at the sound of a throat-clearing cough in the doorway.
"Dad! Gran. How long have you been standing there?"
His father had the oddest look on his face and he stood gazing into the distance.
Dad?" Ronnie was worried now. "Dad are you okay?"
"Yes." He shook his head and smiled, so that had to be good. "Yes, I'm fine. Things just fell into place - a lot of things. It's okay, Son. Don't worry. Go back to sleep boys, and we'll talk in the morning."
"Sorry I woke everyone up, Mr. Martin." Boy swung his legs out of bed. "Do you want me to leave?"
"No, we don't want you to leave. Don't be silly, Boy. You're very welcome and I'm glad you're here. Now settle down and go to sleep."
"Thanks. I'll try to."
"Yeah, we all will. G'night, Boys." He went back to his room.
Gran said, "Anything you need? A drink or something?"
"No, I'm fine - really I am. Thanks anyway."
"Right then. I'm going back to bed too. Forget about whatever was worrying you, you're in the safest place in town here."
"We are!" Ronnie agreed. "One day we might go upstairs and find that the whole town's been blown away and we don't even know."
"We probably wouldn't," Gran smiled. "Goodnight Boys." She went back to her room.
Ronnie smiled. "Everything's good. Are you sure there's nothing you want?"
"Well... " he drawled in reply. "There is one thing - can I come and sleep with you?"
"In my bed? Of course you can, that'll be great. Come on then." Ronnie turned the lights out again and they slid into his big bed together.
Boy lay away over at the side, facing away from him. "Thanks, Ronnie. It's so good to be here. Even if it's just for tonight, it's worth it."
"Just for tonight?" Worried now, Ronnie moved over, spooned around his back, put an arm around him and hugged. "Why would it be just tonight? You're not going again already, are you?"
"I don't want to. I really don't, but I think that I'll have to."
"No! Why would you have to?"
"Your dad, your family, they won't want me here, not when they know."
"When they know what? That we love each other? If they don't want you here, then they won't want me either. If you go, I'm coming with you."
"No, Ronnie, you will not. It's not that, it's something else and it's not safe around me now."
"Not safe? Are the Police looking for you?"
"No, not the Police. I wish that's all it was."
"What then?"
Boy didn't answer. They both lay quietly thinking. Something clicked in Ronnie's head. "It's the motorbikes, isn't it? It must be. Something about them is upsetting you. They can't get at you here, Boy. This is the strongest, safest shelter you'll find anywhere."
"I know. I know that it is, and that's great, but I can't stay down here."
"Yes you can. Stay here forever if you want to."
"I wish I could, I really do, but I can't." Boy turned over to face him, hugged and clung. "It'd just make trouble for everyone and I can't do that."
"Yeah you can."
"No, Ronnie, I can't. You don't know. When you do you'll probably want me out of here too."
"I won't, you know. I promise you, no matter what it is, I don't care. I don't ever want you to leave again. I love you."
"Ronnie, oh Ronnie! I love you so much!"
"Tell me then. Tell me so I know what to do to help."
"There's nothing you can do, but thanks."
"Tell me then."
"Now?"
"Now."
"All right, I will. Don't let go of me, Ronnie."
"Never!"
They lay together, in the bed, in the dark, and cried together as Boy told his story. He finished, saying, "Now you know. I should go, shouldn't I, Ronnie?"
"The hell you should! You should stay right here where you are."
"I don't want to bring you troubles, but that's what you get with loving me."
"Rubbish! What I get is a beautiful boy, nothing else matters, nothing in the world."
"Oh, Ronnie! I do love you."
"Good! Keep it up."
They both stopped, then giggled at what he'd said.
"Keep what up? This?" Boy's hand slid between them and grasped 'Little Ronnie'.
"Well, that too," Ronnie chortled and did the same back to him.
It took a while, but they did eventually get some sleep, tangled together. They woke in the morning, stuck together in places, and carefully and slowly separated. They got up and showered together. Back in the room, they both dressed in Ronnie's clothes, and then went in search of food.
Ronnie's Gran and his Dad were sitting at the kitchen table.
"Well! The resurrection," Gran smiled. "Get a drink and come and sit here, boys. Sleep well?"
"Eventually, yeah," Ronnie agreed.
They got coffees and sat together on one side of the table.
"Okay," Jim Martin began. "Talking time. If it makes it any easier, we already know that you two have a relationship, a gay relationship. I suspected it a long time ago and last night you confirmed it."
"You don't mind, Dad?"
"I don't mind. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."
"Great! We are happy, very happy and I love him."
"Obviously," Gran agreed. "Boy, do you feel the same?"
"I do, Mrs. Martin. I love Ronnie heaps. I always have and I always will."
"Good then," said Jim. "So where is the problem?"
Boy hung his head and sat quietly, the others all watched and waited until Ronnie, feeling sorry for him, spoke up. "Boy's in big trouble. Some people are looking for him and, if they get him, he's dead."
"A bit over the top, Ronnie," said his Gran. "Keep it real. Okay, they might beat him but. . . "
"But nothing, Gran! They'll kill him. They're real bad news and they'll do it if they get him."
"Is that true, Boy?"
"It's true, Mr. Martin."
"I think you'd beter tell us all about it. Who are these people and why are they looking for you?"
"Highway One, the motorbike gang. They're out for my blood and dead serious about it."
"Highway One?" said Gran. "Really? They are bad news, really bad."
"Told you, Gran. They're trouble."
"Definitely not good people to get on the wrong side of. What did you do, Boy?"
"I put two of them in jail, and now the rest of them are out to get me.."
"I suppose they would be. But why did you put them in jail?"
"They killed my Aunty, my mother's sister. The bastards raped her and then they beat her - beat her so bad she died in hospital. No-one else was doing anything about it. They all knew but they were scared to speak-up and they were going to get away with it. So, I did, I went to the cops and I talked. I testified in court too, and that's where they found out who told and so they're after me."
"But why are they? Were these gang members who did it?"
"Yeah, they were. Aunty's new boyfriend was in the gang. I told she was playing with fire, but no-one listens to me. One of his gang brothers came to town and the three of them were drinking, smoking and doping together. The brother had his eye on her and the boyfriend said that they could share - three of them in the bed.
She said no. They smacked her over and dragged her out to the backroom and they both raped her. The guys came back and carried on drinking, she came out and attacked the boyfriend. The brother pulled her off and gave her a hiding. He punched her and knocked her backwards into the wall.
She banged her head and fractured her skull, she never woke-up again. They killed her. The pair of them killed my Aunty. No-one was talking, nothing was happening and they were going to walk free, so I went to the cops. Now they're both doing time for manslaughter and the gang is looking for me.
I ran away, but, somehow, they picked-up my trail in Nelson. I ran again and here I am. Sorry, I shouldn't have come here."
"Wow! Yes, you should have come here, I'm glad you did. But your pursuers are here too? How many of them are out there?"
"There's nine of them, I think. Nine guys on seven bikes. Sorry, I'm just making trouble for you. It'll be best if I leave. Do you think you could drive me out of town if I hide in the back of your car, maybe?"
"No, I don't think so. That won't be happening." Jim didn't look happy.
"No? Okay, sorry. It was just a thought. I'll try to slip out the front street without them seeing where I come from."
"No!" Ronnie wailed. "You can't! Boy, stay here, you're safe here."
"I wish I could, but I can't. I'll go before it makes trouble for you."
Jim stood up. "You're going nowhere. You were right to come here and this is where you're staying. Ronnie, just so we're perfectly clear here, you two are boyfriends, right?
"Exactly. We are and we always will be."
"Not a casual relationship then? You expect this to last?"
"It has already been 3 years, it will last forever!"
"Life-partners then? I hope you're right. Okay, you two are to stay inside and stay downstairs. Do not put your heads above ground until I say you can. I'll make some phonecalls."
"What are you going to do, Dad?"
"I told you, I'm making some calls. There's more than one gang in town you know."
"Oh?"
"Nevermind, you'll see. Stay here. Mum, feed them, that'll keep them quiet."
"It will," Gran nodded. "What would you like for breakfast, Boys?"
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