“ Whoa, kid! Let me help you before you fall.”
Danny could hear the room laughing at him. He felt a large hand grip his arm. It didn't steady him, but it kept him from falling. Another hand yanked his other arm, and he could feel himself being dragged in a direction he had no control over.
“ There's an empty room down the hall. Let's get him in there before he passes out.”
The voice and the menacing laugh that followed he recognized as Greg's. Danny instinctively knew he did not want to go into that room. His mind yelled, STOP! His body wouldn't cooperate.
“ This way, kid, time for a roommate initiation.”
More laughter.
Danny felt himself being pinned down against a bed. How did I get here, he vaguely wondered. His body seemed to be moving without benefit of free will.
“ So, you like cock do you?” Carl mocked.
“ Good thing for you, you're pretty enough to fuck,” Greg taunted.
Fuck, was he paralyzed with fear, or just plain paralyzed? Unfortunately, Danny was conscious enough to know he was in a room with his two roommates along with few other drunks, and he was completely defenseless. The smell of hot putrid alcohol infested breath smothered his face and penetrated his senses. Danny felt his stomach convulse; he thought he was going to be sick. He turned his face in time to feel wet slobbering lips descend upon his cheek. A tongue licked his jawline.
“ Aw, don't play hard to get now. Give me one of those sexy kisses.”
Danny tried to hurl himself off the bed, but was immediately pushed back into the mattress. Someone was holding his arms over his head. Carl straddled him and bent down to attempt another kiss. Danny turned his head in the other direction. Carl grabbed Danny's face squeezing it hard between his fingers, and roughly forced a kiss upon his mouth, causing their teeth to clash. Danny fought to get away from the punishing kiss by jerking his face back and forth. The tussle excited Carl, and he backhanded Danny across the mouth. He leaned in savagely to lick the blood from Danny's mouth.
“ Now, now, don't be like that. I haven't been with a woman in over a week, and you're pretty enough to pass. Hell, you're even prettier than my last girlfriend.”
Danny squeezed his eyes shut to close out the world.
“ Stop sweet talking him, Carl, and help me get his pants off.”
More laughter echoed through Danny’s head. He felt something wet drip down his face, and he wondered if he was crying.
“ Be patient, Greg, you can't rush a first time.”
Carl slowly lifted Danny's shirt and began to caress his chest. Danny was trapped. He couldn't free himself as he felt fingers pinching his nipple, followed by a bite. Finally, Danny cried out, or at least he thought he did. Hands further down unbuttoned his pants and pulled down his zipper. Probing fingers reached inside the slit of his boxers and took hold.
A moment of clarity tore through Danny's panic. He kicked out wildly, yelling, “Fuck you!”
“ If you don't mind, we'd prefer to fuck you instead,” Greg snickered.
More laughter exploded through the room along with demands to hold his legs and turn him over. Danny was able to jerk a hand free. He swung out in full force without any real direction. He made contact with a shoulder and felt his feet jerk free of the restraining hands.
“ Get the little fucker!”
More sets of hands came into play and Danny was easily turned over. His lack of free will was not only an internal struggle as his body was physically overpowered. Danny was helpless as fear and rage coursed through him without benefit of release. His head throbbed in and out of consciousness. A wave of bile rose up from the pit of his stomach when he felt a hand dip down into the seat of his pants and rest between his crack. His chest was crushed against the mattress making it difficult for him to breathe. It occurred to him that he might choke on his own puke. As he felt his pants being yanked down, he prayed that he would pass out so he would not have to experience the humiliation of being raped.
*****
TJ was searching the house for his new young friend and was disappointed when he couldn't find him. He was hoping he would at least get a chance to say goodbye. When he couldn't locate Danny's roommates either, he figured they must have left.
He found his buddy Emmett and asked accusingly, “You didn't let them leave did you?”
“ Who?”
“ You know, Danny and his friends. Not one of them was fit to drive.”
“ No, Dan was a bit drunk. I think they were taking him to a room to sleep it off.”
“ Oh? Where?” TJ couldn't shake his bad feeling and went to go check on him.
“ Hold on, I'll go with you. It's my house. If anyone dies of alcohol poisoning, I should know about it.”
As they got closer to the room located toward the back of the first floor, they heard what sounded like a drunken brawl accompanied by hoots and titters of amusement. TJ swung the door open, and felt a murderous rage sweep over him. “GET THE FUCK OFF HIM!” he screamed.
A group of men immediately stood up staring at the door, mouths hung open in surprise. The tallest one, the one TJ knew as the brother of the bride, regained his composure quickly, and said with a pompous smirk, “Don't worry, there's plenty to go around.”
TJ's fist connected with his jaw before he had a chance to wipe the sick smile from his face.
Emmett burst in the room behind TJ. “Get the hell out of my house!”
“ Holy shit!” someone screamed, after watching Greg crash to the floor. The shouts brought partygoers to the room, some to offer assistance, others out of curiosity. Not satisfied with flooring one asshole, TJ was ready to take on the whole lot.
“ Get the fuck out of my house or I'll call the cops,” Emmett repeated.
Recognizing defeat, Danny's attackers decided to cut their losses, and hightailed it out of the room. The only thing keeping TJ from chasing them down and beating the shit out of each one of them, was the image of Danny trying to pull up his pants while he half crawled and half fell off the side of the bed. TJ reached him as he was clutching his stomach trying not to vomit.
“ Help me get him to the bathroom,” TJ urged his friend, “he's gonna punk.”
Danny didn't think his life could get any worse. He almost wished he wasn't rescued so people wouldn't see him like this, especially TJ. Once again he found himself being led by two men without his consent, heading in an unknown direction. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this time the intention was to help and not harm, but it didn't make him feel any less vulnerable. When they reached the bathroom, TJ eased Danny to the floor facing the toilet. As he gripped the side of the commode, Danny's stomach muscles contracted, and he painfully dry heaved three consecutive times.
“ Take it easy, kid,” TJ soothed, as he rubbed his back. “You're all right.”
On his fourth try, Danny violently up chucked all the toxins, alcohol, and the small amount of food he had that day.
Emmett was hovering with worry outside the bathroom entrance. “Is he going to be okay?”
“ Yeah, I got him,” TJ assured. “Why don't you close the door and give us some privacy?”
“ Are you sure?”
“ Yes, I'm sure. I'll let you know if I need any help.”
“ Whatever you say, man. I'm going to go and make sure those fuckers left the premises.”
TJ stood up to get a wet washcloth as Emmett closed the door behind him. He used it to cool down Danny's forehead, neck, and face. Danny tried to take the washcloth from TJ to clean himself off, but his hands were too shaky. TJ rinsed the cloth, and then gently wiped away the sick from his bruised and swollen mouth. When TJ was done, Danny wanted to say thank you, but the lump i
n his throat prevented him from getting the words out. Seeing Danny struggle, TJ sank to his knees, put his arms around him, and tugged him up against his chest. He then leaned against the wall for support. The tender gesture providing both comfort and strength broke what little reserve Danny had. He buried his face into TJ's chest and cried.
“ Shush, baby. It's okay, I got you.”
Danny couldn't remember the last time he cried openly, and now he was afraid he would never stop. TJ's heart broke at hearing him cry. It was deep gut wrenching sobs that seemed to reach the depths of his soul. Danny cried for the loss of dignity he felt at the hands of his attackers. He cried at the sense of betrayal, and his own stupidity for trusting others. He cried because he was once again homeless, and didn't have a family to turn to. He cried for the man he wasn't quite ready to be, and the boy he no longer was. He cried out in fear for his future, and the pain of his childhood. But, mostly, he cried for the shattered confidence he was tenuously trying to build while being on his own. The near rape signified for him how powerless and out of control he felt every day of his life.
The harder Danny cried, the harder TJ held on. He began to rock him back and forth, repeating soothing words he realized Danny didn't hear. He said them anyways for his own benefit, to keep himself from getting caught up in the tsunami of grief that was pouring out of the boy. TJ knew he had never felt anything close to the depth of despair this boy was experiencing, and he wanted to take some of it in to lessen his pain.
Finally, Danny began to settle. His tears stopped falling. His throat was hoarse and achy. With his muscles sore and head throbbing, it slowly dawned on Danny that he was sitting on the floor of a stranger's bathroom, being rocked like a baby by someone he barely knew. Embarrassing and awkward were hardly adequate words to describe how he felt. Danny rubbed his tearstained eyes and wondered how to gracefully pull away and get up.
“ Shit,” he said in a weak attempt at humor, “I think my ride left.” As an afterthought intended mostly for himself, he said quietly, “I don't even have enough money for a taxi.”
Ignoring the bait to trivialize his situation, TJ informed Danny that there was no way in hell he was go anywhere near those assholes again. “I'll drive you home,” he insisted.
“ You don't understand,” Danny snorted caustically. He twisted away from TJ. “That was my home. I live with them.”
“ No, I mean your real home. I'll take you to your parents.”
Danny moved out of TJ's reach, slumped against the adjacent wall, and tightly wrapped his arms around himself. Offering the saddest little smile TJ had ever seen, Danny said, “Maybe you can give me a ride into town.”
TJ shook his head in frustration. “Any town in particular? Or should I drive slow, and you can jump out when the mood strikes?”
Danny was stung by the sarcasm. “Maybe it would be safer if I walked.”
“ Walk? Can you even stand?” Without waiting for an answer, TJ stood up. “Let's first get out of the bathroom, I'm getting a bit cramped.”
Danny made a weary face towards the door. Fearing what laid ahead, he truthfully did not want to leave the safety of the bathroom. He was also overwhelmed with the knowledge that there were people outside that door, many of whom by now were probably aware of what happened to him. TJ caught the anxiety on his face and helped him to his feet.
“ Come on, let's get you a good night's sleep first. Then we'll figure things out in the morning.”
Danny didn't argue; he had little choice. TJ put a protective arm around Danny's shoulder and guided him out the door. He shielded him from curious onlookers and dodged intrusive questions. Danny tried to block out the numerous is that him and what happened questions that followed behind them. TJ brought him upstairs to the guestroom he was staying in. Danny relaxed slightly once the door was shut behind them. But when TJ handed him an extra toothbrush, the simple gift put a tear to his eye.
TJ inspected him thoughtfully, causing Danny to avert his eyes and ask, “Where should I sleep?”
“ Why don't you take the bed? I'll sleep on the couch downstairs once everybody leaves.”
Danny tried to say thank you, but couldn't find the right words to express his gratitude. So, he nodded, took off his shoes, and climbed on top of the bed covers. He closed his eyes with the unease of knowing he was being watched. Danny wished he could fall asleep and put the day behind him. Despite his fatigue, he could not settle his mind enough to succumb to unconsciousness. His over-sensitized body and mind fought the rest it sorely needed. Lying there he was acutely aware of his surroundings. He listened to the sounds of the party, of people coming and going. He was aware that TJ came into the room two times throughout the night to check on him. The third time TJ entered the room, Danny could feel him hesitate by the bed. Eventually, Danny turned over and opened his eyes.
“ Someone else is sleeping on the couch,” TJ explained.
Understanding his request, Danny nodded and rolled over to the other side of the bed. Without another word, TJ stripped down to his boxers, and crawled under the covers, requiring Danny to slip under the covers with him. Not wanting Danny to feel uncomfortable, TJ turned his back to him, and scooted as far as he could to the opposite side of the bed. To his surprise, having TJ in bed with him made Danny feel safer. He was finally able to calm his mind and fall asleep.
*****
Danny woke several hours later to the view of TJ's back. For a brief moment, he lost track of time and space thinking he was ten years old, and staying at his best friend Brian's house. When Danny was a child he had spent many days and nights at his neighbor's house. During that time he got an up close glimpse of what a normal family was like. He having spent so much time there, he was no longer considered a guest, and was treated as one of the kids. It was then that Danny felt most at peace. He was devastated when his mother sold their small condo to move them in with her boyfriend. Young Danny had secretly hoped that the Davis family would want to keep him. With those old memories turning in his head, Danny fell back to sleep.
By late morning, TJ peered over at the young man curled up beside him in bed, and wondered what he was supposed to do with him now. Guessing he had to be exhausted, and assuming correctly that he had gotten little sleep during night, he decided to let him sleep. He checked to make sure he was still breathing before dressing quietly and heading downstairs to see about breakfast. TJ wanted to get an early start so he could make, or rather change, his plans for the day.
Feeling TJ’s absence in bed, Danny awoke. Queasy and restless, he wondered what he was going to do for a place stay, and a means of making a living. Plagued with those all too familiar questions, Danny made his awkward journey downstairs. After getting intoxicated, assaulted, and sick in a stranger’s house, he wasn't sure if he should graciously say thank you for the hospitality, or slip out unnoticed. The more Danny's head began to clear, the more embarrassed he became. Memories from the night began to mercilessly invade his mind. He opted to seek out a back door to sneak out of. He soon decided the front door was the better option when he overheard a conversation going on in kitchen located closer to the back of the house.
“ He's still in bed. I thought it best to let him sleep in. He didn't look too good. Once he wakes up, I'll see about what to do with him. There has to be someplace he can go that's better than where he was.”
“ Maybe he has a brother or a friend, or some other family that can take him in.”
“ I doubt it. He must have been pretty desperate to be living with those bastards.”
“ Possibly, but as young as he is, it might have been only bad judgment on his part.”
“ Hopefully. We'll see.”
“ Listen, TJ, I know he's really cute and all, but he's not your responsibility,” his buddy reminded him.
“ I
know, but I like the kid, and someone has to keep him out of harms way.”
“ You don't even know the kid.”
“ I know he needs help, and I'm not leaving him to the mercy of those rapists.”
“ That's a strong accusation, TJ.”
“ You saw what I saw. You know perfectly well what would have happened if we hadn't shown up when we did.”
Danny had heard enough. His ears were burning and his stomach clenched in shame. He quickly headed for the door not wanting to be seen, or to have to think back on last night again.
“ You’re right, I'm sorry. Let me know what you want me to do to help.”
“ Thanks, Emmett. I'll figure something out.”
“ Well, you better move fast if you're intent on rescuing the kid,” Emmett said, preening out the window, “because there he goes.”
TJ got up to peer over his shoulder, and could see Danny making haste down the driveway. Without hesitating, he ran out the side door and yelled, “Hey, wait up!”
Danny hoped to get away with pretending he couldn't hear him. TJ wasn't fooled, and was determined to stop him. “Hey!” he yelled again, as he ran after him. With a little effort, he caught up to him, and was able to clutch him by the arm before he got away. “Where the hell do you think you're going?” he demanded to know, after catching his breath.
Danny glared at him. Seeing the concern on TJ's face, he suddenly felt guilty, like an ungracious child running away from home. He scratched the back of his neck stalling for an answer. “Uh, I thought I'd head out early. I didn't want to get in anybody's way.”
Bringing Home Danny Page 7
