THE CRUCIBLE

Chapter 8

The Kings' First Test

         Brian drove them to a nearby inn in a not so fashionable neighbourhood. The inn was large and solid looking with three stories, thick and solid wooden walls, an oaken door, shutters that could be pulled over the windows, which also opened outward, and a thatched roof. It looked rough and medieval.

         Brian parallel parked between another Jeep and a smaller car. They fit in nicely with the crowd. Hunter commented on the fact and praised Brian on his choice of wheels. Brian beamed.

         Hunter looked over at the inn. "So, that's it, huh? It looks a little...rough."

         "Our advisors said this was a good place to stay that would fit your profile. Also, anything we chose to eat there would also be in our allotted price range. But if you don't think you can cut it there, we can always go somewhere else..." Brian trailed off hopefully.

         "Oh no you don't! I can handle anything you dish out mister! Besides, you're not getting off the hook that easily! If you picked this place just to scare me then watch out because now you're going to suffer as well!

         Brian and Justin both vehemently denied that this was the case.

         Hunter eyed them distrustfully. "All right then. Well, let's go. Just...just don't leave me alone in there."

         "Not a chance, son," Brian said, drawing him close with an arm around his shoulder in paternal joy.

         "I'm NOT..." he started and then stopped, giving up for the time being. He sighed. He was so tired of this.

         "Ah ha! Wearing you down, am I?" Brian asked smugly, "So have you finally accepted the truth, son?"

         Not at all! Because it is NOT the truth! However, since we are going to be together for quite some time, fighting you about it is going to become tiresome very quickly. Besides, it would be better if everyone in there believed I was your son. For security's sake."

         "Whatever you say, son," Brian answered in smug, triumphant joy.

         Hunter sighed long-sufferingly and rolled his eyes. They went in.

         The inside was clean and bright. The receiving area was small with the innkeeper's desk right in front of you. There were stairs lifting up and away to the left and on the right was the door into the public room/restaurant. The inside of the inn was also wood, the floors bright hardwood and the restaurant dimly lit and filled with rough hewn tables and long benches.

         The innkeeper was a tall, stout, buxom, jolly, apple cheeked woman with long fat braids. Her name was Ilsa. She gave them the key to their third floor room and described how to get there. She also advised that Hunter would not be able to visit the bar or be served alcohol by the waiters. This was readily agreed upon.

         They went into the dining room first. Dinner was a large joint of boar meat, a roast potato, and roasted shish kabobed vegetables. There was a watery, fishy soup with unidentifiable things floating around in them.

         "Hmm. This may be rougher than I expected," Hunter said, eyeing the unappetizing soup and cutting into the potato which appeared to have been roasted whole on a spit in the fire as it was roasted black on the outside and yet still raw and icy cold in the center. (In fact, this had been the case.)

         "This was your idea," said Brian, his own mouth full of the juicy boar meat.

         Hunter's dirty look spoke volumes. He spoke no more but concentrated on slurping his fishy soup, choking down his cold, raw potato and pulling as much tough, stringy meat from the bone as possible.

         After dinner, Brian and Justin wanted to stay down for a few drinks. However, Hunter would have none of that and ordered them up to bed. He had watched through the window as the sun had set and as it had he could feel it in his bones that it was time to sleep if he wanted to get up at dawn. And now that went for his two wannabe dads too. He happily nagged and ordered them up and out of the common room and up the stairs. They went grudgingly, like recalcitrant children but they went. They remembered Guardian's threat and besides, they figured that Hunter was right.

         The room that was to be their home was clean and modest. There were two beds, thankfully. Hunter took one and Brian and Justin prepared to share the other one. Brian took a clothesline from his belongings that he had brought and cleverly strung it up between the beds. They hung an extra sheet over it to create a privacy shield between the beds for when any of them wanted to dress/undress, or just simply wanted a bit or privacy or respite from one another. Hunter was grudgingly impressed.

         "Hm. This was actually a good idea, Brian."

         "Thanks son!"

         Hunter growled. "Don't make be reconsider my opinion," he snarked.

         They just laughed at him.

         "Ohhh! Just...just go to bed! And if you're going to make out or whatever, make sure it's like your farts! Silent and deadly!" With those words he disappeared behind his portion of the privacy sheet.

         They just laughed at him again and undressed and went to bed as they were told.

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         The next morning, as dawn's twilight began to replace the deepness of the night, Hunter opened his eyes and awoke with that internal timing that one gets with time and habit.

         He jackknifed up, yawned and stretched. He got up and went to the bathroom and did the 3 S's. Well, two. He didn't need to shave yet but he checked himself in the mirror carefully. Any day now. He also checked for acne but was happy to see his face was clear for now.

         Then he went out to wake up the assholes. He dressed in some pants and went over to their side of the room to check on them. He stood there admiring them for a few seconds.

         AWWWW!!! He had to admit, they did look cute. Brian and Justin lay on their bed in sweet repose, in the center of the bed, limbs entwined around one another. They were chest to chest and their arms were around each other's waists. Brian's chin rested on the top of Justin's yellow head while Justin's was tucked in the hollow of Brian's neck and on his chest.

         Hunter came up to the foot of the bed. "WAKEUP!!" he yelled harshly.

         There was no effect.

         "He poked them in the side (he hoped that was their side, he really did) twisted their toes, yanked off their blankets to their waists (he wasn't going any lower than that, no sirree), yelled in their ears, yanked their ears and shook their arms.

         There was absolutely no effect. Geez, these guys could sleep through a tsunami! Boy, this was going to be fun.

         Humming a soft tune, Hunter went into the bathroom. He took a water pitcher and filled it with cold water, still humming. Slowly, he came back into the main room, went up to the sleeping couple and slowly poured all the contents of the pitcher first onto their faces, then down, down, pouring the last cold bit right on their crotches.

         THAT got their attention! Gasping and sputtering, they went from deep erotic dreaming to instantly alert and awake. They sat up in their now damp and uncomfortable bed.

         "WHAT THE FUCK!!" yelled Brian.

         But the only thing they encountered was Hunter's unrepentant smile filled with vengeful joy. "Rise and SHINE...Dads!" he spoke the word with the utmost venom. "Welcome to Hell!"

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         And so began the first day of the Kings' first task. And the first was definitely the worst.

         Hunter drove them on pitilessly before him. He shoved them into the bathroom and waited a few moments till he heard the shower go on. He snuck in like a murderer. He watched them soaping each other up and getting more and more turned on. They were oblivious to him.

         Carefully, he snuck over to the toilet. His finger poised itself over the handle. He smiled. He'd tested this last night.
         He flushed. The ensuing screams of agony as only ice cold water was left to spray down was music to his ears.

         "I trust that has taken care of your overactive libidos!" Hunter cried, "No fucking in the shower this week! Get clean and let's go! There are commuters waiting for their breakfast! We'll be late as it is!"

         "No fucking in the shower!? But...but that's inhumane! Unheard of!" yelled Brian.

         "I know," said Hunter in a cruel voice.

         "Hunter, you are being unreasonable!" Justin said.

         "We can always kick 6 or 8 people out of their houses and raze them to the ground! Oh and use only that soft grass...Not the common stuff!" Hunter mimicked, "Did that sound...reasonable to you!!?" his voice was hoarse with rage and sounded a little insane. "Now get ready! I can always...flush again!"

         "NNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" they screamed together.

         "I didn't think so." Hunter left the bathroom.

         In fifteen minutes, they were out of the bathroom. They dressed silently and sullenly. Being denied their morning fuck had made them grumpy. Hunter watched from behind the sheet pitilessly. His rage and hate was bubbling inside him like a boiling cauldron inside him and was being unleashed upon them in full force.

         When they were almost done, he got up and said, "We can have breakfast at the Diner. We're late. I'll expect you downstairs in 5 minutes." And he slammed his way out of the room.

         "And so, five minutes later found Justin and Brian clumping down the stairs to find Hunter waiting in the lobby, with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

         As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Brian came up behind Justin and put one hand on Justin's shoulder and together they marched outside in tandem, like a chain gang. Hunter was unimpressed. Actually, he thought it fit the situation quite nicely. As they walked out the door he made a whip crack sound. They continued the chain gang walk to the car rebelliously and Hunter just as rebelliously refused to care. To him, this week they were not kings anymore but prisoners captured, to be brought low and made his slaves.

         They drove silently and crankily to the Diner. As they did, Hunter observed them thoughtfully. Hmm, they probably thought they were on a type of forced abstinence ban for the week. This was not the case but they had to learn that they needed to hustle in the morning. And whatever delusion they were under, Hunter saw no point in lifting it for the time being. He felt vicious and cruel and he held onto those feelings as jealously as a dragon holds onto his mountain of gold. But there was no point in banning them from sex as this would only make them tense and cranky. But there was also no point in telling them this...right away.

         They pulled up to the Diner and as Hunter had thought, there was a small line forming. Hunter jumped out of the jeep before Brian had turned off the ignition. He ran toward the diner.

         "Hurry up! Hurry up!" he yelled behind him. He unlocked the door frantically. "Sorry we're late folks! First cup of joe is on the house!"

         There was lukewarm cheering but they were all relieved to get out of the morning cold. Hunter put the coffee on and soon the diner was filled with the comforting smell of java.

         "So what's the game plan, Hunter?" Brian asked. They had followed everybody in.

         Hunter slapped down two order pads and some pencils. "Take everybody's orders and bring them to me! I'll start cooking them since Phil doesn't get here for another hour! While everything's cooking we'll get aprons for you. I think we'll dispense with the skates...for now...since I don't wanna risk the dishes! Hurry! Go!"

         They hurried. While they did that, Hunter filled a bunch of coffee cups from the big dispenser. He had a row set out by the time they came back.

         "Good! Now hand these out and tell them it's on the house!

         They did that. As they did that Hunter cracked a lot of eggs on the grill and sausage and bacon and filled the toasters with bread. He checked the orders and added couple of ham slices.

         While everything, was cooking, Hunter ran into the back and met Brian and Justin and threw a couple of aprons at them that had Liberty Diner written on the front in curly script and a deep pocket in the front for the pad, pencil and money. He ran back to the food. Understanding his haste, Brian and Justin put on the aprons and went back into the diner area. They set a new couple up with some menus.

         And the beat of the drum went on. Eventually, they got all those people served and were able to have a breather.

         "OK, listen up! This is the pre breakfast rush! Phil will come before it really gets busy but until then we're on our own! Keep your eyes peeled and keep things moving! Here's some small bills for change and if it s not exact and you need coinage, get it from the register. Do you know how? Oh dear, no of course you don't! Justin, you keep your eyes out for the customers, Brian, c'mere!"

         He ran down the use of the register for Brian. Ring in how much was given...how much was the bill...and the difference would pop up. Press SALE and the drawer would pop open. Get the change and slam the drawer. A receipt would get spit out. At the end of the day, press Final Sale and all the transactions got reprinted.

         At this point someone paid up and left. Hunter used this opportunity to demonstrate. Brian watched carefully.

         The next bunch left. Hunter, watching with an eagle eye, let Brian do it. Brian copied him perfectly.

         DING A LING! A new person came in.

         "I'll take this person. You take this opportunity and show your cohort what you've learned! I'm going to take this order and get back to the food!"

         They did that. Hunter ran back flipped everything, added some pancakes to the grill and served up some eggs and bacon. He dinged the bell. Brian served it up and managed to remember who was supposed to get it.

          They were run off their feet for the next hour. Finally Phil came and Hunter nearly wept for joy. This meant he did not have to worry about the heat of the cookery and could join Brian and Justin.

         When he did, he sent Justin in to wash the mountain of dishes that had been piling up while they were waiting for Phil. He joined Brian in waitering. He waited an hour and had them switch. And all through it, he watched them. They worked hard. They didn't complain. They didn't backtalk. They didn't argue with the customers. They didn't say things like: such and such is healthier for you...they just did as they were told. They bussed the empty tables so that Hunter didn't have to. They washed the dishes without complaint.

         Hunter took the third hour washing dishes and impressed upon them that he was trusting them. They saluted and said ‘Yes SIR!' Hunter looked at them dubiously before leaving. He washed like a fiend for an hour and finally caught up. It was 9:00 AM and there a few people in but it wasn't packed. There was lull. They took this opportunity to have Phil make them some breakfast. They hadn't had anything, things had just started and they were famished.

         "OK, it'll be quiet like this for the next two hours until the pre lunch and then the lunch rush starts. After we eat, Justin and I'll keep taking orders, Brian you give the floor a sweep and then a mop. Everything's in the back in the supply cupboard."

         "OK, Hunter," Brian said submissively.

         And so it was, with great satisfaction, that Hunter got to watch Brian, High King of Liberty Kingdom, mop the floor like one of his servants. And he did a decent job of it too, although Hunter rode his ass and made sure he scrubbed every inch of every tile.

         The lunch rush started.  Again two of them waitered, and rang up orders while a third washed dishes. At noon the part time dishwasher showed up so they didn't have to worry about that after that. At 1:00 Hunter let Brian eat lunch while he and Justin waitered. Brian ate quickly and took Justin's place so Justin could eat. Finally, Hunter ate.

         At 2:00 The Remington Twins arrived. They ordered enough food for four people and insisted on Justin being their waiter.  Justin complied with everything they wanted and more. It took him four trips, heavy laden, to bring all their food but he did it. And even so, with all the cooking and washing and cleaning and serving, the Diner sort of....rested as all of them became focused on serving these two enormous men.

         The Twins stayed till 4, nursing coffees and to watch the Kings of the Kingdom serve and sling hash and bus dirty dishes. At 4, they stayed a little longer to watch Justin mop the floor but then had to leave. At that point, Brian and Justin wished they were going with them. They had never worked so hard in their lives and they were starting to flag.

         But there was no rest. At 4, the part time dishwasher quit and one of them had to start washing dishes again. Brian took 4-5, Justin, took 5-6. At 6 they were done. Phil had gone home at 5. Hunter mopped the floor a final time, pressed Final sale and scrawled MON on the top of the loooooong tape that came rolling out of the machine. At last it stopped, he ripped it off, folded it up and stuck it into the register. He put the money in the safe.  He poured coffee into a filter and loaded the coffeemaker for tomorrow. At then they were done. He looked over at his charges.

         They were sitting in a booth waiting for him to finish his final chores. They were watching him with glassy eyes and they had their feet up so they wouldn't feel the pain.

         Hunter leaned over the counter with his chin in his hand and batted his eyes innocently. "Tired?" he asked also innocently.

         All they could do was groan.

         "Ahh well, time to go home to that lovely inn and that lovely dinner! Ready?"

         They were more than ready. They locked up and got the hell out of there.

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         Back at the inn, they sat in the restaurant side by side by side, with Hunter in the middle. They all leaned up against each other just to stay upright. They shovelled in their food like starving men, which they were.

         The dinner fare was slightly better tonight. There was rice along with the roasted vegetables, and the meat was a big pile of turkey slices. The men had ales and Hunter had a big glass of milk.

         When the gnawing hunger was staved off a bit, Hunter said, "Now I trust you understand why I kept nodding off after work when you would take me for dinner?"

         "Uuuuggg..." said Brian.

         "Gaaaaaaaa...." said Justin.

         Hunter clapped them both of them on the shoulder sympathetically. "I understand perfectly," he said.

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         After dinner, they were nursing their drinks, and Brian and Justin were not-so-subtly eye fucking each other over Hunter's head. Of course, Hunter was aware of everything. After watching them with supreme amusement for a few minutes, he decided to intervene and let them off the hook before he was scarred for life.

         "You know," he said, "This turkey was so good I think I'm going have another helping. Why don't you guys go on up and I'll be along in about 45 minutes or so?"

         "Really? I thought you didn't want to be left alone down here?"

         "Well, it's thinning out down here and I can always move to a spot that's more isolated. You guys go on. I'm sure you guys can think of something to do up there without me...something that would take 45 minutes...something fun...I can't imagine what though..."

         "Well, if you're sure..." said Brian.

         "Brian, come on! Before he changes his mind!" Justin was already on his feet pulling on his arm hard enough to pull it out of the socket. Hunter waved. Brian got the message and the two of them ran full tilt out of the room and up the stairs. Hunter chuckled and shook his head. He went and asked for more vegetables and a little more turkey but took it easy on it. (He knew what turkey did!) and found a quiet place and slooowly ate. He gave them the 45 minutes and then wandered upstairs slowly as well.

         Meanwhile, Justin and Brian had run upstairs and into the room. The door had barely closed before all their pent up energy exploded like a powder keg. They fell onto each other like each one was the food needed for a starving man. They devoured each other's mouth. They clawed and nipped and sucked. Then they stilled and looked deep into each other's eyes.

         "My life is for you, Brian. It always has been," Justin whispered.

         "I wish I could make the same claim. But I can tell you that it's true now. From now until forever, I'll love only you."

         They mashed their lips together. And then, in a frenzied passion, they ripped each other's clothes off.

55 minutes later....

         Hunter came upstairs and knocked quietly. There was no response.

         He let himself in and slowly opened the door, his eyes half covered in case they were in the throes or uncovered.

         Thankfully they were neither. They were asleep on their bed. Brian was spooning Justin from behind and they were decently covered up.

         Hunter smothered a chuckle and added an extra blanket as well. He kept the lights muted as he went behind his sheet to his own bed, stripped, doused the lights and went to bed.

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         The next day, they did it all again. They managed to get there on time the next day. Brian and Justin had learned not to dally in the shower and so they had gotten out of there much sooner and gained a bit of an advantage compared to the first morning but not by much. They fell into a kind of routine, a kind of dance to process the cycle of ordering, eating, cleaning away, and setting up again that never ended. Again, they ate and rested in shifts and when they did eat it was in haste. Again they took turns washing, cleaning, washing the bathrooms, and serving. Again, the Twins came and insisted on having Justin as their waiter. Again, they ordered enough for 4 people.

         "Is all this really necessary?" gasped Justin, his knees buckling under the weight of the third tray.

         "Was it necessary for you to threaten the one you claim to want as your ward?" asked Fred.

         "Oh Fred! I cannot tell you how bad I feel about that! Can you not forgive me? I regretted it the instant I said it!"

         "I believe there is one more tray," Fred said pitilessly.

         "Yes sir! Comin' right up, sir," Justin said sadly.

         And as they went on, they found that they were able to work together, more efficiently. By the end of the day, they were still bone weary though. They went back to the inn, and ate their meagre meal. Hunter stayed downstairs again so that Brian and Justin could have some time alone together upstairs. They ran upstairs and once again had a wild, frenzied fuck. All day they had been apart and it had been sheer torture for both of them. They were used to having long make out sessions and screwing wherever, whenever they felt like it and having to wait, being around each other all day but not being able to touch to kiss was like one long torture session, like walking across an endless, hot, sandy desert of desire with no oasis. This one time at the end of the day was their only drink, their only respite, and it was not enough.

         The next day things went even smoother. They started to really get their teamwork together and they were even more efficient. And to Hunter's supreme annoyance, they even started to enjoy it! He grew harsher and harsher with them and sent them for longer shifts in the dish washing. He found fault with their mopping and made them do it a second time. He made Justin clean the toilets and the urinals out twice in a row. And he made sure they weren't alone together for a single second.

         But nothing would dull their cheer or crush their spirits. Hunter grew angrier and angrier and harsher and harsher. Soon he was unable to talk unless he was shouting. Eventually, at about 5:00 he excused himself and went out back. He went to the dumpster and lifted the lid and bashed it up and down like a crazy person and screamed and howled his rage like a wild animal. It made a terrific booming noise that was heard for many blocks in every direction. People in the diner looked out the window at the clear sky and wondered why there was thunder.

         Hunter lifted and slammed and screamed until he was exhausted. He slammed, slammed and SLAMMED the lid one final time and listened to the booming crash echo and roll away like thunder and finally fade slowly away until there was only silence.

         He went back into the diner. There was stunned silence and everyone was frozen in place. Hunter enjoyed it. The atmosphere matched his feelings. Calm, quiet, still. As still as a grave. He hummed, re-tied his apron, and went to a table, his pad at the ready.

         Everyone watched him carefully. He wore a calm, complacent smile but his eyes looked off into two different directions.

         "May I take your order?" he said.

         "Hunter, did you hear that noise? Where were you? What was that?" asked Brian.

         "What was what?" asked Hunter. He looked down at the couple with his spooky, skewed stared and repeated, "May I take your order?"

         The two men were too frightened to say anything.

         "Hmmmm. You look to me like you'd enjoy a couple of cheeseburgers and soft drinks. How ‘bout that?"

         They nodded mutely.

         Hunter scribbled furiously on his pad delivered it to Phil who was winding down. "OOOOOOORRrrrrrder UP!!" he said expressively.

         Phil took the order paper. "But this is just a drawing of a happy face with a huge dong and balls," he protested.

         "Well, you heard it! Two cheeseburgers and some soft drinks! Come on Phil! Last order of the day!"

         "Yes sir," Phil complied.

         Everyone was still frozen.

         "Well come on everyone! Back to work! Chop! Chop! Hunter clapped sharply.

         Everyone jumped and got moving. Life returned to normal.

Closing time...

         Hunter's release of tension really helped him. He felt calm, cool and collected the rest of the day. He hummed a merry tune as he went through his chores. And at last it was over. He hummed that merry tune as he went through the closing chores and Brian and Justin rested their feet and watched him carefully. It was a little scary.
         You see, in reality, he only THOUGHT the tune was merry. It was disjointed and aimless and off key. He sounded crazy.

         "Hunter? Honey? Are you OK?" Brian asked cautiously.

         "Of course I am Brian. Why wouldn't I be?" answered Hunter.

         "Oh, I dunno. Things just seem like things are a bit..." He winced as Hunter slammed the register drawer. It sounded like a gunshot. "...off."
         "Not at all."

         "OK then. How was your day, my love?" Brian interlaced his fingers with Justin's.

         "Quite good. I think we're getting better. Weren't Ralph and Jeremy a hoot today?"

         Hunter felt his stomach churn with something he didn't like again.

         "Yeah, remember when he..."

         Hunter SLAMMED the safe. "It's time to go!" he said harshly. He switched off the lights all at once and they were plunged into darkness. "You can move it or continue this gab-fest all night in the dark!" He strode out the door with his ass so tight that if he'd had a lump of coal up there, in two weeks he'd have a diamond.

         He waited till they'd followed him out, then slammed the door noisily and locked it. The churning had gotten worse. He was shaking with anger.

         Brian and Justin grabbed each other around each other's waists and continued to natter on mindlessly about whatever stupid antics they had found high-larious involving the customers. They were almost to the Jeep. They were there.

         "And how was your day, my love?" asked Justin.

         "Better than yesterday, that's for sure. I'm really beginning to find the rhythm in this place. I like it here. Today was almost, dare I say it, enjoyab..."

         "RrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRAWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

         Soft at first, then louder and louder and louder, Hunter gave a growl, then a shriek, then a roar of such rage that he swore a piece of his soul escaped with it. He grabbed onto the Jeep and attempted to lift it and turn it over. This was a safe thing to do because he knew it was impossible. The only other alternative was to grab Brian around the throat and squeeze.

         Hunter! What on Earth is the matter!!?" Justin asked in alarm, when Hunter's voice had finally given out.

         Hunter turned toward them, his face blotchy and red and his features contorted in rage. "You...oblivious...stupid...FUCKS!" he yelled. The two men flinched satisfyingly at his language. "You are not supposed to be enjoying it! You are supposed to be experiencing what it is like to be stuck in a mind-numbing, tedious job from which there is no escape! You are supposed to be realizing what it is like to be poor and going without. You are not supposed to be having fun!"

         "Hunter, you can't blame us for making the best out of a bad situation," Justin said with that unreasonable logic of the optimist.

         Hunter's face darkened with rage even more, if that were possible. His face grew red as a beet.

         "Oh...My...God!!!...You're...STILL...NOT...getting it!" he choked out in a helpless emotion even he could not identify.

         "You're still...GAK!!!...Still not...GAK!!! GAK!!!..."

         Uh! Oh! The two men held each other and prepared themselves. The last time Hunter had made that noise, Guardian had appeared.

         But he didn't. Instead, Hunter just sort of...powered down. His face went blank and impassive and he calmly opened the door and climbed into the Jeep sat there looking straight ahead.

         "Hunter? Are you OK?" Brian asked cautiously.

         There was no response.

         "Brian, let him alone! He just needs some time to process and calm down! Let's just - let's just go home and..."

         "But you heard him! He might have turned into Guardian again! Hunter, are you there? Are you OK? Talk to me, son."

         There was no response. Hunter just sat there breathing slowly, staring straight ahead.

         Cautiously, Brian approached Hunter. He waved a hand in front of his face to see if he was looking, seeing anything.

         Before he could know what was happening, Hunter grabbed his hand and bit it, hard, right between the thumb and forefinger, in the meaty part of his palm. He bit it hard, harder, hard enough to draw blood.

         "OOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" howled Brian.

         Justin rushed forward and pinched his cheekbones, forcing Hunter to open his mouth. Brian yanked his hand free. "SonofaBitch!" he yelled.

         Justin gave him a light but sharp and stinging slap on the wrist. "Hunter, no! NO! You don't bite! Don't bite ever!" he admonished as if reprimanding a dog.

         Hunter just looked at him with a look of utter disdain. With practiced ease he reached out with his tongue and licked Brian's blood off his lips and swallowed it as if it were the most delicious thing in the word. Then he turned to Brian and his eyes blazed with a wild and utter hate.

         "I...AM...NOT...YOUR...SON!!!!" he yelled.

         Then he settled back down, let his breathing return to normal, and stared straight ahead again. He did not seem catatonic; indeed, his eyes blazed with hate. But he no longer expressed it, just breathed deep and ignored them. He sat in the car but he ignored that too. He ignored everything around them including the two angry and frightened men.

         Suddenly, Brian snapped as well. "Get in the car!" he yelled to Justin, "This is over! I've had it! We're taking him home!"

         "No! Brian we can't! We must persevere!"

         "Get...in!" he said tightly, behind the wheel.

         Justin got in. Brian peeled out, squealing the tires as he went.

         "Yes. Take me home. Take me home to Debbie's." It was Hunter's voice, but it was so deep, so final, and so chillingly fatalistic, that Justin half wished it was Guardian. "This was a mistake. You will never understand. You will never learn. The challenge has failed."

         Justin grabbed onto Brian's arm. "Brian, no! We've got to go back! We've got to persevere! Remember what's at stake here! One hundred years, remember?"

         Brian held out his hand. The puncture wounds were clearly visible and blood still ran out of them. "He BIT me! The little fucker BIT me! Nobody....bites me!"

         "I warned you to stay away," Justin said simply.

         Brian snarled, a feral sound.

         "Brian! Go to the inn! Come on! We must persevere! We must not fail! You know I'm right!" He turned to Hunter. "We will understand! We will learn! We have three more days!"

         Hunter's impassive face jerked around to look at him and his eyes were dead. "Do not look to me to teach you!" he said in that blank, fatalistic voice and then retreated into himself once more.

         "Brian! Turn around! We must not give up! We must not fail! Brian, please! Don't give on him! Don't give up on our son!"

         Brian slowly turned to look at him. "You know, I think that's the first time I can remember where you've called him your son."

         "I've made so many mistakes lately, I didn't want to rock the boat. I felt I'd be overstepping my bounds somehow!"

         Brian slowed, grabbed him by the nape of the neck, and pulled him in for a hard, hot kiss. "Never. Don't ever think that! We've both made mistakes and we'll make so many more. But he'll always be both of ours!"

         He twisted the wheel and did a hard 180. He headed back to the inn.

         However, from that moment on, for the rest of the night, Hunter refused to speak to them, interact with them, refused to acknowledge their existence in any way. He ate alone and he went up straight after dinner so there was not even a chance for a frenzied fuck before bed.

BJHBJHBJHBJHBJHBJHBJHBJHBJH

         The meadow really was beautiful in the moonlight.

         The forest loomed larger, darker, closer. Hunter took one step and....WHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH! He was there.

         The path was before him. He wore his silver shorts and black undershirt. Hunter stepped into the forest. He breathed in deep the scent of pine and earth.

         The path was lit the same as before and the forest was shrouded in darkness.

         And once again, memories, snippets of conversations played back, echoed, rolled around and interwove against the dark background. Some good. Some bad. There were more good than bad this time. But all served to torment him nonetheless.

         "We can always kick 6 or 8 people out of their homes and raze them to the ground!"

         "Slumming...slumming...slumming..."

         "It was sitting in the nursery when you left. Now if we try and remove it, he cries...Gus points at it and cries all the time...."

         Oh God! Why did he tell him that? Why? Hunter held his head in grief and guilt and ran on.

          "I told you, you are my Sonny boy as much as Gus is..."

         "This is my son. He had a bad breakup and I'm just comforting him...."

         "We will only accept these bracelets back from the Prince of Liberty Kingdom."

         "Are you sure you want to wait that long...long...long. You'll have to wait 15, maybe 16 years to get them back."

         "We don't mean Gus! We mean YOU!"

         "No Hunter! K was not a lie! Sure it was an alias to protect my identity while it needed to be but everything I did, everything I felt as K, and Justin as J was the truth! K and Brian are one! I love you!"

         "Brian! Turn around! We must not give up! We must not fail! Brian, please! Don't give on him! Don't give up on our son!"

         "You know, I think that's the first time I can remember where you've called him your son."

         Smashing the dumpster and shrieking like an animal.

         "Hunter, you can't blame us for making the best of a bad situation."

         Howling and trying to turn over the car. Biting the hand that fed him.

         Hunter was filled with an insane joy but at the same time a deep shame and disgust as he watched his behaviour. He looked insane and at the same time, he felt insane and he could not distinguish if that made him sad or glad. He ran on.

         "Slumming...slumming...slumming..."

         "NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" Screaming in the shower.

         "OOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!" Howling in pain as he bit Brian. Hunter remembered felt the sadistic pleasure of biting into that sinew and tasting the coppery taste of his blood.

         ARRRRRRHHHHHHH! What was that!? Was it satisfaction...or guilt? Hunter ran on.

         Laughing at him as they drove away that night on the motorcycle.

         "Raze them to the ground...ground...ground...

         Laughing at him in the inn, as he told them to go to bed and keep it down if they wanted to have sex.

         "Slumming...slumming...slumming..."

         "How do you think you got this job, Hunter?"

         "This is my son...No problem, son..."

         And then interspersed, all the many times Brian calling him: "Son...son...son...son...."

         DAMMIT! Why did that sound so wrong!? Dammit! Why did it sound so right!? Hunter ran on.

         "Who!? Who did this to you? Is someone abusing you!?"

         Hunter felt a leathery hand encircling his wrist in a viselike grip. It felt so smooth, so sensual, so powerfully strong, so powerfully male! Was that wrong? No... How could it be? This was a dream and nothing in dreams could be wrong.....could they?

         Hunter enjoyed it as he had enjoyed it that night, secretly enjoying the struggle, impressed at Brian's strength and touched at the way Brian had held him firmly to restrain and capture but did not squeeze so that it hurt.

         Oh God! Why did Brian have to be such an enigma? Strong and powerful yet gentle. Angry and jealous raging yet caring and loving at the same time. And why oh why did they want him? Why oh, why did they care? Hunter yanked away from the memory and ran on.

         On and on. Over and over.

         Walking like a chain gang.

         "When are you going to stop calling me that! I'm NOT...your son."

         "I told you. Never. I will call you that till you accept the inevitable truth and then I will never stop calling you that for your lifetime."

         "I will never accept it."

         "Then I will never stop calling you that and spend my life trying to convince you."

                     Laughing as they drove away on their motorcycle.

         "Weren't Ralph and Jeremy a hoot today? Laughing. laughing, always laughing.

         What was that? Was that a light in the distance?

         "Slumming....raze them to the ground..."

         "Did my son get everything he needed?"

         "Weren't Ralph and Jeremy a hoot today? You know, I actually found it quite enjoyable..."

         Laughing as they walked out of the Diner.

         It was! It was a light! Hunter ran toward it eagerly. It was soft and green and it grew bigger and brighter with every step.

         "I actually found it enjoyable...enjoyable...found it enjoyable.

         The laughter never stopped now. Through it all, it grew louder, mocking, more and more derisive.

         Hunter ran desperately. He shot towards the green light, through it, into the clearing.

         Again, the memories, the sounds, and best of all, the laughter were silenced instantly, as if a switch had been thrown.

         Again Hunter dropped to his knees on the soft grass, and just enjoyed, revelled in the silence. He rested.

         When he finally looked up, he knew what he would find. A spinning wheel. His bed of red flowers. The snake. This time however, the snake was larger. It was still a black venomous type of snake, only now it was a large and thick around as a python. It was wrapped around and hanging from the overhanging branches of the trees at the edge of the clearing.

         "Welcome, young Prinnncccccce," it hissed.

         Hunter approached it warily. "Hello. Keep your distance. I remember what you did last time."

         The snake shrugged or seemed to, if that were possible. "I'm a ssssnake. I was jussssst doing what came naturally to meeeeeee. Can you blame meeeeee for that? Come and sssssspin. It will reeeelaxxxxxxx you."

         "Why do think I need relaxing?" Hunter didn't plan on it but suddenly he was just...there...sitting at the wheel. Ahh well, he thought, Might as well. He began to spin. There was suddenly a very large pile of wool next to him, about twice as much as before.

         "Herrrrrrre in the clearing it is peaceful, O Princcccccce. There is always peace in the clearing. But I could ssssssee your journey to me through your forest of liiiifffe. It was ssssstillll verrrry turrrrbulant." The snake coiled and re-coiled and cocked its head. "But you were not confuuussssssed this time. Noooooo. Thissssss time.....this timmmme....you were angryyyyyyyyy."

         Hunter paused in his work. "Well, why shouldn't I be? I have many things to be angry about. And I'm still confused. I have so many questions and they won't tell me anything! I'm fifteen, almost sixteen, and yet they look at me like I'm five and they seek to drag me around and control me like I'm a piece of meat! God, that was so embarrassing!"

         "What questionssssssss?"

         "Why did they choose me? Why do they want me, a piece of gutter trash?" Hunter began to spin again and teared up. He was very careful not to touch the spindle as he wound the finished thread though.

         "I can anssssssswer that O Princccccce, but you mayyyyy noy like the anssssswer. Firsssst, they sssssaw you in need and took pity on you. The pity turned to love quickly."

         "I know all that already!" snapped Hunter.

         "SSSSeconnnnd...." the snake continued, "Onccccce upon a time, not too long ago, the High King indeed did have a friend who corrrrrupted himself into evil. His name was Michael. He had brown hair and green eyes just like you. You remind him of him very much and he seeeeeeksssss to reeeeedeeeem himself of Michael's descent into evil by loving and raising you up."

         "I know that as well! They told me! But I'm not Michael! And replacing me with him is not fair!"

         "Annnnnd yet....You sssseeeem to be following in his footsteps quite niccccceely. Tempesssstuousss anger. Fitssss of insssssanity..."

         "I cannot help it! They are so infuriating! Calling me their son all the time..."

         "Aren't you?"

         "No!!! Well, there was a time I wanted to be! But no more! They spoiled that."

         "They arrrrrrre trying to mmmmake it right. What isssss wrong?"

         "That is the other thing! They are treating this challenge like a joke! They're enjoying it! How are they supposed to learn anything about anything if all their doing is goofing off?"

         "What did you exxxxxpect?" asked the snake, "They are only there for a week. They are rrrrrich. They are the Kings and were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. To them, thissssss issssss an exxxxxxcursion, a dissssstraction, before they get back. But eventually, they willlllllll go back to their normal livesssss. To livvvesss of luxxxxury and commmmmfort. They cannot unnnnndersssstannnd the lesssssson you are trying to teach. The mossssst you cannnn do is make their livvvvesssss misssssserable for a while."

         "If they cannot learn the lesson...then I cannot love them."

         "And yet...you dooooooo," hissed the snake. "Admit it. You missssss the good timessssss. Why can you not forrrrgive them?"

         "I - I - I just don't know!!" Hunter wailed. "We're having good times. Things are going a bit better since...what happened. I noticed the memories were about a lot of the good things that happened since...then. But I just can't let go of the anger. I can't forget how easily cruelty came to them. Acting or not. It slipped out of them like warm honey and they were enjoying themselves! I still can't get that part about them displacing people out of my head!" He pumped the wheel and spun the thread and the spindle turned. In his distress, his finger slipped and he pricked his finger on the spindle again.

         "OWW!" he cried and sucked his finger.

         Almost immediately, the strength was sapped from his body as slowly and surely as before. He grew heavier and heavier, limp and boneless and he slid onto his bed of red flowers.

         The huge snake dropped down out of the trees. He slowly slithered his way over to Hunter.

         "NO! NOOooooooo....." Hunter's voiced faded away to a whisper and then nothing. His eyes felt heavy, so heavy, but the terror he felt was even greater.

         "Don't worry, my young Princccccce," the snake said. "Asssss for the foolishhhnesssss of dissssplacccing people....razing their housssses...leave that to meeeeeee...." The snake began wrapping itself around his body, around his shorts, around his chest and arms until Hunter was a virtual mummy in his coils. The snake coiled one last time around the back of his neck and rose up so he could look into Hunter's frightened eyes. "I'll taaaake caaaare of it."

         "What - what do you mean?' whispered Hunter.

         "Jussssst leeeave it to meeeeeeeeee," the snake hissed.

         "Please don't do this.... Not again..." Hunter whimpered.

         The snaked bared its ugly fangs. Poison dripped off of them.

         "Noooo!" whispered Hunter. He struggled but he could barely move.

         The snake hissed with laughter. "Don't worry my young Princcccccce. The time is drawing neeeear. Sssssoon you and I will be one. For a hunnnndred yearsssssss!!"

         "Nooooooo!" Hunter whispered in terror.

         The snake struck like a whip and bit his throat.

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         "NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

         Hunter jackknifed up into a sitting position and clutched at his throat with both hands. He gasped for breath, and then nearly screamed again as his forehead hit a wall in the dark and he felt his body encircled by the snake's powerful body once again.

         "Hunter! Hunter! Wake up! Wake up! Oh at last, you are awake!"

         OH! It was Brian! The wall was his chest and that wasn't the python any longer; they were his arms. Hunter just gasped, sucked in huge lungful of air and slowly gave in to the soothing circles on his back this time. At this point, he just didn't have the strength to resist anymore. Slowly, his arms wrapped around Brian in return. He felt Justin enfold him from the side. What the - Justin was there too?

         "What - what are you guys doing here?" Hunter gasped out a few minutes later.

         "You've been thrashing around and crying out for a little while now," Justin explained. "We've been trying to wake you for about 10 minutes."

         "What was happening?" asked Brian. "Was it the snake dream again?"

         "Yes," Hunter's breathing was beginning to slow. "God, it was just so...just so vivid."

         "Can you tell us about it?" Brian asked.

         "Yes. It always starts the same way. I'm in the meadow at night time. It's very beautiful. Everything's bathed in silver light. Then I'm drawn to the forest. Drawn into the forest. It's dark and I see scenes of memories against the dark. Good memories. Bad memories. But they all make me feel bad."

         "What kind of memories?"

         "Memories of...that night...The different times you call me son...flushing the toilet with you in the shower....you telling me about Gus...Me biting you...Getting dragged out of the restaurant...Different stuff...all just repeating and meshing together. And this time, a lot of you laughing at me...always laughing."

         "Hey! We've never laughed at you!" Brian protested indignantly.

         "Yes you do! You never take me seriously! This whole week is just one big joke to you!"

         "When have we laughed at you?' Brian asked.

         Hunter took great satisfaction ticking the times off his fingers. "You laughed at me when you dropped me off at Deb's after queening out...You laughed at me here when I told you to keep it down if you were gonna do it that first night. And last night you couldn't stop laughing at how easy and...enjoyable you were finding the drudgery mankind does to keep alive. And in my dream, all that laughter just kept getting louder and louder and more and more derisive until I couldn't stand it.

         Brian and Justin had the decency to look chastened. "We're sorry, Hunter," Justin apologized, "We had no idea that it was bothering you so much. We never meant to laugh at you...that way. You were just so cute so us, we..."

         "Well, I'm not cute!" Hunter snapped. "I'm 15, nearly 16 years old, not 5!" So I'd appreciate it if you didn't laugh at me! And stop looking me like that!"

         "Like what?" Brian asked, going all doe-eyed again.

         "Like that! Right there!" Hunter snapped back irritated, "Like I'm a cute 5 year old or some sort of fluffy bunny with flop ears you've happened across! I'm too old for that rubbish!"

         Brian gave himself a shake and tried to snap out of it. "You know, you're right. I'm sorry Hunter. I'll try and stop."

         "Hmmph! Well anyway, I'm running through the forest and all these memories play back. Eventually I hit this clearing and everything's switched off. In the clearing..." Hunter then gave them a quick rundown of what he found in the clearing, the bed of flowers, the spinning wheel, the snake, pricking his finger, the stuff the snake told him, and the eventual climax of the snake biting him in the throat.

         "Oh, what does it all mean!?" Hunter wailed. "And why are they getting stronger? And why does he go for the throat? Oh, God, that's the worst of it all!"

         "I don't know, Hunter," Justin said, "But we shall find out. At present we figure it's you sensing Guardian on some level."

         "My alternate personality? But then what's the significance of the spinning wheel?"

         "I don't know. Perhaps it's symbolic of how he will merge with you. Or thinks he will.'

         "Wait. Merge with me? What do you mean?"

         "Well, Hunter, there's more to Guardian than you know. I was going to tell you that night when I made...made my mistake. After that, we weren't sure how to tell you at all."

         "Tell me what!? What's going on!"

         "This challenge...it's the first of Guardian's three tests. And if we fail them, he has threatened to merge with you again and take you down into a sleep that will last for a hundred years."

         "Oh, God! This is terrible! What are we going to do?"

         "Very simple. We are going to pass all the tests. Now you know why I felt it was so urgent for us to stick it out. And we WILL stick it out and work all six days. And we will try to take it more seriously. We did not mean to treat it like a joke, Hunter."

         "It doesn't matter." Hunter lay back down and turned away from them on his side. "The snake was right. Whatever we are doing, whatever this is, it can never be more that an excursion to you, an outing. We may as well have gone camping or something."

         "Well, so what!?" Brian cried, "Camping can teach you many lessons even if it is temporary. How to survive, how to stay warm, how to appreciate the good home that awaits you when you get home."

         "But that's just it! For working people, there is no escape, no better home! Imagine this room or a poor house like it forever! Imagine going camping...forever!"

         At their shocked expressions, he smiled tiredly, "Ahhhh. There. Now you understand. Or begin to. Well, there's still a few hours before dawn. Why don't we all use it before we have to get up?" He settled back and said, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I dragged you into doing this..." He grasped Brian's bandaged hand and stroked it, "I'm...sorry....I...bit you...." He began to fall back asleep.

         "It's all right, Hunter. Go on back to sleep....my son."

         A few minutes later, when they were back in their own bed and drowsing off, Brian asked, "Say Justin, when did you tell Hunter about Michael?"

         "We both did, my love, after the second test,"

         "Oh, right. I remember that. I don't remember mentioning Michael's name. Did you tell him?"

         Justin thought about it fuzzily and then his eyes opened wide. "No! I didn't! Didn't you?"

         "No."

         The two men slowly turned to stare at each other in the dark. Their eyes mirrored the same terror. Finally, Brian whispered the question that was racing through both of their minds.

         "Justin...how on earth did he know!!?"

TBC