Thirsty to see

[vaneramos]

Another submission to 1001 nights cast

Derek had seen the videotape fragment three times now, first on the Tuesday evening news. Police had released it in hope of identifying suspects connected to a terrorist movement claiming responsibility for eight recent suicide bombings that had left the regional transit system in ruins and chaos. Even though several people from his village had died in one of the blasts, Derek had not given it much thought until now. The report caught his attention because the city police chief's statement mentioned one of the group's cells was thought located in the Village or nearby Wemberley, where one of the ill-fated commuter trains originated and many followers of the Zander Code were believed to reside. The local connection fascinated him. Everyone who lived in the Village followed the rules. Derek had heard of the Code, but never considered that moral citizens like the neighbours could get involved in such a bizarre offshoot of the state religion. Of course, he only had to think for a moment about some kids he knew to realize not every Village family was so nice.

He happened to be recording the news in anticipation of a feature on permaculture he wanted to use for a school project. But after viewing the videotape he forgot about that, stopped the newscast and replayed it once before deleting it.

Three or perhaps four men were seen standing in a room lit by a single overhead bulb. Two faced the camera, but the tape was so grainy their faces would be difficult to identify. One was bare-chested. A third man stood facing them, his body no more than a dark shadow with an outstretched hand, which momentarily glinted under the light as he made a descending gesture. It grazed past the navel of the bare-chested man, who raised his left hand, touching in response. The light glinted momentarily on his gold wedding ring.

That was all. Derek should have felt appalled. It was not illegal to touch another man, at least to the extent that this moving image revealed. But it clearly referred to acts forbidden by law, considered abominable by the state religion, and punishable by hanging or stoning.

The words in his ears said police believed the terrorists had used sexual coercion and blackmail to recruit devout believers to their cause. Police could not explain why religious extremists had resorted to such a scheme, but they requested assistance in identifying the individuals portrayed in the video. Derek imagined the video would have triggered an endless outpouring of indignation from his mother, so he was glad of her absence from the room.

Instead of feeling outraged, he sensed something tender and familiar in the men's caresses. In his memory, such an image had never appeared on public television. It looked so pleasing, he felt sorry for the man or men betrayed by it. This was a perilous thought, one he could never speak to his mother or anyone in the Village, and a tingling shame poured over his skin. Derek had already had a couple girlfriends, and one of them had touched him that way, but that had not excited him the same as this ambiguous, anonymous interchange on television.

He supposed everyone in the Village would be distraught over the news item, but Wednesday at school it was not even mentioned by the social science teacher. The day passed normally, except for a visit paid by Dorian before French class. Derek was exchanging books at his locker when his classmate came by. This usually heralded trouble.

Dorian was one of the bigger, stronger, stupider kids who used to pick on Derek in the schoolyard. That had changed six months ago after Derek's father disappeared from the Village. Then everyone had picked on Derek and his sister for a while, until Dorian offered an uncertain alliance. It was simple: he would protect Derek to the extent of beating up kids to made Derek's life miserable. Derek only had to do whatever Dorian asked.

Dorian pressed a note into Derek's hand.

"Give this to Kylie in French class," he said, nothing more.

Derek hated carrying on this childish schoolroom romance on anyone else's behalf. He hated how Kylie and her friends giggled behind his back. But the consequences of non-compliance were unthinkable.

Oddly, he always felt excited about running these illicit errands. The teacher had never caught him, and it thrilled Derek to be good at doing something Dorian was afraid to do. He also felt a rush over being useful to a boy bigger, strong and far more intimidating. But best of all was the sensation he got when Dorian seized his hand and pressed the paper into his palm.

All day he wondered why memory of the videotape had burned into his mind, while no one else seemed to care. That night he did a web search to see whether it had happened at all. He didn't intend to view the video again, but it popped up immediately when he surfed to the site. The third time affected him even more strongly because he knew what would happen, and imagined himself being the recipient of that touch. The bare-chested man's belly was covered with coarse, dark hair.

His father used to touch and kissed Derek and his sister on the forehead every evening, a mark of protection he told them. Derek longed to feel it again. The last time had been the moment when his father vanished through the door forever. It had only been six months, but tonight felt more like forever. The letters, full of grief and apology, had proven it was abandonment, and yet a new, strange question came to Derek's mind. What had drawn their father away from them? Derek had never doubted for a moment that his father had loved them. Could anything less than death end that love? The memory kept replaying itself: his father's gold ring glinting under dull living room light as he reached to pat Derek on the shoulder.

Comments

[artricia.livejournal.com]

I like.

I think there's a typo here:

It was simple: he would protect Derek to the extent of beating up kids to made Derek's life miserable.

I think "to" should be "who"?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, I noticed that after I had submitted it. I only had time for one quick read before the deadline. She had already chosen a story to read Tuesday, but asked me whether I would resubmit it another day, so it will probably air in a slightly revised form.

[halation.livejournal.com]

i didn't read the post b/c i'm sitting here w/visitors, but i scanned through & saw yr new userpic & i like it

xo

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That's from one of bitterlawngnome's photo shoots. I wanted him to take some pictures with my favourite pen. It was a challenge, but he took some amazing shots.

[thewindrose.livejournal.com]

Another great piece.

I love the sense of tense drama you build. In just a paragraph or two I am on the edge of my seat.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you. She had already chosen a story for the day when I submitted this one, but there's a possibility it will air tomorrow.