Earthdrown - 1. Earthdrown

“Earthdrown”

By JoejoeGreene

I’m here.

You’re there and I saw you on a turquoise cloud.

No colors in this fantasy, tour QOI.

A leap koi eye shell sea and swim by thee

***

“Hey, new to school?”

“Yeah.” Answered Steven, shirtless. He looked up to the voice.

“What’s your name?”

“Steve.”

“Mine’s Greg.”

“Yeah, I know.” Answered Steven, trying not to look at the sharpied name on the left breast of Greg’s gym t-shirt.

“Haven’t I seen you anywhere?”

“Yeah, Probably in Algebra class.”

“You’re an eighth grader?”

“Just like you, I’m guessing.”

“Wow, I didn’t notice you there this morning.” Greg commented as he took off his own shirt in one quick double handed jerk. He continued to undress stealthily. Steven stood up and quickly put on his street shirt. He took his lock from the bench and sealed his PE clothes in his locker and walked away.

“See-ya in Algebra tomorrow!!” Greg shouted behind Steven as Steven walked away.

“See you then.” Answered Steven, without turning back. He had conditioned himself not to stare. He was afraid that somebody would notice. Anyway, I have to hurry to fourth period, can’t be late to English on the second day.HE’S SO CUTE!

***

“I saw him tying his shoes after PE. I noticed his soft lips and curly hair and instantly wanted to befriend him, make him one of mine, a friend. In the boys’ locker room it was okay to see but not stare. I found myself gazing. I needed to know his name.” Greg stopped, as he did before, at this point.

Doctor Alarcon waited patiently for Gregory Moss to continue. Keen-sighted, Tom Alarcon knew that he himself would have to nudge the conversation forward. “Greg, do you think you can talk about him today?” No answer. There was only silence.

Four to five minutes later:“I was with some friends during lunch, that same day. And I saw him again. I told the kids I was with that Ineeded to get an assignment from a fellow classmate, and walked away from them, and towards him.” Greg couldn’t continue, Dr. Alarcon knew not to force him.

“It will come naturally. Don’t worry, same time next week?”

***

“Hey guys, gotta go, I need tonight’s homework assignment from another guy of my math class.”

“You might have all the girls after you because you look like a jock but you’re still a nerd Greg!” yelled one of the teens he was with. Greg turned around and smiled. The others laughed in agreement.

As he walked through the commons a girl yelled his name, smiling and waving at him. Greg acknowledged the greeting, smiled back but continued his trajectory towards Steven. Greg noticed Steve’s sad eyes as he approached him. He was alone on a lunch bench in the hot September sun. Steven was looking through his backpack for something not found. Greg approached him from an angle, purposely allowing the 11:30 AM sun to foreshadow his presence before Steven. Steven turned and was barely able to make out it was Gregory. Divine and tanned, my heart missed a beat, this can’t be. “Hi.”

“Hi Steve. Can I sit?”

“Hm, sure, why not” Halo is gone now that he sits next to me. I hope he doesn’t notice what he’s doing to me at this moment. I’ve got to be careful.

“Can you pull out your math notes?”

“Yeah, sure.” Then Steven fumbled the contents of the pack. “Need notes? It’s only review so I didn’t take many.”

“No, I need your phone number on a piece of paper but I don’t want it to look like I’m asking for it.” Greg didn’t know why the request came out that way, but he wasn’t worried. He needed to know Steven.

My Mom is usually home before seven. Should I tell him he shouldn’t call later? ‘He is a friend from my Algebra class Mom. I’ll explain later.’ Steven was losing himself in his own thoughts as blood rushed through him. His heart was palpitating hard. The sun was almost at its zenith.

***

“…Next message,* Beep *: ‘Hey doctor Alarcon, it’s Gregory Moss, can’t make it today. Son’s got baseball practice and the wife can’t take him. I’ll be there next week. If there’s anything you need to know before then I’ll call. Sorry, I’ll still pay for this session.’ End of new messages. To replay this message press…”

***

Numbers had been exchanged.

The school year progressed.

Greg liked his secret friend.

People thought it was Algebra that bounded these two together

but no math

or no Eighth Grade Physical Science

could explain

how Steven had fallen in love with Greg

Greg realized without words to himself

that Steven made him feel somehow complete

somehow relaxed

somehow needed

But then it happened. Steven told Greg.

And then Steven felt the rain

And he felt the thunder

And he endured Greg’s rage

So after the storm

Steven wrote in adolescent English

the hand written letter that read:

I’m sorry for making you mad after school. I thought that you felt the same that I felt. I’m going to miss you for ever. If the police go looking information at your home please don’t tell them that you beat me up my house today. I didn’t want to make you angry. I just wanted to tell you that I loved you.

And walked it over to Greg’s street locker at school and slipped it in through a vent.

And ran away that same day.

The authorities found Steve’s body under a bridge by the river three weeks from that same day.

Steve had taken too many pills and slept his last life moments away

His last thoughts:

Random

I’m here.

You’re there and I saw you on a turquoise cloud.

No colors in this fantasy, tour QOI.

A leap koi eye shell sea and swim by thee.

Please do not stop

Please, do not, stop ! !

daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM

DO NOT STOP please

DO NOT, stop please

daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM daDUM

I come, you’re gone, it was fun, DAdum

And again a question

And again an answer

Can you use the word ‘morass’ in a sen-

tence lad? Yes: ‘Naughty boys always find themselves

in morasses.’ I do not want to be

with myself, earthdrown, err’ and be a sol-

id man; earth worn’d, earth hater, not solid.

Monumental Structure sinks in a wink,

almost not there, erected at dawn, po-

lished, then Id sinks, muddled, night calls: “Earthdrown”

So, salted skin from the sea and not from

me, will I find him? Will he find me? I

Sandy alley by the beach

Smell of beer in the air

Bar and a man smiling there

Should I come in?

Will I dare?

Nobody there

Sit

Sit

Eight dollars in my pocket

And a cheap necklace with a locket

“Not now, please, later”

I said to the waiter, and then

He came in

He came in and I caught his perfume

As he flew pass me

To the restroom

Did he see me?

Night calls

Pheromones

My moans

His scent adds to them

I consume them in

Pheromones

My moans

His salted skin

My lips on him

Pheromones

My moans

Breathing hard

I feel his heart

Pheromones

Breathing hard

I feel my heart

I feel my heart and let you in.