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    K.C.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Shepherd's Crook - 11. Chapter 11

Gibby starred at Tanner. “W-w-what do you mean, you think you’re dead?” His pale brown eyes growing wider with disbelief. “You can’t be dead. You’re freaking standing in the middle of my bedroom. Dead guys don’t--”

Tanner shook his head and grinned, “Have you ever walked right through a live guy before? Jeez, Gibby, how much more proof do you need?”

When Tanner took a step closer, Gibby stumbled backwards, still clutching the towel at his groin.

“What are you doing?” Gibby cautiously watched Tanner from across his bedroom.

Holding up his hand as he approached, Tanner waited for Gibby to mirror him. They stood there face to face and hand to hand. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” Tanner gave him a gentle smile, making Gibby feel more comfortable as Tanner touched the tips of their fingers together.

An icy blast rippled through Gibby’s fingers sending tingles down his arm. He gasped at the sensation, but he didn’t jerk away. Wiggling his fingers, they passed through the misty vapors that should have been Tanner’s solid flesh.

Gibby muttered, “I can’t believe you’re really dead.”

Tanner cocked his head and winked at Gibby, “I know…me neither.”

“What on earth happened to you?” Gibby never tried to peer at the accident blocked by the emergency vehicles, so he had no idea what circumstances had taken Tanner’s life.

Staring into Gibby’s eyes, Tanner pressed his hand forward until both of them were occupying the same space, loving the soft sounds of Gibby gasping from the tingles coursing through his body.

“The last thing I remember is heading home after practice. Then I saw you,” Tanner’s voice was thick with lust.

Suddenly breaking the contact, Tanner circled Gibby standing practically naked in his bedroom. Embarrassed at the amount of exposed skin, Gibby wanted to turn with him, only keeping his unmarked chest visible to Tanner’s probing eyes, but he didn’t. He stood frozen in place as Tanner walked around him, letting the boy’s bright blue eyes graze over every inch of Gibby’s flesh.

The scars that started on the back of Gibby’s neck spread down his back and over both of his arms. They dropped dangerously low to the tops of his round butt before starting again on his thighs and calves.

Tanner let out a low whistle, bringing a flush of red to Gibby’s face. He’d never let anyone see him like this before. Grabbing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt off of the bed, Gibby stomped towards the bathroom door. He shot a look over his shoulder, “Casper, stay,” he growled at the ghost boy.

Laughter rumbled Tanner’s chest. He pulled his hands under his chin, mimicking paws, and panted like a dog, making Gibby smile.

“Cheeky bastard,” Gibby muttered as he closed the door for some privacy to change out of the wet towel and into some dry clothes.

Opening the bathroom door, Gibby saw Tanner leaning over an open binder on the desk. He cringed. He would have never left it out in the open if he knew someone would ever see it.

“So, you’re really going to the Olympics?” Tanner sounded impressed.

“No,” Gibby’s short reply had Tanner glancing back at him.

“But it says here, how great you are, that you’re a sure choice for the--”

“I missed Nationals! They were scouting me for the Olympic tryouts, but I missed it, okay, years of training and hard work, all for nothing. Everything went right down the fucking drain.” A mixture of anger and sadness darkened Gibby’s eyes.

“Gibby--”

“Don’t,” Gibby snapped before taking in a long deep breath in through his nose. He closed his eyes, held it for a few seconds and then blew the air across his lips in a slow calming process.

“I’m sorry, Tanner,” Giving him a weak smile, “I haven’t talked about the fire since it happened.”

Walking over to the binder, Gibby flipped through the pages. It was filled with photos and newspaper clippings documenting Gibby’s swimming career. “My coach made this to try and cheer me up, but instead… it just reminded me of everything that I’d lost.”

Tanner stood there watching him, not knowing what to do or say.

Gibby glanced at the newspaper article that Tanner had noticed and struggled to hold back his tears. “The fire happened almost a week after they printed this article, but instead of impressing the Olympic Coaches, I was lying in a hospital bed… in a coma.”

****

“Are you crazy?” Gibby laughed, “There’s no way that Skyrim is better than Assassin’s Creed.” Gibby’s voice could be heard from where his father hesitated halfway up the staircase.

Jonathan paused and listened. He stared up at the doorway, still slightly ajar as he overheard his son’s side of the conversation. Gibby hadn’t talked to any of his friends from back home since before the move. He wanted to talk to him about the accident tonight, since the boy who had been killed was one of his new classmates, but it sounded like Gibby was on the phone.

“No…well then, what’s your all-time favorite…really? I would never have guessed that…” Jonathan shook his head as he quietly backed down the stairs. Gibby was having a good time talking to his new friend, so the bad news could wait until tomorrow.

Just before Jonathan shut the door to his bedroom, he heard music join his son’s conversation and laughter upstairs.

“Soooo…” Gibby’s eyes lingered on Tanner sitting cross legged in the middle of his bedroom floor. It had been so long since he felt relaxed around someone.

“Soooo…” Tanner raised a blond eyebrow. They’d talked about everything from music to video games, staying on safe subjects, skirting the obvious sexual tension between them.

“Have you come out to your dad yet?” Tanner blurted out to Gibby’s surprise.

“I didn’t really have to,” Gibby smiled softly, remembering the conversation with his parents years ago. “When my second grade teacher told all of us to find a partner for a class assignment, Kristen Greenfield and I both wanted to be Stevie Johnson’s partner. She stomped her foot and announced that she was going to marry Stevie one day, so she should be his partner, at which I laughed and said not if I marry him first.”

Tanner laughed, “You didn’t.”

Gibby nodded his head and blushed, “I did, so you can understand how well that went over. My teacher and the principal both freaked out, but mom and dad were really cool with it. They sat down and talked to me. They told me that they didn’t care who I married when I grew up as long as I was happy.”

Tanner’s smile quickly faded. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Not anymore.” Gibby’s voice was barely a whisper.

“But you’ve had boyfriends before, right?” Tanner chewed at his lower lip as he twisted his fingers together.

“What about you? Have you come out to your family?” Gibby was uncomfortable and needed to shift the questions away from himself. By the look on Tanner’s face, he could have guessed the answer before he shook his blond head, no.

“I wanted to tell my parents and I know that they would’ve been okay with it, but I never got the chance to come out to them.”

A sad sigh lingered on Gibby’s lips. “Oh Tanner, I’m sorry--”

“Hey, don’t feel sorry for me.” Tanner suddenly stared at the floor before a crooked smile turned up the edge of his lips. “It could have been worse; I could’ve died a virgin,” Tanner teased.

Gibby was shocked by his revelation. “R-r-really,” he stammered thinking about Tanner having sex.

Tanner’s face broke into a huge grin as he nodded his blond head.

“Please tell me that it was with the Butler Twins,” Gibby squealed, “A double stuffed Oreo cookie with those two sexy bodies would be so fucking hot.”

Rolling onto his side, Tanner laughed and slapped his hand against the floor.

“Oh my god, no,” Tanner gasped between his fits of laughter. “Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t turn either of them down if they wanted to do a little experimenting, but those two boys are definitely straight.”

“Too bad,” Gibby waggled an eyebrow, bringing another round of laughter from Tanner.

“Yeah, they make nice eye-candy, but switch-hitters they are not.”

“Well then, who was it? Was it Ethan or someone else? Is there some hidden cock club around here on the down low, because I’m pretty sure the folks of Shepherd’s Crook wouldn’t allow any gay bars?” Gibby fidgeted, waiting to know who Tanner had lost his virginity to.

“Believe me, it was nothing that exciting with Amanda Grady--”

“What?” Gibby shouted. His brown eyes bulged from their sockets. “You had sex with fucking Satan?”

“Come on, Gibby, Amanda’s not that bad.” Tanner tried to defend the evil girl.

“Yes, she is. That bitch is Satan in a mini-skirt.”

Tanner rubbed his fingers over his face trying to hide his embarrassment as he explained. “Amanda might be a spoiled brat, but she’s really not that bad. We dated our freshman year and one night at a party in Bethany’s basement, she and I did it. It was the first time for both of us. Everyone in our group expected that we would be high school sweethearts, and then prom king and queen and one day get married,”

Gibby started making gagging noises as if he was going to throw up. Tanner shook his head and continued to describe what happened.

“But the summer of sophomore year everything changed. I’d always looked at guys, but that summer I started to feel the attraction to them more than I ever did with any girl. Ethan had spent his summer away at camp and when he came back he had changed. He’d grown and matured and was drop-dead gorgeous. Just when I was going to break-up with Amanda and confess everything to Ethan, she dumped me for him. How ironic. He and I had always been friends so settling for being his best friend was good enough for me.”

Watching Tanner force a smile to his face only showed that he had plenty of practice hiding his pain. “You never told him?” Gibby asked.

“Nope, and like you said, Shepherd’s Crook isn’t a hot bed of cock clubs so I researched universities that were supportive and active in the gay community before I decided to send in my applications.” Tanner admitted. “Principal Grady has even agreed to write me a letter of recommendation to whichever school I decide to go to.”

They both sat there staring at each other. Tanner had opened up and bared his soul; the least Gibby could do was the same.

Rushing before he lost his nerve, Gibby confessed to Tanner, “I know what it feels like to have to hide your feelings…after the fire…while I was laying in the hospital…I found out that my boyfriend was cheating on me with my best friend.” Just as the painful words tumbled past Gibby’s lips, without a word, Tanner vanished into a thick white vapor.

Gibby stared at the now empty spot in disbelief. “Well, I didn’t expect that to happen,” Gibby muttered. It had taken months to finally confide his heartbreak to someone and as soon as he did, Tanner disappeared.

Climb out from under my bed and look around. :P Well, what do you think?  Love to hear your thoughts on how this new development is going to change Gibby and Tanner's budding relationship.  Thanks for all of your encouragement.
Copyright © 2012 K.C.; All Rights Reserved.
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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On 06/12/2012 10:42 AM, Manu said:
shouldn't gibby be kinda sad? He took the news TOO well
I think seeing Tanner as a ghost before Gibby knew he was dead helped a lot with this transition. There is still shock and disbelief in the beginning of this chapter but as you see, they are connecting on a level that they would probably not reached before due to the rest of Tanner's friends. If I haven't answered, send me a message in the forum. Thanks for reading!

It was so creepy when Tanner tried defending his murderer. Amanda really does have the world fooled. Hopefully the investigation turns up the foul play.

 

I'm not sure how you're going to progress their relationship with Tanner dead and all. It seems like a doomed relationship without the ability for Gibby to experience the world with (or without) Tanner. I'm interested in seeing where this goes but still marking your preferred hiding spots for a possible hunting down. (Under the bed, check).

 

Now on to hopes for the future: I'd really like Gibby to help Tanner solve his mystery and prove that Amanda and Ethan killed him. Also I want to know more about Gibby's ex and former best friend. How did it happen? Why did it happen? Will Tanner help Gibby gain the confidence he needs to meet someone else? Part of me hopes that Tanner can somehow come back to life and they can be together.

 

Thanks for posting. I love this story.

On 06/12/2012 11:24 AM, Rebelghost85 said:
It was so creepy when Tanner tried defending his murderer. Amanda really does have the world fooled. Hopefully the investigation turns up the foul play.

 

I'm not sure how you're going to progress their relationship with Tanner dead and all. It seems like a doomed relationship without the ability for Gibby to experience the world with (or without) Tanner. I'm interested in seeing where this goes but still marking your preferred hiding spots for a possible hunting down. (Under the bed, check).

 

Now on to hopes for the future: I'd really like Gibby to help Tanner solve his mystery and prove that Amanda and Ethan killed him. Also I want to know more about Gibby's ex and former best friend. How did it happen? Why did it happen? Will Tanner help Gibby gain the confidence he needs to meet someone else? Part of me hopes that Tanner can somehow come back to life and they can be together.

 

Thanks for posting. I love this story.

Thanks Rebel, yeah Amanda has everyone fooled, but for how long. Someone that crazy is bound to make a mistep. You have a lot of good questions...do I have answers. If I say maybe do I need to find a new hiding spot??? There will be answers, not all a once but now that we are crossing the halfway point there will be more with each chapter. :D

Hey KC :) I realized as i read this that i have read another story where the romantic interest was a ghost...it was the black dagger brotherhood series...but anyway that's besides the point. i don't even know if Tanner is the love interest so i will digress and just tell you what i thought of the chapter.

 

I will admit i am curious to see how you play this out. it is indeed a clever interesting way to go about things and i believe you have the ability to pull it off. you have very talented fingers my friend :) I love that Gibby was opening up to Tanner, and that he had the courage to tell him about the betrayal of the friend and the boyfriend. I'm curious as to why Tanner disappeared right then, but i bet you will be able to explain that next chapter.

 

I am thinking Tanner appeared to Gibby for many reasons, one perhaps to soften the blow of Gibby learning about his death. For two there's something kindred about the two of them, i always thought they were connected somehow. So Tanner remembers seeing Gibby hmmmmm interesting piece of info. he doesn't remember Amanda hit him i suppose. I mean he didn't see her so that makes sense, he saw Ethan after the fact but still. So wow he kinda crushed on Ethan, i wondered about that :) so much going on Kc and still a good story to tell...i'm anxious to see where you take this :) until next monday!

Too bad Tanner didn't have the nerve to talk to Gibby like this before he died - it might have altered his future and done both boys a lot of good.

 

In comparison to the last chapter this has a lighter, and, despite the events leading up to this, brighter feel to it - maybe it's the boldness with which Tanner is checking Gibby out, or the ease with which they enjoy each others company not letting the fact of a death ruin it for them - I believe Gibby is still a little chocked (or maybe he has experience of otherworldly presence since before when he was hurt from the fire?) for like Manu I think he is taking it extremely well.

 

This is also a chapter of confession. It is nice to get to know Tanner a little more - someone said it was creepy to see how he defended Amanda, I thought it was innocent. Apparently he doesn't know what has happened to him - and you no doubt will change that - but for now he can still find some joy about his too short life. I feel sad for how his memories will be tarnished once he knows the whole truth about not only his ex-girlfriend, but also his best friend. Has me thinking - some things we are best off not knowing.

 

Jonathan's reaction to hearing his son's conversation was another delight in this chapter. I wonder what he would have done if he knew just with what Gibby was talking. Not quite the phone!

 

These turn of events make this an even more interesting read. Will you turn into a story about revenge? Or is it about finding the killers and if so how will Gibby do that? Will it become a romance with supernatural aspects? Well, I'm not sure how to categorize it anymore, and it intrigues me. You've done a great job!

Im thinking--and hoping--that Tanner is really sort of in between life and death...and that his sudden disappearance indicates he is returning to life! He and Gibby were destined to be sexual together, and as this chapter has shown, you can't have sex with a ghost...the body just goes right through the apparition. I'm expecting Jonathan to get a call right about now to rush back to the hospital because the boy they thought was dead is showing signs of life! That's my thought and my hope, and I'm sticking to it! Can't wait for the next chapter!

Unbelieveable, Tanner is defending satan in a mini skirt, he doesn't know she's the one that hit him...now that's really sad to me...

Tanner seems to be such a wonderful guy, I wish he hadn't died and they could have developed their friendship, but oh well *sighs* Amanda to me is pure evil and there's not a punishment good enough for her. It's my hope that she doesn't get away with this...

Still digging the story, you're writing style is awesome, KC

I hate Sunday nights, it's too close to 3:30 am Monday morning, but at least I have your chapter updates... thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

On 06/12/2012 03:32 PM, Jammi said:
Hey KC :) I realized as i read this that i have read another story where the romantic interest was a ghost...it was the black dagger brotherhood series...but anyway that's besides the point. i don't even know if Tanner is the love interest so i will digress and just tell you what i thought of the chapter.

 

I will admit i am curious to see how you play this out. it is indeed a clever interesting way to go about things and i believe you have the ability to pull it off. you have very talented fingers my friend :) I love that Gibby was opening up to Tanner, and that he had the courage to tell him about the betrayal of the friend and the boyfriend. I'm curious as to why Tanner disappeared right then, but i bet you will be able to explain that next chapter.

 

I am thinking Tanner appeared to Gibby for many reasons, one perhaps to soften the blow of Gibby learning about his death. For two there's something kindred about the two of them, i always thought they were connected somehow. So Tanner remembers seeing Gibby hmmmmm interesting piece of info. he doesn't remember Amanda hit him i suppose. I mean he didn't see her so that makes sense, he saw Ethan after the fact but still. So wow he kinda crushed on Ethan, i wondered about that :) so much going on Kc and still a good story to tell...i'm anxious to see where you take this :) until next monday!

I read a couple of ghost- stories as a kid that really stuck with me. I love the supernatural world and ghost are so much fun. It's a world within a world, the boundries and limits have now changed same for this story. There is so much to still come. Thanks for reading! :)
On 06/12/2012 06:49 PM, Houdinii said:
KC, I agree with Manu, and I am desperately trying to keep my tongue in check about Tanner dying. You better keep Casper around. If you don't, I will hunt you down. <Total Promise, I will go psycho stalker reader on you :P But really, great chap. and can't wait for the next.
**scratch name off mailbox*** :o

 

Hide in Marky's bar...nobody will find me there! Except Stu...crap! I need a better plan. :P

 

All I ask is that you wait until I've posted the entire story and decide if you still want to hurt me for killing Tanner...deal?

On 06/12/2012 08:53 PM, sorgbarn said:
Too bad Tanner didn't have the nerve to talk to Gibby like this before he died - it might have altered his future and done both boys a lot of good.

 

In comparison to the last chapter this has a lighter, and, despite the events leading up to this, brighter feel to it - maybe it's the boldness with which Tanner is checking Gibby out, or the ease with which they enjoy each others company not letting the fact of a death ruin it for them - I believe Gibby is still a little chocked (or maybe he has experience of otherworldly presence since before when he was hurt from the fire?) for like Manu I think he is taking it extremely well.

 

This is also a chapter of confession. It is nice to get to know Tanner a little more - someone said it was creepy to see how he defended Amanda, I thought it was innocent. Apparently he doesn't know what has happened to him - and you no doubt will change that - but for now he can still find some joy about his too short life. I feel sad for how his memories will be tarnished once he knows the whole truth about not only his ex-girlfriend, but also his best friend. Has me thinking - some things we are best off not knowing.

 

Jonathan's reaction to hearing his son's conversation was another delight in this chapter. I wonder what he would have done if he knew just with what Gibby was talking. Not quite the phone!

 

These turn of events make this an even more interesting read. Will you turn into a story about revenge? Or is it about finding the killers and if so how will Gibby do that? Will it become a romance with supernatural aspects? Well, I'm not sure how to categorize it anymore, and it intrigues me. You've done a great job!

Killing Tanner has change the dynamics of the story. Gibby and Tanner are connecting on a different level and yes he's still a little shocked but this kid has been through a lot in his life.

 

There will be answers but we still have a ways to go. The phone conversation would have been different if Jonathan had walked in to his room ;) but he is going to have to learn how to react/not react to Tanner's presence.

 

I'm glad you like it. This is a hard story to put into a catagory. there is much more to come :D

On 06/12/2012 10:35 PM, DirkS said:
Im thinking--and hoping--that Tanner is really sort of in between life and death...and that his sudden disappearance indicates he is returning to life! He and Gibby were destined to be sexual together, and as this chapter has shown, you can't have sex with a ghost...the body just goes right through the apparition. I'm expecting Jonathan to get a call right about now to rush back to the hospital because the boy they thought was dead is showing signs of life! That's my thought and my hope, and I'm sticking to it! Can't wait for the next chapter!
That's very optimistic, Dirk! Soooooo...do you want the spoiler now or will you figure it out in a few chapters? I'm sorry but Tanner is dead :( But his ghost is still a huge part of the story. It's going to change His and Gibby's friendship/relationship but I think you'll like where the story is going!
On 06/12/2012 10:42 PM, Mark92 said:
So many questions unanswered you bugger :) Absolutely loving it though. And I'm for Assassins Creed over Skyrim, Stuby is the opposite. Tanner defending Amanda was a bit creepy. This keeps on getting better KC. Great job :):hug:
I'm no bugger :pissed: ...Oh wait, yes I am :P

 

Tell Stuby I forgive him in his taste in games! I'll still let him sit at the cool table :lol:

 

I'm glad you like it Marky!

On 06/13/2012 01:25 AM, ninecila said:
I can't believe you really killed him! That's so cruel, I was hoping he was just in coma and having an out of body experience..... That's so mean.

But anyway, although Tanner really died i liked this chapter very much, it's nice to get to know more about Gibby :)

I know, I'm mean, I'm sorry. I knew people would be upset with me and I killed him anyways...I suck! :lol: Even with Tanner dying, I'm glad you're still liking the story. Thanks for reading! :)
On 06/13/2012 04:37 AM, Naptowngirl said:
Unbelieveable, Tanner is defending satan in a mini skirt, he doesn't know she's the one that hit him...now that's really sad to me...

Tanner seems to be such a wonderful guy, I wish he hadn't died and they could have developed their friendship, but oh well *sighs* Amanda to me is pure evil and there's not a punishment good enough for her. It's my hope that she doesn't get away with this...

Still digging the story, you're writing style is awesome, KC

I hate Sunday nights, it's too close to 3:30 am Monday morning, but at least I have your chapter updates... thumbsupsmileyanim.gif

Tanner doesn't remember the accident. He doesn't believe his 'friends' would have done this to him. He still sees the good in them...for now :whistle:

 

Just think 1 day down so we are already closer to Monday! :D


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