Gaslight Village was a dirty trailer park in the armpit of the city. Close to fifty trailers were packed into the narrow, rocky, strip of land between the train tracks and the cluster of shops at the base of the hill. Jamie lived in the pit with his mom, April, a grumpy old drunk, and his five-year-old daughter, Harper. It wasn’t ideal, but since Jamie had come out of jail, April had grudgingly taken them in.

It was eight in the morning and Jamie and Harper were walking to the bus stop at the front of the park. Two kids flew by on bikes, a redhead and a brunette, and Harper watched them longingly.

“What’s up, kid?” Jamie asked the little blonde at his side. “Why the long face?”

“I wish I had a bike,” Harper said. “Then I could ride around with the other kids. It isn’t fair.”

Jamie sighed. He hadn’t worked since coming out. His PO wanted him to get a job, but every time he applied for one, he had to tell the interviewer all his legal business. It was required. But afterward, no one wanted anything to do with him. “Maybe I could find one on Facebook or something,” he said under his breath.

“One with a basket on the front,” Harper said, bouncing with excitement. “And maybe tassels on the handles.”

“We’ll see,” Jamie said. “Money’s pretty tight. And you know how your grandma is about handing me cash.”

Harper chewed her lip. “But if it’s for a bike, maybe she would understand.”

“Maybe.” They reached the front of the development and Jamie bent to kiss his daughter on the forehead. “You okay waiting?”

The two young boys with the bikes, and a few other kids without them, were standing around with their backpacks. Harper nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

“Cool.” Jamie ruffled the girl’s hair with fondness. “I’ll see you back here at three.”

“Bye, daddy.”

“See you, Harper. Have fun at school.”

Harper bounced up to her other little friends and started chatting, and Jamie felt at ease as he left the girl behind. He could have waited, but Harper preferred he didn’t. It was lame if he stayed. They’d had a conversation about it maybe a month ago.

As he walked, Jamie pulled out his pack of cigarettes and lit up. Twenty-three and thin, Jamie had seafoam blue eyes, a dusting of sun-kissed freckles across his nose and shoulders and a devilish smile to go with. April constantly accused him of being up to no good because of it.

He wore a lot of sleeveless shirts and jeans. Which is what he had on today. His boots were old, worn and splattered with mud, but there was a grungy sort of appeal in the work boots paired with the faded jeans. The most defining part of his fashion sense though were his tattoos. They covered both his arms, his chest, back and there were a few below his narrow waist, too. Jamie had a story to go with every ink job he'd ever had. They meant a lot to him…

As he puffed his cigarette, he thought about going back to the trailer, but the thought fizzled out almost at once. When they’d left for the bus, April had been sleeping in her chair in the front room, empty bottles of alcohol on the table next to her, so that meant Jamie would have to sit in the bedroom so he wouldn’t disturb her. She was a grouch when she was woken up before noon, and he didn’t want to deal with her bad attitude this early in the morning. He made a course correction and headed for Gordon King’s trailer instead.

Gordon was the resident gay guy with cats. He dealt drugs as well, but that wasn’t why Jamie was going to his place. They’d become fast friends since Jamie had moved in with his mother. They just sort of clicked. They were both criminals, in a way, and Jamie was drawn to that.

Gordon lived way on the other side of the park, in a trailer bordering the wooded back lot, and Jamie sucked down the last of his cancer stick and flicked it into the gravel as he got closer. He hopped up on the small deck of Gordon’s trailer and knocked briefly on the screen door. There was a long pause, and Jamie lit up another cigarette as he waited for an answer.

Gordon came to the door after a few minutes. There were dark circles under his eyes, but he looked cheerful. “Hey. I thought you were someone else.”

“Nope. Just me.” Jamie slid into the cool, air-conditioned living room/kitchenette. “You look exhausted.”

Gordon laughed. “That’s because I am. I’ve been up for three days straight now.”

Jamie glanced around the room. The kitchen to the right was filled with trash and dirty dishes. Empty two liter bottles and stacks of old pizza boxes cluttered the island countertop.

The living area to the left wasn’t much better. There was a big tube TV on a dusty entertainment center against the far wall, a dumpy gray couch in the middle, and a desk in the corner with more pizza boxes stacked on the edge. The computer on the desk was lit up and a sultry, dark-haired boy, half-dressed and pouting was on Gordon's screen. He was beautiful.

“Who’s that?” Jamie asked. “A new boyfriend?”

Gordon smiled and hurried back to the desk. “Yep. We just met a few days ago. It’s why I haven’t slept.”

Jamie stepped closer and flicked his cigarette in the overflowing tray on the desk. “Wow. He looks young.”

“He's eighteen,” Gordon said quickly. “And he's desperate to come out of the closet, but he needs help escaping his parents first.”

Jamie quirked an eyebrow.

“Let me explain,” Gordon said, throwing himself into the desk chair and turning back to the computer. One of his cats weaved between his legs, and he scooped it up and placed it in his lap. “His name is Adam. He lives up in Connecticut,” Gordon said as he flipped through a couple images of the same boy. He smiled sweetly in each one, shirtless, clothed, it didn’t matter. He had a winning smile. “His parents are strict Catholics and they've already warned him what would happen if he decided to be gay.”

Jamie took a draw off his cigarette. “Um, yeah?”

Gordon scowled at nothing. “He'll be excommunicated and then disowned.”

“That…sucks.” Gordon was constantly going on about the plight of the gay man. He had a feeling this kid, whoever he was, was on that spectrum.

“I have to help him.” Gordon stroked his cat with a moony expression on his face. “I love him.”

“Already?” Jamie snorted. “I thought you said you only met a few days ago.”

“Yeah. On Plenty of Fish,” Gordon said. “But we’ve been talking for hours and hours.”

“He’s cute,” Jamie said grudgingly. “But how do you know he’s really eighteen? I mean, that looks like a kid.”

“I just know, okay.” Gordon exited out of the image with a huff, then shoved the cat out of his lap and stormed into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and stared into it listlessly.

Jamie watched the older man as he browsed his refrigerator. Gordon was somewhere in his late 30's. He had thin black hair that he kept in a long ponytail down his back. He was thin too, but he didn't touch weights. He broke a sweat carrying a bag of candy and cigarettes home.

He was taller than Jamie, had long, creepy fingers, and big feet. He had a pale, gaunt face and regularly had circles under his eyes. He wasn't very attractive. Jamie wondered how he got so many different guys to talk to him… But in this case, it seemed to be desperation.

“How well do you know this kid?” Jamie asked.

“Well enough.”

“Like, you've actually seen his birth certificate? People lie about their age all the time, you know.”

“I'm not asking for relationship advice.” Gordon took a Red Bull out of the fridge and slammed the door. “Listen, I need a ride to Connecticut.”

“I can’t,” Jamie said immediately. “I’m not supposed to leave the state.”

“I'll pay you for it. Five hundred bucks. Plus, I'll cover the gas and food while we're out of town.”

Jamie stepped closer and ashed his cigarette in one of the empty 2-liter bottles on the counter. There was still a few swallows of pop in the bottom and the ash hissed when it hit the liquid. “Five hundred bucks for what?” he asked. “To help you kidnap a minor?”

“I don’t know how it’s kidnapping.” Gordon cracked open his energy drink and sucked it down. He burped right after and Jamie cringed at the throaty sound. "School just started again, and he's being bullied a lot. He needs to get out of there and I can provide that escape."

“I don’t know, Gordon…”

“Six hundred dollars,” Gordon said, leaning against the counter top and meeting Jamie’s gaze with determination. “Half before we leave and half when we get back.”

Six hundred dollars would get Harper a bike…among other things… Jamie sighed and dropped his cigarette butt into the two liter bottle. “I’ll have to ask my mom for her car. She’s not going to be happy.”

“Make it eight hundred, and give her two,” Gordon said. “That’s my final offer.”

Jamie backed up and fell into the dumpy gray couch. Two more of Gordon’s cats, a black one and a golden one, were nestled together on the cushions and he tried not to disrupt them. “You could get a plane ticket for less than that. What do you need me for?”

“Moral support,” Gordon said, smirking. “And it’ll just be a lot easier to lay low with my own ride.”

“It sounds more and more like your trying to plan something illegal,” Jamie scoffed.

“I’m trying to keep this discrete.” Gordon said, then he crushed his can of Red Bull and tossed it into the sink. “I can’t do that without you. You’re my only hope.”

Jamie wearily scratched his fingers through his hair. “When do you need me?”

Gordon grinned. “We’ll leave Friday afternoon and be there Saturday morning. We’ll be back by Sunday night.”

Jamie nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll ask mom about it tonight and get back to you tomorrow.”

“Please do,” Gordon said. “Because I’ll have to find other arrangements if you can’t do it.”

Jamie made a face. “But I thought you needed moral support!”

“I do.” Gordon walked around the island and came to stand in front of the couch. He moved the cats with little fuss, then took their place. The orange one climbed lazily back into his lap and curled up. “But this is really important to me. I can’t base everything off you.”

Jamie snorted with amusement. “Right.”

“Eeee! I’m so excited!” Gordon clapped his hands together. “I can’t wait to tell Adam! He’s in morning mass, right now, or else I’d try to get him on video chat.”

“Morning mass?” Jamie drawled.

“Yeah. He goes to catholic school and everything,” Gordon said. “His life is really structured. It sounds like a hell on earth, if you ask me.”

Tap, tap, tap

“That’s Moe,” Gordon said, nodding toward the door. “He wants a gram to last him until the weekend. I can’t believe I’m doing another front.”

“I’d better get out of here, then,” Jamie grunted. He didn’t want any part in the drug deal about to take place.

“Let him in, will you?” Gordon picked up the cat in his lap and draped it over his shoulder. “I need to talk to him first.”

Jamie got up and answered the door. Moe, a toothless black guy in a beanie, stood on the other side of the door.

“Jamie! How’s it going, my man.”

“Hey. Not bad,” Jamie said, trying to get past the other guy. “I was just on my way out.”

“Oh, I see how it is.” Moe blocked the exit, laughing. “You don’t want to hang with me no more?”

“I’ve got to meet my PO in an hour,” Jamie lied. He’d gone on Monday. “I can’t stay.”

“How much longer do you have to deal with those assholes?” Moe asked, but he stepped back and let Jamie on the deck. “I thought you were done with that months ago.”

“Nope. Three months to go.”

Moe smiled, showing his gums. “Hit me up when you’re done. We’ll have some fun.”

“Will do.” Jamie slipped away and hopped off the deck. He hadn’t wanted to deal with his mother, but he was excited for the money. It had been awhile since he’d had anything extra.

When he returned home, Jamie made a racket at the door. He leaned against the battered screen and kicked his boots off, then resecured the latch with a clatter.

“What the hell, Jamie!” April, across the way in her favorite recliner chair, shielded her eyes with a groan. “I was sleeping!”

“Sorry, mom,” Jamie said. “I thought you were in the bedroom.”

“You know I wasn’t in the bedroom, I’ve been laid up in this chair since last night!” April complained then pushed her chair into its upright position. “Did you take Harper to the bus stop?”

“Of course, I did,” Jamie said as he took a seat on the loveseat next to the recliner. “She left like thirty minutes ago.”

“Oh. Good.”

Jamie watched his mother sort through the bottles on her side table, looking for the remote. “I stopped by Gordon’s this morning.”

“You did?” April grunted, then she found the remote and flipped the television set on. Fucking Jeopardy. “What did you two talk about? Another boyfriend?”

“Yep. The new one’s up in Connecticut,” Jamie said. “Gordon needs a ride to go see him.”

April frowned at the TV. “Connecticut?”

“I know I’m not supposed to leave the state, but he’s offering to pay us,” Jamie said, grasping the arm of his mother’s chair and urging her to meet his gaze. She did, unwillingly. “Four hundred dollars, mom. And I’ll give you half for the car and for watching Harper.”

“You should give it all to me,” April said, glowering. “Nobody’s going anywhere without my car.”

“Fuck mom. I’ve still got to drive him nine hours to get there.” Jamie scowled at the old woman. “Gordon’s buying gas while we’re out, too. It’s a total win.”

“When’s this happening?” April asked, her gaze drifting away as she reached for her Newports.

“Friday,” Jamie said as April lit up. “We’ll be back by Sunday. It won’t take but two days.”

“You’d better bring me my money,” April said, blowing smoke at the TV. “And my gas tank better be full when you get back.”

Jamie nodded.

“Fine, fine, just tell the kid to stay out of my way,” April said. “I’ll order something for dinner, but I’m not a catering service. It’s cereal for breakfast and ham sandwiches for lunch.”

Jamie cringed a little. “All right.”

“Now get out of my face.” April said, shooing Jamie away.” I’m trying to catch up on my morning shows.”

Jamie got off the couch and took himself down the hall. He’d been here for over six months, but the living arrangements were still up in the air.

The last room in the trailer was April’s. All her clothes, all her stupid dolls, all her makeup and fancy hair products were in there, and Jamie didn’t venture inside unless he had no choice.

The bathroom was the second to last door, a tiny cramped room with more hair products and lotions, and the last room was Jamie’s old place, the room where Harper slept.

Jamie went there, because it was the only place he had any privacy. The narrow room fit a full mattress, and not much else. There was a dresser wedged into the closet next to the door, and a small table and chair in the corner with a mirror over it.

He went into the closet first and grabbed his free weights. Twenty pounds each, they weren’t for the average bicep. Jamie took them in front of the mirror and did a set of reps while he stared himself in the eye. He did slow, measured squats while he worked his upper body. His breathing was steady, but his muscles burned deliciously and after forty good minutes of working out, Jamie fell back on the bed in a sweat.

He caught a brief nap on the bed, then woke up around noon to shower and change into another sleeveless tee and jeans.

“Mom!” he yelled from the bedroom.

“What?!”

“I’m almost out of cigarettes. I need money.”

April started to grumble. Jamie could hear it over the TV set. He checked his appearance in the mirror, then ducked out of the bedroom to get the money. She hated giving it to him, but she always got something out of his trips to the store.

In the next room, April was going through her purse. Jamie paused to get a glass of water while he waited. “Twenty bucks,” she said, pulling two tens out of her wallet. “Get your smokes, and I want a six pack and another box of Newports.”

Jamie set his glass on the counter, then stepped forward to get the money, but April pulled it back at the last second.

“I want my change this time,” she said firmly. “I don’t want you saving up a bunch of money. Who knows what you’ll do with it.”

Jamie took the money with a scowl. “Harper needs a bike. I might actually be able to get her one after this trip.”

“Good for you. That’s a lot better than the bull you usually spend your money on,” she snorted. “You’re over twenty and you’re still watching porn videos…”

Jamie frowned. “That shit doesn’t even cost money, mom.”

“Pfft. Whatever you say,” April waved him off. “Just get my beer. I’m thirsty.”

Jamie stared at his mother in horror. Once, she’d caught him jacking off to a web cam video, and now she thought he did that shit all the time… He flicked her off where she couldn’t see and then stepped into his boots and banged out the door.

Jamie lit up another cigarette as he walked to the front of the trailer park. The Safeway at the end of the road carried everything they’d ever need. Tobacco, alcohol, and groceries, within reason, of course. They didn’t do any fresh meat or produce.

He walked fast as he smoked like a chimney. That stupid web cam video was on his mind now, and he was angry just thinking about it.

It had happened right after he’d been released from jail. Six months he’d been behind bars. Six months of seeing the same four walls every single day.

Jamie had been horny as fuck. But for what, he didn’t know. He’d been dreaming of soft, luscious curves for weeks, but now that he had the opportunity to seek some out, all he could think about was his cellmates hard cock.

Not that Jamie had ever really seen it. There had been brief moments in the shower, but other than that, it had always been clothed. Jamie didn’t know why he would ever think about it again, except, perhaps, because he’d always thought about cock, he just never wanted to admit to it.

Anyway, he’d been watching some tranny shit on Pornhub when April walked into the kitchen for another drink. He’d ended the video before she could see the girl’s giant cock, then hid his own wilting erection in absolute shame.

April had got a kick out of it. She’d laughed for days afterward, and she hadn’t even seen what he’d been watching.

Jamie’s sex drive had been fucked ever since. He was horny all the time anymore, but he could never find enough privacy to do the deed. Gordon had helped him make a Tinder, but Jamie wasn’t interested in a random hook up. Plus, Gordon had set his profile to display women only, and Jamie wasn’t sure that’s what he was looking for…

Jamie finished his first cigarette, then started on another. He tried to change his depressing thoughts as he left the park and started down the sidewalk. Three more months of this…Then the courts would seal his record and he’d be done with the biweekly drug tests. He’d been doing this shit for a year. His whole life had been flipped on its ass… He just wanted everything to go back to normal.

Only, Jamie now had sole custody of Harper (it was a long story). He had zero money. And he was having these weird homosexual urges he couldn’t repress.

Nearing the store, Jamie flicked his cigarette butt into the gutter, then pushed his fingers through his short blond hair. He wished he could figure this shit out a whole lot faster. If he could just get a normal job somewhere, maybe he could save up enough money to move out of April’s trailer.

His thoughts in a muddle, he reached the Safeway and walked automatically into the back for his mom’s favorite beer. When he had the six pack, he walked back to the front and set it on the counter.

“Hi, Jamie.” Brandy, a beautiful, dark skinned girl straightened behind the register.

“Hey. How’s business?” Jamie smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Pack of Newports for my mom, and those Eagle hundreds I like.”

Brandy knew exactly what he wanted and she fetched both packs from the back wall. “It’s been kind of slow this morning, but it is Humpday.”

Jamie set his money on the counter and laughed. “Is it still Humpday if you’re off Friday?”

“Want to find out?” Brandy asked, fluttering her lashes. “You know my days off. You know where I live, too. Right across the road from you.’

“This Friday?” Jamie said coolly. “Can’t. I’ve actually got a job this weekend. Gordon’s paying me to drive him up to Connecticut.”

“Oh, another online boyfriend?”

“How’d you guess,” Jamie laughed, but he was deeply unsettled. This wasn’t the first time Brandy had tried to pick him up, he doubted it’d be the last. He just wanted to leave. He pushed the money a tad closer to Brandy’s register and drummed his fingers a bit. “He’s back at the park waiting for me actually. I left him hanging, told him I had to think about it.”

Brandy took the hint and cashed him out. Finally. “Want a bag for that?”

“Please.”

Brandy tisked as she put the beer in a bag. “Maybe one of these weekends we can hang out. I’d really like that.”

Jamie rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“See you around, Jamie,” Brandy said, then pushed everything across the counter.

“See you, B.”

Jamie left the store as calmly as he could, but he wanted to run. That was the last time he was going into the Safeway before second shift. Brandy rarely worked second shift…

Jamie dropped off the beer and cigarettes to his mother, than, feeling like Brandy had her eye on him, he went straight back to Gordon’s house.

“Hey!” Gordon said when he answered the door and saw it was Jamie. “Great timing! Adam’s on video chat right now.”

Jamie followed Gordon to the computer. The same, dark haired, dark eyed boy from before was on the screen. He was outside, and he wasn’t paying attention to the camera, he blew his longish hair out of his eyes and stared worriedly off into the distance.

He wore a tidy, dark blue uniform and he looked even younger than before. But he was certainly attractive, and when Gordon shoved him into the chair, Jamie found himself stumbling over his words.

“H-hi. I’m Jamie. Gordon’s friend.”

Adam bit his lip and looked back at the screen. Slowly, his expression changed. The worried look fell away. He released his plump lower lip and smiled. “Hey. I’m Adam.”

Gordon butted in immediately. “He’s cute, isn’t he? He’s my neighbor.”

Adam chewed his lip again. “This is the guy?”

“Oh, we’re you talking about me?” Jamie laughed uncomfortably.

“You bet,” Gordon said, squeezing into the view of the Webcam much to Jamie’s discomfort. “I told Adam you were going to drive me up there this weekend.”

Jamie pulled away a little, and put some distance between himself and Gordon. It meant he wasn’t in frame anymore, but he didn’t care. “I just asked my mom. She wants that two hundred dollars.”

“How much are you paying for this trip?” Adam choked, but Gordon waved him off.

“Don’t worry about it. Money’s the last thing on my mind right now,” he said, but Adam looked upset. “All I want is to be with you. It’s going to happen in just a few days! Relax!”

Adam shook his head, then there was a shout off in the distance and he flinched. “I’ve got to go.” The screen went black and the Skype call exited out.

“Great chat,” Jamie sneered. “Where’d he go?”

“He’s still at school so it could have been anything,” Gordon said, stepping back from the computer and folding his arms. “He’ll message me when he can. It’s fine.”

“He didn’t seem very happy,” Jamie said, suspicious. “He wants to do this, right? He wants us to come pick him up?”

“Yes,” Gordon said. “We were just talking about him getting bullied in class. His whole school knows he’s gay now. It’s only a matter of time before his parents find out.”

“That doesn’t mean he has to run away!”

“Yes, it does,” Gordon snapped, turning away and throwing himself dramatically onto the couch. “He wants to start a new life. He can do that here.”

Jamie looked around in disgust. “Here?!”

Gordon frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? What’s wrong with this place?”

“Besides your collection of pizza boxes, even if this place was perfect this would still be weird!”

Gordon glared at him. “I’m going to pay you good money for this ride. I really don’t need the commentary.”

Jamie threw up his arms in frustration.

“I’m serious, Jamie,” Gordon growled. “You’d best keep your opinions to yourself from now on. This trip is about me and Adam. You’re just the chauffer.”

Jamie got out of the desk chair. “I’m leaving.”

“See you Friday,” Gordon said dryly. “Because I know you’ll be here. No matter what you may think.”

Jamie slammed Gordon’s door behind him. “Fucking asshole!”

He really didn’t want to go back, but Jamie headed to his mother’s place for lack of anything better to do. He probably end up sleeping on the bed until the elementary bus let out, then he’d start some dinner.

It was a boring life, but Jamie didn’t have a whole lot of options living with his mom. He trudged back through the trailer park with his hands in his pockets.