Jeurridam Ch. 07: Henderson (Mid)

Each day started off with a forty minute workout! I'd do one hundred fifty pushups, two hundred abdominal curls and do five minute bursts of speed roping. Then for the last ten minutes, I'd wind down with some power yoga. It was the way you wanted to start your day, doing something positive! In order to want better for yourself, you had to do better for yourself!

I had managed to get a job at the Henderson Justice Office, documenting the people who came in with legal claims. It was a simple alphabetising job that paid much more than it should have. There was no more worrying about surviving on my own. I was thriving! Three months ago, this was something I wasn't sure I was capable of. Everything changed because of something as simple as learning how to read. Wherever Beth was, I couldn't thank her enough.

As time winded down, the work shift came to an end. I began the routine walk back to my camp stationed by the Sloan Wall. There was an unexpected visitor waiting for me...Luke.

"I did it..." He said, "I swallowed my balls and ran away. I couldn't take it! Without you out there with me I just couldn't rake it in like that."

"How long have you been out here?" I asked.

"Since early this morning." He said.

"Awe, kid..." I sighed, walking over to him, "I thought you'd come but not like within two days of me leaving Paradise... Good you can make it though?" Luke didn't say anything, just steadily leaning on the buggy. There was so much on his mind.

"You think he'll come looking for me?" Luke asked, justifiably scared.

"Maybe so, maybe not! Jeurridam is huge! He wouldn't even know where to start looking." I said hoping to reassure the boy. He looked at me intently.

"This was a long, hot ass wait! Where were you for so long?" He asked.

"I've had a steady and peaceful job for the past few days and I'm grateful for it. The change of pace is just wonderful." I smiled.

"A job..." Luke sighed, "I'm never going to get one..."

"Why?" I asked.

"Unlike you... I can't read!" He said back.

"Well learn!" I chuckled. He looked at me as if I stated something impossible.

"Learn? How? Who's gonna teach me?" He asked.

"I can try! My sister taught me and I picked it up within hours and grasped it totally in less than a month. Of course, I had nothing but time on my hands." I said, going to the rear of the truck.

"I just look at papers with words on them and it's just... impossible! It's one of those things you have to be gifted for..." Luke said, warranting a bewildered look from me.

"Not at all! Whoever tried to teach you before is shit-for-brains! Start with the alphabet..." I sighed, a metal rod in my hand.

"What?" He asked, never hearing the word before.

"Lord, they really didn't teach you anything, did they?" I said, beginning to draw shapes in the sand.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"This is," I began, "The alphabet! There are twenty six components of the alphabet known as letters. Each letter is what words are composed of."

"This is not helping. All I see is just scribble scrabble on the dirt..." Luke sighed. I handed him a notebook and a pen.

"Copy the letters." I said. He looked at me unsure how this would help.

"Okay..." He shrugged, looking forth into the sand and writing the letters down, "And this will help because?"

"It will help you to remember." I said.

"I just want to be able to understand the words. I don't get how these tiny little pieces of words will help." He sighed.

"I said the same thing to my sister... She bitch slapped me and called me stupid and said I better keep writing... I'm not going to do that to you but the little pieces of words come together and when they do... I swear it will blow your mind!" I smiled. He looked at me blinking slowly with very little interest. He continued to copy the letters.

"Okay..." He responded getting to the last one. I began reciting them the boy looking on completely lost. He began to repeat them, slowly but surely learning the alphabet. I showed him the vowels, the consonants and everything else simple but practical. He just wasn't enthused at all but I stayed on him.

"Now that you know how to say letters... lets try to put them together..." I said, the boy rolling his eyes. I took the notebook from him, "I'm going to write something down... and you sound it out."
"Okay..." He shrugged as I handed him back the notebook. He looked intently at the paper, "I... am... re...ree...reading... for... THE... Fiiirrrrrsssttt time? I AM READING FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! Oh my god, I am reading for the first time!!!" Excitement lit up his face.

"Now do you understand why we had to do the boring shit on the ground?" I asked.

"Yeah!!!" He nodded, truly mind blown.

"You got to keep practicing, mijo..." I teased. Luke gave me a menacing look.

"Don't call me that!" He said as I handed him a really simple book.

"I want you to copy down the words onto paper and then sound them out." I said.

"Okay..." He responded, this time with enthusiasm.

I picked up a book myself, one of the old Michael Criton books sitting on the hood of the truck. The sun began to set as I read. It was the way I liked to spend my evenings, just relaxing. I had almost forgot Luke was here.

"Luke..." I called out.

"Yeah?" He responded, vigorously writing.

"You hungry? Been all day, hasn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah..." He chuckled. I hopped up walking to the back of the truck where he was. He watched as I climbed beside him, reaching for the cooking racks, "Wait you're gonna cook?"

"I have four hares sitting on ice back here. I wanna cook them before they go bad." I said, pulling the cast iron cooking stand out of the rear of the truck. It was insanely heavy.

"You need help?" Luke asked.

"I got it." I said, leaping off the truck bed with it. I planted it firmly into the ground.

"Don't hurt yourself." Luke teased.

"No promises." I chuckled, going back to the truck bag for the flames-in-a-cans. I planted them on the middle rings of the cooking stand, torching them.

"Hand me the cooking racks." I said to Luke.

"Sure." He said, picking them up and handing them to me. I stacked them onto the cooking stand, going back to the cooler.

"Got anything to drink?" He asked.

"Apart from some nopal wine, wheat beers and water, nothing special." I laughed, grabbing two of the half frozen hares out of the cooler. I placed them on the outside of the rack before placing a pan of hickory chips on the center. I doused them in lighter fluid, watching them burn.

"You seem good at this." Luke laughed.

"I'm nothing special like my brother. That boy can make the best tasting food out of mud, rotting shit and dried leaves..." I chuckled, "Can you pass me the hood?"
"Sure." Luke said, grabbing the giant wok, "So, you have siblings?"

"Yeah, five others...Me, Beth, Heaven, Zachary, and Nathan." I responded, slowly placing the wok over the flame. Smoke began to pour out from the underside, billowing in rings.

"Damn, are ya'll close?" Luke asked.

"No," I responded, sitting next to him, "The one I'm closest to is Beth. We used to be all really close then puberty hit and we began hating one another."

"I had a little brother but he died when I younger... typhoid." Luke said.

"So sorry dude..." I said, looking at him.

"What's there to be sorry for if I was too young to understand?" He chuckled.

"Eh..." I sighed, "So what happened back in Paradise? What made you leave?"

"You..." Luke responded.

"Whaaaaa?" I asked, taken off guard.

"Call me stupid, naive or whatever but after those nights we spent together in Paradise I couldn't stop thinking about you. You have a way of making it and I wanted to make it like you did. I tried making it like you did and I couldn't... So I came looking for you." He said.

"You weren't right for that life... I've seen first hand what it can do." I said, shaking my head. He looked at me intently.

"What happened between you and that guy that night?" He asked.

"Rion? Um... he's. He took me back to his spot and tried to get me back involved with his gang. I told him I wasn't and things escalated quickly. I pulled out a gun and told him that things would be different and if he wants this to go down this way that I didn't care. I even begged him to kill me because my family would come for him with an iron... fist." I explained.

"Your family? Is your family an affiliation or something?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, Logatti. My dad's the legendary Dale Logatti." I said. Luke's jaw fell.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"Yeah..." I shrugged, "I thought I told you?"

"Maybe you did, but that's big... I would have remembered." He laughed.
"It's not that big. I'm lying low... don't want anyone to know who I am. Nothing good could come of it." I said.

"I see why. Everyone I know hates the Logatti." He chuckled.

"It's not my fault. My dad is cutthroat as fuck... even with me. It's why I had to leave! If things aren't run his way, they aren't run at all and things haven't been going his way for a long time now." I sighed.

"Well, maybe things will be better and you can go back home one day." Luke said, being hopeful.

"I don't want to go back home. That's what he wants. He wants me to go home so he can humiliate me again but I'm not... I've finally found something of my own and I plan on keeping it! I've been having gold for luck these days and I don't want it to change... That man probably will take all my money and say I owe him and I'd be back at square one. I don't want to have to go through that..." I said, shaking my head.

"Damn, it's that bad?" Luke asked, completely shocked.

"You have no idea. I ran away years ago because of him... When I was younger, he told me real men don't need to read... Real men work! He didn't show me anything resourceful and I was... inept. I got jealous over the way he treated another son and tried to forge a relationship with my dad but he wouldn't have it. All that ended up happening was me feeling like I was inadequate, not worthy of the family title and I ran away... I wanted to feel like I belonged somewhere and I ran right into Rion's arms... to blind to see it was a trap. I got hooked on drugs, was back and forth between A99 and Paradise, doing odd jobs not to make ends meet but to fix my addiction. My dad was so upset, he'd often beat me and made me never want to come back... Last time I came back, mom was gone and I took her jewels to sell because, let's face it... she's not coming back... And he lost it. I was kicked out, again but I tried to stay with a brother who was... not really a brother but kind of is. He built machines and I stole one of his for quick cash and things blew up bad. That is when the entire family relationship was strained and how I ended up here..." I explained.

"Okay..." Luke said, it making better sense now.

"Don't sweat any of it though. I'm happier now! Much happier..." I laughed. It fell silent between us, Luke going into deep thought.

"Ugh, maybe one day I'll get there..." Luke sighed.

"You will!" I said, "I'm gonna help." A blood rushed smile came across his face.

We sat on the truck bed for hours, just looking at the night sky. It was chilly with the biting desert breeze wafting around but neither of us cared. We set up the tent as the smell of hare began to circulate around. We both were insanely hungry.

"So," Luke began, "You going to work tomorrow?"

"Yeah but I get off at two in the afternoon. I wake up reeeaaaaalllly early though." I warned.

"So do I." He smiled with a sigh.

"Gonna join me for my morning workout?" I asked.

"It depends..." He said, checking the stakes of the tent, "On what you plan on working out..."

"Well, that depends on how willing and able you are to break a sweat..." I responded, lifting the wok off the flame. I began glazing the hares with a bourbon rub crudely made from ingredients around town.

"Shit when can we eat??" Luke asked.

"Give it about forty more minutes." I laughed.

"Ugh!!!" He grovelled, obviously quite hungry.

With forty minutes left before the hares were finished smoking, I boiled spanish rice and pickled vegetables. I then sauteed it in brown sugar and soy sauce, letting it simmer on the edge of the rack before placing the wok back over the flame.

"I swear you can do everything..." Luke sighed.

"Trust me I can't... My sister can do everything! Her best friend... can do things you can't even imagine... It's crazy..." I sighed, sitting next to him.

"The food smells amazing..." Luke said, laying across the freezing cold sand.

"I just wish my little bro was here so he could be the one cooking. It's actually something I hate..." I laughed.

"You seem quite good at it." Luke noted.

"Maybe... only the taste test will tell." I giggled.

The rest of the night was pointless conversation, eating and eventually sleeping. I woke up, my arm wrapped around Luke like we were together for much longer than we were. It felt right with him though, like this was meant to be. I slowly withdrew my arm, exiting the tent. It was time to begin this morning work out.

"Zeek?" Luke called out from the tent.

"Yeah?" I responded. He came out of the tent, seeing me squatting. I was getting in a good groin stretch.

"Oh..." He smiled, eager to join. He squatted as well, placing his elbows on his inner knees and pushing outward, "So what is your routine?"

"Nothing special. Start with a five minute stretch, do a hundred fifty push ups, two hundred curls and close with some yoga." I said.

"Doesn't sound too bad..." He said, stretching his arms.

It was then on! It became a competition to see who could do the most push ups and abdominal curls the fastest. Of course I won but only marginally. Then it came down to the closing yoga. We splayed our legs apart, bringing our feet together. I wrapped my hands around his waist, leaning far forward. He pulled back as well, placing his hands on the ground for leverage.

"You really love a good groin stretch don't you?" He asked.

"This is for my thighs..." I laughed. Suddenly, his crotch came flying towards me face. I was hit by what felt like a living rock, trapped underneath those shorts. I looked up at him, the boy biting his lip. He wanted this to be taken to the next level so bad.

I grabbed his arms, pulling him forth. His arms wrapped around my waist as he felt the pull of the center stretch. Suddenly, the boy's mouth began to caress the bulge forming under my shorts. Before I could stop him, his hand slipped under my shorts, popping out my shaft. He began sucking on it, sending me into utter euphoria. However, I couldn't let him take me there! I didn't want to risk being late for work.

I grabbed him by his head, looking at him menacingly.

"Stop!" I said. All he did was smile, a smile I couldn't resist.

"Please, just let me..." He said. I couldn't help it. I leaned down, bringing my lips to his. Both of our bodies were contorted into some very tight positions. I let him resume sucking me off. Truly, I forgot the life he came from. He had incredible skill, his tongue able to pull on every nerve down there. It didn't take long for him to suck out every ounce of cum I had. Our eyes met, the boy smiling, seemingly gracious.

"I didn't know any other way to thank you..." He shrugged.

"Thank you!" I chuckled, before looking at my watch, "Yeah... I really got to get to work..." I sprung to my feet, rushing over to the water tank.

"What am I supposed to do for the rest of the day?" He asked.

"My safe's combination is two, six, two, nine, eight, five, one, six. Go buy you some things around town, things you'll need. And keep, practicing reading!!!!" I said, stripping down naked.

"Okay..." He said back, watching. I showered on the truck bed, before changing clothes. Never did I think I'd be dressing in a suit and tie with a satchel strapped to my waist but, hey... I was. I brushed my teeth, slicked my hair and was off.

"Bye..." I waved to Luke, "Make sure you put the tent up and the grilling stuff."

"Okay and Bye..." He smiled back, watching as I walked into Henderson.

The work day was plain and boring, mostly filing, writing down people's claims and leading them to people who could represent their law claims. Thoughts of Luke would periodically ease into my mind, wondering could we ever have a future out here. I could just him and I building an empire together, right here in Henderson. Hell, I'd want to start a school, a school for the youth so they wouldn't have to go into the treacherous life we had to. I knew Luke would be on board because he was just that caring of a person. However, that dream would be a long ways off. Not only were there blatant hurdles, mainly financial ones but there would be unseen hurdles and those were the ones I was most worried about. I didn't want anyone to come for something I was forging and undermine my efforts! That simply wouldn't fly, especially with children involved. I'd probably be very, very hostile to any threat...

Wow, a long term goal... I never ever formed one before, but I was eager to go back and share it with Luke. I rushed back to to the camp, the boy laying on the hot bed of the truck, practicing his reading.

"Hey!!!" I called out. He suddenly rose up, startled.

"Hey," He said back, scratching his head, "How was your day?"

"Good," I smiled, hopping onto the bed of the truck, "We're gonna go fill up the water tank. I'm running low."

"Cool..." He said, placing the book down. I changed clothes into something more desert friendly.

"Did you buy anything resourceful?" I asked. A nervous look spread across his face as his hands fidgeted around.

"I um... I didn't want to go in your safe without you being here..." He said, watching me slide into my shorts. I looked at him, disappointed.

"Bruh, I gave you the go ahead..." I said.

"And?" He shrugged, "I still didn't want to go in your safe..."

"Okay," I laughed, "Saturday... We're shopping but today... we got a few chores to do." I reached for the keys, climbing to the front of the truck.

"Like what?" He asked, eager to do anything as long as it was with me.

"Firstly, we're going to the Bay of Vegas to fill up the tank. Then we're heading down-valley to go jack rabbit hunting..." I smiled.

"Jack rabbit hunting?" He asked, surprised.

"Yep," I said, cranking up the truck, "It's not easy without a dog but I managed to kill four in a day before so nothing is ever impossible."

"I never did it before..." He said, sitting in the truck. I ran around back to check everything, closing the bed of the truck. It was now time to drive off into the desert.

We rode east, heading to the Bay of Vegas.

"I wanna ask you something..." I stated.

"Okay." Luke smiled.

"This is not something I want to do soon but definitely something I want to do. I mean, I want a stake in Jeurridam one day. I was thinking about opening up like a school or something to teach more people how to read and write. I don't know how I'm gonna do it or when, but I definitely want to do it!" I said. He looked at me utterly surprised.

"That sounds awesome." He said, "Like... I mean... what's a school like?"

"To be honest," I responded, "I have no idea. I had no idea what a school was until I stumbled across it in a book."

"There were schools back in Juarez but only the wealthy could afford to use them." Luke said back.

"I'd have to think of something different. I was thinking about it a lot, thinking about using my dad's power to just completely overtake Jeurridam... Maybe we can pull a very low monthly tax on the people, businesses and things to have a pool of money circulating. My dad literally has that type of power! With the extra money, we can literally have free schools for the kids but still make money from them. However, with Jeurridam being so perilous, we'll need to have an army guarding these schools." I explained.