{"id":2403,"date":"2015-02-14T10:37:23","date_gmt":"2015-02-14T17:37:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/?p=2403"},"modified":"2015-02-14T14:58:24","modified_gmt":"2015-02-14T21:58:24","slug":"the-12th-of-never-free-blog-story-chapter-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/2015\/02\/14\/2403\/","title":{"rendered":"The 12th of Never – FREE BLOG STORY!! Chapter 8"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"12th<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The 12th of Never by A.J. Llewellyn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cover Art: Sara York<\/strong><\/p>\n

Link to chapters 1-7:\u00a0http:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/2014\/07\/10\/2260\/<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 8<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMost people go through life dreading they’ll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They’ve already passed their test in life. They’re aristocrats.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Photographer Diane Arbus<\/p>\n

Johnny hurried to visit a distraught and feverish Julia in the Staro-Ekaterininskii Hospital with Argo, the strongman, who initially hailed from Russia but now lived in England, and Rosalia Griffray, the circus fat lady, who was very nice, but spoke only Spanish and Portuguese. They were accompanied by Mr. T.A. Naumann, the show\u2019s one-legged castanet player, who didn\u2019t seem to speak any language but clapped his ever-present castanets in his hands. A lot.<\/p>\n

Julia had been to the hospital by horse and cart, but he and Argo had trouble finding anyone they could speak to. It took Johnny several long minutes to realize he was in Moscow, Russia, and if memory served him right, Julia would soon give birth to a baby boy who would die within two days. She herself would die within a couple of days of losing her baby. Her husband would then embalm her and her child and prop them up in a glass cabinet and ferry them around the world as dead circus freaks.<\/p>\n

It would take a century and a half for a kind woman in Julia\u2019s native Mexico to fight for the poor woman\u2019s disintegrating remains to be removed from public display\/ridicule and given a proper burial.<\/p>\n

Johnny April hoped to change all that and prevent her death, but he was allowed nowhere near her and the complicated birth resulted in her baby\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

Why am I going back in time if I can\u2019t do anything to alter the course of history?<\/em><\/p>\n

A few more of Julia\u2019s fellow circus friends showed up at the hospital, some of them sporting red-rimmed eyes as they sat beside Johnny, all of them outcasts. He was surprised when Argo, the strongman, bawled like a little kid when news came from a kindly nurse that Julia had developed a strange fever and was unconscious.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you any news I can,\u201d she told\u00a0Argo and the only other Russian-speaking performer,\u00a0 Vladimir the half-man, half-leopard who really didn\u2019t look like one without all the smoke and mirrors of a circus show. He just looked like a guy with a bad hair problem who kept one side of his body smooth and the other in its natural state. He walked with a large cat\u2019s grace though. Vladimir translated to the others huddled on the lonely bench in the waiting room. It was strange to see a Moscow hospital way back in the day with candle-lit sconces on the walls and a strange smell of something earthy on the air.<\/p>\n

Johnny and the others sat, isolated in the chilly waiting room.<\/p>\n

I think I\u2019ve always been an outcast. Just like Argo and the others. Where is Mike?<\/em> Johnny\u2019s head hurt and he was certain he could feel a tender spot on the back of his head. Not touching it stopped him from descending into complete and utter panic.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s get some food,\u201d Argo said, nudging Johnny in the ribs. Argo didn\u2019t know his own strength and sent Johnny scuttling to the floor. His head hit the wall and it was the last thing Johnny remembered\u2026<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

When Johnny awoke, he was starving and when he slowly looked around, he wasn\u2019t in Moscow, he was in a bed. A nice, warm bed, in the sun. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave. He was in Mike\u2019s bed in Ventura. Man, what a wild dream he\u2019d been having. He reached out for Mike, but the space beside him was empty. The sun baked the white sheets, making the throb in Johnny\u2019s head a bit worse. He craved the warmth, and the light, but he felt like shit.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, you\u2019re awake,\u201d a voice said, an amused lilt to it. Johnny tilted his head and looked to the foot of the bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMike,\u201d he croaked.<\/p>\n

Mike looked instantly concerned. \u201cI have no idea what the hell you did to yourself, but something or someone caved I the back of your head. You have seventeen stitches and you\u2019ve been asleep for a day and a half.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry,\u201d was all Johnny could think of in response.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t apologize. Do you remember anything that happened?\u201d Mike leaned over to him, brushing a hair from Johnny\u2019s eyes. He couldn\u2019t remember anyone being so tender with him, ever. Then he remembered Julia Pastrana and her lonely life. She was far from him now. Far from life, from pain. She had been given a proper burial finally. He wanted to visit her, to honor her.<\/p>\n

I wish I could have saved her.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you remember?\u201d Mike prompted again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot much.\u201d I remember sitting with the one-legged castanet player, and Argo the strongman, and the fat lady. Now what was her name again? Rosalia! We waited for news. People call them freaks but they were the kindest I\u2019ve ever met. Apart from you<\/em>. \u201cI dreamed of you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mike smiled. \u201cAre you hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny hesitated. Admitting to hunger had brought him nothing but pain and humiliation all his life, but he could no longer stand the pain he was in. He needed to eat. When was his last meal? The coffee and toast he\u2019d swallowed the morning all of this weirdness started seemed like months ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d he said, finally. \u201cVery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood. Because it\u2019s Valentine\u2019s Day.\u201d Mike reached across the bed to the bureau beside it and retrieved a takeout menu from it. Johnny had seen enough of them billowing across the beaches he\u2019d visited over the years. Strangers left them, but the April family never spent money on things like takeout.<\/p>\n

Suddenly he was hungrier than ever.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we\u2019d order Chinese, watch a couple of movies I downloaded from Netflix and\u201d \u2014Mike\u2019s expression turned impish\u2014\u201cmake love for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n

Johnny\u2019s breath caught in his throat. He\u2019d never spent a day doing any of these things and he wished and hoped and prayed God wouldn\u2019t interrupt this dream or whatever it was and whisk him away before it all happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like a plan,\u201d he said, sounding confident and excited, surprising them both.<\/p>\n

Mike gave him a lopsided grin. \u201cYou want to take a look?\u201d He passed the menu over.<\/p>\n

\u201cNope. I trust you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAwesome. I\u2019ll be right back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny dozed, the pain ebbing and flowing. He would drift off, then a sharp stab of pain would awaken him. A naked Mike paced the hallway outside the bedroom ordering what sounded like a mountain of food. Johnny began to drool at the notion of honey walnut shrimp, beef with black bean sauce, fragrant chicken and vegetables. He wondered what that was and why it had to be called fragrant<\/em>.\u00a0 Mike sat beside him on the bed, flicking around channels with his remote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought we\u2019d watch Shelter,\u201d he said as Johnny huddled closer and put his head in Mike\u2019s lap. Mike stroked Johnny\u2019s face and shoulders, invoking both peace and a pang of carnal thrill through Johnny\u2019s body. \u201cYou said you dreamed about me.\u201d Mike muted the TV. \u201c\u201dWhat did you dream?\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny didn\u2019t want to tell him. How could he say, \u201cWe were circus freaks together.\u201d He couldn\u2019t. Just couldn\u2019t. Nothing could spoil the mood.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember. My head hurts really bad. But you were there and you made me feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw.\u201d Mike squeezed his shoulder. \u201cYou wanna cup of coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, please.\u201d Johnny\u2019s whole body tingled with pleasure as mike stroked his back, letting his fingers linger along Johnny\u2019s butt crack. How did I get naked<\/em>? The thought tumbled around his head like loose change.\u00a0He fell asleep somehow, waking up again to Mike coming to the bed with a laden tray.<\/p>\n

\u201cSorry it took so long. I have to call the restaurant twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did? How long has it been?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAn hour. You keep falling asleep.\u201d Mike gave him a gentle smile and put the tray on the bed. He then tossed some pillows from the closet against the headboard and as Johnny sat up, he handed him a cup of coffee. Johnny noticed the aspirin bottle and shook out a couple of pills into his hand and gulped them.<\/p>\n

Mike seemed to enjoy watching Johnny pick up each takeout carton and inhaling the fragrance of each dish. With each passing the second the creepy smell of the Russian hospital receded. Johnny learned that fragrant vegetables were prepared with a pungent mix of spices; cumin, red pepper, and ginger. He helped himself to a little of everything, savoring each bite as though it were his last.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou eat like you\u2019ve never eaten Chinese food before,\u201d Mike remarked, plucking at a piece of shrimp from his own plate.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t.\u201d Johnny shrugged.<\/p>\n

Mike stared at him, incredulous. “Are you kidding?”<\/p>\n

“Oh, Mike. I never joke about food.\u201d He pointed at one of the cartons with his fork. Johnny wasn’t talented with chopsticks. He was barely adequate with a fork. “I don\u2019t know what I want first, you or one of these cool-looking toasties.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike laughed. \u201cThose are appetizers and they\u2019re good. They have shrimp in them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll compromise then. One of these and then I want you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike seemed so happy. He bounced off the bed as Johnny chewed the billowy fried pocket of deliciousness and moved the tray to the floor.<\/p>\n

Johnny was still hungry and licked his fork as Mike wrestled it from his fingers.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me,\u201d Mike said. He knelt on the bed beside Johnny and gave him the kind of toe curling kiss that almost made Johnny come\u2026Mike put his hand to Johnny\u2019s cock and grabbed it, sucking it into his mouth. Mike was still kneeling when Johnny moved to lie across the bed and give Mike an oral workout he would not forget in a hurry. Mike groaned when Johnny squeezed his balls with his left hand, using them as leverage to get him into his mouth. They bounced against Johnny\u2019s chin. He came hard and fast, grabbing Mike\u2019s head as his cock erupted down Mike\u2019s throat.<\/p>\n

Mike took everything Johnny had to give him. Mike seemed reluctant to release Johnny from his hot, wet lips.<\/p>\n

Johnny took Mike\u2019s face in his hands and kissed him. Their kisses intensified, hot, and thirsty passion. \u201cMy turn,\u201d Johnny whispered into Mike\u2019s mouth. \u201cGive me that ass. It\u2019s mine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mike\u2019s brows shot up. Yeah, Johnny was surprised too. He\u2019d never been this aggressive. Mike seemed turned on, judging by his raging erection and lay back, opening his legs wider as Johnny went berserk licking and kissing his chest. His tongue reached Mike\u2019s sacred space between balls and cock and went wild. He loved the way Mike flailed around the bed\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cOh suck my ass, Johnny,\u201d he implored. \u201cSuck me hard, baby.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnny took his time, enjoying the sounds Mike made as Johnny sucked and licked him\u2026fuck he tasted good and hot. Mike\u2019s feet bounced on Johnny\u2019s shoulders and Johnny held his ass in his hands\u2026afraid he would come before Johnny could get what he wanted. Too late. Mike erupted in a searing tide, wave after wave of pleasure coursing through them both. Johnny had never experienced anything so dramatic and so damned exciting. He released Mike\u2019s cock with a pop and looked up.<\/p>\n

Holy crap<\/em>. Johnny was no longer on the bed with Mike. He was in a hospital bed strapped down, a piece of wood in his mouth. Johnny screamed, but it was a long silent one. A dark shadow fell over his face. Johnny looked up, tears blurring his vision.<\/p>\n

Oh, God no. Not him. Of all people\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  The 12th of Never by A.J. Llewellyn Cover Art: Sara York Link to chapters 1-7:\u00a0http:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/2014\/07\/10\/2260\/   Chapter 8 \u201cMost people go through life dreading they’ll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They’ve already passed their test in life. They’re aristocrats.\u201d –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Photographer Diane Arbus Johnny hurried to visit a distraught […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,13],"tags":[16,314,255,315],"class_list":["post-2403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-category-romance-and-relationships","category-category-writing-and-poetry","tag-a-j-llewellyn","tag-free-blog-story","tag-sara-york","tag-the-12th-of-never"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2403"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2423,"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2403\/revisions\/2423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ajllewellyn.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}