The Brothel

Chapter 10-Second Chances

It was time for me to leave and Stuart still wasn't here. I had been to Dr. Lewis' office and the Doctor had not been there and despite my best efforts I could not enter. That left Paul. He had given me the choice to leave whenever I wanted but I knew one word of persuasion was all he would need to coax me into staying. If anyone could convince me it was he. That took me to Plan.C. Leave without my money meaning the last two months I had spent here would have been in vain. As much as I hated to do it, it was the only choice I had. Slowly turning I left the maze.

"Darren!" I heard a voice cry from behind me. It was Stuart.

"You changed your mind?" I asked, shocked.

"Well you know.I'm kind of in a rut here anyway. Might as well do something new." He smiled awkwardly and surprising us both I threw my arms around him. "You're a habit I'd like to kick - with both feet." He murmoured.

"Thank you." I whispered into his ear.

"Don't thank me for insulting you - it was a pleasure. I brought something for you as well." For the first time I noticed the brown duffel bag he carried with him.

"What?" I gasped as I saw he had gotten our bank documents. "But how?"

"I faked illness and of course Dr. Lewis loves taking care of his toy." He smiled bitterly "While he was getting me some aspirin I opened the safe."

"You know the safe code?"

"It's my birth date." His bitter smile returned for a moment. "Will you stop asking me questions! We have to get going it's almost dawn."

"Its hours away, but your right we should be going." I glanced towards the exit gate in the distance. "There isn't any er..."

"Guard-dogs? Electric fences? Cameras?"

"Erm..."

"No Darren, this isn't Buckingham Palace. You just go through it and you're on the highway."

"How far to town?"

"Five miles. We'd be best getting a lift. Just use your feminine charms we'll be away in no time." I tried to glare at him but my joy was too great. The grin I wore made my face ache yet I couldn't stop.

Feeling full of energy I carried both Stuart's cases, and mine. Naturally he didn't mind and walked in silence next to me. Passing through the gate I felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from upon me. I was free, not from the brothel, but from my loneliness.

"No cars in sight." Stuart groaned.

"We'll keep walking until there is one then." I said and Stuart muttered in response.

After a while our prayers were answered when a small convertible with its hood up was seen in the distance.

"You hitch this one." Stuart said. "You got that 'butter wouldn't melt' look about you...well not butter anyway."

I laughed and stuck out my thumb. Slowing down as it passed me I saw an elderly gentleman was driving the car. He pulled in ten yards ahead. I ran up to it and he pulled the window down.

"Hello." I said but he didn't reply. "Me and my friend are looking for a lift to town."

"Your name?" I looked at him puzzled. "What is your name and what is your friends name?"

"Oh I'm Darren and my friend is Stuart."

"I'm Ian. Ian Mkellan."

"Oh right then." There was a uncomfortable silence as Ian just stared at me.

"Oh for fucks sake. " Stuart muttered behind me. "Hey Father Time. We got a lift or what?"

"Looks like rain." Ian replied, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Yes Sir it does."

"You can get in. He can't."

"Then deals off." Stuart called. "Come on Darren."

I turned to go but Ian grabbed my hand and pulled at me violently. "You'd better get in, it looks like rain."

"Let go of me!" I pulled at my arm in vain and Ian pulled at my collar pulling me close to his face. "Get in! The rains coming.Oh pretty pretty."

"Fuck Stuart! Help!"

"Oh shit the zombies gone crazy!" He cried and helped me as I fought the man. "What is your problem! Get off him."

For his age he had a good strong grip. Finally he lost contact and I tumbled landing hard on Stuart. The car sped off.

"What the fuck was that?" Stuart laughed.

"I don't know but your hitching the next one." I said, standing up

"Oh Darren, I can't take you anywhere!" Stuart laughed picking up his case.

We carried on down the highway.

*~*~*

"So is that your girlfriend?" I asked, gesturing at the picture stuck to the dashboard.

"Yeah she's called Linda, isn't she beautiful? Great sexy Irish voice as well." He grinned at me and looked back at the road. "So Darren.it is Darren right?"

"Yeah I'm Darren and that's Stuart." I thumbed into the backseat where Stuart lay sleeping.

"So Darren where you going, holiday?"

"Something like that, yeah." I smiled and shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

Trent Reznor had picked us up at least an hour ago but this was our first attempt at a lengthy conversation.

"So erm...being together long?"

"Who?"

"You and Stuart?"

"Oh we go way back, yeah we being friends for a long time." I emphasised the word friends. He rose an eyebrow but decided not to pursue it.

"So what you going to do when you get into town?"

"Stay overnight and leave tomorrow I think."

"Oh...right." He remained quiet for a while. "You in trouble?" He asked after a while.

"Trouble?"

"Heading to town middle of the night. Seems a little off is all."

"I'd rather not talk about it." He grunted and concentrated on the road.

"So if I get stopped I'm not going to jail for harbouring criminals am I?"

"You have nothing to be afraid of. Trust me." I smiled toothily at him "We're harmless."

"Indulge me then. What is it you're running away from?"

"A life." I sighed, deciding it was pointless trying to avoid his questions.

"A life?"

"If we stayed it would have ended badly."

"That bad huh?"

I frowned. My time there hadn't been that awful it was more of Dr Lewis' warning that had frightened me into action. "I had it on good authority."

"What about your authority?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well surely you can think for yourself?"

"Look you don't know anything about it, so just leave it O.K?" I snapped.

"Fine Darren." He shrugged and the car grew silent.

I was confused before now I could barely think straight. What right did I have to take Stuart away from the only life he knew? Away from Paul and Dr Lewis? They had been nothing but nice to me the entire time I was there. I'd had a roof, food and friends. Had I just lost them all because I was nervous about my future? No, this wasn't just about never been free of the brothel, this was about Stuart.and my jealousy. I sat up with a start. How could I be so selfish, so stupid? I couldn't handle sharing Stuart with others! That was what all this was all about. Now we were on the run with barely enough to money to get us through the year because I couldn't handle my jealousy.

"Stop!" I shouted.

"What?" Trent asked, looking startled.

"Stop the car. Stuart wake up!" I shook him violently " on on get up!"

"Wha..? Darren if he's molesting you, can you just get on with it? I'm sleeping." Stuart groaned.

"Trent, thank you! You were right. I can't run away from my problems. I got to face them in my own way."

"And you couldn't have had this epiphany sooner." Stuart muttered, rousing.

"Well I'm glad Darren, that doesn't mean I'm giving you a ride back though," he said, laughing.

"Fine, it's OK" I laughed, pulling my cases out of the back "We'll walk won't we Stuart?"

"For fucks..."

"Oh stop complaining." I laughed. "Just pull in here Trent."

He did and we ambled out of the car.

"Thanks for the lift. Well half of it."

"No problem I hope it all works out for you." He winked and closed the door. "See you around." With that, he sped off.

*~*~*

The gate was ahead of us now and dawn was close.

"You okay any more changes of heart I should know about? You don't want run away to join a troupe of homosexual acrobats or anything?" Stuart snarled.

"It's best for you, don't you see?" I answered, yet my feet couldn't move past the gate. "I was just being selfish."

" You've never stopped being selfish Darren! I nearly gave up the best thing in my life for you. I nearly ruined it all! Just to please you!"

"I'm sorry, I am really."

"Look at you! You can barely pass the gate? You don't know what you want do you? God Darren you're the most contrary person I've ever met." He stormed past me, leaving me outside the grounds.

"But Stuart." My voice sounded irritating and whiny to my own ears.

"No Darren. You think you can just mess with people's lives like this? Pass the gate! Do it!"

Reluctantly I took a step forward and felt as if a dark cloud had descended upon me.

"If you just let me explain..."

"See how easy it is Darren? Why struggle with life, why fight to survive when we have here?" Rain broke out above us. The old man had been right.

Marching ahead of me I struggled to keep up with him as he headed towards the maze.

"I can do it. I can do it for you!" I called.

"I don't want you to be a martyr for me. Stay here on your own terms. Make a decision for once.and try sticking by it." We stood at the entrance of the maze.

"I'm just so confused. You're right I don't know what I want. I can see the good and I can see the bad but I can't separate them. Help me please!"

The rain was beating down hard now. Stuart took a step towards me and cupped my face in his hands.

"Since the day I came here I've kept a journal every moment, every client, every good time, every bad time has gone into that journal, yet when I look back at it it's just the same day lived over and over again. I tried to sugar coat I tried to make something of it but it was just false. 'I' was false. Then I met you. Now I feel as if at last I'm moving, at last I'm living, I won't say anything as trite as 'I love you' but it's as close I've ever been to that emotion."

I stared into his dark eyes "But if we stay..." I began but he quieted me with his hard mouth upon mine. For a moment we remained there locked in a tight embrace as the rain beat at our entangled bodies. He broke the kiss first "...we will never be free." I finished, panting.

"Then we won't." He took a step backwards and appraised me silently "But we'll be together."

Slowly I stepped towards him and kissed him again. My mouth moved to his neck and softly I nibbled him there.

"Harder." He moaned and I complied. Grabbing my shoulders with a force I was accustomed to he eased me down. I unfastened his belt, zip and slid his soaked pants down. Stuart removed his shirt. Naked now he fondled my wet hair as I guided my experienced mouth up and down his cock. The soil had begun to give way beneath me making my position difficult to hold, grabbing his buttocks with both hands I struggled to maintain balance.

"Harder." He demanded again. I pressed my lips hard together and almost brutally continued my blowjob. He had lost all control now and was violently lunging his cock into my mouth. Finally he came. I tried to clean his cum the best I could but what I missed the rain dealt with.

"You always have ruin it don't you?" I asked as I rose to my feet. "Ruin what?" His breath was short.

"Any moment that feels pure for once. You have to resort to violent sex and spoil it."

"You think a blowjob in a maze should be a magical moment?" He said, dressing quickly.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." He rose an eyebrow and smiled smugly. "Christ Stuart! You almost said you loved me and then you forced me to my knees like a...like a..."

"Hooker?" I sighed and smiled sadly.

"Here to stay Darren." I nodded and he took my hand.

"Here to stay." I repeated.

Hand in hand we walked back to the brothel.

Next Instalment- Someone knows Darren and Stuart's secret, but who?