Highway 281
Young Blood
The yellow haze of the streetlamp greeted Brian as he walked out of Babylon. He was a little high and maybe even slightly drunk but he was able to walk to his Jeep without help. He started to get into the passenger side because, as usual, Michael was in the driver’s seat waiting to get him home safely.
The glow of the streetlamp caught his eye as he opened the car door and he looked up toward the bright light. That’s when he noticed the young man standing beneath it, the glow highlighting the yellow of his hair. “Halo” was the only word he could think of at that moment. The delicate features were shown in the light, but his stance gave an air of authority, a toughness Brian found quite enjoyable and more than a little sexy.
He must have been even higher than he thought. What had Anita given him this time?
He closed the door without getting in. Although he had walked from Babylon to his Jeep not a few moments before, he found he could barely walk now and much to his dismay, when he tried to talk all he could do was stutter. Brian Kinney did not stutter…ever!
While he was getting himself together to approach the blond-haired ‘angel’ he realized that the vision was suddenly gone. How could he have disappeared in that short of time? Brian looked up and down the street, but no sign of him could be found.
“Brian, let’s go,” Mikey shouted from the vehicle. “Some of us have to work in the morning.”
“Don’t get your panties in a knot.”
“What’s wrong with you? You act like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Shut up and get out, Mikey; I’m driving.”
“But, Brian …”
“No buts; I’m fine. Get a ride with Theodore.”
Michael gave him a curious stare and got out of the Jeep, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Brian’s wrath.
Brian was halfway home when a glow caught his eye. He slowed the Jeep down and stared at the blond he saw not that long ago climbing into a car then pulling out onto the busy street.
Brian took a deep breath and found himself following the nameless boy through the dark streets and to the outskirts of town hoping he hadn’t been sighted.
“Jesus! What the hell am I doing?” he said aloud. He couldn’t believe he was following someone he didn’t even know…well, following differently than he did in Babylon.
The late model car pulled into the driveway of a large house. “Of course he’d live in the suburbs. Why am I not surprised?”
The blond was standing in the driveway as Brian slowly drove past. Brian could see the smile on the young face and slight nod then he turned and ran toward the house. Just before the blond opened the door he turned and in the porch light Brian could see a slight wave of a hand.
Brian wasn’t sure what to think, but he drove home, a lightness in his chest that had never been there before.
He lay on his bed unable to sleep and wasn’t surprised when the first rays of the sun came through the windows in his living room. He realized that sleep had eluded him this night.
Why had he followed the unknown boy home? He wiped his hand down his face.
Was that smile…that perfect smile…an invitation?
Why couldn’t he sleep? Well that was an easy one to answer, at least part of it was.
He’d never felt like that before, that sudden thrill that grabbed him in the first moment.
Brian Kinney didn’t believe in love, but if he did…
7/6/14