Fall from Paradise
Dylan knew he was different. He felt it as soon as he could form and keep memories. Memories of pink onesies, bonnets, shoes with buckles. He didn't like them. They felt wrong, too flashy, not... boyish. Then, just before his second birthday, his aunt and uncle told him his parents weren't going to be coming back. No one could get a hold of them and they haven't checked in at their post.
"They just got stuck somewhere," the almost-two-year-old's voice said.
"No, Emily-" Uncle Adam began.
"Don't call me 'Emily,' I'm a boy!" Dylan cut off his uncle with surprising defiance.
"But that's your name dear," Aunt Diane replied, glaring at her nephew as only a woman of color could.
"But that's a girl's name," Dylan replied shyly, picking at his dress.
"Dylan, do you feel like a boy?" Adam asked.
"... yes," Dylan admitted, feeling ashamed (that was the right emotion he was feeling, right?).
Adam cradled his nephew and kissed his forehead. "Then we'll start treating you like a boy. What do you want your name to be?"
After a few seconds of thought the young child replied "Dylan. And if Mommy and Daddy aren't coming back, I want your name!"
"It's settled then. You are now Dylan Alexander Howard!"
The young boy beamed with approval. He managed to release his uncle's grip and ran to his aunt, tripping in the process.
"We love you no matter what Em... Dylan," she replied, hugging her nephew. "We'll get you some new clothes this weekend. Now, get ready for bed."
"Ok."
As their nephew ran upstairs to change Adam and Diane stared at each other briefly before speaking.
"Isn't she a little, young, to be doing this?" Adam asked.
"Not really. Should we look for a psychologist to help, well, see if this is anywhere near normal?" Diane replied, more exhausted than upset.
"I have just the guy. Dennis' wife takes their kids to him whenever he's on an extended deployment, and he specializes in children and LGBT issues."
"I think I know who you're talking about. Doesn't he have a son about Emil... Dylan's age?"
"We'd better get used to this fast. You know, just in case this is real." Adam sounded defeated, which his wife picked up on as she spun him around to coddle him.
"We'll just have to see, won't we?" She replied in her it-won't-matter-or-be-bad catty tone.
Dylan came down the stairs enough to say "Buenas noches, tía y tío. Nos vemos en la mañana!"
"Buenas noches Dylan! Felices sueños!" Adam replied, surpised at how well his neic... nephew spoke Spanish.
"We're either gonna have a smart-ass or a genius in a few years," Diane joked.
-JUMP-
At the end of the school year, just a few months after his second birthday party, Dylan was sitting in a doctor's office. Most kids would be scared, but doctors weren't scary. The Borg were scary. They never asked questions, as this doctor would. They would just asamutlaite you.
'That doesn't sound right. Is that a word?' he thought.
The reply to his inquiry was "No Dylan, it's assimilate," as Adam thought about the wisdom of watching Voyager with Dylan.
"The doctor will just be a few more minutes Dylan," the receptionist said, but she had not touched the phone or even took her eyes off her computer screen.
"Doctor Karofsky's gonna ask you questions, maybe some you can't answer, but you have to try, alright Dylan?" Adam whispered to his nephew. 'That wasn't so hard a transition as I thought.'
"Ok Tío," the boy replied weakly. "Is this to see if I'm really a boy?"
"Yes. Sometimes girls just like the same things boys like. Like trucks and guns and stuff exploding."
"Do they think and feel like boys?"
"I really don't know. That's why we're asking for a doctor's help."
"You think I'm too young for this, don't you?"
"That's not important. I love you like you're my own son, and if this is really who you are, I'm not going to say or even believe that's wrong." He looks at Dylan almost like a father would, "Besides, I don't think it's normal for a two-year-old to not only speak three languages but do so like a teenager!" He smirks, playfully.
Dylan just smiles back. "I love you too Tío!" as he hugs the only father-like person he can remember.
A crying woman comes out of the office with a man behind her. 'That must be Doctor Karofsky. He looks almost like Tío Adam.' While he can't hear what they're saying, he thinks from their lips that her husband, or maybe brother, just died. He still wasn't good at reading lips. The doctor came over to him and squatted.
"I'm Doctor Paul Karofsky. You can call me Paul if you'd like."
"That would be rude - you're a grown-up."
"How about Doctor?"
"That seems... not right. May I call you Doctor K.?"
Paul looks to Adam, who's smiling proudly, then back to the two-year-old with the air of a college student. "That's fine. Are you ready for us to talk?"
"I guess so," as Dylan leaves he catches a glimpse of his uncle, who, he guesses, is more apprehensive 'that's the right one, right?' than upset.
As the door closes Dylan begins to feel that feeling when he shouted at his aunt and uncle that he was a boy. He didn't know what they would do, but he knew that somehow he was saying something that wasn't right. Paul notices this and hands Dylan an Aladdin Genie plushy.
"Thank you..."
"Dylan, I assume you know why you're here?"
"Yes Doctor K. My Tío y Tía don't really think I'm a boy."
"They just don't understand how someone so young can know. Why do you feel you're a boy? What do girls do that you don't like doing yourself?"
"I hate dresses. You can't do anything in them other than kinda dance, and they're always gross colors like lemon yellow, or lime green, or, or, candy-cake PINK!"
"There's a lot of girls and women who don't like those either."
"I don't like people who smell like fruit. Shampoo, soap, lotions. That's stupid! Soap's supposed to smell like clean, not food!"
"I agree. I've asked my wife to stop using that stuff herself. She doesn't mind, but she still chews fruity gum and sprays holiday cards and stuff. Now, what do you like doing that boys like to do?"
"I like cars and planes, and explosions, and watching cop shows."
"I see. There are some girls who like those too."
"I like the action and the fighting and the crashing. Girls like the story and the parts that make them cry and feel sad."
Paul was taken aback. He knew as this young child ranted and made fun of things that he shouldn't sound like this. He sounded like a teenager, like his nephew in Akron. The mannerisms and body language he was observing were definitely male, or at least masculine. He had never had a real transgender case. Most of the time it was a patient with fetishes or gender confusion. He knew that this would be a real test of his limited seven-year practice.
"Doctor K, why are you just staring at me?"
"I'm watching the way you talk and your body language."
"Why?"
"You're acting like a teenage boy, not a two year old girl."
"I am not either one of those!"
"I know. I've figured it out. Would you mind if I talked to your uncle while you wait outside?"
"You're gonna tell him I'm really a girl, aren't you?" tears welled up in Dylan's eyes. Crying was normal, and he knew boys did it too.
Paul walks up to Dylan, picks him up, and hugs him. "You're not a girl Dylan. You're body may say you are, but you're not." He carries the boy to the door, gives a nod and a head-motion to the office to Adam, and the two men disappear behind the door.
'I told you I'm a boy. I knew I was right, because you're not me.'
As the door closes and he sits down Adam asks "Transgendered male?"
"I know it's difficult to understand how a child so young -" Paul begins to say.
"- How can we help? And if we have to we'll move somewhere where there's the least likely chance something bad can happen."
Paul is taken aback again. What is it with this Howard family? Are they genetic badasses with a heart of gold? He imagines that his girlfriend or whatever must be one fierce woman.
"I'm afraid that with the current social climate there are really no safe places..." Paul trails off.
"...Yes Doctor..?" Adam begins to form a question, and then both men snap their fingers at the same time.
"Holy shit you're our neighbors from across the street!" Both men reply at once, laughing.
"You're the only Buddhist family in the subdivision, and we're the only Mormon family," Paul replies.
"Mormon and a therapist? Isn't that like being a fire-demon thing living on a water-world?"
"Not any more than a Buddhist that wails out metal like you do!"
Adam snickers, then asks "So, what's the plan?"
"Dylan's going to need a LOT of support and reassurances. I suggest that we open each other's homes up to our boys." After glancing at the file for Howard, Dylan A., he finally takes note of the birth date.
"Well I'll be damned..."
"What is it this time doctor?"
"They have the same birthday."
"Your son and Dylan?"
"Yep. That explains a lot."
"Shared birthday parties I take it? I'm sure Diane and your wife'll like the fem-bonding of it all," Adam says as he begins to picture how a birthday party could span two houses. Frat parties could barley do that.
Paul jokingly replies "Just cover the parties and we'll call it even for round-the-clock sessions." He ends the comment with a devious smile, conveyed exactly the way it was intended.
Adam laughs, smiles, and throws an arm over Paul's shoulders. "You got yourself a deal Doctor Paul!"
"Good. I'll let the missus know."
All Dylan hears as Tío and Doctor K walk out is that he's going to have a new friend that lives across the street, and that their house is going to be like his house too. 'Good. Now I have someone to play with when the power goes out. Stupid Michigan blizzards! If they put the power lines in the GROUND it wouldn't turn off his computer or PlayStation. I'm tired of having to ask for new memory cards every other storm.'
-JUMP-
As David and Dylan started second grade they noticed something strange. The other boys began to tease the girls, saying they had cooties (seriously, what the hell was that?) and lifting up their skirts and grossing them out with frogs and corn snakes. One time a poor corn snake bit Isaiah Al-Mashar and David barely got the shake before Isaiah could hurt it. By now "D&D" (as they were known since they were always together) knew Chaldean as fluently as the other boys' families. Dylan learned Arabic to study Islam and found that, no, it wasn't more violent than any other religion.
"You're an idiot Isaiah!" David yelled.
"Shut up! That thing tried to eat me!"
"That thing can't even eat one of your fingers dummy!" Dylan sneered.
"Whatever, snakes are evil!"
"Yet you picked one up and tried to throw it at a girl. You're stupid." David said as he walked off with Dylan, the corn snake, and the no longer scared girl.
"Girls have cooties, and now you do too!" Isaiah shouted with a smug sense of arrogance. He was rewarded with five hands giving him the middle finger.
"See, these aren't going to hurt you. And if they DO bite you, it just stings like a really small tack," Dylan said.
"And they eat mice and baby rats, before they can get into your house," David added, noting that the girl was now trying to hold the snake.
"It's cold!" she half-shrieked. She looked uncomfortable, but it was retreating.
"He shouldn't've done that. If he really thinks girls have cooties, why's he trying to touch you?" Dylan asked while making sure the snake didn't fall off, not expecting an answer.
"Other than you two boys are stupid! Stupid little dummies!" came the reply from the girl. "My name's Jessica." Before they could give their names she kissed each one on the cheek and skipped off, smiling.
"I think we're gonna get picked on so much more now Dylan."
"You're prolly right. We should wash our hands so we don't get sick."
"Girls don't have cooties." David smirks as he walks off to the bathrooms.
"Snakes do though," as he tries to keep up with his friend.
A week after that there were no teasing or taunts. It seems that an Irish-Italian boy and a white boy making a girl not afraid of snakes, and telling off the leader of the third grade boys in his own language, made an impact. After the Pledge of Allegiance a flyer was passed out. David and Dylan had the first two copies:
New at Buchannan Elementary:
Glee Club
Paid for with a grant from VH1's Save the Music
Open to grades 1-3 and 4-6
"Mrs. Hubbard, what's a 'Glee Club?'" David asked.
"It's a club where you sing and dance, and if your teacher there thinks you're good enough, you compete against other schools."
Interested, Dylan asked "So, it's like soccer or baseball, only no showers and you play music?" Awesome. If I get to keep my clothes on I can stay safe.
"Exactly. And some famous people have done Glee Club while they were in school. It's better to start music in school rather than trying to live hand-to-mouth while you form a band and get good on your own."
"So, you're saying that we can go from losers to, like, 'Tool' or 'Aerosmith' by doing this?" asked one of the most annoying kids in the class.
"No, but you have a better chance. And it'll at least make math and English easier for you," Mrs. Hubbard said with a tone that indicated that the subject was closed.
David and Dylan looked at each other, grinned, and made plans to audition. Dylan sends a text to Mama (David's mom):
- They just made a Glee Club. Gonna audition, 'Boys & Girls' by Ayumi. :-)
A few minutes later:
- Good luck! Love you! *hugs*, on both boys phones.
David sent a message to Dylan:
-srsly? 'Boys & Girls?' Will they kno it's even music?
- Duh! They're not dum!
The whole class jumped as a yard stick slammed against the board, ending the argument.
-JUMP-
It wasn't a bad year. Buchannan's Muse won their Sectionals and Regionals with David and Dylan as leads. David had a smooth high Tenor, and Dylan had a comforting mid-Alto (which annoyed Dylan - it reminded him that he was still in a girl's body). They placed ninth in the first round of Nationals, but only finished third in the final round. The Clovis High Sonic Brimstone came in first, with some club called Vocal Adrenaline coming in second. David swore that those Clovis kids smelled like hayseed, meth, and pot.
During the summer D&D did their normal things, but found time to try new songs and dances. Auntie and Uncle finally came back from their assignment in Japan mid-July (they worked for the State Department) and handed the boys a box of CDs and PS2 games. They of course had to read what each case said, which was easy. As both pairs of parents nodded to each other. D&D didn't care what they were gonna talk about - they had new music and games. The fact they were in Japanese didn't faze them.
"How are the boys doing?" Diane asked with a hint of nervousness.
"They're both fine..." Paul trailed off.
"But David found out about Dylan, about the Trans thing." Mary finished for her husband. Her voice was caring, as if relaying a story about any sibling problems.
"I see," Adam says as he looks upstairs.
"Nononono! We're gonna listen to Kuraki Mai, then play X-2!" Dylan shouted.
"Nah-uh! We're gonna listen to Glay, then Ms. Kumi, then play Devil May Cry 2!" David retorted, making clomping sounds as the boys ran around the room on the second floor.
"Don't you DARE touch that stereo Davy!" Dylan yelled in a not-age-appropriate, playful tone.
"You don't think, that they're both, gay, do you?" Diane asked in more of a resigned manner than expecting to be told 'no.'
"While they are getting along very well, this is a bit, different, than normal. I'm ok if they are, as long as they understand that they should be, discreet, about any feelings they may have," Paul provided the answer even though one wasn't needed.
"What's the game plan Paul? We can't keep both secrets, if in fact they are both gay. This isn't exactly the best neighborhood for acceptance," Adam rambled out.
"I'm not worried about our neighbors Adam. While you were gone the Hazadi's oldest daughter came out during her Spring Break visit. Her parents even invited her girlfriend to church with them on Easter. There was a lot of crying, but no yelling," Mary said, not in her nurse's tone but her maternal, protective tone.
"And I remember some of the families talking about going to the Pride march in Detroit before it was cancelled," Diane added, with little strength in her voice.
"I don't care if we have to leave the church - my family comes first. And Dylan IS a son to me," Paul said with a defiance that neither Diane nor Adam had heard before.
The four adults locked hands, placed their heads together, and prayed that their boys would stay safe, that no one would dare to lay their hands or even words on their Princes.
Not knowing what was going on downstairs, the two boys' rough-housing ended in a kiss. David sat up, looked at his friend, and began tearing up. The two boys didn't understand exactly what had happened, but they knew that most of the adults they knew wouldn't understand, that the other kids at school wouldn't even try to. They decided to try out 'Para Para Paradise,' which had its own controller. They didn't speak for the remaining 9 hours they'd be awake.
When it came time to go to bed, David decided to lay facing his friend, and placed his arm over his chest. Dylan held his arm, knowing that if it was wrong to do this, someone would separate them.
When Diane checked on their boys later that night, she smiled at how innocent and peaceful the two looked. She hadn't seen her nephew that relaxed since he first met Paul. She quietly walked downstairs, looked at her husband and new 'in-laws,' and silently sobbed. They all knew that their lives just got a lot harder. But they wouldn't run. They had two boys to take care of, and FUCK ANYONE who tried to bully them to do or be what they weren't.
No one noticed that even though the clock said 11:19, no one had spoken in over ten hours.
-JUMP-
The subdivision was close knit. Everyone was family, so when the tagging started everyone knew it wasn't any of them. A small pink "Fag" on the Karofsky's garage door, an "Abomination" poster on the Howard's front door. The boys were careful after that incident in July. They never held hands outside the house; they only whispered Japanese or French to each other when they wanted to talk about personal things. That seemed normal since most of the music they listened to was from Japan or France, so everyone just assumed it was music for Glee Club.
Then, a week after Regionals, the phone rang. That's unusual, David thought. No one calls the landline after 9p.m.
There was some hushed talking, a scream, and then 'calm' rushing as Auntie and Uncle left. David carefully pulled himself out of Dylan's embrace and tried to sneak downstairs to see what happened. He saw Mrs. Aziz on the couch tossing something into the fireplace.
"Mrs. Aziz? Isn't it a bit warm to have a fire going?" David asked.
"It's nothing David. You should go back to sleep. I'll tuck you back in."
David was able to jumble the torn poster board and fill in the blanks:
"Faggots and their Allies
Will Burn in Hell!"
David began to cry. He knew something had happened to one of his parents.
"This isn't your fault David. This, isn't, your, fault!"
"Yes it is," he said as he fought the urge to go into a full-out bawl fest.
Dylan began to wake up and noticed David wasn't there. He heard crying on the stairs, and Mrs. Aziz speaking. He slowly approached the pair.
"What's happening? Did something bad..." Dylan stopped as he saw what David had just seen. "What else did they do? Why did Auntie and Uncle leave?"
"How do you know they left?" Mrs. Aziz asked, trying to not answer the question.
"I smell exhaust. Please answer me Mrs. Aziz, what else happened?" Dylan asked with a cutting edge to his voice.
"... It's Mary." She held David tighter and reached for Dylan's hand. "Someone managed to cut her brake lines and she crashed. The doctors said that she isn't seriously hurt, but it could've been much worse." She was thankful these two angels knew her language. Unlike her children David and Dylan didn't complain about speaking Chaldean. As a matter of fact, they asked to learn it. Being in that Glee Club helped them lose any trace of American accent from the language.
"You're taking us to the hospital. Or the police station if they have the Goddamn coward there!" Dylan seethed in Japanese. It was his default language when he got angry, and he didn't care if only David understood.
"They're prolly just getting someone to examine the car," David replied, gaining some control over the tears. "I want to see mom," he looked up at his neighbor.
"Ok, but it's not my fault if you get grounded," she gave a fake smile, noting that it didn't work. For a second, she had forgotten that all three of them spoke English.
-JUMP-
"We did it!" Shouted David as they entered the Green Room. "We flippin' won Nationals!"
"You guys were AWESOME! And Kelly, who knew you could do a quadruple back flip?" Dylan exclaimed while hugging the girl.
"You two told me to go for it, and I did! It was actually pretty easy, and FUN!" as Kelly jumped and spun.
"How did you come up with that song? And the dancing?" Ms. Scottland asked.
Dylan, being calmer at the moment, opened David's travel bag and pulled out the 'Grow into One' CD. Ms. Scottland's expression was at first insulted, then confused.
"I don't understand. I assume the songs are in Japanese?"
David answered the question. "They are. We just translated it and got it to fit."
"And my Tío y Tía brought the music video for it too. We had some blanks to fill in," Dylan added.
"However you got it, we won with it! You guys are soooo awesome!" squeed Alan, the only boy with a voice approaching a Baritone. He couldn't carry a tune with a black hole though...
When the boys got home, they went into David's house, which shouldn't happen as Mama and Papa were out of town for some kind of education thingy. They were supposed to be at Dylan's.
"Auntie, what's going on? Why are we here?" David asked.
"Nothing's going on. Our house's being fogged for termites," Diane replied in a wavering tone.
D&D looked at each other, nodded, and ran across the street. "There isn't a tent guys!" Dylan shouted behind his shoulder, in Mandarin (Tío y Tía were gonna be in China in about a year, so he helped them study).
"D&D, get your asses back here!" screamed Adam at the top of his lungs. This having never happened before, the two stopped. Then they saw it. The front window was gone, and burned drapes now framed the frame.
"Is this because we're Xìngfú ma?" Dylan asked, not sure if he got the word right, not looking away.
"You mean gay, and no. Just because some people don't like Shìqíng de doesn't mean they can do stuff like this," Adam weakly replied.
"It isn't Shìqíng de Uncle, it's what you are," David replied as he hugged Dylan and walked back to his house. "Does this happen every day?"
"Every week, yes," Diane whispered, unable to stop her tears.
"We'll stop being friends! We can even go to different schools," David offered, desperately.
"That won't stop it. WE are what they don't like. Not being friends won't stop this. Snipers, on the other hand..." Dylan smirked, his eyes lighting for a brief instant.
"That could be an option Adam," Diane smirked, playing into her nephew's game. "We just need a perfect clean up team."
"How about just firebombing the non-Chaldean churches?" offered Mr. Az-Maliki. "That could eat up their funds for a few years?"
Adam, exhausted, spat out "Can't do that one without you guys being found guilty. The smarter the believer..."
"...The less innocent they are. I sadly see your point Adam. I am so sorry that this is happening to your families."
"Thank you for catching the jackass who did this. We owe you," Diane sweetly said.
"Don't be foolish. You and Adam are like my own brother and sister! And family does for family, no matter what!"
David and Dylan rush and hug Mr. Az-Maliki, mumbling "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry! God made you the way he did for a reason! You are not broken or wrong. You are a creation of God. Do not ever forget that!" he replied in a serious, parental tone. He gave the boys a last quick squeeze and led them to the front door.
As their family entered the house, the parents mouthed a "Thank You," while tears streamed down their faces. The neighbor simply squeezed their shoulders and gave a knowing nod.
With the family safely inside he sent up a prayer:
"Heavenly Father, please deliver this family from the torment of their torturers. Open their tormentors hearts and minds, show them Your Love, to soften their hearts from the cold stone they have become. Amen."
A funny thing they don't teach you in Bible School - God can only work on people if they have something remotely similar to a soul...
-Final JUMP-
It was the last day of school, and D&D were miserable. After one of their houses was repaired, the other was damaged. Last night they had barely escaped being hit with a rock, cut with the shards from their exploding TV, then almost shot as they tried to flee the room.
This is really extreme. It hasn't worked in two years, why do they keep doing it? I haven't done anything to them, David thought. Maybe they're just soulless zombies that haven't zombified yet?
Maybe they're just utter assholes who don't give a shit! Dylan thought, in response to David's musings. Both boys giggled as they shared the knowledge that they were so close, they could hear each other's thoughts, even if they were in Japanese and separate classrooms.
Careful! If anyone hears you cussing they'll wash your brain out with bleach!
Like anyone'll ever know!
David was trying to suppress his giggles so hard that he had to pee, so he raised his hand and asked for a bathroom pass. With a nod he left the classroom and proceeded to the boys room next to the high school dugouts. Baseball might be a sport worth looking to, if he wasn't so scrawny.
He turned the corner and instantly began to run back the other way. There were almost 30 high school guys, from Roosevelt. He recognized the jackets as both the hockey and football teams. He didn't get far though as a few of them had snuck up behind him.
"Where's your fag friend, bitch-boy?" sneered a bald white guy. His belt buckle was huge and said "Pussy Pleaser."
"Eat shit fucker," David defiantly in Chaldean, knowing instantly that it wasn't a good idea.
Another boy, from the hockey team, punched David in the back of the head. "Don't speak sand-nigger to us faggot!"
Through the pain David managed "A racist, what a surprise," before sweeping every leg he could reach. He tried to run for it and failed, getting slammed into the dugout.
"Well, I guess we'll just have to beat you until he shows up then, won't we?"
"Drop dead closet-case!" David shouted. For some reason the words We will NOT be bullied into being something we're not rang through his mind.
"THAT, is not a choice!" As yet another one of the teenagers proceeded to loosen some of David's teeth.
"OUCH! WHAT THE..!" Cried Dylan as he sat in Mrs. Schwabeckers class, grabbing the left side of his face.
"IS there a problem Dylan?" she impatiently said.
David's in trouble, Dylan thought as someone landed a knee to the gut. Dylan barely got to the trashcan before he retched.
"Nurses office, NOW!" screamed Mrs. Schwabecker, insulted that someone would send their sick child to school rather than a doctor.
Dylan ran out of the classroom and let himself be pulled to David. He winced as he felt his right arm being twisted, groaned as he felt a kick to the crotch (not looking forward to that when it's possible), and screamed when he felt teeth being broken. In that 45 seconds, Dylan's heart stopped, and his blood became colder than dry ice.
His fists clenched, his face became what he thought was Punisher-like (it was), and he forced the same into David. David threw off the four teens holding him, even managing to break one of their jaws, and ran beside his friend.
If the First had a voice, a real one, it sounded like this David thought.
"Leave my friend, and my family, ALONE!" Dylan bellowed to the crowd of semi-beaten teens. His words echoed off the few walls that were around.
"Fuck you you little faggot!" the largest one said.
"What are you doing being 250, lard-ass!" If Dylan's words had mass, that guy'd be dead now.
The crowd charged both boys, and they now had one mind and one body. When a hand grabbed an arm, it was ripped away, when a foot came up for a kick, it was twisted. After a few minutes, both boys were slammed onto a tree. Dylan was dragged away, David forced to his knees.
"Let me go, NOW!" Dylan ordered, no change to the First Evil's tone.
"Oh, we got something special for you macho-faggot!" the lard-ass said, sneering the whole time.
"You like boys, how about you try a MAN!"
"And you have a man, where, exactly?" David shouted, smirking because he knew he was right. And he found his evil voice. He was treated to a cleated kick to the chest.
"Take that faggot's pants off, we'll do it right here!" cheered who was obviously the captain of the hockey team at Roosevelt.
Panicking, Dylan managed to kick the four teens holding his legs down and kicked the other three. He was treated to a cleated kick to the left side of his neck. When the teens had managed to tear his pants off, the ones not holding him down took a step back.
"Well well, looks like we're gonna make a woman out of you..." Lard-ass cooed.
No, NO, FUCK NO! David, block me out! Dylan screamed as loud as his mind would let him. He saw glimpses of David wincing between the pervert's arm and torso and heard I'm sorry, I can't. I won't let you suffer alone.
You have to! PLEEEASE! It was too late, they started.
Every time David tried to look away, he was kicked or punched.
After the fifth one, Dylan stopped feeling. He silently prayed that each one of them would drop dead.
When they were finished with Dylan, they started to march to David.
Dylan felt David's fear, and not wanting him to directly suffer what he had, leapt up and gave a twist.
The mob turned and saw Lard-ass on the ground, not moving, head twisted in a manner only seen in zombie movies like Resident Evil.
Grab, the... branch... As Dylan lurched forward. Through his broken jaw and sheared joints he said "Don't... FUCK... WITH... MY... FAMILY!"
SQUASH as a branch swung, felling two more of the teens. The rest ran, not even seeing the police charging them.
Dylan collapsed as David ran over to him, pulling him into his arms.
Don't die, please? I'll get stronger and protect you better!
This isn't your fault Davy. It isn't our fault...
We're not normal! If we tried to be normal...
This... isn't something we... Dylan uses his last bit of strength to touch his friends face, his other hand on his arms, his hair a disgusting red, not the fiery copper it normally is.
Promise me you won't die...
I, can't do... that...
Promise ME!
...I'll, do what... I can...
PROMISE! David doesn't know a life without his friend, someone to accept that he's different, and is dying now trying to have protected him.
...I... ... ... Pro...mi...se
"Please, HELP ME!" David screams, picking up his friend and running to a red van with lights. They take Dylan and forcibly carry him to another one.
David feels like he's dying too...
...
One month passes. David's mostly healed, he only has three dental appointments left, and there's only a small scar on his scalp. He used to like having Auntie and Uncle over, but now everyone's sad, and he knows why.
Dylan, however, isn't as lucky. He's bruised, still a little bloody, and his eyes aren't even moving, Which means he's not dreaming David notes. Because he was lucky or just too bull-headed, as Dad would say, he's holding on. The doctors have just given up, but there's a new one. He says that he'll start 'fixing' Dylan, which Auntie says will give him the right body.
Can you hear me Dyl?
... ... ... barely...
You need to wake up! I miss you...
... I'm... trying...
In case I don't get to ever tell you again, David begins crying. Mom and Uncle look at him with confused expressions. I love you.
... I know. I love you too Davy. The heart monitor gives two short, loud beeps, then resumes its normal slow, quiet beeps.
"We should uh, probably go home now. We've been here for two days," Adam says, not really meaning it.
"I want to stay here, in case he wakes up," David protests. And I want to tell you with my voice, not my mind.
... I remember... my promise... I, I WON'T... die...
"Ok mommy," David says heartlessly, "Let's go home."
David never finds out that they were there while the ATF took all of the Howards' belongings out of the house. The basement was pipe-bombed and their kitchen was now in the basement.
...
Three months later. Everyone had to be split up. While Dylan's house was demolished after being bombed again (the first round of assailants were convicted and sentenced to two life sentences), Dylan was still in a coma. His 'voice' was weaker, and wasn't always there. He looked better but was still connected to machines.
Dylan, can you hear me?
...
Dylan, you have to wake up. I'm scared.
Barely audible, Dylan replied. I can't stop being... so tired, all the... time.
More assholes blew up your house... we abandoned ours...
I'm... sorry... I shouldn't have, I... should have been a girl...
"You're not a girl! You're my friend and I love you and you're going to wake up!" Dave blurted out at triple speed, shocking Diane, Mary, and Adam.
"Honey, who are you talking to?" Mary asked, positive her son had finally gone insane.
"I'm talking to Dylan and he needs to listen!"
"I'm sure he's listening David," Diane said, trying to calm her other son down with what she hoped was a soothing voice.
Squeeze my hand Dylan! You have to do it! David said, desperate to have someone to hold him again, to make sure Dylan never got hurt again.
After several minutes, David pleaded again, verbally. "Please, you have to do it..."
Dylan's hand barely moved as it tried to squeeze his friends' hand.
David gently raised the hand and kissed it. "Now, you have to wake up..."
...
David took off his shoes, carefully moved all the tubes and IVs away, and lay next to his friend.
"I'm not leaving until he wakes up!"
...
It's Halloween. Neither house is standing, just empty holes covered with fiberboard. There aren't any trick-or-treaters in sight, even from the roof.
David can dance again, but has no desire to.
He can sing again, but every time he tries, he breaks down and cries uncontrollably.
He walks into, well, someone's dining room (he doesn't remember where he's at anymore. It's a different neighbor each day.
"You can't do that Adam!" his dad says.
"You think this' easy? There's no other way. I don't care if everyone here's willing to give everything for us. We can't ask for it and we can't accept it!" Auntie screeches, beginning to sob uncontrollably.
"Paul, what if it were David, lying there, with them and Dylan?" mom asks, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"He's our son too, just as much as yours!" Paul bellows, his voice sounding like he's about to have to kill his own heart.
"I'm... sorry. But, this..." Uncle waves to the two empty lots and partially burned-out garages, "this MUST end!"
"What about David? This'll kill him too..." Paul pleads like a man searching for ANY answer other than the one given.
"We..." Diane starts, then finds her words. "don't believe he can live like this. These motherfuckers won't give up until we do this."
David knows what they're going to do, so he marches to them.
"I'm going to hold him while you do it. And don't fucking tell me 'no!'" His face is beet red, and, sadly, this will be his calmest response for quite some time.
"As you wish," Diane says between sobs. She offers David her hand, and for the first time, he slaps it away. Hard.
The doctors turn off the machines that are making him breathe.
I'm so sorry Dyl...
...You don't need to be...
The doctors turn off the machines that are making his heart pump blood.
I'm going to miss you every day...
...I'm, going to... miss you too...
They turn off the drip that's keeping him nourished.
I love you Dyl... please stay alive...
I'll try... for you...
Nine minutes after the machines are turned off, Dylan stops working.
I'm sorry... Da...vy...
...I'm going with you...
After Dylan's been gone for five minutes, David feels himself turn off. No emotions, no hope, nothing. He carefully slips away from his friends husk, closes his friends eyes, kisses his cheek, and walks off.
David and Dylan were born in the same year, on the same day, at the same time.
David and Dylan died on the same day, Halloween, 2004, at 3:05p.m. Which would also be the same time the New Directions began rehearsals in just over seven years.