Laughing in the Face of Death – Chapter Six

The next morning the two tired boys suffered from a very rude awakening. Some idiot driving a car outside insisted on making their car tires squeal extra loudly. Many horns were blown after this.

It shocked Freddy the worst. He screamed loudly from fright as he rolled off of Zack's bed. He muttered curses under his breath as he lifted himself up of the floor. Freddy looked over at Zack, who had sat up in bed and was yawning.

"Damn asshole," Freddy said as he walked over to Zack's window and peered outside it. There was no one to be seen, so Freddy couldn't exactly scream insults at the person who had almost caused a car accident.

"After living in New York City for so many years you're still not used to assholes who drive recklessly through the city?" Zack asked as he joined Freddy by the window.

"It's not that," Freddy answered. "I was sleeping."

"It's ten thirty in the morning," Zack pointed out. "I think that it would have been the right time for you to get up anyway." Freddy nodded.

He sat down on Zack's bed. Zack walked around his room, pulling out clothes from drawers that he normally used while staying with his sister. After dressing in the bathroom (despite Freddy's protests that it would have been okay for Zack to undress in front of him) Zack flopped down on the bed next to Freddy.

They kissed.

After Freddy pulled away Zack looked at him and said, "Where did you go last night?"

Freddy stiffened slightly. "I thought you were asleep," he said, hopping that Zack wouldn't notice his sudden uneasiness.

"I was until you left me," Zack responded. "Then I waited up for a little while. When you didn't come back fast enough I fell asleep again. But answer me. Where did you go?"

"I just went out to get something," Freddy answered, half truthfully. "I'd been planning to pick it up for a few days by now."

Zack raised his eyebrows and was about to object when the two heard a loud knocking noise coming from inside the apartment. Zack froze. It couldn't be...he couldn't have come to find him already...

It seemed as if Freddy could read Zack's mind. "You think it's your father, don't you?" he whispered to Zack. Zack nodded slowly, the color slowly draining from his face.

"He won't hurt you," Freddy whispered quietly to Zack. "I promise."

Zack nodded again. Very slowly Zack got off his bed. "Stay here," he whispered meekly as he slowly walked from his room, shutting the door behind him. Freddy walked over to the door and peered through the keyhole.

He could see Liz standing by an open door. Next to her was someone wearing a long black jacket. Mr. Mooneyham. Next to Mr. Mooneyham was a tall skinny woman in a skirt. Mrs. Mooneyham. Freddy could hear the sound of muffled weeping.

"Dad, please try and remain calm," Liz was saying to her father.

"Stay calm? Your brother ran out on us. Again," Mr. Mooneyham was saying, his voice low and dangerous.

"He didn't run out on us," Liz said. "I picked him up. You abused him again."

Mr. Mooneyham laughed loudly. Next to him the frail figure of Mrs. Mooneyham was shaking.

"Yes, I know that I abused your brother. Eventually he'll understand that once he stops disobeying us then that will be the time that we won't hurt him."

Freddy clenched his fist. The stupid lousy bastard...he was lying...he was so sure of it...

Zack must have thought the same thing too, for he yelled, "You liar! You lousy fucking liar!"

"What did you just call me boy?" Mr. Mooneyham growled.

"A fucking liar," Zack replied calmly. "You would hurt me every chance that you could. When you're drunk... when you're angry... when you think I disobey you...but I've had enough of it...I'm done with you and this family...I want to stay here with Liz...and someone else...because you know what Dad...I'm gay!"

Mrs. Mooneyham shrieked loudly. Freddy swelled up with pride. His dear Zack had admitted that he was gay.

"With who?" he heard Mr. Mooneyham growl.

"Freddy Jones," Zack said proudly.

"Him? That dirty piece of white trash?" Mr. Mooneyham was saying in a voice that would have been good for taunting.

"Hey, we're white too!" Zack exclaimed. "And Freddy is not a piece of trash."

He paused. Freddy could have guessed what was coming next.

"You are."

That must have sent Mr. Mooneyham off the deep end. The next thing that Freddy knew Mr. Mooneyham had crossed Liz's kitchen and grabbed Zack. He heard Zack scream in pain. The blood in Freddy's veins froze. He had never, in his years of knowing Zack, heard in scream like that. Never.

Unsure of what to do, a memory of the discussion that Freddy had had with Liz came back into his mind:

"I agree with you...He's done enough. He's given all of us - my mother, Zack, me - emotional scars. I can't remember a night that my mother wasn't crying, or a time when Zack wasn't hiding with me, both of us holding each other in fear. Promise me that you'll never hurt Zack. Promise me that you'll be there for him in a time when I can't be there for him. Be there for him when he has no where else to turn. Protect him., Freddy. Zack loves you so much."

And how had he answered? Oh yes:

"I'd die for Zack. I promise that I'll take good care of him."

Freddy had meant it. He rushed back over to Zack's bed and pulled out the paper bag. He reached inside for the content. Yes, there it was. It gleamed black as the night sky. Putting it behind his back, Freddy entered into the confusion.

Mr. Mooneyham had Zack pinned against the wall. His hand was grasped around some of Zack's hair. Mrs. Mooneyham was cowering in the corner, crying and screaming in fear at the same time. Lying on the floor next to her was Liz. Her eyes drifted over to Freddy. They were filled with pain, and she was crying slightly.

"Promise me that you'll be there for him in a time when I can't be there for him... Protect him, Freddy...Zack loves you so much."

"Hey asshole!" Freddy called out to Mr. Mooneyham. He turned to head to face Freddy. Freddy smirked at him.

"Looking for me?"

Mr. Mooneyham released his grip from Zack and turned slowly towards Freddy. There eyes met.

"Stupid bastard," he heard Mr. Mooneyham mumbled dangerously under his breath. "Stupid lousy fucking bastard. I suppose you heard me call you a piece of white trash?"

"Yeah, I heard you," Freddy replied calmly. He tightened his grip upon the item that he was hiding behind his back.

"Really?" Mr. Mooneyham said. "Then you should know what I said was true. You're a waste to human society, Freddy. Everyone that's just like you. Your reckless and gay. Isn't that wonderful? But you're just like your parents...and that's not saying that they're both as worthless as you are."

Anger seared through Freddy's body. "How dare you," he whispered. "Having a go at me is alright. You just draw the line. But when you hurt the boy I love and then insult my parents, well I'll just put it plainly, you've crossed the line."

Freddy removed the item that he had been hiding behind his back so it could be seen it plain view. Mrs. Mooneyham shrieked. Zack's eyes widened.

"That's what you bought last night?" Zack whispered. "A gun?"

Freddy smiled slightly. "Yes a gun," he said. "And if you want to know why Zack, then it's to protect you. I'm tired of seeing you in pain. I'm tired of seeing your mother cry and cry and never do a thing about it. I'm tired of seeing your sister try to help you get away but always having her plans backfire."

Freddy raised the gun so it would point directly at Mr. Mooneyham.

"I made a promise," Freddy continued on. "A promise to protect Zack. Right now he needs protection. From you." His eyes lingered on Mr. Mooneyham. Freddy closed his eyes.

He pulled the trigger.

The next noises he heard were the sound of a body falling on the ground and Mrs. Mooneyham shrieking again.

Freddy opened his eyes.

There was Mr. Mooneyham. Dead on the floor. Across from him was Liz, who had sat up and was peering at her father's dead body.

Freddy turned his head to look at Zack.

Zack's face had turned a pale color, and his eyes held fear. He looked up at Freddy.

Zack opened his mouth and whispered:

"You saved me."

The next thing Freddy knew he had dropped his gun and Zack ran into his open arms. He could hear Zack crying into his shoulder. Freddy tightened his grip on the boy. Zack had frown so frail lately that it seemed if Freddy wasn't holding onto him tightly enough that Zack would slip away and be lost forever.

Freddy was sure that a part of Zack was lost. The part that went when Zack saw his father die right before his eyes.

Not to far from them Liz stood up. She walked over to Freddy, her hand clutched around her knee. When she reached them she smiled up at Freddy and said:

"Thank you."

Xxxxxxxx {tbc}