Afternoon.
Posted this yesterday at Brokeback Slash, in response to the "5 things" challenge. Not sure where this fits in really in the threads over here, but since it's definitely not a 'drabble', and even though not really part of the 'game' rules you set up originally, figured you wouldn't mind my posting it here. Hope you like it.
Thanks again.
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Ennis sat on the steps, occasionally taking a pull from the bottle of whiskey held in his right hand. The afternoon sun slipped down to kiss the tops of the far mountains before sliding behind them, releasing their shadows to spread slowly across the plain below and swallow all before them into their darkness.
Jack’s gone, he thought, God how I miss him, miss those lips and eyes that told me so much.
Miss them thin in a straight line, as Jack stood there, hands on hips, telling him to make up his mind, fire in those blue eyes of his.
Miss them half full, as Jack pushed out his lower lip to pout, with the start of a smile touching the edges, telling him it wasn't that serious after all, a sparkle in those blue eyes of his.
Miss them moist, as Jack licked them in anticipated of what was to come, telling him to hurry up already, desire in those blue eyes of his.
Miss them full, as Jack pressed them hard against his, opening to allow him access, giving and taking in return, telling him it was time for action, lust in those blue eyes of his.
Miss them puffy and blotched, as Jack lay there in his arms after a heaving bout of kissing, sex or no sex, sated and hurting, telling him silently he wanted even more, love in those blue eyes of his.
As Ennis remembered, the shadows continued their inexorable daily path towards him. They struck the trees to the West, which added their own shadows, with the combined spread now looking like fingers grasping at all in their path. Part of Ennis watched in fascination as the shadows crossed the dusty drive and reached the bottom step below him, then started their upward climb towards him.
Before the shadows could envelop his boots, Ennis realized that the ringing in his ears came from the telephone inside, not from concentrating so hard to hold onto each memory of Jack. He willed the memories to slide back into that special place where he honored them, as he slipped from the shadows’ touch and headed inside. The screen door banged into place behind him, blocking temporarily the forward progress of those outside shadows. But even wood and screening could not keep out the encroaching darkness. It slipped inside and oozed across the faded carpet towards the figure now sitting back in the recliner, one weary hand holding the bottle, the other reaching for the telephone.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
Relief flooded through him. “Hey, yourself. You made it. You okay? Folks okay?”
“Yeah, safe and sound, tired, but okay. So are they, as best as can be under the circumstances, considering they’re in this board and care place. …” The voice shifted, low. “Miss you, miss you a lot.”
The last words caressed Ennis’ ear like puffs of a warm summer breeze.
“Miss you too.” Ennis couldn’t help but smile as he spoke those three little words, and thought about those lips doing the same, a sparkle of love in those blue eyes. As they talked, filling each other in on the past five hours of their lives, he reveled in the sound of the voice coming from those lips, and saw those blue eyes and all they told him.
Ennis put the bottle down on the end table, and leaned over and switched on the lamp beside the recliner. The shadows retreated quickly and disappeared, banished from inside the room by the light of a lamp and banished from inside Ennis by the light of his life.