Abandon: Chapter 13
The Abernathy Trilogy
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
Abandon
Chapter 13
Justin
"William!" I yell again, continuing to pound on his door to his room. "Please! Come out and speak to me."
"I'll not look twice at you again, you blackguard!" he shouts from the other side.
The hallway is dark now, and chilly. When I had regained consciousness again, lying on the stone floor of the sitting room, I'd found that night had long since fallen. But my mind was clear, and I was breathing normally. And then I came to find William.
"William, please! Let me explain!"
"Go away!"
I stop pounding, my fist becoming numb. Shortly thereafter, I hear him shuffle near to the door, listening to see if I have left.
"William," I say sincerely, trusting that he is listening through the door. "I need your help if I'm to save him."
A few seconds later, the door opens, an angry William glowering at me. "What do you mean, save him?"
William
I trudge after him into the sitting-room, my arms still crossed menacingly. He must not for a moment think that I've forgiven him--or shall ever forgive him! The lying bastard. He has sentenced Brian to death, and here he sits calmly at the table, offering me a drink!
"You little cur," I hiss. "Offering me a drink, when I should rip your lungs out for what you've done!"
"William..." he starts, not surprised by my words.
"Have you even a notion of what you've done, Justin? You've destroyed him!"
I can tell that my words have hit him, as he bites his lip, the tears welling up in his eyes. I'll make him cry harder than that!
"Don't you think I know it?" he whispers, the tears now falling in full force. It is a pitiable sight, and suddenly he looks all of twelve years old. But not too young to send a man to his grave!
"Must I remind you how wretched you were when he found you?" I growl. "He saved your life, Justin! He was the closest you'll ever have to a friend in this world!"
"He was more than that, William!" he sobs. "You don't understand!"
"Then explain it to me!" I shout, angrily. He fights to compose himself, wiping his eyes on his sleeves. He's a young man, but there is only so much of this I will tolerate!
Justin emits a shuddering sigh, signaling the end of his tears. He stares down at his dampened sleeves, twisting at a stray thread of fabric. When he begins, his voice is so small, I have to lean in to hear it.
"What Josephine saw...the other night..." he stops himself and starts again. "It's true...what she said...Brian was in my room...in my bed... And we have been together...in that way...many times before."
"What do you mean, 'together'?"
"As... lovers, William."
"What?" I cry. This is absurd! "Are you off your bird, lad?" He did suffer a fall not long ago...I think he's not right in the head.
"William, I swear it to you," he professes quietly. His countenance is so wearily morose...I begin to feel a queasiness in the pit of my stomach. It can't be true!
"Justin," I begin, "I've known Brian since long before your time. His father was a good Christian, and he raised a good son. Not a..."
"Sodomite?" he finishes, his solemnity shifting to anger. "A buggerer?"
"Ach, Justin," I spit, shuddering at the ugly words.
"Why is it so hard to believe?" he contests. "You said it yourself, you don't know why he has never married in thirty years."
"Brian is particular..."
"Brian doesn't fancy women! That is the truth of it, William!"
The rock in my gut grows a few pounds heavier. And sharper.
After a time, Justin continues, quietly. "He fancies men, William. I think he has all his life. But he never had anyone who shared his feelings. Until...he found me."
He pauses for a time and I realize, with horrifying plainness, that this is not a prank. Justin's words aren't the product of slander, nor even delirium. He is serious. And likely telling the truth.
"He loves me, William. And I love him. As surely as any man and woman might."
"But you accused him of...beating you, and..."
"Brian never hurt me, ever!" he swears. "You were right about that."
Justin takes a deep breath before continuing. "He did this for me! They were ready to accuse us both, William. They would have hanged us both, and Brian knew it. So he changed the story, and confessed to abusing me. He took all the blame, that I might go free!"
"If it's true, Justin," I sigh, "then how could you go along with it?"
"This is the only way, William. If I deny it, they'll think I'm just protecting him out of fear of being punished. If I admit the truth, I'll be sentenced as well. And either way, Brian will perish. At least now...now that I am free, I can work to get him out of there."
"Out of there? Justin, he's in gaol, not in a candy shop! And he's sentenced to the gallows in two days!"
"I can do it, William," he asserts, staring at some unseen spot on the wall. "I WILL do it. He's all that matters to me. I won't fail him."
I sigh, sadly. Though I admit, I am impressed by his determination, I am equally grieved by his foolishness. He has read too many books, this lad, and has a head filled with wild ideas.
"I don't know what you think of me. Of...us," Justin says softly, not looking at me. "But I have one thought--to save him. And this is the only way I know how to do it. If you can put aside your judgements...for Brian's sake...will you help me?"
He looks at me with hopeful eyes, and I don't know what to see. I don't know what to make of the things that he's told me, or even to believe them. But when I look at his young face--equally grief-stricken and resolved--I see not lies or wickedness. I see sincerity. I see the same boy I've come to trust these past two years.
And I want the same end as him--Brian, alive and free. Whatever the circumstances.
"Aye, Justin. I'll help you."
Abernathy, Abandon, America
by Kristen
Abandon
Chapter 13
Justin
"William!" I yell again, continuing to pound on his door to his room. "Please! Come out and speak to me."
"I'll not look twice at you again, you blackguard!" he shouts from the other side.
The hallway is dark now, and chilly. When I had regained consciousness again, lying on the stone floor of the sitting room, I'd found that night had long since fallen. But my mind was clear, and I was breathing normally. And then I came to find William.
"William, please! Let me explain!"
"Go away!"
I stop pounding, my fist becoming numb. Shortly thereafter, I hear him shuffle near to the door, listening to see if I have left.
"William," I say sincerely, trusting that he is listening through the door. "I need your help if I'm to save him."
A few seconds later, the door opens, an angry William glowering at me. "What do you mean, save him?"
William
I trudge after him into the sitting-room, my arms still crossed menacingly. He must not for a moment think that I've forgiven him--or shall ever forgive him! The lying bastard. He has sentenced Brian to death, and here he sits calmly at the table, offering me a drink!
"You little cur," I hiss. "Offering me a drink, when I should rip your lungs out for what you've done!"
"William..." he starts, not surprised by my words.
"Have you even a notion of what you've done, Justin? You've destroyed him!"
I can tell that my words have hit him, as he bites his lip, the tears welling up in his eyes. I'll make him cry harder than that!
"Don't you think I know it?" he whispers, the tears now falling in full force. It is a pitiable sight, and suddenly he looks all of twelve years old. But not too young to send a man to his grave!
"Must I remind you how wretched you were when he found you?" I growl. "He saved your life, Justin! He was the closest you'll ever have to a friend in this world!"
"He was more than that, William!" he sobs. "You don't understand!"
"Then explain it to me!" I shout, angrily. He fights to compose himself, wiping his eyes on his sleeves. He's a young man, but there is only so much of this I will tolerate!
Justin emits a shuddering sigh, signaling the end of his tears. He stares down at his dampened sleeves, twisting at a stray thread of fabric. When he begins, his voice is so small, I have to lean in to hear it.
"What Josephine saw...the other night..." he stops himself and starts again. "It's true...what she said...Brian was in my room...in my bed... And we have been together...in that way...many times before."
"What do you mean, 'together'?"
"As... lovers, William."
"What?" I cry. This is absurd! "Are you off your bird, lad?" He did suffer a fall not long ago...I think he's not right in the head.
"William, I swear it to you," he professes quietly. His countenance is so wearily morose...I begin to feel a queasiness in the pit of my stomach. It can't be true!
"Justin," I begin, "I've known Brian since long before your time. His father was a good Christian, and he raised a good son. Not a..."
"Sodomite?" he finishes, his solemnity shifting to anger. "A buggerer?"
"Ach, Justin," I spit, shuddering at the ugly words.
"Why is it so hard to believe?" he contests. "You said it yourself, you don't know why he has never married in thirty years."
"Brian is particular..."
"Brian doesn't fancy women! That is the truth of it, William!"
The rock in my gut grows a few pounds heavier. And sharper.
After a time, Justin continues, quietly. "He fancies men, William. I think he has all his life. But he never had anyone who shared his feelings. Until...he found me."
He pauses for a time and I realize, with horrifying plainness, that this is not a prank. Justin's words aren't the product of slander, nor even delirium. He is serious. And likely telling the truth.
"He loves me, William. And I love him. As surely as any man and woman might."
"But you accused him of...beating you, and..."
"Brian never hurt me, ever!" he swears. "You were right about that."
Justin takes a deep breath before continuing. "He did this for me! They were ready to accuse us both, William. They would have hanged us both, and Brian knew it. So he changed the story, and confessed to abusing me. He took all the blame, that I might go free!"
"If it's true, Justin," I sigh, "then how could you go along with it?"
"This is the only way, William. If I deny it, they'll think I'm just protecting him out of fear of being punished. If I admit the truth, I'll be sentenced as well. And either way, Brian will perish. At least now...now that I am free, I can work to get him out of there."
"Out of there? Justin, he's in gaol, not in a candy shop! And he's sentenced to the gallows in two days!"
"I can do it, William," he asserts, staring at some unseen spot on the wall. "I WILL do it. He's all that matters to me. I won't fail him."
I sigh, sadly. Though I admit, I am impressed by his determination, I am equally grieved by his foolishness. He has read too many books, this lad, and has a head filled with wild ideas.
"I don't know what you think of me. Of...us," Justin says softly, not looking at me. "But I have one thought--to save him. And this is the only way I know how to do it. If you can put aside your judgements...for Brian's sake...will you help me?"
He looks at me with hopeful eyes, and I don't know what to see. I don't know what to make of the things that he's told me, or even to believe them. But when I look at his young face--equally grief-stricken and resolved--I see not lies or wickedness. I see sincerity. I see the same boy I've come to trust these past two years.
And I want the same end as him--Brian, alive and free. Whatever the circumstances.
"Aye, Justin. I'll help you."