The Secret Catamite Bk 1, The Book of Daniel

by Patrick C Notchtree

  "That's right!" exclaimed Daniel, and let go of Simon, who promptly started to sink and had to put his feet down. They tried again, with the same result.

  "You're not doing it right," said Daniel crossly.

  "I'm doing my best," argued Simon.

  "You've got to put your face down so your back's straighter," diagnosed Daniel. So Simon tried but could not synchronise the arms, legs and breathing successfully. He managed a few independent strokes by holding his breath, but his eyes filled up with water so he could not see. But this small progress seemed to satisfy Daniel who was growing weary of his teaching role and wanted to show his friend his own swimming skills. He swam round Simon who stood up to his chest in the water, while Daniel tried to swim under water and between Simon's legs. Simon felt him wriggling through and then Daniel surfaced just in front him, smiling.

  "Follow me!" said Daniel, climbing out of the pool. The two ran round to the straight side of the pool.

  "Watch this!" said Daniel and started up the diving board steps. Simon, still obeying the 'follow me' instruction, followed. Up they went, behind a tanned looking man with a crew cut. He ran along the high board and just vanished! Then Daniel went out without looking behind, reached up with his arms and dived off into the water seemingly far below. Simon watched from the end of the board as his friend's body curved deep under water. It looked so easy. Then, with the same blind trust that Simon always had for Daniel, he did the same. But instead of entering the water smoothly like Daniel, he landed awkwardly, the water, much more resistant that he had thought, knocking the breath out of him. He was underwater, his eyes open in surprise. He could see the side of the pool wall, pale blue. Near the bottom there were some drain type holes. He was in an upright sitting position, almost foetal – and sinking. He settled on the bottom, twenty feet down, and stopped. A brief moment of serenity.

  But he had no idea what to do next and fear gripped him. He couldn't breathe! Simon panicked, sure he was going to die. A shape appeared in front of him, dark hair floating free in the water, those blue eyes like beacons of hope. Daniel grabbed Simon's arms and pulled up. Thinking again, Simon pushed hard with his legs, using the last of his energy to propel himself upwards. Daniel was pushing him now, upwards and towards the pool wall. Simon felt as though he were going to burst. He opened his mouth and swallowed pool water in desperation for breath. After an eternity, Simon grabbed the lip that ran round the edge of the pool and broke surface. Air! Air! Simon gasped. His eyes were waterlogged again and he could not see, but he could feel Daniel next to him, holding him up. All he wanted to do was breathe. Spluttering, he took one hand from the tiled lip and tried to wipe the water from his eyes. He was shaking and frightened.

  "I thought I was going to drown," he gasped, as he made out Daniel's face next to him, still trying to clear his vision. He hated the water in his eyes, he wanted to see and it made him feel still closed in.

  "Not while I'm around," said Daniel, who was holding the lip with one hand while he trod water and supported Simon with the other. "What did you do that for, you idiot?"

  "What?" answered Simon, still rubbing his eyes. If only just one of them would clear!

  "Dive in!" said Daniel's voice. "You were supposed to watch me from the side."

  "You said follow," explained Simon, "and when you did it, it looked so good, I wanted to as well." His eyes cleared a bit now and blinking, he could see Daniel next to him, his strong legs still treading water, supporting them both.

  "Idiot!" said Daniel again. "Come on, let's get out."

  Simon again realised he was hanging onto a tiled lip and to Daniel, with his body suspended above twenty feet of water, the deepest part of the Lido beneath the high boards. Occasionally there was a splash a few feet away as someone entered the water from the boards. He nodded and tried to pull himself out of the pool, but all his strength had gone. Daniel pushed him, Simon finding time to wonder briefly what Daniel was pushing against, but then he had enough grip as Daniel's push left his upper body flat on the paving. Ungainly, he scrambled forwards to pull his legs out and sat on the slabs. Daniel seemed to bob back into the pool and then in one swift movement, lifted himself clear of the water and onto the paving next to Simon.

  "You OK now?" Daniel asked. He had been scared when he realised that Simon had jumped off after him and was only aware when he broke surface and could not see him, but felt the shockwave of Simon's entry not far away. He had looked down and seen Simon, a blank expression on his face, sinking to the bottom. He had surfaced again, taken a deep breath and pushed hard down to where Simon was now sitting unmoving on the bottom. His fear initially had been of retribution if anything had happened to Simon, but then he realised that he didn't want anything to happen to Simon. Simon meant so much to him, idiot though he was sometimes. He was his closest friend whom he knew would never let him down.

  He looked at Simon sitting, still breathing hard, rubbing his eyes and nodding his answer to the question. He looked at Simon's body and knew how much he would miss his friend. He patted his shoulder, wanting to do more, but conscious of people around.

  "Let's get some sherbet," he said.

  Dipping their wet fingers into the little conical paper sherbet bags, and licking it off, they sat on the grass, resting.

  "Do you want to try again?" said Daniel. "In the shallow side," he added quickly.

  "Next time," said Simon.

  "Mind if I go in again?"

  Simon shook his head. Daniel jumped up and was in the water, powering along with his front crawl, occasionally turning for back stroke, weaving in and out of other swimmers, completely at home in the water in a way that made Simon envious yet proud of his talented friend. With a shout for Simon to watch – unnecessary as Simon's eyes followed Daniel's every move – Daniel went up to the highest board and dived off, his lithe body entering the water like an arrow, and then he surfaced, grinning at Simon, who waved and grinned back. He swam over to Simon and climbed out.

  "I've got to go," said Daniel. "I've a piano lesson later."

  "That's OK," said Simon, quietly pleased that this removed any threat of being lured back into the water.

  Back in a cubicle, the two boys dried down together.

  "Thought I'd lost you then," said Daniel.

  "I really thought I was going to drown," said Simon, the memory of that fear real again. "But you saved my life." He looked at Daniel, emotion in his eyes.

  "Had to, didn't I?" Then the two boys held each other close and hugged tightly, feeling their bodies together and safe.

  Daniel looked at his friend. "You're just too pretty," he said smiling.

  "Pretty?" said Simon, unsure of this use of the word to describe a boy.

  "Yes, it's those long eyelashes of yours, they hold the water. That's why you can't see."

  "Well, I'm not going to pull them out just so I can swim."

  "No, never do that," said Daniel simply. The boys got dressed.

  Once out of the Lido, the boys ran home, the race was on again, with Simon just edging the win to the corner.

  "You're fast!" said Daniel, panting. Simon grinned, happy to have regained some status after the failure in the water.

  "Don't tell what happened will you?" asked Daniel. "I might get into trouble."

  "Course not," said Simon, "you know I can keep a secret." He laughed and Daniel laughed too, the context not needing to be spoken. Simon looked at Daniel, now serious.

  "I'll never forget what you did today," said Simon.

  He never did.

  1954/9 Bike ride & Autumn Radio

  "I've made you a card," said Simon, "but it's not very good." It was September again, and they would be moving up classes. Daniel, because his birthday was so early in September, so early in fact that it often was in the school holidays as this time, was the oldest in his class. With his late August birthday, Simon was always the youngest in his. Their birthdays were exactly a week apart. The two boys were out on their bikes and as th
ey had got older, they had become more adventurous, leaving the city behind and heading out into the countryside.

  So this day they were out among the green fields, winding country lanes and little villages. They had stopped at the top of a hill from where a good view all round could be had. They needed a rest and were sharing a bottle of lemonade that clever Daniel had thoughtfully brought along, sitting on the grass near their bikes and were talking birthdays. This was the one week in the year when their ages were just one year different. Simon now eight and Daniel still, just, nine.

  "Made a card yourself?" said Daniel. "Where is it?"

  "Home," said Simon, "but it's not very good."

  "Bet it is," said Daniel. Then thinking of something his mother had said, he continued, "Anybody can go and buy a card, but sitting down and making one, takes time and thought, so it's much better than a bought one. And I'm sure it'll be very good."

  Simon smiled at his friend's encouragement. "I'll get it when we get back in case I don't see you tomorrow. Know what you're getting?"

  "I 'xpect you will," replied Daniel. "I think so, but I'm not supposed to say."

  "Go on," pleaded Simon. Daniel grinned, and shook his head.

  "But you can be the first to see, I promise. So you bring your super card tomorrow."

  "OK. Hey! Don't drink all the pop!"

  "I carried it here," said Daniel.

  "Well, I'll carry it back," said Simon.

  "Empty. It's a lot lighter when it's empty, " argued Daniel.

  "Well then, you can get the money back on the bottle," offered Simon.

  "I will. It's my bottle to start with," Daniel reminded Simon, who knew when he was defeated, and he slumped back from his pose of indignation. Daniel laughed and thrust the bottle at Simon.

  "I've had enough, you finish it off." Simon took the bottle and gratefully drank off the last few mouthfuls. "You're carrying it back though," said Daniel. 'Glug' said Simon.

  "Thanks," said Simon, removing the glass bottle from his lips and wiping them on his bare forearm. Shorts and T Shirts were the order of the day. Putting the bottle in his bag, he turned and threw himself on the unsuspecting Daniel. Quickly Simon had the advantage through surprise and was on top, pinning Daniel down. This did not last long though as the older and stronger Daniel managed to get Simon off and then the two were wrestling on the grass, panting and laughing. For a moment, Simon regained dominance, but Daniel played the trump card.

  "Hey, no tickling!" shrieked Simon as he writhed in response to Daniel's probing fingers.

  "All's fair in love and war – and fun fights," said Daniel. "And anyway, you started it." But he stopped tickling and was now sitting astride Simon, pinning his arms back. Simon knew it would end like this, it always did. Daniel was stronger than he was.

  "You're a bully," he said to Daniel. "I'm a year younger than you."

  "Two years," corrected Daniel.

  "Not this week," said Simon defiantly.

  "You're an idiot," said Daniel, threatening to tickle Simon again. "I'll always be two years older than you. You can't change that now."

  "OK, but not quite two years."

  "Right, one year and fifty-one weeks, if it makes you feel better." Daniel rolled off Simon and lay next to him panting. Then, propping himself up, he looked around. "There's a little wood over there. No houses round." He looked meaningfully at Simon, who just after the physical closeness of their fun fight, understood perfectly. He nodded and they rode their bikes a short distance along the lane to the wood. It was unlike the spinney at home because there were no worn paths created by many cycling children or more sedate walkers. It was wild, cool and quiet. They wheeled their bikes into the wood.

  "This'll do," said Daniel. He had chosen well, they were shielded by undergrowth but would hear any approach, and were some distance into the wood from the lane. As he removed his T shirt and shorts, Simon copied and the two stood naked, facing each other.

  "We've got nothing to lie on," said Simon. "There might be prickles in the grass."

  "We've laid on the grass before," said Daniel. He knelt down and felt all around. "It's fine, no prickles." He lay down himself and beckoned Simon downward. Simon looked quickly round and obeyed. The two explored each other with tender hands, each caressing the now familiar contours of the other.

  "Yours is almost as big as mine," said Daniel.

  Simon looked at that part which fascinates boys about their bodies more than any other. "Is that good?" he asked.

  "Suppose so. Dunno really," said Daniel. "Maybe it's because it's different. Probably be OK."

  The two lay together in the woods, listening for any danger, but relaxed in each other's company. Daniel propped himself up on his elbows and reached across pulling Simon toward him, holding him. Simon looked up at his friend's face. He knew he could always trust Daniel. He had saved his life in the Lido just a couple of weeks before, although each time he mentioned it, Daniel just said it was OK and to stop going on about it. But Simon kept thinking about it.

  "Do you like doing this?" asked Daniel. There was a hint of nervousness in his voice.

  "Bike rides?"

  "No, idiot. Like this. Stripping off together and sort of, stroking and all that."

  Simon thought how he could express his feelings of safety and security when he was with Daniel, and especially when he was being held in their shared nakedness. "I love it," he said simply.

  "Me too," said Daniel relieved, and ran his hand slowly down Simon's back from the nape of his neck, down his spine and on, staying a bit longer on his buttocks and then to the backs of his thighs, a move he knew Simon loved. Simon gently sighed, and then responded equally. Their eyes met but neither had the words or dared, so the bond remained unspoken.

  "We'd better get back," said Daniel after a while. "Must be getting on for tea time. Piano practice." The boys got dressed and wheeled their bikes back to the lane.

  They raced down the hill on their bikes, passing the thirty mile an hour sign with a laugh as they cycled through the village at top speed, imagining themselves to be space rockets breaking the sound barrier. More carefully when they reached the main road and saw their first cars again since they had left it earlier. Cycling on the paths, they were soon back on their own quiet streets.

  "See you tomorrow," said Daniel at the corner.

  "Yes. Happy birthday," said Simon. "Oh, I was going to get the card. Will you be in later?"

  "Not sure," said Daniel. "We might be going out. So I'll have to see you tomorrow." They parted with a wave.

  The next morning, after rushing his breakfast of bread and pork dripping, Simon looked out of his bedroom window to see if he could see Daniel, but his bedroom window showed nothing. Simon thought of Daniel's family, his Daddy, wishing him a happy birthday. Simon often wished his Daddy was more like Daniel's. He sat looking out across the allotments towards the spinney, and where their den was, although that could not be seen of course. Something attracted his eye and he looked back at Daniel's house. He was there at his window, waving at Simon. Then Daniel opened his bedroom window and was shouting something. Simon opened his window, however it opened towards Daniel's house and so was still between them, but he could hear Daniel's voice, although not what he was saying. But the beckoning motion he was making was clear enough. Simon waved and closed the window, running downstairs, just remembering to pick up the homemade card. It was beside the bought one Daniel had given him last week.

  "Going round Daniel's, Mummy," he shouted.

  "Oh, OK love," came Mummy's voice form the sitting room. "Oh, say Happy Birthday from me. It is today isn't it?" But she got no reply as by that time Simon was running along the path to the corner and then round to Daniel's house. As usual he went straight to the back door and there was Daniel, waiting.

  "Come in Simon," said Mrs. Gray.

  Simon stepped in, looking at Daniel, glad he was there. He held out the homemade card.

  "Happy Birthday, Daniel," he sai
d.

  Daniel looked at the card, with his name on it and pictures Simon had drawn of the two of them on their bikes and Daniel playing his piano, and then turned to the message of friendship inside. Simon looked anxiously for Daniel's reaction.

  "Thanks," said Daniel. "It's super."

  "Did you make that yourself, Simon," asked Mrs Gray, coming over to have a look. Simon nodded. She took the card from Daniel and opened it. Simon instantly regretted his message inside, thinking maybe it was too much. And then she read it out.

  "'Happy Birthday to Daniel, my very best friend forever and always.' That's really nice, Simon. Taking the time and trouble to make a card yourself."

  Relieved, Simon beamed with pleasure at Daniel and his mother.

  "Come upstairs, I've something to show you," said Daniel. The two went upstairs to Daniel's bedroom. Daniel stood expectantly while Simon looked round for anything different.

  "What?" said Simon. "Oh! Gosh!" This was what Daniel wanted him to see. It was his very own wireless, an Ever Ready.

  "Let's turn it on," said Simon. Daniel turned it on. Soon the speaker was blaring music.

  "Once I had a secret love

  That lived within the heart of me

  All too soon my secret love

  Became impatient to be free"

  The two joined in, adding their raucous voices to Doris Day's.

  "Try something else," said Simon. Daniel turned the tuning knob and the two boys listened as strange voices came from the wireless.

  "That's German," said Daniel with the authority of a new ten year old. Simon thought it could be, because he knew what French sounded like a bit. "It's got four valves and of course it's battery powered so we can take it out if we want."

  "Will your Mummy let you?" asked Simon.

  "Probably," said Daniel. And then a new thought came to him. "Did you know 'Journey into Space' is coming back?"

  "What's that?" said Simon.

  "It's excellent, " said Daniel, "it was all about spaceships and that, and going to the moon. But in the new one they are going to Mars. We can listen to it together."