Leech 01 Caleo

by James Crawford

  “Here, he can have mine,” Thorn said, standing up and placing his bowl on the ground for Stinky who ran for the bowl. “Don’t worry, I just ate earlier. Besides, if I poisoned the food I wouldn’t have taken a bite myself … Of course I could have already had the poison in the bowls before I ladled the soup in it, then my bowl of soup would never have touched any of the poison.” Thorn smiled as everyone dropped their spoons and looked at each other, Jack with a piece of bread hanging out of his mouth his eyes wide with worry as he looked down at his empty bowl. Even Stinky stopped lapping up his soup.

  Thorn chuckled to himself as he stretched lazily in his chair. “I told you I didn’t poison your food, you are safe here. Relax.”

  “Thorn … the room is cleaned and ready.” A tall, skinny man looking to be around sixteen walked into the room from behind Caleo. His long, golden blond hair hung loosely over his shoulders.

  “Thank you,” Thorn said and turned to the man. “This is Gabriel, Gabriel this is Caleo, Jack, and Jillian. Gabriel, will you show our guests to the spare room when they are finished eating? I have other things I must attend to this evening.” He turned to Caleo. “I will have Gabriel wake you in the morning for breakfast, and then we'll have the funeral. Now if you all would excuse me I have to get the details worked out.” He got up and left the room.

  “So what’s your story?” Jack asked bitterly.

  “Don’t be rude,” Jillian hissed.

  “So you must be the Angel.” Gabriel walked over to Jack, a frown on his face. “I really don’t see what makes you so special. You look just like everyone else to me ... I hope you are what we all have been waiting for. There are a lot of hopes and dreams resting on you, kid.”

  “Actually, he's the Angel. I'm human,” Jack said smugly as he pointed to Caleo.

  Gabriel looked over noticing Caleo for the first time, and fell to one knee. “So it’s true, the Angel’s magic does shape their body to match their power. Please forgive me.”

  Caleo looked around the room uncomfortably. “What are you talking about?

  “I was told your power is to freeze things, right? Well I wouldn’t picture Jack Frost any other way.” Gabriel smiled like a kid that just opened a Christmas present he has been wanting for a lifetime.

  “Watch it, buddy,” Jack warned, standing up.

  “I didn’t mean to offend. I was told that the Angel and his power are so connected that they resemble their power. I was told the last Angel’s skin looked like a storm cloud and if you watched it you would swear that the clouds were moving under it. Man, I would have loved to see that. Angels are just so rare, not too many of us ever get to actually meet one.” Gabriel’s voice was dripping with excitement. “So, is your skin cool to the touch as well?”

  “No,” Caleo said, but was immediately ruled out by both Jack and Jillian saying, “Yes!” in unison. Caleo looked around blindsided.

  “Well your hands are always cold,” Jillian said defensively. “I never thought anything of it until now. I just thought you were one of those people who always had cold hands.”

  “Cold?” Caleo asked.

  “Well more cool than cold, but you know what we're talking about,” Jack corrected for his sister. “So what’s your power?” Jack asked and Caleo was happy for the subject to be changed away from himself.

  “I have angel wings,” Gabriel said, never taking his eyes off Caleo. “Angel as in God’s Angels not that the Leech’s Angel has wings.”

  Jack looked over at the man’s back. “I don’t see any wings.”

  “I grow wings; I don’t have to keep them all the time. That would make getting around in normal life a little hard,” Gabriel snapped, finally looking away from Caleo. “Are you guys done eating?” he asked getting back to his feet, glaring at Jack the whole time. They all climbed to their feet.

  “Yes,” Jillian answered, sweeping up Stinky, who was stretched out on the floor purring lazily, into her arms.

  “Okay, follow me,” Gabriel turned, walked out of the room, and led them through a hallway, turning to go down a flight of stairs.

  At the bottom of the stairs he stopped and turned to face them.

  “All of this is under the house?” Jillian asked when she saw that at the bottom of the stairs three hallways branched out, one to the left, one to the right, and one straight ahead all immensely long.

  Gabriel nervously looked around the corner, took a deep breath, and said, “Okay, down here is what we call our compound. It has seventeen dormitories, all of which are filled to capacity except the one you'll be staying in. When the rebels decided to attack, the normal populace, such as those who didn’t want to get involved in the slaughter, came here. There's a mess hall, a medical station, and a locker room for showers.” Gabriel pointed out the direction to each, then nervously looked around again and said, “There are a lot of people down here who want to meet you, just keep walking down this hall. Your room is the last room on the left.” Gabriel turned and started walking briskly down the long hallway in front of the trio.

  “Is that … ” a voice asked from an open door as they approached.

  Gabriel pushed the man into his room saying, “Stay in your room! You can meet him in the morning.” And then he closed the door.

  He had to repeat the process three more times along the way. Two of the doors reopened a few seconds after they passed, watching them as they went down the hallway.

  “Hey, that’s not fair. I was told this was an all boys club; no girls allowed in the barracks. I want to redo my contract so I can get a girl, too,” one man joked, whistling at Jillian.

  They stopped at the end of the hall and waited for Gabriel to catch up. “This will be your room while you three are here. I’m not your maid, clean up after yourselves. My room is right across the hall if you need anything. Please stay in your room until I come and get you in the morning,” he instructed, directing the last part more towards Jillian. He turned the knob, opening the door, and steeped back to usher them inside. “There's a bathroom in there.” He looked at Jillian again and said, “No shower, sorry. We only have a community shower, besides the one in Thorn’s main house, and it's topside. I'll try and make arrangements for you to get cleaned up in the morning. In the meantime, I recommend you wash up in the sink. Now if either of you would like to get a shower I could escort you to the wash.”

  “No, we're fine,” Jack said, falling backwards onto the queen size bed in the center of the room.

  Gabriel cringed, obviously disagreeing. “Okay,” he replied and pulled the door shut, bowing low to Caleo as he left.

  “Finally,” Jack said happily as Caleo sat on the corner of the bed.

  Jillian slapped Jack on his leg. “You two better not get mud on the bed.”

  “Yeah, we better get cleaned up a little before—” Jillian slammed the door to the bathroom shut before Jack could finish, “—bed.”

  Caleo laughed as he slid out of his shoes. “Damn, that took a little longer than I thought it would. The second Gabriel said bathroom I expected her to make a run for it.”

  “Well she had to remember her manners in the presence of his royal … ” Jack paused as the bathroom door opened again and Jillian tossed Stinky out onto the floor.

  “You’re going to have to wait outside with the rest of the boys. You’re giving me the creeps,” Jillian said, shutting the door again.

  “Looks like you fell from grace,” Jack said to Stinky.

  “That’ll teach you not to be a little pervert,” Caleo added.

  Stinky tucked back his ears and moaned in response.

  “You two leave Stinky alone. He's had a rough day, too. Quit teasing him,” Jillian’s muffled voice yelled from behind the bathroom door.

  Stinky’s ears perked back up at her voice and he hissed and moaned again, louder this time, followed by another hiss.

  “What are you doing to him?” Jillian opened the door, a towel wrapped around her body and hair. The cat instantly made a mad
dash inside the bathroom as if a rabid dog was chasing him. “What did you do to him?” Jillian demanded, looking directly at Jack.

  “Nothing. We were getting ready for bed and the little bastard went crazy,” Jack explained.

  “Well, I’m done. I'll get dressed out here, you two go get washed up,” Jillian said. “There are wash cloths on the sink; I have the only two towels. No mud is to come into the bed.”

  “Yes, your highness,” Jack and Caleo said in unison, smiling at the familiarity.

  When there was a knock on the door, they all looked at each other for a moment wondering what to do.

  “It’s me, Nolan, open up.”

  “What do you want?” Jack demanded.

  “I just wanted to tell you that I really didn’t know. I mean, I knew you were the Angel, but he didn’t tell me anything else about him being related to you.” Nolan paused, waiting for a response, then continued, “And believe it or not I had no intention of bringing you here unless you asked me to.” After another awkward silence Nolan added, “My job was, and still is, just to protect you.”

  Caleo glanced around at Jack and Jillian for help, but they were looking as awkward as he felt. Then he heard footsteps as Nolan walked away.

  “We have a long day tomorrow, let’s get ready for bed,” Jack said, pulling Caleo towards the bathroom by his shirt. There they stripped silently and washed themselves with the washcloths that Jillian had left in the sink.

  “What?” Caleo asked, seeing in the mirror that Jack had a surprised look on his face. Then he followed his eyes to where he was looking and quickly hid his manhood with the washcloth.

  “Caleo?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. Then he whispered, “We've taken baths together since we were kids, and showers in gym class. I've seen you naked a thousand times.” Jack paused, as if not sure what to say next, then bluntly said, “You were circumcised a few weeks ago?” It was more of a question than a statement. Caleo took a deep breath; he knew eventually someone would notice. He tried to ask Nolan about in at the store but … When he didn’t respond Jack asked, “What happened?”

  “At the lake when … it healed my body,” Caleo said sheepishly. “All my scars and cuts, it’s as if none of them ever happened.”

  “It can do that?” Jack asked shocked.

  “Nolan said it can even grow back a finger that was cut off,” Caleo whispered back, not looking at Jack because he was afraid to see his revulsion.

  After a long moment of silence Caleo looked up; Jack had turned around to face him. The small bathroom put them only a few uncomfortable feet apart.

  “Don’t worry so much. There's nothing you could say or do that would make me think any less of you,” Jack said softly as he lifted Caleo’s chin so their eyes met.

  “You two all right in there?” Jillian asked through the door.

  “Yeah,” they both answered in unison, never looking away.

  “Caleo, you don’t have to hide anything from me,” Jack whispered, then stepped back and slipped on a pair of tan boxer briefs. “You better get dressed, we have a big day tomorrow.” Jack dug in his bag and handed Caleo a pair of blue basketball shorts. “Figured you would like to sleep in something a little less confining than your spandex.” Jack smiled at Caleo before squeezing out the bathroom door, leaving Caleo to get dressed. He hurried into the shorts, suddenly feeling very alone in the little room

  “I thought you said no mud on the bed?” Caleo heard Jack say as he walked out to find him pointing at Stinky on the bed.

  “He isn't muddy! Besides, he got his bath this afternoon. I believe you’re even the one who gave it to him.” Jillian scratched Stinky behind the ear, a devilish grin on her face.

  “He's going to need to get his furry butt out of the bed. There's barely enough room for two and we don’t need a fourth no matter how small.”

  “Don’t worry. I already thought of that,” Jillian announced, pointing to a pillow and blanket laying on the floor her smile getting bigger.

  “He isn’t going to need all that, he's probably used to sleeping in a dumpster,” Jack said, jumping into the bed scooting under the covers.

  “No,” Jillian said, laughing and shoving Jack away.

  “Hey, I have an idea,” Caleo suggested, grabbing the blanket off the floor and scrunching it by the door. “You, my friend, can guard the door.”

  Stinky looked at Caleo, then back at Jillian, purring loudly and rubbing his head against her leg.

  “I don’t think he likes that idea,” Jillian replied, laughing.

  “Okay, that’s enough,” Jack declared, launching Stinky off the bed with a shove of his covered foot. “Caleo, lock the door and put the chair from under the desk in front of it. They may have another key, but the chair will help stop them from sneaking in on us.”

  Caleo did as he was told. “That should provide at least some warning if they come in.” They all looked at each other for a moment as they thought of the chances in this place that an attacker would be normal.

  “Just leave the light on and come to bed,” Jack said, patting the edge of the bed beside him. Caleo went to say that the light wouldn’t matter if the attacker was invisible but decided better of it.

  Smiling he ran and did a frog jump onto the bed, landing on top of Jack, before rolling off into his spot and sliding under the covers.

  “Good night, let’s get some sleep,” Jillian said softly. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” Jack and Caleo said together. Then Jack rolled over to face Caleo. “I love you,” he whispered, grabbing Caleo’s head and playfully placing a sloppy, wet kiss on his forehead.

  “Get off me!” Caleo pushed Jack off, rolling over facing away from Jack towards the wall. After a few minutes of silence, Caleo spoke. “Hey, Jack?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you, too” Caleo said, not taking his eyes off the wall.

  “I know, man, I know.”

  

  Caleo woke up to a tap at the door. He looked around and found that somehow Jack was sleeping face down with both his arm and leg draped over him. He nudged him hard as the lock on the door clicked and someone tried to open it only to have the chair stop it.

  “It’s time to get up. Thorn has requested that you get cleaned up and join him for breakfast. He has some dress clothes set out for the ceremony, which will take place at sunrise, which is in about an hour. Please hurry, I still have to wake the others for the ceremony. Once you're done getting cleaned up and I would like to get you through the hall before the madhouse breaks loose with everyone getting ready at once,” Gabriel whispered through the door.

  “Okay, give us a minute!” Jack yelled in Caleo’s ear, not bothering to lift his head from the pillow.

  Caleo slid out from under Jack’s arm and sat up. He turned to see Jillian stretching and yawning loudly on the other side of the bed.

  “Hey, where’s Stinky?” Jillian asked through another yawn while looking around.

  “I hope he ran away,” Jack grumpily replied, still lying on his belly, his eyes closed as if he was still sleeping.

  “Ran where? There's only one door and no windows,” Jillian said, looking under the bed. “Jack,” Jillian whispered, pulling the blanket off the bed and revealing Stinky curled up sleeping right beside Jack’s leg.

  Both Jack and Stinky stretched lazily at the same time. Then Jack noticed Stinky and booted him off the bed with his foot; Stinky clawing at the sheets to keep his footing the whole way.

  There was another knock at the door. “Caleo, could you please open the door and let him in,” Jillian asked and he obediently followed her orders.

  Gabriel walked in and Jack asked, “What time is it anyway?”

  “It’s four, we have to get moving or you'll be showering with the rest of the men.”

  “Okay, okay, but we should probably let Stinky outside, he needs to use the litter box,” Jack said, eyeing the cat distastefully because it had jumped back on the bed.r />
  “I would prefer if we could get you cleaned up first. Thorn has offered his shower upstairs for the lady.” Gabriel nodded towards Jillian.

  Jack and Caleo exchanged looks, then Jack said calmly, “She isn’t going anywhere without us.”

  “Although I would have preferred this to go according to my original plan, I've made other arrangements. Nolan told us how attached you guys are to each other,” Gabriel said, letting the irritation show in his voice.

  “What arrangements?” Caleo asked, matching Gabriel’s irritation with his own.

  “I’m sorry, my Angel,” Gabriel said, bowing his head towards Caleo in respect. “I didn’t mean to offend you, please forgive my rudeness.”

  “What other arrangements are you talking about?” Caleo demanded.

  “I have your dress clothes hanging in the locker room; I have set a seat where she can sit right outside of the shower. I still recommend that she take her shower upstairs. She can do it while you two eat breakfast. Some of the guys may walk in on her down here. ”

  “Well you’re wasting time, lead the way,” Jack said meanly, flashing a quick smile when Gabriel whipped a glare at him before turning and walking down the hallway away from the stairs. He continued to a doorless room with a solid wall partition you had to go around to see the ordinary locker room beyond.

  “I have your clothes hanging here. Towels are there,” Gabriel directed his words to Caleo as he spoke, “Is there anything else you would like me to do?”

  “Yeah, I think he may need someone to wash his back,” Jack snapped, walking over to the towels.

  He spotted a small metal chair on the far side of the room in sight of the showers but facing the wall and pointed it out to Jillian, who was standing there looking awkward and out of place as she absently picked dirt from under her nails.

  “I think Stinky and I will head over there,” Jillian excused herself and went to sit with her back to the room, quietly humming and petting the kitten.