Page:Jay Little - Maybe—Tomorrow.pdf/54

 Three of them against one … chicken shit bastards. "Put him down!" he demanded. His voice was a loud explosion and his dark eyes a cold stare. The three boys still held their prize. "I said put him down!" and Blake grabbed Stud by the arm fiercely. His big hands were tight and cruel. Stud did as he was bid and the others followed. Gaylord was free.

He said nothing, only stood there limp. He wanted to cry, but couldn't. The Greek god standing there wouldn't want him to cry. And he wouldn't. He held his teeth together hard. He felt his fear leaving him and recognized in this bronze body, everything he himself didn't have. He wasn't jealous, only admiring.

Stud twisted his lips after Blake's release. "Look what we found, Bob. A Venus." He giggled nervously.

"Yeah, a Venus with a penis," laughed Pete, twisting the towel he still held. "A Venus with a penis," he repeated. "That's good, ain't it?"

The three boys tried to laugh.

Blake stood there and his muscles looked and were strong and powerful. "Fine thing," he finally said and his eyes were mean. "I'm surprised at you guys. Trying to be tough, huh. Why don't you call some more so you can really get him down? There's only three of you … That's chicken, all right. Damn shame I call it when three grown men jump on one. Damn shame …" He turned to Gaylord. "Are you all right, Gay?" He grabbed Gaylord's hand.

The hand felt good. "I'm all right," Gaylord said but he could still feel what had touched his body. He felt like the skin would be eaten away there.

"I'm surprised at you, Stud. Picking on someone smaller than you." Blake looked at the big-eared boy.

"He's bigger than Stud in places, Bob. Look." He pointed, and Gaylord grew crimson.

Blake did look and Gaylord had an impulse to run, but the hand on his shoulder was enough to stifle that impulse completely. He could not leave Blake. He looked up at him and there was no youth in his eyes now, no tenderness, no gaiety. Blake stared at the three boys with burning gravity, his whole expression that of a man mad enough to kill and powerful enough to do so. 44