[M ● A ● T ● O ● N ● A]

Originally Found: [Here]
Genre: Science Fiction

Character
Eric Hyman - [Male] - 23
Jedidiah Hyman - [Male]
Connor Ridge - [Male]
Pavel Mischa - [Male]
Geoffrey Cordell - [Male]

Read and Review as you please.
Note: This is a progressive story,
done at random for the purpose of
giving me something to write.
There is little to no planning involved
in the story. Ideas are pieced together
on the spot and the plot moves where
it feels like moving.

Story contains: homosexuality
Takes place in/on an ALTERNATE earth.
purely fiction (if you couldn't tell!)

Note #2: This has not been edited.
There are errors. Spelling, grammar and punctuation.
I know the IM conversation between Eric and Geoffrey
needs work. It's to quick and lacks the necessary
components. IE: it isn't harsh enough to make Eric worried.
So I need to edit it, make it more detailed, refine the tone.
Make it SOUND like Eric should truly be worried about Jedidiah.

"If I had to describe to you what its like to be shot, I wouldn't be able to. If I where to tell you what it is like to watch someone die, I couldn't do it. Yet, if I had to explain the feeling of fear, I'd tell you it's like finding out you only have one breath left . . . I'm Eric Hyman and I felt fear today, that last breath kind of fear and in that fear I learned what it is like to be shot, but I still can't tell you what it feels like. I learned what its like to watch someone die and I still can't tell you what it looked like." - Eric Hyman's last thought.

~ ----- ~ ----- ~

Eric took a deep breath, his body shifting from the slight sway breathing caused to the steady even grip of a trained snipper. Then as quickly as Eric had drawn his breath he let it out and his finger like liquid steal pressed down against the trigger. The familiar smoothness of metal against his index finger and the sharp heavy press of the guns recoil, helped ease Eric's mind. It wasn't that killing ever got easier but the familiarity of the guns actions calmed Eric. Knowing that even though he had just changed someones world for the worse, that that familiar moment in time would never change no matter whose life he was destroying. Eric himself would admit his conscience screamed at him seconds before he pulled the trigger. Thoughts about the families he was about to mess up, the kids he could be leaving parent less, the wives he was leaving widowed and the fact that one day the situation he was putting those people in, could happen to him. It was a hard reality but it was the truth, the likely hood that someone might kill Eric was very high. Which made the job and Eric's life all the more stressful.

Back at home Eric knew his husband was waiting for him, waiting for him knowing what he was out doing. Eric hadn't ever meant for Jedidiah to know his profession, the fact Jedidiah knew was an accident. It had been a late night when Eric had come home in the wee hours of the morning his body beaten, bruised, bloodied and aching. That Jedidiah had come out of the bedroom, while Eric was in the bathroom sitting on the tiled floors with a box of band aids and some gauze at his side. Jedidiah had heard Eric muttering to himself and came into the bathroom to investigate. He found Eric fumbling with the box of band aids, a large gash in his hand bleeding over the cardboard. Rushing in to help Eric, Jedidiah found Eric's weapon which he had used in his recent kill. Eric was placed between a rock and his marriage. The rock had been more appealing, it couldn't be killed for knowing what Eric did. However losing the trust he'd worked so hard to gain with Jedidiah because he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth, was enough to push Eric not to lie. Settling for honesty Eric explaining what he did. It had been both a relief and an added worry to Eric's list, but what was done, was done.

Slipping from his position Eric laid the gun down beside him, with a soft clatter that sounded louder then it should have. The mark had been made, no one would suspect anything. Eric's target had been completely alone, isolated in his bed room in his locked apartment. In a few days time someone would complain about a smell and his body would be found. Eric would be miles away by then, home with his husband doing what he did best, play with his red viewfinder.

Eric quickly move, with what most would call uncharacteristic precision to policed his brass and left his roust without any trace he'd been there in the first place. The autumn night was a crisp and cold one. Eric could see his breath as he clamored down the fire escape into the ally way and down the street to his car. Reaching his vehicle Eric opened the door and threw his weapon into the back seat. He would drive through the night till he reach home, he'd be in time for breakfast.

~ ----- ~ ----- ~

Eric tilted his head back towards the closed window across the room. His eyes pressed against the faded plastic of a red viewfinder, he held between his hands like a sandwich. His index finger pressing down against the black lever to the side of the red devise and with each press a new faded image scrolled across Eric's view. The sunlight from outside provided the light Eric needed, to see the barely there images. The viewfinder occupied Eric for hours and amused the 23 year old man. Not that the toy was all that fun, it was the slow easy simplicity of the toy that kept Eric quiet and content. After hours of excitement and work. the calm grinding slide of the old toy, with it's faded pictures was enough for Eric.

“Ding,” Eric murmured to himself and pressed the button once more. Sending the image of a water fall away and replacing it with a autumn scene. After a long moment of staring Eric pulled the viewfinder away from his eyes and took it in his left hand. He held the toy for a few seconds, hand hovering above the ground before dropping the viewfinder on the floor, beside the basket of little image disks. The disks where small plastic circles that slid into the viewfinder, each disk decorated in small square section of film with pictures on them. Some of the images where of animated characters, some landscapes and some where what Eric's husband called 'abstract art'. Eric preferred the landscapes to everything else, they reminded him of better places.

"Jedidiah you awake," Eric called from his seat on the couch, his legs slung over the back of the corrugated fabric. Toes brushing against the balcony window, leaving small toe prints against the once clear glass. Eric knew how much it bugged Jedidiah but it served him right for sleeping in!

Jedidiah rolled over in bed, his hair a disheveled mess of brown tangles. His night had been spent awake, staring at the empty side of the bed where Eric should have been. Jedidiah knew or had a good idea of where Eric had been all night and that simple thought had kept the older man far from sleep. When Eric had staggered into the apartment at around five am, Jedidiah was able to close his eyes. "Sleeping . . ." Jedidiah called from the bed room, while pulling a pillow over his head to block the light from the widow, that streamed in past the half closed curtains.

Eric rolled his eyes but let it slip, Jedidiah must have been awake all night, he never usually slept this late. Instead Eric shifted on the couch, pulling his legs from their perch and placing his bare feet on the hardwood floor. Eric then pulled himself from where he sat and walked into the kitchen. He took a coffee filter from the cabinet and reached across to the adequately labeled tin container, which read 'COFFEE' in big bold capital letters. Opening the tin he scooped out the grinds and fitted the filter into the machine and started it up. The gurgling of the coffee machine could be heard throughout the apartment and Eric knew the sent of a fresh brew would rouse Jedidiah from his covers.

Moving from the kitchen Eric scooted towards the spare room, where once inside he started up the computer and took a seat in his favorite swiveling chair. One leg tucked under her bottom, the other stretched over a mini filing cabinet Jedidiah insisted was necessary within any office. Eric didn't think a spare room with a computer desk counted as an office, but who was he to judge the words of Jedidiah the great. A nickname Eric used for Jedidiah when he acted mightier then Eric, it was a bad habit Jedidiah had being older then Eric. Often Eric had to remind Jedidiah what he did for a living, even if he wasn't proud of it, the fact remained it proved a point.

The monitor blinked once drawing Eric's attention away from turning in his chair, to type in his password. Once logged in Eric opened a series of folders, each one leading deeper into his computer and with each click Eric got closer to a task he'd rather have not done while at home. However Eric had no choice, his current business partner was a Canadian arms dealer and could not have made a meet with Eric. Both men settled for a web camera, microphones and an encrypted line.

~ ----- ~ ----- ~

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:36:52 AM]:

• Impressive work Eric.

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:37:01 AM]:

• You provided sound intelligence.

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:37:44 AM]:

• When have I ever not?

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:38:21 AM]:

• You are not allowed to dig Geoffrey, you know that.
  I noticed the money has gone through.

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:38:56 AM]:

• It has, you should be able to access it within a hour.

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:39:00 AM]:

• Good.

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:39:55 AM]:

• On a lighter note, how is Jedidiah?
  I heard through the grape vine that you and him are thinking of moving to a house. Something the two of you can own.

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:40:10 AM]:

• Whose vine did you pick that from?

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:40:39 AM]:

• Russian military, a man named Pavel Mischa. You've worked with him before.

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:41:00 AM]:

• I recall.

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:41:59 AM]:

• He keeps tabs on his former co-workers, do not let it bother you. Simple banter between friends is all.

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:42:28 AM]:

• The information isn't what bothers me, it's the friends who know.

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:42:57 AM]:

• Frightened?

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:43:26 AM]:

• Not at all.

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:43:52 AM]:

• Ah, the resolve of a killer. I should not forget that nothing scares our Eric.

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:44:22 AM]:

• Is there anything else you'd like to speak to me about Geoffrey?

Geoffrey-----[10/21/4156 7:45:33 AM]:

• No . . .

Eric-----[10/21/4156 7:46:00 AM]:

• Have a nice morning then.

~ ----- ~ ----- ~

Eric stared at the screen his breath hitching in his throat, his fingers seizing over the keyboard. The time it took Geoffrey to respond was just over a minute. A minute to long and intentionally so. A sign that Geoffrey was attempting to play Eric, like a finely tuned fiddle and to Eric's disadvantage Geoffrey's technique was working. Mentioning Jedidiah had become one of Geoffrey's pass times, Eric knew the man kept tabs on him and those closest to him. Eric was in the know and it would have been foolish on Geoffrey's part not to watch him. However it hadn't been until recently that Jedidiah had fallen, unknowingly, headlong into Eric's world and Geoffrey had been very quick to bring up that fact in conversation. The reality that Jedidiah knew Eric's profession was enough to place the man in danger and Geoffrey would be the first to utilize that to his advantage.

"No." Geoffrey finally responded.

"Have a nice morning then." Eric quickly typed in reply and closed the program window. Weather it was morning where Geoffrey was Eric couldn't have cared. He rather have made a mistake in the time of day, then continue on the conversation. The more Geoffrey mentioned Jedidiah the less Eric was able to keep himself in line. It also roused suspicion in Eric, he knew Geoffrey would take any advantage given to him and if something was not given he would dig until he had what he wanted. The longer they spoke about Jedidiah the more Geoffrey would know. Leaving Eric open and vulnerable and Jedidiah a target.

"Coffees done," a familiar half groggy call from the kitchen lifted Eric's head. Jedidiah had finally gotten out of bed, the aroma of coffee must've kick started him into his normal morning routine.

"Be out in a minute," Eric called back his voice slightly uneven, 'At least someones world is on track,' he thought harshly and lowered his head pressing the palms of his hands over his eyes. Since when had Geoffrey begun breaking down the brittle wall that stood between Eric's professional life and his home life, how had the lines crossed? Eric took a deep breath, the corners of his eyes seeping warm tears. "I thought I kept them separate," Eric murmured and pulled his hands away from his eyes to brush the his forearm across his face. Leaving a wet streak of snot and tears to dry and cling to the hairs on his freckle covered arm.

Jedidiah tinkered in the kitchen, his hands reaching across the counter, grabbing at two coffee mugs, the ones with dancing bears on them. The mugs had been gifts, Eric and Jedidiah bought for each other two Christmases ago. They had spent a whole afternoon shopping for presents - for some friends and Jedidiah's family. The afternoon had dragged on for hours, by the time they had both finished shopping, neither wanted to step into another store. The only problem was, that both had forgotten to buy something for each other. Meeting up at a designated location, Eric's idea, he was very anal about keep to a strict schedule. They slipped into one last store, and like they pair they are, bought mugs. Jedidiah choose a green one fore Eric, the color suited him, with his normally red hair and freckle covered body. Eric picked out a pastel pink one for Jedidiah, the color was meant to bug the older male, Jedidiah, though gay, had been very insecure in his sexuality.

"He gets the pink one," Jedidiah muttered, pouring black coffee into the mugs, followed by sugar and cream. "Eric, you coming?" Jedidiah finished stirring the coffee, and placed the spoon on the counter, where small pools of creamy brown formed under and around it.

Eric shifted in his seat, his arm a bit itchy from the dried snot and tears. "Yeah, in a minute," Eric shouted back, he didn't really want to leave the room, he didn't want to see Jedidiah just yet. However lingering in front of the computer, being tempted to contact Geoffrey, was not an option Eric was willing to give himself. Instead he pulled himself, haphazardly from his seat and headed out into the hall.

"Hey," Eric's bare feet, made soft padded sounds against the floor, the hall wasn't carpeted like other parts of the apartment.

Jedidiah stared at Eric across the room, he looked a little lost, it was the best way Jedidiah could explain what his husband looked like. To Jedidiah, Eric sometimes appeared lost, like he wasn't really in his head, but still half trapped there, trying to get someplace better then here. It happened most often after a job. When Jedidiah and Eric had started to date, Jedidiah simply thought Eric was scatterbrained, and he teased him relentlessly. Which for the most part, caused huge fights between the pair, damn near came close to breaking them up, more then once. If only Jedidiah had known sooner, about what made Eric that way, things might have been different at first. Now Jedidiah knew and he made the bests attempts he could, to empathize with Eric. "You don't look to hot," Jedidiah finally said, lifting the mugs off the counter, to sit on the couch near the patio window.

"No, I'm, it's work," Eric muttered, crossing the room to grab his cup off the table. "Can we sit in our room?"

Jedidiah tilted his head to one side, watching Eric move around the room, grabbing his cup and a few papers off the coffee table. Something was very wrong, it wasn't normally so easy to tell that Eric was distraught. However Jedidiah had grown used to Eric's hints, from his speech, to the look in his eyes and the way he moved around the room. The odd thing about today was the lack of subtleties, the seer fact that Eric was being so very openly deranged, concerned Jedidiah.

"Sure," Jedidiah stood, leaving his coffee on the table and followed Eric into their bedroom. Once inside the room Eric took a seat, on Jedidiah's side of the bed and placed his mug on the night table on top of Jedidiah's most recent novel. Jedidiah simply rested against the door frame, his head leaned to one side, eyes fixed on the short freckled figure on the bed.

"You alright," Jedidiah spoke softly.

"I'm a bit concerned," Eric replied, his hands busy fiddling with the corner of the blanket. He choose to say little more from that point on, allowing Jedidiah to stare, waiting, and hoping Eric would elaborate.

"About what exactly," Jedidiah adjusted himself, he would be there a while. "Normally your not this . . . unforced. Did something happen while at work?"

Silence proceeded Jedidiah's questions.

TBC [Maybe, one day!]

This subforum is specifically meant for asking for assistance. As you appear to be just posting a story, rather than asking a question about your story, I'll be moving this to the main Lit Spot forum.

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