The Official Website of

Terence E. Jackson

Visionary Multi-Media Artist

Short Stories

TREES

from the short story collection

DOWN HERE BELOW

Daniel ran as fast and as hard as he could. He did not stop until he was as far away from the sight and the sound of his stepfather as he could get to on foot. His tears had dried in the rush of air, leaving traces of their existence upon his small cheeks. Daniel always ran to the trees when he had a problem. Looking around to make sure he had not been followed, he asked, "How could my mom have married such a mean creep?"

Daniel took out a small pocket knife. It had been a gift from his real dad. His father had died in the September eleventh tragedy, two years ago. Daniel began to carve his name into one of the trees. Digging deeper and deeper into the wood, he hugged the tree tightly with his other hand. "Yeah, you trees are a lot like me. You don't say much." He thought.

A tiny drop of sap began to appear where Daniel's blade was busy carving. The trees were a lot like him. They too kept their secrets amongst the leaves. They had somehow learned just as he was learning, how to keep their pain inside.

THE MESSAGE

from the short story collection

DOWN HERE BELOW

Rico felt like a kid at Christmas. This was the first time he’d attended gay pride since coming out just a few months before. It had taken him a long time, his whole life. Some forty-five years to be exact, to get to this place. He’d fallen in love five years before, but it was not until last year he had finally gotten up the nerve to come out to his friends and family. Now that he had, Rico swore he would never allow anyone to put him in a closet again. Standing next to his boyfriend Marco, his heart was so full of joy that it felt as if it would burst at any second.

Rico knew he was blessed. Not many men would have stayed around while their lover worked through their problems. Their own homophobia. Joy. Rico felt awesome, standing alongside millions of other gay brothers and sisters. There was so much love being shared. Leaning over, Rico kissed his partner and as he did so, it felt to him as if the whole world were being embraced. A stranger ran up to the two of them and placed matching multi-colored beads around their necks. Everyone was screaming and cheering. The two lovers stood bare chested and buffed, watching as float after float made its way down the strip. Rico loved seeing all the people. Leather men, drag queens, black men, white men, Asian men, and the sexy Latino’s. “Ola.” Having come out, Rico was having the time of his life.

He had never met anyone like Marco before. Sometimes it scared him. He couldn’t believe how strong two men could love one another. Marco had taught him that. It was Marco’s nurturing personality that had allowed their love to slowly grow into something strong, tight, and real. The music began to crank up and as it became louder and louder, it began to twist and turn around Rico & Marco along with everyone in the screaming crowd.

Standing there, Rico moved behind Marco and placed both his hands around his chest. This was his man and he had been reborn through love. Swaying to the fire of the beat, Rico stopped for a moment. He was sure there was something also to be learned in the music. If they just stood still and listened long enough. He was sure they could find it, right there in the beat.

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