The Life and Stories of Julius Pierce

 

Reiki

Current mood: nostalgic
Category: Life

 

 

Once when i was almost 4 the fighting between my parents got so bad that i ran away from home. Not all that far, maybe just half a mile into the woods. i took off at night and they were so busy fighting that at first they didn't notice. The next day was a monday and they noticed then, but they didn't find me.

 

I got hungry by the middle of the day so i went off into the woods looking for berries or something and eventually i found a cabin. i looked in every window to see if anyone was home and it seemed nobody was. Around the fourth window i found one that was open, unfortunately i was too short to climb in. So i went around back and grabbed a piece of plastic lawn furniture and brought it over to the window and climbed in. Upon entering the house i ran to the refrigerator and started eating. When i was full i took some extra food and drinks, dropped them out the window and climbed out after them. i went back to the clearing i was using as a campsite, left the food there, and went off exploring, coming back whenever i was hungry.

 

i still had food when i went to sleep that night.

 

i was woken in the middle of the night by a strange noise coming from my food. i looked over and saw a wolf's face sticking out of a tupperware container not three feet from my face. i looked deep into his eyes, he didn't look scary like you'd imagine a wolf to be. He looked peaceful, calm, relaxed... for that i envied him, i wanted his peace. He reminded me of the one picture of my brother that i had seen, taken right after he was born.

 

The wolf drew his eyes up to mine, studying my face and finally locking me into a stare. i sensed a power rise inside of him, challenging my own. i don't remember how long the staring match lasted, i got lost in his eyes. i felt comfort, safety.
After a while, he looked away, a sign of his submission to my will. Staring at the ground, he walked toward me, sniffed my cheek, licked my face.

 

i went home the next morning, i had found what i had come out here for, peace and companionship. By the time i came home Mom and dad had quit fighting. i convinced them to let me keep my pet, who i had by now named Reiki, which i made up off the top of my head.

 

Reiki and i were together constantly for the next year, up until the incident that put me into foster care. But before i left home and left him i took him back to the spot where we met and said my goodbyes.
With a wolfen howl he returned my sentiment as i walked away...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homophobic Terrorism

Current mood: contemplative
Category: Life

                When i realized i was bisexual it was a realization that i felt couldn't be hidden, or at least shouldn't. Unfortunately at that time i was living in an unaccepting and old fashioned.
So life after coming out was rough, there really weren't any gay men in the area, or at least none that were out. Being the first, it seemed like i took crap for ever gay man in the state. At first it was just the rednecks and a few stuck up rich guys talking about me every time i walked by.
"look at that f****t." S**t like that. Sometimes they even walked away. That petty s**t didn't bother me at all, i didn't care what they thought before, why start now? Then i started losing friends, not many and none too close, but it still bothered me. These were the people i cared about, how could they leave me over this?
The friends that remained came to my defense, chewing out anyone they heard talking s**t about me. As soon as i found out they were doing it, i confronted them and told them to stop. That kind of baffled them.
"We're your friends, why shouldn't we help you?"
"i don't want your help"
"Tell us why."
"Its my life, and i'll handle it on my own."
"Please... let us help"
"i wont drag you down with me"
The outbreak of homophobia got even worse, it became a sport among the rednecks and jocks to see who could yell "f*g" or "queer" the loudest whenever i was around, but still they only did it behind my back. After a few days my friends began escorting me around school, which slowed, but not stopped the comments.
Eventually the game lost its novelty, it didn't stop altogether, just died down. However there was a revival group. Apparently they formed at church under the pastors supervision (he didn't like me, its a long story). At first they caught me off guard, a guy i had only seen maybe once before came up to me and said he wanted to talk to me. i said sure, and the damn kid starts quoting scripture at me, telling me what i was doing was a sin. i told him that what he was saying had little or no basis in logic or scripture (the bible was my Mothers refuge from my father, so i've had it both read to me and once out of curiosity i read it on my own). He turned red and started speaking both louder and faster, i told him i knew more about the bible than he did and i KNEW he was full of homophobic s**t. He said i hadn't opened my heart to the lord and i couldn't possibly understand, i told him i had and i just didn't think it was worthy of worship.
He hit me in the jaw.
Now this was no ordinary bible thumper, he was also a football player, not the biggest guy on the team but he was still bigger than me.
And he had made the mistake of hitting me in the jaw. i stumble back, sum up what's happening and with every ounce of force i can muster i rush forward and hit him square across the bridge of the nose. My hand hurts too bad to try that again so i start backing up. Dazed, he tries a right hook and ends up a little short and a little right of my right ear, i could hear the whoosh of his fist, still dazed he stumbles forward with his arm still outstretched and swings his forearm into the side of my head. In retaliation i grab his arm and put it behind his back forcing him to his knees. i lower my face to his ear and whisper, "Your Forgiven."
He slumps to the ground lifelessly.
After i got back from my suspension there was little on no name calling, although the church did yell bible quotes. Later that week Social Services decided i would be better off somewhere else.
On my last day of school there were many heartfelt goodbyes, but there was one i wasn't expecting. A junior walked up to me and said "I just want to thank you, I just came out yesterday, and you cant imagine how good it feels to finally be out and feel safe too."
"Yes, i can. Good luck."
I gave him a loving hug and said goodbye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Danny And The Stereo

 

 

Current mood: accomplished
Category: Life

 

        i just recently got new foster parents. the passive aggressive hyper-christian kind. I love to mess with them, its my new past-time.
Example: Last week i was playing my new Poison The Well CD at what i consider "the perfect volume". Danny (my foster dad) walks in and says quietly, "Do you think that's a little loud?", to which i answered "Nah, its just right."

 

        "are you sure?"

 

"of course i am, otherwise i wouldn't have said it."

 

Danny gives me this quietly frustrated look and says "If you say so" and walks out.

 

Near the end of the CD, i have to pee, so i walk out of my room, leaving my stereo on 11, and walk down the hall to the bathroom.
When i get back to my room i notice the stereos on 5. i poke my head out into the hallway and hear footsteps near the bottom of the stairs. i walk down to the kitchen holding my CD, Danny is sitting at the counter pretending not to notice me, pretending to read the newspaper, only he never reads the newspaper in the afternoon.

 

"Hey Danny," his head jerks up in fake surprise, "i think my stereo blew a speaker or something so i'm going to use the one in the living room."

 

His lips form a silent "NO!" but i turn and walk into the living room and play my CD.

 

2 tracks layer Danny walks hurriedly out the front door, muttering, "I'm going for a jog."

 

When he returns he tells me he's going to take a crack at fixing my stereo. i wait 5 minutes and walk into my room. My stereo's on 10.

 

Good enough.


 

i haven't had anybody touch my stereo since.