One Word

Prologue

I've been confused for a while now. Ten months to be exact. It's been an internal struggle between the normal and what most people call abnormal; something I would rather have not gone through. It's something that I should have realized a long time ago, but I've only noticed recently. It's been a long grapple, but I finally made the decision tonight and I must tell my parents.

                  "Mother!" I called. I was sitting on a stool in the kitchen, nervously wringing my hands. I heard feet pounding the stairs and knew she heard. She came into the kitchen flushed and happy. Ahh she must have been painting. Her stomach was protruding out greatly past her waistline because of her pregnancy; I was so excited for my new baby sister. Her blond hair was pulled back into an extremely messy bun and her blue eyes were shining brightly.

                  "Yes, Mason?" she inquired. I was getting quite nervous now.

                  "Um...um..." I stuttered. She put her 'mother face' on.

                  "Mason, out with it," she scolded. Okay, time to get on with it.

                  "Okay, um...I...I'm...I'm gay Mom," I choked out. I waited in anticipation as her faced blanked out. I waited and waited, but her face remained blank.

                                    "Mom?" I asked, waving a hand in front of her face. "You okay?" Her face slowly contorted from a blank stupor to a hot rage. Her eyes held a bright fire, and her mouth was set in a firm scowl.

                  "Get out of my house before I hurt you," was all she said staring straight ahead, not able to look at me. That stung. Tears threatened to slip out of my green eyes because I knew she was serious.

                  "Mom, please don't do this," I begged, getting off my stool and stepping towards her. She put a hand out and grabbed my neck.

                  "I am no longer your mother. You may not call me so," Mom said squeezing my neck slowly and a little painfully. The tears escaped from my eyes. "Leave immediately. I can't even look at you right now. Grab your stuff and go. NOW." She let go and sat down in the stool. I ran up the stairs and into my room, the tears now freely falling. I grabbed a random bag and started putting my most important stuff into it. The door slammed open and closed as I rushed back down the stairs.

                  "Dan, did you know that thing we called our son was homosexual?" I heard my mother screech at my stepfather. I guess now is the time to mention that my father was killed by a gay man that was very mental. That is what was causing my mother to be so violent and angry. I understood, but I was hoping she would understand ME and MY feelings. I'm her son and that should mean something.

                  When I reached the main level of our house and came into the kitchen I saw Dan holding my mother as she cried. She looked so broken. Dan looked up and saw me and gave me an 'I'm sorry' look. He wasn't even going to protect me? He was my only father figure and wasn't even homophobic and he was going to discard me just because my mother said so? Poor excuse of a man... Mother noticed the lack of attention from my now ex-stepfather and turned around to see what he was looking at. Her eyes narrowed as she registered me.

                  "I thought I told you to leave my sight, why are you still here?! GET OUT!!!" she yelled at me pointing towards the door. I raced towards it, a new wave of salt water rushing down my face.  As I stepped out into the night I felt a glass shatter two inches from the back of my head. I closed the door before the glasses that were being thrown could injure me. I leaned against it and mentally took a vow of silence. If one word could make a person who loved me so much hate me with such a true passion, then I would never talk again.

                  I walked down the street, silently crying. I just hoped I didn't get kidnapped or something. You never know what kind of people are out at this time of night... The streets were looking very creepy...probably because it was midnight and the eery yellow glow of the streetlights was the only thing to aid my sight. I kept walking...actually it was more like creeping along slowly, looking side to side to make sure a car wouldn't pull up besides me without me noticing. That's when I saw the florescent lights that would soon be my lifesaver.