LongBow ~ LGBT (Historical-Romance-Fantasy)

Divulgence

After leaving his home state behind, Daniel's thoughts switch back and forth in ADHD fashion from the incident at work that sent him on this overland trek to the events of the night before with Kevin to Indian River Florida, where he was to meet his long time internet buddy Richard for the first time. Richard was excited to hear of his plans, but yet was tepid in receiving the details as if he expected them to fall through at the last moment. Daniel resolved he was going to make it to Richard's house if it nearly killed him.  

The hours passed by with plenty of pre-burned music discs to indulge the savage soul along with the planned rest stops to eat and stretch the lower cramped extremities. His last stop was one hour out from Richards house, but he wanted to arrive before midnight since losing time in construction outside of Ocala. He had to remain visually sharp while driving this dark, desolate mind-droning stretch of interstate as there were no guardrails lining the shoulder to separate drivers from gator infested swamp. Momentary nodding off would result in inverting his vehicle into a liquified quicksand oblivion. Thoughts of fighting to escape a watery death in the darkness only then to be challenged by ancient reptilian cousins severing extremities from his torso, snapped him into a heightened state of alertness. 

The vivid Bull moon lit the sandy turnoff to the street on which Richard's house was located. A sprawling riverside abode set back with a solar lit long driveway.  After turning off the engine of the jeep, the sound of waves gently lapping against the bank play a tantric melody.  Leaning his neck against the neck rest, he stretches his tensed muscles while looking up through the hard top skylight and breathes a sigh of relief.  While pondering the serenity of this setting, a porch light casts a soft reflection through his bug-smattered windshield. 

"Danny? Is that you?  Oh my god it is!  I didn't think... well, I wasn't sure you'd be here tonight," stammers a southern Georgia voice.  

As the figure casts shadows between the latriope landscaped drive, the moon reflects off the top of his shiny barren scalp.  

"I told you I wouuuld.. Oh ye of little faith," Daniel scolds facetiously. 

"Umm, well some people say they're coming to visit me, and never make it. So, I wasn't sure. Let me help you with your bags, dude," offers Richard. 

After Richard retrieves Daniel's two bags, they customarily exchange banter about the trip. Richard opens the door for Daniel to enter his home, the interior bathed in soft candlelight abound.  

"Woww, this is nice Richard! Do you normally put out candles?" asks Daniel inquisitively.  

"Every once in a blue moon. I figured tonight was close enough to that blue moon, especially if you arrived,  and I figured if you were driving all night, your eyes would be tired enough," excuses Richard. 

"Listen, would you like a comfortable chair?.. .Beer?... Shower?... Hungry?," Richard graciously offers. 

Daniel yawns unexpectedly while rubbing eyes.. 

"Or do you prefer to go to bed?  You look and sound tired," Richard winks in lieu of Daniel's uncontrollable reflexes. 

"I'm so sorry, Richard!  I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee if you have any? We both are night owls usually, correct? I'd like to sit up with ya if you're not tired? If you are tired, we can both crash," proposes Daniel. 

"I'm good with either. Let me say night to my dig site buddies online, and we can talk about anything you'd like," invites Richard eagerly.  

"So, tell me what exactly brings you here to this area of the country, Danny? Why here to visit me particularly? Well, other than being free room and board while you're here?"

"Well, I needed some rest from work. In addition, we didn't end our online friendship in the most proper of ways. I wanted for you to see me as I really am, not some figment of bytes and pixels. And...I was curious about discoveries at the dig site and your impressions thereof. Finally, I admit there was this umm... attraction equation as well," Daniel admits, eyes cast downward, his cheeks flush with blood and long digits encircling the rim of his coffee cup. 

"Very interesting.  Maybe we can attempt to satisfy those needs for which you traveled so far," affirms Richard while staring into raised shimmering blue eyes.  Daniel changes the subject, "How have YOU been, Richard?"

"Mmm, okay. Except for harassing emails I've been receiving lately," Richard nervously informed. 

"From whom, concerning what?" Daniel searches.

"The who, I have no earthly clue. The email appears bogus. The only thing I can figure is that it possibly originates from the government, warning me to keep my mouth shut? Meaning the Conservancy Project," Richard theorizes. 

"Remind me tomorrow to attempt a traceroute, if you will forward the email to me with all headers turned on. What is it that someone would possibly not want you to share about the project?" queries Daniel. 

"Oh, let's see. We could start with rock carvings depicting extinct mammals from a period in which human kind wasn't supposed to be present alongside unless the entire mammal migration and glacial modeling for the Pleistocene era is off quite a bit, indicating that humans closer to more modern genus migrated much earlier than calculated or developed independently from the time of Pangea. Then we still have objects that resemble too closely that of pre-Sumerian culture. Have I lost you yet?" Richard smirks dryly. 

"Actually, no. No you haven't. I've done some research into digs from all over the west coast of Florida, compared their data to various archaeological periods and found major conflicts in the artifacts discovered, the radioisotope dating, and various geologic and anthropological time scales," deduces Daniel.

"YOU SEE IT TOO!!" excitably declares Richard. 

"Yeah..I do. And the field is nothing like I studied in college. Many new discoveries of genus of mankind, and changing the geological time frame to "fit" doesn't sit well with me.  The changes don't necessarily change who we are today in terms of my field of psychology. But then again, it could ultimately change our thinking in terms of the development of religious thought and thus impact cultural constraints indefinitely," accuses Daniel. 

 "I umm, already requested permission for you to accompany me at the site, of course if you would like to see IT?" inquires Richard.

"Absolutely! I think it would be personally and educationally enriching experience," gleams Daniel. "What time do we need to be up," Daniel looks down at his watch in the candlelight. 

"In a few hours," Richard snickers. 

"Holy crap! Then we'd better both get some shuteye, or at least me. Loaded with lots of coffee, so I'm not grunting and resembling a Neanderthal to your associates," Daniel wryly hints. 

"Well, you can sleep in my extra bedroom, or you can get some sleep in my bed. The alarm clock is already set in there," Richard cautiously suggest.  

"Okay, as long as you don't hog the bed, pillows or covers, I'm good with that," Daniel cajoles. 

"I can't promise that I won't migrate towards you in my sleep," Richard flirts. "By the way, you don't snore, do you?" Richard sarcastically poses. 

"I can't promise you that in return. You know where I call home, with some of highest pollen counts in North America. Whenever I come to the ocean, if I didn't know my sinuses were clogged, they let me know by pouring out onto my shoes," Daniel laughs vigorously. 

"I'll bring you some tissue, my dear," Richard gestures femininely. 

"Might as well bring a bucket bedside," Daniel returns before retiring to Richard's indicated sleeping quarters.