{"id":3402,"date":"2019-04-07T22:56:58","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T02:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/?p=3402"},"modified":"2022-07-23T10:51:36","modified_gmt":"2022-07-23T14:51:36","slug":"the-wanderer-part-ten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-ten\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Ten"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Author\u2019s Note:<br>This is an unedited, ongoing serial that will  eventually be published in novel form. Plot\/characters\/elements are  subject to change as it is being written. It\u2019s currently in 1st  person\/present tense, but I may change it to past tense, excluding the first chapter which will act as an intro. <strong>Read at your own discretion and take note of story tags below<\/strong>.<\/em><br><br><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Post-Apocalyptic sci-fi <br><strong>Tags: <\/strong>prostitution, graphic sex, large age gap, violence, theft, drug\/alcohol abuse, depression, rape, gang rape, cannibalism, murder, incest, child\/infant death and abuse, general abuse, (more to be added as the story goes)<\/p>\n\n\n<ul id=\"menu-wanderer\" class=\"menu\"><li id=\"menu-item-4605\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4605\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-1\/\">Part One<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4606\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4606\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-two\/\">Part Two<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4607\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4607\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-three\/\">Part Three<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4608\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4608\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-four\/\">Part Four<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4609\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4609\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-five\/\">Part Five<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4610\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4610\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-six\/\">Part Six<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4611\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4611\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-seven\/\">Part Seven<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4612\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4612\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-eight\/\">Part Eight<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4613\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4613\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-nine\/\">Part Nine<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4614\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4614\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-ten\/\">Part Ten<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4615\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4615\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-eleven\/\">Part Eleven<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4616\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4616\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-twelve\/\">Part Twelve<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4617\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4617\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-thirteen\/\">Part Thirteen<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4618\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4618\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-fourteen\/\">Part Fourteen<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4619\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4619\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-fifteen\/\">Part Fifteen<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-4620\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4620\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-sixteen\/\">Part Sixteen<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple won\u2019t meet my eye as he moves around the room packing\nhis few belongings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t be serious,\u201d I say, laughing. \u201cTurk\u2019s just looking to make a few bucks off your ass.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He stops and glares at me before resuming. \u201cHe says he <em>loves<\/em> me,\u201d he replies, his tone high and annoyed. I look over at Pytre. The ex-Rimer just looks confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I snort, shaking my head. \u201cI call bullshit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s going to marry me,\u201d Apple says, jamming a pair of\npants into his rucksack. \u201cAnd he\u2019s getting me breasts for my birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brow deeply furrowed, I stare at Apple\u2014I\u2019m not passing judgment, I\u2019m just surprised. \u201cI\u2026 didn\u2019t know you wanted any.\u201d I\u2019m not the best at figuring these things out, but from the look on Apple\u2019s face, I get the feeling that he hadn\u2019t known he wanted them either.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a lot you don\u2019t know about me. It\u2019s not like you\nask me anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s right, but I say, \u201cI know your birthday\u2019s next month.\u201d I can\u2019t remember the exact date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou only know that because it\u2019s on the deed of ownership,\u201d Apple shoots back, and I glance over at Pytre who raises his brows at me. Apple laughs. \u201cOh? You didn\u2019t know I\u2019m his sex-slave?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pytre looks at Apple then back at me and I wave him off. \u201cNo,\nhe\u2019s not a sex-slave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s Apple\u2019s turn to snort and he turns his back to me,\nstuffing a shirt I recognize as mine into his bag. He can have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think you\u2019re making a mistake,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat do <em>you<\/em> care?\u201d Apple flashes me a look over his shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why <em>do<\/em> I care?\nWith Apple gone, it\u2019s a hell of a lot easier to get Pytre and me off this rock\u2026\nBut, what is this I\u2019m feeling? I\u2019m angry\u2026 wait, is that\u2026 <em>jealousy<\/em>? Resentment? I clear my throat and shake my head. \u201cI don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can\u2019t put my finger on the expression that flits across\nApple\u2019s handsome face, but it\u2019s not a happy one. I feel like an asshole\u2014<em>but<\/em>, what about the way he \u201cthanked\u201d me\nlast night? He <em>knew<\/em> he was going to\nditch us and waited until the last minute to say anything. There it is again\u2026\nthat uncomfortable, hot feeling in my guts. The truth is staring at me in the\nface: I don\u2019t want him to go. Fuck me if I can actually <em>say<\/em> it though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTake care of yourself,\u201d I offer instead, holding out my\nhand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple\u2019s expression goes wary for a second, then he gives me\na smile that doesn\u2019t go near those pretty, mixed-up eyes of his. He takes my\nhand and we shake\u2026 then he\u2019s gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell him you wanted him to stay?\u201d asks\nPytre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I ignore him and grab the hose attachment from the storage\nunit, heading to the showers so I can blast out my insides. With Apple gone,\nlooks like I\u2019m back to being the sole breadwinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fucking <em>great<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>+++<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s almost morning by the time I get back to the hostel. I open the door as quietly as I can, but I see the light\u2019s still on. Looking around the newly tidied room, I figure Pytre never went to bed. Sure enough, when he looks up as I come in, I see he\u2019s got dark circles under his eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou should be sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSo should you,\u201d he replies quietly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I shrug, undoing the metal clips on my vest, my right hand\nweak with fatigue. It was a slow night\u2014one blow job and three hand jobs. Another\nnight like this and we\u2019ll be homeless. As soon as I get a little shuteye, I\u2019ll\ngo see Drenner about changing rooms again to something smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I settle down on the empty cot, slapping the light off before I get comfortable. Pytre\u2019s eyes are on me in the dark, I can feel it. Rubbing my face, I shake my head slowly, annoyed and exhausted and embarrassed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI just want to know <em>why<\/em>?\u201d\nPytre\u2019s voice is so quiet, the end of the question is just a sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhy don\u2019t you do something else for money?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLike what?\u201d I turn to face him\u2014all I can see is his\nsilhouette against the pale metal wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnything else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLike <em>what<\/em>?\u201d My\ntone\u2019s harsh but I can\u2019t help it. Apple\u2019s desertion\u2019s left me on edge and I\u2019m\ntouchy and tired and would love to pickle my brain in whiskey tonight, but I\ncan\u2019t, so sleep will have to do for now. If I\u2019m lucky, I won\u2019t even dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes a few seconds for Pytre to answer. \u201cYou were a\nsoldier. Why not be a bodyguard? They\u2019re as much in need as\u2026 uh\u2026 what you\u2019re\ndoing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhoring? Fucking for funds? Cocksucking for credits?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ll let you sleep,\u201d Pytre says, finally\nfiguring out I\u2019m in no mood for a little chat. However, a minute or two after\nI\u2019ve turned over to the other side, I open my mouth again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI won\u2019t touch a gun\u2026 &nbsp;can\u2019t kill anyone else.\u201d I frown, eyes closed.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He doesn\u2019t answer so I assume he didn\u2019t hear my confession\u2026\nbut then he says, \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>+++<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The room is empty when I wake up a few hours later. There\u2019s\na note on my comm pad:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I can\u2019t watch you do\nthis to yourself.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I sit back down on my cot and stare at the words, numb. Well,\nfuck. Alone again. I\u2019m better at being alone\u2026 aren\u2019t I? I erase Pytre\u2019s note and\nswallow hard, blinking a few times to clear the dust from my eyes, then I lie\nback down. It\u2019s still early and I don\u2019t like working in daylight. Maybe it\u2019s\nbecause the dark makes everything easier to stomach. I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I must have fallen asleep because when the door creaks open,\nI sit up with a gasp, only half aware that I\u2019m reaching for the sidearm I haven\u2019t\ncarried in decades. The figure sharpens in my vision once it steps over the\nthreshold and I breathe out a sigh. It\u2019s Pytre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cChanged your mind?\u201d I say, embarrassed by how relieved I\nsound. He stops in his tracks, fixing me with a look of confusion and I realize\nI might have misunderstood his note. I rake my hand through my hair, clear my\nthroat, and gesture to the box he\u2019s carrying. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cA solution to our money problems,\u201d Pytre answers, setting\nthe box down on the floor between the cots. He lifts the lid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHoly shit, <em>padre<\/em>.\nWhere do you find them?\u201d I say, lifting out a bottle of Rimer\u2019s chartreuse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s a chapter here in town. I paid them a visit.\u201d Pytre\nsmiles\u2014it\u2019s not quite genuine, but neither is it fragile like it was before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut\u2026 you renounced your vows.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey don\u2019t know that.\u201d The grin stretches wider and Pytre\nseems proud of himself. \u201cI would have taken more bottles, too, except\u2026 I was afraid\nto drop them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m up off the cot and have my arms around the young man\nbefore he can react, pulling him into a rough hug. He\u2019s saved our asses, mine\nliterally, and I feel like luck is finally on our side. I\u2019m so distracted by my\nown gladness that it takes a few seconds to realize Pytre\u2019s gone still and\nstiff in my arms. I release him immediately and step back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s all right.\u201d His cheeks are very pink, and his eyes are glassy as he looks away. I can\u2019t help but wonder, after the shit he's been through, if I\u2019ll ever be able to touch him\u2014platonically or otherwise\u2014without causing him pain. \u201cThe next launch is in five days,\u201d he says softly. \u201cYou know, we\u2019ll have more than enough for three tickets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don\u2019t answer right away. Then I nod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>+++<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The setting sun is the same bright, sickly yellow it always is, but it feels hotter than usual. A huge dust devil whirls down the center of Launch Drive and Pytre and I duck into an alley to wait for it to pass. I\u2019m trying not to hold onto any real hope that Apple will join us, but if my hunch is right about Turk\u2026 well, I can\u2019t imagine the lad would want to stay here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure enough, three streets down, I spot a familiar figure in\na doorway. Apple\u2019s slouching against the railing, his head down. He\u2019s wearing a\npair of bright orange pants with a clear panel over his groin and nothing else.\nAs we approach, he looks up, then quickly turns his head, his posture tense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCome home,\u201d I say, surprising myself. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d\nmeant to lead with, but that wasn\u2019t it. However, it does get Apple to face me\nagain, his jaw set and expression defensive. His eyes are brightly decorated\nwith garish blue makeup and his lips are smeared in sparkling fuchsia. I\u2019m not\nnormally into that sort of thing, but it looks great on the kid. I open my\nmouth again to say something, but I\u2019m stumped on the approach I should take. I\ndon\u2019t want to say \u201cI told you so\u201d but everything that comes to mind is along\nthose lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thankfully, Pytre rescues me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re leaving in four days. There\u2019s a ticket for you if you\u2019d like it,\u201d Pytre says, his voice gentle and expression serene. Almost like his old self, though I know he\u2019s forcing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTurk and I got married this morning,\u201d Apple says, his eyes flicking to me. \u201cSo I <em>am<\/em> home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIsn\u2019t it <em>him<\/em> you\u2019re\nsupposed to fuck on your wedding night?\u201d I say, unable to stop myself from\nbeing cruel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shame flashes across Apple\u2019s face, but he lifts his chin. \u201cHe\u2019s\ngoing to take good care of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I tamp down on my anger, shaking my head. \u201cYou stupid boy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re the stupid one, old man. You and your stupid guilt\nand stupid sob story and stupid tiny cock.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I laugh, a hollow, harsh sound. There's no sting in the gibe about my dick-size but I gesture to his outfit where his own obviously drug-hardened cock sits framed behind clear vinyl like an offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJust look at you. He\u2019s going to sell your ass every chance he gets\u2026 and you\u2019re never going to see a fucking credit\u2014\u201d Pytre surprises me by putting a hand on my forearm. The touch calms me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis isn\u2019t the way to do it,\u201d Pytre says softly to me, dropping his hand. He looks up at Apple and raises his voice so the boy can hear him. \u201cFour days. We\u2019ll buy a ticket for you, regardless.\u201d Then he pulls me away from the steps. \u201cCome on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apple crosses his arms over his chest and looks the other\nway as we leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s embarrassed,\u201d says Pytre. \u201cAnd angry about his situation.\nI think he\u2019ll come around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe's a stubborn little shit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWell, if he <em>doesn\u2019t<\/em>, you can always force him to come with us without him losing face,\u201d Pytre adds with a shrug. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHow\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTechnically, you still own him, correct?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThen his marriage isn\u2019t legally binding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\"I hadn't thought of that.\" I say. I know Pytre's only doing this because he thinks he knows how I feel. And maybe he's right. \"Thank you.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This time, Pytre's smile is sincere... if a little sad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<ul id=\"menu-wanderer-1\" class=\"menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4605\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-1\/\">Part One<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4606\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-two\/\">Part Two<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4607\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-three\/\">Part Three<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4608\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-four\/\">Part Four<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4609\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-five\/\">Part Five<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4610\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-six\/\">Part Six<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4611\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-seven\/\">Part Seven<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4612\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-eight\/\">Part Eight<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4613\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-nine\/\">Part Nine<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4614\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-ten\/\">Part Ten<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4615\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-eleven\/\">Part Eleven<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4616\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-twelve\/\">Part Twelve<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4617\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-thirteen\/\">Part Thirteen<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4618\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-fourteen\/\">Part Fourteen<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4619\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-fifteen\/\">Part Fifteen<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-4620\"><a href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-sixteen\/\">Part Sixteen<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Apple won\u2019t meet my eye as he moves around the room packing his few belongings. \u201cYou can\u2019t be serious,\u201d I say, laughing. \u201cTurk\u2019s just looking to make a few bucks off your ass.\u201d He stops and glares at me before resuming. \u201cHe says he loves me,\u201d he replies, his tone high and annoyed. I look over at Pytre. The ex-Rimer just looks confused. I snort, shaking my head. \u201cI call bullshit.\u201d \u201cHe\u2019s going to marry me,\u201d Apple says, jamming a pair of pants into his rucksack. \u201cAnd he\u2019s getting me breasts for my birthday.\u201d Brow deeply furrowed, I stare at &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Ten\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-ten\/#more-3402\" aria-label=\"Read more about The Wanderer &#8211; Part Ten\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3405,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[72],"tags":[822,722],"class_list":["post-3402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beys-tales-writing-2","tag-angst","tag-prostitution"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/W10.jpg?fit=1200%2C653&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4sexs-SS","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3297,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-seven\/","url_meta":{"origin":3402,"position":0},"title":"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Seven","author":"Bey","date":"February 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Despite Pytre not weighing more than my right leg, I\u2019m gasping for breath by the time I reach the hostel. I have to shift him in my arms to reach the keypad, and he nearly slips out of my hold when I push the door open with my shoulder. Apple\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bey's Tales&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bey's Tales","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/writing-2\/beys-tales-writing-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/drennersdiscount.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/drennersdiscount.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/drennersdiscount.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/drennersdiscount.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3754,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-fourteen\/","url_meta":{"origin":3402,"position":1},"title":"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Fourteen","author":"Bey","date":"April 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Apple is no longer straddling my lap\u2014we\u2019re sitting side by side on the bed watching Pytre as he slowly undresses in front of us. He\u2019s keeping his eyes averted and his cheeks are so red they\u2019re almost burgundy. After painstakingly folding his shirt, he places it on the other bed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bey's Tales&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bey's Tales","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/writing-2\/beys-tales-writing-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W14.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W14.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W14.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W14.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W14.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3720,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-thirteen\/","url_meta":{"origin":3402,"position":2},"title":"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Thirteen","author":"Bey","date":"April 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The second his dick pushes into me, I realize this is a serious fucking mistake. Panic hits me like a punch in the gut and I scrabble forwards on my hands and knees, desperate to escape. My vision\u2019s blurry and not just from the sweat pouring into my eyes\u2014I feel\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bey's Tales&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bey's Tales","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/writing-2\/beys-tales-writing-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W13.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W13.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W13.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W13.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/W13.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3372,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-nine\/","url_meta":{"origin":3402,"position":3},"title":"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Nine","author":"Bey","date":"March 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cSo, who is he?\u201d Finally. I look over at Pytre. He\u2019s lying on his cot, staring at the ceiling like I\u2019ve been doing for the past hour. \u201cRemember the Gulchtown boy-whore?\u201d I ask. Slowly, Pytre turns to face me, his hazel eyes wide. \u201cHow is he alive?\u201d I figure he\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;My Life&quot;","block_context":{"text":"My Life","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/my-life\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/W9.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/W9.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/W9.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3122,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-five\/","url_meta":{"origin":3402,"position":4},"title":"The Wanderer &#8211; Part Five","author":"Bey","date":"December 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Tonight we\u2019re staying outside some shithole town with the unfortunate name of Dankle Pits. While Apple\u2019s busy setting up camp, I\u2019m in town working on getting us something to eat. The fella with me has a dick tip like a big mushroom, and right now that mushroom\u2019s buried deep in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bey's Tales&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bey's Tales","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/writing-2\/beys-tales-writing-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/holersport-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/holersport-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/holersport-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/holersport-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/holersport-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3985,"url":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/the-wanderer-part-fifteen\/","url_meta":{"origin":3402,"position":5},"title":"The Wanderer \u2013 Part Fifteen","author":"Bey","date":"October 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"A few weeks later, Apple and I are at the bar down the street, sitting up against the stage, watching the performance. I\u2019ve got a cold can of beer in front of me, and Apple is sipping at a candy-coloured drink, the straw twisted down to reach his lips as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bey's Tales&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bey's Tales","link":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/category\/writing-2\/beys-tales-writing-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/w15.png?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/w15.png?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/w15.png?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/w15.png?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/w15.png?fit=1200%2C641&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3402"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4595,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3402\/revisions\/4595"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beydeckard.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}