The Life of Alex Carson

Everyone is over 18.

Chapter One

"They're tryin' to take away our rights! LGBT, this. If you're white, you're racist, that."

James shook his head at the loudmouth bigot who spewed nonsense over the AM radio station. With his USB cord an inch away from his phone, he sat with a smile and was dumbfounded.

"You're a fuckin' idiot," he said out loud. The hard southern accent came through, similar to the man on the air waves.

The exact moment he started to talk to himself was uncertain, but he couldn't stop at all, nowadays. With so much hate and discontent in his tiny part of northern Arkansas, it would just lash out of him at random.

His old beater couldn't handle the nastiness of the hot summer days and his air conditioner was taxed. It struggled to do anything worthwhile except eat his expensive gas. Could be the compressor, failing belt, low refrigerant—-Didn't matter, because it wasn't in the budget.

The muggy, stagnant air inside just compounded the stress of going to work even more and he furiously rolled his window down. Everything was trying to burn him. He was desperate for some sort of relief and cranked his heavy metal until the old stock speakers were rattling the doors.

It wasn't a lengthy drive but the speed limits were around thirty miles per hour, so it felt like an eternity to get anywhere. Every day he got to gaze upon the scum and villainy of the garbage heap of a town while he crawled like a snail. He should have moved and changed his name years ago; a brand new life sounded nice.

And like clockwork, he spotted two dipshits near the basketball court of the school. No doubt a drug deal and no one to catch them on a Saturday. This was par for the course and there was a third person but they were hunched over. He knew the nearest deputy was maybe an hour away.

He slowed to a creep in his stealthy, bright blue Mercury Topaz and watched on. That's when he saw the fist fly and uppercut that person directly in the gut.

The brakes were slammed and pulled at the same time. He tossed the door open so fast it came back and smacked him. Didn't even bother to look left or right across the street and started to book it straight for them. He didn't intend to announce his presence until he trampled through a batch of old leaves and gave himself up.

"C'mon, mudderfucker," he heard from the smallest clown. He wasn't but maybe five seven, scrawny and ugly as all get out. It looked like he pulled his clothes from a dumpster. Fuckin' druggie, he thought.

James slid to a stop and grabbed a handful of rocks before he launched one at the tweakers head. The stone whizzed by his bald dome and cracked off of the wall behind them.

"Leave her alone!" He shouted. "Get the fuck out of here."

"Her?" The lanky one laughed through his missing teeth. "That's a fuckin' man, baby."

He looked like a tall Gollum that had been dropped as a baby, mixed with meth. Another miserable waste of life that looked like he was on death's door.

James glanced at the girl. Knee high flannel skirt and long wavy pink hair was all he could see. She was a dirty mess after being harassed by these losers.

"Don't give a shit." He doubled down. "Kick rocks, bitch."

The former school pitcher launched another fast ball and pelted the tall one who winced and grabbed his arm in pain. Enough was enough for the small scrub and he approached James with a lousy stance. He thought it was acceptable to not raise his arms.

"Let's go, fuc—"

James had the laces of his sneakers flush with the side of the man's smug face before he could finish. The crack and thud blasted out and he collapsed into the gravel. James moved in on the other worried thug and they balled their fists.

"Better open that shit up," James told him. Then he yanked his pants up and found a stance. "You saw what happened to your boy."

He looked over to the girl who was focused on them. She held her stomach tight and wiped away some tears.

"You can hop in my car," he told her and pointed. He knew these two wouldn't quit. Not after being humiliated.

She didn't move and her eyes widened. He felt the slice against his back leg and instantly dropped to a knee. He snapped his head up to find the tall redneck about to deliver a punch but they were shoved into the dirt by the girl.

"You dumb tranny bitch," he hollered, voice cracked.

He picked himself up quickly but gurgled in pain the second she delivered a swift kick up into his nuts. His voice was lost and he struggled to stay up right. James used the opportunity to pick himself up.

"Knew I recognized you, Griffin," He popped off. "Your daddy's a real piece of shit, just like you."

Griffin lunged at him and they fell to the ground with a puff of dust. His right fist came quick but she was there and connected her boot to his forearm. The tide had changed.

"Get off of him," she cried out. With all of her might, she yanked his collar and tried to pull him back.

He tried to shrug her away and found his brain scrambled with knuckles embedded into his cheek. James put another wallop into his nose and used her assist to shove him over. She let go and her savior hopped up. Both of them backed away.

"I know where you live, Reeves," the beaten man mumbled. Nothing but incoherent babble from a bloody, angry husk on the ground.

James latched onto her hand and she yanked from his grasp. He ignored that and pointed at Griffin's swollen, disheveled face.

"Show up around my house and you're dead."

The duo wasn't followed and they slammed car doors behind them. James fired it up and glanced through his mirrors.

"Fuckin' crackheads," he blurted out.

"Thank you." She panted hard. "They chased me forever."

"Are you alright?" he said with a turn.

"No, I'm Vanessa." She held a smile with a tight grip on her side.

James shook his head and tried to keep his eyes on the road. Not a good time to check her injuries.

"Got jokes, huh."

"Just a scratch," she sighed. "Been through worse."

He glanced down her pretty, oval shaped face and followed her jaw line until he turned back to the traffic.

At the stop light, they were in neutral and while her eyes were closed, he took a gander at her sweaty chest. The beads trickled through her cleavage and he settled on her swollen abdomen. They were back in gear.

"No A/C?" she asked.

"Really? You need a doctor," he said. "Fuck A/C."

"Can't. No insurance."

"ER wi—" he said, interrupted.

"Warrant in another county."

James shook his head.

"Where am I taking you?"

"Starlight."

After a few mins of silence, they rolled into the motel parking lot. James looked around the shoddy place and didn't see anyone outside. Wasn't his first time at this shithole. More than a few memories over the years.

He knew Griffin and his goofy friend wouldn't call the law, so that wasn't a worry. Secretly, he didn't want this break in his decade long routine to end.

"Any idea why they attacked you?" he asked gently.

Vanessa swirled her hair around after running her black nails through it. Once again, he was taken back by her pretty features.

"You didn't hear?" she scoffed. "I'm a dumb tranny bitch."

"Those two are trash," he muttered, looking out. "Fuck 'em."

She grabbed her purse and went for the door handle.

"Guess I'm not safe here either," she said, worried.

"Fuck those mother fuckers," he popped off. "You can live anywhere you want."

There was a brief smile before she stepped out.

"They want me to live in the ground," she shrugged with a wave.

The door slammed and she jingled her keys around before the sudden dial back to his window. He didn't know what to think once he caught her forest green eyes.

"I was a bit of a shit and didn't thank you for helping me," she said, leaning over.

"Nah," he shrugged. "I'd do it for an—"

Vanessa pressed her moist pillows into his and got a taste of his sweaty upper lip. They both took a big breath and he enjoyed it before the smoothness squelched away.

"Yeah, I know," she smiled and bit her lip. "Not many would. Not for me."

James sighed and smiled. "Take care of yourself."

"See you around. Reeves, was it? Maybe you can teach me those kicks sometime." She chuckled with a wince and stepped off.

Five years of Taekwondo. Not what he thought he'd have to use it for and a day he wouldn't forget.

*****

Two days later, he was still worried that their little secret wasn't one anymore. He hadn't heard anything, yet, but the week was young. Work had been fairly quiet with the usual ramblings of a bunch of jack offs and scumbags. The rural, conservative country made his blood boil.

He dropped his bowl of chili onto the table and took a seat. Break time.

"I'm about tired of all these fucks." He heard that loud and clear.

"Who?" He decided to poke and blew on his food.

The man turned and pointed. "All these assholes that want to be women. I can give a thirty second operation right now."

James watched a knife spring into view and dismissed the crappy safety blade. Idiot.

"Humanity hasn't figured itself out yet, that's all, Dave." He slurped obnoxiously. "It's called equality."

"There's only two genders," he got loud. "We already talked about this."

"Doesn't mean I agree, Dave," he smiled. "You're still worried about drag queens preying on your wife in the women's bathroom."

"Well." The man sucked down some Mountain Dew, "They don't belong in there."

James stabbed his beans and laughed. "You still think drag queens are transsexuals. Your arguments are shit. You've lived too long."

"It's all the same." The rant continued. "Queer is queer. Not in God's Kingdom."

"You're impossible." He shrugged. "Bible belt!" He shouted with a thick helping of southern drawl and hot chili. "Thoughts and prayers, the queers are gonna get me!"

Dave turned.

"What?"

James chomped his meal. "I said you're fuckin' impossible. You fuckin' deaf?"

The images of Vanessa being assaulted scrambled his mind into a rage. He wanted to calm down. He didn't want to do this. He could lose his job or worse. Jail time. Prison time. Death row. Lethal injection. He wanted to shut him up permanently. Every. Single. Day.

All of the Bible thumping dregs in the community couldn't keep the hate from leaking out of their fat gullets. He was tired of it and everyday was another push to a breaking point.

"I mean, we can continue this civilized debate outside, if you'd like?" Dave said. That should be enough bait.

"I'll fuck you up in here, doesn't matter," James spouted back and took it.

That was three hundred pounds of middle aged strength hyped up on sugar and standing six four. Those bear claw hands were ugly and scary powerful.

"Why do you want to create a hostile environment, Reeves? Play nice, you little twerp."

"Watch your news, you dumb red neck."

There was a collective turn of chairs as the other employees watched on. He knew when to shut his mouth and didn't. Not this time.

"You're a problem," James rambled. "I'm tired of your stupid shit."

Dave was out of his chair and closed in fast. The stomps were loud and clear. This was only going to end one way.

"Settle down, fellas." That was equally ignored.

James latched onto his hot bowl of chili and waited...and waited.

"Back to work," a supervisor hollered.

Dave drifted off to the right and clocked in. James lifted his spoon and took a bite. No way that jackass was going to risk it all with four kids.

The room started to clear and he tossed the bowl into the trash before flashing the deuces towards his superior.

"Taking a partial. Peace."

"Not many left, JR," the voice faded.

The door slammed and he was gone.

*****

The blue beast whipped around a corner to the main road headed downtown. One thing was guaranteed in rural America: The edge of every town had a Sonic, Casey's and a Pizza Hut. The trifecta of heart disease and overpriced food.

Without hesitation, he dropped into the Hut parking lot. Not a lot of business at this hour because the town was at work. Not him. Fuck it. Cowabunga.

After being seated, he ordered the biggest Meat Lovers they had and took a sip of his soda. He started to calm down. It felt like an eternity, but his rage slowly leveled out.

"Here we are, sir." The waitress spoke up and slid a tray of artery clogging death onto the table.

James pulled a slice and slapped it on his plate. Those fragrant smells kept all of his attention. "Thank you."

"You eating that all by yourself?" she prodded. "No friends droppin' in?"

"Might have left overs," he admitted. He looked up with a slight annoyance and found her name tag before he did a double take. "Small world."

"Not really," Vanessa said and had a seat. "This po-dunk shit stain on the map is small. World is massive, honey."

He stared blankly with no quip or return and eventually shrugged his shoulders with a nod. It was good to hear her voice again, though. The shift in his universe was substantial and her wide, beautiful smile made him blink up towards her with an awkward stare.

"What's wrong?" she asked with a sunken face. "Did you ever get your leg looked at?"

"Nah," he shook his head and took a big bite. "Wasn't that bad," he chomped.

"Wonder if that Griffin douche ever got his head looked at after you went all Bloodsport on him," she chuckled and joined him. The toppings were desperate to fall away.

He grinned.

"I worked with his dad," he said with a mouthful. "White trash to the bone."

"Worked?" she said, piqued.

"I think I just quit," he revealed and chugged soda.

"But that's like the best place to work in this dump, you can't quit." She fell back, arms crossed.

James looked around, baffled. "You don't even know me."

They both sat in silence and he glanced over her cute pink curls, golden hoops and fresh make up. She lit up with a smirk and a gentle bat of her eyelids.

"What?" He broke the ice.

"My break is over." She stood up. "I'll be by later to look at that leg."

"Wha—huh?" he fumbled. "You don't even know where—you're just coming to my apartment?"

Vanessa put her palms to the table and leaned in. He shifted away just a pinch and their eyes worked each other over. If she asked him if he just peeked at her boobs, he wouldn't be able to lie. Fuck, he thought. He wanted to look again. Underneath the tight polo and khakis, he knew she was tight and fit.

"We deliver to your house like four times a week. I could just look it up," she whispered. "But I feel like after you eat and feel better, it's going to magically appear somewhere."

"How you gonna call me out like that," he mumbled. "It's like three times a week."

He then paused and cocked his head.

"You already looked it up, though. You haven't lived here long enough to know that."

"I guess we will never know." She smiled and revealed a sparkly set that featured a hint of bucked teeth.

He found it adorable and as she strolled away, the long pink swayed side to side. He knew it was redundant to write his address on his ticket.

But he would do it anyway.

*****

His apartment was usually kept in tip-top shape so it wasn't a terrible idea to go into a food coma and fall asleep just before a gorgeous woman wanted to come over. The last two weeks weren't the best, though, so it definitely looked lived in and more.

The hours trickled by and his dreams were vivid.

Everything had bothered him. He was restless and frustrated. Work was toxic, the town was foul and he just felt alone. Nothing was making sense and he wanted off this nightmare ride.

He felt powerless and maybe that's why he jumped at the opportunity to help someone in need. It was like the hate never ended and the souls of this state just oozed with sweet and succulent malice for people who weren't like them. He knew there were others who thought like him, but out here in the mountains, you were forever outnumbered.

With the pond before him still and silent, the clouds were thick and lightning scattered across the darkened landscape. He shuddered at the mighty thunder and teleported to the real world, blinking in darkness. The rumble turned to a knock at his door and he scrambled to his feet.

Thuds tore through his hard wood floor and he undid the dead bolt before the sudden light blinded him. He stammered and couldn't even form a sentence upon her reveal.

The pony tail, the wispy bangs that dangled across her smooth face and the black dress set his insides on fire. Meanwhile, he was shirtless and in white baggy sweats; a straight up mess.

"'Sup, pizza gut." She pointed to poke some fun. The scruffiness of him was nice and she looked him over a few times with a deep, lingering stare.

"Nada," he mumbled.

"I could hear you snoring, so I kept knocking," she said quietly. The long hallway etched out an echo.

"That's fine." He stretched and absentmindedly found his engorged crotch and palmed around it. "Fuck. I was out," he yawned.

Vanessa was poised to replace his hand with hers but she laid it atop instead and nudged him back inside the apartment with a lovely smile.

"I know, that's why I just let you sleep awhile," she admitted. "It's almost midnight." The door clicked behind them.

"You want something to drink?"

"Coke or whatever, I'm easy."

Vanessa parked herself onto his warm couch and crossed her legs before she draped the skirt just over her knees. Once he returned, the bright moon light was perfect and revealed a full arm sleeve tattoo underneath the black sheer.

He loved those pink curls and she didn't hide any of her spectacular chest now. The way her dress worked flawlessly to hold them up without a bra was magical. She was very busty and she knew he would gawk at it.

He held out her drink and they touched briefly as she slid her fingers around his and grabbed the can. James felt the lace cuff tickle his and took a seat, curious.

"Sorry, I'm rude. You want some light?"

"Nah," she said softly as her can spewed out. "Had enough of all that today. This is nice."

"Work drama?"

"I've been here three weeks and today is the only day I don't regret it," she said with a nod.

"No one should ever move here," he smiled. "Why would you?"

"Nah, honey. You don't wanna hear all that." She swiped her hand in protest. "You live here alone?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Had a roommate but they moved out. She and I didn't get along."

"Bummer."

"By roommate, I meant wife," he spoke up.

"Double bummer. Stand up for a second."

James caught a glimpse of her gleaming glasses but couldn't find her eyes and decided to oblige.

"One of us has to pull your pants down."

That lower register with the sweet, breathy highs in her voice made him tighten in his sweats. He held out his arms.

"You're the nurse."

He heard the shuffle across the leather and felt her soft thighs glide onto his legs. Her nails tickled the skin while pressed between him and the hem and the cool air washed over one cheek. It was isolated after his underwear had bunched up during the nap. The light breaths on his butt sent his mind into a spiral.

"Not sure how he managed this kind of cut," she said with a push of her fingers up against the crease of his cheek to expose the wound.

"Somehow made it through life, so I'm not surprised."

Vanessa exhaled through her nose with a cheeky grin and tapped his round bubble. "Turn around, please."

It was like they had known each other for years. He didn't hesitate. Somehow she knew he wouldn't and her face was almost flush with his heavy package. The amount of tension on the fabric caught her a little off guard and her lips parted with an inaudible gasp. She hoisted the dangling bulge just high enough for her to take a peek, her arm already a little tired from the weight.