The Black Hills

By Sidney Maris Hargrave

Aaron Reynolds lives a pretty quiet life for someone who hangs out in a cemetery with his friends. He goes to school, antagonizes his parents, and plays video games to avoid doing his homework. So when his best friend's cousin comes to town, he doesn't really expect anything to change. Sure, maybe they'll have an annoying hanger-on for a few months, but then everything would go back to normal.

The problem is, Col Spurling is the farthest thing from ordinary, and dismissing him may be the worst mistake Aaron's ever made.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sidney Maris Hargrave
• Release date: Oct 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310264030

Sidney Maris Hargrave

Sidney Maris Hargrave is a nerd who does a remarkable amount of nothing for someone who works a full time job and scribbles on everything. Currently working on a very large fantasy novel.They are genderqueer and gray asexual/gray aromantic.

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The Black Hills

Copyright 2014 Sidney Maris Hargrave

Published by Sidney Maris Hargrave Hargrave at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Content Warnings

Homophobia, racism, fat jokes, violence, death.

October 11, 2005

Arnold and Sally Reynolds went silent mid-argument as their son walked into the kitchen, letting the screen door close behind him with a bang. He went straight to the fridge and dug around in it as Sally, the picture of parental worry, said, And where have you been, Aaron?

Out with Glenn, the fourteen-year-old replied blandly, and clenched the edge of the tub of cottage cheese between his teeth to free up his hands.

The gay boy? his father asked, hands tightening their grip on the edge of the table, and Aaron rolled his eyes. He straightened, jar of pickles tucked under his elbow with the mayonnaise and the mustard, and pulled out the package of sliced pepperoni Arnold had bought two weeks ago with the intention of making pizza. A family activity he’d called it. Predictably, he and Sally had gotten in a fight before they could even get started, and ended up calling for Chinese instead.

Aaron nudged the fridge closed with his foot before going to root around in the silverware drawer. As he freed some slices of cheap white bread from the bread box, he, He ‘n’ some other guys wanted me to model for an art project. He was partially out of the room before he added, Naked.

Aaron Joshua Reynolds! his mother shouted, but he was gone, and a heartbeat later she was shouting at his father instead. Feeling somewhat victorious, Aaron climbed the narrow staircase, taking care to skip the third step from the top where his older sister, at age seven, had leapt off in a fit of delusional belief that she could fly. She still had a limp, and they had both decided ages ago that the step was bad luck.

He entered Kimberley’s room without knocking, easing the door shut behind him, muffling the sound of the argument downstairs, and his sister looked up from her book.

What’d you do this time? Other than staying out so late, I mean, she said hoarsely, tucking a strand of her long hair behind one ear and sniffling. Aaron plunked himself down on the chair she kept just for him and laid his plunder out on the windowsill.

They got pissy because I mentioned my unholy best friend by name, he said, and at her raised eyebrow, added, I may also have jokingly told them I modeled naked for him.

Ley snorted despite herself, and immediately looked like she regretted it, scrunching her face up and sniffing loudly. You’ve got to stop doing that, she said, squinting blearily at her nightstand in search of tissues.

I’ll stop when they stop, he retorted, laying a thick coating of mayo on a slice of bread.

She responded by noisily and sarcastically blowing her nose. You’re missing the barbecue chips. Are we out? And what was the emergency meeting you guys called earlier?

Slathering a generous amount of mustard on the other slice of bread and adorning it with a couple of pickles, Aaron said, Yeah, I didn’t see any. As for the meeting, only LA and I showed up, but she’s probably told the others now. Glenn’s cousin is coming in from - I think New Jersey.

And this merits an emergency meeting why? Ley asked, climbing out of bed on shaky legs and slowly shuffling over to her dresser. Aaron wrinkled his nose at his sister, who was wearing nothing more than underwear and a camisole.

Jesus, aren’t you cold? he asked, carefully straining excess liquid from a dollop of cottage cheese before slopping it down on top of the pickles. I’m getting goosebumps just being around you.

"I am now. I had a fever earlier," Ley said absently, rooting around in a drawer until she found the flannel pajama pants she