by
TCBard
1
Chapter
Somewhere close by a person must have felt suicidal because they keep making that God awful
noise next to her ear. Slowly the fog in her head starts to fade and she realizes that her damn clock
is vibrating all over her dresser as it wakes everyone on the block. Opening her eyes she see's its
five in the morning. Another day of playing catch me if you can with the Bullies at school.
Making fast work of brushing her teeth, combing her her, and dressing in her normal poor hand me
down clothes, She is out the door before anybody else at home wakes up. Sure, she was way early, but
it's the only time she has to herself. Walking four miles sense she started high school three years ear-
lier her mind went on auto-pilot as she traveled the lonely streets. As she rounds a corner two blocks
from Kingston High were she is a student at, she hits a object moving at a high rate of speed. She flies
backwards landing hard. Barely able to breath she slowly makes her way to her feet to be knocked back
down as Someone else rushes past.
What's going on? She looks in the directions of the runners to see a big monster running after a small
child. Jumping to her feet she follows them. For a child she is really fast. The monster was losing steam
fast though. The Monster is a girl Carly knows all to well. She has had the same race with the Monster
for years. As she closes in on the Monster who's real name is Gloria, She see's the child trip and fall
from a crack on the sidewalk that was lifted up, and new she had to do something. Running full on into
the Monsters side and tackling her to the ground was not the smartest thing to do, but she couldn't let
her hurt a child. She see's the kid jump up onto her feet and run around a corner disappearing without
ever looking back. As she turns to look at the Monster she should have expected the punch that
connected with her jaw. This was not her morning. She made it a habit to leave early for school to
avoid stuff like this, and here she was on the receiving end of one punch after another.
The world around her was starting to fade as she was slipping into unconsciousness, then she heard
a war cry that brought her back, then Gloria's body was lifted off of her. The child had returned and
was pulling Gloria off by pulling her hair. Then the Monster grabbed her by the throat and slammed
her hard onto the ground. The Monster was about to kick the child when her foot was caught before
it could connect with her head by someone with very large hands. The hand that held the foot lifted it in
the air until Gloria lost her balance and fell onto her back.
“Do you want to continue this Gloria? because I promise it won't end well for you.” The stranger asked the fallen Bully. “Fuck you trailer trash! This isn't over, you can't protect everyone.” Then she jumped to her feet running away towards school. The stranger glanced at the hurt girls and saw that she new one of them. “Carly? What made you decide to tangle with the Monster? You in that much of a hurry to die?”
“I was trying to save the kid from getting pummeled by her,” she said pointing to the ground where
the little child was just getting her senses back from hitting the ground like she did. That's when she
started to notice that the child was not a child, but a girl her age, just short in stature. The rest of the
body was a wonder as Carly looked at her, she noticed things she never noticed before now. Like her
honey colored hair that went to mid-back. The face that looked so young held eyes that spoke of
secret knowledge yet revealed. Oh my: she thought as she starred at the young woman.
“What were you thinking? I was almost free from her when I saw you get hit and had to come back.”
Carly was stunned, “Excuse me but I was trying to stop her from hurting you. A thank you should be
the first thing out of your mouth!”
“Well, thank you, though it was not necessary. I was perfectly capable of running from her.”
“Whats your name kid, because I saw you trip and go down. Just a second later and she would have gr-
ounded your bones to dust with her feet. So drop the attitude, kid.”
“My names Tara” then stepping into Carly's face, “and I'm getting tried of you calling me kid!”
Damn, she is really a spitfire. I don't know about the attitude but Carly was surprised by herself
when she apologized to Tara. “I didn't mean anything by it. I thought Gloria was chasing a small kid
when you guys ran pass me. Can we start over because I've had enough of getting my butt kicked for
one day?”
That's when Tara really looked at Carly and new she was really hurt, and it was because of her. She was
wobbling on her feet, and her left eye had a half moon under it. But she had a strange smile on her face.
She looked at the Stranger who saved them and asked her as she rushed to Carly to stop her from fall-
ing, “Help me with her, please. Why didn't you say you was hurt this bad. You need to see a doctor or
something.” She grabbed Carly under her arms and help her towards school sense it was the closest
place that they could go. That's when she noticed that Carly was leaning into her more then necessary;
and she'd swear that stupid grin just got bigger. If it was not for the tall strong woman holding onto
Carly's left side they both would have landed in a heap on the ground.
“Just a little farther now and you can see the school nurse.” She didn't know why but it really worr-
ied her that Carly was hurt. It was like she could feel her pain. And what she didn't know was that the
same silly smile Carly had, she had as well. The tall stranger holding onto Carly kept looking back and
forth between the two and shaking her head. Why were they both smiling like that after the pounding
that both of them took. It was kinda scary. She had her share of beatings through out the years, so she
knows that a head injury can make you act strange, but both were acting the same; weird.
They enter the school doors and slowly traveled the stairs until they reach the door that says Nurse
on it. Going in the door they find a hospital bed in a corner and lay Carly onto it. As Tara was placing a
ice pack on her eye that she found in a cabinet the Nurse walks in and screams in surprise as she see's
Carly's face, “What happened to you, dear? Looks like someone hit you with a bat.” Carly laughed,
You could say that Mrs Shelton, the Monster got us. But I don't think its as bad as last time. That last
beating I really was messed up.”
“I never did like that girl, nothing but pure nastiness in her heart. Don't care who she hurts.” The
Nurse said.
Tara was steaming mad, “are you telling me this isn't your first time getting hurt? Why don't they put
her out if she is such a menace?” The tall stranger noticed that ever sense Tara had put Carly on the bed
she had yet to let go of her hand. When she heard this was not her first beating Tara started to rub Carl-
y's arm in a comforting manner. She had never seen someone be so tender towards Carly, and she was
pretty sure the blond didn't even know she was doing it.
Even though the blond and the patent didn't realize how they were acting the Nurse saw it. “ I beli-
eve you two need to head to your class rooms. No need to check back in on her, because I'm going
to call her parents to come and get her, sense she won't be in no condition to attend classes today.” She
had treated Carly a few times and always liked the girl but the way both girls were acting towards one
another made her want to get a HIV test done.
Tara didn't want to leave Carly's side but new she needed to head to class. She just started here after
moving from out of state, and she didn't want to start off on the wrong foot. While still holding Carly's
hand she reached out her right hand to move some hair that was hanging close to Carly's eyes. “I hope
you feel better soon. I'll save you a seat in the lunch room, okay. Bye.” As Carly watched them leave
a feeling of deep loneliness crept into heart. For some reason when Tara held her hand she felt ground-
ed, but now it was like a piece of herself just walked out the door.
2
CHAPTER
Standing in the intersection of of the school hallways Tara turns to look at the tall Stranger to find
she was the only one standing there. “damn she is fast” she thinks. Then she realizes that in the hour
that they were together she never heard her name. Well, she will run into her eventually. Then her mind
starts to wonder over her time and reaction to Carly. She hated leaving her. She kept telling herself that
it was because she was just concerned sense she was hurt so bad, but every time they touched it was a
feeling. A feeling of...Home; is the best she can describe it. She hoped that she would see her soon, she
really needed a friend, and she felt that she could trust Carly.
Walking into her class room and finding her seat she froze. Three seats in front of her was Gloria
smiling at her. Whenever she new the teacher was not looking she kept sliding her finger across
her throat, or smacking a fist into her hand. How was she was to focus on her school work with the
Monster threatening to grind her bones to dust? She raised her hand and asked to use the restroom, no
sooner it was granted she was running from that classroom. She was just running out the main doors of
her new school when she collide with a solid body knocking her back a few feet.
“Thought you could slip past me, huh? Mr. Hatfield don't care what his students do so long as you
don't bother his naps. You're going to pay for this morning little girl.” Gloria had her pressed against the
front double doors. Her hands slammed into the doors on both sides of her face, pinning her. “Told you
I would get you”
“Then you get both of us!” Just then a heavy book bag landed on Gloria's head leaving her dazed.
It was the break Carly needed, grabbing Tara's hand they ran as fast as they could but found their path
blocked by five girls. All five girls were follower's of the Monster, Some times the five would find
kids to watch her beat them. All of them were sick and twisted. Everyone just called them the Troll's;
because they all are so ugly; of course never to their faces. That's why she new that things just got
worse when she heard Tara call out, “Will you Trolls get out of the way? We need to get out of here.”
What Tara didn't know was that it was to late. The five started laughing looking over the two girls
heads at the recovered Monster, That's when they new that this time they were not going to be able to
walk away.
Carly jumped into action pushing Tara to the side as she screamed for her to run. Tara believing she
was right behind her, ran as fast as her short legs could carry her. As she was leaving school grounds
she saw the tall Stranger again just walking off school grounds. Running up to her she noticed Carly
was not with her. Turning around she started to run back when long fingers grabbed her shoulder and
turned her around to face the Stranger. Tears were running down her face unnoticed. “whats going on?
Why are you crying?” The stranger asked her.
“Carly! They have Carly!” She cried as she broke free of the grip on her shoulder and made a mad
dash back were she new Carly was. As she ran she saw a graceful body run past her at speeds beyond a
normal persons ability to run, and she new it was the Strangers. As she neared the site she saw girls
sctattering like roaches as the Stranger ran upon them. Then she saw her. Carly was laying on the
ground on her side not moving. “No!” She cried as she dropped down next to the unconscious girl and
cradled her head in her lap. She looked at the Stranger and yelled at her were she was knocking
another girl senseless, “Call for help! She is really hurt bad this time.” Then she started to rub her
forehead where a nasty bruise was forming. And kissing the spot on her chin that had a deep cut. This
was the second time this girl had taken a beating for her, and it was just the first day they had ever met.
She stayed holding onto her as the medics tried to look her over. They tried to remove Carly from her
lap but they found she was stronger then they thought. So to keep both girls from getting more upset
they allowed Tara to continue holding her; that is until they were ready to load her into the Ambulance.
They tried to tell Tara it was time to let go, but she thrue herself over Carly's body. For some reason it
felt like if they took Carly that Tara's heart would be pulled from her chest, and it scared her to death.
She didn't know why she was feeling this way, but she new without a doubt that where Carly went she
would follow.
She was still fighting the medics when the long fingers of the Stranger pried her off of the hurt girl.
“Come on Tara, stop fighting us. The Medics or trying to help her. We'll go to the hospital so you can
be with her. Ok?” Slowly Tara stopped fighting and watched them load her into the back. Then they
were off. Turning to the Stranger she asked were the hospital was? “I need to be with her, please help
me be there for her.” She pleaded. “Come on, we'll take the city bus. We can be there in a hour.” the
Stranger said. They ran at a slow pace, mainly because of the legs of Tara's being so short, but they
made good time, and boarded the bus on the way to the hospital.
It took them about an hour but they finally made it to the emergency room. Tara wasted no time run-
ing up to the Nurses desk. “Please, my Sister was brought into here. Her name is Carly.” She had seen
enough movies to know that unless you was family they didn't let you to see the patent, so she was
rehearsing what she was going to say on the way over. She just forgot one thing.
“Miss, Carly, who? Whats the last name?” Tara looked at the Stranger with shock in her eyes, “Ben-
son.” the Stranger finished for Tara. “Yes, she is in room H21. If you follow the hallway down to the
right it will be the sixth door down.” The Nurse watched as the short girl ran towards the room like
her life was on the other side of the door.
Tara took a deep breath then opened the room door. She was trying to prepare herself for anything on
the other side of the door. When she walked in with the Stranger next to her tears once again came to
her eyes as she saw the girl who had saved her twice in one day laying there with tubes and monitor
wiring everywhere. She slowly walked over as if Carly's soul was calling for her. Joining their hands
together she could do nothing but rub her bruised face. The Stranger brought over a chair and helped
Tara to sit in it next to her Savior.
A woman in her mid-thirties walked up to the room. Receiving a call at work that she needed to pick
up her daughter at school, she was shocked a little later that the Nurse called at the hospital saying her
daughter was there now. Her heart jumped in her throat upon hearing this. Breaking as many traffic
laws she arrived as soon as she could. As she was about to enter the room she stops in her tracks. She
noticed Samantha standing in the corner by the TV hanging on the wall, but what got her attention was
the young looking blond sitting near her daughter. The blond never took her eyes off of Carly, and the
look in the blonds eyes said only one thing...Love.
She quietly got Sam's attention and motioned with her head to step out of the room so they could ta-
lk. As they stood out of the room Mrs Benson kept looking into the room watching the two girls. Carly
had yet to wake, but for some strange reason there was a large smile plastered on her face. And Tara
was rubbing her arms, or fixing her pillow, and talking to her about everything, and about nothing.
“What happened Sam? She looks bad this time? And whats up with that smile? Did she receive
nerve damage or something?” Mrs Benson fired off the questions. Sam for the next few minutes filled
her in. “Who is she, Sam? You would think they were in loving or something? I've never seen someone
treat Carly like that.”
“Carly saved her from the Monster and it was like something out of the twilight zone after that. They
both kept smiling even after the beating they took, and after the second time Tara tried to tear the EMS
workers apart when they tried to touch Carly. I had to actually pull her away. Sense we've arrived she
hasn't moved from that spot.”
“So, that's Carly's sister huh,” Mrs Benson asked, laughing. “The Nurse told me her sister and friend
were already with her. I found that strange, sense I know I gave birth to only one child.” Mrs Benson
pointed down the wall and asked “You want to get some coffee; because I believe Carly is in good
hands,” pointing to the blond. They walked to the vending machine and paid for two large coffees
then sat at a small square table next to the wall.
“Sam, I don't know if I'm suppose to ask you this. I am not asking you to betray my daughters trust
or anything...” Mrs. Benson was looking into her lap and was playing nervously with a string on her
slacks; “ Is Carly...Is she Gay?” She was holding her breath as she waited for the answer. She never
thought about it until she saw the two girls together. And thought about her growing up until now,
she never showed any interest in boys even at seventeen years old. But she just thought her daughter
was just being shy.
Sam was floored! What do you say when asked that from your friends mom? “Mrs. Benson, Carly
is my best friend. We have known each other for years, but I can't remember if she has said anything
as to which side she leans. If she is Gay, then I don't believe she has realized it yet. I never saw her act
the way she did today until she met Tara.” Sam new why she was asking, because she was wondering
the same sense watching the two girls “So, I think we just need to wait and see.”
Mrs. Benson, I do have a admission to make though; I am Gay.” Mrs. Benson was stunned. “So, you
and my daug...”
“No!”Sam nearly spit the coffee out of her mouth. That's not what I meant. I was telling you so you
understand that if she is Gay, Carly is still the girl you raised.”
Mrs. Benson laughed as she remembered something she heard about Gay's. “Sam do you have gay-
dar? And if so, can you tell if Carly is one?”
Sam laughed; “I think mine has been broken for years or else I may have had found my soulmate by
now, but I can't tell with Carly, sorry.” Mrs. Benson asked , “What about Tara, then?”
Sam lowered her head down looking at the table top, with a knowing look she said, “ Oh yeah.”
3
CHAPTER
Mrs. Benson looked over at Sam as they stood outside the door of Carly's room, “What do I do?
How do I acted? Do I say something...” Sam laugh, “calm down, we don't know anything yet. So the
only thing to do is wait and watch. The thing you need to decide is, if Carly is gay, and something
happens between them, will you still love and support your daughter?”
Mrs. Benson looked insulted, but there was doubt in her eye's as well. “Of course I will still love my
daughter. But I would need time to handle everything else.”
“If she finds she is gay, I'll tell you this, she will need you more then any time ever in her life. She is
a good woman, and a good friend, but you need to realize whats more important to you; Your love for
your daughter, or what people will call her, and the title 'gay', she will forever have.”
Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Benson can only nod her head she understood. “How did your parents
handle it, Sam? I'm sorry if you...”
“They didn't. I came out three years ago at fourteen. Carly was the first I told, and she never batted
a eye. It never bothered her so I thought maybe my parents would be as accepting. I was naive.”
Mrs. Benson never new much about Sam, but what she was hearing, she was wondering how well
she new her own daughter, and made a vow to try. “How was you naive?”
“Because that night was when I lost my family.” Now I stay in a tent in a empty field behind Walmart.”
Mrs. Benson stood there with tears threatening to fall and vowed to never let that happen to her child.
“You didn't lose your family Sam, because someone who could do that to their child don't have the
right to be called family. My daughter laying in that bed in that room is your family,” and putting a
comforting hand upon her shoulder “And from now on I'm your family, you got that?”
For the first time sense she was erased from her parents lives she broke down into Mrs. Benson arms.
“Thank you Mrs. Bens...” “Sam you can stop with the Mrs. Call me Laura from now on. Ok?” “ Yes,
Mrs...I mean Laura. Thank you.”
Holding onto the tall teen she said “Good girl. Lets go see how they're doing in there, what do you
say?”
Mrs. Benson reaches out and opens the door to see Tara laying in the bed with Carly. Tara was laying
on her side with her head resting on Carly's shoulder, and Carly's arm holding tight to Tara protectively.
As Tara slept with a content look on her face. Carly was watching her mom and best friend watching
her and Tara. At first she was scared. But she also new she couldn't deny what she felt holding Tara
in her arm's; So, she didn't. “Hi Mom. This is my new friend Tara.” She new her Mom was not dumb
or blind, so she was waiting for her Mom to yell and scream at her when she saw the two young women
like this, so was surprised when her Mom walked over to Tara and rubbing her golden hair, leaned
over and placed a lite kiss to the young womans temple, “Thank you for caring for my daughter, Tara.”
Still asleep, she mumbled, “Love her.” Then buried her head more into Carly's body.
Though it was said in a low voice everyone heard it in the room. “I know daughter, sleep now,” She
looked at Sam and she new in a short amount of time everything had changed for all of them.
Carly was over the moon. She never wondered why she wasn't interested in boys. And even after
finding out Sam was gay, she never thought she could be like that as well. Now she was holding the
most important thing in her life. And her Mom was not kicking her out of the family, but calling Tara
her daughter instead.. She new she would have to talk to her Mom about this soon, but now she was
happy to hold her new found love.
Mrs. Benson walked over to the other side of the bed and grabbed her daughters hand, “Its OK. We
have plenty of time to talk about this later. But how are you feeling? It's a good thing love is blind
because little bit would have ran out of here by now. You look like a bunch of troll's stomped on your
face.”
Tara hearing this as she woke up responded “ I can't run away from the other half of my soul” She
leaned up and placed a lite kiss upon her lips. “As for the Trolls...” She froze as she realized where
she was laying, and that she kissed Carly in front of her Mother. “I'm sorry...” She tried to get up out
of bed but Carly held onto her. “Please don't go,” Carly pleaded. Nervously she looked at Mrs. Benson
expecting to see disgust at what she had witnessed, but instead saw acceptance. So, she stayed in bed,
but she couldn't look her new loves Mom in her eye's.
Laura put a finger under Tara's chin and lifted her head until she could see her eye's. “You two never
have to hide the love you have for one another in front of me. you understand? I'll worry when your
out there in the world, but stand by one another and you will be fine.”
“Thank you Mrs. Ben...” “How about everyone stop with the Mrs. Benson crap, And call me Laura;
or Mom.” That was said with a knowing smile, “That is is if you two plan on staying glued together?”
Mrs...Mom I think you can consider us glued...” Tara looked into Carly's eye's, “forever.”
***
Weeks went by and the love of the two girls grew. Mrs. Benson embraced her two new daughters
as if she had birth them herself. Mrs. Benson's husband tried to pick fights about his daughters new
found life style. And tried to ban Tara from seeing Carly, but on the threat of a bad case of blue balls
by lack of sex, and a very nasty divorce if he didn't back down, he relented and allowed his daughter
to see Tara. At first he found it strange to be in the same room as the women, but Tara started to crack
the ice around his heart and he started to accepted his daughters lover.
Mr. Benson, who's name is Ben bought a Pop-up tent trailer so he could go camping two years ago
and after he started to accept Tara Mrs. Benson started to talk to him about Sam's real family, or
the lack of them; and told him she wanted the girl to use the camper. After a mind blowing night where
he could barely walk the next morning. He agreed; so now Sam was living behind Carly's house in
a Pop-up camper, and they all couldn't have been happier.
Tara's family is the only hiccup in the girl's lives. Her parents found out about Carly when Tara's
father over heard her talking on the phone and confronted her about what he heard. Nothing sexual was
really talked about on the phone, but the love was traveling through the cell phone very clear and he
felt his daughters friendship with Carly was crossing a line he didn't feel comfortable with.
When prejudice comes in contact with pure love, two things can happen; Love is damaged, or if the
love is strong enough then a war takes place to see what will win out. So it was no surprise when Tara
showed up with just the clothes on her back; tears running down her face she ringed the door bell.
The door slowly opens. Carly see's Tara standing there soaking wet from the rain,and quickly
grabbed her into her arm's as she cried into her shoulders. Mrs. Benson was coming from the kitchen to
see who was at the door when she saw the poor young girl at the door. Tara saw her and throw herself
into her arms. “Mom, they really did it; they kicked me out.”
Ben couldn't believe it when Laura told him they were taking in Tara as well. He loved his daughter,
but taking in all these girls was to much. He felt for Tara and Sam, but why didn't Laura just call a
Shelter, or Child protective services, or something?” He felt he was really losing control of his own
home.
It got tight with the new girls living there, though Sam stayed in the camper out back, she still came
in to take showers. And they cleaned out the extra bedroom the Benson's used mostly as a storage
room for Tara to stay. Ben put his foot down and said that having the girls sleeping in the same room
was more then he could except under his own roof. He just was not ready for that yet.
After watching his daughter and Tara together; seeing the emotions radiating off them he new this
was not just a phase that they were going through, so was doing everything he could do to support his
daughter. He fought it at first, but when he realized that if he didn't except this part about his baby
girl he would most likely lose all of her. So, he was trying. And he had to admit that when you looked
pass the lesbian thing, the three girls were smart, caring, and faced the world with such bravery as
anyone he has ever known.
It also felt strange when the girls without being asked started calling him dad. Over time though
he excepted it, and the girls as if they were his. It was four months sense Tara moved in and by then
he had moved all that had caused him to not except the girls into a dark corner in his mind that he
stopped visiting.
The end...for now.