Every one of the bars of the cage shined like new. They worked for a little over three hours but when they were finished the place sparkled like the first day Martin had seen it. “Let’s get started,” He said then drew Rebel to him and kissed him sweetly before taking the broom and starting on the ceiling and corners taking down cobwebs.

Jack wondered for a moment if Rebel wouldn’t just get up the stairs and take off but it wasn’t ten minutes before his boy was back with the things Jack had requested and he was happy to see that Rebel’s shirt was also off, a thin wife beater the only thing covering his chest. Jack just laughed and turned him around pointing towards the door and patted his sore ass. “I didn’t come here to clean your basement I came here to talk.” “Go upstairs and get some buckets of soap and water, the broom and mop and some sponges from the utility closet in the laundry room.” It hasn’t been used in a long time but that’s about to change.” Jack took off his uniform shirt and hung it on a peg by the door. “What the hell is this place?” Rebel looked around in disgust and a little trepidation but Jack just pulled him farther inside. Well he was dusting off his heart and ready to start living again and he thought it was time that the playroom did as well.

The whole room was like a screaming metaphor of the life…no the existence Jack had been living since his lover had gotten sick. The cage door hung open like it was reaching out to be useful again, the armoire shut as tight as Jack’s heart had been since they had last seen one another. Inside of the playroom was years of built up dust and cobwebs.

Rebel Yells by Rain Carrington