HamLIT by Allegra M. Walker

Author:Allegra M. Walker [Walker, Allegra M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Lgbtq+, Gay, Coming of Age
ISBN: 9781953613073
Google: rzM9EAAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1953613071
Publisher: Apollo Grannus Books
Published: 2021-09-06T22:00:00+00:00

At approximately one thirty a.m., after two hours of trying (and mostly failing) to fall asleep, Harry is jolted out of an uneasy doze by the sound of somebody dragging something down the stairs.

Whatever it is, it must be heavy, because the person dragging it isn’t moving fast. It makes a steady bump, bump, bump noise with each stair.

Harry sits up in bed, suddenly wide awake. His mind is already racing to the worst conclusions. Ham, cold and gray and stuffed in a bag. Claude, bloodstained and bitter, dragging the body down the stairs, step by step. Harry, left alone in this cruel world without his beloved Ham at his side. Dead Ham. Dead Ham. Dead Ham.

The bumping noises eventually recede into the distance, and for a while, the only sounds Harry can hear are the croaking of frogs and the chirping of crickets outside.

But then, after who knows how long, Harry hears footsteps coming up the stairs. They’re slow and heavy, not at all like Ham’s footsteps—not a good sign. Even worse, they’re getting nearer and nearer with every second that passes. Harry freezes, listening as the footsteps approach.

Someone knocks on Harry’s door, almost giving him a heart attack.

He doesn’t move. He can hear the person on the other side of the door panting.

“Harry, it’s me.”

Harry almost can’t contain his relief. He takes a deep breath, clutching his chest and feeling his heart hammering away under his hand. It takes him a second to pull himself together before he rolls out of bed and stumbles over the door. Something makes him hesitate with his hand on the knob, but only for a moment. He throws the door open.

Ham looks worse than ever. There are gray half circles under his eyes, his hair is akin to a rat’s nest, and his face is covered in sweat. Pity and love stir in Harry’s heart. But a moment later, both those feelings are replaced by fear when he catches sight of the bloodstains on Ham’s clothes.

“Is everything all right?” Harry asks, even though it’s clearly not. “What happened?”

“Can I sleep in here tonight? I don’t feel safe in my room.”

“E-erm, okay.” Harry stands aside so Ham can enter. He notices that Ham’s still wearing his shoes and that there’s a considerable amount of grit on them, like he’s been walking around on wet sand.

As Harry gets back into bed, Ham looks hopefully at him like he wants Harry to invite him in or something, which Harry absolutely does want to do. Such an invitation might just barely be enough to erase the horror of the evening thus far. Certainly it’s the only thing that would help him forget about it for a little while.

But Harry isn’t able to forget the circumstances so easily. “You’re sleeping on the floor,” he says shortly. “You’re not getting in my bed with all that blood on your clothes.”

“Aw, man. Okay. At least give me one of those blankets.”

Ham lies down on the floor and wraps himself up in a blanket.

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