Secrets

Prologue

December 14th 1996
The living room was quiet except for the two hushed voices of Mr. And Mrs. Howell huddled together on the worn, brown couch. A young boy by the name of Daniel sat on the top of the stairs his curly hair a mess as he sat listening to his parents quiet discussion with interest.

"he's a queer Robert, and they're just letting him stay, a disgrace to our religion i tell you, its unnatural to love the same gender" Mrs.Howell whispered harshly to her husband Robert.

" yes, well that is their decision to accept such a...thing" he says back "we just cant let him into our house he may infect our Daniel"

Daniel did not know what a queer was, 'must be a pretty bad sickness for mum and dad to be so worried about it' he thought with a frown. Daniel has always been smart for his age and being curious he wanted to know more about the subject.

He crept down the stairs to be met with his shocked parents, still huddled together on the couch.

"Mum, Dad, whats a queer?" Daniel questioned the worry and curiosity evident on his voice.

His Mum seemed taken aback by the questioned and frowned, "something you will never be" she answered "such an unnatural state of mind for a person..." She muttered glaring at nothing.

"But why?" Asked Daniel "what is it?" He was interested now in what was so bad about being 'queer'.

"Go to bed Daniel" his mother sighed. She stood and picked up the small boy starting to carry him to bed. He wriggled in her grip

"I can walk" he said and she finally put him down. He started to walk upstairs and she followed, presumably to tuck him in.

He climbed into bed and mother tucked him in and kissed his head. As she turned to go Daniel blurted the same question. "Whats a queer mum?"

She sighed again and turned back around seemingly defeated and sat on his bed. She smiled at him and kissed his forehead again before answering "they are a...person, who likes the same gender, such as boy who likes another boy"

Daniel thought for a moment "so its like if I liked George" he asked. His mother nodded a strange look in her eyes.

"Exactly like that, Daniel"

"So whys that bad?" Daniel asked. He didn't understand why liking someone was bad, why does it matter if they were a boy or a girl.

His mother frowned at him "its against the bible Daniel, its not natural, god made boys and girls for a reason, and not to like the same gender."

Daniel still didn't understand, but he did not want his mother to get angry so he just nodded and smiled, bidding a simple 'good night' as his mum got up and left the room.

As he drifted off that night he thought about what it would he like to be 'queer'. Does everyone think it is unnatural to like the same gender? what if he were to be queer? But since he still didn't understand much he drifted off into a peaceful sleep until the next day.

Daniel would one day learn, sometimes ignorance is bliss.

April 7th 2002
     "Mum whats it feel like to be in love?" Daniels Mum looked up from her book in surprise.