The Hunt

Jack walked with firm cautious steps, stepping over fallen limbs, gently pushing away low hanging branches or easing through a vine as he worked his way through the woods. He held his rifle in a loose relaxed grip, ready to pull it up at a moment's notice. The terrain was sloping down toward a creek, and the vegetation went from a stand of pine planted in fairly straight rows to a more natural setting, a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees, more undergrowth with shrub and vine and the lay of the land rougher, with deep cuts by erosion or the many springs that rose to the surface along the grade down toward the creek with their crystal clear water running over sandy bottoms. It was a place of rattlesnakes, raccoons, fox, turkey, and the prey he was in search of, deer. The deer population had exploded in the region, most of their natural predators long sense diminished to a very few or completely wiped out in the region long ago. So with an abundance of food, especially the many fields in the area, the deer filled the woods.

Jack had come with some buddies from college, having had some experience with hunting and they had gotten to the area prior to sun up. Jack didn't really think he'd find, much less shoot a deer, but he had agreed to come because Ryan was coming. He knew it was silly, just him teasing himself with his fantasy that Ryan was even available. He met Ryan at the beginning of last semester when his best friend all the way back to elementary school, Steve, showed up at a party with him tow. Steve didn't know Jack was wrestling with his attractions to other guys and had, to date, not acted on them, but being around Ryan had made him begin to consider it.

He checked his watch and saw it was time, that Steve should be at the tree stand and it was time for him and Ryan to begin their sweep along the creek, he on one side and Ryan on the other where they would come together at a place that was flat, both sides of the creek visible to Steve. He worked his way along, eyes scanning his surroundings, his ears alert to any sound.

***

He saw him enter the bar, the only gay bar for a hundred miles around, one that was located off the main highway down near the creek in a building that was once a fish camp. It was a low sprawling structure nestled in the trees, with outdoor areas along two sides protected from view with a tall eight foot high fence. Who would venture all the way here to go out he didn't know but he knew the person he wanted to find was here. He made his way in to the small foyer where there was a check-in counter one of the bartenders could easily step around the partition to check a person's ID and take the three dollar entrance fee. The bar had the usual crowd of men from around the region, truck drivers and some from one nearby city or the other, having heard about the place from someone online. It had to be word of mouth for the bar didn't advertise online, had no blog or social media page, nor did it register with gay social groups for the advertising. It simply went by word of mouth, initially just locally, with a group of men who started the bar for their own desire to have a place to go drink and socialize. Over time the bar attracted men from a larger region, began to get noticed and now on any given weekend the ill defined parking lot could be filled with assorted pickups, semis, Jeeps and even sports cars scattered among the trees.

Working his way to the bar he scanned the room as he did and didn't see him, the man he wanted to track down. He ordered Bourbon and leaned back against the bar and surveyed the crowd, looking at each man, the farmer, the cowboy, the truck driver, the boys in their tight jeans and tank tops flirting with the older men and he looked for his prey.

***

There was a rustling sound to his right, just beyond the low growth following the break in the ground as it fell toward the creek. Jack froze and watched, his ears listening for any sound. He waited for what seemed like an eternity but knew it was only a couple of minutes, at best. Then he eased forward, his rifle held ready in his hands, his feet moving carefully over the rough ground, each step carefully placed.

He eased around an old oak tree, its trunk so large he couldn't reach around it, but its width providing him the cover he sought, and he rested a moment against the rough bark, trying to get his breathing back to normal for he realized he had been holding his breath, so as not to let the sound of his own breathing block out any sound he might hear.

***

A white ball cap with something on the front, black t-shirt, or maybe it was dark blue, and a pair of jeans. That is what his eyes were looking for among the crowd. Eyes that scanned every nook and cranny, peered into every dark shadowed corner and every time a cap that was white appeared his eyes zeroed in on it, only to be disappointed.

'Fuck, that son of a bitch is here somewhere' he thought as he pulled away from the bar, deciding to make a round through the rooms.

***

Jack didn't know if he wanted to find a deer or not, but he did want to make his way back to the tree stand and catch up with Ryan. Ryan, who was about Jack's height, around five ten and a nice build, one he had seen when the three of them rode their mountain bikes on state park trails near the university. Ryan had a natural solid body, with nice arms and legs. His dark reddish brown hair and naturally dark skin were factors as well, for it was so opposite of Jack, and he struggled at times not to stare at Ryan or worse, reach out and touch him.

***

He made his way through the room with two pool tables, each with several guys standing around them while two played for a few bucks, their laughing and banter filling the air till it was white noise to him. He kept looking at each white cap he saw and each time was disappointed. He went down a corridor where the bathrooms were located, toward the back to the section that was added to the original building when it was still a fish camp. In the first room, furnished with old sofas, arm chairs and a church pew, was a lounge area and several guys were sitting in small groups, their talk quieter, more intimate. He strolled through the room, nodding at the men who gave him a second look, smiling, knowing the kind of look it was, and one he hoped to have soon.

***

Jack waited only a few moments and began his hunt again, working his way among the trees, his eyes scanning every place that looked different, that looked like a place a deer might be hiding or ready to walk out. The sun was high enough now to begin filtering its rays of light through the trees, the early morning fog just below him laying along the creek evaporating away quickly. He moved with more assuredness as the woods became better illuminated, the dark corners disappearing, the shadows no longer leading him astray.

He came to a deep cut in the slope, a place where years of hard rains had cut a deep gully through the sand and red clay and he moved up the grade to make his way around it, not wanting to attempt climbing down and back up, to lose sight of his surroundings, or worse, fall with his gun and get dirt lodged in it.

***

There was a section of glass storefront that faced the back courtyard area and he could see it was crowded. There was a bar under a canopy the owner's opened when the weather permitted, and tonight it obviously permitted, for it was more crowded than the one inside. There was a raised deck to the left where tables and chairs were arranged and he could see they appeared to be occupied as well. He made his way to the bar, having finished his drink and found a place he could squeeze in. The man to his right turned toward him, smiled and gave him the look. He smiled back and asked how he was doing and if it was always this crowded.

"Not always, but it does get this way during the fall when the weather finally cools down and the nights are pleasant. You looking for someone or something?" the guy asked him, leaning against him a little harder.

"I'm looking for someone. Have you seen anyone with a white ball cap and dark blue or black t-shirt and jeans come through here?"

"Well, damn, so I'm not who you're here for?" and the guy laughed good naturedly, then he nodded his head toward the deck. "I saw a guy go up there matching that description just a few minutes ago."

"Thanks" he replied and once his drink arrived he moved toward the deck.

***

Jack moved into the small clearing and waved up at Steve. He was fifteen feet in the air on the small platform secured to a tree, his rifle held across his lap. He waved back and then motioned to Jack's right. Jack looked back across the creek and saw Ryan approaching the creek at a place where a tree had fallen across it. Ryan easily made his way over the creek using the tree and was soon by Jack's side.

"You see anything?" Ryan asked in a low whisper.

"Nothing. I thought I heard something back about 200 yards or so, but never did see what was making the sound. Hell, it might have been a damn squirrel for all I know."

Ryan just smiled and looked up at Steve shaking his head letting him know it was a bust this morning. No deer. Steve slipped his rifle over his shoulder and eased his small bag down to the ground with a rope, then made his way down the ladder. Jack and Ryan watched his graceful moves, the way he made his way down and then strolled across the clearing toward them.

"So, we head back and try again tomorrow morning?" Ryan asked.

"I have to head down to town for an eye exam so I'm out" Steve replied.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that. I guess we can tag along and stroll through town and kill some time" Ryan replied as they began to make their way out of the woods. "Is there anything to do around here at night?" he asked as they made their way back to Steve's old Cherokee.

"Not much, but I've got a family gathering to go to in the afternoon and I don't think you want to go to that. You could go to town and check out the little country bar on Main Street; Friday nights are a little busy" Steve told Ryan knowing it sounded lame. Steve didn't know how long his night was going to be so they all wrote it off, thinking they would regroup on Saturday. Jack told them he would catch up with them on Saturday for he had plans that night.

***

The deck was larger than it first appeared and most of the tables had three, four or more guys sitting around them, with several glasses and/or beer bottles empty or half empty scattered around their tops. The sound of the crowd in the courtyard seemed to die down some, those on the deck not being as loud, and he made his way along the narrow path among the tables nodding at the men who gave him a second look. As he was about to think he had struck out again he saw him, off in the back corner, in the shadows against the fence. He was sitting slid down in the chair and his feet propped in another chair tilting a beer back. The cap shadowed his face even more, cast it in darkness. Moving through the tables coming at him from the side he was able to get up to the table before the head tilted up and looked at him.

"Ryan?"

"Jack. I see I finally hunted you down."

"What...what are you doing here?" Jack asked.

"I came out to check the place out after finding it mentioned online and while I sat in the parking lot debating whether or not to come in, guess who I see drive up?"

Jack just nodded and smiled up Ryan; then he sat up pushing out a chair for him to sit.

"I was wondering about you, you know, all those times I saw you giving me a look that seemed like you were interested, but with Steve around at the same time I could never get you in a position to find out" Ryan told Jack after they had talked for a while, confessed to being gay and finding it difficult around Steve, who seemed oblivious.

It was around 1 am, the bar was unbelievably crowded and Jack and Ryan were still at the back table, away from the main crowd, talking amongst themselves.

"You want to get out of here?" Jack asked Ryan, smiling mischievously.

"Yeah, so where to? Your place?"

"Not a good idea."

"Well we can't go back to Steve's home."

"Come on, I've got an idea" Jack stated as he stood up.

They made their way out and over to Jack's old Ford Bronco, a vehicle that was almost thirty years old but still in good shape, with its jacked up suspension and larger tires.

"We'll come back for Steve's Cherokee later. Get in" Jack told Ryan as he climbed up into the Bronco. Jack drove out of the parking lot and headed down the rough old dirt lane back toward the main highway. The headlights cut through the dark, lighting up the rough road and the trees that lined each side. They were only about half way back to the highway when Jack slowed to a stop. He hopped out and went to each front wheel and Ryan realized he was locking the hubs. Jack hopped back inside and smiled at Ryan.

"Hold on" he said.

Jack turned off the road and onto what looked like a fire trail, a clear cut through the woods used by the fire department to control forest fires should one break out. It was rough, and the grass and weeds were tall enough to cut the headlights beam to a short distance. Ryan wondered where in the hell Jack was going as the listened to the brush and tall grass rake the underside of the Bronco. After a few minutes they came to one washed out section after the next and the need for the Bronco's four wheel drive suddenly became apparent.

"Shit this is rough; where are you going?" Ryan asked as he held on, bouncing with the Bronco.

"This was an access road to a fishing lodge. The lodge has been gone for years. Dad said it washed away during a flood about thirty years ago. The fire department and forest departments try to keep the lane open but they can't keep it up as well as they like, so only something with four-wheel drive and some ground clearance can get through here."

After a few minutes of slow rough going they came to an area where the trees were larger, older, virgin timber that soared up into the night time sky and ahead of them the lights reflected off the slow swirling water of the creek. The ground was open under the trees and as Jack wheeled the Bronco around so it was aimed back the way they came and Ryan saw the old pilings where the lodge had once stood on the bank.

Jack shut the Bronco down and the quiet of the woods settled over them as they sat for a moment, just looking at one another. Ryan moved first, leaned over toward Jack, taking him by the neck pulling his head over as he moved in to kiss him. After a few minutes of them making out Jack pulled back, reached to the back and pulled a small blanket out from under the back seat.

"Come on" he told Ryan as he climbed out.

They moved to a sandy section of the creek bank, a place where the moonlight hit the ground through a gap in the trees made by the creek. Jack tossed the blanket down on the ground then stood up and looked at Ryan. For a long moment neither moved, just stood on either side of the blanket staring at each other. Ryan moved first, reaching for the top button of his shirt and he began, one by one, to undo each button, letting his shirt fall open as he did. Jack pulled his t-shirt up and over his head and Ryan, as he undid buttons looked at Jack, looked at his pale fair skin that appeared to glow in the dim moonlight. The lean body he knew was built up from running marathons, swimming and bike riding, one that was so smooth, fair, he looked younger than his twenty years. Ryan tossed his shirt on the ground and undid the button on his jeans, pulled the zipper down and he realized Jack had been watching him as he followed suit, mimicking Ryan's moves. They removed their jeans and then their underwear and finally naked, Ryan moved onto the blanket and held out his hand. Jack took it, and eased onto the blanket standing right in front of Ryan and they began to touch one another, hands on hips, running up the other's side, around their chest, and finally Ryan took Jack by the neck and pulled Jack to him, kissing him roughly on the mouth as he wrapped his arms around him, pulling their bodies together.

Ryan pulled back and eased Jack down on his back as he came down on top of him. Jack spread his legs and when Ryan was in place on top of him, he wrapped his legs around Ryan's waist. The feel of their warm bodies pressed together drove them onward, hands rubbing over each other, kissing, nipping at the skin or an ear, running lips over salty flesh as Ryan moved his body over Jack, pumped his hips, feeling his cock get rock hard and rub along the side Jack's cock. Jack felt Ryan's body move over him felt his cock slide down between his legs as Ryan shifted down some, still pumping his hips, bumping his cock against Jack, probing him along his ass, pressing up against his hole, teasing it, making Jack want it and Jack pushed up against Ryan.

"Put it in me" Jack cried out as Ryan kept pumping his cock against Jack's ass, the constant pushing against his hole till Jack pushed back when Ryan came down on him and his cock breached him, penetrated through his tight hole, painfully it spread him open. Ryan held still a moment as he held Jack tightly, feeling the tension in his body, the small quivers that vibrated through him, then Ryan swung his hips slowly, pushing his cock into Jack, inch by inch, easing it all the way in. He ground his hips and eased back, pulling the hard shaft back up through the tight ring of Jack's hole, feeling it milk his cock, and as he kissed Jack, held him down on the blanket as he worked his cock back in, all the way; then he began to fuck. Ryan swung his hips, driving his cock through Jack's hole, pumping his cock with a steady pace.

Ryan took Jacks hands in his own and pushed them down, over Jack's head with the weight of his body holding him down as he undulated over Jack, fucking his hole and Jack grunted and moaned. Ryan fucked him slow, really pulled his ass up then eased back down working his cock, grinding it in Jack, fucking him slowly till his cock was achingly hard, till his need built to the point he couldn't control it and he began to fuck, fuck hard, pumping his cock, over and over and when he felt the tightness, his body tense up and his cock swell up even harder he bit down on Jack's shoulder and blasted his load into him, pumping his hips with every ejaculation, thrusting his shooting cock deep into him. When he was finally spent he stopped and kissed Jack passionately, roughly; then he eased up, pulled free of Jack and got on his knees. He looked down at Jack, looked at his body dimly lit by the moonlight, pale and fair, his cock hard, lying up toward his navel.

"Get up on your hands and knees" Ryan told Jack, his voice rough, indicating him still being out of breath. Jack got up and flipped over on his hands and knees, looked back at Ryan and his still hard cock. He knew he was going to get fucked again and he scooted back toward Ryan. Ryan put one hand on Jack's neck and pushed down till he dropped down on his elbows, raising his ass a little more, spreading it open a little further. Ryan moved into position, kicking Jack's legs apart and pressing his still hard, wet, slick cock to Jack's hole and he pushed in, all the way, just bore his weight down. Jack raised his head up and cried out, then lowered it and pushed back with every forward thrust by Ryan, their fucking more intense, more physical, bodies slapping together, noisily, with Jack grunting and moaning obscenely. Ryan fucked at a hard fast pace, just hammered his cock into Jack. Thrusting his hips forward, feeling his cock slide through the stretched out hole and sink into the velvety hot tunnel, over and over and over.

Jack pushed up, stood up on his knees and reached over his head and ran his hands through Ryan's hair, felt the softness of it and Ryan kept shoving a lot of cock into his hole, fucking him hard, hips slapping up against ass. Ryan felt his second load built up, felt the way it tightened up his body and he reached around and took Jack's cock, the hard shaft sticking straight out, bobbing up and down, and he stroked it with his own rhythm, hard, full strokes, smearing the slickness from the head down the shaft till his hand stroked easily, noisily, back and forth, as he swung his hips. He felt his need to come build, but it was Jack who was grunting the loudest, who was working his hips roughly between his cock and hand, his breathing ragged.

"I'm...fuck....I'm cumming" Jack cried out as Ryan felt the cock in his hand flex over and over and over, knowing Jack was shooting his load, pumping it out as he kept fucking his ass. Jack's ass milked Ryan's cock, each spasm a tightening around it and he shoved in hard a few more times and pumped his second load into Jack.

When they feel still, silent, and their bodies lying on the blanket, Ryan spooned up to Jack, holding him, feeling the slickness of his skin from their exertions and he nestled his face up next to Jack's and laid there for a long time. Suddenly Jack's cell phone chimed for an incoming message, the glow of its screen barely visible through the pocket of his jeans. He fumbled around and retrieved it and Ryan looked over his shoulder at the message.

"I assume U 2 finally hooked up??? Steve"