DERANGED

CHAPTER FOUR: The Prankster

     Darren stood still atop the stairs dumbfounded; staring blankly down below the creeping darkness after Manong had switched the lights off. The old two-storey building which he had moved in just a little later last year was the wisest decision he had made knowing he could live in a budget-friendly space with no more than a few strides from the major thoroughfare within the city. Though the whole building was not that decent and welcoming to look at, he had managed to adapt and live peacefully in his own spacious room that he intensively haggled on with the tenacious landlord to lower the monthly rate until the latter conceded in his persistence. It has everything he needs to survive his daily struggles without being dependent to anyone anymore. He had his former job in a small business process outsourcing company as a sales representative that provided him an average income fairly enough to buy the things he wanted like his new android phone and his nice pair of kicks. Everything was going smoothly for him until he was shredded out of his job because of the company’s decision to downsize their operations in mitigating the financial loss brought on by the pandemic.

     Darren stirred from his stillness, turned his back and paced sluggishly towards the door. The hallway was dim outside his door and the only lights that illuminate were coming from both ends of the corridor and from the inside of his room. The door to his room had been left ajar in his hurry to follow Manong; everything was quiet save from the incessant murmur of an old fan in the old lady’s room. 

     He entered his room silently and was about to close the door when all of a sudden he heard splashing of water and shower being turned on coming from the bathroom. Darren froze in fright and his face went pale.His knees began to falter and his hands tremble in fear. He tried his best to calm his mind, but his heart kept on pounding fast. After swallowing several lumps in his throat, he was able to muster his courage to move stealthily towards the bathroom. He inhaled deeply upon reaching the frosted door. A silhouette could be seen from the outside; alive and moving. His two sets of eyes cannot hide his fright as he hesitantly reached out his shaking hands for the latch. 

     And with a sudden adrenaline rush, he pushed the door with all his might open. He stood still; shocked and dumbstruck. His eyes had widened in full circle as he watched Michael gleefully rubbed his fully exposed buttocks with soap. Bubbles and foams blanketed his fully naked body; the water trickling down his head and across his muscular body. His strong fingers were gently caressing his soft and flawless skin, particularly on his broad bulky chest, hairless armpits and beefy abs. 

     Darren lustfully gazed the unspoiled flesh at his front , enjoying every second as his mind started weaving s****l fantasies about the subject and him. His eyes fluttered in deep pleasure and he can almost hear someone calling to him; whispering him his name with a voice that sounded like a cascading waterfall: sweet and sonorous.

     “Darren! Hey, Darren!” yelled from Michael brought Darren back to his senses. He had been staring long at the nakedness that has been gradually concealed by a bath towel.

     “What’s with the long stare? Huh? Mr. Darren De Santos?” asked Michael with a smirk. His facial expression showed hints of annoyance.

     “Is there something you’re not telling me?” he added. 

     “I’m sorry. It was not me. . . .I mean I wasn’t even looking at it. . . No! I didn't mean to. . . It was unintentional.“ stuttered Darren as he tried to brush off the clear images of Michael on his mind. He paced to and fro agitated, struggling to think calmly. 

     “Oh! Here’s my clothes. You can . . . uhmm . . . wear it.” he mumbled.

     “Thanks! But keep the shirt, I can wear topless around here, would you mind?” 

     “Yeah. It’s fine with me.” answered Darren. He could no longer look at his guest directly. It seemed that he had made a grave offense; his new job promptly appeared in his mind as his biggest concern.   

     “I’m so sorry Sir, if you think that I have been spying on you while you’re taking your bath. I thought no one was inside. I’ve peeked in earlier, together with Manong and the old lady yet we’ve seen no one.” explained Darren. 

     The last words of his landlord before leaving the place came floating back to him and it gave a chilling effect on his spine. He glanced to his boss who now have been staring back at him. Their eyes had both met and Darren could hear nothing but his own heartbeat. 

     “HAHAHA!!!” Michael laughed boisterously, cutting off the brewing tension. “Hahaha! How I wish you could see your face! You look like you have seen a ghost!” he continued laughingly. 

     “Hehehehe . . .” chuckled Darren in an effort to ease his worries. “I really didn’t see you, Sir.” he asserted.

     “Of course you won’t see me. Because I’m dead!” declared Michael. 

     His body suddenly twitched and jerked, his head moved sideways with his bent knees, dragging across the floor with eyes rolled to the back of his head. Darren shrieked in great panic, but only a hoarse voice came out of his mouth. His heart pounded back more faster than before and began catching for his breath. His wobbling feet felt heavy with every step as he moved toward the exit when something grappled his shoulders with firm. Fingers hard like steel clamped painfully on him; burrowing through his skin.

     “Noooo!!!!” he managed to shout at last. “Help!” he cried in great distress. 

     “HAHAHA! It’s a prank! Darren, stop shouting! It’s a prank!” roared Michael followed by a burst of laughter as he fixed his disfigured body. 

     “Oh! My god Joseph! HAHAHA!” bellowed the prankster in hilarity.

     Darren stood aghast in disbelief, unknowing what to react. The capriciousness of his guest had astounded him. He couldn’t believe that his boss would do such thing to him. He began to feel irritated deep inside yet had still managed to fake a smile. 

     “Ooopss! My bad! I don’t want to really frighten you! I just want to be more closer to you ‘cause I don’t want you to look at me like a boss but as a close friend. From now on, call me Mike.” said Michael smilingly as he stretched his hand out to Darren. 

     Seeing the genuine smile and the open palm he grabbed and shook Michael’s hand vigorously. He’s no longer feeling any hint of anger inside of him instead he’s feeling very happy. 

     “I forgive you.” Darren teasingly said.

     “We’re even-Steven! That’s what you get for feasting your eyes on my virgin body. No one has ever set their eyes upon me naked.”Michael bantered back accompanied by a flirty wink.

     "So tell me how did you able to vanish that quickly out of sight?" asked Darren seriously. 

     "I flushed myself in the toilet." Michael jokingly said. "But kidding aside, I hid behind the door since it only opens inward and why the hell would you invite someone else to watch me shower? A man with the right mind would hid instantly!" he added. 

     They both laughed merrily at their jests even during their supper of steamed rice, fried egg and bacon, with a main dish of fish stew. They exchanged stories and other nonsensical talks, jumping from one topic to another until they’ve finished their meal. 

     “I can sleep on the couch.” volunteered Michael. 

     “No, you’re the VIP guest so you use my bed and I’ll use the couch.” argued Darren.

     “Nope! I’m the boss so I make the decision.” the other said threateningly. 

     “Well, my house, my rules!” said Darren stubbornly. 

     “Wait, why can’t we sleep both in bed?”

     “Yeah! Why not?”

     Darren saw his boss had thrown a glance at him, he blushed causing a tremor all over his body. Without warning, Michael lifted him from the ground and cradling him like an infant in his strong arms then threw Darren gently on his bed as he plunged directly on top of him. Hitting his lips on his host’s forehead. 

     Everything went fast for Darren. In a few seconds he felt lifted in the air, then abruptly was plunged into his bed which afterwards he felt lightly electrified on his forehead as he instinctively knew that Michael’s lips had touched him. He also smelled the sweet yet strong body aroma of his boss that had lingered in his nose for a while. 

     “Gosh!” Michael rolled to his back moving away from their awkward position. 

     Both fell silent; deeply embarrassed. The curtain flew placidly at the double-hung window where the bright moon shone with yellowish light in the night sky dotted with glinting stars after the heavy rain. A cold breeze blew to their faces bringing fresh air to the sudden quietness of the room. The incessant spontaneous croaking of frogs calling to their mates in nearby stagnant waterways became melody to the ears; singing lullabies for everyone to sleep.

     Darren turned his head towards Michael, he smiled contentedly as he scanned his gaze at the handsome face of his already fast asleep boss. He waited a minute, then another, and another couple of minutes. 

     “Not yet.” he muttered to himself. 

     He started counting the stars in the sky and observing the moon flew by beyond his window. Darkness had begun gathering in the room after the moon had drifted out of sight. It’s past one in the morning. 

     Darren felt a sudden twitching inside his undergarments. He sighed deeply; wanting to shrugged off images forming in his thoughts. The enticing view he had seen earlier: the thick buttocks that he greedily wants to ride on, the reddish n****e he badly wants to savor, the bulky chest he dreamily wants to rest on, and the holy meat below that he gloatingly wants to grind. He peeked at his boss, slowly stretched his hand out and started to travel underneath the thick bedspread. He stopped. His inner demons were battling; arguing the best thing to do. He clenched his fist. 

     “f**k!” he shouted in his mind. 

     He withdrew his hand and instead he grabbed his hard-on and started fondling it with his left hand while his other arm was caressing his breast. He pounded his fully erect member profusely that his bed had begun to shake noticeably yet he wouldn’t mind, even if Michael woke up for he’s about to come. When suddenly, as he was about to unleash the seed out of his hardened wood, a voice erupted. 

     “AHA! Gotcha!” Michael exclaimed with eyes fully awake and mouth gaping open in excitement.