One bright fall Thursday that fell smack in the middle of my long hell with Jackson (i could neither remember a time when i had not been chained to him, and my escape was far in the future) i lost my mind. It was after football practice. i was waiting for Jackson by the back of the school. i hadn't really needed to stay after since i was on a suspension from the color guard for being suspended from school the preceding Monday, but if i went straight home Jackson sometimes got ideas that i was messing with other boys on the bus. So, i waited. i could tell almost immediately something was amiss by Jackson's posture. i became extremely adept at picking up on any tension. He walked straight to where i was sitting and picked me up by the throat, pinning me against the wall and holding me there. It doesn't take long in that position to realize you'd much rather be somewhere else. But, while both of us were focused on my kicking, clawing at his hand and choking, someone was approaching. Before i reached the point of acceptance and stopped struggling, or blacked out... i was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. i lay there hacking for a minute before i realized someone else was choking. And looking up i saw Jackson being throttled by Marcie's ex boyfriend David. Once he choked Jackson into submission he turned his head in my direction. "______?" Using my birthname, which almost no one used even then. "What's going on?" i saw the command in Jackson's eyes. i knew i should say that everything was fine and that we had just been wrestling. But, i also saw the fear in Jackson's eyes. And his neck dwarfed by David's huge fist on his throat. And, i started to cry. "You MOTHERFUCKER!" David cried. Jackson's eyes widened in disbelieving alarm, and i knew i'd pay for it, but i tipped him a wink.
i didn't see out of that eye for two weeks. It was worth it. David broke Jackson's nose.
