3 Chapter 3

But that wasn’t all there was to Gabe—not since the night of the lightning strike.

He found out the truth one night when he came out of a gay bar and met the bullies head-on once again. Recognizing him, they immediately blocked his path. “Where you goin’, queer?”

Gabe didn’t say anything at first. He only looked at them, his gaze cautious and guarded. As usual, they were ganging up on him, three to one.

“What do you want?” he asked in a defensive tone.

The leader sneered at him. “We want to see a little blood, hot shot.”

“Why don’t you cut your damned wrists?”

The leader’s smile disappeared. “Always with the wise cracks, ain’t you?” He looked around at the others. “Grab him, boys.”

The next thing Gabe knew, there were hands all over him, and he was being forced into the same alleyway he’d been in the last time they attacked him.

It was dark—like last time.

The music blasted—like last time.

They threw slurs at him—like last time.