Eclipse Of The Moon ~ Book 1 of Aaron
Chapter 9
Treasure Hunt

Wednesday 14 August 2002

"Aaron..." Raphael sighs, like he has been doing every morning of the past week.

Raphael is one of our tent's Sponsors. In his late twenties, a celibate who still hasn't found the perfect virgin he can marry – and a virgin himself from what he told us in previous conversations – Raphael is actually pretty cool. Of course, all his spiritual talk is boring as hell and I don't agree with much of what he tells us, but he is a nice person to speak with and when on a recreational activity with him, I usually have fun.

He is less uptight than Stephen, our other Sponsor. Stephen is twenty-one years old and a priest-to-be, so this simple fact says how strict he can be. Very involved in his parish in Richmond, he has told us a lot about his desire to enter the Clergy as soon he turns twenty-five. For now, he is still in college – attempting to reach a degree in theology – but as part of his preparation before he enters seminaries, he attends retreats and helps other youths. His rules are the strictest and he doesn't yield easily.

For some reason, Stephen was the one I went to when Andrew came up with this bed-height issue the day we arrived and his answer was a firm no when I asked if we could swap places. Thank God, Raphael was nearby and heard our conversation. He simply brought the subject to Mr. Patterson who agreed. I really didn't see where the problem was, honestly, but I'm glad it was sorted out before I could let my nerves make me lose control.

"Please make an effort and tidy up your place," Raphael orders, pointing at the mess of clothes lying over my duffle bag beneath Andrew's bed. "This is not only your space, I remind you. Please have some respect for your fellow companion. He doesn't have to bear with your mayhem. Besides, you know the rules and if Stephen interferes, he has already warned you of the consequences..."

True.

Most of the time, Raphael does the inspection of the tent in the morning but on last Friday, Stephen was in charge and when he saw my mess, needless to say I was in for a lecture and penance. Yes, penance... I was punished and had to do all the cleaning chores of the tent for that morning and he warned me that next time, I would be deprived of recreations and spend the afternoon with Father Nicolas to help at the chapel instead.

The threat should have motivated me to keep my space clean and tidy! Well, it has worked quite well, I have made efforts, but it seems like this is never enough and the Sponsors are never satisfied.

"I will do this right away, Raphael!" I reply eagerly, because I can't afford to miss today's outdoor activity!

We are leaving the camp around 10am for a huge hike in the forest and, Andrew and I may or may not have planned to get lost at some point this afternoon. You know... to do naughty things in peace.

It turns out that the 16-year-old cutie and I have grown really close in a week and a half's time and discovered that we have a lot in common, except for our size and personality. My little dwarf – like I like to call him teasingly when it's just the two of us – was raised in a strict Catholic family even worse than mine because he goes to a boarding school in Savannah. At least I got to pursue my education in public schools! From what he told me, our parents come from the same mold and stick to rather archaic beliefs and culture.

A strict religious culture and outmoded principles of discipline.

I believe this is the case of many more teenagers at the camp, but unlike them, both Andrew and I are misbelievers through and through and rebels at heart. Only to a certain extent because we are only 16 – almost 17 for me – and unfortunately, when you live in such families, you have to bear with their environment at least until you reach adulthood, unless you want to be severely punished on a regular basis or become a runaway child. Sometimes, I think I would like the second option better than having to deal with all of this, but Mark, Cam and Josh are really the people who keep me staying around.

Like I do, Andrew still has a bit of faith in our religion and in God. I guess you can't break off such strong beliefs so easily when strict principles have been drilled into your head for so many years, and above all, from your cradle. So, yes, I think there might be a form of God and I could accept some of the Catholicism's concepts, but I also know that our society has evolved ever since our religion was born and the way people practice it varies a lot from moderate to extreme.

During one of our spiritual conversations – some of which we are asked to do in little groups of two to five persons – Andrew and I have come up with the obviousness that it's our parents' rigidity that got us to despise Catholicism so badly. If we had been brought up in a more moderate environment, with a bit more open-mindedness and less strictness, things might have been different and our faith might not be so tainted.

Of course, we have agreed to keep this to ourselves, like we do in everyday life. Another point in common we have is to work our way through the people surrounding us, at home, at church and now here among the Sponsors, the teenagers and Father Nicolas.

But this is not the best actually.

No, the best is that Andrew is gay and if it made him feel guilty in the beginning, he doesn't really care anymore as long as he can hide it from his family. The thing is that he was braver than I was, about two years ago, and confessed his attraction to males to a priest at his high school. Being a strict one, the latter made him pray for God's forgiveness and gave him penance for his sinful thoughts, and he has been monitoring him very closely since then. He is not the only gay in his school, but having the priest on his back makes things a bit more complicated for him to hold a relationship with a boyfriend there.

Not that things are easier here, because we are hardly ever left alone to do anything – when the agenda lets us already – but Andrew and I pair as much as we can for chores and activities and we have been able to develop the beginning of a relationship rather quickly. Past the first two days of extreme shyness and mistrust, he began to open up to me and once I felt he was more at ease around me, after I showed him how kind and protective I can be, I became a little more proactive. It wasn't much, just my fingers brushing his when I passed him clean dishes for him to wipe them or during various activities.

The physical contact was always discreet and innocent, in case someone was looking at us so that it could pass off as natural gestures, like a comforting arm around shoulders when someone looks sad or upset, but both he and I knew there was more behind these. From the small smiles drawing on his lips or his wanton eyes, I could tell he was ready to try and go for more and on last Friday, I dared to kiss him.

It was brief because we were running late for the morning mass, but it was just the two of us in the tent bringing our toiletries back after showering, so I pulled him to the side before going out and pecked his lips for a second. Not the most loyal or faithful thing to do before attending a mass, but I couldn't resist, and I loved the blush on his face when I did.

Over the weekend, we did it again, many times, whenever we had the opportunity to brush our lips or dip our tongues in each other's mouth. We know we must remain cautious and our relationship would not become serious since we will probably never meet again after this camp but meanwhile, it helps us bearing with our supposedly enlightening experience here.

Well, enlightening it is for me! But not in the way my parents, Father Joseph or anyone here would expect. The enlightenment I get is that all this is definitely not for me and that I am tired of all the religious talk and rituals. Honestly, having drowned in this since my early childhood, I feel like I am going through an overdose. Not that I ever experienced one before because I don't do drugs, but I get the idea from a documentary on drug effects and consequences that we watched in class last year.

For anything you consume, there are safe dosages and usages, and when you go beyond what is tolerable, our body and mind react unproperly. Where an overdose of opium would get me a slow heart rate or blue lips and nails for example and a potential death, the excess of catholic strictness is oppressing me and causing my mind to go against its principles most of the time. I am not gay by choice or defiance; this is something in me, but with regards to how I push myself to act certainly holds a part of provocation that might increase in time.

This summer camp – or retreat like they call it here – won't help. I must admit the recreational activities are quite fun and I can't say I don't enjoy myself some of the time, but the rest of the program is just annoying as hell.

All this rigidity and the rules we must respect are overbearing. They wake us up at 6am with morning prayers by our beds – 5:30 if we are on duty to cook breakfast for the others – and the routine is strictly followed. By 7am, everyone must have showered and gotten dressed for breakfast which lasts until 7:30. Until 8, we are expected to clean up the tents, which is followed by a one-hour mass at the chapel. The rest of the morning is dedicated to spiritual activities which include a lot of talk, discussions and presentations.

These can be individual conversations with the Sponsors or brainstorming in larger groups in order to answer our concerns regarding responsible, godly living behavior and faith. Some of the topics could be interesting when we broach sexuality, but their opinions are so narrowminded and among the strictest interpretations of the Bible that I can't relate to their ideologies. Then I'm not even mentioning all the lectures on how we should apply the Bible to everyday life and how we should connect with God.

There is also a large part dedicated to relational activities in the morning to help us relate to one another, Sponsors, Father Nicolas and God obviously. The Sponsors are here not only to watch over us but also to share their own experiences in faith and to mentor-talk to us, through one-on-one or group sessions and meditation. This just fits with all the worshipping we have to go through and that includes a lot of confession, Bible reading and the Eucharist.

The afternoons are more tolerable since this is when we have all the outdoor activities and even if I am not always with Andrew, the other youths manage to relax a bit, or at least enough to enjoy themselves in funnier ways. It doesn't mean I would become best buddies with any of the other boys, but I can bear with their presence while we do some cleaning in the forest, swim in the Cowpasture River or play group games in the prairie.

There is only this guy called Isaac – who sleeps in the upper bed across from mine – that I distrust. 

At 5pm, we get another one-hour mass at the chapel, then either we participate into cooking dinner or get more spiritual talk with Father Nicolas – needless to say I have never cooked so much in my life! And once dinner is over and all the chores achieved, we are invited to gather around a campfire for more relational activities, Bible-centered games and experience telling with the Sponsors. By 10:30pm, everyone has performed their evening routine and gone to bed, and the lights are out.

Sounds like great and fun days, right?

Oh well... Andrew's presence has made it more bearable so far and I am sure things are going to get even better until we leave this place. At least this afternoon should be fun!

Once I am done with tidying up my mess, I hurry to meet the other boys outside the tent and patiently endure the mass for an hour at the chapel. Since I was among the last to arrive, I don't get to sit next to Andrew, but we exchange a few discreet looks throughout the whole time and we immediately join once it is over. Mr. Patterson, the Director, then asks us to all gather in the prairie so that he can explain how things will happen today.

"May I have your intention please, young men!" he calls out aloud once we have all sat down. It seems like everyone is eager for today's activity and even the quietest boys show enthusiasm and excitement, but the authority in the Director's voice is an efficient call to order and silence immediately falls over the assistance. "Thank you. Today is a bit of a special day as you will be left to yourselves on a forest-wide treasure hunt and quite free to decide on your own organization, as long as you fulfill all your duties and follow the rules.

"You will work by groups of two to five people and this time, you are allowed to gather as you want. Each group will be provided with a certain number of things: a list of items which you shall find in the forest, a map with indications and the main trails, a compass, a basket to collect all the treasures. If some of you can't use a compass, please make sure you sit in a group where at least one person knows how to use it, or please ask one of the Sponsors to explain before you leave."

This is too good to be true! Groups of two are allowed and I already know with whom I am going to pair. I don't even need to peek at Andrew to feel the excitement emanating from him and I can only hope he manages to hold it in without displaying it on his face.

"All these items you are going to collect will be used in a group artwork activity which will start next week, so please be cautious to gather as much as possible in order not to penalize your companions in this mutual achievement.

"Exceptionally, your Sponsors are going to take care of lunch today. They will prepare sandwiches and fruits that they will bring you where indicated on the map. You are all required to meet in this place by 12 pm the latest to attend the prayer and share lunch together, so please pay attention to the time passing by and don't go too far in the forest this morning."

No worries, Mr. Patterson. I already have a plan in my head and if Andrew agrees to it, the two of us will be able to spend a quiet afternoon in the forest...

"Now about the rules! Safety is a priority! Some items will require that you climb small trees, search bushes and streams, go through rocks and more bushy areas. You are all young adults and I trust your maturity to remain reasonable and careful. However, you all know how God will try you and shouldn't you respect advices, accidents may happen. As much as possible, I would rather avoid any drama, but in case something happens, you will also be provided with walkie-talkies. Then, you are not allowed to walk out of the boundaries delimited on the map, which already covers a large surface of the George Washington and Jefferson Forest: it is strictly forbidden to go beyond the borderline or go to town. 

"You are expected to be back at the camp by 5pm tonight for the mass and to resume your usual daily duties and chores. Now you may proceed and form groups, then please reach out to the Sponsors over here to collect all your necessities for this treasure hunt. I wish you all a beautiful day, stay safe, be good boys and I shall see you tonight!"

I almost grab Andrew's hand as we stand up, ready to drag him to the table where the Sponsors are standing and waiting for all the youths to come and gather their hiking kits, but I hold myself in time and simply tell him to follow me there. We are first to register as a group of two with Raphael who suspiciously looks at us and tries to convince us to form a larger group to ease our task. Loyal to our habits, Andrew and I play the shy guys and confirm we would rather stay on our own. Raphael has gotten used to seeing us pair quite often in chores and activities, and we'd better be careful and remain conspicuous this afternoon if we don't want to get in trouble.

Raphael eventually yields and gives us our kit. He spends a good five minutes to remind us of the rules we just heard from the Director, to explain us how the map works and how we should point out each item that is on our list of treasures, and finally, he shows us how to use the compass. He also gives a first aid kit and a watch. Once done, we take the time to study the list of items to collect and point them on the map. This is a lucky day for us because they are almost all in the same area of the forest and it should be fairly easy to gather them all.

First served, first off on the trails!

We mock nonchalance as we walk away from the prairie and as we go deeper into the forest and toward the north, we quickly make plans for the day. We had already discussed the idea of breaking from the group and pretend we got lost but in the end, things are going to be even easier.

"I know what we should do, Aaron," Andrew whispers with his soft voice.

"I'm all ears, Buddy," I reply cheerfully, happy to see that he is taking initiatives for once.

"If we want to be free for most of this afternoon, we should go to that area first this morning to collect all the things we have on our list. It's a bit far, but if we hurry up, that should be possible and it's worth the rush if that leaves us alone this afternoon. We will just have the grains of sand left to collect after lunch and this shouldn't take us too much time..." he explains eagerly before he recovers a meek expression. "What do you think...?"

"I think..." I trail off, wiggling my eyebrows at him. "I think we should already be running right now!" I finish with a warm smile before I get off and start running in the right direction. 

Andrew giggles and immediately follows in my tracks. I am the one carrying our equipment, but my long legs give me an obvious advantage over him so I often slow down and wait for him. I also help him as much as I can with threading among higher vegetation, striding over fallen trees or climbing slopes. I believe we have been really fast because less than forty-five minutes later, we have reached the area where we should find almost all the items on our list.

We have been really lucky with this one and it doesn't take us more than an hour to gather the beech moss, the eagle and hummingbird feathers, maple and oak bark, hickory and laurel leaves, ferns, small pebbles and the list goes on. True, we do this in a rush, running from one spot to another, but by 11:45am, we slowly reach the meeting point for lunch. Since we are smart enough, we decide to hide most of our collections underneath a bush so as not to look suspicious to others. We will just have to gather them back after lunch and head toward our next destination which is close by the Cowpasture River to collect pine needles and grains of sand. Good thinking, right?

And this is exactly what we do!

After we have had our meal in the company of all the other youths and Sponsors, we are among the first to leave the lunch place and we have no problem collecting our items back. We had left a few things in our basket, but not much, so we used this as an excuse to escape as early as possible. It still takes us a good hour and a half to reach the next spot by the river, but once there, we easily find the sand and pine needles. Considering we are barely an hour far from the camp, it only leaves us two hours to find a quiet area where no one can see us before we will have to head back.

We actually find exactly the perfect spot we are looking for in a very small prairie full of high vegetation and wild grasses in which we can easily hide. We shrug off our zipped hoodies and lay them on the ground to serve as rugs and lie down beside each other.

We are lying on our backs, without really touching, just staring at the cloudy sky. Aside from the birds singing, this is extremely silent, and I wish I could be already kissing Andrew wildly, but I also know I need to take things slowly with him. I have gained his trust over the past ten days and he has opened up to me a lot; much more than I have to him.

Throughout all our conversations, I have learned that his experiences with other boys have never gone past kissing, making out and groping, a blowjob once, but this is about it. Being over-watched by his educators and Priests at school hasn't helped blooming in his homosexuality but I could definitely help him with that.

"Do you think God really watches over us... and sees everything we do?" he suddenly asks in a small voice filled with concern and doubts.

"I'm not sure my answer will please you if you still have a lot of faith..." I sigh after pondering on what I should reply.

"Please tell me, Aaron..." he whispers.

I sigh once more and shift to lie on my side, facing him. He is still staring at the sky, with his hands laced over his stomach. His cute little hands with thin and small fingers.

"My belief in God is lessening each day, Andrew, so I might not be the best person you should ask this. I don't even know what to tell you... Maybe... I don't know. Maybe God does exist and watches over us but... I can hardly believe in Him anymore. I think it has to do with all this rigidity I was raised in like I told you before... It was just too much and... hanging around with my three best friends has also shown me a different path... a different way to enjoy life. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if I still believe in God or not. What I know is I want to break free from all this extreme bullshit because that's just not me... I hate my family's racism, their bigotry, their homophobia, their sexism.

"We're in the twenty-first century and society has evolved. Things have changed and sticking to these archaic beliefs and habits, it's just... I just don't fit in there and it's not only because I'm gay. So, I don't know... I'm kind of lost as far as what I believe or not, and honestly... He may be watching my every move... He may be monitoring my every thought... I just don't care. That won't keep me from doing this..." I say as I lean forward and brush my lips against his for a second before I pull back.

"You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination," he recites, smiling.

"Leviticus 18:22... I know that one by heart," I chuckle. "Abomination or not, this is who I am, and I don't really care. I'd understand if you do, though..." I reply more warily. His eyes open widely, and he shifts to his side before he crashes his lips on mine.

"I don't care either..." he whispers when he breaks our kiss. "You already know I don't from what I've told you before... Sorry, that was a stupid question..."

"We're good then!" I cheer before I move to hover over him and resume our kiss.

Our tongues swirl timidly at first, barely touching each other, but I want more. I want much more. I know he might not be ready to go all the way down and I don't really mind despite the raging hard-on swelling in my briefs. All I want are more touches, more affection, more kissing, more fondling. I just need the physical contact and why not some release, but above all, I need him to trust me I wouldn't go further than what he wants. My moves go farther than my mind though, and soon enough, we have both removed our tee-shirts and I am showering his slim chest with soft kisses.

"Aaron...?"

"Hmm?"

"Ngh... Have you ever had sex with another boy?" he asks bluntly while I am teasing his cute little nipple. That makes me stop in my tracks of course, and I shift until my face reaches his. As my lower belly presses over his groin, I notice I am not the only one being hard here.

"Andrew... I'd never make you go beyond what you want to do, if that's what you're afraid of..." I try to reassure him.

"That's not the answer to the question I asked you..." he accuses playfully.

"True..." I chuckle. "Yes, I have tried it... Many times, if you're talking about blowjobs and the likes. Once if you're talking about... the whole deed..." 

"Lucky you..." he sighs. "And yet... I don't think I'm ready to... you know... go all the way, but I wish I'd experience... different things... Like I told you already, I blew a guy once, but that's it..."

"Are you telling me he didn't return the favor?" I ask and he shakes his head in answer. "Damn... That's rude!"

"Not really his fault... We just didn't have enough time..."

"Well... I could make up for that..." I reply mischievously, gently nibbling on his upper lip.

"Mmm... would you?"

"I definitely would... And that could help you with this..." I smirk, crushing his erection underneath my belly a little more.

"Ngh... I could help you with the thing I can feel on my thigh too..." he replies mischievously.

"Sounds good... if I can hold on until then because now I'm excited as fuck..." I say as I begin to scoot backwards, kissing a trail along his chest and down to his lower abdomen.

Kneeling between his legs, I slowly pull down his shorts and briefs while my tongue is playing with his belly button. I can feel the warmth of his manhood on my neck and I can't wait to discover his private area. My mouth leaves his navel and ever so slowly moves toward his right hip then back to his center and that's when I get to see the object of my lust.

His cock is fairly thick in its erect state, also quite short, maybe four inches and a half. This is nothing like any of my friends' monsters but at the same time, I think I will be able to pleasure him deeply with only my mouth.

In any case, this member of his is hard and leaking with pre-seminal fluid that I can't wait to taste. Before I do so, I briefly move back up to his head and engage in a new kiss which involves a lot of heat and saliva. Andrew is moaning with anticipation and I like that. As I kneel back, I take the opportunity to lower my own shorts and underwear, freeing my poor manhood which was beginning to feel constricted in those tight briefs.

"Oh my God..." he mumbles, his eyes locked on my middle. "That's... huge!!" he stutters with fright.

"You don't have to return the favor if you're scared, Andrew... it's okay..." I reply as an attempt to reassure him with another peck on his lips.

"I'd still like to try..."

"We'll see about that... For now, let me try yours..." I suggest with a wiggle of my eyebrows.

With that, I scoot back and, resting my left hand beside him, I first lick his length from the base to the tip where I enjoy the sweet saltiness of his precum, then I use the other one to pull his cock straight and close my lips around it, cautious not to pull on his dark pubes. Andrew tries to contain a squeal when my tongue flicks around the mushroom head very softly and he begins to make the cutest sounds I have ever heard.

This is so adorable, nothing like my friends' or my usual groans, and I love it. Encouraged by these, I continue with sucking on his member and start bobbing up and down his shaft, causing him to pull out more exquisite sounds. My right hand reaches for my own hard-on since I don't need it to stroke the base of his erection. Most of it perfectly fits inside my mouth, and my tongue and lips can do the work easily.

"Ngh... This is so... good..." Andrew whimpers through his pants, making me smile around his cock.

His little high-pitched moans are so exciting, and I love the way he squirms on the ground from the pleasure I can provide him. This is making me feel powerful in a way, knowing I could stop it anytime and try something that would thrill me more, but what I want right now, is for him to enjoy himself. Ever since I met Andrew, I have felt the need to protect him and somehow, what matters to me in this moment, is that he gets the better of this experience. I can't explain this urge to satisfy him but the fire building in my balls tells me how much I like it.

"Aaron... Stop... I'm gonna..."

Yeah you're going come, Buddy, and so am I!!!

Andrew tries to protest and move away from me, but I easily maintain him under control with my left hand. Instead of letting go, I increase the pace of my bobbing and make it match that of the strokes on my erection. His little mewls get a notch higher, accompanied by incoherent words among which I decipher a lot of God's, Jesus', Holy Christ's and more, until a long strangled moan escapes him. When I get to feel his sweet salty release on my tongue, I let my orgasm explode and I swallow his precious seed greedily while mine fill my hand.

"Bloody hell..." he whispers when I release his flaccid cock with a loud pop. "Never felt so good..." he then adds with a sigh of contentment.

"Glad to hear..." I chuckle before I move to the side to wipe my hand clean with grass and back to cuddle him.

"Did you come too?" he exclaims and I nod in answer. "But I wanted to..."

"Shhh, maybe another time..." I reassure him.

Hopefully, we will get plenty more occasions until we leave, but for now, I am feeling sated enough as I am. I haven't had many opportunities for release in the past ten days since the showers are communal, and despite the few times I jacked off in the restrooms, I needed that sort of relief in a physical contact with someone else.

We spend another moment cuddling in silence, but it is soon time to leave. We had better not get in trouble by arriving late to the mass and we should keep the we-got-lost excuse for another occasion. Still hidden by the tall grasses, we dress back properly and once I have made sure we are still alone in this area, we rise to our feet, gather all our belongings and collections, then we head back to the camp.

On our way there and barely a few minutes after our departure, we come across a group of five other guys from the camp, one of whom is that jock of Isaac and I don't like the way his eyes suspiciously squint at us when we pull out of the deep forest on the same trail.

Unfortunately, now that we have joined them, it would be awkward to stand back and put some distance with their group, so we follow their pace until we reach the camp. Too bad, because I would have liked to spend the rest of the walk holding hands with Andrew, but I guess it will be for another time. We are only half-way through our journey and I hope we will have more opportunities like the one we had today.

Published on 3 June 2019

Hope you enjoyed this chapter at the summer camp, and as you had guessed, things happened between Aaron and Andrew. Will they go any further than that? You'll find out in the next chapter as it will be the last one before Aaron goes home and starts his last year in high school which he won't finish as you already know.

Happy pride month!