Before the laughter had died down, like a snake going in for the kill, Gideon’s voice darted out: “So Horace? Aren’t you going to join in on the queer-baiting?” Gideon looked both amused and bored, and he poked around in the gravel beneath his feet. “Ain’t you got something better than your running buddies here to come at me with? Come on. Don’t make me wait.”

“Oooooh, Horace. He wants you. He’s begging for it. Go get it, Horace. Make him call you, Daddy.” The boys hooted even louder than before. Willie John pushed Horace toward Gideon.

Confused, Horace flicked his shoulder angrily at Willie John and stood there staring at Gideon.

“Scared, Horace?”

“Shut up, you sissy.”

“Oh, come on, you can do better than that.”

“Do you know what I think about you, Gideon?” Horace forced an expression of disgust. “Do you?”

“I’m sure you have pleasant dreams.” Gideon cracked a smile. There came the obligatory ooooh from the guys.

“I think you’re disgusting, Gideon Stone. I think you’re low and . . . and . . . unclean. An abomination!”

“Oh, Horace. You talk so pretty.” Gideon winked at him.

“Damn you, Gideon.”

“I’m sure you have other things on your mind.” With that Gideon blew Horace a kiss and turned to walk away.

“Faggot.” Horace almost whispered the condemnation, but it sizzled in the air.

Gideon turned around and looked at Horace. He paid no attention to the snickering boys who stood about Horace; he just fixed Horace with a gaze whose intensity frightened him. Now, looking at the phantoms, Horace realized how it had seemed to be more than an angry glare. It was more of a curse. A prophecy.

Gideon turned, without a word, unnerving all the boys, and walked away, and the phantoms all were gone.

Horace sat a spell, naked on the steps, feeling the night breeze caress his bare haunches. So that is what the fear looks like? He thought about the first time he had realized his grave fault, but seeing himself there, then, made him know he was aware, even then, of his true mind. And mortified of considering what it meant. In fact he was sure that at the time—when he was twelve? thirteen?—he had no idea what the consequences were. But he sensed them.