Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 2

planet.
    He studied it one last time before wrapping it with a cloth to secure it in his backpack. His maman and pappa sat while he and his siblings stood behind them. Alaric was in the center, since he was the youngest, his sisters each on one side, and his two brothers completing the group on both extremes. His maman and sisters looked ethereal with their high hair and jewels, short sleeves and pristine gloves beyond their elbows, all dark-haired beauties. His pappa sat with his top hat resting on his lap, elegant and stoic with such a thick moustache that always tickled Alaric when his father kissed him goodnight as a kid. All the brothers had their top hats on, and all men wore morning frocks, waistcoats and cravats. They were the image of cordiality and prosperity.
    His pappa would have wanted him to give a good fight and not be sad and pathetic at this crossroads. His maman would have been encouraging him to take several changes of underpants for the journey. His brothers and sisters would have been fluttering around him jesting and laughing and wishing him a safe trip.
    Alaric hastily packed water, flashlights and underpants . He was used to going without food for a couple of days, and surely, their rescuers would feed them.
    He ran; it was time to join the throng of survivors on their way to a new planet.
    By the time Alaric reached the limits of the city, the survivors were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they had realized they were moving insanely slow.
    "Well, well, what have we here?" A very unfriendly voice called behind him.
    It was a trio of men, who usually came back to the city from the mountains with cattle meat to trade, "Oh, hello, gentlemen. Heard the good news?" Alaric commented, happy to find out he wasn't the last one to leave the city. He had never been around them long enough to learn their names, maybe this time he would.
    "Yeah, we heard. Mind if we join you?" The tallest of the group said, ogling him strangely.
    "Sure, the more the better," Alaric answered nonchalantly, although inside him alarms were furiously sending distress signals.
    The shortest and most menacing of the group said gleefully and with a wicked look on his flat face, "Exactly, the more the better."
    Alaric wasn't sure if the right action was to flee or prepare himself to fight like a feral beast. While these men had never been extremely friendly, he had exchanged sexual favors with them for food, but something was wrong this time. What could they do, kill him? What would be the point? The only thing worth killing in this planet under the circumstances was food, and Alaric didn't think these men had suddenly turned into cannibals.
    If they wanted sex, they could ask for it, couldn't they? After so many weeks of wet dreams with the man wearing the gas mask, he might not enjoy it, but it wouldn't be an aberration of the customs. Alaric wondered if GM had received the rescue signal and was on his way to the spaceport with all the others.
    Alaric selfishly hoped that if he were in danger surrounded by these men, GM would be close to give him a helping hand— again .
    What a shitty moment to be unarmed.
    They walked for a standard hour when they reached a part of the road with trees on one side and a burnt field on the other. The trio paced behind him, and that kept his hair on ends. He was seriously considering going back to the city when two of the men grabbed him by the arms and the third yanked his trousers down, underpants included, "What the…?"
    "Shhh, we just want to play a little," said one in his ear, licking his earlobe.
    Alaric thrashed to free himself, but he couldn't use his legs to kick with his trousers around his knees and the awkward face down position, "Sons' of bitches, you don't need to force me. Be decent and ask."
    "Ah, pretty thing, but this ain't trade, this is rape." The one holding his legs, spat evilly as they carried him toward the group of trees.
    "Let me go, you fuckers, let me go," Alaric was frantic, and the men were easily overpowering him, no matter how much he thrashed.
    "Yeah."
    "That's what we want."
    "Put up a fight."
    "Make it interesting."
    Alaric heard the voices but in his wild struggle, he couldn't discern who was speaking.
    Suddenly, the one holding his legs, let go with an "Ouch!" One of the others jerked his arm before releasing him with a "What the fuck?"
    Alaric landed ass first on the ground and before he lost consciousness— thanks to the angry reception of a tree trunk— he