Tommy: Hey man! What are you doing?
Mark: Just some improvements to my closet.
T: Whoa, I didn't expect that from you!
M: Really? You've seen me wearing those on a regular basis!
T: But I thought you bought those already like that!
M: Often, but I think it's lame and wasteful to dump good or slightly torn clothes, just to replace them with new pre-torn ones.
Mark was cutting the long sleeves of a pair of used jeans to turn them into denim shorts. Next to it, he had a t-shirt which he had just cut the sleeves, to turn it into a ghetto sleeveless shirt.
M: Our clothing is not that different.
T: Yeah, but my clothes just fall apart on their own and I don't attempt to make them more fashionable, haha!
M: It takes a minute, saves me money, and helps the planet. For example, look at those trousers, they are almost new, but with the dryer, they got specially shrunk from the lower end, getting way too skinny. I am not wearing them anymore as trousers, but as casual, even beach shorts.
T: Those will look good on you, very authentic.
M: Don't try to fool me, if you turn and I ask you what I am wearing, you won't be able to tell. You just don't notice what I am wearing.
T: Because I am totally drawn to your spectacular body shape, and any clothes between you and me are just a hassle.
M: Yeah, you have never shown real interest in any roleplay or dressing fetish... And I really enjoy those.
T: Mark, my love, you have all the fetishes I know, and you know so many more. I am just happy to follow your crazes and you pushing me more and more to the thrilling, unknown and potentially dangerous.
By the way, do you have any plans for today?
M: Not really, you just texted me asking if I was doing something and if you could join me, and you joined me. But I can figure something out if you can't.
T: I am all ears.
M: How about we go running somewhere new? I know a place I haven't shared with you yet. Let me a minute to finish this, I change clothes and we go. You can use one of my running shorts and t-shit if you want.
T: I am already a bit sweaty and those sneakers will work.
M: Doesn't matter, you will be more comfortable with something made to run.
Mark handed Tommy -his favourite bro, his fuck buddy, his best friend, his confident- hi-tech spandex-full running gear and they went outside.
A few minutes to warm up and stretch, and they were ready to run, fast! They ran along the seaside promenade, crossed an industrial area and entered the forest, towards the hills.
T (breathing hard): I wasn't expecting to run for this long!
M: Are you tired, do you want to pause?
T: Maybe later, let's keep moving.
M: Ok, whenever you want we stop. It's a bit far, and I didn't want to take too long to arrive. Don't worry, fifteen more minutes and we arrive.
After twenty more minutes of trail running through rough paths, they descended to a tree-covered sunken pit of the forest. They cross several no entry, danger and private property signs and chains. They were flushed and covered in sweat, but they made it in a record time.
T: Should I be worried about the signs?
M: No, I've been here before and it's fine.
T: Recently?
M: A few years ago. Do you like it, are you excited?
T: I am excited, but not in a good way.
M: Don't pop your pants just yet, trust me, it's gonna be cool.
Tommy and Mark arrive at a rocky wall with a boarded up mine entrance. The graffiti wall has been broken into, and a big opening reveals an inky black underground void. Close to it, the remains of corroded railways, abandoned old timey machinery, empty bottles and trash.
Mark explains to Tommy that it was an abandoned mine. It had been like that for decades now.
T: What did you come here for?
M: Just to hang out, camp for a few days, drink beer, smoke, maybe shoot some cans...
T: Shooting cans? With what? I didn't expect that from you.
M: I wasn't really into that, but one of my friends had a shotgun, and I fired a couple of cans once. To be honest, it was a bit of a dark time for me. My friends were a bit underground and kinda anarchist, so we came here with plenty of beers, weed and other drugs and hung out for days, completely isolated from society.
T: For days? Didn't you get bored? Plus, how many years ago? You weren't a kid to be camping around for days doing nothing.
M: Well Tommy, as I told you, I am not very proud of those days. Picture complete anarchism and hedonism, no rules at all; youngsters denying any social convention and any hope for a future. We drank and got high, explored the forest and the mines and fucked all the time and everywhere. It was almost liberating, no expectations from others nor myself. But I wasn't into it, at least not as much as my friends. I did expect a future and I did have some self respect. I didn't do hard drugs nor unprotected sex.
T: OMG
M: Yep, it was quite hardcore... you gotta think that we were drinking beers around a campfire and two of my friends started doing anal while munching a sandwich. Someone pooped next to us while we ate. Someone even passed out with a needle stuck in the arm while someone else was blowing him, but the party didn't stop at that point and he followed with anal.
T: Ok Mark, thank you for the info, but I don't want to know more. Those latter details weren't necessary at all, and I am enjoying this excursion less and less by the minute.
M: Fine, enough of sleazy details and let's get inside. Use your phone flashlight.
Tommy was afraid, but he followed Mark anyway. They went through the break in the wall and immediately inside, they stepped on more trash and a strong smell of pee.
T: My god! How many people have peed here?!
M: Quite a lot, several times, for a long time. But ignore the smell and watch your step. Specially be careful with the needles!
T: I wasn't planning to get hepatitis here... fuck it Mark! That's crazy and has no point!
M: Just be careful, we walk around a bit and we come back.
The entrance led to a spacious gallery and continued to a long corridor, with rusty railways on the floor. Bats hung from the cavernous ceiling. The sound of dripping water echoed in the darkness.
M: How much battery left?
T: 60%
M: We are good.
Mark and Tommy arrived at a point where the mine splitted. In the middle, a deep hole surrounded by some grating. Chains, cables and some mining gear were around. Grotty graffiti covered the walls.
M: Ok, be very careful now, this is a mine shaft. If you fall through, it is over.
