Let us all disclaim one more time! Well, that wasn’t too painful, was it?

I’ve finally got there! Eleven chapters and around 100,000 words; ‘A Sporting Chance’ is finally complete. Phew! It’s been a hard slog; by my admittedly tardy standards it has appeared very quickly. This final chapter is inordinately long, but I really couldn’t face splitting it again, so I hope you think that reading it is worth the effort.

There will now be an interval of approximately three weeks before I am ready to begin posting the final ‘Snapshots’ story, which will focus on maths and cross-country master Mike Thompson. Sorry, but the batteries are seriously depleted right now!

With this being the final chapter of ‘A Sporting Chance’, feedback would be especially welcome; please send your comments to pinkpanther2@hotmail.co.uk and I’ll reply as soon as I can.

HARTSWOOD PRIORY - SNAPSHOT TWENTY ONE

‘A SPORTING CHANCE’ PART ELEVEN

‘SOCIAL INTERACTION ABRASIONS’ - CONCLUSION

LIST OF CHARACTERS (BOYS)

The Hartswood Priory Team

Chris Barnett Captain, tall, strong, a very good athlete, nice looking, very quiet.

Age 13. Looks older then he is. Very well developed.

Mark Burgess Prop forward, fairly tall, slim but athletic, good looking in a rather ‘hard’

Age 13 way. Quite aggressive. Devoted to younger friend Kingsley (see below)

Clifford Rowe Prop forward, fairly tall, well built, average looks etc.

Age 13

Lee Sheldon Short, stocky and very strong; cheeky and looks it, great fun but a gossip.

Age 13 Cute and surprisingly well developed.

Darren Proctor Jim’s boy; tall, slim, blond; looks quite hard and an excellent rugby player

Age 13 Average development and exclusively a bottom.

Alex Pienaar Refugee from South Africa where his parents spoke out against the Apartheid

Age 13 regime. Fairly, tall, slim, sandy-fair hair, nice looking but not exceptional.

Very quiet. Versatile but prefers to be a bottom.

Gavin McIntyre Tall, skinny, short sandy hair, face smothered in freckles, Hyperactive, always

Age 13 in trouble. Very quick and agile. Sex-obsessed; the school slut.

Evan Williamson Medium height, slim, very good runner. Average looks, well-developed.

Age 13

Daniel Palmer Average height, slim, nice looking but not exceptional, good player but not

Age 12 outstanding. Very tough. Chris’s younger friend. Quite well-developed.

Kingsley Brown Average height, slim, quick and agile; a good player but not as robust as Daniel

Age 12 Very cute. Mark’s younger friend. Prepubescent.

The Fraylsham Park Team

Pelham Lewis-Marshall Captain, heir to the Marquis of Bedford, very arrogant, a snob. A good

Age 13 player but lazy. Quite nice looking but not exceptional. A sadistic bully.

Andreas Fenner Tall, slim, skinhead but otherwise quite nice looking. Strong and athletic.

Age 13 Lewis-Marshall’s lieutenant. Family are very rich.

Jeffrey Thornton fairly tall, slim build, average looks; unintelligent; a hanger-on. Well-developed

Age 13

Greville Stark Average height and build, nice looking and quite bright. Grandfather is Lewis-

Age 13 Marshall’s great uncle. Basically a decent kid.

Blake Armitage Quite tall, medium build, nice looking with a permanent tan. A good player

Age 13 Nice lad, very quiet.

Robin McKenzie Medium height, slim without being skinny, cute without being pretty. Hates

Age 13 Lewis-Marshall. Nice lad; surprisingly well-developed.

Oliver Sherwood Medium height and build, non-descript appearance, very quiet.

Age 13

Rhys Stallard Small, slim; cute without being pretty. Quite agile but not quick.

Age 12 School slut but very passive. Pre-pubescent.

Jocelyn Barr Tall, very slim, blond, very nice looking. Only recently joined the school.

Age 12 Pre-pubescent. A real cutie.

Others

Matthew Fielding Tristan’s boy; average height and build, blond, fairly cute but rather soft looking

Age 12 Not a rugby player; pre-pubescent.

Laurence Beech Small, slim, frail, very nervous and something of a cry-baby.

Age 10

Andrew Dornham Medium height, slim but athletic looking, a real pretty boy. Another school slut

Age 11 but far more active than Rhys. Remarkably experienced; pre-pubescent.

Chris lay in bed, half asleep, reflecting on what an incredible night he’d had. After starting off with Blake Armitage, which had been far more enjoyable than he’d expected, he’d moved on to the amazing Jocelyn Barr. It had been the experience of his life.

Half an hour after they’d finished fucking, he’d kissed Jocelyn good night and gone to find fresh fields to conquer. He’d selected Rhys Stallard. Though not as stunning as Jocelyn, he was small and cute, an obvious candidate, or so it appeared. He’d been disappointed; Stallard was very passive and far too accustomed to having a large penis inside him; it seemed that the boy was even more of a slut than Gavin McIntyre. With considerable effort, he’d managed to ejaculate, just about; it had hardly been what he’d expected.

He’d retired to his own bed to regain his strength and consider his next move. Going back to Jocelyn was one possibility, but he’d been somewhat reluctant to do that with most of the night still in front of him. Mark had taken his place there in any case. It would have to be McKenzie, he’d decided, the long-haired boy, quite a bit bigger than Rhys or Jocelyn but still very cute.

He’d watched and waited, giving his balls chance to recover. Mark finished with Jocelyn, returning to his own bed and falling asleep; the possibility had opened up again. It had been quickly snuffed out when Mr. Cooper appeared, taking Jocelyn away and leaving Matthew Fielding in his place. So he’d had a different decision to make, Fielding or McKenzie. It wasn’t an easy choice, but Fielding was the smaller of the two, blond and clearly in need of company. He’d left McKenzie for later.

It had proved a good choice. Matthew was eager and affectionate, and although he was Mr. Kirby’s boy and could accommodate him quite easily, he was definitely not a slut. After some quite delicious foreplay he’d given the lad a long, slow fuck. Matthew was not quite in Jocelyn’s league, but it had been very satisfying nonetheless.

Once more he’d withdrawn to his own bed. Fucking four times in one night was three more than he was used to and two more than he’d ever previously managed; McKenzie would have to wait.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Chris drifted in and out of sleep, finally brought back to life when Mr. Cooper re-appeared, bringing Jocelyn with him. He watched as the games master looked around. It seemed that he was after McKenzie too, but the long haired boy was otherwise occupied, lying top to toe with Alex, the two of them sucking each other like it was going out of fashion. Very quietly, Mr. Cooper made his way across the room.

“Please don’t go with Jocelyn again,” the games master whispered in Chris’s ear. “He’s a great kid, but he’s pretty sore now; he’s had enough for one night, okay?”

“Yes sir,” Chris acknowledged.

Mr. Cooper gave Jocelyn an affectionate peck on the cheek and left the dorm, leaving the door slightly ajar. A short while later, Chris heard voices from the corridor; Mr. Cooper’s was one, the other sounded like Lewis-Marshall, although he couldn’t be sure. As he listened, Alex and McKenzie concluded their sixty-nine. Seemingly oblivious to everything else, Alex rolled onto his tummy, the pillow beneath his hips. McKenzie, his circumcised penis considerably thicker than Chris had expected, quickly lubed him up then got down on top. Chris grinned; Alex was about to give a goal away. It wasn’t a surprise. Chris knew that although Alex had a younger friend, he still loved taking it. Chris sighed, lay back and drifted off to sleep.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Jim stuck his head into the other dorm. Gavin was down on all fours, Thornton’s penis in his mouth, Stark fucking him from behind. It was hardly unexpected. He checked around. Darren was there, fast asleep; Kingsley wasn’t; he knew what that meant. Still, he reckoned Kingsley was probably safer with Tristan than he would have been with Lewis-Marshall and his hoodlums. The thought made him start. Where was Lewis-Marshall? Fenner too for that matter? Lee and Daniel were there, also asleep; that was it. Fenner and Lewis-Marshall were missing. He wandered back onto the corridor trying to work out what to do next. A couple of minutes later the two missing boys, wearing shorts and polo shirts, appeared at the far end of the corridor, heading towards him. They were accompanied by a younger boy dressed only in his underpants. The hair rose on the back of Jim’s neck; these two were up to no good.

“Glad we’ve found you, sir,” Lewis-Marshall said, a smirk on his face. “We’ve brought you a present. This is Beech.”

The boy was no more than ten and appeared to be scared out of his wits.

“First name?” Jim enquired, looking right at him.

“L-l-l-laurence sir,” the boy stuttered, almost too frightened to speak.

“Take him back,” Jim said firmly.

“Sir, we’ll go to your bedroom,” Lewis-Marshall continued in a most condescending tone, “then we’ll all have a little fun together.”

For a moment Jim’s penis stirred at the prospect, but it was only a moment. From what Jocelyn had told him, he knew what Lewis-Marshall’s idea of fun was. Lewis-Marshall and Fenner would take turns on the boy then invite him to follow them. If Laurence had been willing he might just have gone along with it, but that was clearly not the case.

“I told you to take him back,” he repeated, enunciating every syllable. “And make it quick; I want you back here in five minutes and I don’t want to have to come looking for you. Fenner, you stay here.”

Lewis-Marshall looked most put out, but he didn’t argue. He slunk off down the corridor, taking the younger boy with him. Jim watched them go, Fenner standing next to him. They turned the corner and disappeared. Jim opened the door to the dormitory. Stark and Thornton had finished with Gavin, the three of them now in separate beds and all apparently asleep.

“Get in there,” he ordered, turning back to Fenner.

Fenner complied; he certainly wasn’t going to argue.

“Sit there and don’t move!” Jim snapped, pointing to the nearest vacant bed.

Jim returned to the corridor to await Lewis-Marshall’s return. A few minutes later the boy was back, his face a mask of resentment. Jim ushered him into the dorm, closing the door behind them.

“Stand up!” he growled at Fenner.

Fenner got to his feet. Jim sat in front of the two miscreants.

“So, do you two enjoy scaring little boys half to death?” he asked pointedly.

Lewis-Marshall shrugged, the two boys looking at each other. Neither of them spoke; dumb insolence, Jim considered. At Hartswood it would have earned them a caning; John Halford would have cut their backsides in half.

“I’ve been hearing about the way that you pair operate,” Jim continued calmly, “and I can’t say I like it. In any case, Laurence is a little young for my taste.” He paused for a second. “You’re not though,” he added, nodding at Fenner. “Come with me!”

Fenner looked bewildered; this was clearly the last thing he’d expected to happen.

“Oh, I like tall slim boys,” Jim added mockingly, “Didn’t Mr. Kirby tell you? He must have forgotten.”

“Sir! I don’t,” Fenner stammered, “I mean, I’ve never, er . . , you know . . .”

“Never taken it before?” Jim ventured. “Well, well well! You’ll be nice and tight for me, won’t you?”

Fenner looked panic-stricken, turning towards Lewis-Marshall for support. Lewis-Marshall shrugged. They were facing a hundred and ninety five pounds of solid muscle; neither of them was more than a hundred and fifteen wringing wet. It was hopeless; the man could have picked both of them up if he’d wanted to. Even if Stark and Thornton had woken up, it wouldn’t have made much difference. Fenner’s shoulders slumped. Jim stood up and shepherded him onto the corridor. He opened the door to the guest room.

“In you go,” he said curtly.

He followed Fenner inside, locking the door behind them.

“Take your top off,” he commanded.

Fenner did as he was told. Jim looked him over. With his top polo shirt removed, the skinhead boy was even nicer looking than he’d imagined, his pale skin completely flawless. He sat on the bed, reaching out to open Fenner’s shorts, easing them over the boy’s hips. They fell to the floor. The boy’s pale blue briefs quickly followed. The boy wasn’t erect; his nervousness had precluded it. He had a nice uncut penis though, Jim noted, about average size for a thirteen year old, a pair of large, well-formed balls hanging loosely beneath. There was not a trace of hair on him.

He held Fenner’s flaccid penis in his fingers, leaning forward to take it into his mouth. He sucked it expertly. Once again, Fenner was taken completely by surprise; although he’d never been in that position, he knew it wasn’t something Mr. Kirby would have done. His penis quickly became erect, expanding to a medium-thick five inches. He was totally overwhelmed by the sensations; the man was doing a far better job than any of the younger boys ever did, his orgasm getting closer by the second. He was so absorbed in the blow-job that Jim was giving him, he failed to notice the man’s hand sliding between his legs, a greasy finger tickling his rear entrance.

Within seconds, Fenner’s orgasm hit him, his legs shaking so badly he could barely stand up. His penis jerked wildly, warm, creamy boy-nectar spurting into Jim’s mouth. In the same instant Jim forced his index finger into Fenner’s anus, thrusting it in as far as possible. Fenner continued to ejaculate, Jim sucking, slurping and swallowing until he’d taken everything the boy had to give. Satisfied that he’d swallowed every delicious drop, Jim let him go, sitting up and licking his lips.

“That was the hors d’oeuvres,” he commented. “Now for the main course.”

He stood up, placing a pillow in the middle of the bed.

“Lie down on your tummy,” he ordered.

Fenner looked at him pleadingly, searching for a sign that the man might let him off. Jim’s eyelids didn’t even flicker. The boy did as he’d been asked, more or less resigned to his fate. Jim pulled Fenner’s legs apart. He knelt between the boy’s calves, squeezing more KY onto his fingers. He reached forwards, reinserting his index finger in Fenner’s anus. He pushed it in deep, touching the boy’s prostate. There was no reaction, hardly surprising as the lad had ejaculated less than a minute earlier. He pushed in a second finger. Fenner winced; he was very tight.

“If you’re going to go around fucking little boys,” Jim told him. “You ought to know how it feels to be on the receiving end.

Fenner didn’t respond. Jim worked his fingers around, taking time to loosen the boy’s sphincter; he wasn’t going to hurt the lad more than necessary. It would hurt him though; being well into puberty, his sphincter was less easily stretched than a younger boy’s would have been. Finally he was done. He withdrew his fingers then smeared a little KY over his penis. He lowered himself into position. Fenner squirmed away.

“Stop that!” Jim said sharply, smacking the boy firmly on the buttocks. “You’ll only make it worse. Now lie still and relax.”

He tried again. This time Fenner stayed where he was, allowing Jim’s penis to home in on its target. He pushed hard, forcing it through Fenner’s sphincter.

“Aaarrrggghhh!!!!” Fenner exploded.

Jim grabbed the lad’s briefs and stuffed them into his mouth.

“A little trick I believe you’re familiar with,” he said quietly. “Not new of course; we were using it when I was at school. Now just relax; the more you fight it, the worse it is.”

He continued to push, burying his penis deeper and deeper in Fenner’s rectum until he was fully inside, his pubic hair pressed tight against Fenner’s bottom. He began fucking the boy with long, powerful thrusts. Quite deliberately, he kept the pace slow. It wasn’t something he often did, but he was determined not to let Fenner off lightly. This wouldn’t be an ‘all over in five minutes’ fuck, which was usually the most that boys of Fenner’s age could handle; at this pace he could keep going for half an hour if he wanted to.

Fenner lay pinned to the bed, sinking his teeth into the cotton underpants, trying somehow to blot out the searing, excruciating pain as the man’s large penis thrust relentlessly into him. Several minutes passed; the man hadn’t missed a beat. Suddenly he became aware that although he’d ejaculated just a short time earlier, his penis was stiffening again. Within a few seconds, it was as hard as a rock. He tried desperately to will his erection away; it didn’t work. On the contrary, his penis was beginning to tingle. He knew what was going to happen; if the man kept this up, he was going to ejaculate. He hoped against hope that the man would finish so he could get away, wank off in the bogs where nobody could see him, but there was no sign of that happening.

He started to panic. It would be bad enough if the other boys found out he’d been fucked, as they almost inevitably would; if they found out he’d spunked while the man had his penis inside him, they’d make his life a misery. Boys who had orgasms while being fucked were queers, bum-boys; that’s what he’d always said. Like Richardson in his dorm, a kid he fucked when he’d nothing better to do; he shot his load every time. But he wasn’t like that; he couldn’t be! But in spite of his protestations, the tingling sensations were becoming ever more intense. He bucked wildly, his body convulsed by violent muscle spasms, his balls churning into action. A moment later, semen surged through his penis, squirting powerfully onto the pillow.

“See!! Jim growled triumphantly, “It can’t have been that bad! You’ve cum!”

He ploughed on, fucking the lad harder with every thrust. Fenner was wonderfully tight, just as he’d expected, almost as good a fuck as Jocelyn had been. Within a minute, Jim felt his orgasm begin.

“Oh yes!” he gasped. “you know what’s going to happen now, don’t you? I’m going to fill you with my spunk! Nnnnnggg!!!”

He gripped Fenner’s upper arms as his semen spurted repeatedly into the boy. He took his time, lying right on top of the lad until his breathing began to ease. He pulled out rather less carefully than usual, causing Fenner to wince again. He leaned forwards, his mouth by Fenner’s ear. The boy was sobbing, tears running down his face.

“Now maybe you understand what it’s like for those little boys you fuck!” he growled.

He stood up.

“Get dressed!” he ordered.

Fenner moved gingerly off the bed, putting on his clothes without even looking at him. The lad was obviously very sore, though not as sore as Laurence Beech would have been if Jim had gone along with Lewis-Marshall’s suggestion. Jim marched the boy onto the corridor.

“You know where the toilet is,” he snapped, directing the boy inside.

Sitting on the toilet, Fenner was seething. It was all Lewis-Marshall’s fault. If they’d brought Dornham across like Mr. Kirby had told them to, this would have never happened. The Hartswood master would never have turned him down; Dornham was a year older than Beech, taller, very nice looking and had a permanent hard-on; that always worked! But Lewis-Marshall had insisted that they should take Beech instead, only because the kid was a little wimp and cried like a baby when he’d fucked him. That was the thing with Lewis-Marshall; he liked hurting them.

He’d gone along with it to keep him happy, holding Beech still while he did it, even competed with him to show the younger kids how horrible he could be. Even the political stuff he’d gone in for was a big act, put on for the benefit of the younger kids. He didn’t really believe it; he didn’t even know any black people. Well he wasn’t going to do it any more, any of it. He’d backed Lewis-Marshall all the way, but when he’d needed some support in return, he’d been left to fend for himself. Bastard! He didn’t give a shit about anyone else! Well he could fuck off!!

Jim waited on the corridor. More than five minutes later Fenner emerged. Jim escorted him to the dorm; the boy hardly able to walk. He ushered him inside and looked around. All was quiet, everyone seemingly asleep, even Lewis-Marshall. But there was something odd, something not right; he could sense it, but didn’t know what it was. He shook his head; it wasn’t important. He turned back onto the corridor, closing the door behind him. Sounds of quiet conversation were coming from the other dorm. He thought briefly about going in to collect McKenzie, but it was too soon for that; he needed a rest and a shower first. He returned to the bedroom, flopping down in the armchair. Taking the copy of ‘Catcher in the Rye’ from his bag, he began to read.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Left alone in the dorm, Lewis-Marshall was at something of a loose end. He’d been totally surprised by the turn of events; he was sure that none of Mr. Kirby’s usual friends would have turned Beech down. Still, he mused, it wouldn’t do Fenner any harm to find out what it felt like to have a big cock up his arse; he’d always wangled his way out of it before. He’d hoped that Mr. Kirby would have brought Brown back by this point, but he hadn’t. There wasn’t much he could do about that; he’d just have to wait. None of the other Hartswood boys interested him that much. He’d fucked them all and they’d taken it without a problem, especially that slut McIntyre. He was even worse than Stallard; couldn’t get enough of it!

With nothing much to keep him busy, tiredness suddenly overtook him. He stripped down to his underpants and climbed into bed, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Chris shook himself awake. He looked around. It seemed like everyone was asleep. In particular, McKenzie was back in his own bed and on his own. It was time to make a move. He slipped out of bed and moved silently across the dorm, sitting down next to the long-haired boy. He was about to rouse him when the door opened. It was Lee. The stockily built lad came straight to him.

“What do you want?” Chris asked, irritated by the interruption.

“I need to talk to you and Mark,” Lee whispered.

“What about?” Chris questioned.

“What’s being going on in there!” Lee hissed.

“You’d better wake him up then,” Chris told him.

Lee wakened the sleeping Mark who came to join them.

“Last night, as soon as their bloke left us, Lewis-Marshall put a torch on, got out of bed and got in with Kingsley. Fenner went across to Gavin; the other two sort of stood guard. Anyway, Lewis-Marshall just flipped Kinglsey over, stuck a bit of Vaseline up his bum and started fucking him; no build up, nothing. He was really rough, man! Kingsley screamed when he stuck it in him. Lewis-Marshall stuffed his underpants in his mouth and told him to shut up, called him a slut, everything! It was bad, man! After he’d finished, the other three did him, one after the other; I think they really hurt him.”

“So then what happened?” Chris asked.

“Well, they left him alone for a bit after that,” Lee continued, “moved onto me and Daniel, but you don’t have to worry about us; we’ve both taken bigger ones than they’ve got. Anyway, things quietened down for a while then Lewis-Marshall started talking about having some more fun with Kingsley, but just then their bloke came in, took Kingsley back to his apartment and left Darren with us.

“So where’s Kingsley now?” Mark asked.

“Still there,” Lee told him.

“Why didn’t you tell us before?” Mark demanded.

“I couldn’t man!” Lee protested. “They work as a team; I wouldn’t have stood a chance. The other three wouldn’t have been much help; they’re too small.”

“I’m going to sort this out,” Mark said, clearly very angry.

“Go and get Cliff,” Chris said. “If we’re going in there we’ll need all the muscle we’ve got.”

Moments later, Clifford was sitting on the floor by McKenzie’s bed. Lee ran through it again.

“It’s nothing unusual,” Mckenzie said, stretching and yawning. “It’s what they always do. Lewis-Marshall’s an animal, always going on about how his great grandfather used to fuck the stable boys, like he’s proud of it.”

“Yeah?” Mark sneered. “Well I’m gonna beat the shit out of him!”

“I haven’t finished yet!” Lee protested. “You haven’t heard the best bit. About twenty minutes ago, I heard voices on the corridor. It was Jimmy and Lewis-Marshall. Lewis-Marshall was saying something about having brought him a present. Well it turned out it was a younger kid. Jimmy told Lewis-Marshall to take him back.”

“Who’s Jimmy? McKenzie enquired.

“Mr. Cooper, our rugby master,” Chris said quietly. “It’s what we call him when he’s not around.”

“Well, Lewis-Marshall said something about them all going to Jimmy’s bedroom,” Lee continued. “Jimmy just repeated what he’d said before. The next thing I know, he shoved Fenner into the dorm; told him to sit on the bed. He sounded really angry. Anyway, a few minutes later he came back in with Lewis-Marshall, sat down and gave them a right earful! Asked them if they liked scaring little boys, then he said that the kid they’d brought was too young, but Fenner wasn’t, said something about liking tall, slim boys and told Fenner to go with him! Fenner nearly crapped himself! It was brilliant! He was twittering on about he’d never taken it before. Well, Jimmy wasn’t having it and Lewis-Marshall never said a word, so Jimmy took Fenner away with him!”

“So Fenner’s not there now?” Chris queried.

“No,” Lee insisted. “That was only about five minutes ago. I bet Jimmy’s giving him a right seeing-to!”

“How did Fenner manage to avoid, you know?” Chris asked, turning to McKenzie.

“Well, there aren’t many second years that get done, only the really cute ones, and he wasn’t. He would have got done when we were in third year, but his brother was rugby captain and told everybody they weren’t to touch him. He might have got done last year when we had stop-overs like this, but he was already pretty big and the rugby captain was a family friend, so he managed to wangle his way into the top dorm. And he doesn’t play cricket, so he wasn’t involved in the summer.”

“So what about Lewis-Marshall?” Chris asked.

“After Jimmy left, he just stripped off and got into bed,” Lee said. “He’s fast asleep; they all are. That’s how I managed to get out.”

“Let’s go,” Mark said, eager to get on with it.

They stood up.

“I’ve got a better idea,” Chris said, running his hand over the front of his briefs.

“You mean . . . ?” Mark queried.

“Give him a taste of his own medicine,” Clifford said.

“Yeah,” Chris confirmed. “Okay?”

The other two nodded.

“You do him first,” Chris said, addressing himself to Mark. “It’s your fight; Cliff and I will follow you.”

“You aren’t supposed to fuck the opposition captain,” McKenzie warned. “It’s against the rules.”

“Then he’s going to get a surprise, isn’t he?” Chris responded.

“Yeah,” McKenzie agreed, grinning.

Lee led the way to the other dorm. He opened the door as quietly as he could, peering inside. Everything was as he’d left it. They silently trooped across to Lewis-Marshall’s bed, Chris, Mark and Clifford setting themselves for the assault. Chris gave the signal. They ripped the covers off. Chris grabbed Lewis-Marshall’s shoulders, forcing him over onto his chest and pressing him tight against the bed. Clifford grabbed the boy’s ankles, turning him completely onto his tummy. Mark dragged his underpants down then held him behind the knees, allowing Clifford to complete the job of pulling them off. Mark forced Lewis-Marshall’s legs apart, positioning himself between them. Clifford moved around, coating his index finger with KY then forcing it unceremoniously into Lewis-Marshall’s anus.

Lewis-Marshall squirmed, trying to escape from his attackers, but before he could move, a hand was on the back of his neck.

“Don’t struggle or we will hurt you!” Chris growled.

Lewis-Marshall submitted; there was no other choice. Mark lowered himself into position. A moment later his penis was spearing into Lewis-Marshall’s anus. The boy gasped in pain. Clifford handed the lad’s underpants to Chris, who stuffed them into Lewis-Marshall’s mouth.

“See how you like it!” he snarled.

“This is for Kingsley,” Mark hissed into Lewis-Marshall’s ear, fucking him unmercifully. “Kingsley’s my friend and you treated him like shit, you arsehole!”

Gavin started awake, disturbed by the commotion. He leapt out of bed, hurrying to join the others.

“Stand over by the door!” Clifford ordered. “Tell us if there’s anyone coming.”

Mark and Chris were well in control of things. Lee motioned to Clifford, indicating the bed where Thornton was apparently still sleeping. They moved across. Lee removed his underpants. Though only just over five feet tall, he was surprisingly well developed, his penis having grown in the space of a year from a slim two and a half inches to a fairly thick five inches plus.

Another set of bed covers was quickly snatched away. Lee jumped on the freckle-faced boy, grabbing his thighs and forcing him onto his tummy while Clifford held the lad’s shoulder blades, the situation simplified by the fact that Thornton was already naked. Lee grinned. They’d left the KY by the other bed, not that it mattered; they didn’t have a spare hand to apply it with. He got down into position, his penis probing Thornton’s back entrance. Desperately, Thornton tried to struggle free, but it was an uneven contest, Lee’s muscular physique more than a match for his far slimmer one, the fair haired boy’s penis forcing its way into his rectum.

He cried out in pain, feeling as though his sphincter was being ripped in two. Stark sat up in alarm, blinking several times as he tried to make sense of what was happening on the adjacent bed. Clifford turned towards him his fist clenched, daring the boy to interfere. Stark could hardly believe what he was seeing. Sheldon, the opposition hooker who hadn’t caused a moment’s problem all night, was lying on top of his best friend, fucking him senseless! Tears were streaming down Thornton’s cheeks. Worse still, on the far side of the room, Burgess, who should have been next door, was down on top of Lewis-Marshall, pounding relentlessly into their captain’s anus.

Gavin ran across to join them. Clifford almost told him to get back by the door, but decided not to, reasoning that if the opposition rugby master showed up they’d be in trouble whether Gavin warned them or not. Gavin dropped his gym shorts, pushing his erect penis towards Stark’s face.

“Suck it!!” he demanded.

Stark baulked; sucking a slut like McIntyre would be the ultimate indignity.

“He told you to suck it,” Clifford said, raising his fist.

Stark complied; he was no fighter. Gavin grabbed Stark’s head, forcing his penis aggressively into the boy’s mouth. It didn’t take long; it never did, Gavin’s watery boy-cum spurting into Stark’s mouth in three little jets.

“Swallow it!” Gavin said.

Stark didn’t move. Gavin gave a final thrust; Stark gulped the watery fluid down. Gavin stepped back, pulling up his shorts. Stark looked around. Thornton was still being fucked by Sheldon, but Rowe and Burgess had swapped places, the fair haired boy who’d been fucking Lewis-Marshall now standing next to him. He checked again.

“Where’s Fenner?” he asked.

“Entertaining our rugby master,” Mark told him. “Mr. Cooper likes tall slim boys, doesn’t he Gav?”

Gavin grinned and nodded.

“Fenner’s a virgin,” Stark told them, a note of alarm in his voice.

“Not any more he isn’t,” Mark said dismissively.

Stark was panic stricken.

“You’ve got off lightly,” Mark told him. “Lee said you weren’t as bad as the others or we’d have fucked you too. In case you’re wondering, this is about Kingsley, Brown as you call him. Kingsley’s my special friend. You arseholes treated him like shit!”

“Yeah!” Gavin snapped. “I’m a slut; I don’t care what you do to me, but Kingsley isn’t; you had no right to treat him like that!”

Gavin stepped to one side, leaving Stark to watch in horror as Sheldon reached his climax, shuddering from head to toe, his disproportionately large penis delivering his semen into Thornton’s bottom. Stark sank back onto his bed and burst into tears.

On the far side of the room, Clifford was getting close. He made one last effort, fucking Lewis-Marshall even harder. Suddenly everything began to shake, the room dissolving in front of him in a cascade of colour. He held on tight as his cum spurted deep into the bully’s rectum. The task completed, he sank down onto Lewis-Marshall’s back, totally spent.

Chris pulled off his underpants, pushing his thick six and a half inch penis close to Lewis-Marshall’s face, making sure the boy could see it. With Mark ensuring that Lewis-Marshall couldn’t escape. Chris moved into Clifford’s place, noticing that Lewis-Marshall’s anus was already bruised and chafed. It was of no concern. He settled his penis onto the boy’s sphincter. He was invariably gentle at this point, concerned to achieve penetration while inflicting the minimum of discomfort on his partner. Lewis-Marshall, however, was deserving of no such consideration. Chris pushed as hard as he could, his penis thrusting deep into Lewis-Marshall’s bottom.

Lewis-Marshall’s head jerked back. He emitted a stifled scream, his underpants still firmly in his mouth. His sphincter had been stretched to twice its previous size, the pain so severe he almost lost consciousness. Chris fucked him ferociously, but having already ejaculated three times that night, it was never going to be quick. Five minutes passed, then ten. He ploughed on relentlessly. Suddenly his breathing shortened, his body gripped by powerful muscle-spasms. He thrust in one final time, his jerking penis depositing a third load of semen in Lewis-Marshall’s rectum. After several seconds he abruptly withdrew.

“We beat you on the pitch,” he growled in Lewis-Marshall’s ear. “Now we’ve beaten you off it.”

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Watching from the door, McKenzie allowed himself a smile. He’d been the unwilling recipient of Lewis-Marshall’s attentions on more than one occasion; the bully had finally received his just deserts. He scurried back to the other dorm, not wanting the Hartswood boys to know he’d been spying on them. A couple of minutes later the four Hartswood lads re-appeared, accompanied by a fifth, the skinny, freckle-faced boy who’d made monkeys out of them during the previous day’s tournament.

The three main protagonists seemed strangely subdued, each collapsing onto a different bed. McKenzie went and sat next to Chris was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling.

“What’s the matter?” he asked. “You did great. Sorry, but I was watching from outside the door.”

“We shouldn’t have done it,” Chris said disconsolately. “We sank to his level; that’s not right. We should have dragged him out of bed then let him and Mark fight it out, one on one.”

“Don’t think that,” McKenzie said gently, getting onto the bed and snuggling up close. “He’s raped me a couple of times; as far as I’m concerned, someone should have done that ages ago.” He paused for a moment. “Lee seems okay with it.”

“Yeah, well Thornton fucked me a couple of times, so I gave him one back,” Lee commented from the next bed. “That’s fair, isn’t it?”

“Except you never used any lube,” Clifford reminded him.

“Man! That’s bad!” Olly Sherwood commented. “He’s not going to be able to walk!”

A collective giggling fit swept across the room; even Chris joined in, snuggling closer to McKenzie.

“Serves him right for hanging out with that pair of arseholes,” Blake said, in a very matter of fact tone. “Thornton’s as thick as they come.”

“Someone’s coming!” Jocelyn hissed.

Gavin ran to the door, opening it slightly.

“It’s Jimmy!” he breathed. “He’s just sent Fenner into the bogs!”

“What was Fenner looking like?” McKenzie asked.

“Didn’t seem to be walking too well,” Gavin said.

“Not surprising if he’s just had Jimmy’s donger up his arse,” Lee observed.

“Wouldn’t bother me!” Gavin said, grinning.

“Yeah, but you’re a slut!” Mark said, grinning.

“I thought I was the slut round here!” Stallard protested.

“Yeah, well you’ve got some competition tonight, hasn’t he Gav?” Chris said jokingly. “How many times did that lot get it up your arse?”

“Dunno,” Gavin admitted, “I wasn’t counting.”

He eased the door open again.

“Jimmy’s just taken Fenner back to the dorm,” he said quietly. “He looks rough, man!”

“So what’s Jimmy doing?” Chris asked.

“Looks like he’s going back to his bedroom,” Gavin said. “Fenner must have worn him out!”

“He’ll be back,” Chris whispered to McKenzie. “He was looking for you earlier on, but you and Alex were in the middle of something.”

“So does he go with all of you?” McKenzie asked.

“Oh no,” Chris said. “He only goes with boys who are really, you know, looking for it. Darren’s his boy at the moment. I think he’s probably doing it with Gavin too, but Gav goes with anybody. That’s it as far as I know. Sorry; I never asked you your name. ”

“Robin,” McKenzie told him, snuggling in as close as he could. “Mr. Kirby goes with Fielding mainly, but he’s had almost all of us at one time or another.”

“Hi Robin,” Chris said, giving the boy a big smile.

He lay back, his head still in a whirl. One part of his brain was telling him to make a move on his new friend, who seemed more than willing, but he just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t just fatigue, although he was desperately tired; he was still very confused about what they’d done to Lewis-Marshall.

“Someone’s coming again!” Jocelyn warned.

“Are you sure they’re not just changing hands?” Lee quipped.

“Shut up, smart arse!” Mark told him.

Gavin hurried to the door, opening it a crack.

“It’s Kirby!” he breathed. “He’s bringing Kingsley back!”

Everything went quiet.

“He’s gone into the other dorm!” Gavin breathed.

They waited, keeping completely silent.

“Heading this way!” Gavin announced, retreating smartly from the door and diving into the only vacant bed.

The man opened the door and looked around, finally settling on Gavin. With his skinny frame, unruly hair and a face smothered in freckles he certainly wasn’t pretty, but with his sparkling blue eyes and infectious grin he had a cuteness all his own. He walked across to him.

“Would you like to come to my apartment?” he asked quietly.

Gavin got out of bed grinning from ear to ear; he was looking forward to this!

“See you, lads!” he said brightly as they headed onto the corridor.

For a few seconds, everything was quiet.

“Has he gone now?” Mark asked.

“I can’t see him,” Jocelyn said, opening the door slightly.

“Lee,” Mark said. “Will you go next door and bring Kingsley in here please?”

“Why me?” Lee queried.

“Because you’re supposed to be in there; I’m not,” Mark told him.

“Oh, okay then,” Lee agreed.

He swung himself off the bed and trotted out of the room. A couple of minutes later he was back, accompanied by a bewildered-looking Kingsley. Mark stood up, taking his younger friend into his arms, the two boys embracing in an affectionate hug.

“That’s so sweet!” Robin whispered into Chris’s ear. “They really love each other, don’t they?”

“Mark thinks the world of Kingsley,” Chris said quietly. “It’s not just sex; Kingsley’s always there for him, encouraging him, telling him how good he is. It does help; I know ‘cause Daniel’s the same with me. When I’m doing prep and I’m tired, I think about Daniel. It makes me try a little bit harder ‘cause I don’t want to let him down.”

“That’s cool,” Robin said, grinning. “I wish it was like that here.”

He looked up. Two beds across, Mark and Kingsley, both as naked as jaybirds, were kissing passionately. Robin smiled, running his hand over Chris’s chest and smooth flat tummy. Quite spontaneously the other boys began to pair off, Alex with Blake, Clifford with Jocelyn, Evan with Oliver and Lee with Rhys. Robin looked across at Chris. The Hartswood captain was very good looking, fit and strong, and despite the way he’d treated Lewis-Marshall, he was as gentle as a lamb.

Robin pushed his fingers into the waistband of Chris’s briefs, Chris lifting his hips to help him ease them down. He admired the taller boy’s flaccid penis, circumcised like his own, but thicker and surmounted by a more than respectable crop of pubic hair. He wrapped his fingers around it, urging it into life. He leaned forwards and took it into his mouth. He sucked it eagerly, thrusting his nose into Chris’s pubes, his long hair brushing over his new friend’s tummy. Sliding his lips back to just behind the crown, he worked his tongue over the large purple head before plunging back down again, his long slim fingers caressing Chris’s balls and tickling his perineum.

Once more fully erect, Chris stroked Robin’s silky long hair, quite unable to remember when he’d been sucked as well as this. Suddenly Robin stopped, looking up at him.

“Do you want to fuck me?” he mouthed, pulling off his underpants.

“Nah,” Chris said a little sadly, shaking his head. “Sorry, it’s just . . . , you know.”

Instinctively Robin did know; Chris was a decent kid, too decent maybe, still concerned about what they’d done to that animal Lewis-Marshall. He took Chris’s penis back into his mouth, sucking it even more hungrily. Chris moaned quietly, transported to a planet of sensuous delights by Robin’s sucking lips and the wonderful ministrations of the boy’s tongue.

“Man!” he gasped. “I’m gonna cum!”

Robin continued to suck as Chris’s penis swelled and jerked, warm, creamy semen spurting into his mouth. He swallowed it eagerly, working his tongue over the head of Chris’s penis to make sure that he’d taken every drop. Finally he pulled away, smiling and licking his lips.

“You taste great!” he whispered.

“Man! That was amazing!” Chris said, still breathing quite heavily. “I’d forgotten how good that can be!” He paused for a moment. “I want yours now!” he added, giving Robin a big smile.

He pushed himself up onto his elbows.

“Come on! Kneel across my chest!” he instructed.

Robin looked around nervously. None of the other boys was paying them any attention, all too absorbed in their own activities. He moved into position, crawling forwards until his penis was brushing Chris’s lips. He pushed it in. Chris ran his hands up the back of Robin’s thighs, holding the boy just below his bottom. Robin pumped his hips, fucking Chris’s mouth. Chris licked and slurped, taking Robin’s penis fully inside. Suddenly Robin’s muscles went tight. He grabbed Chris’s head, unloading his creamy boy-nectar onto the taller boy’s tongue. Finally spent, he eased himself away, sitting back on the Hartswood captain’s tummy.

“Beautiful!” Chris breathed, smiling broadly.

They snuggled up again, their hands firmly clasped. After the anger and aggression of the previous hour, Chris was at peace again. In a way he couldn’t explain, he felt closer to Robin than he ever had to anyone. He was very close to Mark, who had been his best friend for nearly five years; they’d done everything together. He was close to Daniel too, who’d been his younger friend for the past eighteen months. But they, it seemed, were on the outside looking in. His connection with Robin was quite different, as though the boy was right there inside his head, thinking the same thoughts and experiencing the same feelings.

Chris’s one regret was that in just a few short hours they’d say goodbye and probably never see each other again. Jocelyn was one of the most beautiful boys he’d ever seen, and sex with him had been out of this world, but when they drove away from Fraylsham Park, the boy who would remain longest in his memory would be Robin. He couldn’t explain it; that was just how it was.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Tristan was bemused. On the two previous stop-overs, Lewis-Marshall and his cronies had spent the entire night fucking like rabbits. On this occasion they were all apparently asleep by four in the morning. Stranger still was that two of the visiting boys who were supposed to be in their dorm had wandered into the other one; that had never happened before. He opened the door to his apartment, directing Gavin into the bedroom. They sat down on the bed.

“Well, McIntyre,” Tristan said imperiously. “How’s your night been?”

“Okay, thanks,” Gavin said, sounding non-committal.

“Lewis-Marshall and his friends weren’t too rough with you?” Tristan queried.

“Nah,” Gavin said, his blue eyes boring right into the man. “They were with Kingsley, but I like it like that.”

“Really?” Tristan said, quickly becoming aroused.

“Yeah!” Gavin responded, giving him a cheeky grin. “I mean, they haven’t got big ones, have they? Thornton’s the biggest and he’s not that big.”

“So has your, er, older friend got a big one?” Tristan asked, his penis hardening rapidly.

“Haven’t got an older friend this year,” Gavin replied casually. “I did last year and the year before that; they both had big ones.”

“They were both in the rugby team, I take it?” Tristan enquired.

“Yeah,” Gavin confirmed, “big boys, played in the second row.”

“So what d’you do this year?” Tristan probed, “now that you haven’t got ‘an older friend’?”

“Hang out in the toilets by the science lab,” Gavin responded nonchalantly. “Chris has told me I’m not supposed to, but he doesn’t mind really ‘cause three of his mates who haven’t got ‘younger friends’ like to . . . , you know.”

“Why Chris?” Tristan asked. “That’s Barnett, I assume?”

“Yeah,” Gavin said. “He’s sort of ‘in charge’, you know of who’s going with who.”

“Oh, I see,” Tristan said, struggling to understand the way things operated at Hartswood. “I was surprised to find that you’d gone into the other dorm,” he added, changing the subject.”

“Yeah, well everyone else had gone to sleep,” Gavin explained, “so Lee and I decided to go next door, see what was happening.”

That was odd too, Tristan reflected; although most of the boys had been awake, there’d been virtually nothing going on in there either. McKenzie had been snuggled up with Barnett, the Hartswood captain; that was it. There was more to this than McIntyre was telling him, he decided. He was very curious, but McIntyre wasn’t polite and respectful like the other Hartswood boys he’d met; he hadn’t used the word ‘sir’ once. The lad had a certain insouciance about him; short of resorting to the use of rack and thumbscrews, he couldn’t think of any way he was going to prise the story out of him. One of the others, he guessed, would be more forthcoming.

“I thought you played very well yesterday,” Tristan said seductively. “You made my boys look like cart horses.”

“I’ve never played sevens before,” Gavin told him. “I love it! I don’t even play in the regular team; Mr. Cooper dropped me after the first match.”

“Really?” Tristan queried, wondering why Jim was leaving out a boy with such obvious talent. “Why was that?”

“Oh, I kept giving penalties away,” Gavin told him. “The other team scored off most of them.”

“Penalties?” Tristan demanded. “What for?”

“Oh, running offside, going into rucks on the wrong side, you know,” Gavin explained. “The thing is; I get so excited I keep forgetting where I’m supposed to be. I’m always in trouble in class, you know, for getting out of my seat and that. I don’t mean to; suddenly the teacher shouts at me and I’m halfway across the room and I don’t even know how I got there.”

“Hmmm!” Tristan said, reaching across to stroke Gavin’s thighs. “So you’re a naughty boy then?”

“That’s what most of the masters say,” Gavin said, shrugging.

“And you like big cocks?” Tristan asked, deciding it was time to move things on.

“Yeah!” Gavin said, grinning up at him.

“Do you usually wear gym shorts in bed?” Tristan probed.

“Sometimes,” Gavin responded, shrugging again.

“So why tonight?” Tristan persisted.

“I thought they might fuck me in them,” Gavin said casually.

“And did they?” Tristan enquired, somewhat taken aback.

“Nah, they wanted me naked,” Gavin said, giving him a wry grin.

“So do the boys at school fuck you like that?” Tristan asked breathlessly.

“Some of them do,” Gavin said. “There’s this boy in my dorm, Francis. He’s only about the same size as me, but he’s got a big cock, about like Thornton’s. He does me like that; we love it!”

“What about Mr. Cooper?” Tristan continued.

“Oh he does,” Gavin said, giving Tristan the most mischievous grin he’d ever seen. “We do it in his office. He has me bent over the desk; gets his cock up the leg of my shorts and fucks me stupid!”

“And you like that don’t you?” Tristan growled, his fingers inching up inside Gavin’s shorts.

“Yeah!” Gavin said, his blue eyes looking brighter than ever.

“So why don’t you find out what I’ve got for you?” Tristan suggested.

Gavin reached across, undoing Tristan’s tennis shorts and extracting his penis.

“Nice!” he breathed, rubbing his fingers over it, “about like Mr. Cooper’s.”

“I know,” Tristan said conspiratorially. “Mr. Cooper and I were at school together.”

“So where are you going to have me, sir?” Gavin asked, the first time he’d addressed Tristan as ‘sir’.

“Here, on your tummy,” Tristan informed him, pulling the bed covers back.

Without waiting for further instruction, Gavin lay face down on the bed.

“Spread your legs,” Tristan ordered.

Gavin did as he was asked. Tristan worked his fingers inside the leg of Gavin’s shorts, probing the boy’s anus. He slipped inside.

“I can see you’ve been fucked a few times tonight!” he commented.

“Yeah,” Gavin responded. “Stark was the last, about an hour ago. He fucked me up the bum while I sucked Thornton off.”

“I’d love to have seen that!” Tristan breathed.

“Mr. Cooper did,” Gavin said, showing not a trace of embarrassment. “He walked in on us.”

Tristan moved into position, working his penis up the leg of Gavin’s shorts. At first they seemed too tight, making it difficult for Tristan to locate his target. Gavin pushed his hands down onto his bottom and under the waistband then crawled a few inches up the bed, causing the shorts to sit lower on his hips. The problem was solved. Tristan’s penis homed in on the boy’s sphincter. With one determined thrust he pushed it right in.

“Ohhhh! Gavin moaned. “Oh yeah!”

Tristan began to fuck, spurred on by Gavin’s moans and whimpers. It was just like Jim had always said; the great thing about skinny kids was that they were always beautifully tight, no matter how often they’d taken it. Gavin quickly joined in the action, pushing his hips up to meet each downward thrust.

“You’re a little slut, aren’t you McIntyre?” Tristan growled.

“Yes sir!” Gavin conceded.

“And you love having my cock up your bum, don’t you?!” the man continued.

“Oh, yes sir!” the boy gurgled, hardly knowing where he was.

Suddenly Gavin shuddered, little jets of boy-juice squirting into his shorts. Tristan redoubled his efforts.

“Oh, you naughty boy!” he gasped. “That was what you wanted, wasn’t it? Well now I’m going to give you what I want!”

He plunged his full length into Gavin’s rectum, his thick, creamy semen unloading repeatedly into the boy’s bottom. After several seconds he pulled out. To his surprise, Gavin immediately got up onto his knees and climbed off the bed.

“Thanks sir!” he said brightly. That was great! Is it okay if I get back now?”

Tristan let him out of the apartment, watching as the boy headed off along the corridor, a tell-tale stain growing in the back of his shorts. School slut he might be, but lively and so engaging, a far more appealing prospect than the totally passive Stallard; definitely a boy he would have liked to know better. He closed the door and wandered back to bed feeling completely spent. Maybe if they’d been going at it like that since quarter past ten the previous evening, he reasoned, it wasn’t too surprising that Lewis-Marshall and his gang had all fallen asleep. Though it was a possibility, he knew deep down it wasn’t the real reason.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

As they lay snuggled up together, Clifford ran his hands over Jocelyn’s back. He felt like the cat that had swallowed the cream, even though he knew that Mr. Cooper and three of his team-mates had been there before him. He’d never considered the possibility of going with a boy who was cuter than Tommy, his younger friend at Hartswood, but here he was, with the most stunning kid he’d ever seen. It was the greatest feeling in the whole world! He slid his finger along Jocelyn’s crack, quickly locating the boy’s pucker. Jocelyn squirmed, pulling away from him.

“Is it okay if we don’t fuck?” he whispered. “I’m a bit sore.”

“Yeah, that’s cool,” Clifford acknowledged.

Jocelyn snaked around, taking Clifford’s penis into his mouth, sucking it eagerly. Clifford lay back, stroking Jocelyn’s hair, savouring the wonderful sensations the boy was giving him. He felt his orgasm begin to build.

“Uhhh! Uhhh!” he warned, “I’m gonna cum!”

He expected Jocelyn to pull away; instead, the lad sucked him even harder, the boy’s nose pushing right into his sparse pubic hair.

“Ohhhhh!” Clifford gasped, his boy-cream spurting powerfully into the younger boy’s mouth.

Jocelyn sat up, licking his lips, having clearly swallowed every drop. The two boys snuggled up again, their mouths meeting in a sensuous kiss.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Jim put the book back into his bag, picked up a towel and strode onto the corridor, heading for the showers. To his surprise, there was a boy there that he hadn’t seen before, dressed in a red tee-shirt and tight white gym shorts.

“Hello, sir!” the boy said, smiling. “Are you Mr. Cooper?”

“Yes,” Jim replied. “And you are?”

“Dornham, sir,” the boy told him.

“First name?” Jim queried.

“Andrew, sir.”

“And how old are you, Andrew?”

“Eleven, sir.”

“So what are you doing here at this time?” Jim enquired.

“Well sir,” Andrew responded. “Lewis-Marshall was supposed to bring me here over an hour ago, but he never turned up, so I decided to see if I could find you myself.”

“You’ve shown commendable initiative,” Jim said, eyeing the lad up.

The boy was slim without being skinny, with collar length fair, wavy hair, hazel eyes and very full lips; pretty much on a par with Jocelyn in the cuteness stakes. He was very obviously keen too, his shorts covering a very obvious erection.

“You’d better come in,” he said, deciding that the shower could wait. “Actually, Fenner and Lewis-Marshall brought me someone else, a boy called Laurence Beech.”

Andrew’s face fell. “So you went with Beech, sir?” he asked.

“No,” Jim said, smiling. “I told Lewis-Marshall to take him back.”

“Oh,” Andrew said. “So I suppose you went and got one of the other rugby boys from the bottom dorm,” he suggested.

“No, I didn’t actually,” Jim told him, sitting down on the bed. “I took Fenner instead. I do quite like tall, slim boys.”

“Really, sir?” Andrew said, flopping down next to him, his eyes widening. “Everyone says that Fenner’s never . . . , you know.”

“Yes, that’s what he told me,” Jim said, putting his arm around the boy’s shoulder, ‘but as I said to him, if he wants to go around fucking little boys, he ought to know what it feels like to be on the receiving end. I can’t say he seemed too keen on the idea.”

“That’s funny sir!” Andrew said, giggling. He turned around sharply. “Is this where you did it, sir?” he asked.

“Yes,” Jim confirmed. “Sorry the place is a bit of a mess; I was just going to get a shower when you caught me.”

“Sir! There’s spunk on the pillow! Is that . . . , you know?”

“Yes,” Jim told him. “It has to be; the other two boys who’ve been here tonight are Matthew Fielding and Jocelyn Barr and they can’t cum yet.”

“That’s brilliant sir!” Andrew said, his eyes sparkling.

“Oh?” Jim questioned. “Why’s that?”

“Fenner’s horrible sir,” Andrew continued excitedly. “He always says that boys who do that are queers, bum-boys. But when you bummed him he did it too! Wait till the other boys find out!”

“Oh,” Jim said, allowing himself a smile at the thought that Fenner’s problems were only just beginning. “Fenner and Lewis-Marshall were very rough with one of my boys, a nice kid, a lot like you actually, so I decided to even the score up a little.”

He ran his hand under Andrew’s tee-shirt, gently massaging the boy’s perfectly smooth chest. He eased the lad back onto the bed, bringing his head down to kiss his wonderfully full lips. Andrew’s reaction was immediate, putting his arms around Jim’s neck and pushing his tongue into the visiting master’s mouth. Jim was fired up with lust. While Jocelyn had been gauche and innocent, Andrew was a total contrast, so knowing and experienced for a boy of such tender years. The lad was, he judged, a seductive and sophisticated slut.

Andrew was almost ecstatic; Jim far exceeding his expectations. He had a superb body, with not an ounce of surplus fat to be seen, and with his thick ash blond hair, blue eyes and well-chiselled features he was much better looking than Mr. Kirby or any of his games master’s previous visitors, even better looking than his twenty two year old uncle who had seduced him a little under two years earlier. To make things even better, the man was kissing him quite exquisitely. He tweaked Jim’s large, prominent nipples, running his hand over the man’s well-defined pectorals and onto his washboard stomach. He moved his hand lower still, onto the front of Jim’s shorts, running his eager fingers over the man’s penis. Eventually their lips parted.

“Wow, sir!” Andrew said, eyes sparkling. “You’re very good looking; I’ve not been with anyone as good looking as you before.”

“Thank you,” Jim said quietly. “That’s high praise, coming from a boy as beautiful as you.”

“I love the way you kiss me, sir,” Andrew continued, looking a little embarrassed. “That’s how my uncle does it. Nobody here kisses like that.”

Very gently, Jim helped the boy remove his tee-shirt. His shorts proved more of a problem, so snug that removing them without snagging the lad’s throbbing penis required that they be eased down a little at a time. But eventually the task was completed, the boy exposed in all his naked beauty. He was, Jim considered, as perfect a specimen as he’d ever encountered, not as tall as Jocelyn but a little more muscular, his penis a little larger, a little nozzle of foreskin projecting beyond the tip, his flawless skin bearing a slight tan, his wonderfully sculpted bottom a total delight.

Jim dipped his head, taking Andrew’s throbbing penis fully into his mouth. He sucked it carefully, flicking out his tongue to slash at the lad’s balls. He coated his fingers in KY, slipping his hand between the boy’s legs and locating his anus. He pushed inside. Andrew emitted a satisfied sigh. The boy was used to being penetrated; there was no doubt about it.

“Are you going to bum me sir” Andrew asked. “You are, aren’t you?”

“Do you like that?” Jim enquired, already sure of the answer.

“Oh yes!” Andrew whispered. “During the holidays my uncle bums me all the time; it’s great!”

“What about Lewis-Marshall and his friends?” Jim asked. “Do they bum you?”

“Yeah, but they haven’t a clue how to do it,” Andrew said scornfully. “They’re useless. I just let them get on with it.”

“Well, I’d better make sure I do it properly then, hadn’t I?” Jim cooed.

“Great!” Andrew said. “Will you take off your shorts and sit in the armchair for me?”

Jim complied readily, wondering what delights the boy had in store. Andrew knelt in front of him, holding his penis around the base.

“Beautiful cock, sir!” he breathed. “Just about the same as Mr. Kirby’s”

He leaned forward, placing his lips over the large purple head. He began to suck, twisting his head this way and that, using his tongue quite wonderfully. Gradually, he inched his way down until he was nuzzling Jim’s pubic hair, the man’s penis right down his throat. Jim sank back in the chair, savouring the feelings the boy was giving him. Being sucked by the novice Jocelyn had been a delight, but Andrew’s ministrations were in a different league entirely. The boy’s technique was nothing short of astonishing, the sensations quite indescribable.

Just as Jim felt his orgasm approach, Andrew released his penis, a big smile on his face. The lad got to his feet and turned around. Before Jim could move, Andrew gripped the arms of the chair, lowering himself towards him. Jim could scarcely believe what he was seeing. He’d fucked boys in every position he could think of; this had never been one of them, it simply hadn’t occurred to him. But it was about to happen, and most remarkable of all, it was the boy who was taking the lead.

Jim held his penis around the base as Andrew manoeuvred himself into position. Slowly and carefully the boy pushed down, Jim’s penis disappearing inside him, until he was sitting right in the man’s lap. Andrew settled himself, Jim’s heart pounding against his spine, pulling up his knees to rest his feet on the small table directly in front of him.

“So how does that feel, sir?” he asked.

“Wonderful!” Jim whispered. “I’ve never done it like this before. What about you?”

“Great!” Andrew cooed. “I’ve got your cock right inside me. You’re going to bum me now, aren’t you sir?”

Jim set to work, pushing his buttocks down into his seat before thrusting powerfully back up again. He nuzzled Andrew’s neck and licked his ears, the aroma of hot, sexy boy flooding his nostrils. He wrapped his left arm across the lad’s chest, gently tweaking his tiny nipples, his right hand in Andrew’s lap, fondling the boy’s genitals.

“Oh sir!” Andrew moaned. “Oh yes!”

Jim redoubled his efforts, fucking the boy as hard as he knew how. Andrew bucked sharply, the boy’s sphincter clamping tight around his thrusting penis, his hard little prong swelling and jerking between his fingers. Jim’s orgasm followed in an instant. Instinctively he dropped his hands onto Andrew’s thighs, holding the boy in position. His penis jerked powerfully, several ropes of thick creamy semen spurting into the lad’s rectum.

They sat where they were for some time, gradually recovering from their exertions. Finally Andrew lifted himself clear, Jim’s penis making its exit with a quite audible pop.

“So how was that, sir?” Andrew enquired.

“Unbelievable!” Jim responded, his breathing still very short. “And was that okay for you?”

“Oh yes, sir!” the boy said enthusiastically. “That was great, especially when your spunk went up me!”

Jim remained in the chair, too drained to move, while Andrew quickly pulled on his tee-shirt before shoe-horning himself into his shorts.

“I’d better get back to my dorm now, sir,” he said quietly.

Jim eased Andrew towards him, their lips meeting in one final kiss. He let the boy out, watching from the doorway as the lad walked a little awkwardly along the corridor, turned the corner and disappeared from view.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

After a little over half an hour’s rest, Tristan was ready for a further foray. He strode back to Lewis-Marshall’s dorm. Nothing had changed, except that Brown was no longer there. He’d quite obviously gone next door too, he concluded. It was quit clear that something must have happened and having no idea what that might have been was most exasperating. A thought occurred to him. There were only two Hartswood boys left in the room; Proctor, with whom he’d begun the night, and Palmer. He hadn’t planned on taking Palmer back to his apartment, but the boy was cute enough. So he’d take him, and try a rather different interrogation technique. He roused the lad.

“Come with me please!” he said curtly.

Daniel got out of bed, slipping on his soccer shorts before following the man out of the room.

“Sorry,” he said, smiling. “I don’t like walking down the corridor just in my undies.”

Tristan was unconcerned, knowing full well that the boy would lose both shorts and underpants before long. He guided the boy into his living room, directing him to sit on one of the armchairs.

“Right!” he said firmly. “Before we get down to things, I need you to tell me what’s been going on.”

Daniel bit his lip, squirming uncomfortably.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t waste time!” Tristan snapped. “I need to know, so tell me and tell me now.”

“Well, I didn’t see how it started,” Daniel said, shrugging, “but when I woke up, Lee was bumming Thornton and Gavin had his dick in Stark’s mouth, making him suck him off. Clifford was standing there making sure he did it.”

“Lee is Sheldon and Gavin is McIntyre,” Tristan recounted. “And Clifford is?”

“Rowe, sir,” Daniel told him.

“Carry on!” Tristan ordered.

“When I looked over the other side of the room, Mark, that’s Burgess, was bumming Lewis-Marshall. Chris, our captain was sort of holding him down, making sure he couldn’t get away. Then after a bit, Mark and Clifford swapped places and in the finish Chris bummed Lewis-Marshall as well; looked like he really hurt him. Chris has got a big one; I know ‘cause we do it together all the time.”

“So where was Fenner while all this was going on?” Tristan demanded.

“Mark said he was ‘entertaining our rugby master’.” Daniel told him.

“Good god!” Tristan expostulated. “No wonder they’re all so quiet!”

“Mark was angry with them for being so rough with Kingsley,” Daniel explained.

“And so your lads dispensed summary justice!” Tristan declared. “Well, it sounds like game, set and match to me! Not content with beating us on the rugby pitch, you’ve trounced us in the dormitories! I think I ought to put up the white flag before we suffer any more punishment!”

“Aren’t you cross, sir?” Daniel asked nervously.

“Those who live by the sword will perish by the sword,” Tristan declared, “and Fenner and Lewis-Marshall certainly do that; they’ll get no sympathy from me!”

“Thanks, sir,” Daniel said, giving the man a wry grin.

“And thank you for being so honest with me,” Tristan said, smiling. “Now why d’you think I brought you here?”

“Because you want to bum me,” Daniel responded.

“Precisely!” Tristan confirmed. “Come on then!”

He ushered Daniel into the bedroom.

“Sir,” Daniel asked. “Could we do it standing up? That’s how me and Chris do it. Lewis-Marshall and them did it with me on my tummy. I didn’t like it much and you’re a lot heavier than them.”

“Oh, fair enough,” Tristan conceded. “One good turn deserves another! Bend over there!” he continued, indicating the side of the bed.

Daniel did as he was asked, resting his hands on the mattress. Tristan pulled down the boy’s shorts and underpants, pushing his tee-shirt up around his chest. He prised Daniel’s cheeks apart, unsurprised to find that the lad’s anus was quite messy and already slightly open, rendering further preparation quite unnecessary. He dropped his tennis shorts and moved into position, his penis nuzzling the boy’s sphincter. He thrust it in. Daniel gasped then fell silent. Tristan set to work, fucking the boy steadily. Daniel held perfectly still, the tingling in his penis gradually building.

“Play with my dick, sir,” he urged.

Tristan reached down, fondling the boy’s stiff four-inch spike with a milking action, the tip touching the palm of his hand. Daniel shuddered violently, his balls churning into action. A moment later, his watery boy-cum squirted into Tristan’s hand.

“Another naughty boy!” Tristan growled, gripping the lad around the thighs,

He fucked the boy even harder, giving it everything. Within seconds his climax overtook him. He held on tight as his penis reared up, depositing what semen was able to produce deep inside Daniel’s bottom. Slowly and carefully he withdrew, his sex-organ so sensitive he didn’t dare touch it.

“Are you okay?” he enquired.

“Yes sir!” Daniel confirmed. “Felt just like it does when Chris bums me.”

It had been a pleasant and unexpected bonus, Tristan decided, returning Daniel to his dorm. Palmer had been much sexier than he’d expected. He strolled back to his apartment to take another short rest before embarking on a final excursion. Pienaar, the South African boy; he’d be the one.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

After resting for an hour, Jim finally made it to the showers. Suitably refreshed, he made his way to the far dorm. He looked around. Stallard, the boy Tristan had nominated as the school slut, was down on all fours with Lee kneeling behind, fucking him doggy-style. Next to them, Mark and Kingsley were lying on their sides, sucking each other off. Gavin was there too, on his own and apparently fast asleep. It all seemed very odd; Lee, Kingsley and Gavin should have all been in the room next door.

He continued his survey. McKenzie, the boy whom he had come to find, was lying side by side with Chris, their hands clasped together. He made his way across to them.

“Would you like to come to my bedroom?” he asked quietly.

The boy grinned and gave Chris a quick peck on the cheek.

“See you later,” he whispered.

He followed the man onto the corridor.

“What’s your first name?” Jim asked. “We always use first names at Hartswood.”

“Robin, sir” the boy said brightly.

“You and Chris seemed to be getting on very well,” Jim commented, shepherding the boy into his bedroom.

“Yeah, Chris is great,” Robin acknowledged.

“How come Lee, Kingsley and Gavin were in there?” Jim asked. “I thought they were supposed to be in with Lewis-Marshall.”

“Er, something happened,” Robin said nervously.

Jim listened with mounting concern as Robin recounted the events of the previous two hours, not at all sure that what amounted to the gang rape of the heir to the Marquis of Bedford might not provoke something akin to a diplomatic incident.

“Chris was really upset afterwards,” Robin concluded. “He said he’d let himself down, sunk to their level. I don’t think that. Lewis-Marshall’s an animal; he and his friends have raped me a couple of times. He deserved it.”

“Well, I can understand how you feel,” Jim said soothingly, putting his arm around Robin’s shoulder, “but I agree with Chris. They really shouldn’t have done that, no matter how well-justified it might seem. Anyway, what sort of a night have you had?”

“Great, thanks!” Robin said, grinning, the best ever!”

“So who’ve you been with?” Jim enquired.

“Well I went with Mark first,” Robin said. “He was great; I can see why Kingsley likes him so much. We played around for ages, sucking each other and that. By the time he bummed me I was really hot for it. Then I went with Clifford; he bummed me too. I think I must have slept for a bit after that. When I woke up Alex was on his own, so I went across to him.

“Yeah,” Jim interrupted. “I saw you when I came in the time before; you were sucking each other off.”

“Well, we were, but we didn’t finish. Alex asked if I wanted to bum him. I don’t get to do that very often so I said yes. It was fantastic!”

“Excellent!” Jim said. “I’m pleased that they all treated you well. And you’ve been with Chris too?”

“Yeah,” Robin said. “He didn’t bum me though; said he didn’t feel like it after, you know, so we just sucked each other off. Alex seems to have really hit it off with Armitage; did you see them?”

“Yes,” Jim acknowledged. “It was good to see; that’s what an occasion like this should be about.”

“Yeah, that’s what I think,” Robin said, snuggling closer, his smiling face mere inches from Jim’s.

“So what would you like now?” Jim asked, running his hand over Robin’s chest.

“I guess you’re going to bum me, aren’t you sir?” Robin responded.

“I’d really like that,” Jim whispered, tugging gently at the waistband of Robin’s briefs, “when you’re ready of course!”

He eased Robin’s underpants down onto his thighs, the boy completing the task of pulling them off.

“Mr. Kirby said you had a big cock,” Jim commented, admiring Robin’s medium-thick five inch penis.

He drew Robin to him; within seconds they were stretched out on the bed, kissing passionately. Once more Jim was in ecstasy, the boy so eager, so responsive. Though not classically pretty, with his straight collar-length hair the lad was very cute, his body almost perfect.

“You do that beautifully!” he cooed in Robin’s ear.

“Mark taught me,” Robin informed him. “I’d never done it before.

Their kissing resumed, Jim’s lust increasing by the second. He snaked around, closing his lips around Robin’s circumcised penis, sucking it lovingly. He slipped his hand between Robin’s legs, a well-lubed finger working its way into the boy’s anus, the boy cocking his left leg to urge him on. It was time. He released Robin’s penis, allowing his finger to slide out.

“Can we do it doggy style?” Robin asked. “I like that.”

“Of course!” Jim whispered.

They moved into position. Jim entered the boy with one well-practised thrust, drawing him steadily back until he was completely impaled. He fucked the lad relentlessly; although Robin had taken his penis without a murmur of protest, he was wonderfully tight, clearly unused to such a large intrusion. Slowly but inexorably the intensity increased, both of them covered in a sheen of perspiration.

“Sir!” Robin groaned. “Play with my cock!”

“Just be patient!” Jim countered, “I’ve got plans for that!”

He increased his thrusting. Almost immediately his orgasm started to build. His fifth of the night, it was never going to be spectacular, but it was very satisfying for all that; another delightful boy had been well and truly fucked. He carefully withdrew, flipping Robin onto his back. He plunged down onto the boy’s penis, sucking it for all he was worth. His reward was swift, the boy’s creamy nectar spurting into his mouth. It was the perfect conclusion. He took Robin back to his dorm, sorry to leave him behind. Collecting Matthew Fielding, as custom required, he returned to the bedroom, treating the lad to some affectionate cuddling before breakfast time.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Jim made his way to the refectory to find Tristan already there.

“I’ve heard about the altercation between your boys and Lewis-Marshall et al,” he said blandly as Jim sat down. “Palmer told me.”

“I thought you might not be too pleased about that,” Jim responded.

“Oh, I’ve seen it coming,” Tristan said with an air of resignation. “I’ve told Lewis-Marshall repeatedly that his arrogance would get him into trouble. Well, it finally happened; he’ll get no sympathy from me.”

“Well that’s something of a relief,” Jim said. “I wouldn’t have wanted us to cause a diplomatic incident.”

“Oh, not at all,” Tristan assured him. “Anyway, what sort of night did you have? Did my little present arrive?”

“Dornham?” Jim said grinning. “Yes, he did eventually. Very nice too!”

“What d’you mean ‘eventually’?” Tristan enquired.

“Well apparently Lewis-Marshall was supposed to bring him to me at around three o’clock, but he never turned up, so Dornham showed quite commendable initiative in finding me himself. I was just going to get a shower and there he was.”

“Oh, I see,” Tristan said absently. “And did he perform his party trick?”

“He certainly did!” Jim said, smiling. “That took the wind right out of my sails!”

“For an eleven year old, the boy is quite extraordinary!” Tristan confided. “So what other delights did you sample?”

“Well, Fielding of course,” Jim said, “followed by Barr and Fenner, then after Dornham I spent a little time with McKenzie. Fenner apart, they were all quite delightful.”

“Well that’s five-all!” Tristan declared, beaming. “Mine were Proctor, as you know, Brown, as you probably also know, than after a well-earned sleep, McIntyre, Palmer and Pienaar; all absolutely wonderful. But what on earth possessed you to go with Fenner?” he asked, dropping his voice almost to a whisper, “except for the prospect of relieving him of his virginity?”

“Well, for reasons best known to themselves,” Jim whispered, leaning right across the table, “instead of bringing Dornham to see me, Fenner and Lewis-Marshall brought me another boy. The kid was scared out of his wits; he was too young for me in any case, so I made Lewis-Marshall take him back. I decided to teach them a lesson. Once I’d got them back together, I chewed their ears off, told Fenner I like tall slim boys, which I do, and told him to come with me. I only found out he was a virgin when he started wittering on about not having taken it before.”

“I see!” Tristan said. “He’ll get a hard time over that when the other boys find out.”

“Especially,” Jim said conspiratorially, “when they find out he ejaculated on route. And they will; Dornham saw his spunk on the pillow.”

“Good God!” Tristan exclaimed. “He’s given so many boys a bad time for doing that; he’ll be a laughing stock!” He paused for a moment. “As for bringing you a different boy, I can’t imagine what they were thinking about,” he grumbled. “I don’t know why they can’t just follow instructions! Who was it, anyway?”

“A lad called Laurence Beech,” Jim told him.

“What?!” Tristan snapped, sitting up sharply.

“The suggestion was that we should all go to my bedroom and ‘have a little fun together’,” Jim informed him.

“They were told to take Dornham to your bedroom and nothing else!” Tristan snarled, turning an alarming shade of puce. “There was never any suggestion of anything like that; there never has been!” He took a deep breath. “You need to know the background to this,” he continued quietly. “When Lewis-Marshall started in second year, he became a prime target for the older boys. Not only was he very cute, his status worked against him, as did the fact that he was an obnoxious little shit; they regarded him as the star prize. It was getting out of hand, so I intervened. The ringleaders found out how strong my right arm is, and I put a stop to it. At the beginning of this year I reminded Lewis-Marshall about it, told him that I hoped he wouldn’t be inflicting that sort of distress on any younger boys while he was in charge. Of course, he took not a blind bit of notice. Two weeks ago, I caught him and Fenner taking Beech to the spare dormitory. Beech is a frail little thing; he can hardly cope with being at boarding school at all without having those two after him, so I sent him on his way and gave them strict instructions that he was not to be touched. They have deliberately defied my orders and they will regret it! I don’t care who their parents are or how much money they’ve got; by the time I’ve finished with them, they won’t know which bit of their arse hurts more, the inside or the outside!”

Jim swallowed hard; he’d never seen Tristan so angry. Breakfast over, he collected his things then supervised the Hartswood boys as they headed out to the waiting coach.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

“They’re looking a little the worse for wear,” the driver observed as the boys trooped onto the coach. “Hard night was it?”

“You could say that,” Jim conceded. “They’re nursing a few social interaction abrasions. Still, we gave as good as we got.”

“Oh, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” the driver commented, following Jim on board.

Jim sat close to the front, the boys draped across the seats further back. Once safely on the road, he wandered down the aisle.

“Lee, come and see me for a moment, please,” he said quietly, encountering the stockily built lad.

Lee followed him towards the front of the coach flopping down next to him.

“You don’t even have to say it,” he said, giving Jim his characteristic cheeky grin. “Nobody’s going to say anything, none of us, not a word. We all know how much trouble we’d be in if anyone found out what went on.”

“Fair enough,” Jim said. “I just wanted to make sure. Will you ask Chris to come and see me please?”

Lee made his way back, to be replaced by Chris a few moments later.

“Reflections on last night?” Jim probed.

“We shouldn’t have done it,” Chris said, looking shame-faced. “It was wrong. I know the kid’s an arsehole and I know what he did to Kingsley, we still shouldn’t have done it.”

“So a lesson learned then?” Jim continued.

“Yes sir,” Chris acknowledged.

“Well, we got away with it, so draw a line under it and move on; there’s nothing to be gained by dwelling on it.”

“Thanks, sir,” Chris said, nodding.

Finally it was Mark’s turn.

“So things didn’t go quite as planned, did they?” Jim suggested.

“No sir,” Mark accepted. “It was weird; those kids were really posh but they behaved like animals. I don’t get it.”

“Have you read ‘Lord of the Flies’?” Jim asked.

“Yes sir,” Mark said.

“Well that’s how boys behave when they’re allowed to get away with it,” Jim told him. “But there’s another aspect to it. What does your dad do?”

“Runs a construction company,” Mark said.

“And does he work hard?” Jim queried.

“Yes,” Mark said firmly, “too hard probably. Grandad set the business up, but it was still quite small when dad took it over. He’s built it up to be one of the biggest construction companies in the South East.”

“And you know that you’re going to have to work if you want to enjoy the lifestyle you have now?” Jim persisted.

“Yes sir,” Mark agreed.

“Well those boys are quite different. Their parents didn’t have to work for the wealth; they were born into it. They’ve never had to work, and their boys aren’t expected to either. It makes a big difference.”

“Yes sir,” Mark said. “I can see that.”

The remainder of the journey was uneventful, bringing them back to Hartswood at ten to eleven. They all looked and felt shattered, Jim included. He watched the boys trudge wearily back into school before loading his bag into his car for the short journey home. Even that was a struggle, and once there, he headed straight for his bedroom, stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed, falling asleep the moment that his head hit the pillow.

0 o 0 o 0 o 0

Jim stepped into the deputy head’s office.

“So how did the tournament go?” John Halford asked.

“Very well,” Jim said. “We made the final where we were beaten by an excellent team. I don’t think we could have done any better.”

“Excellent,” John continued. “However, we are concerned about the state that the boys were in when they got back.”

The alarm must have shown in Jim’s face.

“Of course, nobody’s said anything,” Mr. Halford went on. “In fact they’ve been extremely reticent, which is remarkable in itself, especially when you had someone like Lee Sheldon in the team; it does rather leave people to draw their own conclusions. And when they almost all go straight to bed the moment they get back, and several of them don’t surface again till supper time, that’s not exactly difficult.”

“I see,” Jim said quietly. “I did notice that some of them did seem to be nursing a few social interaction abrasions.”

“Not an expression I’ve heard before,” John commented, “but nicely put. The official version is that you were kept in ignorance of the sleeping arrangements and played no part in anything that went on, and as nobody’s saying anything, that won’t be contradicted. However, we feel it would be better if you did not plan on going there again next year.”

“I’d already made that decision,” Jim said. “I’d forgotten how barbaric some of these places can be. It’s a shame; the tournament was excellent; Gavin was in his element; he played outstandingly well.”

“Why don’t you organise something here?” John asked.

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Jim said. “We’d struggle to actually hold it here, our changing facilities wouldn’t cope, but I’m going to chat to Keith Allison at Queen Elizabeth’s, offer to do all the organisation if they’ll host it.”

“Well if you need any help, just ask,” John said, smiling.

Jim strolled back to his office, slumping into his chair. He’d received a mild slap on the wrist, nothing more than that. He felt strangely at peace. He’d finally understood how valuable his life at Hartswood was, and how much it meant to him. He might easily have ended up at a school like Fraylsham Park, having sex with an endless succession of boys, just as Tristan was doing. But the relationships he’d enjoyed at Hartswood and the successes to which he’d contributed were far more fulfilling than anything a school like that had to offer. Hartswood had been his life for almost eight years, so long that he’d almost begin to take it for granted. But not any more; he felt renewed, more focussed on the task ahead than he’d been since William left. His life was everything he could have asked for; he was going to make sure that he treasured every moment of it.