Date: Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:58:40 -0700 From: dnrock@rock.com Subject: Russell The Red 1 A fictional story by dnrock (dnrock@rock.com). Russell The Red is an edited version of my error corrected story Red (Revised), which is full of sex, much described in detail. When the earlier version was published a number of readers suggested it be redone with no sexual descriptions. I have done that. I could not turn it into something that was asexual however. Sex happens and since many characters are teenagers sex is important. Sex is mentioned and those emotions and feelings it elicits. If you prefer a fully sexual descriptive (pornographic) story, see Red (Revised) in the adult youth section. Disclaimer: This story is fiction. It will not contain graphic sexual descriptions. It will contain some references to sex between consenting person and about the sexual feelings of some characters. It is a coming of age story for many of the protagonists. If this kind of thing offends you, consider yourself warned. If the "Censorship Nazis" are making this type of literature, illegal for you, there is little I can do about it. There is much you can do about it, however. The protagonists live only in my mind and on my hard drive. Their city and state have no name, they too are fiction. Some events, historical figures, people, works of art, organizations, literature and scholarship mentioned are real and a reference will usually be attached if anything is quoted. Of course, if a fictional character is creating something, it too will be fictional, even if described in detail. If you pause to wonder, I have done my job. I claim the Copyright and Nifty the posting rights. If you want to use this story or a significant part of it, you are expected to ask. You will notice the use of several songs and poems, references are sighted in the text. You are invited to join the adventures of Russell, a.k.a. Red, his friends and lovers. I enjoy hearing from readers. Even thought the story has been edited several times I know errors still live in it, feel free to point them out. Russell The Red by: dnrock (dnrock @rock.com) 1: I'm Not Stupid! "You can call me Red or Russ, but I also answer to Russell, my given name. Did you know Russell is from a surname, which meant `little red one' in French? Appropriate, wouldn't you say?" He pushed his right hand through his bright red hair and smiled. Russell sat back in his chair, giving his interviewer a chance to write. "Oh by the way, Russell is spelled with two L's." Kos corrected by adding an L. "Yes, given the color of your hair, I would say most appropriate. Your parents must have had a sense of humour," Kos said. " He sure talks like he is a lot more than ten or eleven," Kos thought. "No Sir, not them, it was dumb luck. I believe my parents named me after a movie star but he has dark, brown hair. They are so ignorant, I doubt they could even spell it correctly, without seeing it on an advertisement. What's your name?" Russ thrust out his hand. "Kosmos, spelled the Greek way. It means order or decency." Kos, as most people called him, reached over and took the boy's small hand. He figured the boy didn't know what the Greek way meant, most people don't. Russell is very bright and much more well read than the run of mill fifth graders, but he didn't. "My mother is a professor of Classics, at the university. You can call me Kos, most of my friends do. With a surname like Smith, she thought I need something distinctive on the front end." "I can see that. I mean there are two Jasons and four Mikes, in my grade 5 class, I'm the only Russell and no Kosmos. What is the Greek way of spelling it? You don't use the Greek letters, do you?" Russ was looking around the small office, trying to get a sense of who this Kos fellow is. No, not quite who he is but what he is about. Kos had a slight advantage, he at least knew a little about Russ. This was not Kos' office, Russ was not learning much. "No, well not exactly, Kosmos is spelled K, o, s, m, o, s the Greeks have no letter C, just the letter K or kappa, in their alphabet. It is one of the few letters, at least the capital kappa, is the same in both alphabets. Grade 5, that would make you about 10, right? "Right, about." "It says here, you were found in the park, along side the river." "Yep, that big, blond cop, the one with the dog, found me." "Officer Jensen and Sandy from the K-9 unit." Kos scanned the report, Eric Jensen is his older first cousin, but he didn't tell Russ that yet. It says, "the dog noticed and when I went to investigate, I found a red headed boy who had been beaten, huddling behind some bushes." "Ja and his dog Sandy. I like the dog. Usually I'm afraid of big dogs, this one was different, she just lay down next to me and started to, you know, kind of whine, until the officer came over. I was too beat up and to tired, to even try and run away. Your not going to send me back home again, please don't, please." "Is that who beat you, your parents?" "Yes," Russ was almost sub audible. "Are you afraid they will do it again, if you go back home?" "No, not afraid, I am certain of it. The last time social services put me in a foster home for a while but it didn't last, they got me back and within two weeks they were hitting me again. Every time they run out of money for booze or drugs, it's my fault, you know." This, Russ said, in his most sarcastic tone of voice. Like many children, he had that voice tone down very well. "Who hits you more, your mom or your dad?" "He hits hard but she hits the most. I can usually take it but this last time was the worst ever, she used a broom handle on me. You know, us red heads have a 25% higher pain threshold, than normal people. I read that in Discover Magazine." Kos was impressed that a ten year old, would even be reading a magazine like Discover. He wondered how bright this little guy is. "Is that why you won't tell anyone your surname, address and the like, because you are afraid you will be sent back home?" "Yes, as I said, certain of it. I'm never going back, I'll only leave before they have a chance to use me as a punching bag, again." Russ stood up and pulled his T-Shirt over his head, revealing a chest, back, side and abdomen, covered with greenish-blue bruises. He pulled the shirt back on and sat back down. Russ figured a picture was worth a thousand words. Kos' eyes were filled with tears. He could not understand how anyone, could do that to a child. This child, is so beautiful and so perfect, how could anyone... "How old are you Kosmos?" "Eighteen." "I guess they figured I might take to you, being closer to me in age, but I won't. I been around the block with social services. Not this time, those bastards, are never lying to me again." "My sister asked me to come and interview you, she thought, maybe I could..." "Is she the nice one, nurse Smith? Ja, kind of looks like you, except she doesn't need a shave." Kos smiled and wiped his eyes. "Look Russ, Nancy is real worried about you. That's why she called me. I guess social services has been after them, to let them, you know, take you, but she and the resident have been stalling, ah medical reasons, you know. They thought maybe you and I, you know, could become friends, maybe I could, like be your big brother or something." Kos unfolded himself from the chair and moved around the desk. "He must be 6' 6'' at least," Russ thought. "Look at those big, blue eyes and his long, blond hair and those shoulders, massive." Kos extended his hand. "Lets go sit in those comfortable chairs," Kos pointed toward the corner of the room. Russ reluctantly took his hand and stood up. They moved to the leather chairs. Sitting with no desk between them, is less formal and much more comforting. "I'm a first year student, in the college of art, Nancy and I sort of share an apartment, not far from here." "Sort of?" "Ja we share but she spends most of her free time with Dr. Evens, they are planning to get married or live together, I guess." "I like him, he's nice. Do you like sports," Russ inquired? "Yes, basketball, track, swimming." "I'm to short for basketball but I like to run and swim." "I don't know about that, I wasn't much taller than you at 10, maybe you will grow a lot too." "My parents aren't very big people, I probably won't be." They talked on and joked and just kind of hung out for a while, until someone knocked at the door. The door opened and Sandy trotted past Kos, totally ignoring him and immediately sat down next to Russ, putting her head on his knee. As Russ petted her, she did not seem at all like an animal trained to or even capable of, attacking and disarming the baddest of the bad. The cousins embraced and greeted each other. Eric had the residents' report and photographs, placing them in the file. [Author's Note: From here on Russ will do most of his own talking and the narrator will slowly take a back seat.] I was surprised to learn, Officer Jensen, Eric and Kos were cousins. My recollection of the policeman is vivid. As soon as Eric determined I had no broken bones, back or neck injuries, he scooped me up and carried me, the four blocks to the hospital. I like being held in his strong arms. All the way, he was muttering what he would like to do, to the people that hurt me. I was all for that and would gladly help him too. He made me feel secure and protected. I liked being held close to this man's chest, embraced by his strong arms. My parents never held or touched me, except to inflict some kind of pain, since I was little. I feared them before, now I just hated them. I didn't really know any other kind of treatment but I sure as hell know, that isn't how children are supposed to be treated. I got eyes and ears and I read a lot, I know what is normal and what is not. We chatted for a few minutes, then Eric took up the file. Kos asked if he should leave but Eric asked him to stay. I'm glad, I kind of like Kos, I wanted to trust him. These adults here, even Eric, um Officer Jensen and Sandy, had been so kind. But it was adults that had hurt me and made promises they never kept. I figured Kos was different, he strikes me as a big kid himself. "Okay, Master Russell Tolkan, how about telling me what happened to you," Eric said? My spirits sank deep. I realize he knows my name and probably the remainder of the information. "Look Russ, Kos and I want to help you but we can't do that if you are not ready to help yourself." Eric admonished. "He told me, last time this happened, social services put him in foster care but his parents got him back and the abuse it started up again," Kos informed. "Look Red, tell me the story, the whole story, I guarantee nothing like this will ever happen again." "How, how did you find out my name?" "Oh that's easy, good police work you know. Sandy followed your scent trail, from the park to your neighbourhood." At the mention of her name, Sandy's head came off the boy's knee. "It only took a few questions, seems your bright red hair is great identifier." "Did you talk to my parents?" "Hell no, I figured something like this must have happened, who ever beat you, was way to careful to make sure it was not overly visible." "But if I tell, social services will put me in foster care again and it will just cycle around, besides, those group homes are the pits. Kids don't have any say." I started to cry. This got Sandy's attention. She looked at me and back at Eric and back to me and back to Eric. Eric nodded and she began licking my face and hands. Kos knelt by my chair and very gently stroked my back and shoulders. Wow I liked that, he must have magic hands or something. Russ liked the feeling of this older boy touching him, it was like the nurse's, soft and gentle, reassuring. "Not so, little buddy, kids have lots of power and lots to say. All you need is someone to listen and help you use that power," Kos said. "Listen Red, my job is to catch law breakers. You know, bad guys and child abuse of any form, is against the law. With your statement, Doc. Evens' report and my statement, I guarantee, your parents are off to jail. I further guarantee, since social services dropped the ball before, we can force them to place you where you decide to be placed, not where they think. Now, this is what we are going to do..." Kos was not sure about all this but Eric did make a lot sense and since Nancy and Simon (Dr. Evens) were in agreement, who was he to question. Well he was a first year, college of art student, who shared an apartment with his older sister and lived off of money his parents gave him. Sure he had a scholarship and his tuition was mostly waved, since mom was on the university faculty. Even with a part time job, he was in no position to support a child. Besides all that, he was getting some strange feelings toward this boy; ones he was not sure about and he was not completely comfortable with. He wondered if Eric had the same feelings toward Russ. Anyway, he is only 18, no way. Hell he was still trying to figure out if he was straight, gay or some place in between. All he knew was, the only person he ever had significant repeat sex with, was his cousin or his own hands. Sure their were other boys and girls but they were one night stands or a few times. He had lots of friends but no buddies or real good friends, just Eric. "Now that Eric was seeing that lady cop, from across town, well... damn he just didn't know. Man this is getting so complicated," he thought. Russ is sharing a ward with 3 other boys, about his same age. Kos escorted him up to his room. When they came in, all the other boys had visitors, mostly parents and siblings. Kos could see the look on Russ' face, that look of not belonging, of being an outcast, of being different, of being alone. He knew it well, hell he was always different. His personal defence is to just make the most of that difference. He could definitely not leave, until the other visitors had. Kos quickly introduced himself to everyone as Russell's big brother, Kosmos. Well, he was big, in fact, he towered over the children and all the other adults. He had given up dressing and acting outrages, having gone through Punk and Goth phases, in high school. Russ climbed into his bed and Kos sat down next to it, wondering what the hell he should do. He did what he always did, when nervous or in some kind of awkward situation; he pulled a sketch pad from his student back pack and began to draw. Using a number two pencil on lightly textured, soft finish paper. I leaned over the edge of the bed and craned my neck to see the paper. It hurt a little, I just had to see. "Kos your good, real good, that looks just like me," I whispered. Kos smiled and nodded. Yes he is good, he had better be good, after all he did win the scholarship based on his abilities. Kos sketched each boy, in cartoon fashion, just finishing as the nurse came in to chase the visitors out. He gave each one his sketch, posting Russ' up above his bed. I was overwhelmed when he did that. No one had ever given me much of anything, let alone a piece of art, that I was the model in. "When will you come back?" "I'll be here right after my classes, about 4. Here is my cell number." Kos wrote it on a piece of paper for me. "If you need me call, it's off during classes, so leave a message." "You mean it, you mean your coming tomorrow afternoon?" "Yes of course," he looked around the room again, spotting a DVD player, connected to the television. "I'll bring some DVD's too, anything you would like?" "Harry Potter," I said. I motioned for Kos to bend down. I kissed his cheek, I'm not sure why I did that, it seemed like the right thing to do. I always wanted a brother, now I know why, I whispered, as Kos kissed my cheek. Just as Kos was about to straighten up, the voice of doom came from the hall, "Kosmos, lights out was 15 minutes ago". That was not the voice of his beloved sister Nancy, but the voice of nurse Nancy. "Yes mother," he said, just loud enough for all of us to hear. We lads giggled. He walked out with the other three telling me how lucky I was, to have such a cool big brother. If he is my brother, than I guess nurse Nancy is my sister. Hum I never thought about having a sister before. I always wanted a brother, things would get very lonely around the house. It was best that way though. If they forgot I was around, I didn't get hit. I guess that is why I read so well. I could get books from the library and just read. I turned over and started to cry. I don't know why I cried but I did. Even when they were hitting me, I didn't cry. Hell, I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. What the boys could not see, was the gentle kiss and embrace between the brother and sister or the tears streaming down Russ' cheeks. "How is our little brother, doing," Nancy asked? "I think he will be just fine, have you been talking to Eric," Kos inquired. "Yes, and Simon too, why," Nancy replied? "I think I've been set up, that's all," Kos stated. "Would we do that to you," Nancy said. "Yes, but..." "No buts, Simon said another beating like that and his emotional scars could be permanent. He might not make it physically either. You brother, are like me and the others, we can not allow that to happen, now can we?" What she didn't say was, he would be needing a new roommate in the very near future or that she figured him to be a boy lover, even if he didn't yet realize it. Her suspicion stems from the frequent use of children in his art work and those children are almost always boys, younger than himself. A little knowledge is dangerous and one or two courses in general psychology, are just that, a little knowledge. She also knew her brother well enough to know, he needed some kind of home anchor or focus, otherwise he would begin to drift. Just because a man is a boy lover, does not mean he would force his sexual attention them. That is a complete myth. Not all boys, probably not most boys, want sexual attention from adults of either gender. Some are okay with it, most are not. That is probably, to some extent, related to power and to some extent, this society's obsession with some mythical and often hypocritical moral code. Children tend to view thing as black and white. They realize early on, they are at a power disadvantage with adults, it is simpler to just have fixed rules to follow. Kos walked through the dark streets and trudged up the stairs, to the second floor and along the dim hall, to his apartment. His heart was heavy, he had no joy. "It is a nice apartment," he thought looking around, "a lot better then most first year students have". Sure it was furnished mostly with cast offs, from their parents but that was okay. The things here were known and comfortable, in a way secure. That is a good thing, he had security on the inside and could display rebellion on the out. He was accustomed to being home alone, since Nancy worked shifts and this was her week for nights. He had never noticed before, how quiet the place was. Kos shrugged his shoulders and went about his nightly preparation. Sleep, however, did not come easy, his mind raced from one topic to another. Mostly he was struggling with his feelings about Russ. Nancy was absolutely right, the boy needed help. That was obvious, even to his self centred, late teen psychology. Their parents had taught the Smith children well. They had no choice but to give that help, it was the right thing to do. The fact that he had trepidation, his feelings toward the boy must be secondary, to the child's need. His family would accept nothing less, he expected nothing less of himself. He was just a bit pissed off, no one even asked him. The least they could have done was asked him. True Eric, Nancy and Simon all had professional dealings with Russ and at least for now, had to maintain some sort of professional aloofness. He could become emotionally involved. He was the artist in the family, the emotional one, right, it is expected of him. He eventually found sleep, after masturbating to his favourite fantasy, Eric fucking him. This time he was also ministered to by an angelic, red haired boy, something new had been added. Something he was not at all sure about. Eric is five years older than Kos. He and Kos have been having sex since he was 12. Kos did not think of himself as gay, nor did Eric. Eric is bi, he likes girls a lot. As far as Kos knew, he was the only boy Eric fooled around with; Kos however, didn't know everything. Kos took his lead from his older cousin. He made the effort to interact with girls and a even a few other boys. Kos was well liked and had many friends, nothing sexual with them seemed to last, except for Eric. Kos' parents and sister just assumed he was gay, nothing was ever said, one way or the other. Both Kos and Nancy knew they were loved and respected, they were accepted and encouraged. Dad the engineer and mom the professor, are proud of their children and never once expressed any disappointment in them choosing other professions. He knew they would support Nancy's and his plan for Russ, what ever that was. He knew they would be completely charmed by the lad, once they met him. Kos remembered his earliest experiences, being seduced by his cousin, during that long summer of his 12th year. He remembered how wondrous it felt the first time Eric brought him to a series of crashing dry orgasms. How he soon came to crave the physical and emotional attention. He remembered his first ejaculation. He remembered how much he love Eric and was loved by him. How they lusted after each other's boy bodies. The one thing Kos finds hard to accept are phonies. He can't stand phonies or those with inflated opinions of themselves. Kos was a bit of a wild one in high school. Well you know, the artist and all. He pushed all the limits he encountered and experimented with all the usual things: sex, drink, club drugs and rock and roll. He had been through the different phases of attitude and dress, that signified rebellion. Kos woke up one morning, in the early part of grade 12, following a hard couple of days partying, realized he was rebelling against himself, not against the pervasive and suffocating "them". To effectively rebel against "them", you know, that segment of society, often called the establishment, it was his art and his accomplishments that mattered, not his dress or attitude, that would get the job done.