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This chapter has been created by Tux Edwards and contributed to the Boys of Grizzly Valley. Read Tux's story Counting to see where these characters show up.
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By Tux Edwards
The bell rings, and thousands of kids rush around, running from locker to locker, talking to friends, and getting ready to go home. Parting the sea of students I make my way through them with the occasional farewell or ribbing. A lot of kids at school call me cowboy, but my name is Beau Knight, and before you ask, it's pronounced: Bo. Now, why not spell it `Bo.' Well, we don't get to choose our name. It just so happens, Beau, I like... Knight sounds like it's from a Tom Cruise movie.
I get outside of the school as quickly as I can. I don't have any more time to waste. Walking past the off-yellow school buses, I get on the dirty blue city bus. I hurry to an empty chair and stare down at the floor. The vibrations through the floor tell me the bus has taken off again, and I check my watch. Taking a deep breath, I tell myself, "I'm so late! I wasted too much time. When I get there, I'm going to have to run like hell." There are only a few people on the bus today, so it's not too crowded, but it's safer not to make eye contact. I've had a few gay sickos hit on me while I've been on a city bus; I'm not sure if they wanted sex on the bus or thought they would just take me home, but I said, `I'm not gay, no thank you.' I'm only on here for a short time, and there aren't any stops between when I got on and get off, so there is little risk of anyone sitting next to me. I fidget with the snaps and straps of my backpack, counting the turns.
The bus comes to a stop with the sound of venting air from the brakes, and I hurry to the door, wait for the bus to stop, and hop off. I take a right turn and run as fast as I can. "Excuse me, excuse me!" I holler out to the people walking from place to place during their day. I weave in and out of them, seeing my destination, when I hear the bell go off and the little elementary kids begin to file out, heading to their assigned off-yellow bus. I'm so out of breath. I heave in and out cold air and I can feel the pain in my chest, but I push on.
I'm within about ten yards when I see one of the teachers escorting my little brother to his bus.
"Colt!" I shout and wave my arm like an idiot. "Colt! I'm here! I'm here!" I spot the teacher, who sees me coming, recognizes me, and gives me a wave. Relief washes over me and I slow down a bit till I'm standing before them.
"Didn't think you were going to make it today," the teacher says while I attempt to catch my breath.
"Got... delayed... at school," I managed to work out and Colt gives me a hug almost knocking me over. The teacher gives me a nod and walks over to help another kid with his bus selection.
"Wow, Beau, that was close. I told her you were going to be here, and she was go'in put me on a bus."
"Sorry Colt, won't happen again," I promise him again as I straighten my backpack straps after running. "We have to get going." He jumps into the rain puddle and hops out in the playful glee of a six-year-old. Being the oldest at eight-years-old, I should in no way be the adult, but these days I feel that time rushing up on me. "Colt, don't get all wet. It's a rodeo weekend. I have to get there as fast as I can. So when we get home, just go to our room and grab your `go-bag' and then sit next to the door. I have no idea if he'll be home."
"Are we staying the night in the barn?" Colt asks as he kicks pinecones on the sidewalk.
I hug him a little and assure him, "It's better than being at the house."
After another city bus home, my brother and I sit in the bushes in the backyard, watching the house. We can see mom sitting in her usual chair blankly staring out the window. The yelling from that man is constant. Heck, we heard him yelling as soon as we entered the alley. Checking my watch, it says 4:45 pm and then movement in the house catches my eye."Right on time," I mutter to myself.
Our stepfather comes strutting into the living room. He yells about not finding his keys and then finds them where they always are."What an asshole," I whisper. He tramples out of the house, heading to the bar. I wait ten minutes, and we head inside through the back door.
Once inside, Colt and I stop by mom to hug her, and I give her a kiss on the cheek. She looks worse today than yesterday. I can tell that Colt is getting scared of her. He doesn't want to look at her or even give her a hug. He runs off to do what I told him to, and I check on mom. I take the burned cigarette out of her hand. It's completely ash and looks like a witch's finger. Picking up her plates, I clean up her favorite place to sit a little and give her another kiss on the cheek. Looking into her eyes I sigh and wish, "Please stop shooting up mom. I'm pretty sure it's killing you." I get no reaction from her. Not a facial twitch or an eye movement. "Okay mom, I'm going to work, and I'm taking Colt. See you tomorrow."
I hurry to our room and make sure Colt is sitting by the door. When I'm sure no one can see me, I pull the bottom of the Pokémon poster away from the wall and dig out the coffee can that hides in the hole the poster covers. Opening it, my eyes go wide and my heart sinks. It's empty! This is impossible! I had over a thousand dollars in there. It was for food, bus fare, clothes, and Colts new shoes I was buying this weekend. I fall back on the bed and despair takes me, and I cry. Out of the can, a small note floats to the bed that says, "Thanks for the cash, you little shit!" Rage suddenly fills me, squeezing out more tears, and I rip up the note. I take my go-bag and a change of clean work clothes to the bathroom. We'll stay all weekend at the rodeo event, and hopefully, I can make enough money for us to run away without killing myself. It'll mean a lot of pain, but we can't go back to our house.
Stripping down naked I jump in the shower, and the water calms me down slightly as it cascades down over me. Remembering the bus schedule, I quickly clean up. I pay more attention to my cock, balls, and butthole, inside and out. It's not tender and feels good, so I think this weekend will be pretty profitable. A couple more nights of these rodeo cowboys should do the trick and I'll have enough money for me and Colt to run. I resist the urge to jack off, even though I really want to after the new kid's display in gym class. I couldn't stay long. I can't even shower with them if I'm going to get to Colt in time, but today the new kid was dancing around and jacking off. He was bragging excitedly that he can cum now and wanted to show us all. I missed it. Oh well.
"Beau, you coming?"
I hop out of the shower and half-ass dry off. "Almost done, stay there." Changing my clothes, I check all the money-making spots once more. Pulling back my hood, I check to make sure it's all the way clean and pleasure begs me to keep going. My balls are good, and I check my hole, it's clean. I hope the inside is clean too. I've pooped all I could at school, so I should be empty. As I finish dressing I'm mentally counting the money I'll make from my nighttime regulars, I'm looking to clear a couple thousand. I know that sounds like a lot, but it's half of what we need to get as far away from here as possible.
Rushing out into the living room, I whisper to mom, "I love you. I'm sorry I have to do this." Combing my fingers through her wiry, dry hair, I try to remember her as she was when I was Colt's age. Then I turn before I change my mind. I open the door, grab Colt's hand, yank him from his stool, and rush out the door with tears streaming down my cheeks.
Getting to the bus stop, I drop down onto the covered bench and pull my go-bag into my lap to cover my face with it so I can cry in peace. Self-doubt and grief weigh heavy on my shoulders for leaving mom like that, but she leaves me no choice. I can't have that man hitting me anymore, and how am I supposed to stop him when he wants to start hitting Colt. The bus pulls up, Colt pulls me to my feet, and we board it.
I pay with what's left of my lunch money, and we find a seat as the bus heads west out of Grizzly Valley. Colt sits so close, he's almost on my lap. I'm not fooling him; I'm sure he knows. How can he not? He hears me screaming when that asshole beats me and hears me cry on my bed at night. As far as how I make the bulk of my money, well, I try to hide as much as possible from him, but he's eight, and I catch him peeking at me. It's too embarrassing for both of us to talk about, but even though he has earbuds in his ears and his stories are on full volume, I know he can still hear my screaming change into uncontrollable moaning. The feelings it gives me are so confusing and I know being straight I'm not suppose to like it but... I wipe my tears and promise myself that after this weekend, I'll never have to take it up the ass again.
The thirty-minute bus ride is pretty uneventful; Colt sleeps most of the way. It drops us off at `Mel's Quick Stop & Diner." It's the last stop, and the bus heads back to town. I open the door for Colt, and he walks in with a yawn.
"Hey, it's the little cowboy," says Seth when he sees us walk in.
"Evening boys, how's Beau and Colt today? Working at the rodeo this weekend?" Asks Luke, sitting next to Seth.
I help Colt onto the bar stool and answer Luke's questions, "Evening Sir's. We're good and yeah all weekend. I need as much money as possible."
The waitress comes over and gives us two waters saying, "What'cha having, boys?"
I furiously go through my pockets, counting the funds that survived my stepfather's greed. Embarrassment hangs on my face when I realize that all I have left are coins. I dump a handful of quarters and count them quickly.
"What's wrong, Beau?"
I scan the menu for the cheapest meal, and once again, it looks like only Colt gets to eat. I push the menu towards the waitress, saying, "Can I get a hot dog and fries for Colt, please? No soda, just water."
"What about you? Nothing again?"
I can feel my face heat up with embarrassment when my stomach growls on cue, "Sorry, no."
"Horse shit, bring them each a hamburger meal with sodas," Seth insists. "They both have a hard weekend and need their energy."
"Sir, I can't pay you back!" I say regrettably.
The waitress smacks the gum in her mouth a few times as loud as possible, and Seth points to the kitchen, confirming his order for us.
I haven't seen Colt this excited in a while, "Thanks, Seth."
Sheepishly, I work myself over to Seth and whisper, "I can pay you back in the bathroom or out back if you'd like?"
He looks confused at first, then his eyes go wide and he whispers in my ear, "No, no, I see you in here every once in a while, and you always go without eating, making sure your little brother is fed. Eat Beau, he needs you healthy."
"Where's Haydon?" Colt interrupts us.
"Here I am," announces Haydon. He's a few years older than me and is Seth's son or something. Haydon strolls over and hops on his stool next to Colt. I don't really know him very well, but I get to see him at the diner once in a while. His golden curls move around as he energetically tells us a story.
The hamburgers are so good, I haven't had a good meal like this in a while. Haydon and I talk about school, friends, girls, but mostly horses and the rodeo. Seth takes their bill and ours to the old-fashioned register and makes sure we enjoyed our meals. Then Seth and Haydon follow Luke outside after dropping a tip on the table. I thank him again and give Haydon a wave as they leave.
We finish our burgers and start our walk down the road to the Hossenger's Dude Ranch. It's a long walk, and most of the time some pickup will stop and give us a ride.
Unexpectedly, Randy Hossenger, my boss, came looking for us. "Your late, I was starting to get worried," he says to me as I help Colt into the pickup truck.
"Sorry sir, I've been running late all day," I answer him honestly.
"Mr. Seth bought us hamburgers!" Colt excitedly voices.
"Don't tell Mr. Hossenger we had to have someone buy us dinner," I embarrassedly whispered, accompanied by an elbow to his ribs.
Mr. Hossenger pats my legs gently and says, "Now, now, it's okay. Beau, I need you to double-check the stables to make sure they're ready for the riders."
"Yes sir."
The car ride is quiet on my side of the truck as I stare out into the vast emptiness of rural Grizzly Valley. On the other side, Colt just keeps talking about his cheeseburger. He is so taken about how it tasted. I want the best for Colt, and that can't happen here in Grizzly Valley. We finally pull into the Dude Ranch and I sigh in relief.
I always feel at home here, at peace--well, not because of my night jobs. I'm totally straight. I had a girlfriend, and I've been to second base! I'm really, I mean really into girls. I only do the night thing because it pays crazy well! It's crazy how much money these sick cowboys will give me just to watch me jack off or to suck on my cock. I know what you're thinking and yes, two of my regulars only want me for my ass. It hurts really bad, but I get like $200 a fuck and $100 for everything else.
The truck pulls up and slides on the dirt ground, and we all pile out. I begin to head to the stables with Colt on my heels. Entering the barn, I grab the wheelbarrow and pitchfork so I can clean the horse stalls. "Why don't you go put our stuff in our room and do your homework? I'll check it over when I'm done." Mr. Hossenger built one of the stalls into a bedroom for us when I work here. It's a great place to put Colt so he's not under my feet while I work.
After an hour or so, I'm outside the barn, taking the horse manure to the pile by the woods, and I see Mr. Brooks backing up his horse trailer. I hurry over to it and wait for him to finish.
"Hey cowboy," Mr. Brooks says with a smile and tosses me the keys to his trailer. "Take my horse to a stall and I'll double the tip if you take my tack also."
"Yes, sir, right away," I say with a tip of my cowboy hat.
He hands me a hundred dollars and smacks me on the butt. "Well, then, get to it," and then he turns and heads to the main office.
Once I get his horse in a stall, I knock on the bedroom door and say, "Come on, Colt, it's time to make some cash!" I almost get out of the barn before he catches up with me. "We're getting Mr. Brooks' tack. Get the halter and horse bag, and I'll carry the saddle." As I come out of the horse trailer, I see two more trailers pulling in. "Colt, go get Mr. Dallas and Mr. Pickett's keys and money." He nods and takes off running with Mr. Brooks' tack swinging from around his shoulder.
By the time I got back in the barn, Colt ran up next to me saying, "Mr. Dallas gave us $150 and Mr. Pickett gave me $250 for both of his horses." He then gives me an awkward look and adds, "Mr. Dallas also wanted me to tell you, `he'll pay double if he's first tonight.' Why does he want me to smack your butt?"
My cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I lie to him, "He's just being silly." I drop the saddle on the rack and then fill out the paperwork on the clipboard. Then hurry out to the next trailer. It takes three hours to get everyone's horses and tack where it goes. I made a thousand dollars for our trip.
Mr. Hossenger gave us sloppy joes and soda. I thought Colt was going to explode. Mr. Hossenger and I sit on the fencepost watching Colt playing with the other six-year-olds. It's so nice to see him happy and carefree. I work hard to hide our reality, but I know he sees more than I want him and I want to cry every time I think of it. Does he know the lengths I've gone to, to make sure he's fed and safe? Hopefully not.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
I look over at Mr. Hossenger and smile. "That's probably not a good idea," I respond and wipe a tear away. "It's just nice seeing him happy, is all."
"You know I don't like to pry, but, you know you can always come to me if you two are in trouble?"
"Yes, sir, and thank you. You're very nice to both of us."
"Beau, I'm not as blind as I appear. I know just about everything that goes on here at the ranch and..."
I hop off the fence and interrupt Mr. Hossenger, "...got to get back to work. Thanks again sir."
I'm exhausted, and I'm still helping out cowboys with horses and tack. I lost Colt's help long ago when he fell asleep on a hay bale. He looks adorable laying on his back with his cowboy hat over his face. Standing on the fence, I enjoy the show and help where I can.
There isn't any competitions going on tonight, but there are a few examples of the events and then fireworks at the end. I finally got time to sit down and relax when Mr. Dallas picks me up and carrys me towards the campers. "Wow, cowboy, I want that ass untouched. Man, I've missed fucking you. You're my favorite boy toy, you know."
"Put me down, Dallas! I can walk!" He set me down and my shouting over the crowds wakes Colt. "Double, you told Colt you'd pay double, right?"
He smiles at me with a mischievous grin, saying, "For an unstretched rosebud, I'll pay triple, but I get to do whatever I want, little cowboy."
Something tells me I should pass, but I really need the money, "Okay, deal."
We walk past a few rows of dark campers with Colt lagging behind, and I see a few that I recognize. Dallas' is in the middle of the parking lot. He unlocks the door and holds it open for me and my brother. I take off my cowboy hat and set it on the table. He comes in and tosses his hat and keys on the table next to mine. I drag a chair over to the corner, and Colt sits in it looking at the wall. He puts his earbuds in, and I ready the book he's been reading. One of the rules my clients know and agree to is that Colt gets to sit inside like this. I just don't feel he's safe unless I can see him.
His hands caress my body, bringing me fully to his attention. "Feel good, little cowboy?" He asks, and his hands slip inside my jeans, and my button and zipper break. His strong arms rip my jeans, and my shirt comes loose. He grabs me under my chin and kisses me harshly, pushing me onto the bed.
"Take it easy, Dallas, I've got people after you." He pins me down, and I look over to make sure Colt is still staring at the corner. Dallas rips my shirt off and afterward my jeans. "Now what am I going to do?" I shout, and he kisses me hard and slips a hand down to my balls, grabbing them, making me scream in his mouth. I squirm under him, and he latches on harder with vice grips. He sits up, and while I catch my breath, he sticks his finger down my throat. I begin to gag at the surprise of the fat rough object shoved deep into my gullet.
He laughs and says, "I know you can take longer and fatter things down your throat, so buck up and try harder to enjoy yourself. He pulls his finger out, and as I cough and hack, he forces it up my ass. His fingernail cuts up my butthole like razor blades. I draw in a sharp breath to scream again, but Dallas covers my mouth. "Save your scream for the main event. Wow, I don't think I've ever had you first before. You're so tight. The second finger is giving me trouble, but I'll get it in."
I look up to the ceiling, squeezing my eyes shut as tears stream down my cheeks. I hate this gay shit so bad! Why does it have to hurt so bad before it feels good? I claw at his hand on my mouth, afraid I'll black out soon if he doesn't let go. He's so strong, and I can't force him off. I have to stay conscious for fear of what he will do to Colt if I'm not awake!
"Do you want to suck it or just let me ram it in... Well, I'm paying you triple, so I guess it's my choice." And with that, he begins to force his fat cock inside my ass. His dick stretches my ass, ripping it to accommodate such a large girth. The pain from the resizing of my hole adds to the suffering from the nasty cuts inside it and I can feel my conscience slipping. I weakly claw at his chest and try to kick him off with numbed legs before he does any more serious damage to me.
"Please stop! Stop! Something's wrong!" I yell and beg to no avail.
He turns and looks at Colt sitting in the corner and threatens, "Well, if you can only take half of my cock up your ass, maybe your brother can take it all?" It feels like a spiked club ripping my insides out as he pulls his oversize cock out of my ass. I wail in pain and wildly kick him off of me. He ignores my weak kicks, crawling toward the end of the bed eyeing my brother.
Colt can't ignore my screams anymore and stands up to see the large, naked cowboy crawling towards him with evil in his eyes. He backpedals into the corner and starts to cry and call out to me, "Beau! Beau!"
Dallas gets to his feet and stretches, showing his large frame. Colt seems smaller as he slinks down into the corner and hides his eyes.
Without warning and without thought of my own safety, I leap onto Dallas's back, yelling, "Stay away from my brother!"
He grabs onto my leg and pulls me off with little to no effort. The blood coming from my ass makes his back slick, and I slide right off. I hit the bed and roll over on my stomach. I push my way up only to be slammed back to the bed by Dallas's strong hand on my neck. "Maybe we'll finish and show your little brother what's in store for him!" Then, as he forces my legs apart, his eyes go wide, and he falls on me motionless, knocking the wind out of me. Tears blur my eyes, giving everything a blinding glow. "Help! Help me!" I choke out as I use the rest of my strength to unsuccessfully push the full-grown man to the side. Then a gentle hand lifts me from underneath the unmoving Dallas. I'm rolled over on my back, and I furiously wipe at my eyes to clear my vision. A strong hand rubs my body, making me wince at my ribs, face, and groin. With semi-clear eyes, I identify the man as Randy Hossenger, and my body relaxes, knowing it's safe. He pulls me up to his chest, and with his free hand, he wraps it around my bottom, causing me to wince in pain. A warm liquid drips down my legs, and I fear what that could possibly be.
"Don't worry, son, I have you."
Mr. Hossenger holds a shotgun in his other hand. It's leveled at Dallas, who seems to be bleeding from the back of his head. He backs us out of the trailer, and the cold air shocks my body awake, making me fully aware of the pain I'm in.
"There, there, lad, we'll get you to the house. Mom'ma take care of the little one," he instructs his wife, and he guides Colt into her arms.
I plead, "Don't let him see me like this, please don't." Mr. Hossenger tries to comfort me as he hurries to the main house. I'm so afraid to close my eyes, but can't seem to stop it.
I open my groggy eyes, and it's dark in the room I'm in. The door is left open only a few inches, allowing a sliver of light to pierce the room. It takes a few seconds for me to remember what happened, and the pain from my ass is a huge reminder. "That fucker!" I yell out and feel around down there to find that I have a big towel wrapped around me like a diaper. Bringing my hand out, I look at it covered in blood and I scream, "Help! Oh god, help!"
Colt and Mrs. Hossenger come running in. Being at a loss for words, I show her my hand.
"I know, honey. Try and pinch your cheeks together. The ambulance is on its way. I've done what I can to stop the bleeding, but you're hurt pretty bad."
"Colt!? Colt, are you okay?"
"Shhh, he's fine. He's so worried about you. Poor thing hasn't left the chair outside your door."
Concentrating on my breathing, I try to stay calm. Time goes by, and Colt stays with me, sitting next to me on the bed, gently holding my hand.
Mrs. Hossenger comes in and picks up Colt. "Come on little one, let's get some hot chocolate." She hands Colt to another lady in a nightgown and bathrobe.
I manage to whimper out. "Colt?"
"He'll be fine. Just lay back and be careful not to move very much." I find her voice soothing. It shows her age and a world of experiences. With as much courage as I can muster I ask softly, "...am I going to die?"
Her face is gentle and soft when she answers, "Oooh dear, no. You're going to be fine."
"Don't let them send us home! If my stepdad finds out I'm like this... what I've been doing for money, the whippings will be worse and he`ll probably won't be happy with just beating me anymore!"
"Oh, honey, shhh. Don't worry just concentrate on remaining calm. Mr. Hossenger called a friend, he'll take care of you," she tells me and pats my hand to help me stay calm.
"Is it social services? They'll take Colt from me," I try to sit up with fragile arms and fight Mrs. Hossenger's protest. "Can't let them take Colt! Don't take Colt from me!" The room begins to spin, and her voice begins to echo. She's trying to tell me something about losing too much blood.
I'm not sure how long I am in bed. Blackness struggles to close my eyelids, and I lose track of time. Voices bring me back, and cool air blows into my face as I breathe. Sluggishly, my eyes open, and a man waves a light in and out of my eyes. The light is waving in a rhythmic manner, and I try to follow it, but my eyes can't move.
"Where am I? Where's Colt? Colt!" I loudly mumble.
"Can you tell me your name?" A female asks me loudly.
My name... what's my name? Name...
"Kid... hey kid..."
I am just getting comfortable with a book in my recliner when Randy calls me in a panic.
"Mark, we have a situation. I've got to deal with the cops, but I need you to go to the hospital to look after a kid named Beau Knight. We're waiting on an ambulance. I may be going to jail but watch after Beau and his little brother Colt. The Mrs. has Colt and will meet you at the hospital. Promise me you will keep them toget... Gotta go, the sheriff is here, and I'm covered in blood."
What did Randy get himself into? I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I know when I'm needed. I grab a light jacket, put on my shoes, and head to the hospital.
As I drive to the hospital, I call up Sarah, my executive director for the foundation.
"Hi, Mark, what's got you up at this time of night?"
"I just got a call from Randy Hossenger. He was in a panic and told me there's a kid that is hurt and on the way to the hospital. Apparently, Randy's covered in blood and dealing with the sheriff. He couldn't tell me more. I'm heading to the hospital now. I don't know anything yet, but I may need your help with CPS to find the kid and his little brother emergency placement. I'll call you when I have more detail."
"I'll be standing by. Text me any details you can."
"Will do, thanks."
The drive to the hospital was uneventful. I parked my car by the emergency entrance and saw the ambulance pull in. I ran over to see a boy, about 8 years old, covered in blood, shaking, and very disoriented. He keeps calling out for Colt.
"Hi, Mr. Thomas." The receptionist at the emergency desk calls out. "Are you here for the boy they just brought in?"
"Yes, can I go back?"
"Of course, they're going to take him into trauma one, he's lost a lot of blood."
I walk through the double doors, and the smell of the emergency department is overwhelming. It's a mix of antiseptic and, well, ick. I enter trauma one, and Nathan, the nurse, is giving me a rundown. It's only been a few minutes, but they worked on him on the way here.
"His name is Beau, that's all we know at the moment. He's lost a ton of blood. We just typed him, and they're hanging a bag of O negative until we confirm his blood type. It appears as though he was raped and beaten. It's pretty bad."
Just then, the two doctors and the other nurse moved away, and there I see this precious boy, battered, bruised, and slipping out of consciousness.
His one eye is puffy, but his other eye opens, he sees me, and I smile at him, even though this isn't a situation that calls for a smile. Somehow he musters up the energy to smile at me. He tries to talk. "Colt?" he questions.
I don't know the details, but if Randy says the boy is okay, I believe him. "Beau, Colt is being taken care of, and he is safe."
"Don't take him away."
"I promise." I hope I wasn't making a promise I couldn't keep, but for the most part, my team and I have a lot of pull when it comes to helping kids in need here in the valley.
"Sir, we need to take him into surgery. Are you able to consent?" One of the nurses asks me.
I don't have that authority, but fuck it, the kid needs help, and she doesn't know better. I just scribbled my name, and off they went.
Nathan grabs me by the arm and walks me down the hallway to the waiting room by the surgery center. He sits down next to me, and places his hand on my knee. "Mark, this boy has been in before. His father is pretty rough on him. Please promise me that you'll get him away from that beast. I'd be willing to bet that he's the one that did this."
"Nathan, you know, I will do everything I can."
"I know, Mark. Gotta get back to other patients, they will come out as soon as he's out of surgery."
"Mr. Thomas, wake up. Beau is out of surgery. He's going to recover but will need some time to recuperate. Can you take him?"
"Yes, of course."
"Thank you. He will be discharged later this afternoon."
Shit, I need to call Mrs. Hossenger. I dial her up.
"Hi Mark, how's Beau?" She answered as if everything were okay.
"He's out of surgery, and I'm going to see him as soon as the anesthesia wears off. How's Randy?"
"He finished up with the sheriff and is trying to scrub that bastard's blood off of him in the shower right now."
"So he's not in jail?"
"No, but that bastard who raped poor Beau is going to get a taste of his own medicine once the fellow inmates find out what he's done."
"Great, was it Beau's dad?"
"No, some guy, last name Dallas. He's here for the rodeo. This may not be his first rodeo, but it's definitely his last."
"How's the brother, Colt?"
"He's quite traumatized. He wants to see his brother. He's never far from his side. I'd bring him down, but I can't get away with everything at the moment."
"Do you think we could get someone to bring him over?"
"Yeah, I'll call Seth and see if he and Haydon can come and run him down to you. They seem to have taken a liking to these boys."
An Hour Later
Seth and Haydon brought me to the hospital. On the way, they told me that Mr. Thomas was going to take care of Beau and me until he recovers. I really wish we could stay with the Hossengers. They remind me of grandparents and Mrs. H always has cookies for me. I see the man that must be Mr. Thomas. I run down the hallway toward him, leaving Seth and Haydon behind. I hear Haydon giggling and Mr. Thomas opens his arms wide like he wants a hug. I jump into his arms. He hugs me tight and spins me around.
"How are you doing tiger? You must be Colt." he asks.
"Grrr, I'm worried about Beau, where is he?"
"He's right here."
He carries me into the hospital room.
"Beau, Beau!" I wiggle out of Mr. Thomas' arms and jump down to run over to his bed. He's got a tube in his arm, and a machine is beeping like it's his heart.
"Are you okay? They took Mr. Dallas off in the sheriff's car. He was kickin' and screamin' the whole way. Mrs. H fed me cookies. We was worried about you."
"I'll be fine, Colt. We will be fine. Mr. Thomas said he was going to make sure of it. We don't have to go back home no more."
I run over to Mr. Thomas and grab his leg in a hug. He looks down at me, smiles, and pats my head.
My phone rings as Colt is latching onto my leg. It's Sarah. "Hi, Sarah, what have you found out?"
"Well, CPS is fine with you taking the boys on emergency shelter, but I was talking to my friend, Beth at CPS, and she remembers the Hossengers from when they had foster kids a while back. She pulled their records and they are still active and certified. I hope you can work some of your Mark magic and convince them to take these boys. I don't know their entire story, but I think that the Hossengers really do like them both."
"I'll do what I can. For now, I'll get them set up at the ranch for a few days while we get the paperwork done."
"Great, I'll get Beth to work her magic too. Bye!"
"Boys, I have a surprise for you both. Let me take you out to the ranch. You boys will have a fun time playing with Josh, Max, and Grayson for a few days. You will be safe there. My sons Ethan and Andrew will make sure nothing happens to you."
I gather up the two boys, one clad in oversized scrubs, and we head to the ranch.