Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2022 20:33:32 -0400 From: James Heady Subject: Cole's Redemption--Chapter 7 Cole's Redemption By James Disclaimer This is a story which deals with sexual as well as romantic situations between consenting teenaged males. This story will also deal at times, with scenes of rape, hate speech, Racism, Anti-LGBT views as well as other forms of bigotry against minorities. Should you not be of the legal age to read such material, or if you're offended by this type of story, then please find something else to read. Also, please remember to donate to Nifty, as it's your donations that keep this story as well as other stories and materials on the site free to the public. Finally, if you like this story, and if you haven't done this already. The next time my e-mail address jamesheady1985@gmail.com is wanting to watch a video on YouTube about any latest updates on the Metal Band Night Wish, have it set up so that every five to ten seconds an add plays and further set it up so that none of the adds can be skipped. Cole's Redemption Chapter Seven Since, my friend, you have revealed your Deepest fear I sentence you to be exposed before Your peers Tear down the wall Pink Floyd The Trial 0000 It was nearing the end of October of 2020, and Cole was just barely surviving the group. After he had went along while a couple of the older boys destroyed a Jewish-Owned Bakery, he felt a profound sense of loss, as well as having the thoughts going round and around in his head questioning why any of this was even happening. He thought about all of this on that night that would close October. "Why am I doing this?" he thought in his head as they rode back to Edgar Bradly's compound. Cole was truly sick of everything at this point, and never thought things would get to where they got at that point. As he prepared to walk with the other boys in to the barn, he saw that they were ahead of him, and he saw another stray dog that had been coming around the property. There were several strays that had been venturing on to the property lately, and Edgar Bradly would shoot at them to scare them off, but managed to seriously wound two of them a couple of times, and he as well as two of the older boys stood watching the dog on both occasions dying slowly, and they stood there laughing and mocking the animal's pain each time. When Cole said they needed to do something to stop their suffering, Bradly grabbed him, and pulled his right arm behind his back, and pushed upwards. "What the Fuck did you say to me boy!" he screamed in Cole's face. "You really are going soft on me! I knew it! You've probably been a closeted Fag this whole time!" "I'm not!" Cole said, but Bradly punched him to the ground. Bradly then took Cole to the building where the punishment cells were, and he raped him a couple of times, as well as beat him with his chain and a couple of belts. The punishment lasted longer that night, and Cole was truly grateful when he finally passed out! As Cole stood there looking at this latest stray, he looked up, and the boys were nearing the entrance to the barn. "Go on!" Cole whispered hoping that he could get through to the dog. "Get out of here! He'll kill you if you don't!" Cole found a small piece of a half-eaten sandwich he had from dinner a little while ago, and he threw it as hard as he could. The dog ran off in the direction of it, and he hoped that that would keep it away. Cole then followed where the boys were, and then he was grabbed from behind. "You're coming with me!" Bradly said pulling Cole back. "I saw that, and now I know that you've turned on us!" "No!" Cole screamed as Bradly picked him up, and carried him the rest of the way to the punishment building. "I haven't turned on you guys!" "The hell you fucking haven't!" Bradly screamed as he dragged Cole inside the usual cell, and restrained him, or tried to as Cole was now fighting back. "Stop struggling!" Bradly yelled as he grabbed for Cole's right hand. "No!" Cole screamed, and broke free. "You're not going to do this to me again! You're not going to fucking do this to me again you Bastard! You're the one who betrayed me; you've betrayed us all! You promised us a different life, and what do any of us have to fucking show for it!" Bradly got hold of Cole, and quickly restrained him this time, and when Cole turned his head, that's when he saw the broken off broom handle! "I'll fucking teach you to fight me again you fucking degenerate Fag!" Bradly screamed before pushing the handle in to Cole. "You're fucking lucky if I don't rip open your guts with this fucking stick! You deserve it and more! I hope this hurts like Hell you traitorous piece of shit!" "Fuck you!" Cole screamed with pure hate, rage and fear! "Fuck you, you Mother Fucker! I hate you! You're a fucking Bastard, and I hope you die!" "You're absolutely going to pay for that!" Bradly said as he jerked the broom handle out of Cole, and then took up his chain, then beat Cole worse than before! "Now you fucking Fag!" Bradly said. "You and I, we're done! You can go off somewhere and fucking die for all I care!" After unchaining Cole, Bradly left, and Cole passed out for several hours. When Cole regained consciousness, he felt pain all over. He then checked back there where Bradly had been penetrating him earlier, and he didn't see any blood. He just hoped that the Bastard hadn't actually done any damage to him back there. Somehow, Cole found the strength to stand, and he made his way out of the building, and he forced himself to walk for a long distance. He walked until he came to an area of town where there were a few gas stations, and then to his right was a police station. He didn't like the idea of going to jail, but it had to be better than where he had been for the past year and several months. He looked over at the building, then looked up at the dark and star-filled sky on that last night in October. Cole then mustered the last bit of courage he had, and walked forward and across the street, and in to the police station. Cole saw a desk across from him, and he stepped up to it, and after the guy behind it asked him his name, Cole gave it to him, then said he needed to see whoever was in charge. They brought out a tall and powerfully built man who was dressed in uniform, and Cole watched as he stepped up to where he stood by the desk. "I'm Detective Simmons," the large man said. "I'm in charge here, and I understand that you've asked to speak to someone who's in charge of things here. Well, that's me; so what's going on?" "I don't really know how to begin," Cole said. Simmons stood there watching this boy who was bruised, and he had dried blood on his shirt, and he looked like he could fall over at any moment. "I'd like to take you to my office where we can talk," Simmons said. They went there, and once there, Cole watched as Simmons read a memo on his phone, then set it down. "You might want to make this quick. We've been having a high rash of incidents of various minority-owned businesses vandalized, as well as three people badly beaten. One was a guy who runs a gas station not too far from here. He was beaten several months ago, and his boyfriend had to spend months taking care of him, as he needed physical therapy since one of his knees was damaged enough so that he needed surgery on it." Cole had a good idea of who Simmons was referring to. "There was also a couple of guys a few weeks ago who were beaten in their house. All three victims reported that the person who beat them was wearing a cloth mask or sack over his head, and they know it was a "He" since the guy spoke to them. Anyway, it's really bad, and we're really trying to get this case solved." Cole watched Simmons, and he waited for a moment before speaking. "That's what I'm here about," Cole said feeling his heart beat faster now. "You have information?" Simmons asked leaning forward. "I'm the one you're looking for," Cole said as he shifted in his seat. "What?" Simmons said unbelieving. "Look, this isn't a joke. The guy who beat them hurt these guys really bad. If this is some kind of sick joke, then you better stop it now, because I don't have time for Bullshit." "It's not Bullshit!" Cole exclaimed feeling everything beginning to crash down upon him. "Those guys you talked about, I'm the one who beat them! I did it! I also helped in destroying the businesses that you mentioned as well! I'm sure you're having trouble believing that I could hurt those guys, as I am kind of small, but I was taught really well how to fight someone bigger than I am." Simmons sat there watching Cole, and listening to everything he was saying, and now it clicked. "My god!" Simmons said feeling shock, sadness, fear and anger all at the same time. "Do you know how much trouble you're in! You could have killed those guys, and you helped in destroying those businesses, something those people worked hard for." "They're not like us!" Cole shot back, hardly believing the Big Lie at this point. "Stop!" Simmons yelled and slammed his opened palm down on the desk hard enough to make two thick file folders beside him jump. "Just stop it with that Bullshit! You don't believe any of that crap, at least not now, and we both know it! Who even taught you that hateful shit in the first place!" "The leader of the group I just ran from," Cole said as he felt himself close to tears. "Yeah, I kind of figured that, but I want names, and I want details!" Simmons said leaning forward. "I also think it's time that I read you your rights, as well as advised you on getting an attorney before you say anything else." "Do whatever you have to do," Cole said. Simmons watched him carefully to see if the boy was trying to mouth off to him, and he decided he wasn't. As he staired at Cole for another moment, he saw that this boy was ready to talk, and he knew that it might not be a profoundly long night, but it would be a night on which they learned more than they thought they would. Simmons read Cole his rights, helped with getting an attorney down there, and after two other detectives came in to the room, Cole told them everything, starting from how he met Edgar Bradly, then finishing up with running from Bradly's property. He was trying to leave out the rapes though! He knew he couldn't ever tell anyone about those! "I'm not understanding why you ran now though," Simmons said. "Clearly you were sick of the group, but why did you run tonight of all nights?" "Bradly and I fought, and he beat me," Cole said. "I had finally reached my breaking point I guess." It was now well after 12:00 A.M. in the morning, and they were readying themselves to take Cole to booking, then to a cell. As Cole stood up, one of the two other detectives saw the red spot on the seat Cole had just stood up from. "What the hell?" the detective said. "Cole, you've been bleeding." Simmons looked, and he had Cole turn around. "Get on the phone and get an ambulance here now!" Simmons said, then he held on to Cole, as Cole was having trouble standing now. "I feel weird!" Cole said. "I feel like I'm about to pass out!" Then he lost consciousness. Once at the hospital, Cole was rushed in to emergency surgery where they found that the repeated rapes weakened part of the rectal walls causing bleeding that occurred once Bradly moved the broom stick around inside him earlier that evening. They worked to repair the lacerations, and then Cole was taken to a room and one of his wrists was handcuffed to the bed rale. Out in the hall, Detective Simmons stood beside Cole's room, and he looked up to see Kathy Preston who was the District Attorney coming down the hall towards him. He knew her from working with her on a couple of cases, but before that he knew her mainly by reputation. She got convictions on all but two cases throughout her ten years as a DA, and when it came to murder she pushed for the Death Sentence every time. When it wasn't crimes like murder or related to murder, she was still tough to the point of being almost vengeful. Simmons groaned in his mind; he figured he knew what was coming. "Detective," Preston said closing the distance. "Is that the room Cole Hoffman is in right now?" "Yeah, it is," Simmons said watching her. "How long will he be staying here?" she asked. "The doctors don't know," Simmons replied. "They think it'll be for at least the next four or five days." "Would you care to explain to me why his little convalescents vacation can't be done at the infirmary at County Lock-up?" she asked coldly. "I mean, he didn't go on a boy scout trip and get hurt doing some stunt, he's a violent gang member, and I've had enough of him being loose on the streets. I intend to see that he pays for what he's done." "Look in there," Simmons said quickly reaching the end of Preston's Bullshit. "He's not going anywhere, and I don't believe I ever said that I want him on the streets. I don't want him where he doesn't need to be right now, and where he doesn't need to be right now is in a jail cell, nor in their less than adequate medical facilities." "Don't tell me you feel sorry for him," Preston shot back as she looked at Cole who was heavily sedated before she closed the door returning to stand in front of Simmons. "I don't feel sorry for him," Simmons replied. "I just think he needs to be here in the hospital, and the doctors apparently agree. I also have dealt with kids like him before, and I can definitely testify to the reality that kids like Cole Hoffman don't come out of a vacuum. Somehow he got to the point of being in the gang he was in, and he still is a kid, and I want to see that he's treated fairly." "I hope your bleeding-heart feelings keep you warm tonight," Preston said acidly. "I hear it's dipping down in to the low 40s for the rest of the night." Simmons watched as she walked away, and he thought not for the first time what a cold-hearted Bitch he thought she was, but he wouldn't ever say so out loud. Simmons of course wanted to see this boy answer for what he did, but if Preston had it her way, Cole Hoffman would most likely be sentenced to either 40 years if not a Life Sentence without any possibility of parole. He also figured that as in the past, Preston would push for Cole to be tried as an adult, and Simmons felt that this would be unfair. He didn't know why, but he hoped for a chance for this boy that would allow for him to have a chance at turning his life around. Over the next few days Cole recovered, and the day before he was released, he was interviewed by Simmons a couple of times, then his attorney met with Preston in hopes that a more lenient sentence could be arranged. As the day continued on, Cole was thinking over all that had happened, and he didn't know how he would even begin to change, but he knew that he was truly sorry for everything he had done, and he hoped he could make it right or at least be given the chance to start making things right. Finally around 4:30 P.M. that afternoon, Detective Simmons, Cole's attorney and DA Preston came to visit Cole, and they spent a couple of minutes making sure that he wasn't in any pain, then Preston said she wanted to speak with Cole alone. "Is this necessary?" Simmons asked annoyed. "It's alright," Cole said. "I'll be okay." "I'm staying," the attorney named Smith said. "I wasn't going to have you leave," Preston said facing the attorney and giving him a patronizing look. Simmons walked out of the room, and Cole watched as Preston sat down beside him as he lay there in his hospital bed. "I don't know if you know much about me," Preston began. "Do you?" "Not much," Cole answered,. "Detective Simmons did say that you have a reputation of being really tough on crime. Is that true?" "That's right," Preston replied. "I make no apology for that, and I would just assume deal with you like any other low-life criminal, but your attorney and Simmons have apparently seen something in you worth saving, though I can't imagine what it is." "If you don't think that I don't know what I did was wrong, I truly do," Cole said looking directly at her. "I never knew what I was getting in to when I met Edgar Bradly back then." "Why?" Preston asked coldly. "You're going to actually tell me that your family just let you go right along with him?" "DA Preston that's enough," Smith said standing up and facing her. "He isn't on trial here, and I won't see him badgered like this." "I probably deserve it though," Cole said looking directly at both of them. "Your attorney is right," Preston said. "You're not on trial, but I will tell you this. If I had it my way, you would be in jail right now, and I would have pushed for at most a 40-year prison sentence, and at worst a life sentence with no chance of any kind of release ever." "Why don't you then?" Cole asked wondering what she was getting at. "Because Mr. Smith and Detective Simmons seem to think there's something in you worth saving like I said, and while I don't know what that is, I don't want to draw things out any longer than they need to be." "I see," Cole said, and he didn't. "To be completely honest with you Hoffman," Preston went on. "I have no empathy for criminals of any kind. There's a reason for this. I lost my sister back when I was 20, and she was 14. She was a lesbian, and someone at her school outed her to the whole school, and this punk lead her to believe that she could trust him. Would you like to know what happened after this fine gentleman outed her, and it got around all over the school?" "What happened?" Cole asked. "He called her up a few nights later, and he got her out to the woods saying that he wanted to apologize to her. After he got her out there, several of the other guys he outed her to were hiding, and he had them show themselves. Long story short, they took turns beating her, raping her and then this boy and one of the others took turns stabbing her over and over again. What did they all get as punishment you might ask? Oh, just a few years in Juvenile Hall, then they got released once each of them turned 21. You have all of this Psychology coming out these days with theories about why these criminals do what they do. You know, stuff like did little Jonny grow up to kill 20 people, and was a predicter of that possibly him pissing the bed until he was eight years old or something like that. You also have book after book that tries to answer the question of why Adolf Hitler did what he did, and what caused the evil within him that he used to do what he did. Would you like to know what I think Hoffman?" "What?" Cole asked fully focused on everything she was saying. "I don't give a damn what happened to any of them in their childhoods, nor do I give a damn how deeply hurting they are inside, and I don't care why they do what they do," she said with pure hate in her voice. "I don't give a damn about any of this new-fangled crap people talk about these days about how we have our hurting inner child! You can't possibly have that wounded of an inner child that you then get the right to harm other people and get away with it!" "I do actually agree with you," Cole said trying to take in everything that she had just finished telling him. "Also, for what it's worth I am sorry to hear about what happened to your sister. That really was horrible what they did to her." "I'll say thank you as that's the normal and appropriate response," Preston replied. "I'm not in to sorrys though, and I'm in to seeing peoples' actions, not hearing their words. That now brings me to why we're here today." "I'm listening," Cole answered. "Mr. Smith, Detective Simmons and I have talked over the last few days since you've been in here recovering," Preston went on. "I also just spoke with the judge assigned to your case earlier today. We're offering you a deal." "What?" Cole asked not understanding. "We're offering you a deal," Preston repeated. "The deal is that you will have to go to a place where they can help people, mainly kids who have been involved in what you were involved in. You will be on probation for the next year while there, and you will wear an ankle monitor during the course of your stay there,. That being said though, if you show good behavior, you can stay with someone else at night, and go to the place in the daytime hours. Let me be very clear though before you go thinking that this is some get-out of jail free card. You will be watched, and you will meet with a Probation Officer at the beginning and end of each month for the duration of your probation. You will have a curfew, and if you're late for it one time, you're going to jail, then to prison for that possible mandatory Life Sentence I mentioned. This is the end of the line for you, and you had better understand that. You will also attend counseling sessions to help with your anger, as well as whatever else you have going on psychologically,. Then just to clarify you'll be at this place, but if during your stay there at any point if you've shown good behavior consistently, as well as if a family or potential guardian takes an interest in taking you in, then your stay there at the center could be for the next year, or only for a couple of months. Your probation as I said though will be for the next year." Cole could hardly believe what he was hearing. He didn't think of it as any punishment-free gift, but he had expected to do some degree of time behind bars. He waited for a moment before speaking. "So if I take the deal, I won't have to go to jail or prison?" he asked still trying to believe what he had heard. "That's correct," Preston replied. "Do you have any other questions?" "I would like a minute to confer with my client," Mr. Smith said before Cole could speak again. "Fair enough," Preston said, then left the room closing the door behind her. "You understand everything we discussed?" Mr. Smith asked. "She is right too, this is the end of the line for you, and even if we had a DA who isn't as tough on crime as she is, they would still push for you to do hard time somewhere, but this is probably the best deal you're going to get if you have any hope of turning things around for yourself." "What about my family, the ones I ran away from when I got with the group I mean?" Cole asked. "They've not returned any of our calls, so that's part of why we're sending you where we're sending you," Mr. Smith responded. "Yeah, that sounds like them," Cole said sadly. "I'll take the deal." "You're sure?" Mr. Smith asked. "I'm sure," Cole replied. 0000 Cole "So that's all of it," I said as Kevin sat there beside me on the ground. It was now towards the beginning of May, and as Kevin and I had continued getting to know one another, we would come over to one another's houses on the weekends, and though this wasn't always possible every single weekend, we saw each other most weekends, and it was really nice getting to know each other more. A couple of days before we got together on this particular Saturday, Kevin had asked me about what all had happened with everything that lead me to where I was today, and I told him that I'd tell him all about it when we got together Saturday, and so the day was here, and I had just finished telling him everything, from how and when I met Edgar Bradly, to the rapes, as well as the rape by my cousin, and the abusive ways of my bio parents. I also told him about the guys I beat up, and about how the couple who I was getting ready to beat really badly, and about how I finally lost my nerve and left without beating them any further, as well as not taking their money. I waited to see what Kevin would do or say. 0000 Kevin I sat there trying to take in everything Cole had just told me. I couldn't believe all that he had been involved in, and obviously a part of me was angry at how he had treated some of the people he had beaten up, as well as I felt angry about what he did to the businesses of the other people. I also felt really sad for him, and sad about all of his story he had told me. In short, sadness and anger were waring within me, and yet I couldn't find the level of anger to go off on him like I would have with anyone else who had done what he did. As I continued sitting there, I remembered when he stopped himself from doing any further damage to the couple he had ran from, as well as when he got the stray dog out of harm's way, then I remembered about when he told me that a couple of months in to being in the group, Cole saw a cat stalking a bird out in back of the property, and he made enough noise so that the cat ran off, and then the bird flew away. About a second after that, one of the older boys came upon Cole, and he had to work hard to get back in to the tough character he had been enveloped in when around the group. Cole clearly had a good side to him, and had he been given a real chance before all that, then things probably wouldn't have turned out as they had. I scooted closer to him, then looked directly at him, then began talking. "There's a part of me that is really angry about what you did, and the things you did while in that group were horrible," I began. "At the same time, I know who you are, and I have gotten to know you really well, and I have seen the good side you have. There really is good within you, and I wish that people could have been there for you long before any of this happened. I'm just glad that you're making the changes in your life you've been making, and I'm glad that you gave up that life, and I hope you continue on with being on the road you're on right now. You do have my support, and I'll always be here for you Cole." "Thanks," Cole said, and we hugged for a long moment. "That truly means a lot to me!" "You're welcome, and I'm glad it does!" I replied as we held each other for several minutes, and just stayed like that for the longest time. 0000 Cole I was relieved to know that Kevin was still by my side, and also glad to know that I had his unwavering support! It felt good to be held by him as we sat there, and I enjoyed feeling my arms wrapped around him as well. I was glad that we had that time to share as we were doing with just holding each other, and enjoying the silence and one another's company! I was also glad that I had told Kevin everything, and that it was out in the open! "Since we don't have anything going on the rest of the day today, and we don't have church tomorrow," Kevin began. "If it's alright with Daniel, and with my parents would you like to go camping with me tonight? We could hike up to the spot I have in mind. I know we had talked about that a while back shortly after we first met." "I'd love that!" I answered. It was set, and after getting the equipment and food we would need, we were off. We hiked for almost an hour after Daniel drove us to Kevin's house, and soon we were deep in the back of the woods in back of the house. We were walking through an area where we had a huge row of trees on either side of us as if it was a forest tunnel, and I was truly amazed at how lovely and peaceful it all was! "I really love it here!" I said as we neared the clearing that Kevin had in mind for us to set up camp. "It's so quiet and feels so peaceful here!" "I love it here as well!" Kevin replied coming up to stand along side me. "I discovered this area a couple of years ago, and had from that point on, wanted to bring a best friend to this place someday. My friend Chance isn't the most out-doors kind of guy, but when I met you, I figured that you'd really be interested in coming up here, and I also figured that especially when you said that you like camping as well." "I'm glad you brought me up here," I said turning to face my best friend. He turned to face me, and we looked in to each other's eyes for a moment, and when I reached for him, I put my arms around him, and he instantly embraced me. It felt good to feel his slightly warm body against mine. He was hot from the exertion we had been working up while walking, and I could feel some of that warmth through his shirt. It felt amazing, and he smelled good also! I was the first to separate, and I looked up at him. "It looks like we're close," I said feeling like I could loose myself in his deep-brown eyes. "We are," he answered, and it just occurred to me that we were both talking about more than being close to the area at which we would set up camp. Author's Notes I hope everyone enjoyed how I told the rest of Cole's story regarding how he got out of the group, and I also hope all of you have enjoyed seeing how things went when Cole told Kevin his story. I will be continuing on with the events in the next chapter regarding Cole and Kevin's night where they spend it together camping in the woods. This will be bringing them closer, and I hope you all like reading about that. I hope you're all doing well, staying safe and I'll see you guys in Chapter Eight.