"And these here as well, Mrs. Matthews," Doctor Grady said.
"Paperwork for a simple medical check-up? Seems excessive."
"That's the law, Ma'am. Twenty years ago we wouldn't even have to notify you, let alone ask for permission. But it's not our call."
"Seems like a big waste of rainforest," she said with a chuckle but patiently signed over a dozen pages presented to her by Mr. Trevor, Grady's assistant.
If she wasn't so focused on her task, she might have caught the shared glances between the two men. Nervous. Knowing.
But she didn't. And if she noticed Trevor's somewhat trembling hand as he handed her the final document, she thought nothing of it.
"We're required by law to tell you that this last checkup is optional," Grady said with a poker face. "But it's highly recommended by the medical community, especially for aspiring athletes like your son."
"Sure," she replied, signing the document without a glance. She hated long reads. Preferred Pilates over paperwork. And she'd do anything for her teenage boy.
She would have probably left the room and spent the next few days in blissful ignorance if Mr. Trevor could keep it cool. But he practically yanked the piece of paper from Mrs. Matthews' hands the second she was done with her signature. Then he quickly folded it in two and put it inside a plastic folder that he closed with a slap before Dr. Grady could pierce him with a scolding glare.
Alison Matthews might not read agreements, but she knew a con when she saw one.
"Can I have another look at this paper, Mr. Trevor?" she said, standing abruptly.
"No need, Ma'am, just needed the signature."
"I insist," she said and reached for the folder, but Mr. Trevor lifted it out of reach.
"Give me that!" she snarled, jabbing an elbow into Trevor's ribs. Gasping, he lobbed the folder to Grady. Matthews lunged, but Grady chucked it back over her. The folder pinballed between them until she spotted the scissors. Brandishing them like a dagger, she pointed at Grady.
"Hand it over or I'll carve you a new one!"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Matthews," Grady said, then tossed the folder out the window.
She raced to the window. Down below, a large suited man scooped the folder off the pavement and, ignoring her screams, drove off in a black Audi.
Mrs. Matthews turned back to the room and the two men, now wearing apologetic but calm faces. Then she noticed the pile of similar papers like the one she had been manipulated to sign. Before anyone could react, she snatched one of them and stormed out of the room.
In her car, she read the agreement thrice. Her heart froze.
"Not my Ethan! Not my little one!" she shrieked.
Thirteen-year-old Ethan came back home mud-spattered after his soccer practice, just in time for dinner. He was starving, and the smell of Mom's roast coming from the kitchen made him drool. But first, he had to scrub off the day's grime. He got to his room, stripped down, and hit the shower. A few minutes later, he emerged fresh, and stark naked, he got back to his room, hoping his younger siblings, Bobby and Diana, wouldn't see him. He put on his nice clothes, not the ones he'd wear when going to church or a fancy restaurant, but he knew his mom loved it when he looked smart at the dinner table. Ethan was grateful for her cooking and would hate to disappoint her.
He rushed downstairs, his stomach rumbling. His parents, brother, and sister were already at the table. Mom looked a bit lost in thought, but he'd had a great day, and all he wanted was to share it. He hugged her, then Dad. "Hey, runts," he ruffled Bobby's and Diana's hair, making them giggle. Then, he dug in.
His father asked him about his day, but seemed absent as he cheerfully told them about the A he got from a Maths test and other school affairs.
"Also... I kinda met someone," Ethan said, but his parents seemed in another dimension.
"Ethan got a girlfriend, Ethan got a girlfriend," The twins sang, but even this didn't seem to wake their parents from their stupor.
Ethan shrugged and continued eating. He'd been growing courage to talk to his parents for a few days now, so it was disappointing, but he'd just try another day. But then he noticed his mom barely touched her food. She was biting her nails - something she'd only do in moments of extreme stress - and staring outside the window.
After dinner, Ethan helped with the dishes and went upstairs to do his homework. When it was done, he played some online video games with friends and spent some time drawing in his notebook. He was already in his pajamas and getting ready for bed when Bobby and Diana poked their heads in. "Will you read for us?"
"Isn't that Mommy's job?"
"She won't come out of her room," Diana whined.
"And Daddy's there too," Bobby chimed in.
"Ugh, fine."
Ethan didn't put his heart and soul into the bedtime story, but the audience wasn't too demanding. By the time he tiptoed out of their room, they were both snoring. He sneaked downstairs to check on his parents, but the door was still closed. He heard muffled fragments of conversation but quickly backed away to his room. Good boys don't eavesdrop, and Ethan was the quintessence of good-boyishness. At least according to his teachers, aunts, and neighbors - and who else's opinion really matters? He jumped in his bed, read a book for fifteen minutes, and turned off the light.
The next day, Spencer waited for Ethan by the drug store on their way to school. Ethan's heart grew as always when his boyfriend was around. His boyfriend. Ethan still couldn't believe his luck. Spencer was not only the cutest kid at school, he was also fun to be around and shared most of Ethan's interests.
Spencer had talked to him for the first time only a few weeks ago, earlier being just a face in the crowd due to not sharing any classes. But then, Spencer saw Ethan read a One Piece comic book during a recess. The boys hit it off immediately and it didn't take long for them to start sharing their thoughts and secrets.
"Would you be my boyfriend?" Spencer asked him one day when they were hanging at their favorite spot by the river dam. Ethan was speechless so he just offered the other boy his hand and from then on, they'd hold them any chance they had. They didn't bother hiding it at school either. At first, they caused lots of gossip and weird stares, but their friends had quickly accepted them. There was a slur or two from the school bullies, but the boys were too head over heels for one another to pay attention.
The day at school was uneventful. Ethan spent the recess and lunch with Spencer and their friends, joking and commenting on the freshest social media dramas. He found some time to hang out with his crush, Lisa. After school, he rode the bus home with Spencer.
"So, you heard about that medical check next week?" Spencer asked, a shift from their typical banter.
"Yeah, I think someone mentioned something. What's it about?"
"I have no idea," Spencer shrugged. "Everyone's so secretive. Maybe they'll measure our junk."
"Shut up!"
"I know, right? I can just tell them the size if they're that interested."
The conversation veered off, and before long, it was Ethan's stop. A quick hug with Spencer and he was on his way home. The boys hadn't even kissed yet, not to mention anything more serious. It's not like they didn't want it. They just enjoyed growing their relationship one tiny step at a time.
Ethan hoped he could try once more telling his folks about Spencer, but they were still strangely silent, and Ethan started to worry. Were their parents divorcing? It couldn't be. They were made for each other, and they did everything together. They hardly ever argued, and even if they did, they quickly made up, loudly in their bedroom, forcing Ethan to wear earplugs and stuff his head under a pillow. Needless to say, the flame of love between his folks was as bright as on the day they met at the college fifteen years ago.
And tonight, they locked themselves in their bedroom as they used to, but Ethan only heard some quiet voices, maybe sobbing. He was mature and considerate for his age, but this situation worried him. Sharing the news with Spencer didn't help.
"My folks do it all the time. First, they fight, then come the silent days, then they're lovebirds again until another fight. The circle of life!" he butchered the song from "The Lion King," missing every single note making Ethan chuckle. He loved how goofy his boyfriend could be sometimes.
The week had gone by like a blur. Ethan's parents started pretending everything was fine, being overly talkative and smiling with their mouths. Ethan wasn't fooled by their act but decided he was going to play dumb for however long it takes.
On the day of the medical checkup, Ethan and Spencer hid their nervousness by joking around. No matter how much they liked to trash-talk, both were more than a bit self-conscious about their bodies ever since puberty had started. By then, everyone was convinced that the checkup would involve getting naked in front of the doctors. Some wilder theories included measuring length, girth, and even providing samples. Ethan chased this thought away. This was such a silly idea.
But during the first class, a voice came through the speakers. "Ethan Matthews, to the principal's office."
Ethan stood up, all eyes on him. His throat tightened. He had never been in trouble. Whatever this was, couldn't be good. The walk to the principal's office felt like a death row. Ethan realized he had never been there before and he wasn't looking forward to changing it.
He knocked and after a brief "come in", he went inside. The principal was sitting behind her desk with a stern look on her face. Only after a few seconds, he noticed a large, bald man standing by the bookshelf. He wore a black suit, matching shades, and had a wide smile on his face as he stood there almost motionlessly.
"Ethan Matthews," the principal said, looking at some papers. "Since you're the only one signed up for the special program, please follow Mr..."
She clearly expected the man to fill in his name, but his face was set in stone.
The principal cleared her throat. "Please follow him."
"But I..."
"Don't worry about your things, Matthews."
Only then, the large man moved with surprising grace, and a moment later he was holding the door for Ethan. His silence petrified the boy, and he couldn't find the right words to protest. This had to be some kind of a mistake.
He followed the man through the school corridors, out of the building, and then to a parking lot where a black Audi was parked. The man gestured for Ethan to get in. A cold sweat slicked the boy's palms. The car roared to life, and they drove off.
They drove for a while, and Ethan was too scared to ask. Normally, he didn't have any problems talking to adults, but the big, silent man was scaring him. Also, his gut told him he wouldn't like the answer. Was this why his parents acted so weird all week? The connection was getting clearer.
His stomach twisted as they pulled into what appeared to be a military base. Ethan was helped out of the car, only to be greeted by a group of uniformed men who saluted his silent escort. He felt dwarfed, utterly out of place. What on earth were his parents thinking?
"Your transport should be here any minute, sir," one of the men reported to the driver. Almost on cue, a distant noise gradually morphed into the rhythmic chopping of helicopter blades. Ethan's gut clenched as the helicopter circled overhead, casting an ominous shadow.
But it didn't land. Instead, a rope ladder was lowered, the bottom hovering just above the ground.
"After you, boy," the bald man gestured towards the ladder.
Only then Ethan found the courage to speak. "I think this must be some kind of mistake. I didn't sign up for..."
"We have your mother's signature, boy. There's no mistake. Now, up you go, else it'll run out of fuel."
Ethan bit his lip to hold back tears. He was being taken somewhere far away, and no one cared to tell him anything. He wanted to call his mom to let her know he wasn't coming for dinner, but something told him she knew.
Ethan took a shaky hold of a ladder rung and began an awkward ascent. The ladder swung with each of his movements. He was midway up when he felt an additional weight. Glancing down, he saw the large man climbing up after him, a smile on his face. Despite the dark shades, Ethan was certain the man was looking at his butt. Embarrassed, he quickly turned away and continued his climb.
As he neared the top, two sturdy hands hoisted him up onto the helicopter. He found himself in the company of a young, handsome soldier who flashed him a reassuring smile.
"So, you're our little hero," he said. "This country needs more brave boys like you. How are you feeling?"
"Good," Ethan managed to croak out.
"My name's Sergeant Dabrowski. But call me Dabrowski. I'll be your go-to person for whatever you need."
"I'm Ethan," the boy said automatically.
"Nice to meet you, Ethan. Now, take a seat. It's a long flight."
Ethan did as he was told, struggling to maintain a composed facade. He was terrified, yet the last thing he wanted was to appear weak in front of this alpha male who had just called him a hero, despite him feeling anything but.
Shortly thereafter, the man in the suit boarded the helicopter, and Dabrowski saluted him. Then, the ladder was drawn up, the door closed, and the helicopter began to circle again.
"Buckle up," Dabrowski advised with a wink. Ethan looked around for a seatbelt, blushing when the soldier laughed. "Don't worry, little guy, you'll be just fine."
The flight was silent. Ethan's thoughts whirled around his parents, his friends, and home. Would he be home by bedtime? Again, fear stopped him from asking, and the suited man's silence was too intimidating to break.
And Spencer! He didn't get to tell him he was leaving. He's probably worried sick.
After what felt like an hour or two, the helicopter began its descent. Ethan sighed with relief when they touched down. No more ladders, at least for the time being. Dabrowski opened the door, and they disembarked. Ethan surveyed his surroundings -- they were in a military base nestled in the heart of a desert.
The base was encircled by towering walls crowned with barbed wire. Concrete and steel buildings sprawled across the area, with massive hangars and barracks commanding the view. The roar of helicopters and fighter planes filled the air, taking off and landing on a nearby airstrip. It appeared to stretch on for miles, with no visible end in sight.
More military personnel patrolled the perimeter. Ethan began to hyperventilate. He felt ridiculously out of place in his school uniform amidst these towering men, like a character in a surreal movie.
Another soldier greeted them and led them to one of the buildings, unlocking the door with a passcode. Once inside, they headed straight for an elevator. They all crammed in. The elevator was spacious, capable of fitting at least ten more people. Ethan noted the unusual configuration of the buttons -- higher numbers at the bottom, with zero at the top. The soldier who had guided them pressed number twelve. The elevator jolted, and Ethan's stomach lurched as they descended.
When the elevator door opened before him on level -12, he heard himself ask, "Where are we?"
"The medical research facility, dorm, and leisure area. Follow me," Dabrowski said patiently, and with the corner of his eye, he noticed the man in the suit smile to himself.
Ethan stared into the corridor. Stretching into an almost infinite distance, it was cloaked in a harsh, sterile light that flickered intermittently from the old, humming fluorescent tubes mounted in the ceiling. It looked as welcoming as the abandoned hospital at the edge of town he had heard so many ghost tales about. Whoever had called it a leisure area must have had a peculiar idea of leisure.
Ethan stepped out of the elevator, and they proceeded down the corridor when Ethan noticed that the big man was still inside the elevator.
"I trust you to take it from here, Dabrowski. I'm counting on you," he said in his deep voice.
"Yes, sir," Dabrowski saluted.
Ethan saw the assisting soldier press the lowermost button on the elevator panel, and the suited man smiled at him with his white teeth before the door closed before them.
"Let's go," Dabrowski said and led him down the corridor, their steps echoing from the walls. There were reinforced metal doors on the left and right in even intervals, and by the time Dabrowski pulled out his keys and opened one of them, he had lost count.
They went inside a long room with white walls and old tiles. It was completely empty, except for the moldy stench in the air. There was another door on the other side.
"Leave all your clothes, things, and your backpack here. You'll get them back when you leave," Dabrowski ordered, and when he saw Ethan's shock, he added, "You can turn around if you want."
Ethan's erection was already pressing against his underwear, but that wasn't his only concern.
"Don't I get any new clothes?" he asked, fearing the worst.
"You'll find your new clothes in the next room. I can't follow you there. I am to pick your stuff, and then you're on your own. For now. But you'll be fine, don't worry."
"Why can't you go with me?" Ethan asked with puppy eyes. Dabrowski was the only person who talked to him since he had left the school, and he felt a sting of dread thinking the man would leave him too.
"It's the procedure. Don't worry. I'm here for you. I'll be seeing you a lot, when you're not occupied, that is. Now, get that fancy drip off. I'm sure you look just as well without it."
Ethan wasn't so sure. He looked around, as if expecting more people in the room staring at him. Then he turned around and started undressing. He was down to his green speedos, and somehow he knew it wouldn't end there. Hopelessly conscious of his throbbing penis, he pulled down the undies and stepped out of them.
Dabrowski whistled. "Look at you. That's some good genes. What are they feeding you kids these days?"
Ethan didn't answer. He wanted to say "Mommy's roast," but thinking about his mom made him want to cry. Here he was, miles away from home, who knows how many feet underground, naked and hard, in a room that looked like a prison cell, with a man he'd only just met. It wasn't what he was signing up for when he'd left home this morning. This morning? It felt more like weeks.
He heard Dabrowski pick up his clothes and walk away towards the door they came in through. "Just go to the other door. You'll know what to do," leaving Ethan feeling smaller and more alone and insignificant than he'd ever been.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think archhunter420@gmail.com