Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:59:41 +0100 From: Jonas Henley Subject: Kids of Indian Spring - Ch 14 Kids of Indian Spring by Jonas Henley Chapter 14 Thursday, 15 June 1995 3:30 pm Kelley and Nathan returned to the Tucker house after the basketball game and had a sit down lunch with Kelley's parents (and his little brother Ashton). Nathan loved the sense of the larger family eating together, such a stark contrast to the usual quiet family dinners that he had with just his mom and dad and their attempts to keep everything on the level of adult sophistication. The Tuckers were a real family. However, the previous night's dinner at the Carlin house, the one where Ezekiel Prosper had joined them, was so surreal that Nathan still wasn't sure whether or not to smile about it as he remembered it. It did at the least give him something to try out after lunch. He made his excuses after thanking Mrs. Tucker for lunch and headed out on his bike. Ashton wasn't far behind him, heading to find Patrick and Katherine Cormack. They were supposed to meet up with Stevie Vargas and Johnny Seidel and look for tadpoles in the stream out behind the Hudson's, maybe even get the De La Cruz kids to play fort with them at the old Hudson treehouse. Kelley's mom had a couple of errands to run after working all morning on the 'CIA' project - the Indian Spring Community Integrity Association's current fight against a sneaky development attempt in deeper Indian Spring Community Holdings. That left Kelley and his dad a few moments alone to talk. Kelley for his part was nervous that his dad may want to talk more about sex and his own development, a topic Kelley was keen to steer away from. He thought maybe it was safe to ask his dad more about what Seamus Lanham was like and what kind of gifts the Cormacks had, and did any of them know about his own. His dad told him basically the same that Elizabeth Cormack had told Ian, that the knowledge of one's gift shouldn't be passed around. Ultimately the more people knew about your gift or talent, the less control you had over it, or at least the less benefit you could derive from it. It also made it more likely for someone to steal your gift or find your weaknesses and bypass your gift. "So someone could steal my gift of, um , , , ," "Immunity. And in theory, yes and no. After all, you are supposedly immune to the very craft that could steal the gift. But then I'm not versed in black magick. Or white," He smiled at his son. "If there is such a thing. I have no idea. I guess I should say Danaan or Leprechaun." "Or, what was that one you said mine came from?" "Far Darrig, or Fear Dearg, I can't quite pronounce it correctly, at least not the way Grandma O'Shaunessy could. But anyway, Kelley this is all, well, not theory so much as . . ." "Fantasy?" "Superstition, actually. The difference is that we can make superstitions come to life when we believe them strongly, and especially when we can share the idea with a larger group of people." "So I don't really have any gift?" Kelley asked his dad. Kelley wasn't believing it so much himself, especially given the events in his life for the last week. How could anyone think he had immunity from harm? Although strictly speaking, it wasn't immunity from harm, just from 'magick' and 'curses' and the 'gifts' of others, whatever all that really meant. And what was it else his dad had said? - Oh yeah, he could see through the fake exteriors of people, and he couldn't be hood-winked, basically. Well, that last part seemed true enough in his limited life experience. And his father, normally at no loss for an eloquent stand on an issue, was waffling on expressing his disbelief in all this 'superstition'. "Dad?" Kelley asked again. "Do you really believe in all this?" "Well, Kelley, I certainly don't want your mind to go into overdrive on fantasy, or superstition, and delve into the occult, but I, uh, like to keep more of an open mind on this, actually." "So do all the Cormacks have gifts, then? You said they got some through their mom's side." "In general, like I told you before, they are all fairly good at seeing through lies, deception, and false niceties. With that you have something in common with them, though I would say you are significantly better apt at it. More of a natural, even. But as far as the specific gifts of each child, I know some, but I won't tell you." "Why not?" "Well, I trust you completely Kelley, but would you want Seamus and Katherine telling their 3 boys about your abilities?" "I guess not." "Remember, son, these are private things. It's not anyone else's business. I'm sure that Seamus would probably tell his sons to be careful and not think that they could mess with you or Ethan. But I don't think he would tell them why. Although, they still seem like nice boys, and you got along with them when you boys were younger." "Yeah, sure dad, but wait . . . What was that about Ethan? What is it about Ethan? Does he have a gift, too?" "No, he doesn't have one, as far as your mom and I know. But as for protection, well, for one, you are always there to protect him. I don't know if you've noticed Kelley, but not too many kids would wrangle with you. I've always been proud of your ability to stand up for yourself and your brothers without getting into fights and without becoming arrogant." Kelley blushed. So much for standing up for himself over the last week. "Also," his dad continued, "Seamus is Ethan's godfather. He even said an Irish blessing, well Gaelic, really, over Ethan at his birth." "What?? Ethan has a godfather?" "Well so do you, son. Duncan's dad, Michael, is your godfather. I know we aren't catholic, but they were my best friends growing up. I had always hoped our children would be close. I had hoped that Seamus and Katherine would move back to the area and take over her Grandmother's house before it fell into disrepair and was taken over by the state, or even the Lanham house." "The Lanham house?" His dad laughed, "Well you probably know it as the Richter House." "That was the Lanham's old house?" "Yes, the Richters acquired it somewhat illegally. It's one of the reasons I first got involved with the Community Integrity Association - to prevent similar occurrences. Of course, the Richters weren't too happy with my involvement." "I barely remember them." "That's because they didn't remain long in Indian Spring, and for right now the Indian Spring Community Holdings has a tenuous hold on the house in trust." "Soooo, when do you guys go to the meeting tonight?" "Well, ALL 5 of us are going over to the Turners' house tonight at 6:00pm. We'll be eating dinner over there." "Aw, Dad, can't I just stay here?" "No, Kelley, this meeting is about community and preserving families, and we are making it a family gathering, although, only the adults will be actively involved in the meeting details. Besides, Ethan is looking forward to going." "Only because Jeremy Cantrell is going to be there." "What was that?" "Oh, uh, nothing." "If you're making a crack about your brother's sexual preferences, I expect you to be more understanding and less snide." "What?!! Huh?! I mean, I wasn't being snide. And, and, how do you, I mean, what do you, I mean . . ." "I know Ethan has a little crush on Jeremy, and I'll talk to him. I appreciate your watching out for your little brother, but in the end it's still my job to protect him No pun intended." "Gross, dad." Hal Tucker laughed quietly. Well, just so you know; your mom and I are not blind. We love you kids too much not to notice these little things. Like you for example. I'll admit we don't know what is going on with you recently, but it's glaringly obvious that something is." "Well, I, uh, I don't know what you are talking about." His dad sighed. "Son, I hope you will trust us soon with whatever it is. I wish you knew how understanding and helpful we could be." "I'm just, uh, worried about Ethan is all." "OK. But if there is something specific you are worried about, and not about Ethan, then you need to tell us. If you think you can handle it on your own, I'm afraid you will find that you are sorely mistaken. You may find things getting worse and out of hand." Kelley tried not to be too introspective with his father sitting right there; he attempted to shift the conversation. But then he remembered some nugget of Indian Spring tradition that his father had alluded to earlier. It sounded like something he would need to know, but he had to be careful and frame the question so his father wouldn't think he was asking about himself. "Dad," he began hesitantly, "First of all, I don't think Ethan has done anything like this, but you were talking about boys that do things with other boys . . ." "And that it is perfectly normal and perfectly acceptable to some degree." "Um, right. Sounds kinda weird, but what did you mean about . . . . . . um . . . . going . . .uh . . . going up the butt?" Kelley blushed redder than he had in memory, just asking his dad this. He had had the regular sex talk with his dad two years ago, and a refresher talk just six months ago, but this was completely different. His dad handled it well. He went on to explain to Kelley that this a bit far more advanced than most boys ever got in playing around together, but as long as no one got hurt, and both boys were approximately the same age, then generally no harm done. It definitely was frowned upon by society in general, but it wasn't general society's business. Most times with boys, it was meaningless fun and they simply outgrew it without any further interest. Although his father personally preferred that his own boys avoided that issue altogether, he understood it happened sometimes in growing up, but rarely. He told Kelley that it was something that could hurt quite a lot if not done properly, or if objects other than another boy's penis were used. Or just plain hurt the first time or two, or so. He went on to explain that some boys that enjoy thinking sexually about other boys, or that just look around with curiosity, may retain a partial interest in guys that they later expressed in varying degrees. However, many of these same guys that like guys as adults never actually did anything with another guy until after they had left home, or even gotten married. "Those are the ones they have roughest time in life. But most boys that do things together aren't really even all that interested in other boys. There are many reasons why they might, but general momentary horniness is the standard." And some boys, he went on to explain, would grow up with a continuing and expanding interest in other boys; but even most of these boys don't really experiment much when they are young. "It's pretty rare that boys actually do things together, but probably more common here in Indian Spring, where you probably can't grow up without being at least confronted with the possibility." "Yeah, sure, if you say so," Kelley responded a bit nervously. "Now as far as Ethan goes, your brother seems to like chatting up boys, but that doesn't mean we get to hang a label on him this early in life." "Dad, I wouldn't do that!" "I'm not just talking about calling him names, I mean deciding that current decisions decide future paths, that sort of thing. And as for anal sex, while it may be a lot of fun - probably mainly for the boy on top, though some boys like being on the bottom -" he held his hand up to forestall what he thought was a question, but really was just a surprise in Kelley that his dad knew about these things, "and I'll explain that later - I would rather you and Ethan didn't allow any boys to put their penises inside your bottoms for now." "Dad!!" And Kelley thought he had been blushing earlier! He couldn't believe his dad was talking about this. "No! No, Kelley, I realize this is going to be a fairly hypocritical request, especially since both you and Ethan will probably have opportunities, sooner than later, maybe, in trying what it feels like to put your penis in another boy, I'd rather you didn't reciprocate. Just not for a while, or ever, really - even though I'm . . . . . well, I guess I'm OK if you want to try being on the giving end." "Wait," Kelley was confused. Was his dad actually permitting him --- and Ethan !! --- to have sex with other boys???? "You are talking about - f-f-f-" "Fucking. Yes, son. That is the crude word for it. It's no big deal between boys really. You aren't going to get anyone pregnant. You won't tear or break anything - well, you just have to go slow at first - and honestly it's not a whole lot different than jerking off. Well, except that it feels a whole lot better." "Dad!!" "Well, there's the reality of it. Just make sure you never do it to dominate or control anybody; those situations have a way of biting you in the ass, if you excuse the pun. Plus, it's just wrong." "So what would happen if I . . . I-eee-mean, Ethan, if Ethan let some boy do that to him? Would you hate him?" "Hate him?? Absolutely not!!! Never !!! I would never hate you boys! Honestly, when it comes down to it, if you are happy, no one is getting used or hurt, and its just between boys, you will out grow it with no harm done. Just don't go crazy doing it. I just would rather you two didn't play the bottom part because of a few older, bygone, and strange rules of conduct that some still feel apply to bottoms in Indian Spring - the Deep Mackeys included. I think the unwritten rules are ridiculous and should be shelved, but the two of you would be expected to follow them, and that isn't something I want to deal with. Not following those older traditions could cost us valuable support, so it is a better and more prudent choice to simply not engage in those actions." Halford gave a short laugh. "Honestly, I don't think it's going to be much of a challenge to either of you over the next couple years until this situation in lower Indian Spring resolves, and probably a non-issue for you personally well beyond that." "Yeah, right. Sure wont be an issue with me." Kelley answered with his own nervous laugh. "Um, dad, just out of curiosity, what sort of older traditions?" "Well," his dad said, seemingly reflecting back on memory, "I guess the biggest one has to do with losing your virginity. You know, back there - with a boy." "Yeah, I got it. Go on." "Well, oh boy. You know, maybe I should wait until I can talk to you and Ethan at the same time about this. " "Dad, that'd be kind of weird. I'd rather hear about it without Ethan here. Besides, he doesn't really need to hear all this, right?" "Well, you better get used to him being around it, because he's going to be with you at the Brewer's, and if the white parties are anything like they used to be at their house when David was younger, then you will probably both have the opportunity to try anal sex for the first time there." "What??!!!" "That's why I didn't want you two going over there for a weekend, especially when a bunch of other boys are there." He took a deep breath and let out the smoking bomb: "Kelley, anal sex is one of the expected norms at the Brewer white parties, at least it always was." "What!!!??? Dad!! We can't go there!!" "Relax, Kelley. You'll be OK in white BVD's, and you aren't required to participate - just that you have the option. It's the boys in blue underwear that will have a bad night." "Blue underwear?" "Boys who have already had sperm deposited in their backside - or, basically if the boy has been fucked by another boy with pubic hair until he came inside him - to be crude - then that boy has to wear blue underwear. The boys in white underwear have free access to the genitals and anus of the boys in blue." "They can fuck them?" Kelley whispered out, not even thinking about his word choice in front of his father. "Yes, at will, and for the duration of the party. There are rules to protect everyone, but we can discuss those with Ethan. I'm sorry you boys are growing up quick this next week, but it's going on around you some, even if you two aren't involved. I found out this morning that the Deep Mackeys had a couple of their own boys invited to the party. Jedediah Mackey's boys. So if you decide you do want to go, you'll be expected to go along with the rules of the party. It's a long tradition in Indian Spring. I had hoped David wouldn't continue it, but I figured he would. I don't particularly want you boys going . . . ." "But you don't feel you don't have much of a choice now . . ." Kelley said softly. "Kelley, I don't care about the expectations of this community above you boys. If you boys don't WANT to go, then I absolutely won't let you." "I know dad." But all your efforts with trying to bring in the Deep Mackeys against the development will be sunk, Kelley finished the thought to himself. And nobody else will be able to stand up to the developers, and Indian Spring will be destroyed. Kelley sighed at the thought of everything weighing on his shoulders right now. His dad saw the concern, and slightly misinterpreted it. "But you'll be in white, right? And the parties can be fun for a 12 or 13 year old. And you don't have to participate. You know, this is insane, what am I thinking? I'm thinking like I'm 13 again. All right, you two aren't going. You're going to finish out your childhood like normal kids outside Indian Spring do. "No, dad. No. It's OK. After all, we'll be in white, right?" Kelley echoed. He was pale with shock, but his dad was too distracted by the weight of the conversation he had put off for so long, that he didn't even notice the extent of Kelley's worry. "OK, if you're sure . . . . Kelley, son, if I had even thought that either of you two boys would be in blue, I would have said no and cancelled our trip out of town. You know that right? But you'll both be in white, so, it wont be so bad in the long run. I grew up OK after those parties," he smiled at his shocked son, "We'll talk more after I have my second basic birds and bees talk with Ethan. That will be hard." His dad got up, ruffled Kelley's hair and went back to the office in the back of the house. "Yeah," Kelley said to himself, "Hard is what I'm worried about." Kelley went out shortly after the strange and awkward conversation with his dad. He was trying to make sense of this new shift in reality - sure he had already been initiated into the uncomfortable and unwanted world of sexual activity, but to hear his dad explain it as somewhat more commonplace . . . . . It was just too weird. All Kelley could do was just start to wish away the whole beginning of the month. That's what he would do; he could pretend. Why the hell not? Nobody knew. Well, obviously Casey knew, but seemed like a decent kid. Kelley could talk with him tonight and get him to see it was a mistake. He was pretty sure Casey would let it go without ever holding it against him, or without telling anyone. Beside, now he knew that Casey wasn't going to be at Joplin Middle School next year. He was going away to St. Oliver's, the boarding school. 'Why the hell is he being sent there?' Kelley thought on a tangent. The only other person who knew was Nathan, his best friend. And he certainly wasn't going to tell anybody, much less hold anything against Kelley. So he was safe. He could walk away from this. He could survive one weekend walking around Cal Brewer's house in white BVD's. Who the hell cared about that? Just so long as he could keep an eye on his little brother, Ethan. He would stay away from the sex stuff, and try to keep Ethan out of it as well. And he definitely wouldn't be in blue underwear, after all, he told himself, 'No one else knows!' He biked a bit further, slowly down the road toward the creek, going to find Ethan, actually. Kelley smiled to himself for the first time in a while. He was feeling happy, having found a way out of the incomprehensible thing about which he would never think again. After all, no one knew. Well, none else knew. Outside of Casey and Nathan. Still the smile was holding and he kept on biking And thinking. . . . . . Well, there were the two police officer's boys that bent him and Nathan over the patrol car and fucked the cum out of them. That sent such a shiver down his back he almost went off the road. 'OK' he thought, correcting himself on the bike and trying to recover at least half his smile. 'Well, that was just once. Besides, they won be at Cal's, and I wont run into them here in Indian Spring. And I'm not going to think about that either.' So he went on his way again. Then, of course, he remembered, there were the two blow jobs on the Mexican kids. He managed to control the shiver better this time But the sad truth was, he had still done that of his own accord. And he still didn't get the job. To get the job, he was going to have to find those two Mexican guys again, and that time, he would have to . . . . . And now the smile was gone. He needed that job. But he couldn't do what was necessary to be done to have that job. And now he was back to the crux of the problem as it had started last week. He needed a job. He seriously needed a job and wasn't sure what he would do to get one. So now the smile was really gone, but he was at the trail head down to the main swimming hole that the kids used. He found Ethan's bike and dropped his own next to it, heading down the trail, once again trying to put reality out of his mind. There was some sort of disturbance in process when he got down there. "What's going on?" "Hey, Tuck! What's up little man?" Hayden Mackey said with a smile, a smile that took in all of the younger and shorter Kelley Tucker, and seemed to hide some inner hidden knowledge. "These guys were just leaving." Kelley watched as three boys he didn't know walked past and up the trail head. They all looked about a year older than him, and quite a bit more well off. You could always tell a boy, or girl, born into upper class, or even upper middle class. They walked a little more comfortable in some respects, but a bit more nervously outside their comfort zone. And you could tell that these three Coolspring boys, who had been trying to co-opt the dipping point in the creek, were too uncomfortable to claim a right in swimming once the older Mackey boys told them to head out. Kelley figured there could have very well been something else that sparked the ejection from the swimming hole, but then why should they have access to their creek? You certainly wouldn't find any Indian Creek kids sauntering into the pools at Coolspring or Sweetwater. These boys weren't likely to argue with 15 year old Hayden Mackey or his second cousin, 16 year old Sheldon, whose mom was a Mackey. Of the three boys now meekly heading up the trail, only the first two, black haired Reese Clary and dark haired Joel Destry actually managed to make it off the rope swing. The third boy, the only one to look back, had made it into the water, but he had been distracted by watching Kelley's little brother. He paused too long in staring, and this had caught the attention of the older Deep Mackey boys. And then he and his two friends got kicked out. Yes, it was Ethan that caused Caleb Birch to look back - Caleb, with his wet but ruffled plain brown hair and piercing green eyes, was a sweet sight to the most casual eye, pleasant to look on and often himself caused subconscious lingering stares at his comfortable all-American boy looks, kind of like the ones that Kelley drew. At least two boys let their attentions drift lower to the enhanced bulge in Caleb's swimsuit; it wasn't that it was particularly large for his age, the suit was wet and watching Ethan had given Caleb something of a rise. And one of the boys there certainly appreciated the even tan across Caleb's upper body, the soft small amount of plain brown hair on display under his arms when he slipped on his T-shirt, and the rising tube in his shorts that gave no hint of a ridge at the end of it. "So what was up with those three?" Kelley asked Hayden. "Just some Coolspring trash thinking they have free claim to our backyard. So what's going on Tucker? How's it hanging?" Again that mysterious smile. Kelley wondered what was going on in Hayden's thoughts behind that smile. He seemed to appraising him somehow. But for what? Kelley shook it off, realizing he was becoming paranoid. All that talk this morning with his dad was messing with his head. He knew in his gut Casey wouldn't say anything to anybody. His dad never actually did get around to what happened to boys who lost their anal virginity to another boy, Kelley was realizing, but he was also realizing that no one knew about that with him. He could breathe easy; his secret was safe. "Hello, Earth to Tuckernaut." "Huh? Oh, sorry Hayden, was just thinking of something. Actually, I just came by to see what Ethan was up to." "Yeah, well he's over there. Been messing around a little with Jeremy Cantrell. Better watch out for him - Jeremy, I mean. And Cal Brewer, too. I seen him down here sometimes, too." "What are you saying?" "Nothing, Tucker, just that you have to watch out for little brothers. Don't want them ending up on the wrong side of things." Kelley looked sharply back at Hayden. The older boy still giving him that appraising look, but a little bit more serious this time. Wait, was he being paranoid again? Something deeper told him no, he was not being paranoid. "Yeah, well, I've been wondering what's up with Cal myself." "Good, when you're the older brother you have to notice these things." And Kelley always had. Again, he was reminded of the gifts he and his dad had discussed. Sheldon had since left and joined some of the other boys at the rope swing, and it was now just Kelley and Hayden talking, like two sated lions in no man's land discussing the pride. "So how's Hinton and Tolley then?" Kelley asked his older Deep Mackey counterpart. Hinton at 13 1/2 years old was 1 and a half years younger than Hayden; he was a strapping lad, already attracting a bevy of girls. He had been mysterious darling of the second half of 7th grade last year when all the Indian Spring kids went over to Sweetwater schools. He had even gotten a couple of blowjobs from girls in the short time they were all over there. Tolley, short for Tolliver, which in turn was short for his real name, Theodore Oliver, had just turned 12 the past month. He was heading quickly for being the best looking of all the Deep Mackeys. One thing to note here, as well: just because these were deeply settled families and slow to move from their old ways, it would be a mistake to assume that they were all of them uncultured or unintelligent. Similarly, they weren't the toothless, inbred backwoods folks that some may choose to believe. Quite a few were among the wealthiest in Indian Spring, though they hid it well and held on to their money. Despite these misconceptions, a stereotype that the Deep Mackeys were a closely knit related community would be dead-on. "Well, Shortiver's out on his bike with Paulie, messing about around the backside of Coolspring." Hayden began in response, referring to his youngest brother. Shortiver was a play on words for Tolliver, a nickname for a nickname, somewhat like Tolley, except poking fun that he had always been among the smallest of his family and his cousins his own age. "Although, I don't guess I can call him that for much longer. He's almost as tall as you now, maybe soon a little bit taller." "Better not be taller than me; I'm still older," Kelley loosely joked. "What, by like a month or something?" Hayden laughed. "It's still a month. I'm still older than Tolley." Hayden laughed again. "Well, anyway, he's safe in Coolspring with Paulie, that's for sure." Paulie was another cousin, but he was mentally retarded. At 14 and a half, he was developing sexually, though a bit delayed, and still with no developed sexual thoughts or interests. He was a trusting little kid in a growing young teen's body. Safe and harmless for any kid to play with. Hayden continued, "And Hinton, he was going to come down here. May be hanging with Jamie and Chris, though. I guess he's becoming the new Third Musketeer now that Katie Whitman's found out she likes hanging on Connor Cormack's dick better than trading baseball cards with the Batboy." Kelley didn't usually get into sex humor, but he had to smile at this. Everyone knew how quickly Katie went from Tomboy to woman, almost. "Anyway," Hayden continued, "you'll be seeing Hinton soon enough next weekend." "Why's that?" "He's going to be at the white party the Brewer's are having. He'll be there with my first cousins, Kevin and Sean. I hear you and Ethan are both going." "Um, yeah. I guess we are." Just because the Deep Mackeys were more physically and socially isolated, it would again be a mistake to assume they didn't have several hands on the pulse and news of the community. "Speaking of which," Hayden further observed "You better talk with your little brother if you don't want him to end up in blue underwear right before that party gets underway. " "Yeah," Kelley said distantly, a little shocked that Hayden knew about that, though a significant part of him realized he shouldn't be shocked. "He's about to go home with me anyway. We have to get ready for the CIA meeting tonight. Are any of you guys coming?" "My dad's not, but my Uncle Will's gonna be there. One of my dad's cousins will be, too." "So, what do you think about the extension?" "I don't know," again with the appraising look. "I guess I trust your dad. My dad and Uncle Jed always say he does right by Indian Spring. I guess your whole family does." "Um, yeah. Well, we try. Uh, I guess I better get Ethan. We have to go and get ready for tonight. See ya, Hayden; tell Tolley I said 'hey'." "See ya, Tuck. Good luck on everything." 'What the hell did that mean?' Kelley wondered briefly, something again deeper in his fabric knew that salutation was loaded with meaning; but his attention was quickly shifted as he caught on to what Ethan had been doing every now then while down at the creek, at least he hoped it was just every now and then. He watched as he saw Ethan slowly reach off to the side of him and rub his hand across the crotch of Jeremy Cantrell. He figured no-one was looking, and maybe Jeremy did as well. Hell, Jeremy wasn't even looking or showing any sign of something strange going on. The only sure sign was the thick semi bulging out the wet front of the 11 year old's swim trunks. While Kelley's first thoughts were about chastising his brother's behavior in public, regardless about whether Jeremy let him or not, his second thoughts were quickly on the heels of that resolve. He couldn't believe that 11 year old Jeremy could push out a swim trunk like that. But then Jeremy would be 12 in four months, and was only half a year behind Kelley. And he had been a bit excited by Ethan already, even though he was seemingly pretending not to notice. Still, the boy seemed a bit bigger than he should be. Of course Kelley couldn't know that Jeremy also thought that no-one was paying attention, or the fact that the boy didn't have a liner in those trunks, which helped to give a bit more of a show. The fact that the swimsuit was a little wet even helped Kelley see just the hint of a ridge before a knob at the end of that sausage-like uplift in the wet shorts. 'Whoa,' was all that could pass through Kelley's mind at that point, before he shook himself and recollected his thoughts and purpose there. 'What the hell does Ethan think he's doing?' was the next thought he had, right before he marched over to Ethan and pulled him away. "What the hell are you doing?" "Kelley!! Hey, oh, um, nothing. What do you mean?" "I mean you and me are going to have a talk. I don't care what dad says. Say good bye to Jeremy and get dressed. And where did you get those swim trunks?" Kelley looked around and saw that none of the guys were skinny dipping today. It was strange there - no rules and no telling beforehand when it was a skinny-dipping day or when it was a swim trunks day. Seemed to be almost intuitive to the Indian Spring kids. Ethan made a hasty goodbye to Jeremy, including a hopeful "See you tonight, Jeremy!". But Jeremy only barely acknowledged Ethan with the barest of waves. He was already turning his attention to another buddy and chatting normal, waiting his turn for the rope swing and now with little evidence remaining of his prior reaction to Ethan's attentions. "What's wrong, Kelley?" Ethan said quietly, pulling a T-shirt over his head and hoping that his brother was talking about something other than what he had been doing. "We'll talk later. Whose swim trunks are those?" "Oh, they're some of Harry's from last year." "Harry Finney?" "Yeah. We went by there first before coming here. I can just give them back to him later." Ethan replied and then yelled out to a dark haired boy in the creek. "See ya, Harry!!" Harry waved back and returned promptly to playing with some older boys in the creek, and Kelley and his little brother trekked up the trail to where all the bikes had been dropped. Ethan was quiet all the way up, wondering how to get Kelley on a different subject, or maybe if his brother was even worried about the same thing he was. Kelley, on the other hand, was quiet because he didn't want to start a discussion where some other boys could hear them. He would rather wait until they got home. He was glad they hadn't started their discussion, because as soon as they came out at the top of the trailhead, they ran into Malcolm. The skinny, reddish-brown haired 12 and a half year old boy seemed to be skulking about at the top near where the bikes were - skulking certainly wasn't out of character for him. Neither was being up to no-good; he found himself in that role all too often, as well. Kelley was suspicious and already put-out due to his brother's lack of discretion - and all the dangers that could come from that. Dangers from anybody - one of the Mackeys, friends a school that heard things or talked, Indian Spring kids that got the wrong idea, or just troublemakers . . . like Malcolm McEwen. He looked at the thin boy regarding them with suspicion of his own, and a thinly veiled malice. "What are you doing creeping around up here, Malcolm?" Kelley asked. "None of your damn business, Tucker. Why don't you and your little . . ." Kelley stepped forward before Malcolm could finish any snide remark about Ethan. Despite being a tad bit taller and three months older than Kelley, Malcolm still took a step back that mirrored Kelley's own, and quickly tried to hide the concern while altering the finish to his sentence, ". . . . . . your . . . . your little brother, just go piss off together and leave me alone. " "Just stay away from everyone's bikes." "Fuck off," Malcolm muttered under his breath, but Kelley let it go and pretended he didn't hear anything. They left the older boy looking furtive and out of place. Once out on the road proper and a good ways closer to home, Ethan asked Kelley, "Why did you do that?" "Why did I do what? What are you talking about?" "Why were you so mean to Malcolm?" Kelley stopped and looked at his little brother incredulously. "What are you . . . . . me? mean? To Malcolm?" "Yeah, you don't think he has feelings?" Kelley thought about it a second. "No, not really." He couldn't believe his little brother was saying this. It must be a delaying tactic to prevent the talk that Kelley was determined they would have. But he was actually wrong on that account. His perceptiveness was overwhelmed by the day's worries. "What?" Ethan asked, he was himself surprised. "You don't think Malcolm has feelings? Really? Why not?" "Ethan, don't be dense. This is Malcolm we're talking about. He doesn't have anything nice to say to anybody, he always causes trouble and picks on younger kids, and he's always up to no good. So why do you think he was standing around the top of the trail by everybody's bikes?" "I don't know, we didn't ask him very nice to find out." "Wha - what?" "You were rude. You just figured he was up to no good, without being nice about it." "Ethan, you don't know anything. You obviously don't pay a whole lot of attention to what goes on around you, which is what I want to talk to you about." "You're just trying to change the subject." "What!!??! I'm . . . . . wha . . . . . . . I'm trying to change the subject?? You already changed the subject, and you know damn well you did!" Kelley never yelled or used strong language against his brothers, and both boys instantly recognized the change. It quieted down their argument for a few moments, and Kelley drew a deep breath. "Sorry, Ethan. Look, I know Malcolm. I know what he gets up to. He was up to no good there." "You don't know that," Ethan replied stubbornly. Kelley sighed again and counted to three. He couldn't believe his own little brother was really this stupid. "OK, Ethan, what do you suppose he was doing?" "I don't know. I didn't ask him." Kelley was speechless. Yes, his little brother was that dumb. But Ethan continued, "But if I was gonna guess, I'd say he was hanging around because he's real lonely and really wanted to go down and play in the creek with all the guys but was afraid no one would want him down there." "Well, no one probably would." "And you don't think that's rude?" Ethan asked his again-stunned older brother before turning around on his bike and heading for home by himself. Kelley couldn't move but just stood there and stared off at his little brother. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the least bit dumb after all. Nathan had headed out to Ezekiel's house after lunch, but by the time he got there, Zeke had already left with Randy. Nathan was bummed out because he had been hoping to spend a little bit more time with Zeke in the safety of daytime, just to gauge the other boy's interest. The more Nathan thought about things, the more he was angry with Randy and the way that boy had treated Zeke. To think the two had once been friends! But Nathan's disappointment did not stop there. He wasn't very happy with Connor and Ian Cormack, either. He understood that Zeke had been tricked by Randy, threatened with fake and then later real, blackmail, and that's why he gave in and did the ultimate shameful subjection that any heterosexual boy could do - let himself get fucked in the ass by another boy. The fact that it had been a friend must have been all the more painful and embarrassing for him. But why on earth did a boy like Ezekiel ever get involved with Ian? Why would anybody, for that matter? Nathan couldn't see the interest. Sure, he realized that Ian was a good looking kid and had a cute mischievous grin about him, and the reddish tinge of all the Cormacks, from Ian's strawberry thin hair, to Duncan's basic red head with freckles, to Connor's darker brown with just the subtle tones of red, and James and Patrick's auburn - the latter having the cutest freckles; they were all hot, but why did so many boys bend over for Ian? Nathan certainly had no interest in Ian, although Connor's dick did make his heart go thump. Nathan thought about it as he got back on his bike. Even Joey let Ian do him. And Joey seemed to have a lot more sense. Although now, Joey and Ian pretty much ignored each other. That happened sometime after Duncan fucked Joey. "Mmmmmm," Nathan moaned to himself reflexively as he brought that image of Duncan's dick feeding Joey's tight backside back up in his mind. He smiled to himself as he thought about that delectable scene. 'Maybe,' he thought to himself as he licked his lips, 'all you have to do is get fucked by Duncan, and Ian's magic spell is broken.' Nathan laughed to himself as he thought this and headed back down the street. His joyful mood was quickly broken, however, as he almost ran right into Ian, of all people. Neither boy had been watching where they were going. "Hey! Watch where you'r. . . . . Nate! Hey! What are you doing here?" "Just biking around." "Oh . . . um, . . . . did you know Zeke lives over here? In the big house over there." "Uh, yeah, I was, um, just seeing if he was home. I maybe looked up his dad's address in my mom's work planner. Uh. Last night." Ian couldn't help but laugh. "Hey! It's not funny. Besides, you made his life miserable." With that Ian lost his laugh. It was true. He knew it was true. It was one of the things that had been bugging him today. That and the realization of the type of person he had become. He not only used people, but he had had no regard for what would happen to them afterward. "I know. I really suck. I'm sorry." "Yeah, well, I don't think just saying it does a whole lot. Besides, you should tell him. And he should punch your face. I'd like to see that." Ian actually gave a small laugh at that. "I'm not that bad." "I think you are." Again the mirth was gone from Ian's face and he looked a little dejected. "Yeah, well, I was going to tell him anyway. Even if he wants to punch me, though I don't think he will. Not yet." "Why not?" "I just know. See you later, Nate. I'm gonna go talk to Zeke." "He's not there." "Huh?" "He's not there. I don't know where he is." Ian looked up the street and thought about this. Now that he had this idea in his head, one that he was so sure of, even though Duncan tried to deny it, he really wanted to tell Zeke. Ordinarily, now, Zeke, or any other boy, would punch out Ian as soon as he pitched his idea. But this was Ian, and he knew he still could maintain some level of control and/or influence over Zeke - this time without being a bad guy. Ian looked thoughtfully at Nathan, wondering if it would be helpful to try to recruit him. Of course, he had absolutely no influence over Nathan, but the boy seemed helpful. Plus, the whole time he had been trying to figure out how to do this without exposing himself or Duncan. After his talk with his mother (and the cryptic conversation of denial with Duncan), he had gathered how dangerous it could be to reveal his and his brother's abilities. He had thought about trying to push his capacity for persuasion, but now, looking at Nathan, he was wondering, maybe he should just try a different tack. Maybe he should try trust. "Hey, Nate, uhhhh, OK, here it is." Ian began hesitantly, "I have this plan to help Zeke." "Yeah, I got a plan, why don't you and Connor just leave him alone." "No, listen, Nate, with this plan, we WILL be leaving him alone. And I think so will Randy West. And everybody that he doesn't want messing with him, and maybe everybody he doesn't really want to mess with. And that may mean you too, Nathan." To Nathan, Ezekiel Prosper was just about the hottest thing that had ever walked on Earth, and he would give almost anything to feel the boy's hardness slipping into him again, the warm arms riding up his chest, pulling him back into the hot and pre-adolescent expanse of the slightly older boy's chest, holding him in a warm and erotic embrace as he slowly fucked Nate's hole . . . . "Nate!! Are you with me?" "Huh? Oh . . . sorry. Just was thinking, um, of something else." Despite that desire, Nathan Carlin wasn't willing to part with his soul, that thing that made him Nathan, and he knew Zeke was in pain. He was up for anything to help, even if it meant losing Zeke's attention. Ian placed his full trust in Nathan, believing a leap of faith was what he now needed to turn his own life around, and maybe Ezekiel's as well; and he knew that Nathan would never do anything to harm Duncan. So he began to tell Nathan all about his gift, and what he believed to be Duncan's, and the general background of gifts in his family. After this long explanation, and not realizing just how much Ian had bared his inner existence in trust, Nathan looked at the younger boy (but with nearly the same build) as if he were totally nuts. Except - everything fit. And even Nathan had just been wondering the same thing. "So you're saying you and Duncan are like witches, or something?" "What? No, you aren't listening. There aren't witches, well there are, but not like you think; I'm just talking about gifts. Magick is about understanding yourself and what you can do in the world of men and earth to have an influence. Sort of. Something like that." Ian was stretching his poor mind to remember and translate the discussion his mom had had with him that morning. "So you can make people do stuff?" "Um, I can convince people to do things they kinda want to but are afraid to, or make them consider things they normally wouldn't have. And I, uh, I can also make people do stuff they first didn't want to, but it takes a longer time and means slowly changing parts of what makes them not want to do it." Ian then turned a little red and added, "Sort of like what I did to Zeke. The thing is, part of what I can make other guys do feels good somewhere, and I can take that and make them keep agreeing to do it, even if they don't want to, as long as they are around me." "But then they get caught, or get in trouble, or something because you don't give a shit about them." Ian turned a deeper shade of red and nodded his head. "Yeah, that was bad. And I feel bad about it. I'm trying to change, even though I still want to have fun." "Prove it." "I am, that's why I came here - to apologize. I just haven't really figured out how to get Zeke with Duncan. Duncan wouldn't ever take advantage of anybody." "No he wouldn't," Nathan said with certainty. "But what I meant was prove you can do what you say." "What? I told you, it wont work on you, because Duncan's protected you." "He doesn't have to be nearby, too?" "Well, I think his gift is more powerful than mine, maybe because his is like, love or something, and mine's more, uh . . ." "Selfish?" "Yeah. He may just have to have a protective thought in his mind about you. Or maybe it's because he's actually put part of himself inside you. You know, like his sperm. Kinda like a shot, or something?" "Maybe." Nathan reflected on this. He had always hated going to the doctor and getting shots. If only they had all been like Duncan's 'shot'. At that point he looked up the street and saw a blond kid coming around the curve. He was biking alone, with no one else in sight on the street. Nathan got an idea, and presented his own to Ian. He wanted to see just how this worked, and if it really was true. "OK, Ian, prove you can do what you say on someone else." "What? Who?" "Him." Nathan pointed at the kid biking his way toward them. "Uh, are you sure about this?" "Yeah, just don't go getting him in trouble." Now, Nathan had not meant for Ian to try anything sexual, but he failed to clarify that, and Ian's mindset was already preset. Poor Morgan Lowry didn't have a chance. Morgan was a blond haired 11 year old in the start of puberty and with the beginnings of a summer tan. He had recently been wondering what the other guys were looking like, as well, under their underwear as they all dressed out for the last days of PE. Were they changing and growing the same as him down there? And after school ended, he went on a middle school church weekend - just last week, actually. There, he had got a chance to see several boys his age as they all changed for swmming in the hotel pool. He noticed Jeremy Goolsby was not only getting plumper nuts like him, but at 12 Jeremy's sac was dangling a bit more and - maybe those were hairs at the base of his slightly longer penis? Morgan's pulse quickened at the opportunities afforded to him in looking, but he couldn't stare as much as he wanted; he wasn't stupid. He knew the taboos associated with getting too good a look, though it seemed all the boys were at least somewhat checking out the future competition. But Morgan almost gasped as Jeremy's 14 year old brother Todd (his parents were chaperones) dropped his pants and revealed a plump and well hung dick flowing out from a two inch patch of dense pubes and spilling out like a waterfall against the background of low hanging big balls, themselves with a sprinkling of hairs. Cole Sprecht even made a comment of surprise at Todd's dick. Cole seemed very comfortable with the fact that at 12 years old he wasn't even as large as Morgan, and totally bald as well. Even Morgan had a couple of hairs. But as he looked around quickly he realized that everyone else except Terry Jackson were also bald, at least form a distance. Morgan's attention had snapped back to Todd's dick in his continued amazement, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to be actually looking. He felt a stirring in his loins and quickly had to get his swim trunks up before everyone else noticed his penis start to rise. Still, even dressed he couldn't tear his eyes away from the beautiful unknown future that he could only hope to have. He had never seen another boy's dick before today, at least no one over 7 or 8 years old. And especially didn't know that they would look like this. 'So maybe that's what mine will look like when I'm 14?' he thought to himself, smiling inwardly. 'Cool.' He watched the penis bounce lightly as a naked Todd made his way to the bathroom, When passing by Morgan, Todd couldn't help but smile and ruffle the boy's hair. He knew the boy was looking and was probably seeing his first bigger boy's dick. The view, though, was no big deal to Jeremy, or to Cole who had four brothers of his own. Some of the other boys were too embarrassed to look, some also had older brothers, or were just more in a hurry to get dressed and get down to the pool. "I think Morgan's in love with your brother's dick, Jeremy," Cole said laughing at Morgan. Cole still was only just now getting his swim trunks over his feet. He had absolutely no care or concern about his smaller hairless genitals, their state of development, or anyone else seeing. Jeremy just gave a smile to Morgan that revealed he wasn't overly concerned. "Just ignore Cole; he still can't get it hard." Jeremy said, just throwing out the banter casually. "Yeah, yeah, real funny." Cole said flatly back, tucking his balls into the suit, though they didn't need much tucking. He was completely unfazed, and seemingly uninterested by the comment. Morgan felt that he would have been mortified. "I bet Todd's huge hard. You ever see that, Jeremy?" Cole said as he tied his suit string. Jeremy just shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, of course, I share a room with him, stupid." "You ever catch him banging Cheryl in your room?" Cole asked searching for his towel. Cheryl was supposedly Todd's girlfriend. "Yeah, all the time," Jeremy said sarcastically. "Quit being stupid, and let's go." Morgan was often amazed at other boys' ability to banter. And here they were doing it naked, or close to it, and about their own and other boys' bodies. Morgan felt flushed. He would never be able to do that. "Come on, Morgan, let's go," another boy said near him, and Morgan followed, already half looking forward to and half scared of the after-swim change. And, as he was now biking down the street toward the two Indian Spring boys, some of the sights of the second, third, and fourth swim changes of the trip floated through his head. It had only been just last weekend, and he was primed for suggestion by Ian. So, surprising Ian even, it took little effort to get Morgan to stop his bike, and talk with them. Morgan had a friendly trusting disposition and a nice smile. When he smiled big he showed off his last baby tooth, gold capped on the upper left, as well as the recent bud of another permanent tooth filling an empty spot on the upper right. He gave a very slight downward glance at Nathan's crotch, and Ian smiled, knowing that this was easy as pie. In practically no time the three boys were back in the abandoned tool shed of a nearby house-for-sale. Nathan was just watching in amazement as Ian pushed down on the blond hair of the boy that had just kneeled in front of him and had unzipped his pants and taken out the always hard and hunting flesh within. As he pushed the blond head into his lap and felt the warm wet virgin lips take in the head of his penis, Ian swooned a bit inside and quickly wondered if he would ever be able to give up this feeling. It wasn't just the tight lips sucking their way down the shaft or the intense feeling of his dickhead entering the vast, but closed down wetness of warmth that never had such a visitor before, as he advanced his way into the 11 year old's mouth, pushing toward the throat at the back. But, it was also the feeling of the New - both in breaking virgin ground and in the feeling of a new, never tried before mouth. It was an addiction; and even if Ian couldn't call it that, he realized he was hooked on something hard to break. He wrapped both hands through the cool blond hair and across the warm back of Morgan's head as he pulled the boy farther down his cock and began humping the kid's face, surprised, as he always was, that these neophytes could take it like this. Nowadays, as he felt the incredible rush coming on, Ian even had a little something to leave behind, and he pulled tight against the head and erupted deep within the mouth, sending a single spurt of warm goodness into the back of Morgan's mouth. The amount wasn't enough to choke the kid, but it was enough to remind Morgan of exactly what he had just done. Morgan pulled back as Ian was in his last dry throes of orgasm and had released his grip on the boy's head. He swished the last of the semen around his mouth wonderingly, coating his teeth and the gold cap as well, before swishing it down, uncertain really how he felt about the aftertaste of dick. He was just as uncertain about what he had done, as well as whether or not he was expected to do the same to the other kid. This was unexpected territory to him. Nathan declined Ian's offer to try and the three boys quietly left the shed. Well, Ian wasn't THAT quiet. He even exclaimed as they came out, slapping Morgan on the back, "You were great! You're mouth is hot!" "Um, thanks. I guess." "Maybe we can do that again?" "Uh, maybe." Morgan was still uncertain as to what leap he had just made. Deeper inside he was wondering exactly how this would change how he reacted to boys at church camp later in the month. Ian gave instructions to the dumfounded boy on how to find his house in Indian Creek, and the three boys split up. As Morgan rode away unsteadily, Ian commented softly, "That boy's mouth now belongs to me." Nathan shivered. As they were biking back to Indian Spring, Nathan finally said, "OK, so maybe I'm stupid, and I don't think it's magic or anything, but I guess I believe you."