Written by Charles Well <charles.well@yandex.com> and Sarge AKA Aldric <pietar_the_fearless@yahoo.com>
(C) 2018)
Also see indian-spring-map.pdf and springer-families-by-house.pdf
This story is about sex between boys and is therefore a total fantasy. It was written by an adult for the entertainment of other adults. No children or animals were either involved or harmed in the writing of this story. Please leave now if you are not supposed to be here.
Writing the continuing saga of the Kids of Indian Spring has become a real community effort. My co-author on this chapter was Sarge AKA Aldric. His ideas, drafting, hard work, and constant support in too many areas to mention made this chapter possible. A special thanks also goes to Mike for help with editing and proofreading.
Please consider a donation to Nifty for allowing us to have this resource to share our stories. To donate go here: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
Comments or suggestions may be directed to either of the authors mentioned above. We welcome feedback from readers. It's the only payment we receive for many hours of hard work.
"Who are you?" Mr. Corbin asked when he answered the door and saw the two boys. "If you're selling something, I'm not interested."
"We're not selling anything Mr. Corbin," Sandy said as pleasantly as he could. "I'm Sandy Jacobs and this is Kelley Tucker."
"Hal's kid?"
"Yes sir," Kelley answered.
"If this is about Matty..."
"It isn't sir," Sandy said. "And it isn't about the development plan either. We're here to ask for your help. Indian Spring is falling apart, and I believe you might have played a role in it."
"What?" Mr. Corbin said with anger. "You've got a hell of a lot of nerve coming to my door and blaming me for all the shit that goes on in Indian Spring."
"Not all of it, Mr. Corbin," Kelley said. "But maybe some. Because of what Eli did to Matty."
"If you think you can talk me out of pressing charges against Eli, you can leave now. This is Corbin business and the Mackeys can all be damned."
"Can we just talk?" Sandy asked. "Please?"
Mr. Corbin didn't respond, but he did step out of the house and closed the door behind him.
"I think you made threats against Mackeys because of the traditions," Sandy said.
"You don't know shit about Mackey traditions, boy."
"I do, sir. I've studied all of the written history. I know that you were the 1963 bottom, and that's why you live here. To keep your son from going through it."
"Fat lot of good that did, thanks to Cleveland's foul offspring."
"I do believe that Hiram and Darrell might have been the driving force, but it is undeniable that it was Eli who brought Matty to the choosing. But attacking Mackeys because of what happened won't help. Nor will pressing charges against him."
"You're treading in dangerous waters, young man," Mr. Corbin said. But he didn't tell them to leave.
"I have no proof, nor do I intend to look for any, but there are rumors going round that a few things that happened in Indian Spring last night might be your doing," Sandy said.
"I was here all night," the man shouted defensively.
"Yes, sir, I believe that. But there are many people who might benefit from trouble in Indian Spring. If the State took it over, that could happen, and people living there would lose everything. That's what concerns me the most."
"You mean your family wouldn't become wealthy," Mr. Corbin said with a sneer. "I know your father, boy, and Sam should have been teaching you better manners. But I think I've heard enough for now. You boys be on your way." He turned back towards the house.
"If a war breaks out, somebody will get hurt or killed," Kelley said. Mr. Corbin paused with his hand on the door knob. Kelley quickly continued before he could open the door.
"It will bring in the State Police, and maybe even the feds. Word of Mackey traditions will get out. There are written records that will be found. Dozens of charges will be brought against those still alive. The Mackey name, as well as the Corbins, the Haver's, and the Jacobs', will all be trashed. Anyone with any of those names might as well move out of the state and hope word doesn't spread. The same thing will happen if you press charges against Eli."
Mr. Corbin turned back around. Both boys realized that the man had never considered the long-term consequences of his plans.
"Like Sandy, I don't have any proof. I don't need it. Some of the deep Mackeys believe you've already gone to war with them. A still was destroyed last night. They blame you, and because of that, it doesn't matter if you had anything to do with it or not. This is getting dangerously crazy."
"Whose still?" Mr. Corbin asked.
"I don't know, but I can find out," Kelley replied. "Also, everything at Old Knot was burned to the ground."
"I had nothing to do with that." Kelley was unexpectedly stunned by the realization that Mr. Corbin was telling the truth, but did he mean just Old Knot or also the still? He couldn't tell.
"But people think otherwise, because of what happened to Matty," Sandy said.
"So, you think Eli should get away with what he did? And let the Mackeys just go on fucking little boys' butts? Eli Mackey fucked my son." The venom in his words was obvious to both boys, and it made clear that this was what angered him the most.
"No, sir," Sandy said. "I hope to get elected to the youth council when I'm old enough, and if I do, I would pressure the council into making sweeping changes to the selection process or doing away with it entirely. I don't know how, or if, I will succeed, but the answer to your second question is no, that isn't what I want. And with Kelley's help, I really believe I can change things."
"But not if there is a war," Kelley said. "Then it ends in disaster."
"And what about Eli?" Mr. Corbin asked. "He belongs in jail."
Sandy looked to Kelley. He wasn't prepared for that question.
Neither was Kelley, but it was a symptom of the problem with the traditions that he had spent a lot of time considering in the last two weeks. But two things were clear to him. First, Mr. Corbin had told the truth about being home last night. And second, he was serious about bringing charges against Eli. That wasn't a bluff. He tried to deflect the question.
"We're not here to talk about Eli," Kelley said. Before he could continue, Sandy took over.
"We want to stop things before someone gets hurt. The problems in the Spring and what happened to Eli might be related, and I'm sure there is something that can be done about what happened. I will go to the Council and suggest a compromise. I trust Raymond and know he will be concerned about your plan. And I'm friends with Sheldon and reckon I can get his support. Also, I know why Darrell and Hiram are currently out of favor and can keep them from getting involved. What if we propose something like "isolation" as a compromise? What if Eli was not allowed to have friends. if he was prevented from having any sexual contact with anyone, boy or girl? Even if they live in Coolspring or Clearwater. Total isolation, the opposite of harming him sexually or physically. But like Kelley said, my voice won't be listened to if things escalate to hostilities."
Sandy knew he was making promises he probably couldn't keep, but he saw that Mr. Corbin was considering what he had said.
"That's all we came to say, Mr. Corbin," Sandy added. "We're sorry for what Eli did to Matty. We'd like to have rules in place to prevent it from ever happening again, and Kelley and I will see what can be done about it. Thanks for listening to us."
"The truth is, Matty was a bit of a brat about things," Mr. Corbin said. "I'll think over what you said. I don't know what I can do, nothing I'm being accused of is my fault, but maybe I can find a way to defuse the situation. Goodbye, boys, and good luck changing the council. I hope you succeed."
"A little bit of a brat?" Kelley said once they reached the street. "Matty was the biggest asshole there."
"Do you notice anything different?" Sandy asked. "I first noticed it when we got to Sweetwater."
Kelley thought about it. "It feels ... calmer?"
"Yeah, that's it. Like normal," Sandy agreed. "Something is different back in Indian Spring."
"It's like it came with the storm," Kelley said. "Something that set everybody on edge."
"No, I don't think it came on all at once," Sandy said. "I kind of felt it once or twice before as far back as a week ago. But something changed last night. The feeling got suddenly stronger."
By this time, they were nearly back to the car. Willard saw them coming and started the engine. "That was more like twenty minutes," he yelled out the open window. "I was about to leave you here."
He drove them as far as the park at the southern end of Indian Spring. Sandy thanked him and he drove off, leaving him and Kelley to walk the rest of the way.
***
"I think it's good that we're working together," Sandy said as he and Kelley began their walk from the park to home. "There's a lot to get done."
"You said we, as in `we have a bunch of problems to resolve.' Do you want to go into more detail?"
Instead of answering, Sandy asked a question of his own.
"How do you feel about the Choosing Ceremony and the selection of the bottoms?"
"I didn't like it, I can tell you that," Kelley said. "I was tricked. Cal Brewer tried to own me. He used rules I didn't know about. Only it backfired on him, and now he's a bottom. Which by the way reminds me of something—he absolutely hates me and if he finds out you and I are friends, he will make use of you as often as he can, just to make me angry."
"Will it?" Sandy asked. "Make you angry? It shouldn't, I screwed up and I accepted being the bottom's bottom. He'll be well within his rights to use me."
"Not like he used me," Kelley said with unmitigated anger in his voice.
"What? When? I mean, uh..."
"It happened at something I'm not allowed to talk about with anyone who wasn't there," Kelley said, still sounding angry. "Another Mackey rule. I hate their damned rules."
"Okay, I won't push. Violating rules right now would be the worst thing we could do. But if you ever do want to tell me, trust that I won't tell anyone. I'm guessing it was the White Party."
He saw the look of surprise on Kelley's face.
"Kevin Mackey is a good friend of mine, and I know he was there. And he said it was the worst White Party ever. He said stuff happened that shouldn't have. But he also couldn't say more, so that's all I know. And I know a lot, maybe all of the Mackey rules for Choosing Ceremonies, but nothing about White Parties."
"They're for boy scouts in one of the troops only. But even though I'm not in the troop, I had to go. My brother Ethan was there, too. It isn't about Mackeys, but if Mackeys were there, they can only talk about it with other boys who were there." Kelley realized they'd stopped walking.
"We should get back to Indian Spring," he said, forcing the anger back down. "I'm sorry I brought it up. Someday I'll defy all the rules and tell you, but not right now. You asked me about the Choosing Ceremony. Why?"
As they resumed walking, Sandy answered. "I'd like to do away with it. End it forever. Mr. Corbin is right. We shouldn't support boys fucking other boys."
Kelley thought about Ethan and wondered if his brother would agree with doing that. He guessed probably not. He also thought, and not for the first time, what would happen to his brother if they moved outside of the Spring. Would he be able to curb his desires? Or would he become an object of ridicule or scorn?
"Do you think that would end it? I mean, it's been tradition for so long that everyone expects it. And it isn't just bottoms who get fucked. Some kids want to do it, and some don't mind having it done. It's just the others I worry about - kids who have no say in who or where or how many times it is done to them. When it's beyond their control, that's what I think is wrong. And I don't think we'd get the Council to vote to end it. We don't have that much power, and most likely never will." He paused, wondering if Sandy was aware that Stevie was gay like Ethan.
"Would Stevie want you to end them?" He knew he was taking a chance by asking that question if Sandy didn't know about his brother's preferences. But he knew his friend wasn't stupid and there was a good chance he did know.
Sandy was suddenly forced to think about his brother. Tuck had just asked a very important question, one he'd never considered.
"Okay, maybe I, we, need to think on that some more," he said.
"Are you really going to run for a seat on the Junior Council?" Kelley asked, switching topics.
"Yes, I am. Not right now, I'm too young. But as soon as I think I have a chance. And I'd like for you to run, too."
Kelley had never even thought about that. "Maybe, I guess. As the Springer representative."
"Stop thinking like that. You're a Mackey now." Sandy let that sink in for a few seconds before shifting to something more significant to current events.
"How about the waterpark?"
"My dad is fighting against it and yours is fighting for it," Kelley said. "I guess we're not even supposed to be friends. But you asked me, not my dad." They walked on for several steps before Kelley continued.
"Once, I thought I was done with living here. My dad does a lot of legal work that people can't afford to pay for. If the development went through, more people would be able to pay him and my family would have money for the first time ever. I thought I wanted that once. But then I realized that I wanted it for me. I wasn't thinking about the bigger picture. When I was at the Choosing Ceremony, bent over, I realized that I want to live in Indian Spring. I like the lifestyle here. Okay, not the selections, not the way they work now. But everything else. The freedom, the woods, skinny dipping in the Crazy Indian—all that. But now my father wants to stop fighting the park people. Without him, it's going to happen, I guess."
"Funny how things change," Sandy said. "My family stands to make a lot of money if it goes in. I've tried to talk my dad out of supporting it, knowing what it would mean to the family financially. He wanted to have enough money to move out of here. Further away than Bartlett. Then he wouldn't have to worry about my two youngest brothers going through a Choosing Ceremony. If it doesn't go through, we'd be stuck here. But now I don't think that's such a bad thing. I think I want to stay here, too."
"I don't think there is anything we can do to stop it or to help it along," Kelley said. "It is kind of outside our ability to control."
They were nearly back to the split on the east side of the park road that ended just past the Tucker house.
"What are you doing this afternoon?" Tucker asked.
"I've got a meeting with Kevin and then Tanner. Bottom business. I could put it off for a few hours if you need me."
"No, you've got your job to do. I want to go north, into the deep woods and it will probably take all afternoon."
"Is that a good idea right now?" Sandy asked.
"It is never a good idea, especially not now. But there is something more that is wrong here and I want to ask people about it. All this stuff started happening all at once. There must be something behind it. Ashton had this crazy sleep-talking dream last night. I don't know what's going on yet, but I've had a feeling all day that there's something behind this. Don't ask me to explain it, but I'll be okay."
Sandy looked at him quizzically. "I want you to be careful," he said with concern. "I have plans for both of us, and they don't include visiting you in the hospital or a cemetery."
"I'll be careful. They know me, and while they won't like me in their territory, I don't think they'd go as far as hurting me. Probably more like threats if I don't leave, maybe an escort out. But not violence."
"Just be careful. As we discussed, everyone seems to be crazy as hell all of a sudden."
They'd reached the point where the road crossed the stream north of the park. It was where Sandy had to turn to get to his house.
"I promise I'll be careful," Kelley assured him again. You take care, too. I'll try to hook up with you later today if I can."
Kelley knew better than to wander uninvited into the Deep Mackey lands alone. Besides, he guessed that the Jacobs knew less about the dangers than he did, so he didn't feel he needed to wait until Sandy was free.
He knew one person who he was sure knew his way to the northern fringes of Indian Spring.
"Hi, Tucker," Malcolm greeted him as his friend came towards the house. Malcolm was sweaty and just pulling on a shirt. He was otherwise dressed as always in torn clothing that didn't fit him properly anymore.
"I need a favor, and it might be dangerous, so don't offer to help if you have any doubts," Kelley said to him.
"Anything, you know that. Just ask."
"I need to go into the Deep and Very Deep lands," Kelley said. He saw the smile immediately disappear from Malcolm's face and the old, familiar scowl reappear.
"You don't want to go there ever, and especially not now. There's trouble up there and I won't be able to help you. They won't even like seeing me."
"I need to go because of the trouble. I'm trying to find out if they know what is causing all of the crazy stuff happening in Indian Spring since the choosing. My dad has people up there who support him, and I want to talk to them and find out what is going on. But I understand if you don't want to go."
"I said we shouldn't go, I didn't say I wouldn't. Any particular families?"
Kelley hesitated. He and Sandy had talked about who pulled strings, and he knew other details from listening to his dad's dealings. If Malcolm was going to refuse, it would be now.
"James the Third and the Birch families," he said, watching for a reaction from Malcolm.
The reddish-brown haired boy whistled. "The deepest of the deep and the deepest of the deepest. That's bad land. I know the paths, but it won't be safe. You'll never find your way through the woods and most of that land doesn't have roads between here and there. You need to keep your cool, even when you are threatened or taunted. One mistake and it would be a real bad place for you to be. Me, too, just for showing you the way."
"I don't want you to go if you think you might get hurt, Malcolm. Just describe how to get to them and I'll let them find me."
"They won't let you in. And I said it was dangerous, but if you're going, then so am I. And don't bother trying to read my mind. I'm scared and worried. But you're still the best friend I have and I owe you that much and more."
"I don't read minds," Kelley said. But he instinctively knew that Malcolm hadn't lied about being scared. "Are you sure? The last thing I would ever do is put you in danger."
"This way," Malcolm said, turning his back and leading the way. "We'll take the road to where it ends at the Radcliffs' and from there on every step gets more dangerous. But this will be a switch. This time I'll be protecting you instead of the other way around."
***
They had reached the point where the road ended and just a weed-covered two-track existed. There was a house to the left.
"That's Rosemary Garvin's place," Kelley said, pointing. "Isn't her family Very Deep?"
"They moved down here years ago. Now they're Nears. We're going to her grandfather's house. James the Fifth's. Way up into the deep." Malcolm turned and looked at Kelley. "You said Rosemary's place, not Mitchel or Whitby. You like her, don't you?" He gave his friend an evil smile before adding, "We can stop for you to see her if you want. Gavin don't scare me, and his older brothers will be off at their, uh, place of work."
Kelley blushed, making Malcolm smile even more. "Yeah, I like her," he admitted. "But today we're here on business."
Malcolm's smile disappeared. "Just be very cautious about what you say once we get a mile or so further up into the woods. People up there won't be nice to you like Rosemary is."
Nearly half an hour later the two-track was all but a memory. Several times it had split and Malcolm never once hesitated when picking a direction to follow. Kelley realized he was completely lost and didn't even know for sure what direction they were headed.
"Malcolm, you little shit," a voice sounded from off to the side. "What the fuck are you doing bringing someone into our land?"
"Hi, Clay," Malcolm said nervously. "This is a friend, Kelley. We're going to your grandfather's house."
"Kelley, as in Tucker?" I know you're as stupid as they come, but I didn't think that even you could be that dumb. Like hell you're taking him there."
Kelley knew that Clay was fourteen, but was rarely seen in the lower portion of Indian Spring. The boy was lean but muscular, and gave off an aura of danger. He decided to stay quiet unless the teen made a move on Malcolm.
"Come out, Tad, I know you're there, too," Malcolm said. A moment later, Clay's older brother stepped into the path. He was seventeen, and a full foot taller than Kelley and probably 70 pounds heavier.
"Turn around while you still can," the older teen said to Malcolm. "But the Tucker kid can stay. Thanks to that shithead Tanner, he didn't get much action at the Choosing Ceremony. We'll fix that here."
"Come on, Kelley," Malcolm said, pulling his friend back in the direction they had come from. "I told you this wasn't a good idea."
"Malcolm, your protection only goes so far with us, and he don't have any," Clay said. "He isn't leaving until he sucks some dick. But if you want to hang around for a bit, he can start by sucking yours."
"Leave him alone, he's with me. He's a friend, and all he wants to do is help end the fighting."
"We don't need the help of any Tucker," Clay said. "And everyone knows the closest thing you have to a friend is your cousin and Seth. So whatever crap this kid has been telling you, it was just a trick to get you to bring him here."
"The Junior Council was told that he's been a regular bottom for a whole bunch of kids in Coolspring, and more than a few Springers too," Tad said. "If he's a friend of yours then maybe he'll let you fuck him, too. Then he'll do the same for Clay and me. Then, maybe, we'll let him go home."
Kelley turned to Tad and said, "Your dad has supported my dad in the past. I don't want to create more trouble, I just want to find out what changed."
"Too late," Clay said. "My brother says that you've become a good friend of Sandy Jacobs and no friend of his is a friend of ours. How does his dick feel in your ass? And how many times did you have to let Tanner fuck you in order to get saved at the last minute?"
Kelley was more confused than he had ever been. None of this made any sense at all. "I have never had sex with Tanner or Sandy," he said.
"I think that's a lie," Tad said. "You came here uninvited, and you're not leaving without doing something for me and my brother. You can start by showing us how much of a friend you really are. Give our boy Malcolm a blowjob, and maybe you can leave by just doing the same to us."
"Don't do it," Malcolm said. "Don't do it just because they are making you do it. Let's just leave."
Malcolm was shaking like a leaf. He was scared, and Kelley didn't need any special abilities to know it. He was trying to find a way to salvage the trip without either of them getting hurt when he heard a deep voice from behind them.
"What the hell is going on here?"
Kelley turned to face the new threat. He had only seen him twice, but he knew who he was. Tad and Clay's father, Mr. Colt Mackey. And he saw that the man knew who he was, too.
"You brought a Springer into our woods?" the man yelled at Malcolm, who looked like he was ready to pass out.
"I'm a Mackey, I went through the Choosing Ceremony."
"Yeah, with protection. You had a bunch of votes and then that Harris ass showed up. You ended up with nothing. Other people ended up with big losses, all because of you."
"We were fixing that, dad," Clay said.
"It isn't your job to fix it." Mr. Mackey turned from his youngest son back to Kelley. "Malcolm knows better than to bring you here."
"Yes, sir, he told me as much. I asked him to bring me anyway. I want to try and resolve the bickering between your families and the Near Mackeys. Nothing good can possibly come from it."
"Your dad isn't doing crap for us anymore. His committee is toothless, and Elijah is winning. Shit, that asshole even managed to get you and Malcolm put on the selection list. And we sure as hell don't need his little turd of a son meddling in our business. Leave now."
Kelley started to say something, but Malcolm grabbed him and pulled with all his strength. "No. We're leaving now. Together." He continued to pull until Kelley stopped resisting and followed him.
***
When they were back near Rosemary's house, Malcolm turned to the left on a track that Kelley wouldn't have seen even if he'd been looking for it.
"Going there was a mistake. We're going to go find Seth. He'll give us passage. You need to talk to Grandma Sarah."
"Who's Grandma Sarah?" Kelley asked.
"The great-great grandmother of Seth. And Sean, Tolley, and Dean. She's Cleveland's first wife, and she still lives near Cleveland's old house. She's like 90 years old. If anyone knows what's happening between the Mackey and the Corbins, she will. And act damn respectful towards her if she'll even see you. I've only met her once and she scared the shit out of me."
"Why, what did she say?"
"I don't remember. I was like five years old. It was the year after, the, uh..."
"Don't say it. I know what year you mean. If you don't want to go, I'll go alone." Kelley knew it was the year that Malcolm's mother had left.
"She won't see you if you're alone. You probably won't even be able to get back that deep into the woods. Seth is cool. He won't treat you like Clay and Tad. There is something more going on here that I don't understand. Their behavior was ... unusual. I mean, I understand them being pissed in general, they never had much use for us Springers, but the way they reacted was weird."
"Sorry for making you take me there," Kelley said. "I never wanted to cause you any trouble. How come you're protected? Is it something you can discuss?"
"The truth is, I don't know why. I don't think even Seth knows or he'd have told me. He and I have gotten drunk on stolen shine more than once. If he knew, he'd have said something about it long ago."
Seth was at home and greeted Malcolm warmly, but regarded Kelley with suspicion. He had an odd grin on his face. It was like he was recalling something about the 12-year-old Near-Springer that he found funny, but Kelley hardly knew him and had very few shared experiences other than the Choosing Ceremony yesterday. And Seth had got the worst of that deal with his 2 checkmarks and the 14 and 15-year-olds he had to blow.
"Malcolm's changed," he said, looking right at Kelley. "He says you fixed him. He also said he fucked you once by accident. Is any of that true?"
Kelley couldn't hide the blush. "I didn't fix him, he fixed himself. All he needed was a friend. It could have been you. Maybe it was me because I tried harder, or maybe it was because before I started being nice to him, I treated him like shit for years first. And he didn't really fuck me, but we were sleeping naked on my bed and his dick did get in my ass. But I woke him and he got scared and pulled out."
Seth seemed to relax. "I expected you to lie. But you didn't. You told it pretty much like Malcolm told it to me."
"Sorry, Tuck," Malcolm said. "About telling him."
"Don't worry about it; he's been your friend for a while. Friends share things. It's cool."
"Okay, it's nice to know you're honest. How come he brought you here? You looking for some back-yard attention from someone who won't get scared and pull out? Just because somehow you didn't get selected doesn't mean I can't have some fun with you." He turned and winked at Malcolm, some shared joke that Kelley didn't get. He sensed some secret shared between the two of them.
Malcolm answered before Kelley could speak. "He needs to talk to Grandma Corbin. You've got to help me get him there."
"Wait, Cleveland married a Corbin?" Kelley asked. "I never knew that."
"That's because you don't know shit about Mackeys and Corbins," Seth said. "You think you do, just like your dad, but you don't."
"Be nice, Seth," Malcolm said. "He's a friend. He's stood up for me. He paid a bet he lost, a serious bet. And you know for a fact that he's a Mackey now, whether you like it or not."
"Yeah, well so's Cal Brewer, but it'll be a cold day in hell before I ever do him a favor. But I guess if we're going, let's do it. I've got better things to do than escort a Tucker through our part of the woods."
Twice Seth had them get off the trail they were following and be quiet. While Kelley never saw or heard anyone else, he didn't think Seth was crying wolf. After a long hike, they came to a cabin, and all three of them, suddenly nervous, as if they were doing something wrong just by coming here, ducked down out of sight.
"This is as far as I go," Seth said. "It's his funeral if she doesn't like him being here."
Malcolm took one look at Kelley. "This is it. Remember, be respectful. She's got a lot of power in these parts. I'll be right here when you're done."
Kelley got up the courage to walk up the trail to the cabin and knock on the door. He could hear movement inside, but it was a few seconds before a very frail looking woman with long grey hair answered.
"A Tucker," she said. She looked over his shoulder. "You two, Seth and Malcolm, come inside, too." She stood stooped over and waited. "Do not make me ask twice," she said when the two boys didn't move. Kelley wondered how she knew they were there.
"You know me?" Kelley said, once all three of them were in the cabin. It was small, just a sitting room, a kitchen of sorts, and a closed door that he guessed went to a bedroom.
"Of course, I know you, Kelley Tucker. I've been wondering how long it would be before you finally came to see me."
Kelley shook his head in confusion. "But I didn't even know you," he said to her. "Malcolm said I should come."
"Yes, I'm sure he did. That tatterdemalion would know you needed to come here. I'll bet he tried to get you to James' house. That man would have chewed you up and spit you out in pieces, so I assume you didn't make it that far."
Her eyes didn't match her age; they were blue and clear, and her gaze on Kelley was uncomfortable. He wanted to ask what a tatterdemalion was, but didn't dare. He was glad when she turned her head and looked at Seth.
"Your father and Frankie used to be best of friends," she said. "Do you see Spenser, Tanner, or Cooper much?"
"Tanner some," Seth said. "Cooper a little. I probably won't see much of any of them now that the fighting started."
"Yes, the fighting. Fighting between Mackeys. Fighting between Corbins and Mackeys. And now trouble between Mackeys and Springers that will eventually turn violent if not corrected. Did Tanner ever tell you of his great uncle Angus?"
The switch in topics surprised Seth, and it took him a moment to guess what she was asking.
"You mean that stuff about two Scions of the Tuckers? We've all heard about it. Tanner and Cooper heard it from their dad and told me, but it didn't make much sense. I guess it means something about Kelley and one of his brothers."
"Most people don't remember exactly what Angus said. His exact words were, "Halford Tucker would bring forth from under his wings the two scions of the Brave Who did not Return; one to break the Mackeys and one to heal them."
Grandma Corbin looked again at Kelley. "When you failed to be selected as a bottom, a lot of bets were lost and deals broken. By that action alone, you broke the Mackey, and that started the trouble.
"I didn't do it on purpose," Kelley said with fear in his voice. "I never even heard about any of this before. I kind of thought I was going to be selected. I had a chance to leave and figured I'd get more respect by staying." Then he remembered what Clay's dad had said, that other people had ended up with big losses.
"Wait, you said bets were lost. Mr. Colt Mackey said some people lost more than bets. None of that was my fault."
"You made choices. You have free will, but you were guided by the Brave who didn't Return. Angus saw the choices you would make in a vision many years before any of you were born." Again, she suddenly switched topics, catching Kelly off guard.
"How did you manage to keep from being selected?"
"Tanner Mackey protected me for some reason. He was supposed to be protecting his own brother, but instead he signed my back. I never asked him too. It was strange."
"Uncle Angus again?" Seth asked. "One of his sons was supposed to hear something and know to protect a Tucker, or something like that."
"More specifically," the old woman said, "Frankie's middle son would hear that it was time to step up, and when he heard it, he was to do the right thing and protect a Tucker. I'm glad to see that his father passed that on."
"So, I broke the Mackey because he protected me?" Tucker asked, confused. "Then the other Mackeys must be pissed at him."
"His family are what you call near-Mackeys, and yes, it has resulted in more than just bad feelings between the Deep and other near-Mackey. Frankie lost something, and then retaliated against Solomon."
Kelley saw a look on Malcolm's face and guessed he knew something about what Frankie lost, but this wasn't the place or time to ask him about it. "Who is the other, uh, what did you call it, sign something?"
"Scion," the older woman said, staring at him with her piercing blue eyes again. "It originally was a French word for a shoot or twig. Later it came to mean grafting a bud onto another plant. And later yet, it meant a descendent of an influential family. Who do you think it means?"
"If it came from under my dad's wings, I guess one of my brothers," Kelley said. "But how is one of them supposed to fix things if deals were broken and bets lost and the Mackeys blame me and Tanner for it?"
"I don't have Angus's gift, so I don't know the answer to your question. But I am quite sure that you are one of the two Scions of the Brave that Angus prophesied."
Kelley sat for a moment, ignoring the motions that Malcolm and Seth were making to indicate they wanted to leave.
"I think my brother is like your Uncle Angus," he said. "He knows when people are at the door and who they are before the doorbell rings. And this morning he said something really strange."
Grandma Corbin sat up, her eyes burning into his. She didn't say anything, she waited for the boy to continue without being prompted.
"I think he was talking in his sleep. He said a storm was coming and I could stop it, but not alone. And I had to, uh," he paused, trying to remember exactly what Ashton had said.
"He said I had to heal another person first. I didn't understand it. It really didn't make any sense."
Grandma Corbin wished the boy could remember exactly what his brother had said. So many things were lost just because someone remembered incorrectly. But prophecy from a Tucker? That didn't seem right.
"Do you know much about your mother's ancestry?" she asked.
Kelley blushed. He knew so much about his dad, mostly because his dad had more exciting stories to tell. But his mom rarely said much. "Just that my great-great-grandmother was Irish. She died in childbirth and her husband never spoke about her again. I'm not even sure how my parents found out."
"Could it be that the boy was part Cormack?" she wondered. Or perhaps even O'Shaunessy? That would explain a lot. A few Corbins had some magic, left over from some long-forgotten cross breeding, but it was hit or miss. And most of them who had abilities never even knew they had them. Uncle Angus was a rarity. Elijah had once told her he knew more about the Tucker line than even Halford did, but she didn't believe him. The man told nothing but lies.
"Can you really heal people?" Seth asked Kelley. "Like Uncle Angus? Can you heal broken bones or sick people or stuff like that? Is that why Uncle Angus thought you were important?"
Suddenly Kelley remembered never to talk about his or other people's gifts. He was relieved to see that Malcolm wasn't answering Seth's question.
"No, nothing like that. And I don't think Ashton does either. He was just dreaming. I just heard you guys talking about Uncle Angus and got carried away." He shifted in his seat. "We should probably get going."
"So, he knows enough to not speak of it," Grandma Corbin thought to herself. She wished Seth had not asked the question. She would have been more subtle. But it was too late now, the boy was on guard. He wouldn't expose any secrets now. She looked over at Malcolm and saw him staring at the Tucker boy and realized that somehow, Malcolm understood. And who Malcolm was is something that fewer than 10 living people knew. Even his own father had no idea of the boys' true lineage.
The youngsters got up from the stiff chairs where they had been sitting. "Thanks for seeing me, Mrs. uh, Mackey?" Kelley said.
"Grandma Corbin will do," she said politely.
"Okay, Grandma Corbin," he said. "I, uh, was hoping I would, uh, learn more..."
"You were hoping I would tell how to stop the trouble," the old woman said. "I told you, I don't have Angus's gift. But I know that you need to find the second scion. And now you understand that he will need your help first. I believe you will know you have found the healer once you complete whatever task is necessary to be done first. But I wouldn't delay. Right now, there is a bit of calm, but it won't last, and when the next storm comes, I fear it will sweep Indian Spring away with the violence it spawns."
"Seth, you be careful getting the Tucker boy back to the south. And remind your dad that he hasn't visited me for too long now."
"Yes, Grandma Corbin, I'll be careful, and I'll tell my dad. Thanks for letting us in." Seth got to the door, hoping to make his exit, but he wasn't fast enough.
"Tomorrow I want you to get with a couple of the Birch boys and get them to take these two back to the witch's old cabin. Those boys will know where I mean. Jonah's son Dexter would be a good choice. Or any of the Koch boys. Not Zach's kids though. Then I want to see Tuck and Malcolm again."
Seth looked like he was about to pee his pants. But he said, "Yes Grandma Corbin. I'll do my best. But not tomorrow, I have to work. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday morning."
"As soon as you can. You, Tuck, and Malcolm. And stop shaking in your boots, you won't get hurt. Tell them I sent you."
Kelley was unnerved by her use of his common name. "I have to work Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. Tuesday is a punishment, Wednesday is a job I worked hard to get."
"Don't put it off any longer than you need to," she said.
"Uh, Grandma Corbin?" Kelley began. "Why do we need to go to, uh, the witch's cabin?"
"Angus learned botany and healing there. And what it took to become a man. Who knows what he or the witch might have left behind. Go now, and come back and see me after you've been there."
The boys left quickly.
"Did you see the way she looked at you?" Seth said to Malcolm once he was sure they were far enough away from the Cabin. "It was like she was looking into your soul. I think she can do that. Read minds maybe. Who knows?"
"What did she mean about Tanner's dad, Frankie, and Solomon?" Kelley asked Malcolm.
Malcolm looked at Seth, who said, "It isn't that big of a secret, and you told me he was your friend. Friends trust friends."
"The still that was destroyed belonged to Frankie. He won money betting that you wouldn't be bottomed. When Tanner protected you, he won. He bet against Solomon, and he thinks it was his sons, Clifton, Cameron, and Sawyer who did it. Frankie sent someone, probably some older cousins, to torch a field that Solomon owns. A Mary Jane field. The field was ruined and can't be harvested."
"A what?" Kelley asked. "What the hell is a Mary Jane field?"
"Weed," Seth said. "Whacky tabacky."
"Oh," was all Kelley could think to say. Knowing that two people lost their source of income because of him was disturbing, to say the least.
Malcolm paused, causing the other two to also stop.
"Seth, do you know why the Corbins protect me?" he asked.
"You should have asked Grandma Corbin," Seth said. "Or your cousin. All I know is that I kind of feel good when I make sure you're okay, and keep anyone from hurting you. And that feeling is stronger when you're with Scott Corbin. I don't think the Corbins actually protect you. Maybe it's just your cousin Scott. I don't know more or I'd tell you, I promise. Sorry, you know I'd do anything for you."
"How come the deep Mackeys protect me?"
"I don't know that, either. It came from something Aunt Esther once ordered. Maybe Dean would know more and would tell you. You could ask Jason, or even Sean. Grandma Corbin is their paternal great-grandmother. I asked my dad once and he told me never to ask again, so I'm not about to."
"Okay, just thought I'd ask," Malcolm said after a few minutes. He motioned for Seth to continue leading them out without saying another word.
Cameron Woods knew the day would come when he had to tell. He'd managed to put it off for a week, but yesterday his brother demanded that he tell him and Adam Nesbitt the deal he had made with Sheldon Redd at the Mackey Clubhouse.
Now, with the two 13-year-old boys in his room, it was time. The twelve-year-old was nearly shaking with what he had to say. And for what he would have to do right after he said it.
"I agreed to end the deal I had with you," Cam said to Adam.
"Thank god," the boy said with obvious relief.
"There's more," Cam added. He paused, not wanting to say it, but he had to. If his brother went and asked Sheldon if a deal was reached, the last thing Sheldon had said would be far worse.
"I also agreed to make the same deal I made with you, only reversed. For the next two years, you have access to my mouth whenever, wherever, and however you want it."
Adam was floored. Not only was he let out of the stupid deal he had made, but he got the same one back in return. The smile on his face showed his satisfaction with how things had worked out. He was about to ask, no, demand his first use, but Cam wasn't done yet.
"And for going to Sheldon and asking to keep me off the list, you get the same thing, but only for the next six months," Cam said to his brother. "I guess it starts here."
"You bet it does," Alex said. He started to undress, but Adam stopped him.
"Not here," he said. "Let's do it in the backyard."
"What if someone is out there?" Cam asked, suddenly realizing just how horrible this could become.
"I won't let girls watch," Adam said. "But if your friends are around, that's your problem."
Cam was scared. He could only hope that his best friend wasn't around. He stripped out of his clothes. At just two months past twelve, his dick was small, just under 3.5" long, and thin. His pubic hair was coming in, but it was light in color and unless one looked closely, they wouldn't notice it.
"Oh, we are in luck," Adam said the moment he opened the backdoor and stepped out.
Cameron followed him, and his heart stopped. Zack Green was in his backyard, but he was not alone. Cliff Frazier and Reed Jordan were with him. The three of them looked over and saw him standing frozen on his back porch and hurried over.
"You said whenever and wherever I wanted it," Adam said. "Right in the middle of the back yard is where, so get a move on."
"On your knees," Adam said to the very embarrassed and frightened boy. He pulled his dick out. Cam had seen it before. 5.25" of flesh, the purple head swollen with blood. With his friends and brother watching, Adam began teaching the fine art of giving head. The training ended with explosive bursts of thick, white cum, and Cam was unable to swallow it all.
"Hang around, guys," Adam said to the three friends of Cam. "After he does his brother, he's going to do me again."
Alex was a bit kinder to him, but he still enjoyed having two-thirds of his nearly 5" in Cam's mouth. He shot less, but it was still more than his brother could swallow. "You'll get better with practice," he said as he put his dick back into his pants.
Adam looked at Cam with a sense of triumph, but he also knew what it was like to face having to do this as often as required. "I'll make this a bit more bearable for you," he said. "I'll only use you once a week, and I'll pay attention to who is around to see you do it. But after you suck me off, you'll do the same for any guys I choose who witness it. You'll have to trust me on who I choose, but that's the deal if you want it."
Cam looked at his friends, and could see on their faces that they were hoping he'd accept. But it would limit how many times he'd have to suck off Adam. Once a week for two years.
"Okay," he said.
Adam put his dick back inside his pants. "Then this was my one time for a week. But you owe each of these guys a blowjob." He turned and faced the other boys.
"This is a special privilege, don't try to take advantage of it. Enjoy what he is going to do for you, but you will never tell anyone else about what you saw, what you got, or what you heard. If you do and I find out, you'll find out first-hand what it's like to be on your knees in front of friends. Or enemies." He didn't ask for agreement, he just turned and he and Alex headed back to the house, leaving Cam with the other three boys.
Kelley had a few minutes to talk with Sandy before he needed to be home for dinner. He gave a brief summary of what Grandma Corbin had said.
"Do you think you could come with me when we go?" he asked.
"Well, not tomorrow. I want to meet individually with all four of the new bottoms. I need to explain their duties, let them know their rights and obligations to the clan. Like when they can say no when they reach their daily quota, allowing some flexibility on that and what they should expect when guys start making appointments. I also need to make sure they're okay with the record keeping, and give them a few tips on what they need to carrying with them," said Sandy. "I also want them to know what it feels like when it's done to them. I think that will be important. I want to meet with at least one of them in the morning, probably Chris Corbin. and I've got to go all the way to Bartlett for that."
"I've never been to Bartlett," Kelley said.
"There's not much to see. But there's a few stores and a public swimming pool. I'll be happy to take you and show you around anytime you want, but not tomorrow. Not when I'm meeting with Chris."
"Yeah, sorry, I wasn't thinking."
"No problem. We need to find some time to approach Raymond and the Council so we can get back to Mr. Corbin."
"Yeah, but not tonight, okay? I'm kind of worn out. But soon, I agree."
Kelley was exhausted by the time he got home, and the worst part was he didn't feel like he'd accomplished anything. Matty's dad had talked with them, but didn't commit to anything. What Sandy had told him about someone stealing stuff from the deep Mackey and putting it in other people's yards also bothered him.
Now he had to talk to his dad. He started by saying that he and Sandy had visited Mr. Corbin.
"You went to Matthew Corbins house?" his dad asked. "Without permission? That was foolish, given all that's going on in the Spring. How did you even get there?"
"We got a ride from a friend of Sandy's."
"You got into a car with a kid, rode all the way to the city, and never bothered to even think of asking permission? What the hell has gotten into you? You are still twelve, Kelley. I didn't expect problems like this for another four years yet."
"Sandy thinks that Mr. Corbin is part of it, and he at least listened to us. He denied having anything to do with the trouble, but I think he did."
"And that thinking could get you hurt. I agree, I think he is involved. But without proof, we both need to stay out of it. Understand?" Kelley nodded. "No more surprises. There is too much that you don't understand and don't know. Leave the adult stuff to the adults."
His dad got up from the chair and went to pour a cup of coffee before returning to the table. "Also, stay away from the Mackey lands. There are serious problems up there, more than what we talked about this morning."
"Like what?" Kelley asked, wondering if his dad had heard about where he'd been today.
"Fights, and other stuff. Just stay away from it."
Just then Ethan came in. "Kelley, can I talk to you when you're done talking to dad?"
Kelley tried but failed to keep down a yawn. "Are we done, dad?" he asked.
"Okay. But I want you to listen to what I told you. Stay out of Mackey and Corbin business. And get to bed early. You can hardly keep your head up as it is."
"Yes sir, I plan to. Ashton came to my bed last night because of the storm. I didn't get much sleep."
The two brothers went to Kelley's room. "I need a shower; can we talk while I take one or will that be too much for you to control?" he asked Ethan.
"Don't do that," the younger boy said. "Don't treat me like I'm a baby or some crazy sex fiend. By Halloween I'll be eleven. And I've seen you naked. I think I can keep myself from attacking you."
"Sorry Ethan, what I said was unnecessary. I'm just exhausted. Go ahead and tell me what's bothering you."
"I was wondering, about the Choosing Ceremony thing yesterday. How people felt when it was done."
"I'm okay, if that's what's bothering you. But I got off pretty easy, thanks to Tanner."
"How about Cal? Even though he maybe deserved it, I still worry about if he's okay."
"What happened to him was his own fault. I don't feel sorry for him and you shouldn't either."
"Maybe you're wrong about him. You were wrong about Malcolm."
Kelley had to sigh and give a moment's thought to his brother's statement.
"Okay, I was wrong about Malcolm. Very badly wrong, and thank you for insisting that I stop treating him the way everyone else does. But the situation with Brewer is different. What he did was personal. And if you are right about what you said almost happened at the White party, then you know how much of a shithead he is. Don't feel sorry for him. Not everyone is like Malcolm, with goodness inside just trying to find a way to get out."
"But I do feel sorry for him. He needed to be punished, I know that. But not that much. And I think you should feel sorry for him, too. I want you to think about it, okay?"
"I'll think about it, but I don't expect I'll change my mind," Kelley said. He shifted topics, hoping that if he did, he could get to the shower soon.
"How was your day at the Jacobs house?"
"I was with Stevie. We, uh, did stuff. Stuff Chass doesn't like doing."
"Okay, I get your meaning. Stay around the house tomorrow, okay? Unless Chass or Stevie invite you back over there. There's a lot of strange stuff going on everywhere."
"Okay," Ethan said. "I don't think they will, they are fighting all the time now. Are you going to go to their house tomorrow?"
"No. Sandy has business he needs to take care of. And in the afternoon, I might be going up into the Deep Mackey lands if Seth is free. Shit, I wanted to tell dad about that. But now I won't. I don't think he'd allow me to go, but it's important that I do."
"I heard what dad said. I don't want you to go. Why do you have to?"
"I'm trying to fix things. Malcolm will be with me. Look, please don't tell dad unless he asks you specifically, then don't lie to him. Okay? I promise, I'll tell you all about it later, but not tonight."
"Okay, but I still wish you weren't going. Or Malcolm either. Oh, there's one more thing." Ethan fished in his pocket and pulled out a paper covered in pencil writing.
"Me and Stevie..."
"Stevie and I."
Ethan sighed, just as he did every time his brother corrected his grammar. "Stevie and I want you and Sandy to try and change the way the Choosing Ceremonies are done. We wrote up some new rules. We'd like you guys to take them to the council." He handed over the paper.
"I don't think right now the Council is going to listen to us, and Sandy has other things to take care of. He and I did talk about it today. He wanted to eliminate them completely, and I thought of you and Stevie and figured you'd want them to continue. I'll look at this, I promise. Soon. But not tonight. Right now, I want to take a shower and go to bed. If you think of anything else you need to tell me, you can walk in. You can even attack me if you want. I'm too exhausted to fight you off." He smiled and got one back in return.
The shadowy figure stirred with the first hint of dawn. He'd made one mistake, leaving the red wagon behind. Others had found it and knew where it came from, which wasn't a problem for him, except that they took it with them and now he didn't have it. He'd have to do without.
He knew that many people would be coming to view the damage he had caused on God's behalf. He couldn't spend any more time at Old Knot, even hidden as he was. That was fine, he knew another place. And while they would be looking for someone, it wouldn't be him. Before he came here, he had made sure to tell several other boys that he was going to the City of Angels, and that would be where they would search for him. He still had God's work to do, but for now, he needed to do something for himself.
Making sure nothing was about except for birds and deer, he climbed down to the ground. The remains of the stage still smoldered slightly as he passed around it. He followed a trail he knew that took him to the shed he wanted to visit.
The sun hadn't broken the horizon yet, but there was enough light for him to get to where he needed to go. Making sure first that the house was dark and quiet, he then went into the shed. The motorbike, a rebuilt 1968 Honda Dream with a 250 cc engine, was inside. He wanted to take it, but it was too big and heavy to haul through the woods, and if he started it the noise would wake everyone. So instead, he pulled every cable he could and pocketed them. He used tools from the workbench to cut the wires he couldn't remove. He used a knife he found to slash both tires. He was about to figure a way to damage or destroy the engine when light from the house caught his eye. It would have to be enough, now it was time to go.
He was about to leave when he saw the jacket. It was long and black, and had several deep pockets. He tried it on, and it came to just below his knees. There would be room in the pockets for a lot of stuff. He grabbed a few tools that might come in handy, and even though it was warm outside, he left wearing the heavy coat. He got to the door and had a quick look back. There was something else he'd seen, but hadn't recognized a use for. However, with the light from the house in this position, the thing appeared realistic and terrifying. He picked up the Halloween mask and examined it reverently. Yes, this would definitely come in handy.