Written by Charles Well <charles.well@yandex.com> and Sarge AKA Aldric <pietar_the_fearless@yahoo.com>
(C) 2018)
The original Kids of Indian Spring (KOIS) story by Jonas Henley can be found here: https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/young-friends/kids-of-indian-spring/
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.
The day was already incredibly hot. The air was absolutely stagnant and the sun was partially obscured by a thick haze. It wasn't a day that anyone wanted to wake up to, especially if they had to go out and do manual labor. But working at the Headleys' house was his punishment for hiring other boys to sneak into Tripp Headley's room and remove the evidence of Ethan's poor decisions.
He dressed as lightly as he could, and brought along plenty of water. Mrs. Headley had always left him some lemonade or other drinks, but just in case she didn't, he wanted to be prepared. His mom made a light breakfast and as soon as he was done, he told her he'd come right home after he finished his work.
He had no more than reached the edge of Coolspring, however, when he realized something. It felt different. Not cooler, it was still very hot and humid, but different. Like there was some special feeling in the Spring that didn't extend this far. Just like Sandy had mentioned when they were at Mr. Corbin's house. He shook his head and got to work, wondering what it could possibly be.
Mr. Matthew Corbin was pissed. On the day of the annual Mackey Choosing Ceremony, his son, Matty, had been taken to Old Knot with no idea of what would happen to him. And what happened was the boy had been fucked. It had been done by his cousin Eli, but from the numerous reports he'd received, not a single boy present had said a word to stop it. Not one of the more than 150 boys present had even questioned it. Something had to be done to get the attention of the Mackeys.
He had never forgiven that family for what they did to him as a kid. And now they had attacked his only son. He had moved away from Indian Spring to distance himself from that clan of ignorant hillbillies he hated. But the Mackey curse had followed him. He wanted revenge for what they did to him and now Matty Junior.
Mr. Corbin had sent some of the trusted workers from his construction company into the Spring Saturday night, but only to carry out minor acts of vandalism against certain targets. However, he'd been shocked to hear of two fires and numerous reports of more serious damage and other mayhem. His workers assured him that they had nothing to do with any of that. He had planned to continue sending them back each night, but now had to stop. Things were out of hand and if one of his workers got caught, it would be a disaster.
On Monday, he had reached out to some of the adult community leaders and, while denying he had sent anyone to Indian Spring, he wanted to help and offered money to those who had losses, and to provide the lumber needed to replace the damage done at Old Knot. He had the financial means to do it without a problem.
Once that had been completed, he made a telephone call to Sandy and Kelley's fathers, asking both of them to have their oldest sons visit him at his house after lunch that day. He was impressed that the two boys, no older than his own child, had taken it upon themselves to intervene in the family feud and attempt to calm things down. And those two might prove to be useful intermediaries between himself and some of the "crazies" that still lived in Indian Spring. Mr. Matthew Corbin understood his own denial of involvement in the fires would be strongly doubted. Perhaps two of their own would be more acceptable go-betweens.
Both dads had exchanged shocked phone calls at this stunning development. Sam Jacobs was particularly surprised to learn from Hal that their two boys had visited Mr. Corbin on Sunday. Sam valued independence, self-reliance, and encouraged all his sons to follow their curiosity and to be proactive. He even generally trusted his oldest, but an unauthorized car trip to the city with 17-year-old Willard Harrison driving, and involving himself in adult affairs, was a bridge too far. He decided he would need to have a serious chat with the boy at some stage. However, it appeared the damage was done this time and Mr. Corbin was actually inviting them back. And besides, Hal Tucker claimed to have a meeting nearby, so he promised to drop them off. As much as the fathers wanted to know why their sons had been summoned to that house, they both agreed to give the boys a chance to talk about it on their terms when they were ready.
***
This time it was Kelley who knocked. Mr. Corbin invited them both inside.
"My wife and Matty are out buying school supplies," he said. "Are things calmer in Indian Spring today?"
"Somewhat, sir," Sandy said. "At least today it doesn't look like a shooting war will break out at any minute now. But there is still a lot of vandalism and thievery going on."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps it was just the storm," Mr. Corbin said. "It put everyone on edge. I even had some minor damage way out here. But that's not why I invited you back. You took a risk, a dangerous risk, coming here on your own yesterday. Thus, I also wanted your parents to know you were here today. Hence, the phone calls."
"There are still a lot of problems, sir, but the worst of them are on hold for now," Sandy said. He looked at Kelley, but his friend was staring at a painting hanging on the wall and didn't seem to be listening. "Why did you want to see us?"
Kelley was listening, but not paying attention. There were several paintings on the walls and he found a couple of them interesting. But one stood out, at least to him. It was similar to one that hung in his house. It had the same colors, the same lines. The subject was different; the one in his house was a painting of him holding Ethan when his brother was still a toddler. This one was a painting of a boy of about three, but the looks and black hair gave it away. It was a painting of Matty.
But even Kelley, who knew next to nothing about art, could see that they were both painted by the same artist. And Kelley knew for a fact that the one in his house had been painted by Malcolm's mother.
"I wanted to hear more about how you would punish Eli," Mr. Corbin said. "I've, umm, considered some of what you said to me yesterday, and pressing charges may not be the right approach." He, too, had noticed Kelley and turned to look at what the boy was staring at.
"You like that painting?" he asked. After a moment's hesitation, Kelley nodded and turned his attention back to Mr. Corbin. "My wife and I had it painted shortly after Matty's fourth birthday. We took him to a studio in Coolspring where a good artist once worked."
Kelley knew that was a complete lie.
"Yes, sir, it is nice. I know who the artist is."
He saw Mr. Corbin flinch. "That would be unlikely," he said. "The artist didn't get enough business here and he moved to New York shortly after that was painted."
Kelley knew again that Mr. Corbin was lying. He decided not to push it.
"I don't know much about art, but I've seen another painting like that one." He took one last look at the painting and then turned his attention back to the conversation Matty's father wanted to have with them.
"Sandy and I haven't had any chance to talk about it together, and we haven't yet tried to talk with the Youth Council. But as Sandy said yesterday, we would push for total isolation. The Mackey could even extend it to Sweetwater kids in school. Make it known that they would be, uh, displeased if girls were to go out with him or if he was on any sports teams or had any male friends. He's an asshole, but a social person, and isolation would be terrible for him."
"It's an idea I could live with," Mr. Corbin explained. He switched gears and said, "You talked about becoming members of the council. What could I do to help the two of you get elected?"
Sandy squirmed in his seat. "Nothing personal, Mr. Corbin," he said, "But I think it would be best if you..."
"We need to win on our own merit," Kelley said, purposefully interrupting Sandy. "Not with help from anyone. We have to convince the voters that we deserve it. The normal politics don't work. We need kids to believe in us and want the changes we hope to put in place."
Matthew hadn't missed what Sandy had almost said and he took a closer look at Kelley before speaking. "You are clearly your father's son. I wish you both success in your goal. But I won't wait until some election years from now. If I don't deal with Eli now, it will be more difficult later. And Matty, as well as my wife and I, want something done quickly."
"Just because we're not on the Junior Council doesn't mean we can't do anything," Sandy said. "The Council has listened to my ideas in the past. I'll get a fair hearing. And since it is Kelley's idea, he'll be there to present it along with my full support."
"Some of the Mackey don't have much respect for Tuckers," Mr. Corbin said.
"I'm a Mackey now," Kelley said. "I was at the Choosing Ceremony last Saturday, bent over the same benches as Matty." He saw the surprised look on Mr. Corbin's face.
"Okay, I can delay taking any legal action for a few days. See what you can accomplish. I like your idea better than mine, but something needs to be done and done soon."
Mr. Corbin stood up, indicating the meeting was over. Sandy stood and took a step towards the door, but Kelley turned instead and approached the painting for a closer look.
"Whoever you think painted it, you're probably wrong," Mr. Corbin said from directly behind him. His voice wasn't friendly. "The man who painted it sold very few portraits around here, that's why he moved to New York. But I heard he died shortly after arriving there."
But Kelley knew that he was not wrong about who created the painting. He wondered why Mr. Corbin was trying to convince him that Malcolm's mother hadn't painted it, and why it mattered so much to him. But it wasn't something to be discussed at this time.
"Yes sir, I'm sure you're right," he said as he forced himself to turn away from the painting. "It just looked a lot like another one I saw once. Thanks for inviting us for the meeting." He joined his friend at the door and they left together.
"What the hell was that about?" Sandy asked as soon as the door closed behind them. "The painting? Who cares about a stupid painting of Matty?"
Kelley thought about lying, but realized that his new relationship with Sandy had to begin with honesty and trust. "It's a personal matter, one that affects a friend of mine – Malcolm McEwen. I'm sorry for not saying more, but until I can talk to my mom or dad, I can't tell you anything for now. Except that Mr. Corbin was lying about who painted it."
"Does it matter right now?" Sandy asked. "We've got a bunch of problems to resolve and we don't need another one. But if it does need to be taken care of, you know I'll help any way I can."
"No, it isn't part of the Indian Spring problems," Kelley said. "But I need to protect Malcolm, and I'm, ... I'm curious about it. And why he lied to me. It won't interfere with us. How did it go with Chris?"
"A complete disaster," Sandy said. He explained the incident and how Mr. Jack Corbin was attempting to punish Michael and Harry for the way they had abandoned Chris at the Choosing Ceremony. He also told his friend what happened with Bert and his brothers, and even why he had allowed Gerry to fuck him. Like Kelley, Sandy felt the need to be completely honest with his new best friend. He knew it was irrational, but something was drawing him to Kelley Tucker. It wasn't sexual. They had never done that and neither had ever even hinted at the idea. Yes, it was crazy. There was a year's age difference between them. They weren't even in the same grade at school. Still, Sandy couldn't explain what was bringing them together.
They had reached the meeting location Kelley's dad had picked, and saw he was there waiting on them.
"How was the meeting?" Mr. Tucker asked as the boys got in the car.
"Okay, I guess," Kelley said. "Sandy and I need some time to discuss it and then go to the Youth Council and make a presentation. I'll tell you about it later."
Hal considered trying to get Sandy to fill in the blanks, but decided to let it ride for now. The boys seemed relaxed and casual, so he guessed there hadn't been any tension or accusations at the meeting. His curiosity would have to wait until later.
He dropped both boys off close to the Jacobs house.
"I'd like to talk about Mr. Corbin and what we're going to say to the Council. But I have an appointment with Bert in 10 minutes, so maybe we can do it later?" Sandy said.
"Okay, maybe we can meet this evening," Kelley suggested.
"You know, it might not be a bad idea if you were there when I meet with Cal. You've got to put your anger behind you. What do you think?"
"I honestly don't think I will ever put aside how I feel about him. Thank you for trying, but I think it is best if I stay away from that kid."
"Okay, for now," Sandy said. "But I want you to think about it. I may invite you again." He looked at his watch. "I need to go. The five-day Choosing Recovery Period is up soon, and I want to have time with the new bottoms before the horde of horny monkeys start in on them."
On that note, they parted.
That evening while his brothers were upstairs getting ready for bed, Kelley decided it would be a good time to talk to his father about the meeting.
"I guess you want to hear about my meeting with Mr. Corbin," Kelley said.
"I was hoping I wouldn't have to ask."
"Sandy and I told him we would talk to the Junior Council about Eli. He's extremely pissed at him. More for what he said was rape than for bringing Matty to the ceremony. We have for now convinced him not to bring in the police."
"How did you manage that?"
"I told him what would happen if he made the complaint official. How an investigation would uncover all the activities here in the Spring, now and in the past. How it could ruin everyone's reputation, even his. He hadn't thought about that."
"I'm surprised you did. I hadn't even considered that. You must have made a good argument for an alternative punishment for Eli."
"Sandy suggested he and I go to the Council and have them ban any social contact with Eli. No friends, boy or girl. No physical contact. Even extend it to school sports. It may have gone too far, but now we have to make the presentation. I'm afraid the Council won't even consider such drastic action. Do you ever regret making promises before thinking them through?"
"Yes. I try to learn from it when I do. That idea is out of line with what Eli did, and I don't think the Council will listen to you. I do, however, agree with your feelings. Talk with Raymond. He'll do his best to come up with something fair and deserving."
"Dad, Mr. Corbin has a painting in his house that was painted by Malcolm's mom. But when I said I knew who painted it, he lied about it. He said it was painted by a man, and that man died shortly after leaving Coolspring."
"What makes you think that it was painted by Natalie?"
"It was the same as the one in our other room. The same theme, same colors, same brush strokes. It was a painting of Matty, but it was painted by her. Why would he lie about that?"
"I don't know. I don't even know that it was painted by her, and neither do you. Let it be."
But his dad had just lied. He did know about the painting. And he just plain lied. What was going on with his father lately?
The next morning, Kelley arrived at his job at the same time the Salvador truck pulled up. Carlos greeted him, happy to see that even after a few weeks, the white kid still came to work and on time. He decided the boy needed a promotion.
"Today, you cut, me and Ruben will do the blowing, raking, and trimming," he said. He got the big mower out of the back of the trailer and gave Kelley instructions on how to operate it. "Don't try to get too close to anything, we'll get what you miss with the trimmers. Straight lines, and don't hurry."
As he worked, he once again felt that things were different outside of Indian Spring. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was like there was something bad about the Spring. He suddenly realized that he was getting too close to a tree and turned quickly and decided he'd better keep his concentration on the job.
It was a lot better work than he'd had before, and Kelley followed the directions exactly, winning praise from Carlos's father. When he was done, he got paid, a bit more than in previous weeks.
"You did good. We'll rotate the good jobs between the three of us from now on," Carlos said.
***
Kelley was just passing the park, nearly home, when he saw Jeremy Cantrell. He remembered the promise he'd made to the boy a month ago. A lifetime ago, he now felt.
"Let my little brother fuck you tonight, and I swear to you, I'll give you a whole day this summer with me, whenever you want, to do whatever you want."
Ethan had told him Jeremy had let him, and thanked him for doing it, but also reminded him of the promise. He wondered why the boy hadn't been around to collect on it, and decided to pull in and see if it came up.
"Hi, Jeremy," he said. Jeremy had been sitting with his feet in the stream, but his shorts were dry, so Kelley figured he hadn't been cooling off any more than that. The boy was shirtless (who wouldn't be with this heat, Kelley thought) and somehow looked taller as the boy stood up and faced him.
Kelley was 5 months older, but he could see a change in Jeremy that signaled he had advanced into puberty. The boy had two pimples on his face, and with the sun shining at just the right angle he was sure he saw a hair or two under an armpit.
"I haven't seen you since, uh, before the White Party," Kelley said. He saw Jeremy blush with the memory of the evening he'd spent at the Cantrell house.
"I, uh, yeah, I know you've been busy. I still see Ethan." His voice showed he was uneasy about something.
"Is something wrong?" Kelley asked. "Did Ethan..."
"Ethan would never do anything mean," Jeremy said. "It's just that, I ... me and Ethan, we ... you said we could!"
"Ethan told me you did what I asked. Do you feel guilty about that? Like you shouldn't have let him?"
"No, it's just that I enjoyed it. And what you and I did in my room, that was wicked. But I'm not like that. It was just, with you and Ethan, so much fun."
"Good, I'm glad you enjoyed it. So why are you upset that I'm here?"
"Nobody has ever said a word about it. Nobody knows what happened. You didn't tell anyone, not even Ethan, what you said to me."
"I promised you I wouldn't. I still don't know what's wrong." Kelley could see the front of the boy's shorts starting to lift.
"I wanted to do it with Ethan. I think he wanted it, too. But you said I couldn't until you said it was okay. And you never did."
Kelley suddenly remembered the last thing he had said to Jeremy.
"Nothing, not even your finger, goes in Ethan's hole until I say it's OK, which probably won't be too far away."
"Yeah, I never did," was all he could say. "I'm not so sure Ethan is ready, but I'll trust it to be his decision. You can do what you want as long as he is willing."
"Thanks," Jeremy said. "You also promised something else."
"Yeah, a day to do whatever you wanted if you did what I asked."
"I don't need a whole day. Maybe an hour." Kelley saw that the tent in his shorts had become more noticeable. "Nobody's home at my house."
"I just finished my job. I stink, and my clothes are probably filthy."
"I have a shower. And I know how to use the washer and dryer."
"Okay, let's go, then," Kelley said.
Sandy had an appointment with Judge Mackey that morning, but when he knocked at the door, the kid's older brother, Joshua, said he wasn't home.
"He is with Colin and Tommy. They're probably in the tree house." Joshua pointed to the woods next-door. "In the empty lot through there. You can go around by the road, but there's a path right through the woods."
Sandy had calmed down considerably since his dust-up with Michael Corbin the day before. He hoped this meeting would go better. He found the tree house easily enough, but as he approached, he could hear voices coming from inside.
"Maybe if we pluck some of those tiny little hairs on his balls, he'll tell us where he hid the treasure." Giggles followed.
"Or just fuck him until he talks." Sandy recognized this as Judge's voice.
"Here's the lube," the first voice said. Sandy didn't know who that voice belonged to.
"Grease him up real good, and rub that spot until he cums all over his belly like he made me do," Judge said.
Sandy heard more giggles, and was sure it was just boys' playing, but if there were Mackeys up there and they were doing stuff with Judge, there could be a problem. Joshua had said he was with Colin and Tommy, and he couldn't think of any Mackeys with those names, but he certainly didn't know them all.
He heard more giggles. "Okay, Okay, I'll talk, stop before I shoot," a third voice pleaded.
"Nope, too late," Judge said. "First I'm going to make you cum and then I'm going to fuck you."
"No, I'll talk, I'll tell, awwwww," The voice trailed away into the high-pitched sound of a boy having a good cum.
"We'll let you off with just a blow job if you go and get the treasure and bring it back here," the first voice said.
"We will?" Judge asked.
"Yeah, only he'll have to get it while he's naked." There were more giggles, and a few whispers that Sandy couldn't make out. Then a door opened and a rope ladder was dropped. A moment later a very naked boy who Sandy didn't know started down the ladder.
Sandy didn't want the boys to think he'd been spying on them, and he was about to leave when he saw Judge and a third boy step out of the treehouse and lean on the railing. Both were naked, and Judge had an erection. It only took a second before Judge saw him.
"Uh-oh," he said. "I forgot, I had a meeting this morning." He and the other boy hurried back inside about the time the boy on the rope ladder reached the bottom and turned around.
"Uh, ahh, hi," the kid said as his face turned bright red and his hands went to cover his boner. "I'm, us, we were just playing a game."
"Hey, Tommy, catch," Judge shouted from above and a moment later clothing came flying down, landing next to the naked boy. Judge and the other boy were now dressed.
Sandy had no idea what to do. The naked boy turned his back to him and dressed as the third boy climbed down the ladder.
"I'll see you guys later," Judge called. "Don't mind him, he's Sandy Jacobs, and he's cool. Come on up, Sandy."
"Those were two of my buddies, Tommy Haynes and Colin Gaither," Judge said when Sandy reached the top. "We were uh, playing, you know, just a game."
"It's cool. It sounded interesting. But just one question. Was it totally mutual? - nobody being forced into anything?" He pointed to where four ropes were hanging from supports. "I see you have some red spots on your wrists and ankles."
"You're not going to tell, are you?" Judge said. "My mom..."
"Was everyone, and I mean everyone, including you, agreeing to what was happening, or was it bullying?"
"No, we've played before. Well, not with what we did today. That was new. And when it was my turn and Tommy wanted to, uh, put his penis in me, I said it was okay, but only if I could do the same to him."
"Did you?" Sandy asked. "With him or with Colin?"
"I was about to, but Colin stopped me. I don't think he was comfortable about it. But he didn't mind when Tommy did it to me. They aren't Mackeys, so I didn't break any rules."
"I think you need to be a bit more careful, but no, I'm not going to tell. You're right, you didn't break any rules. I'm glad you were having fun and I'm sorry for ruining it, but it's actually kind of why I'm here."
"You knew I was doing this? How'd you find out? Who else knows?" The panic was written all over Judge's face.
"Calm down. I didn't know you were playing that game. Let me explain."
"One of the things I don't think you realize is why boys like to stick their dicks in other boys butts. Is it okay if I use those words? I know you're kind of religious."
"My mom is religious. I'm starting to think a lot of it is bull. I use the word fuck. Sometimes!" Judge blushed again.
"Okay, well, now that you're a bottom, other boys are going to be using your butt, and they're going to say stuff like how good it feels and that they want to do it again. I want you to find out what it feels like to do it. I want you to fuck me, so that you will know how good it feels. Maybe we should pull the rope ladder up first."
"Are you going to do it to me?" Judge asked. "I don't mind, but I think it's a violation of the rules."
"No, Judge, I'm not going to do it to you. I'm outside of the age range that you are limited to. I think you misunderstood, you are going to do it to me. I want you to know what that feels like."
Judge hesitated. "I'll do it, if you want, but I know what it feels like."
"Uh, really?" Sandy asked. "I guess I figured with your religion and all that, uh, well, maybe this was something you wouldn't be comfortable with."
"If I tell you something, can you keep it a secret?"
"I can, and I will, unless your secret is that you robbed a bank and killed four people." He saw a confused look on Judge's face. "I'm joking. Yes, I can keep a secret, but you don't know me. You don't know if you can trust me. Just because I said I would keep your secret doesn't mean anything. I could..."
"I know Stevie. And Brad. And they both say good things about you. I just wanted to hear you say it. The secret isn't just mine, it's Chase Garvin's, too. You see, his brother, Jeff, somehow figured out at the sleepover that I'm gay. And he knew his brother was, too. He was worried about me, so he sent Chase over to see me. We did it, right here in this tree house. And before you get mad at Chase, he was, uh, not sure we should. He offered to let me. And I did. And I really enjoyed it. He didn't fuck me. He said if I got picked as a bottom to call on him to fuck me, and that he'd be real gentle, which he was. He was really kind. He was here for me, not for sex."
Sandy was quiet for a few seconds as he took all that in. "Wow, that's uh, more than I expected. I will keep both of your secrets. It doesn't bother me that you guys enjoy that. But again, I want you to be careful with your friends. Not all boys are gay."
"I know, but Tommy, he's kind of cute and I think he might like boys, too. Colin is cute and fun to be with, but he mostly just likes getting blowjobs. He isn't happy if he has to give one, so the game is normally played where he always is the bad guy and he can get what he wants."
It was quiet for a few moments before Judge spoke.
"I guess there isn't any reason for you to uh, get fucked. Unless you want to. I, uh, you did kind of interrupt my plan for Tommy."
"Yeah, I am sorry about that. I take it you're still horny?" He guessed from the look on Judge's face that he was still learning the vocabulary that most other boys his age already knew. "I mean, you're hard and want to do something with it."
"Oh, that's what that means. Colin keeps using that word and I thought it meant I was the devil or something. Yeah, I guess I'm horny. But you don't have to if you don't want to."
"I'm the bottoms' bottom. I know that was explained to you. I can't say no to you if you ask me. I think I'll leave the decision up to you. You will soon be in the position of not being able to say no to other boys, and now you can feel how the boys asking are feeling."
"You're mean," Judge said with a smile. "But you lose. I want to do it. And you can't say no to me."
Sandy smiled as he began undressing. Judge blushed, but he undressed too, and Sandy saw that even though he was a small boy, he had a respectably sized 4.25" dick with a slight curve downward.
"Don't forget the lube," he said, but the younger boy was ahead of him. He felt fingers in his ass, moving slowly inward as he twisted them around the rim. After several slow but deliberate insertions, they were withdrawn and replaced with his dick.
"Sorry for doing this, but I really kind of want to," he said softly into Sandy's ear.
"And you're going to hear that from a lot of boys over the next two years," Sandy replied.
"But there's one more thing you've got to keep a secret," Judge whispered again. "I think you're really cute and I've wanted to do this for ages. And next time, I want you to fuck me, too."
There was nothing forced or demanding in Judge's actions. The younger boy was patient, driving in slowly, allowing the ring to gradually expand. Once inside, he slowly drove in and out, moaning softly as he did, and after a dozen or so drives, he shot, giving a louder squeal of delight as it happened.
They separated and as they turned to get dressed, they discovered that they should have pulled up the rope ladder. With just his head above the floor stood Tommy Haynes, and he was smiling.
"I think you guys have a game to finish," Sandy said. "I hope you find the treasure."
"Oh, he will," Tommy said with a smile. "You can count on that."
"There's some other stuff I've got to tell you about being a Mackey bottom, but that can wait for now," Sandy whispered into Judge's ear as he quickly made his way out of the treehouse.
He no more than got to the ground before the rope ladder was safely pulled up. He was tempted to stay and listen, but instead moved along, feeling good about how that had gone. Not everything in the Spring was crazy or insane.
Sandy Jacobs had one more meeting set up with the new bottoms, but this one would be different. He met up with Kevin Mackey at their prearranged spot near the Hayes house for the quick walk down the road to the Brewer place. They had arranged to meet with Cal this morning.
"I'm glad you made it," Sandy said when he saw his friend.
"No prob," Kevin responded happily. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."
"So, let's go!" the dirty blond shot back.
The Brewers lived in what everyone said was the nicest house in Indian Spring. Mr. Jonathan Brewer liked entertaining and Sandy had attended the huge July 4th party there, earlier in the month. However, he hadn't really been in the house much. The party had been held outside around the pool and in the huge back-yard in the perfect summer weather. As far as Sandy knew, this was the only joint in town that had its own pool. And according to Kevin, there was also a huge rec-room and each of the two Brewer brothers had their own bedroom. This always made Sandy envious. Most of the time he didn't mind sharing with Brad or his two youngest brothers on the other side of the connecting bathroom, but there were times his own space and real privacy would be heaven. And it seemed Stevie and Chass were spending more time recently in the room on his side of the bathroom than their own. He was always covetous of kids who had their own rooms. However, Sandy was pretty sure he didn't want to swap his life for Cal's just then. Within hours, the kid was about to face the reality of what being a full Mackey community bottom really meant. The dirty blond was aware Cal hadn't gone out of his way to encourage supporters over recent times, and local sympathies were not coalescing in his favor. He would definitely end up being used to the full extent allowed under Mackey rules. Plus, Cal had all that Magic Number blow-job crap to face as well. No, his own room was definitely not worth all that.
"Hi, Cal. Thanks for agreeing to meet with us," said Sandy in a slightly surprised voice when Calvin Brewer answered the front door dressed only in white BVDs.
"That's okay. My Dad's at work and Ben's gone over to Stevie Vargas's house." Cal noticed Sandy's staring and wanted to explain.
"Dad says he's gonna buy me a bunch of blue BVDs, but he hasn't got around to it yet. So don't read anything into the white."
When Sandy, still looking confused, turned to Kevin, the more experienced Mackey bottom took over.
"We're not actually here for that. You're still covered by the 5-day Recovery Period rule." Then he explained to Sandy about the different color shades of underwear worn by boys at White Parties.
"Oh, I get it," responded Sandy. My Dad mentioned blue wrist bands worn by some guys back when he was a kid. Or was it my Great Granddad? I don't remember now. But we're here to check how you're doing - I mean physically and mentally. We don't need to do sex," Sandy said almost hopefully.
Cal invited his two visitors into the rec-room and asked them if they wanted a soda. When both boys said, "yes", he disappeared into the back of the house and returned a few minutes later with cans and glasses on a tray.
"The truth is I'm shitting myself a bit about what will happen after tomorrow," said Cal as he handed each boy an ice-cold can of drink.
"Not surprised," said Kevin sympathetically. "I felt pretty much the same this time last year."
"Yeah," Sandy added. "You got a pretty raw deal on Saturday – I mean with the Magic Number blowjobs and all. Your dad was really mean to do that."
"Well, he had his reasons," said Cal, not entirely convincingly.
Knowing more of the background than Sandy, Kevin changed the subject. "Your main problem is lack of community support from the other guys. That means kids are gonna be out to use you as much as possible, within the rules, of course."
Cal Brewer bent his head in shame. He had guessed as much.
But Kevin wasn't finished. "Therefore, your job over the next few months is to win over the hearts and minds of as many of the other guys in the community as you can."
"So how do I do that?" asked Cal doubtfully.
"One kid at a time," Kevin stated. "By making the others owe you, one kid at a time. It won't be easy and you won't succeed with them all. Some guys are just natural pricks. But if you work hard at it, you'll will win over most within a few months. And your life will be much easier after that."
"You mean by being a good fuck for the boys that come around?" smirked Cal, only half sarcastically.
"Yep, that, and being happy, cheerful and fun to be with," answered Kevin seriously. "That's the idea. One kid at a time. How do you think I got break-in rights on your ass the other day, when I didn't even put my name on your back? Most Mackey around our age have a sense of obligation to me because of the reputation I built over the past 12 months. I worked hard at that. But as I said, you won't get them all. There's a bunch of dudes out there that are just assholes, and always will be. But most people are basically good, most of the time. Get those on your side and the others will fall into line."
"Yeah," cut in Sandy who had been listening carefully to Kevin's advice. He wasn't convinced he agreed with it all, but he knew the boy sitting in front of them did need hope – some straw to cling to.
"And you've already got two friends sitting here now. If you want us. We'll do anything we can to help you, won't we, Kevin?"
"Err, right," answered the Mackey bottom, with less enthusiasm than Sandy would have wanted.
"One kid at a time, as Kevin said," agreed Sandy, who wanted to gloss-over the other boy's less than wholehearted reaction. "And start with Kelley Tucker. I got to know him well over the past few days, and he is a good guy. I understand you two have a past, but from what I know of Tucker, he would put that behind him if you meet him halfway. And Kelley has a lot of pull with all the kids – Mackey and Near Springers south of the Crazy Indian. That would be a good place to start, if you want my advice," explained Sandy, hoping he was hitting the right tone.
When Cal looked pensive, Sandy felt he needed to say more, but couldn't think of anything else, so glancing at Kevin he blurted out, "You want to fuck?"
"I thought you said you weren't here for that?" asked Cal suspiciously.
"I didn't mean us fucking you. Not sure if you know, but I'm the official Mackey bottoms' bottom. That means both my ass and mouth are available to you and the other bottoms whenever you want."
"What about Kevin?" asked Cal Brewer, smiling for the first time today.
"Him, too. He's a Mackey bottom, so he has the same rights as you. Besides, he's always horny. We can do a threesome if you like. You don't have to do anything you don't want, but after Kevin's little show on Saturday at the Choosing, I'm pretty sure there's nothing for any of us to be embarrassed about."
"Okay, but let's go up to my room," said Cal. "In case Ben comes back."
Surprisingly all three boys enjoyed their little sex-capade. After some initial nervousness on Cal's part, mutual masturbation was followed by some three-way cock-sucking, then a few minutes of passionate kissing between Sandy and Kevin, in which Cal didn't participate, and then more mutual jerking-off. An hour later, Sandy had been fucked by both Kevin and Cal, but the Brewer kid had insisted on turn-abouts for the dirty blond, which he happily accepted after some initial concern about the rules. In the end, it turned into a relaxing and enjoyable sex-session for all three boys. No one felt exploited and all achieved multiple orgasms.
Later, Kevin and Sandy spent some time explaining to Cal about the contents of the backpacks they both always carried and answered a series of other questions the boy had about his duties as a Mackey bottom, keeping his appointment list and the need to report in every week to Sheldon and to the entire Council when required. By the time they left the Brewer residence, Sandy felt confident of two things. Cal was much more optimistic about his future prospects as a Mackey community bottom than when they had arrived, and the mutual respect he and Kevin now shared for one another had rubbed off on Cal. Sandy was reasonably certain he had established a solid working relationship with Brewer, and the kid might actually turn out to be a loyal friend, given time. If the behavior Kevin had hinted at from Cal at the White Party had actually occurred, there was no sign of it now.
Kelley had just returned home from his meeting with Jeremy Cantrell when he saw that Malcolm and Sandy were in the kitchen eating sandwiches his mom had made. He quickly joined them, realizing how hungry he was.
"Hey, Tuck," Sandy said. "My parents had Stevie and Chass round up their friends for a day in the yard. They bought a slip and slide and are going to put up four sprinklers. I told them I'd help set up. I ran into Malcolm and he's coming, so we came to get you, too."
"Just a point, I'm going to be with you guys, not play with a bunch of 8 through 11-year-old kids under a sprinkler," Malcolm said.
"If you don't, Sandy and I will drag you out there and stake you to the ground," Kelley said with a laugh. "Come on, its boiling outside, you'll have fun."
"We will play for sure, but I also told my parents I'd watch everyone to make sure nobody got hurt," Sandy said. "They both had to go to work, so it'll be us in charge and I don't want any tears if they can be avoided."
Kelley grabbed one of the sandwiches before they were all gone and asked where his brothers were.
"Are you kidding?" Sandy asked. "This was the first house Stevie went to. He invited Ethan, of course, and Ethan invited Ashton. Something I wish my brothers would do for each other once in a while."
"Why not take your brothers and just use the spot with the rope swing?" Malcolm asked.
"Because, on a day like today everyone will be there," Kelley said. "Is there a reason you're uncomfortable going to Sandy's?"
Malcolm's head went down. "I was always okay with Ethan, but some of the other kids who will be there I wasn't too cool with. They'd have good reason to not want me there."
"Malcolm, you will be fine." Kelley's mom said. "My sons and Sandy for sure will see to it. You aren't that person anymore. Isn't that right boys?"
"Yes!" they both agreed in unison.
Kelley helped to clean the table and the three of them headed out. "My mom is right, Malcolm. Don't worry. Have fun, the kids will see that you've changed. And trust me, Ethan won't allow anyone to say anything unkind to you."
The water party had been a big hit with over two dozen kids participating. Everyone enjoyed themselves. Even the older boys, which included Brad and Sean, who claimed they were too old for such frivolity, eventually let the "too-cool masks" drop and joined in with the rest. Sandy was pleased to see his youngest brother Chass had put the Tolley incident from yesterday behind him. He was surrounded by "his gang," who spent half the time trying to pull off the swimming trunks of some of the other younger boys. But in the end, it was only Chase and Oak Mackey that ended up naked. However, no one seemed concerned – even the two boys who spent the last hour running around bare-assed.
Mrs. Jacobs had made sandwiches and Kool-Aid for the party, and Malcolm raised his eyebrows slightly when a naked Chase and Oak came up and grabbed some sandwiches, but he said nothing.
The clean-up was left to the older boys, but didn't take long. Brad and Sean were put in charge of herding the younger boys inside for communal showers and Sandy, Kelley and Malcolm put away the hoses and sprinklers and folded up the slip and slide.
"We need to talk about Mr. Corbin," Sandy said after things were more or less orderly again.
"What about him?" Malcolm asked, and Sandy and Kelley filled him in on the meeting they'd had yesterday.
"My dad thinks the idea is out of line for what Eli did. He suggested we talk to Raymond first, not the Council," said Kelley.
"Sounds like a plan," Sandy agreed. "I've had similar thoughts. Ultimately, I reckon we will need to go to the Council, but we need our ducks in a row first. I was thinking of talking to Sheldon and getting his take on it. I'm meeting with him this evening to learn how to use his computer. I could bring it up then."
"Don't trust Sheldon," Kelley said, the tone suggesting there was a problem.
"Talk to me. What do you have against him?"
"There's some things I did with other kids. Stuff that was supposed to be private and that I didn't want anyone to know about. But somehow Sheldon found out. Yesterday Casey Harris told me Sheldon told the Council what I'd done. It's the reason Casey won't even talk to me now. I wouldn't want it to come up again if I were to speak at the Council. Even if I did, do you think they would even listen to us?"
"Listen? Yeah, if we do the upfront work first. Act on the idea? Probably not, because it is a fact that what Eli did was wrong, but it didn't violate any rules. But if Sheldon and Raymond know we're coming and what we're going to present, then they will be able to direct any action they are going to take. And Kevin's brother, Jason, will support us. We just don't want to go to the Council and surprise them." Sandy didn't know what secrets Kelley had and wasn't about to ask. He wondered now if it was something he should mention to Sheldon.
***
As Sandy, Kelley and Malcolm were finishing up their impromptu planning meeting, Seth Mackey showed up unexpectedly.
"Hi, guys," he waved at them as he came up on the front porch of the house. "Have you guys noticed anything ... unusual recently?" he asked without further small talk.
"Well, yeah, obviously," Kelley said. "Old Knot, Caleb Parker, stuff like that."
"I think it goes deeper," Seth said. "I made a short list." He handed a piece of paper to the other three boys.
1. Old Knot
2. Increased fighting
3. Tucker used Magic to control Malcolm
4. Vandalism
5. Chickens released or stolen
6. Still destroyed with axes
7. Mary Jane field burned
8. Objects stolen
9. Person dressed in black
"What the fuck is number 3 about?" Kelley asked with anger sounding in his voice.
"Don't shoot the messenger," Seth said. "Malcolm told me you were trying to get to Deep Mackey lands to talk about the problems, and to find out what's bothering them. I did it for you. And one thing that came up several times is that people up there believe you used magic to change Malcolm. For years, he was, well, Malcolm. Now all of a sudden, he's nice to people and friends with you. I'm not saying I believe it, but it was mentioned, and not nicely. People get pissed thinking that someone can be controlled that way."
"He didn't use magic," Malcolm said. "He just made me trust him. It didn't happen suddenly, it happened over time. He and I talked about why I was `Malcolm' and that it didn't suit me. I gradually got over being a prick to everyone. But it wasn't magic."
"Yeah, I get it and I don't think it was magic, either, but other people do, and that's what is important," Seth said.
"What about the last item," Sandy asked. "The guy dressed in black?"
"Oh, yeah, that's really strange," Seth said. "I tried to find out who has seen him, but the story changes with each person I talked to. But twice, I'm pretty sure I talked with the source. One was an older boy, I won't say who, but he was guarding a still his dad owns and saw the guy sneaking around. He shot over his head and the guy ran."
"He shot at him?" Kelley asked with surprise.
"When they are working a still, they always have one or two shotguns loaded with salt," Malcolm explained. "I hear it burns like hell if you get hit, but it generally doesn't require a doctor's treatment."
"Anyway," Seth continued. "I also spoke to two kids, cousins, Reeve and Carl, two of Fielding's grandkids. They were playing around. They wouldn't tell me exactly what they were doing, but I think I can probably guess. Then someone dressed in black and with a Halloween mask held a knife on them and made them burn their clothing. They told me they were naked at the time, and that seemed to either make the kid angry or jealous, they couldn't really tell. But they had to go home naked. One of them was sure the kid was a girl, but the other wasn't so sure. And that one didn't even think it was a kid. He was sure it was a small man. They both agreed that he or she spouted off stuff about following the word of god by punishing them for their sins."
"That's frightening weird," Sandy said. "So that's what's going on up north?"
"There's other stuff too. About a third of them are really pissed that Kelley was saved from being made a bottom, but another third who profited from it. There is trouble between those two groups, and any of them could be responsible for other stuff. And the age-old hatred for any non-Mackey who moves into the Spring, but that isn't different or new, just maybe a little worse than normal right now."
"From what I heard, most of the Mackeys believe that Mr. Corbin, Matty's dad, is responsible for the fire at Old Knot and the other vandalism and stuff," Sandy said.
"Some do, some don't," Seth responded. "There was a kid's wagon left at Old Knot that belonged to one of the Cormack kids, and many Mackeys think they had something to do with it."
"I heard that someone destroyed a motorcycle," Malcolm said. "The kid I heard it from said it belonged to Darrell."
"Well, shit, the way Darrell acts, that could be any one of a hundred kids," Seth said. "It looks like we agree, there is a lot of strange stuff happening up north, but I was wondering, are things normal down here?"
"Hardly," Kelley said. "Mr. Parker tried to make his oldest son the first Springer bottom. He says it wasn't him, it was the Hudson boys, but my dad thinks different."
"And the Hudson boys also were doing something to Caleb, his brother Rich, and Joey Vargas," Sandy said. "Stevie told me he saw those three naked on the street. And now that you ask, Stevie and Chass have been arguing a lot more than usual the last few weeks." He looked at Kelley, who had a strange look on his face, and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, you just reminded me that I was supposed to tell Ethan to stay away from the Parker house and I forgot. My dad said it was Stevie who was smart enough to pull him away. Without that, I think my brother would have taken advantage of the situation."
Kelley paused for a moment. "I, uh, I haven't been sleeping well. A couple of times a week I wake up covered in sweat after a nightmare. I can never remember the dream, but I remember that it scared the shit out of me. I feel like I'm a little kid again -- scared and wanting my mommy. Of course, I'm too old for that. But it takes me an hour before I can fall back asleep."
"Michael Corbin seemed a lot more aggressive than I remember him being when I went to see his brother Chris," Sandy said. "In fact, he seemed that way at the Choosing Ceremony, too."
"How about Eli?" Kelley asked. "First, bringing his cousin all the way to Old Knot and then fucking him at the end. That was weird."
"Even Sheldon allowing the 10-year-old kids to participate," Sandy said. "That's never been done before. And then Tanner signing your back with a protection vote instead of doing it for his brother. There were a lot of strange things taking place that far back."
Kelley and Seth told him about Uncle Angus's prophesy involving Tanner, but all agreed, it was still strange.
"And my dad heard that the police were involved with some weird stories at the school a few weeks ago," Kelley said. "I heard him talking. I guess the school got hit by lightning, but there were some odd things that they investigated. Nothing came of it, though. But something weird definitely happened."
"Seth mentioned the Cormacks," Sandy said. "Have you guys seen them around? I've seen James at Council meetings, but not Duncan or Ian or any of the others." Malcolm and Kelley shook their heads. "Then I guess that's another strange item from down here."
"So, we all agree, something very strange is going on, and it didn't just start, it's been going on for weeks. Only, it seems to be getting worse." Malcolm said once the others were done. "What do we do about it?"
"We stay alert," Kelley said. "What else can we do?"
"Get to the witch's cabin," Seth added. "I say we go tomorrow."
"I can't make it then," Sandy said. "But I agree, from what Kelley and Malcom have told me, it seems important. You guys should go, but be very careful."
Later that evening, Sandy decided that he would call Raymond directly and tell him about the meetings he and Kelley had with Mr. Corbin. Raymond asked several questions, and said he'd get them on the agenda for the next Junior Council meeting.
"Thanks for telling me about this," Raymond said. "Of course, I had heard the rumors about Matty's dad burning Old Knot. I was planning to ring him tomorrow. But you've saved me the problem. I assume he denied having anything to do with the fire?"
"Yeah, he denied it," Sandy answered. "He says he was home all that night. Kelley Tucker and I both agree, he probably didn't do that. We're guessing he did other stuff, though. I don't know, but he looked genuinely surprised when we mentioned the fire, but a little shifty when we mentioned other things, like Seth's bike in my front yard. However, we can't prove anything."
"Of course not," Raymond replied. "He wouldn't have done it himself. He would have had some of the workers from his construction company do the dirty work."
"So, what do we do?" Sandy asked.
"My guess is that Mr. Matthew Corbin doesn't want the state police involved any more than we do. We need to come to some sort of deal. Technically, Eli didn't do anything wrong, but I'll talk to him and get him to take one for the team. I can be very persuasive when I need to be," Raymond laughed. "Besides, I'm guessing neither Eli nor his parents want the son up on rape charges."
"I'm glad to see some of you younger kids taking the initiative on family business. Well done, you guys. I'll call a special Council meeting in the next day or so and invite you and Kelley along. But let me give you this advice. First, explain the problem as you see it – as you did with me tonight. Then make your presentation more of a start to the discussion on how to solve the problem. Avoid making it sound like his idea was the only thing that would appease Matty's father. There's a few smart guys on the Council and they will have ideas of their own."
Ethan had stayed for supper at Stevie's house. After eating, the boys went out back to cool off. Not that it was cool, but the house was much hotter than outside and the Jacobs had no air conditioning. Ethan suddenly had to take a dump, excused himself from Stevie, and went inside. While he was in the bathroom, he heard the doorbell ring and hoped it wasn't his dad there to pick him up. He wanted to stay longer.
"Hi, Mrs. Jacobs," Ethan heard from inside the bathroom. "I'm Tony Mackey, and this is my son, Marvin. I understand you're a doctor?"
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Mackey. I'm Karla, and this is my husband Sam. And I have a Doctoral degree, but it is in physiotherapy, not general medicine. However, I do have quite a bit of medical training and can help in emergencies. What is wrong?"
"You can skip the Mr. Mackey bit. Call me Tony. Sorry we haven't met until now, but this is kind of private and I didn't want to take Marv to the regular clinic."
"I'll go outside and make sure the boys stay there," Sam said.
"Come on, this way," Karla directed.
They had gone into the kitchen, where Ethan could still hear them. He didn't want to listen in to a private conversation, but he was in the middle of taking a dump and couldn't get up to tell them he was there.
"Oh, my," he heard Mrs. Jacobs say. "Some of these are second degree burns. And you put butter on them, never do that. I'm going to have to remove it and put some proper ointment on. There are a few small blisters. How did this happen, Marvin?"
Ethan knew Marvin Mackey. He lived in one of the Mackey houses just north of the Lower Spring, and he knew that the boy was eleven, or maybe twelve. His birthday was in the summer.
"It was a monster," Marvin said. "Ouch, that hurts."
"An older cousin tied him up, took his pants down, and used a magnifying glass to burn his pubic hairs off. His testicles are swollen," Mr. Tony Mackey explained.
"It wasn't Chad, dad. Like I said, he would never do this to me. He likes me. It was a monster, something making him do it. Ohhh, that hurts."
"Chad is his cousin," Ethan heard Mr. Mackey say. "He's thirteen, and they usually are the best of friends. He denies doing anything to hurt Marvin, but he was caught doing it by his brother Shawn. Their father is dealing with it and Chad may need some psychiatric help. It didn't sound to me like he was lying, the boy truly didn't believe he did it. But like I said, he was caught in the act."
"I can make some recommendations if you want," Mrs. Jacob's said. "It wouldn't be a bad idea to take Marvin to your pediatrician in the morning, but I don't think you need to take him to the hospital. His scrotum is slightly swollen, but I don't believe it is serious. Marvin, this is going to feel cold. It is an antiseptic ointment, and it needs to be spread around your privates. I can do it, or your dad can, or you."
Ethan wondered what it was like to have a woman you had never met touching your private parts while your dad was watching. His mom took care of his needs, but that was different.
"I'll do it," Ethan heard Marvin say. He heard a few more ooo's and ahhh's from the boy, and Mrs. Jacobs pointed out places he missed.
"I've got some Ibuprofen I'll give you," Mrs. Jacob's said. "Marvin, you need to change your underwear three times a day for the next couple of days. Don't pop the blisters, they will heal."
"Will my hair grow back?" Ethan heard the sound of desperation in Marvin's voice.
"Probably, the burn doesn't appear to have destroyed the follicles. But it will take at least a week, and probably two, before that happens. If it doesn't start, you need to see a doctor, so let your dad know. I can see this is embarrassing, but don't worry about it, I've got four sons."
"We don't have much," Mr. Mackey started to say, but Mrs. Jacobs stopped him.
"I didn't do anything, and applying medical training within my ability is a community role I don't mind filling. I won't take your money, so please, put that away."
Ethan heard them go out front and quickly flushed the toilet and got up. He glanced out front and saw Marvin, who was wrapped in a towel, getting into a car. Then he hurried around back, deciding not to tell anyone what he had heard. But there was a monster on the loose, and it liked to cause pain.
That night when he was alone in bed, Sandy thought about the erotic stuff he, Kevin, and Cal had done. He wondered how many of his non-Mackey friends at school, who constantly bragged about sex they had (always with girls), had any real idea of what intercourse meant. Apart from the physical mechanics of the act, Sandy guessed the emotional intensity and deep personal connection sex required would be pretty much the same whether you did it with a boy or girl. He repeated the oath he made to himself a month ago. He would get a girlfriend this next school year – even if it killed him. And even as the bottoms' bottom. He smiled at the thought. But sleep would not come.
The depression, self-loathing, powerlessness, fear and anger that had been building relentlessly in Sandy Jacobs since the Mackey had made him the bottoms' bottom suddenly had a focus – a target. He was determined to do all he could to make sure Michael Corbin was made a community bottom. How dare the prick demand a fuck from Sandy? He had absolutely no right to do that at all. Sandy had gone to the Corbin house to help Chris. He was a good kid, sold down the river by his two shits of brothers. And then that evil monster they called Michael had the gall to insist on a fuck from Sandy. Well, he wouldn't get away with that. Yes, he would pay for that and for what he did to his 12-year-old brother. Sandy would make sure of it. He had the power.
He had told his Dad what happened after he put himself out and made the 20-minute bike ride to the Corbin house for the sole purpose of helping Chris. He wanted the man to ring his friend Jack Corbin and explain the problems Michael created. When his Dad suggested, "Let's leave well enough alone. Allow the Corbins to sort out their own mess," Sandy rang him anyway, when his parents went over to Elijah Mackey's house to speak to him about the development.
Mr. Corbin had been suitably angry and suggested Michael was now in even more trouble. Sandy was pleased. In his more rational moments he knew the idea of Michael being made a bottom was self-defeating. If that happened, the 14-year-old would immediately have access to both Sandy's ass and mouth. But the crazy fury had been building in recent days. Sandy couldn't explain it, but it seemed some force was directing him. There was this hollow place inside that demanded action. He needed Michael to pay, and damn the consequences. He would ask Sheldon for his support in making Michael a bottom when Mr. Jack Corbin spoke to the Council.
The figure in black worked his way through the traps and got to the still. This was the most dangerous part. Because one still had been destroyed by somebody, others would be guarded. He had already had a shot fired over his head. He was hoping that by coming early instead of 3 A.M. that the guard would be more relaxed.
The site was where Jackson Mackey had died almost 70 years ago when his still blew up. It had been rebuilt many times since then, of course, but the current version was operated by three of his great-grandsons – brothers Dylan and Devin and their cousin Saul.
God had told him to resupply and to blow up the still, and so he ignored the risk. God would protect him, as long as he took reasonable precautions. He first went to where the day's batch would be stored. There were over fifty jars there; he'd need ten of them.
He began putting two jars into each of the pockets of the long coat, working quietly. He filled the last pocket, giving him the ten he needed. Now it was time to destroy the still.
He was about to pick up two more, one to throw at the still, and the other to make a make-shift fuse. However, he clinked the two Mason jars together by accident and heard someone approaching from the back. He tossed one of the jars at the still and heard it break. But before he could do anything with the second, Derek, Dylan's oldest boy, came around from behind it with a shotgun in his arms.
"Freeze!" the 14-year-old kid shouted.
The black-clad figure turned and ran. A shot rang out, and his butt and the calf of his right leg exploded in pain, but he kept going. A second shot was heard, but he was already beyond the range of the gun.
He slowed, hoping that the wounds were from salt and not pellets. He headed for water as waves of pain shot through him from the two wounds. Once at a small stream, he slipped off the coat and his trousers and got in.
He used the knife he'd taken from the shack and dug into the back of his calf. A pellet of salt, almost completely dissolved by the waters of the stream, fell into his hand. He'd been protected by God. The salt in his ass would burn for a few more minutes, but the wounds were minor.
Once the worst was over, he pulled his shirt off and rinsed it in the stream before tearing strips from it to bind the two small holes the salt had made in his body. Then he dressed and grabbed the coat. There would be more work to do tomorrow. Right now, he just hoped that the boys didn't have dogs that could track him as he headed towards his safe spot, deeper into the woods.