“Hey, Seth,” Dallas greeted the ex-gambler upon locating Seth stretched
out under a tree behind his tent. “How are you feeling?” He knew that unlike
himself, his friend was fair-skinned and had to closely govern the amount of
time he spent in the unrelenting heat of the day. Dallas only burned if he really over did it
in the blazing sun.
“Better, thanks. It’s a bit cooler here and out of direct sunlight, so
I’m fine now,” Seth answered, glancing up from the book he was reading.
“So what chores do you do when you have to stay out of the sun?” Dallas was frankly
curious. “I found out the only thing worse than planting potatoes is peeling
the damn things.” Dallas
looked around anxiously and let out a sigh of relief when there was no sign of
Kevin. His disgust with the mound of potatoes needing to be
peeled that afternoon had been quickly thwarted. It was after Kevin pointed out
how hard it would be to sit and peel on a freshly spanked bottom that Dallas
had been able to swallow his revulsion and reluctantly completed the chore.
“Well I wasn’t allowed to do much of the planting, but I sure did more
than my fair share of the peeling, not to mention dishes, cleaning the wool Thomas sheared from the sheep, and folding dry laundry,” Seth gripped at what he considered the unfairness of it all.
“Aha, all the best chores, right?” Dallas smirked at the other man’s
grimace of chagrin. “You got time to play cards?” He casually produced an old
pack of cards that Seth had given him a while back. Although artfulness was
Dallas’ speciality, he enjoyed learning new tricks and games from his extremely
talented, card-shark opponent. Seth never cheated but he did possess the
uncanny ability to pick up on anyone else’s attempt to do so. This was a
disadvantage Dallas
had challenged himself to overcome.
“Sure,” was Seth’s easy-going
response. “It beats studying this crappy assignment and supper isn’t for at
least another hour.”
It was then Dallas noticed
his partner’s return from the outhouse. “How about tonight instead of attending
the campfire,” he suggested casually. “I know the twins are kinda interested in
seeing the tricks. We’ve already made arrangements to meet up later.”
Seth thought of his nocturnal
plans with Preston and a dreamy smile of
anticipation lit up his face. “Not tonight, Dallas; my entire evening is
accounted for.”
“Another time then,” Dallas
suggested and went on his way. He hadn’t had many friends in the past and he
was eager to be part of a group. He felt he and Seth were also developing an alliance, but sometimes he got confused over Seth’s attitude, especially when
it came to Galen. Besides, for some reason or other, he was beginning to be
more comfortable with the twins, not that they appeared to feel the same towards him. But still, he felt at ease and relaxed in the brothers’
presence; something he didn’t feel with many of the others. He’d also noticed
Raythe forming friendships and thought anything that half-breed could do, he
could do as well.
Throughout the evening meal,
Raythe kept an eye on Seth, biding his time until he was free to approach Spyke
and share his plans. Raythe knew if anyone would be willing to go along with
him, it would be that little hot-head.
“Hey, Spyke; wait a minute!”
Raythe hollered when he saw the other man leave the mess hall and head towards
his tent. Catching up, he whispered furtively. “I’ve got something to discuss
with you, preferably in private.”
“Okay, what’s up?” Spyke
asked; his curiosity peeked. He led the way over to his pallet, sat down and
invited Raythe to take a seat on Larry’s bed.
“I’ve been talking to a few
of the guys about that switching some of us got last week. I realised that Seth
was never made to pay for pushing Galen into the puddle and it still kinda
pisses me off,” Raythe explained. “Wanna help me take care of things?” he
conspired excitedly.
“Hell yeah, it was that
shithead’s fault Galen got punished when he hadn’t done nothin’ wrong. Whatcha
got in mind?” Spyke
was rubbing his hands together, exhilarated by the thought of anything that was
a break from their sometime mundane existence.
“I figure someone has to call
him on it and it might as well be us.” Raythe pointed his finger back and forth
between the two of them. “Ya see, Galen says to just forget about it and Kelby
says revenge is wrong; so we can’t expect any help from either of them.”
“Hey then, I guess it’s up to
you and me alright!” Spyke eagerly got to his feet. “What the fuck are we
waiting for? Let’s go find Seth and take care of things.”
Learning the whereabouts
of the object of their ire had not posed a problem. Raythe and Spyke marched
purposefully down the path leading to the outhouse. Halfway there, they hid in
some bushes off to one side and lay in wait.
“I hear him coming,” Spyke
hissed.
“And he’ll hear you if you
don’t hush up,” Raythe whispered back with a note of irritation.
As Seth drew closer, the
anticipation grew. Spyke found remaining quiet almost impossible. At the most
opportune moment and with a signal from Raythe, both men jumped up and
intercepted a badly startled Seth.
“What the hell are you trying
to do; scare the life outta me or something?” Seth asked belligerently, his
heart rate slowly returning to normal.
“We hold you responsible for
us getting switched that first day of school. You started the trouble and you
damn well know it.” Raythe gave emphasis to his point by repeatedly jabbing a
finger into Seth’s chest.
“Yeah and we figure it’s only
fair that you bloody well get what’s coming to ya,” Spyke informed him.
“And just who the hell is
going to see to that, shorty?” Seth turned up his nose at Spyke, momentarily
overlooking the fact that Raythe had a good three inches extra height on him.
“You are, ‘cause you’re gonna
own up to Preston about exactly what took
place, beginning with you shoving Galen into a puddle of muddy water.” Much to
Seth’s annoyance, Rathye continued to punctuate his words with a painfully
prodding finger.
“Fuck off!” Seth shouted and
swatted at Raythe’s hand as he attempted to get around his two antagonists.
The noisy bickering attracted
the attention of Aiden and Preston who had been conversing a short distance
away.
“What is going on here,
lads?” Aiden asked, his eyes sternly moving from one man to another and coming
to rest on his young partner.
“Ah, we’re just trying to
convince Seth to be upfront with his partner and tell Preston the whole story
from last Monday,” Spyke responded, glaring at the man in question.
“And what truth would that
be?” Preston stared fixedly at Seth, clearly expecting an answer.
Seth looked down at the
ground and shuffled uncomfortably, unable to meet the older man’s eyes.
“Tell him!” Raythe demanded,
giving Seth a slight shove. “Or I will,” he promised.
Deciding he’d fare better if Preston heard the sordid details from him rather than
someone else, Seth reluctantly and hesitantly told all that had transpired
during the field trip as well as indifferently admitting to the role he
played. “And that’s when Troy
switched the four of us,” he quietly finished while hanging his head in shame.
“I think ’twould be best if I
took these two busy-bodies back to camp,” Aiden offered as he wrapped one heavy
arm around Spyke’s shoulders and encircled Raythe’s with the other. He steered
them firmly back to the compound and set them free with instructions to help
prepare for the evening’s fireside.
The big Scot had no sooner
turned his back, than Raythe made a beeline for the woods where he cunningly
went in search of the two men they had left behind.
In the meantime, Preston resolutely marched Seth a short distance into the
forest. He wanted to ensure privacy for their upcoming discussion.
“I am very disappointed in
the fact that you chose not to tell the whole truth before now, Seth.” Preston waited patiently for his partner to respond but
only silence prevailed. Letting out a loud sigh of frustration, he plucked
Seth’s ear between his thumb and forefinger, and dragged him over to a fallen
tree. He sat down, roughly pulled the younger man over his lap and rapidly
delivered several slaps to his upturned rump.
“I expect some answers!” Preston told Seth, punctuating the statement with a
series of stinging smacks.
“I don’t have any,” Seth
hollered, taken by surprise at the speed in which he found himself facing the
ground.
“I just don’t like him,” Seth
muttered as he rubbed furiously at the seat of his pants with one hand and at
his ear with the other.
“That’s not good enough,
Seth. You are fully aware of the rules we have established between us.
Therefore, you recognise completely why your actions of this past week have
been unacceptable, don’t you?”
“Yes, I understand,” Seth replied
in a small voice, keeping his eyes lowered. Part of him was frightened by Preston now knowing all that he’d done, but another part
felt an almost overwhelming sense of relief at no longer having to deal with
the lump in his stomach caused by worrying about if and when the older man
would find out.
“And you are in agreement of
how we handle the breaking of our rules, right?” Preston
asked as he reached up to efficiently undo his partner’s trousers.
“Yes, Preston ,”
Seth whispered and nodded his head. Moments later, he again found himself face
down over the bigger man’s hard thighs with a calloused hand peppering his bare
backside.
“What are the lessons you are
learning here, Seth?”
“Not to act up and cause
trouble for others,” Seth wailed.
“What else?” Preston demanded, his hand rising and falling steadily.
“Not to…to keep things hidden ... Ow!”
“Keep going,”Preston said encouraging, easily
pinning the squirming body against his stomach.
“No more; I haven’t done anything else!” Seth cried out, the tears choking up his voice as his bottom throbbed.
Preston shook his head grimly at the reddening
backside. He intended to make this lesson felt. “Nothing else? Think harder. I’ve been too easy with you, young man, and it ends here and
now.” More swats unrelentingly rained down. “You are going to stop
taunting Galen, do you hear me? From now on, I expect to see nothing but
good behaviour from you. Do you think I like to hear of my partner being
considered unkind or for him to be perceived as a troublemaker? I don’t, Seth!
Not one bit! So, we are going to take care of this once and for all.”
Seth was kicking his legs out in earnest by now, his voice almost hoarse from yelling and crying. He continued to yelp and squirm in an effort to escape the painful swats until he finally accepted his due and sobbed out his remorse.
“Not to…to keep things hidden ... Ow!”
“Keep going,”
“No more; I haven’t done anything else!” Seth cried out, the tears choking up his voice as his bottom throbbed.
Seth was kicking his legs out in earnest by now, his voice almost hoarse from yelling and crying. He continued to yelp and squirm in an effort to escape the painful swats until he finally accepted his due and sobbed out his remorse.
The spanking ended abruptly,
and Preston turned his well-chastened lover face-up, being mindful of Seth’s
very sore bottom.
“Alright, baby, it’s done.
All is forgiven,” Preston softly cooed,
smoothing Seth’s hair and hugging the trembling body close to his own.
Seth looked up into his
chastiser’s handsome face and was surprised to find the love and reassurance he
craved. He had thought Preston would be too
upset with him to offer any comfort. He blinked back tears and felt a
sudden wave of serenity wash over him as Preston softly kissed his forehead.
“Does this mean our plans for
tonight have been changed, Preston ?” Seth
whined mournfully, already suspecting what the answer would be.
Raythe observed the
proceedings from his hiding place behind a large tree. Not close enough to hear
the entire conversation, he did manage to get the gist of it and watched
wide-eyed the first spanking he had ever witnessed. Try as he might, he was
unable to maintain the feeling of satisfaction in seeing Seth justly
disciplined.
Although surprised at the
sympathy he felt toward the man who in his mind had been responsible for his
and Galen’s unjustified punishment at Troy’s hands, Raythe hurriedly made his
way back to the camp site to report all he had seen to Galen, Kelby and Spyke.
“So you see, everything’s
been taken care of and Seth’s been made to answer for what he did, but we’ve
got to keep quiet about it. I have to admit I felt kinda sorry for him and I
hope it’s not too late to someday be his friends,” Raythe finished the
tale-telling to what he thought was a like-minded audience of three.
Unfortunately, so absorbed was he in relating Seth’s reprimand, he failed to
notice Brock’s arrival until a beefy hand grabbed his upper arm and hauled him
to his feet.
“Hey, what the hell…..”
Raythe’s blustering cry of outrage quickly died as he gazed transfixed into his
partner’s dark brown eyes. He wisely kept his mouth closed while he was
unceremoniously dragged away from his friends and down to the beach area.
“Raythe, am I correct in
assuming you have not only been eavesdropping on a very private situation, but
you’ve also discussed it with others?” Brock asked in a dangerously low voice.
Raythe could hardly breathe
as he stared up at the irate mountain-man’s face. He could almost visualise
smoke coming out of the bigger man’s ears. “I-I…” he stammered and was unable
to continue as he trembled at the changing expressions of Brock’s rugged
features.
Picking up on the younger
man’s fear and not wanting it to increase, Brock immediately softened his
stance and pulled Raythe into his arms. “It’s alright, boy, we’ll converse in a
more reasonable manner, okay?”
“Uh-huh,” Raythe whimpered,
pressing his head into the muscular, naked shoulder of his lover. “I-I’m
sorry.”
“Hmm, me too, boy, me too,”
Brock tenderly assured him.
They stood quietly for
several minutes, wrapped in a warm embrace, before Brock calmly stated, “these
stunts are never to be repeated, Raythe; because if it ever happens again, I
will soundly spank your bare bottom. Understood?” He interspersed the words
with three very hefty whacks on Raythe’s backside.
“Ow!” Raythe cried. “I get
it, Brock. Honest, I do!”
“Then this conversation is
over, boy.” Brock gave his lover a firm squeeze, stepped back and gently wiped
away the tears on Raythe’s cheeks before moving in close again, his large body
overwhelming and his voice full of sexual promise as he huskily suggested they
find some place a little more private.
This first group of exiles
had been on the island for well on three months. The days had lengthened and
were warmer as summer quickly followed on the heels of an unexpected mild
spring. More of the island was being explored, most of it under the insisted
guidance of the older men. The crops were planted and would soon be flourishing
now that the unusual extensive drought that had greeted them upon their arrival
was over. The trees needed for building had all been cut down and the
construction of the lodge was finally underway. Busy days had fallen into an
easy routine of sorts and as a result the men found themselves spending less
time during their ritual evening gatherings, in endless conversations about who
was doing what, where, when and why.
Today had been a long and tiring one for many, but the dust had settled
in more ways than one. Almost everyone had eventually left the fireside,
gratefully seeking their beds and a night of well-deserved rest. Only Walker
and Quentin were up and moving about. Having pulled first watch, they were
presently patrolling the perimeters of the camp.
Galen woke up to discover he was alone even though his head was resting
on Thomas’ lap. They were the last ones remaining beside the fire that was
slowly dying. Only the sounds of nature and the soft murmuring from the nearby
tents were faintly discernible in the peaceful evening breeze. There had been
many nights when Thomas would carry him to bed but those were outnumbered by
the ones when the young man would awake to find his best friend, his mentor,
his protector, lost in a world of his own.
Galen sat up and turned to
study Thomas’ face; a strong, handsome face creased at the moment with grief
and despair. The lad knew the older man was unaware of his surroundings,
unaware of the others having said their good-nights, and unaware of once again
leaving the younger man behind to worry about him. He sadly shook his head as
he reached out and gently ran delicate fingertips along the lines on Thomas’
forehead, immediately drawing the man’s attention.
“Sorry, Galen, were you
saying something? I’m afraid my mind was wandering.” Thomas smiled at the
younger man.
Galen had seen this wonderful
man reliving his past just once too often and decided the time had come to help
him move on. “Tell m-me about him, p-please!” he softly demanded.
“About who?” Thomas asked,
hoping Galen meant anyone other than who his mind had actually been on.
“The one you return to almost
every night as the fireside is ending, the one whose m-memory causes you so
m-much sadness and p-pain.” Galen straddled the bigger man’s thighs and wrapped
his arms around Thomas’ neck. Soft grey eyes searching for understanding and
offering hope gazed earnestly into sad brown ones clouded with doubt and guilt.
Thomas sighed. Maybe it was
time to share his story with this young man who was becoming so important to
him. “You are very intuitive, my friend.” He drew a bracing breath. “His name
was Jacob and he was my lover, my partner, my life. We had been together for a
year and a half. My father had hired him to work on the farm and it took little
time for us to find we were falling in love. We had to be so careful for fear
of anyone finding out about us. Even my father, who was a good and kind man,
would not have understood our relationship.”
Thomas halted briefly to gain
control of his emotions. “My father passed away almost a year later. I foolishly
allowed the fact that I had the big house to myself, to make me careless. I
insisted Jacob move in from the bunkhouse to share my bed permanently, not
wanting anymore of the hurried trysts that had made up our lives to that point.
He was such a kind, sweet-tempered man and he helped me get through the pain of
my father’s death. I believed we’d be happy together forever.”
“W-what happened to him?”
Galen whispered, almost afraid of the answer.
“My sister, Pauline, was
married to a lazy good-for-nothing lout. I will be honest; I despised the man
and tolerated him only for the sake of my sister.” Thomas expression turned
bitter as the past unfolded. “George, my brother-in-law, was even worse a man
than I had suspected. He wanted the family property which was mine by
inheritance from my father. He and Pauline lived free and clear in a beautiful
little cottage on the property. However, it seems he wanted more. He began, I
think, to suspect that Jacob was more than just a hired hand. George watched the
comings and goings at the big house and he, along with my sister, realised
Jacob was staying there at nights. If I’d only known what was going on, I’d
have done things differently. But I was blind.”
He paused momentarily to
gather strength in order to continue.
“One night when we were in
bed together, George sneaked into the house. Once he’d witnessed us together,
he had his ammunition to use against us. He went and gathered a group of his
so-called friends and they formed a lynch mob. Before I could move to protect
us, they had taken hold of Jacob.” Thomas closed his eyes, trying to hold back
the pain these memories brought.
Galen listened, his heart
breaking as he tried to absorb some of the other man’s anguish. He tightened
his embrace, encircling his friend’s shuddering shoulders in order to draw
Thomas closer when the walls ultimately came crashing down, at long last
allowing Thomas to finally shed silent, soul-retching tears of sorrow. Galen
briefly wondered if the older man had ever permitted himself this necessary
exorcism, before acknowledging to himself that it was unlikely.
“And you feel you are at
fault,” Galen whispered. “But w-why?” he cautiously questioned, tenderly
stroking the dampness from Thomas’ cheeks.
“I should have moved faster
and fought harder. Four of them held me back while they took my Jacob and
hanged him from a tree in the front yard. Two of the men in the lynch mob were
the Sheriff’s deputies; yet they did nothing in response to my pleas for mercy.
My poor Jacob; it was my fault. I failed him so badly.” Thomas finally sobbed out his grief for the
first time since the night Jacob died. “Jacob
deserved so much better than I gave him. I should have protected him.”
“You are m-mistaken in your b-belief
that you are to b-blame, Thomas!” Galen quietly assured the older man. “Isn’t
it true that over forty m-men were originally destined to be in the first
exile? Isn’t it also true that there ended up b-being thirty-two on the ship,
and only twenty-eight of those m-made it here?”
“Yes, I know that,” Thomas
replied sadly.
“M-mitchell’s p-partner died
in jail and Hendrik’s had an unexplained fatal accident while we w-were at sea.
Are M-mitchell and Hendrik somehow at fault? Was Kelby at fault that his Jonathan
had a weak constitution? M-maybe I should b-blame my p-parents for my b-being
here. After all, they w-were still responsible for keeping m-me safe.” Galen
patiently waited for his words to sink in. “Some things are just m-meant to be,
Thomas. Let Jacob go to find his p-peace and you yours,” he softly pleaded.
“Some p-people need p-permission to m-move on and they need it from the p-person
they loved the m-most.”
Thomas looked in wonder at
the young man before him. ‘Where did one so young, so inexperienced in life,
gain such wisdom? He must have had a marvellous mentor in the past,’ he thought.
“You are a very smart man, Galen. Even though it still hurts to think of Jacob,
I know he is in a better place and though I will miss him always, I have to
build a new life here.” Smiling at the beautiful face before him he added, “I
am glad you are a part of that new life.”
“It’s time for b-bed,
Thomas,” Galen firmly stated, seeing the exhaustion etched on the other man’s
face. “I’d like to carry you like you sometimes carry m-me, but I’d have to
m-make three or four trips.” The light-hearted suggestion lifted the melancholy
mood as the men got to their feet and slowly headed hand-in-hand to their tent.
Galen efficiently stripped
Thomas of his clothing and tucked blankets around the emotionally shattered
man. He ran to the kitchen area and returned carrying a bowl of warm water and
a soft cloth with which he soothingly washed his best friend’s face and
smoothed the sweaty hair back from his forehead. When he thought the bigger man
was asleep, Galen leaned in and lovingly kissed Thomas’ lips. Then dragging his
pallet as close as possible, he settled for the night.
Thomas lay with his eyes
closed. Having finally allowed himself to grieve, he was drained beyond the
ability to speak. So he lay still, allowing Galen to tend to him while feeling
a warmth and tenderness towards the younger man growing with each passing
moment. He was surprised to suddenly feel soft warm lips press against his own,
hold there for a second then move quietly away.
Perhaps a door had closed
with the loss of Jacob, but Thomas now realised another was opening to allow
the bright light of this young man into his life. He only hoped he could be
worthy of such a wonderful soul as Galen Manara.
TBC…..
No comments:
Post a Comment