A Safe Place By James
Disclaimer
This is a story which deals with sexual as well as romantic situations between teenaged males. Should you be offended by such material or if you're not of the legal age to read this type of story, then please find something else to read.
Should anyone want to contact me regarding the story or just to talk, I can be reached at vector18@msn.com. Serious e-mails will be gladly accepted and flames will be wonderfully ignored.
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Chapter 23
Continuing in 2015
Caleb
Thanksgiving for us came in the form of a dark and cloudy day which brought huge amounts of snow. Eric and his parents came to celebrate with us and I was glad to see that they took my mom and dad up on their offer to have them over for the holiday when they met them once dropping Eric off back with them at the hospital the day before.
Eric and his parents arrived a little after Nathan's mom and Cody's mom came which was a little after 10:00 that morning. We sat and talked while having a light breakfast. Justin was definitely excited about the events and his presents there helped to lighten things up and him and Eric were getting along well.
Eric had a little of the eggs and bacon, then asked me if he and I could go to my room for a few minutes. I let Nathan know what was going on and then after Eric and I finished eating, we went to my room. I sat on the bed and invited him to sit beside me which he did.
"Do you mind if I close the door?" he asked.
"I can get that," I said. "Just sit and relax."
"Thanks," he replied.
I closed the door and reclaimed my seat beside him.
"I just wanted to give you a quick update on Max," he began. "I didn't want to talk about it in front of everyone else, especially Justin."
"Thanks," I answered. "He has enough heavy stuff to deal with for now. We'll find a proper way to tell him about Max if he starts asking any questions."
"Okay," he replied. "Late last night, my mom and dad got a call from the hospital that Max woke up and after getting him calm, he asked for them. They went and he talked a little with them, but as he began talking about the coach and what the Bastard was doing to him, he began getting scared again and the nurses came in and gave him something in his I.V. to make him sleep before he got worked up again. Then this morning, the hospital called and said that Max was asking for them again and we all three went to see him."
"How did he look?" I asked.
"He looked broken," he said close to tears. "I held his hand as he told us what the coach was doing to him in addition to the other kids."
"You mentioned the coach a moment ago," I said. "What happened exactly."
"Somehow, Max got ahold of a voice recorder," he explained. "He put it in the pocket of his shorts or whatever he was wearing at the time and pressed record before going in to the coach's office in the afternoons after school. It was all recorded, everything the fucking cunt was doing to him. The coach was making him give him oral sex, then he'd do it to Max. I could fucking rip that mother fucker apart."
"It might not seem like it," I said. "But I know how you feel though. Something happened to Kevin and though I don't want to tell his story for him and I'll let him do that, but until he tells you, just take my word that I truly do know how you feel."
"I know what you're telling me," he said. "It's hard to know that that along with the bullying by the other kids was what he was suffering with all this time."
"You guys did the best you could to help him," I said trying to reassure him. "Lots of kids who go through bullying, and especially ones who go through sexual abuse often do shut down and don't talk about it."
"I heard something about that somewhere," he said. "So after Max told us his story, he began sobbing and he had to be sedated again, but he seemed a little more in control, but I don't know right now."
"What all has the doctor said?" I asked. "I mean, besides the stuff about him having a nervous breakdown?"
"He may have to go somewhere for a while," Eric said. "The doctor recommended a place called The Meadows of Safety. Have you heard of it?"
"Yeah," I said. "It's ran by Michael and Josh Williams. They run it for kids who are out on the streets, who are in abusive family situations, or who are in good homes, but still need more extensive psychological care. Kevin got help from Michael a few years ago and it worked well for him."
"I hope they can help Max too," he said.
"So do I Eric," I answered and hugged him. "I really do."
After Eric and I finished talking, we rejoined the others and once we helped our mom clean up the breakfast dishes, Nathan and I went to my room after telling everyone where we'd be. I sat down on the bed and he transferred out of his chair and on to the bed beside me. I held him close and we shared a long and warm hug.
I told him a little of what Eric told me, but left out the parts about the coach and I figured that Eric would fill that part in for me when he joined us at some point. We shared a kiss then, and once finished with that wonderful contact, I moved so we could lay down on the bed full-length. While in one another's arms, we talked a little more about Max and agreed that we hoped that he could get better and that Michael and Josh could help him in some way.
"I love you," Nathan said after a moment of silence. "I would be really scared if anything like that happened to you."
"I love you too Nathan," I answered back. "I feel the same way. I couldn't take it if anything happened to you either. I want to keep you safe and protected all our lives."
"When tonight comes, I want you to make love to me all night," he said and kissed me deeply. "I know we didn't do it last night and we haven't done it since Yesterday morning, and I really miss it!"
"So do I," I said. "Yeah, I'll definitely make love to you tonight."
After a few minutes of kissing and just holding one another close, we returned to the dining room and sat back down with the others. I was amazed at how much time went by and that the food was almost ready.
Once the food was served, it was around 1:00 in the afternoon and we all went around the table and said the things for which we were most grateful. Nathan and I talked about our parents and one another. Cody and Kevin said mostly the same, and Justin said he was grateful to be there with us and that we were as good to him as we were being.
Alicia said that she was grateful for us all and for our parents, then it was Eric's turn to speak.
"I'm grateful for mine and Max's parents and for Max as well," he began. "I'm grateful I've met all of you and that I have your guys' friendship and I'm grateful for meeting Alicia and I hope things continue for her and I. Also, I'm grateful for my brother Max. I truly miss him and wish he could be here today. I love you Max."
Once we all hugged him, we all listened as all of our parents talked about being grateful for all of us and for being in our lives. Once we hugged them, we sat down to eat after Bret told everyone how grateful he was that we took him in and how grateful he was to meet everyone.
After we ate, we had Pumpkin Pie and that was always my favorite. Once we finished with that, we all went to my room and we sat and talked for a bit. Justin went to his room to lay down for a while and Cody and Kevin sat on the floor with their backs up against the edge of the bed. I offered them a spot on the bed, but they said they were fine. Alicia and Eric were sitting beside one another and I had a feeling they were holding hands. Bret went to lay down after dinner since he was still trying to get back to normal with his sleep patterns so we let him sleep.
"I really enjoyed myself today," I said.
Nathan agreed and Cody along with Kevin talked about how much they enjoyed themselves as well.
"I'm really glad you guys invited me to come over today," Eric said.
"I'm glad you came too," Alicia said.
"We're happy we could do it," I said.
"I just wish Max could have been here too," Eric said looking down.
"So do I," I said. "From what you told us about him today at dinner, he sounds like a really nice guy."
"He is," he answered. "If things work out for him and he gets better soon, I'll let him meet you guys. He loves Metal and I know you guys like it too, so that's something you guys can have in common."
"Yeah," Nathan said. "We can get together with him and compare notes on which groups we like."
"I'd enjoy that," I added.
"I'd love to meet him too once he gets better," Alicia responded.
"I just hope he can," Eric said.
"I'm sure he will," Cody said. "I feel deep down that he will."
"I hope so," Eric replied. "I'm just afraid that he's gone for good. I just can't get it out of my mind's eye, how he was when he broke down."
"I'm sure it was scary for you to see that," Kevin said. "While you're here and since we're going in to things that are deep, I'll tell you my story."
And so he did, he told everything and in this retelling of it he didn't break down. He just took a breath after it was over and there was a long silence for a while, then Eric spoke again.
"I think I understand what you're telling me," he said. "You think that since things got better for you, that Max will be alright in the end?"
"Yeah," Kevin said. "Also, when Cody says he has a feeling about something that's strong, it's usually accurate."
"I'll keep that in mind," Eric said. "I really will."
After we talked a little more, Eric's parents knocked on our bedroom door. We let them in and they said they were getting ready to go.
"Thanks for having us over," Paul said to us. He and Susan hugged Nathan, Kevin and Cody, then Alicia then they got to me. I hugged them and said that I was glad to have them over.
"I wanted to say that I hope things work out for Max," I said. "Also, I'd like to write down our phone numbers for you guys to give to him once he feels up to talking to people. I was going to give you guys Nathan, Kevin, Cody and my cell numbers if that's okay. I already talked to them about it and they're fine with it."
"Thank you," Susan said. "That's really sweet of you."
"We're really happy that you're doing that," Paul said. "We'll write them down."
I gave them to him and he wrote them down, then after exchanging hugs with each of us again, Eric hugged all of us and by this time Justin was awake. He exchanged hugs with Eric, Susan and Paul, then they left.
After we helped Justin with his leg, we got him back in to bed and we all returned to my room. We talked a little more, then we all went to bed, all except for Nathan and I who were in my room cuddling and talking for a while.
After a few minutes, there was a knock at the door and I went to get it. Bret announced himself and we hugged. He came in and hugged Nathan, then sat down on the foot of the bed.
"I just wanted to say thanks again for everything," he began. "You both have been really good to me and so has everyone else."
"We're happy to have you here," I said. "We'll take good care of you and I hope you enjoy living here with us for however long that might be."
"We can be a second family to you if you want or need it," Nathan said. We all three shared a group hug, then he said he was going to shower and get to bed officially this time. He hugged both of us separately, then we listened as he closed the door and his footsteps retreated. I went and locked the door and came back to the bed. Nathan and I had taken care of our shower that morning so I didn't think he'd want another one, but then he got in his chair and wheeled towards the bathroom.
"I'll be back in a moment," he said. "I want to get something ready for us."
"What's that?" I asked. "You don't need another shower do you? Not that I'm complaining or anything. I love showering with you, but I'm half-way horny and I'm getting more excited for some action."
"Oh, you'll get that," he said, but I want to do something romantic for you first," he said turning on the bathtub's taps. He came back in and transferred out of his chair and back on to the bed. He scooted up against me and he helped me off with my shirt. I did the same and it didn't take much time for us to get completely naked. I sat there after we had removed one another's boxers and I touched his silky shoulders and back.
"Your skin is like silk," I said in a whisper. "Oh, you're so delicious!"
I moved my mouth to the back of his right shoulder and began lightly sucking and nibbling on the skin. He moaned softly and began breathing heavily. I kissed him several times on his upper back and shoulders, then he moved and turned so he was facing me. He wrapped his arms around me and our lips met in a deep and savagely hungry kiss. We kissed deeply, then he broke the kiss.
"I need to go check on the water," he said and moved back in to his chair and wheeled towards the bathroom again. The water shut off suddenly, then he moved his hand around in it, then turned on the water again. "I'm adding a little extra hot water."
"Sounds good," I replied.
"You can come in now," he called over his shoulder. "Just get a couple of towels before you get in the tub."
"Okay," I replied.
Once in the bathroom, Nathan stood up and reached out a hand once I set the towels on the closed lid of the toilet. I let him wrap his arms around my neck and I helped him over to the tub. I eased him in to it then got in and leaned back as he snuggled up to me.
"This is absolute Heaven!" I said wrapping my arms around him. "Thanks for doing this."
"It's no problem," he said and we shared a soft kiss. "I just wanted to do something romantic and relaxing for you since we both had a long week."
"This is definitely both romantic and relaxing," I said happily as we kissed again.
We lay like that for a few minutes with me lightly spreading water over his skin and warming him like that. He did the same for me and we began kissing softly, then the kissing got more and more hot until our cocks were pressed together. Eventually, we broke the kiss and began slowly washing one another. It felt great with his hands all over my body like that and I knew he was loving it as well!
Once I lathered his whole body with soap, I did every part, but left his butt for last. I lathered my hands with soap and began lathering his cheeks with it once I had him on his stomach.
He moaned softly and I then moved my hands between his cheeks and began lathering up his crack and I began lightly moving small and slow circles around his rosebud with my finger.
"Oh, that feels so good!" he said loudly. "I love that so much!"
"Me too," I said and began pressing lightly against his hole."
"Oh yeah!" he said a little louder.
"You know what I'm thinking of don't you," I said.
"I can figure it out pretty well," he said looking back at me. "I wanted to tell you since we're on that subject, that when we get to the point where you slide deep inside me and make love to me in that most intimate way that I want you to do it as a surprise. I want you to pick the time to do it and I don't want you to tell me before."
"You're sure about that?" I asked and kissed his cheek softly.
"I'm sure," he said. "Like I said, I want you to be dominant in our love-making."
"I trust what you're saying," I replied and our lips met when he turned his head a little further. We kissed deeply for a moment, then I broke the kiss.
We eventually drained the tub and helped one another up and I started the shower to wash off the mixture of water and soap. Once that was done, we got out of the tub and dried one another.
After we got back in our room and Nathan's chair parked and him laid down on the bed, I moved beside him and we wrapped our arms around one another and began making out hungrily. I moved him on his back and began thrusting against him as we kissed and tightened our arms around one another. I got harder with my thrusts and he was rising up to meet my downward thrusts, then I remembered his legs. I turned us so we were on our sides once again and began slamming in to him which only increased his need for our love-making.
Soon, I broke our kiss and turned on my back. I grabbed his shoulders and pushed.
"Suck me," I ordered and once he was on his side with his back turned to me, I pushed his head down and his lips made contact with my cock's head which was gushing precum like a spout. "That's it! Do what your mouth was made to do boy! Yeah, just like that!"
My cock was swallowed up in his mouth and he was deepthroating me. I moved and was thrusting up and down slightly as he sucked my cock. He then moved his mouth off and began sucking my balls expertly which made me even more ready for release.
"Oh fuck yeah!" I yelled. "Suck those balls and that cock! That's my sweet boy! Yeah, do it!"
He was back to sucking my cock again and his tongue was sliding up and down the underside of my cock from the glands to the base of it and my release was building up more and more this time.
"Fuck!" I yelled. "I'm getting closer!"
He got faster with his sucking and soon I was moving to the edge and finally, I dove off the cliff.
"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggg!!!!" I screamed. "I'm fucking coming!"
My balls throbbed badly and my cock began to pulsate with pleasure that I couldn't put in to words at that time and still have a hard time with to this day. It also burned and hurt all at the same time with the pleasure and I screamed out as my molten-hot cum blasted out of my cock and in to Nathan's hungry sucking mouth. I shoved my cock deep on the first couple of spirts and was holding his head in a vice-like grip with my fingers tightly entwined in his hair and though I tried to loosen my grip, the animalistic passions burning through me wouldn't relent.
Nathan
Feeling Caleb's hands with that animalistic grip on my head was satisfying a deep need within me to be owned and dominated by him. I didn't care that his grip on my hair was so hard that it was painful and that he was now fucking my mouth deep and hard like he wouldn't ever get to do it again. I was just happy to belong to him in that moment as he blasted mouth-full after wonderful mouth-full of thick boy cream in my mouth, down my throat and in to my stomach!
Finally, it was over and he fell back on the bed exhausted and trying to ketch his breath again.
Caleb
After I stopped coming and once I got my breath back, I grabbed for Nathan and He moved up beside me and we shared several deep kisses and I enjoyed my taste on his mouth and on his tongue. Once we broke the kiss, I made love to him and sucked his cock and played with his nipples then massaged his balls while sucking him.
Soon, he let out a loud moan and he was shooting in to my mouth and I swallowed every last drop.
We then lay in one another's arms after his orgasm passed and we just caressed and kissed each other, then we ended with that and once I got up and shut off the lights and unlocked the door again, I got back in bed with my love.
"I love you Nathan," I said holding him in my arms again. "Happy Thanksgiving."
"I love you too Caleb," he replied. "I love you more than anything in this world, and Happy Thanksgiving to you also."
We soon fell asleep and I felt safe with him as well as happy with him in my arms.
Kevin
Cody and I lay in one another's arms after we finished making love. We had done a hot 69 and he definitely enjoyed it. I loved it too and once we drained the last of one another's cum, we moved back on the bed in the regular way and wrapped our arms around one another and shared several deep and long kisses. We lightly caressed one another while sharing these gentle kisses, then after we had our fill of that, Cody rested his head on my shoulder and I held him.
"I love you Kevvy," he said softly. "You're my whole world and my life."
"You're mine as well sweetheart," I replied and kissed the top of his head. "I love you too, more than anything."
"I hope we always can be together," he said.
"So do I," I agreed. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we stay together forever. I can't imagine my life without you and I don't think I'd ever be able to find someone else as wonderful and loving as you are."
"I feel the same way," he answered and kissed my cheek softly. I kissed back and he rested his head against my chest this time.
"You truly are the love of my life," I whispered and kissed the side of his head.
"You're the love of my life too Kevvy," he whispered back and kissed my forehead.
He laid his head back down on my chest again and I moved the covers up a little higher so they covered our shoulders and I lay there basking in the warmth and smoothness of his skin and the joy that comes with having the one you love wrapped in your arms with your body wrapped around them holding them all through the night. That's how we fell asleep and the last thought I had before drifting off was that I didn't think I could love Cody any deeper than I did at that moment.
0000
Derick Mathews
I drove up to Nathan's house and cut my lights then shut off the car. I sat there and tried to gather my thoughts. It had been a long day and seemingly a long week.
The memories had returned and I was having trouble. I barely passed my finals that week and had been sleeping badly as well as drinking heavily. I knew that Aunt Amy would be disappointed, but I couldn't deal with that just yet. I already got an ear-full from Aunt Amy's brother, otherwise known as my father and a shitty excuse for one by the way as well as from his Bitch of a wife who was also known as my mom. Fuck it though, was what I was thinking at the time; they both could go to Hell for all I cared. They gave up the right to be parents to me the moment they sent me where they did back when I was 13.
To this day, Amy still thought that I had been sent to a summer camp back in the summer I had been 13, but it was much more than that. I had been sent to a wilderness program for troubled teens. The reason, me being gay. My parents had told Aunt Amy when she asked if I was coming by at any point for the summer that I was going to summer camp and they told me what it really was only on the morning that I was escorted there. It was being kidnapped actually. They had hired a teen escort service to come and get me and that's exactly what they did. They showed up at 2:00 in the morning on a Saturday morning and told me that if I didn't come with them willingly, then they'd pick me up and put me in the van themselves. They then preceded to handcuff me when I got up and got dressed and then we were off.
I stayed at the camp for two weeks and while there, I was forced to hike and to exercise beyond what I could endure. I was also called a faker if I complained about not feeling well as well as being called a fagot and many other charming names.
Once my parents picked me up after the two weeks, I went inside myself. I became quiet and didn't socialize much aside from going to Amy's house once in a while and when she'd ask me if anything was wrong, I said that everything was fine.
This went on for a few years, then once I turned 18, I left and went to college and had struggled with many problems with emotions and I also had problems with dating, so I didn't. When Amy went to my dad's house when I was home for Summer after my first year of college, I was at her house and was having a panic attack. I told her that it was just stress from some problems my dad and I were having and she left it alone, but I knew she was concerned.
As I sat in the car, I knew that I'd have to tell her everything. I knew that my parents wouldn't understand and they'd find ways to make everything I was going through my own fault, but I knew or at least I hoped that Aunt Amy would understand and help. I got out of the car, then shut and locked it. Walking up to the house, I unlocked it and went in. Amy was sitting in the living room and I had called before I came so she wouldn't be scared in case she didn't know who it was coming in to the house.
Amy came in and hugged me and I hugged back, then we separated and she looked at me. I mean, she really looked at me and I knew that I couldn't keep this from her much longer.
"Thanks for letting me come by," I said.
"You're welcome," she replied. "But you don't have to thank me. You know this is your home, the guest house as well as the main house."
"I know," I responded. "I want to talk to you though. Would you mind if we sat down?"
"No," she said.
We sat in the living room and as she sat down on the couch beside me, I gathered my thoughts and began telling her everything. Once I told her, she was wiping her eyes.
She reached out and hugged me and my own tears began to fall. It was partly relief, part sadness for what I had lost and mainly pain for how I had been treated by my parents and then by the people at the camp.
"I'm really sorry for everything you went through," she said holding me tightly for a moment. "I knew my brother had some weird religious and political ideas, but I had no idea that he had gotten that extreme."
"You don't have to be sorry," I said. "You couldn't have known to what extent he would take his crazy ideologies. It's not your fault at all."
"So how bad are things between you, him and your mom?" she asked.
"They're basically done with me," I replied. "They won't help me with any further money for college much less money for food or places to stay, so I'll have to keep using your guest house for a while it looks like."
"Really Derick," she said. "There is that extra bedroom here in the house that's all set up. You won't be getting in the way and I really want you here with us for as long as you want."
"Thanks," I said.
"I do want to say that I can't have you drinking for now," she continued. "Not only because you're still below 21, but also because of the ways in which you're doing it. You could easily get addicted, if you're not already."
"I'm basically fine, but it's only when I get sudden episodes of stress or fear is when I start drinking," I explained. "I think I'll be okay and can keep from doing it if I have your support."
"You have my support," she replied and we shared another hug.
Once we separated again, I went and put my bags in the extra bedroom. I was starting to get more clear-headed and could think a little better now. My parents had known that my homosexuality had never gone away and they would give me looks which said as much. I think in the end, that them sending me to the camp was just one final way of showing me how much they hated me. They'd say that they never had planned to have children, and they'd especially say this when they'd be yelling at me for something I'd do wrong or that they perceived as much.
I lay down on the bed, then heard a knock at the door. Amy came in after I told her to and she had a plate and a mug on a platter. She sat it down on a small table and pushed the whole thing next to the bed. I sat up and saw some turkey along with stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn and cranberries.
"Thanks," I said and smiled. I got up and hugged her.
"Happy Thanksgiving Derrick," she said as we held one another.
"Thanks," I responded. "And Happy Thanksgiving to you as well."
I sat down and ate and she had a little of the turkey and we talked a little. Once finished, I took the dishes in after having the coffee which was in the large mug she had brought in. After washing up the dishes, I said good night to Aunt Amy, then went to bed. I felt better that I had told her everything and I fell fast asleep.
Author's Notes
For a while, I was having trouble figuring where to take this story. I wanted there to be a plotline driving the story besides the boys and their relationships and I've found it. In "Deep Love", I took on the Ex-gay Movement to a certain extent. Now I have another movement that's been operating in our country and it's time that it got as much attention given to it as possible.
Known Simply as "The Troubled Teen Industry", this movement is made up collectively of therapeutic boarding schools, behavior modification schools, wilderness camps, boot camps and treatment centers all for so-called troubled teens. Some teens do have issues which need to be seriously addressed, such as drugs, alcohol, reckless sexual practices and speaking abusively to parents or others in authority for which they need help. That being said though, these problems usually can be worked out over time with a good therapist in an out-patient setting and unless suicidal attempts, thoughts or ideations are present, then residential placement is usually discouraged and with good reason. Empirical evidence shows that most teens who are taken out of the home, especially by force can worsen over time. If they need to be taken out of the home and the problem isn't serious enough to warrant placement in a residential psychiatric hospital, then placement temporarily with relatives might be helpful, in so far as the relatives are equipped psychologically and emotionally to take on such a task.
Treatment by way of a properly trained counselor or Psychologist usually can help teens who have issues such as the ones mentioned above. That being said though, if they weren't bad off before being sent to one of the schools or camps within the net of The Troubled Teen Industry, then they'll have serious psychological damage after they leave one of these places, that is if they don't die in the facility first.
Several deaths have occurred in several of these places. The most notable of which was that of Aaron Bacon who was sent to a place called "North Star Expeditions" when he was 16 because of behavioral issues brought on by his abuse of drugs. He was forced to hike in severely cold temperatures as well as being deprived of food and water for the most part save for, a can of peaches and a lizard as well as a cooked scorpion. His complaints of being cold, having stomach pains along with urinary and fecal incontinence were all dismissed as him faking and attempting to manipulate the people in charge to send him home. This isn't specific just to Aaron's situation, all of these places of abuse and torture attempt to make parents of their troubled teens believe that anything the teen says about abuse that goes on at these places are told that the child is lying or trying to manipulate their parents to get them out of the program.
Aaron died after 30 days at the camp and his mother was remembered as saying that when she removed the sheet off his body in the morgue, that his sutured up autopsy incision was the best looking part of him, due to how bad he looked visually. Another person at the camp was remembered as saying that Aaron looked like someone in a Nazi concentration camp, because of how much weight he lost.
That isn't the regrettable outcome of a place offering tough love. It's the logical outcome of a place blinded and drunk with power of which utopian ideals of the perfectly well-behaved child is the driving force. Like The Christian Right and The New Atheist Movements, The Troubled Teen Industry believes in the externalization of evil to make kids behave according to their warped ideas of what's right and wrong.
The Troubled Teen Industry has its roots in a group back in the 1950s and 1960s called "Synanon which took a so-called "Tough Love" approach to helping adults get clean from drugs and alcohol. From that was born the first tough love rehab center specifically for teens called "The Seed" which was eventually shut down due to its methods of brainwashing the kids in to recovery which were so destructive as to be compared with brainwashing methods used by North Korea.
There was also the point at which came Straight Incorporated which Nancy Reagan was remembered as saying was her favorite of the rehab programs back in the 1980s. Straight was also shut down for mostly the same reasons as was The Seed, but by then, it was too late and much of the abusive practices these two places used are being used in the current groups of these prisons today. The bottom line though, is that abuse that is being called love, tough or otherwise is not a virtue. It's the type of garbage you hear when utopians attempt to fix problems, real or perceived and whether it be utopian ideas promulgated by Pat Robertson, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, or the people who ran Synanon, The Seed, as well as Straight Incorporated. These prisons are just that, prisons which need to be shut down. No one, especially our children deserve to be placed in such horrible places and it's time we stop with the easy answer culture we've created, stop demonizing our children and get back to living and solving problems in the constraints of reality. It could be the end of not only our children, but of our humanity if we don't!