Even the Modest Must Serve By Steam Train ( steam_t2000@yahoo.com )
Chapter 13: Holidays from hell.
My relationship with Ed changed a lot after that initial session in the bedroom with Marcus and Ed. The most practical outcome was that I soon came to realise just how horney my older brother was. Most nights in the privacy of the bedroom after we were sure Mr Norris had retired to his bedroom, one of us would visit the others bed. Ok I confess there were many nights where I was as horney as my brother, it must run in the family. Deep within my mind I still had this lingering guilty doubt about the correctness of what Ed and I were doing. It didn't stop me however from really looking forward to every night being alone in the bedroom with Ed.
This was however almost the only joy that the Christmas break was to bring. This Christmas was not shaping up as the special occasion I had looked forward too in all the previous years of my life when I had been free. Christmas is a family time but this Christmas was very different. I had lost my dad, and my mum had become even more distant. The only plus was that I now had Mr Norris and Marcus.
We did get a break on Christmas day. Let me tell you unlike previous years where money was not an issue and presents for Christmas were plentiful, I discovered that slaves didn't get anything in the way of presents at Christmas. Mr Norris however tried his hardest to make Christmas at least bearable. We had special privileges like a Christmas dinner. This was something that was within his power and authority to organise and bestow upon us without causing major concerns amongst those in the school parent community that were looking for any excuse to have us removed
In fact all the servants were allowed a special Christmas dinner meal in the school hall cooked by the servant cooks who also joined us in the celebration. We were all encouraged by Mr Lindrum to sing Christmas carols and after a while I got into the spirit, forgot my modesty about my singing voice, yep that's right I am modest about that too and had a pretty good time!
I missed my family at this special family time of the year. Mr Norris was now more of a family to me than mum, but I wondered where dad was and what he was doing that Christmas day. Jim was away living with mum for the holidays and we only saw him once during the whole break.
That visit was organised by Mr Norris to occur on Christmas afternoon. Mum, Jim and Walter Vanderbilt came to visit us. Mr Norris left us alone in his lounge room for over an hour. It was a nice time. Mr Vanderbilt sat quietly to the side of the lounge for most of that hour. He was polite to us but you could sense that he was forcing himself to be so respectful to a couple of slaves. He also freely admitted that he didn't relate well to children or teenagers.
Mum filled us in on the wider family news, what our one and only aunty, uncle and my two cousins were doing. But I think she picked up the vibes that all this talk about free citizen's pursuits was not helping our mental outlook and spent most of the time after that asking about all our boring activities as a slave.
At the end of the hour Mr Norris brought in some afternoon tea and whilst Mum, Mr Vanderbilt and Mr Norris had tea and biscuits Ed and I had a chance to talk to Jim alone. We learnt that mum and Mr Vanderbilt were getting on very familiar terms. He said that they were sharing the same bedroom. I though of dad again at this time and I admit I had a short surge of anxiety and anger that mum could do this to him, but just as soon I realised he was a slave for life, that there was no way a court sentenced life term slave could be freed, so mum was no longer legally married and she had to live. I sort of understood how she felt.
Ed whispered also to Jim about how he was now allowed in with Marcus and I once a month and how that had lead to him and I having lots of fun. I blushed profusely and hoped mum and Mr Norris did not notice or hear. Ed even told Jim we would try to include him when school returned if at all possible. To my amazement Jim thought that was a great idea!
Why was I the only one in the family that was so modest?
That was our family Christmas get together. All too soon the hour was over and we had said good-bye to mum, Jim and Mr Vanderbilt.
I talked long into that night with Mr Norris about my dad. He was a good listener and let me get some of my frustrations out. I told him how I hoped to eventually track down my half brothers.
He didn't ridicule my dreams, instead he just said "Tom we all should have dreams and ambitions in our life. You keep those dreams and nourish them. You never know what is possible unless you try".
Life continued in it's monotonous routine after we returned from Christmas break the rhythm broken only by the visits of Marco and the respite of Spring break. All too soon it was May and the long summer break was upon us.
No sooner had school ended then Marcus had gone overseas to visit his relatives in Brazil then his mother in Los Angeles, he was not due back till the very end of the holidays and if this separation was not bad enough, Mr Riley the Headmaster had informed both Ed and I that, as we would not be attending class, we would have lots of spare time and spare time was not good for slaves, so we were ordered to work during what would have been class hours with the servant grounds staff. Before and after class hours we were still expected to perform our usual houseboy duties.
My very first day of so called holidays was one of my most miserable since I had entered servitude, though I was soon to learn the whole of the summer holidays were to be my holidays from hell.
Mr Norris took Ed and me over to the schools servant's quarters and to Mr Lindrum's office. Within ten minutes we were out in the grounds in the burning summer sun digging a new drain ditch behind the gymnasium with a team of servants. Neither Ed nor I was used to such hard physical work, and after fifteen minutes I was pausing to rest.
Never do that as a slave. The senior slave of the team Tombs', was empowered by Mr Lindrum to administer punishment to the other servants in the team if they were not performing to expectations. Tombs proved to be severe in his use of the cane. As soon as I showed any slacking off, I was whacked. I soon noticed that the other slaves who were used to the hard labour thought it great fun to see, as they put it, these two uppity privileged servants' finally reduced to the level of a hard working menial slave, with no special privileges.
I was to learn that there had been many murmurs amongst the schools slaves that Ed and I were receiving special pampered treatment. They were very peeved at this and it was causing some unrest. I guess in some ways they were correct. Now they got their revenge.
The law might have stated that ten strokes of the cane was the legal limit per day but I soon learnt that there was no regular monitoring of this and if you knew what you were doing with a cane you could get away with a lot more than what the law stated. The law certainly didn't seem to phase Tombs. I lost count of the flicks of the cane that stung my backside through my shorts. He was careful to make sure he only flicked me on my backside, which was protected by my shorts and left no lasting impression.
When he really wanted to hurt he ordered me to drop my shorts and undies in front of the other servants so that my backside was unprotected. He never did this more than ten times a day though. He soon learnt that this greatly embarrassed me and he used this over the next weeks as a special punishment. He never failed to make comment to the other servants about the small size of my dick.
Ed was treated in a similar manner, feeling the cane on his backside also with numerous propensities.
By the end of the first day I was so exhausted and fed up with all the canings that I wanted to report Tomb's actions to Mr Norris.
Ed was adamant that I was not to do so. He said it would cause no end of unrest and we would be blamed for it. The chances were the school would be forced to choose between the two of us or all the other servants and he felt that they would certainly have to choose in favour of their other servants and get rid of us. They might crack down on the schools other servants for their poor attitude but in the end we would go, as we would be seen as the unsettling influence.
Being so exhausted by the end of that day from my field labours, I was almost incapable of doing my house duties. Ed was the same. He actually asked Mr Norris could we please be excused for that day only from our duties and be allowed to shower and go to bed early.
A servant's life I was finding out again was a cruel existence. Mr Norris said "No"
"I'm sorry boys but if Ed in particular does not go and do his houseboy duties tonight it will be noticed by the other slaves. I think you boys have already found out that you are not exactly the flavour of the month with the other school slaves. Because of that I can't let you off from your usual duties I am really sorry". Mr Norris said
"Boys have a shower quickly to ease your muscles but then you will have to find the strength to get your duties done" he said.
Mr Norris looked very concerned for us and was obviously thrashing many issues about this in his head; however he made us get on with our duties once we had showered.
That night's duties were the hardest I had ever done. I was totally exhausted. The shower had helped but after a few hours I was out on my feet. When Ed walked back in after finishing his duties he didn't look any better.
I already had begun loving Mr Norris in a special way before this night, but tonight I was to find a new dimension to that love. That night and many after it through those holidays from hell he made us both sit at the dinner table which I had set previously and went out to the kitchen and served us both our dinner, something I usually did. I burst out crying when he walked in that first night holding our two plates. I was emotionally drained from the day and this was just too emotionally overwhelming. Looking across the table at Ed he smiled at me but he too was swallowing hard just keeping his own reactions in check.
My summer holidays from hell continued like this through too the second last week of the holidays. We had worked hard doing many hard physical jobs around the school and certainly our tanned and firm bodies showed the results of those many weeks of hard labour. Both Ed and I were much fitter for the experience and our stoic resolve to get our job done had finally won many of the servants grudgingly around. We both proved to most of them that we had guts and that we could take our punishment like men. We never complained about our treatment.
If Mr Riley or Mr Norris knew how often we were punished they did not let on. I suspect like most things they knew. It was however the way of the world to treat servants like that. The law relating to the punishment of servants I was quickly to learn was often treated with a fair amount of latitude provided there were no obvious signs of abuse. A bit like most people break the speed limit most times they drive a car but don't consider that a crime and often get very indignant when they do occasionally get caught and fined as if they were saying `what have I done wrong?'.
During mum's monthly visit she did question Mr Norris about our use during the summer holidays in the grounds as labourers. He calmly told her of the trouble that had been simmering within the servants of the school and told her it was important that they all saw that we were not being given a privileged position. Mum is not stupid and soon saw that our continued presence at the school rested on no trouble between her two sons and the remainder of the servants. I had hoped mum might have been my way out of the hell I was in, but no, she agreed it was the best course for the school and us and was confident that Mr Norris and Mr Riley would ensure that we were not abused in carrying out our labours.
Jim was awe struck about how well both Ed and I had filled out during the weeks since the holidays had begun. Jim was still taller than me and stockier but I was now more muscular. For the first time in a few years I actually thought the better for myself about my body.
With two weeks to go, my holidays from hell took a surprise turn which at first looked like a good opportunity but turned into just another chapter in my summer holiday of hellish experiences.
When we were being assessed for the State Servants Performance Review' the Inspectors had noted that our training at PHS had not fulfilled all the requirements of the Juvenile Servant Training Act. We were therefore required to attend a special two-week intensive training course at the nearby Bountiful Servant Training College.
My initial reaction was `Thank you lord' for saving me from the labours of the school work gang. I was also going to be leaving the school for the first time since I was placed into servitude. That was something I had been craving for, for months. I was really anticipating going to the college to refine my servant's skills and thus be an even better servant to Mr Norris.
That Monday morning Ed and I waited outside the main steps to the school, along with Mr Norris dressed in our PHS sports uniform. We had packed only one change of clothes in a small sports bag that we had brought along with us. After a short wait a white bus with almost no windows came up the drive and stopped in front of us. A grey uniformed Tallahatchie County Servitude Guard alighted with a clipboard, acknowledged Mr Norris then yelled out "Edward and Thomas Carter.
"Sir, yes sir" we replied in unison"
"Strip"
We stood there stunned.
"I said strip" and his hand reached for his stun gun on his hip.
"Officer please" Mr Norris interjected. "I have had them pack a change of clothes and all, why are you asking them to strip".
"Servants have no need of modesty especially young servants and besides in a lot of the training they are going to undergo, clothes will be a hindrance. If they need clothing they will be issued with appropriate clothing at that time. You had better place their clothing sir in those two bags and take them back with you till we return in two weeks with your well trained slaves".
We both saw the look of resignation and of anger on Mr Norris's face and I think we both decided that it would be better for all concerned if we stripped as ordered. It didn't take long till we were both standing naked in front of the officer. Funny, standing there naked I no longer tried to cover my modesty. I realised I was now acting like any trained slave. I was loosing my free citizen mentality very quickly.
The Guard had Mr Norris sign for our collection and then we were pushed up the steps into the bus. Behind the driver there was one, two seater seats on both sides of the bus backed by a solid metal wall with a wire mesh door blocking the way into the bowels of the bus.
A second guard was standing in front of one of those seats and she opened the mesh door and pushed Ed and I through into the remainder of the bus which had no windows and was half full of naked teenagers of both sexes.
There was no effort to segregate the sexes. We were marched down to about half way where the bus had filled up to. Our hands were handcuffed over our heads and to a metal rail that hung from the ceiling. The guards left us and closed and locked the door at the front then sat down in the two seats and told the driver who I now noticed wore a term criminal's servant's collar to move off. The air in the bus at the height of the summer was putrid. There was only ventilation through vents in the ceiling. The body odour made me wrench. I could hear the sounds of sobbing from further down the bus but it was too dark too see much further down the bus into the darkness that engulfed the very back section of the bus.
Opposite me there was a guy about twelve or thirteen I guess, just standing there looking shocked out of his existence. There was quite a pretty girl with lovely tits and an awesome shaved slit just behind this boy. I smiled and she smiled back and we both blushed. Pity the light was so dim I thought but then as I started to erect I changed my mind and was glad my embarrassment was somewhat hidden in the gloom
Ed and I began to talk to me but the others soon hushed us, real fear in their voices. The guards had already it appears, left their marks on a few of the servants before our stop for speaking. We kept quite.
I couldn't see very much on our trip to the training college, the only view being through the wire mesh door at the front. My desire to get outside the gates of the college and see the outside world again had turned into nothing. We stopped another six or seven times picked up individuals or groups of servants and continued on our way. By the time we arrived and were herded out of the bus my body felt like it had been in a sauna. I stunk, I could smell myself.
The use of the cane was plentiful as we were processed into the college. Any slight movement or flinch and you were thrashed. My fear levels were increasing every second. I wanted the safety of Mr Norris and the school.
We were placed into class groups and taken to a communal showering area where we were at least allowed to wash ourselves clean. Ed was not in my group all of whom appeared to be around my age. When dry and still naked it was straight into our first class.
We were taken to a room full of ironing boards. A lady instructor immediately began showing us how to iron a shirt, then we were set to work ironing shirt after shirt. If it was not perfectly ironed, that is with not a crease mark showing, you were caned. I was caned a lot. When I complained that ten was the maximum allowed. The instructor whom I had already noticed spoke very coarsely replied "Shut up and speak only when spoken too slave, that outburst will earn you a demerit point, besides Mr smart-arse, we have a special exemption certificate from the fucking courts for this facility. We will determine what is allowed and what is not allowed here at this college".
I was taken back out the front of the classroom and showed again and again how to iron a shirt. I really tried hard and I did get a lot better but by the end of the session I was marked down as unsatisfactory and was told that that result would earn extra demerit punishment at the end of the day. Sewing practise was next. I was hopeless here too and ended with the same unsatisfactory result. Cooking I passed my first course but only just and washing, cleaning and servant behaviour I passed easily.
I particularly enjoyed Servant Behaviour. When I was first placed into servitude my modesty would have prevented me from being totally involved in the sexual aspects of this course. Now after many months of servitude my sexual desires and longings had overtaken my modesty. My class was all fourteen and fifteen year old guys. We were prevented by law from fucking or being fucked but we were still shown all sorts of techniques that would please our masters if they wished to fuck us or they wanted us to fuck them. We even got to see Ed's class of sixteen and seventeen year old guys present practical sessions for us. I could see that Ed and most of the guys in his class were very embarrassed by all this public scrutiny of their sexual activities. It was good to watch though.
We even had practical sessions on oral sex with our classmates and with some of the female classes. I always looked forward to the Servant Behaviour classes and was greatly disappointed when the day's class was on nonsexual topics like servant stance positions or ways of addressing masters and other free citizens.
The first night after dinner all of the servants who had an unsatisfactory rating in any course were called to the front of the assembled students and informed that we were to be caned five times for every unsatisfactory course and two times for each demerit point earned. For me that meant twelve strokes of the cane. Five for each of the two courses I had unsatisfactory ratings in and two for the added demerit point I had earned by speaking out of turn in ironing. I nearly died when I saw the muscled officer who was to administer the cane to us.
One by one we were tied to a special punishment frame in the front of the room and our bare backs and buttocks were unmercifully thrashed with the most ferocious strokes I had ever seen. Our tormentor took a few steps back and actually stepped in to administer every stroke with the cane. One slash of the cane had every slave yelling for mercy. By ten they were almost beyond consciousness. The only slave to receive more than ten strokes before me was incapable of standing when he was released. He collapsed to the floor and some servants were ordered to take him to the clinic for treatment.
I was shitting myself as I was called up to the frame. The first stroke, which lashed my bare back, was the worst pain I had ever experienced. I yelled out, on the third stroke I lost control of my bladder, a fate which a few before me had also suffered but none on or before the third stroke. Oh the sheer pain, followed by more pain and then more pain as my tormentor trashed the living daylights out of me. I don't recall when it ended. Some time around the tenth stroke I passed out and I can remember water being thrown over me and the stinging sensation on my back as the water ran down my skin, but I can't remember the end. I can only remember the nurse in the clinic rubbing some type of soothing balm on my bleeding back and buttocks.
I was given little sympathy by the other slaves in my group as we bunked down that night. They were all too scared of what might befall them to worry too much about me. I had to lie on my stomach and after a while the nurse appeared gave me a tablet which she said would help me sleep and went on her ways. It must have worked for after a while I drifted off to sleep. I rolled over in the night and awoke everyone with an almighty yell of pain. Even the guard on duty came to check out what was happening.
Never did I want such a punishment again. I passed all my classes the second day. Ironing only just, but I did. I don't think I could have survived such a caning again. The effects of the first nights canings had their effect on all of the slave students, as there was only one unsatisfactory caning the second night. It was one of the girls who had received ten strokes the night before; this time she received another ten strokes and like me she was carried out to the clinic after her punishment was inflicted.
What a fortnight in hell the college proved to be. Sure I learnt to iron, wash, sew, clean, cook and behave totally like a slave with great proficiency. But I also learnt absolute hate for most of the guards and some of the instructors.
There were some like Mrs Pennyweather in sewing that showed real compassion and tried to assist me to reach a satisfactory level when she saw that I was struggling. A lot though had been corrupted by the attitude that permeated that facility. I never met the Superintendent but I hated him or her. The leader of any establishment sets the tone and others follow, they had set a bad tone here, as far I was concerned.
After these two weeks at the college all I could think of was wait till I could tell Mr Norris and particularly Inspector Blackmoore when next I saw them.
How could Inspector Blackmoore be a part of such a brutal regime? She was firm but always humane. This college was just brutal, did she know?
The day of graduation we were all handed our certificates and I received distinctions in servant behaviour, cooking and cleaning, a credit in washing and a pass in ironing and sewing.
When the bus dropped me back off at PHS, Mr Norris was there to greet me. I stepped off naked and putrid just like my trip to the college. Mr Norris admonished the officer for treating Ed and I and the other slaves so.
His only reply was that as a free citizen he was entitled to his opinion, but that there was little sympathy in the world for emancipists. Discipline he said was the only sure way of producing docile service focused slaves. Slaves were no different to animals he blatantly stated. You soon learn he said to treat them just the same.
With that and before Mr Norris could say anything in reply the guard shoved a clipboard in front of Mr Norris who signed and wrote an additional note he told us later, to the effect that he was not satisfied that we were humanly treated.
The shower at home never felt so good and that night at our inspections Mr Norris noticed the scaring on Ed's and particularly on my back and bottoms.
With his voice nearly breaking he said "I am so sorry boys, come here".
Very carefully he hugged our naked bodies for a very long time repeating over and over "I am so sorry, so sorry, this is just so wrong, I am so sorry"
Ed said "It's ok Mr Norris, its nor your fault it's the fault of the laws that control servitude.
I was not at that point in time worried who's fault it was all I wanted was to be loved again so I said to Mr Norris, "I love you Mr Norris" and left it at that, my horror holidays from hell were finally over.
End Chapter 13