Cow Pies and Country Cousins
by Charles Well and Sam The Ham
Chapter 10
The Road Less Traveled (Two Days Later)
Jimmy looked at his watch. It was only 10:45 AM.
"Fuck!" he said to himself. He couldn't believe how hot it got here in South Carolina this early in the morning. There was another hour and 15 minutes before morning chores finished and he could get into the showers and wash off the farm smell. After two weeks at the Sullivan farm and sharing the bunkhouse with 8 other boys, Jimmy had long since lost all modesty. He would strip out of his dirty smelly coveralls and the rest of his clothes, walk naked to the bathroom, turn the cold taps on full and just stand under the cooling spray and relax and become human again.
Thank god none of his New York buddies could see him now, he thought as he raked up his third barrow full of alpaca shit. Still, they probably wouldn't recognize him even if they were. In outward appearance, he had gone completely native. His skin was getting darker by the day and he was now dressed in the same country bumpkin uniform he had so despised that first day he arrived at the farm – hand-me-down dirty bib-overalls, a tee-shirt, thick black rain boots, and a ridiculous wide brim straw hat. The thing was, this attire was the most practical for farm work. The overalls and tee-shirt were easy to wash, and never ironed. His $500 sneakers might look cool, but after he washed them half-a-dozen times, they were falling apart. The rubber rainboots were the only footwear that could stand up to the mud and shit that was everywhere on a farm. And although he objected at first, the straw hat had become Jimmy's best friend. It kept the direct sun off his face and neck, soaked up the sweat from his brow and definitely kept his head cooler than when he had it off.
His chores today hadn't been too bad. After breakfast he had fed the alpacas. They were given a small amount of pelleted feed each day, and then left to graze in one of the fields in the back-forty. After that he had to scrub out two of the animal troughs, top up the hay boxes, and add fresh water to the troughs he had just cleaned. The worst part of the day so far, was what he was doing now - poop management once again. But thankfully, he was on alpaca duty today. The good thing about alpacas, Jimmy learned, is that these 'civilized' animals poop in communal piles. So it was a fairly simple task to rake up their beans (poop) and shovel it into a barrow connected to one of the UTVs which was then carted off to a large compost heap well away from the house.
Jimmy had to giggle at the irony. He had learned about irony in 6th grade English class. If you had told him a month ago that he would consider himself lucky to be raking alpaca poop, he would have fallen down laughing, but not now. After a week cleaning cow shit from the barn, all by himself, he did indeed consider himself fortunate. Tom had made sure he kept his word about cleaning the barn. He and Junior took turns supervising and no cow pie anywhere around the main farm area was allowed to remain uncollected. And unfortunately, these beasts couldn't be trained to poop only in the fields like the alpacas. The first two mornings Junior had him working through lunchtime because he was slow and there was so much work to do. Fortunately, after eating, Damien and the twins came out and helped him finish off. By the third day, he started learning little tricks to speed the process along, and by the end of the week the blisters on his hands were turning into callouses and he could actually do the job himself. Even so, he wasn't entirely sure that getting a spanking, like the one Fred got, wouldn't have been preferable.
The main problem was that chores on a farm never finished. Although Tom and the other boys were no longer mad at him, there was always lots of shitty work to do. With emphasis on "the shitty," he thought to himself. They had discussed job assignments that morning over hot chocolate at 5:30 AM. He still couldn't believe he was getting up at that time. He would never bitch to his mother, ever again, for waking him at 8:00 AM on school days in New York. He had just never realized how lucky he was. Jimmy was allotted alpaca duty today, and tomorrow was the market hens. There were dropping boards (poop collection boards under the roosts) in the chicken tractors. These needed to be scraped off daily and added to the compost heap. Fred had done that today, and it was Jimmy's turn tomorrow. Did everything on a farm need to shit so much? He was having nightmares about being buried alive in poop some nights.
After the hunting trip with his 15-year-old cousin, and a no-doubt strong armed apology from Damien and the twins, with Tom standing behind them, Jimmy was now going out of his way to fit in. His reformation was only skin deep of course, but being part of the gang made life easier. He still hadn't been back to the swimming hole, but Tom had taken him target-shooting most days, and he was now starting to actually improve. Nowhere close to the league of his cousins of course, but he was getting better. He had actually hit somewhere on the target with every shot two days ago, and he'd even scored 3 bullseyes. Not brilliant out of 40 shots, but improving nonetheless.
It seemed the older Sullivan boys had taken on their city cousins as a sort of goodwill community project. Tom was working with Jimmy on hunting, tracking and shooting and Junior had taken on the role of mentoring Damien in weapon skills. That included rifle and crossbow, and as Tom had mentioned, both Junior and Harry were scary good at archery. Damien was picking up that proficiency fast. The Bukland brothers hadn't spoken directly since Tom pushed each to apologize to the other. But at least they weren't in open conflict any longer. Like MAD, (Mutually Assured Destruction) a sort of cold war truce had descended upon the bunkhouse.
The only good news was the apology was happening today. It was something to look forward too and a reward to get him through the rest of his chores.
Jimmy was playing on the DS. Luke had shown him the small collection of games a while ago and there were a few titles he'd never played before. He was alone and still dressed in his overalls, and had no intention of showering. He wasn't going to make it easy on them. Ricky, Dustin, and Alex were coming to apologize today, and Tom had ordered all the others to stay clear of the place.
There was no shortage of ideas, but every time he thought of anything too sexual, Jimmy found himself becoming aroused. That wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to make Ricky pay for what he did. He wasn't as angry at the others. Maybe he would tell Ricky to suck them all off. The little fag would probably like that. And Dustin, perhaps he could give him a facial like the one he'd received. The trouble with that was he didn't produce much cum. Maybe having himself and Ricky shoot onto Dustin's face would have the same effect. But that didn't seem very satisfying. Then there was Alex. He was having trouble deciding on a suitable punishment for him. He had a disability, and even in his worst moods, Jimmy had always left those types of kids alone. Maybe he could just spank the three of them. It wouldn't be the first time that happened in the bunkhouse. He remembered the spanking Fred got from his dad.
The sound of an approaching engine was heard seconds before a strange UTV flashed by one of the windows. Jimmy closed his game and put it back on Luke's bed. He stood up, crossed his arms and tried to look as intimidating as he could.
A moment later, Dustin opened the door and was followed into the bunkhouse by Ricky and Alex.
"Hey Jimmy. Haven't been here in a while. Have you guys remodeled?"
The attempt at humor from Dustin had fallen flat. Jimmy just glared at him until the smile on the kid's face faded.
Alex was typing on his phone and Jimmy waited until he finished.
"I've never been here before. It's nice that you guys get your own place. My parents don't even knock," a robotic voice said. The boy was a mute and depended on an app on his phone to speak.
"It is nice. We can get quite loud in here and nobody cares," Ricky said with a little smile. "Of course, we're not here to party. We're here to apologize."
Jimmy flinched a little after hearing the word "party" and wondered what Ricky meant. No, that wasn't true; he knew exactly how the boy meant it. "You do not exactly sound very sorry."
The smile that was a constant aspect on Ricky's face disappeared. "No, Jimmy I am. I'm sorry for what I did. It was out of line. I forgot you are new, and I was angry. Not just because of the word I don't like to hear from other people, but well," he said, gesturing towards his black eye. "I couldn't hurt who I wanted to, so I went overboard on you. I'm sorry." The darkness around the eye had diminished, but was not completely back to normal. And the cuts on his face had healed to small scabs.
Alex held up his phone. "I don't have an excuse. I made a mistake. Usually, when somebody wants to apologize at the swimming hole, we go off into the woods and all is forgiven. I thought that's what was going on, but I didn't ask. I'm sorry Jimmy. I know I made a mistake and saying sorry isn't always enough. I'm still angry at the doctor who messed me up years ago, and I can understand if you're still angry at me."
Jimmy listened to the message and it carried a little more weight than Ricky's excuse. The fact that Alex had sat down and prepared his apology, made it feel more genuine.
"Is that why you can't talk? A doctor messed up?"
Alex nodded and looked down at the floor.
To emphasize the point Ricky added. "He doesn't like to talk about it."
The word choice made Dustin chuckle a little which caused everyone to glare over at him. "Sorry," Dustin said with a smile. "I'm sorry about what happened Jimmy. I mean, I'm your cousin. I shouldn't have done that. I really hope you can forgive me because I want to be on good terms with the family."
Jimmy wasn't sure what that meant, but again there was some genuine apology in there, and he was feeling awkward now. He had wanted to make them earn his forgiveness, but that seemed too harsh just then. He would have been more emphatic a few weeks ago, but his life in New York, and that Jimmy, was fading by the day. Instead, he frowned at the three boys trying to make up his mind. The incident in the woods at the swimming hole had been embarrassing and disgusting, and if he was honest, not entirely their fault.
"I guess you are sorry. Forget it happened. I still screwed myself over at the swimming hole, though didn't I?" Jimmy finally said, feeling defeated.
"Well, you're not exactly popular," Ricky said honestly. "Just about everyone does gay stuff there, but it's okay. It's sort of like Vegas. You heard of Las Vegas?"
Jimmy had, and nodded.
"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Well same around here. What happens at the swimming hole is left there, and that's that. Kids don't like to be reminded that what they do sometimes would be considered totally gay by most people. But I can help smooth things over for you, that's one nice thing about being me. Even the older guys like my, eh, 'talents'."
A part of Jimmy wanted to speak up and say that the boy didn't have to go out of his way, but he didn't listen to that side of his brain. Instead, he sat down on the bed.
"I guess you guys should get going."
Dustin chuckled. "We do kind of owe you. We gave you a bad time, so we figured we need to give you a good time, if you're up for it?"
Jimmy was pretty sure what Dustin meant. "Like what?"
Alex waved his hand. A few seconds later his phone asked. "How many times have you cummed in a day?"
The question made Jimmy slightly embarrassed. "I did it twice once," he said. That was not entirely true. He had jerked-off multiple times on more than one occasion, but was too ashamed to admit it.
"Now that's not very much. My record is five." Dustin announced.
"Yeah, but I'm sure that was with assists. At least if you're referring to your last birthday." Ricky said with a wicked smirk. "I'm sure Jimmy could break that record today and he wouldn't have to lift a finger."
The New Yorker knew he shouldn't. But he had already dipped his toe in that water, and it would be all too tempting to sink back into it now. He wasn't gay and repeated that fact in his mind all the time. But it seemed all or maybe most of the kids who went to the swimming hole did sex stuff. It was just messing around after all. Besides, he deserved to have a little compensation. "Since I won't have to lift a finger, I suppose it's okay."
There was something in Ricky's smile that irritated Jimmy. Like he knew something, but it was only a second before the trio started to undress. He really wasn't sure what to expect. Alex and Dustin stripped like they were changing for gym class. But Ricky made it more of a show. He took off his shirt and folded it neatly and placed it on one of the bunk beds. Shoes and socks came off next and then he turned around. He was wearing his swim shorts and they looked a little damp, but they came down easily enough. Jimmy's eyes were glued to the blond boy's ass. It was plump with a nice curve.
Ricky wasn't hard yet, but Jimmy certainly felt himself growing. The three boys slowly walked over. He was pulled to his feet and within seconds his overalls were undone. He felt them fall to the floor. It wasn't until he was naked that Dustin step behind him. The boy's large hands slid up his stomach and chest before he felt himself being pulled down on to the teenager's lap. He could feel the boy's chin on his shoulder. Then his legs were slowly spread apart. His ass was temporarily suspended in mid-air until his back was forced to rest against Dustin's chest. The teen then brushed his lips against Jimmy's ear forcing a shudder to run through him.
"A little big to be in my lap, but part of the fun." Dustin said with a voice deep and soothing.
Jimmy had no idea what to say. Alex and Ricky were still standing a step or two away. It was bizarre because he felt like he was on display. They were all completely naked now and Jimmy couldn't help but look back. The two boys in front were playing with themselves and watching him. Dustin must have liked the view from his angle too because Jimmy felt something pushing hard against his right butt cheek.
Alex took several steps to the side and placed his phone on one of the beds. He came back with a little smile and then sunk down onto his knees between Jimmy's legs and immediately started to play with the cock. He used both hands to get Jimmy fully erect and then used his two index fingers to stroke and rub it back and forth.
When Alex finally leaned forward, Jimmy felt what it was like to be in somebody else's mouth for the first time. A lot of things made sense all of a sudden. It was a fantastic sensation, and if he had to suck off someone again to get this feeling, he would be all too willing.
Ricky watched for a while before kneeling next to him. Jimmy wasn't sure what the boy was planning to do, and he couldn't see or even concentrate that well either. But when a fingertip found its way in his butt crack and slowly started to slide forward, he was yanked out of his fog.
He needed to speak. He wanted to stress again that he wasn't gay. But he heard the other boys giggle. Not anything mean. They were just having fun. Then Dustin kissed the side of his neck, and Jimmy had no option but to grin back. He was enjoying this too. It didn't help that some hands had discovered how sensitive his nipples could be. It almost made him forget about the finger exploring his crack. Of course, when his butt crack was entered, his mind shot back to that. He could feel the fingertip slowly circling his anus and gradually pushing against it.
Alex didn't move his head much, but used his tongue like an expert. Jimmy could feel the wet thing wrap around his dick and flicker across the tip. Then he sensed the sucking mouth pulling on his erection. It was an unbelievable experience. And his first orgasm that day was truly memorable. It was the type that boiled up from your balls, and warmed your shaft. It was the type that makes your toes curl. Even Jimmy's anus tightened and loosened, tightened and loosened, as the successive waves of pleasure washed over him.
The first conscious thought that occurred to Jimmy beyond, "Wow," was a question. If Alex could do this, how good was Ricky?
His shuddering orgasm left him feeling like a limp rag doll. He barely noticed Alex wiping his mouth and figured the boy must have swallowed his load. For some reason he liked that idea. He was still breathing heavily when he felt himself being pulled back and twisted around to lay down on the bed. At first, he was too tired to resist, but he soon propped himself up on his elbows not sure what was happening next.
"Well, I think he certainly had one." Ricky said.
"Yeah, Alex does he make a lot?" Dustin asked, looking at the boy who was getting to his feet.
Alex nodded and smiled.
"Well, I guess we need to start working on number two." Ricky announced.
Jimmy's mind slowly cleared from his orgasmic haze. "I don't think I'm going to be getting hard anytime soon."
"Really? Not even if I offered you my butt? Or maybe you'd prefer Dustin's?"
The casual way this was announced no longer surprised Jimmy. In fact, his first thought was, "Why can't I choose Alex?"
"Because he is not ready for that stuff yet," Ricky replied. "Personally, I think he's a little bit of a romantic at heart. Just looking for Mr. Right to come along with his horse-sized cock."
Alex punched Ricky in the shoulder and gave him a glare.
Dustin just smiled and reached out to hold Alex into a half hug. "Oh, there's nothing wrong with that. I gave up mine in a hat game. I kind of regret that now, but what can you do."
"What's a hat game?" Jimmy asked.
"It's kind of fun," Dustin said jumping in. "You get a group of guys to write down their name's and then you throw them into a hat. Then you take turns pulling out a name until everyone has cum."
Jimmy wasn't sure about doing that, but said, "Okay."
"Yeah, anyways I was camping with some friends and you know we decided to play. You usually set the rules beforehand like the younger partner gets to choose and stuff like that. That's what we did this time. I pulled Ethan out of the hat and he was like the only one there younger than me. Just by two weeks too." Dustin said holding up two fingers. "Anyways he wanted my butt. So he got it."
"You guys have a lot of games for sex." Jimmy laughed.
"Why not? It helps keep it fun and the straight guys can always just say it's a game." Ricky said sitting on the bed.
Jimmy nodded, but realized it sounded a lot like the justification he gave himself for having sex. It was a disturbing reality to face. These guys were confiding in him like he was one of them. A queer! However, he wasn't ready to face that just yet, so he changed the subject.
"How was your first?"
Ricky shrugged. "Nothing special. It didn't even happen at the swimming hole. It was back when I was trying to recruit bodyguards. Not exactly my best idea," then he trailed off. After a few seconds of awkward silence, he shook his head as if remembering the experience and said, "Anyway, you pick who you want and I'm sure the three of us can get you up."
Jimmy looked at Ricky and stared over to Dustin. "I should keep it in the family."
Dustin smiled. "Thanks, I really want to make sure we're good once this is all over."
Surprisingly Jimmy believed him.
True to their word, Jimmy just had to lie there as the three of them descended upon him. Ricky's mouth slid over his soft cock and slowly took it into his mouth. Dustin's hands massaged his chest and stomach causing him to laugh and Alex, silent without his phone, played with his balls. Even with the three of them working together, it took him a few minutes to get a hard-on. But grow down there he did.
That achieved, Ricky stood up and went over to one of the cabinets near Junior's bed. He retrieved something from inside, returned to the prone boy and covered the waiting erection with a clear liquid from the near empty bottle he held. It was amusing the way the liquid made the oiled cock glisten in the florescent light of the bunkhouse.
Of course, all laughter died when the deed started. There is something intimidating about an older boy looming over you. It didn't help that the 14-year-old had to crouch forward so he wouldn't hit his head on the upper bunk. But the fear faded immediately when Dustin sat on him and pushed the eager cock up his butt hole.
With their size difference, it was unclear how good it would feel for the boy on top. However, Jimmy decided he loved the feeling. There was a constricted ring of muscle sliding down his shaft, which only tightened even more, the deeper it went.
The New York kid was stiff as a board. The heels of his feet pushed into the bed as he raised his hips upwards to get more inside. It was annoying when he slipped out, and it took a few seconds to get back into place. Dustin then commenced a steady up and down motion, repeatedly impaling himself deep onto the boy beneath him. A steady rhythm was soon established and Jimmy just laid back and enjoyed the ride.
It was clear that Dustin was painfully hard as well. Jimmy watched in fascination as the older boy's erection bobbed side-to-side in rhythm with the up-down movements that slowly increased in pace. Briefly, he wondered what it would be like to be on the other end. How would it feel to have a dick sliding into him? There had to be some pleasure in it. It was almost hypnotic watching the kid go up and down. Jimmy wondered what his cousin would look like having an orgasm, twitching and shooting, and he wanted to see that now.
His pleasant view was interrupted by Ricky's head, as that kid's mouth found its way onto Dustin's cock, riding it up and down. With his view ruined, Jimmy looked around the room for the last unoccupied member of the group. Alex was standing off to the side playing with himself. His hand was sliding up and down his dick as he watched the action. Jimmy wanted him in his mouth. At that instant, it was the only thing he wanted in the entire world. He knew it was gay! But it was what he truly needed.
"Alex."
The boy looked over, his hand pulling away from his erection.
"Come here." Jimmy demanded, pointing to his mouth. But Alex didn't understand. "Please, I need to suck you."
He couldn't believe what he had just said. At least Alex didn't need to be asked twice. He climbed onto the bed and a moment later Jimmy felt butt cheeks resting against his chest. He opened his mouth and received the cock.
It was a very satisfying sensation. His own penis getting pleasure from a boy's ass as he sucked another in his mouth. This time Alex wasn't intent on going in and out himself. That gave Jimmy time to explore the thing. With his hips being pressed down, he raised his head. He pushed it against the roof of his mouth and let his tongue slide along the bottom. If he let it slide too far back, his neck hurt, and he gagged. However, he eventually found a suitable rhythm and could tell, Alex enjoyed what he was doing.
Jimmy's climax started to grow. He could feel it coming. But it became imperative that Alex cum before him. That seemed important somehow. He tightened his butt cheeks and tried to hold back his own climax as he sucked the other boy with greater fervor. His knees started to raise up and his feet pushed against the bed, frantically trying to hold back the inevitable. Then he sensed Alex push forward and he realized that was it for the boy. It was his last rational thought before his own climax struck like lightning from a clear blue sky.
Jimmy was left breathless and collapsed back onto the bed. The second orgasm was every bit as intense as the first. But it was the feeling of firing into somebody that was unique and something he would remember for the rest of his life. He rolled onto his side to catch his breath. A red-faced Alex smiled up at him from the floor where he had keeled over moments before. Then he looked over at Ricky who was standing close by and also grinning, ear to ear.
Without a word, Jimmy swung his feet off the bed and walked to the bathroom. He headed for the shower area and he could hear Dustin in one of the stalls. He placed a hand on the shower tree nearest him and leaned against it for support.
The toilet flushed and he heard the door open. Dustin came out and went to wash his hands at one of the sinks. Then he heard a voice from the doorway
"Jimmy, what's wrong?" Ricky asked.
Gripping hard on the shower tree, he slowly swung around and reluctantly looked at the blond boy.
"You were right. I am gay."
Ricky stood there completely naked, but somehow still maintained a sense of dignity about him. He gave a little nod at the confession. "Is that really such a bad thing if you are?"
Jimmy let out a long sigh. "I can't be. My parents wanted a son and I'm going to give them that."
Ricky took a few steps closer. "You don't think your parents want you to be happy?"
He shook his head. "It's not that. It's what they're expecting. My Dad mostly. He expects me to follow in his footsteps. He's always told me that. Get outstanding grades at school, go to college, be valedictorian, go to law school, be top of the class, get married and have kids. I need to give him that. I have to."
The other boy nodded. "I find it pretty hard to believe your parents would be so different than the Sullivans. They're part of your family after all. They want their kids to be happy and why wouldn't your parents want the same."
That was almost funny. But there was no way Ricky could understand how different his parents were. How different was the world they lived in. It wasn't only distance in miles that separated New York and South Carolina.
"It's important to them that they have a normal son, and grand kids someday."
"But I'm sure they want that son to be happy. I mean, is it a religious thing?" Ricky asked as if the idea just occurred to him.
"No, it's a social standing thing. Their place in society. Successful people breed successful kids. Besides, are any of my cousins gay? I mean not like the way they mess around like... Like we are?"
Ricky tilted his head to the side thinking. "I'm pretty sure one of them is."
"Who? Do you think it's Tom?" Jimmy suggested more hopeful than anything else.
"No, it's not Tom." Ricky put his hand on the shower tree just a little below Jimmy's.
"Who then? Tell me." Jimmy heard his voice going up an octave in pitch and calmed himself down. "Please, I won't tell anyone. Just please…" He wasn't sure why this was so important to him, but it was.
Ricky hesitated and finally answered. "Luke."
"Luke, that's sick. He's like 7." Jimmy said feeling deflated.
"It's not sick. He just is. I knew at that age. I told you. Remember the flower story?"
Jimmy remembered that, but Luke! "Why do you think he's gay?"
Ricky shrugged. "It's just a feeling I get. It's hard to explain. A lot of little things that are nothing by themselves, but, you know, they add up. Besides, it's not a bad thing. Do you really think his parents or brothers are even going to care?"
Jimmy remembered his first day here and the story about Stevie. "No."
"Are your parents so different?" Ricky asked.
It wasn't a simple question. There were a lot of things to consider. He knew he had always been perfect. He had gone out of his way to prove that all his life. Or at least he tried. His eyes blurred briefly, and he wiped them. His parents had wanted to make sure he was safe, and he thought back to that garage. Maybe they would be okay with it. In the end, they still had Damien.
Then another recollection flashed into his mind. It was the poem they had studied in 6th grade - "The Road Not Taken," by Robert Frost. He understood the words and he could actually recite the verse, word perfect. He had done it for the "Speak Out" competition in May and he'd received first prize. But he just didn't understand the message, till this moment. He recited the last stanza in his head.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Would he be taking the road less traveled? He looked up at the other boys after staring at the tiles for a long time, "I guess you're right."
Unexpectedly, Ricky closed the distance between them and gave Jimmy a hug. They were both completely naked, but there was nothing sexual about it. The embrace was returned and the contact immensely appreciated.
Jimmy spoke, his voice a little shaky. "I'm glad you guys came, and it's been a lot of fun. Can we talk for a while? I just, I just don't want to be alone right now."
"Of course, you have friends here."
It was amazing how two weeks could pass so quickly, but seem to drag at the same time. The monotony of the chores was always present. The boys varied things around as much as possible, but the tasks were always essentially the same. Food, poop, water with occasional helping with the milking to break up the monotony. It seemed there wasn't any job he couldn't do now.
Jimmy Bukland of West Village, New York, now fancied himself as quite the farmer. It was not a choice he would have made himself of course, but at least he now had an intimate knowledge about that life. He still hated the chores, he hated the heat, and still desperately wanted to get back home, but at least he was coping with life in this rural backwater. After some early missteps, he was now fitting in more. He wasn't top dog down here in South Carolina. That position went to Tom who ran all that happened in the bunkhouse. But at least it was a benign dictatorship he lived under now. In addition, Jimmy had to admit that both his suntan and physical shape were improving by the day. He thought he had been healthy and fit back home with daily swim practice and loads of basketball. How wrong he was. At the farm it seemed he was moving all day. It was not just the chores in the morning, but the swimming, caving, and even hunting that happened after lunch. Even if not immediately apparent, he was slowly building his fitness and upper body strength. If he stayed here too much longer, he joked to himself, he'd end up with a body like Tom, Junior or even Fred. And all the strenuous exertion on the farm had one other notable side-effect. It seemed to make him as horny as hell.
Sex was fun. A day after his experience with the trio, he tried it at the swimming hole. He and Ricky exchanged blowjobs, and afterwards they climbed to the top of the rocks that overlooked the beautiful vista below and talked. That had to have been the strangest conversation of his life. They gossiped about the guys they knew. Apparently, Ricky had a type of boy he liked best, but he was by no means restricted to that ideal. He seemed to have had sex with every male in the county under 18 and had stories and comments to prove it. Then Fred showed up, and they changed the subject. It seemed there were some confidences gay boys shared with each other that the straights never heard.
Of course, that had only been the beginning. What followed was afternoons going into the woods with other boys to suck or sword fight. Damien had started a new fad with that among the kids at the swimming hole. There had even been a little competition over a few days. Jimmy wasn't sure who started it. A sign-up sheet had been going around the swimming hole. Ronny who was another one of his cousins had become responsible for making up the brackets. The fourteen-year-old had asked Jimmy if he should put Damien on the far side of the bracket. He had thought about it for a few seconds and finally shrugged. They didn't need any special treatment. They were far from the only siblings that might be competing against each other.
Not that it mattered in the end. Jimmy lost in the first round to a boy named Robert. Robert was Jay's older brother, whose ankle had now healed. Jimmy had met the 7-year-old, African American, Jay, on his first visit here. Robert was 11 funny, reckless, cute as hell, and about his age. He was a grade lower at school, but Jimmy was pretty sure he was the fourth member of the gay group that Ricky had mentioned. Ricky was very protective of everyone at the swimming hole, and the fact he had sucked most of them off, seemed to give him a lot of status and influence, especially at 13.
One of the strangest things about the competition though was how open they were about it. It hadn't struck Jimmy at first, but there was no way that the younger kids didn't know something was going on. There seems to be a bit of an unwritten rule that 10 was the youngest you could go into the woods. Most people seem to stick close to their age though. Ricky seemed to be the outlier in that regard.
Then there were his cousins. Maybe they had been holding back initially for their city relatives, but they were doing a lot more now. He had caught Junior and Fred going at it one morning and furtively watched as the younger of the two was bent over a pallet of feed and fucked without mercy. Another time he had awoken in the early dawn to find Tom and Harry in the shower area locked in a mutual sixty-nine. The two brothers looked up briefly as Jimmy came in to use the urinal, but then they quickly went back to their sucking. After peeing, he came over and watched. Then he offered to help Harry who was having difficulty making the 15-year-old cum. The next morning no one mentioned the incident and it certainly hadn't hurt his relationship with anyone.
Damien and the twins were also an item. More than a few times he had seen them doing stuff and Jimmy suspected that was just the tip of the iceberg. One time he had gone into the woods with two boys for a card game. On his way back, he saw his brother and the twins on a blanket in a clearing some distance away. One of the twins was laying down, and Damien was hugging him, while the other was vigorously penetrating Damien's butt. From where he stood he couldn't make out which twin it was, but he guessed his brother was now doing anal stuff.
Thinking of Damian hurt a little. Ever since his brother snapped at him that time in the bunkhouse, things had been different. Well perhaps different wasn't the right word. His brother hated him. He probably always did, but now he had the balls to tell him so. Jimmy wasn't sure what to do about that. With his new outlook on life, he really wanted to have a better relationship with his kid-brother, but it was proving difficult to repair the sibling bond. Maybe it was because he was away from the city and his friends and he finally got a better look at himself. Maybe it was just being around his cousins and seeing how close they were. Or maybe it was just that he liked having Luke and Stevie seeking him out and wanting his advice and help. For whatever reason, they seem to like him, and now he recognized the hole in his heart created by not having something similar with Damien.
Jimmy now thought of staying at the Sullivan farm as a bit like being sent to summer camp. He had friends who were sent off to camp for most of the long break, and there was even a kid in his building that seemed to disappear the entire year to boarding school. So perhaps this wasn't so bad. He had discovered something about himself he might never have admitted back home. Being gay in this community seemed easy and uncomplicated. Besides, he was having sex with other boys and enjoying every minute of it. Finally, he was learning a bunch of new things like hunting that he would never do anywhere else. Still there was getting up at 5:30 AM, morning chores, and the barely tolerable heat. In moments of self-doubt and boredom, like Odysseus, there were still the sirens calling him back to New York.
Neither the Sullivan adults, nor Jimmy and Damien for that matter, had heard anything from their parents. Damien had asked about it at dinner (supper) two days ago. But it was clear Uncle Jack and Aunt Kate were worried. They gave some feeble answer about Adrian and Mandy Bukland deserving some time away from the kids, and they quickly changed the subject. Later however, that same night, Jimmy had overheard Aunt Kate telling her husband how she had tried to ring their New York number, but got no answer.
Jimmy looked over at his kid-brother and saw the concern in his eyes. He understood that emotion, because he was feeling the same thing himself. That was when the outline of the plan began to crystallize in his mind.
On Saturday, there were still the chores to do in the morning, but after lunch the whole family had made an excursion into the nearby town of River Falls. Apparently, this was a once a month treat. Even Meg, who usually spent her time either working or with friends, came along. Uncle Jack and Aunt Kate pilled all the under 14-year-old kids into the family station wagon. Tom and Junior went with Meg in her sedan. Everyone met up at the "old general store" before splitting up. The adults and the older children went off to catch up with friends, while the younger kids went to a movie at the Galaxy Theater, and later ice-cream sundaes at the nearby drug store. Jimmy and Fred wanted to see Alita Battle Angel, but that had a PG-13 rating and Aunt Kate had insisted The Kid Who Would Be King would be more appropriate. Both Jimmy and Fred thought the film was a bit lame, but the younger children enjoyed it. Damien, the twins, Luke and Stevie were involved in continuous pretend sword fights for the rest of the afternoon. Even Sue liked the fact that there was a girl hero in the story and she was tougher than most of the boys. After ice-cream sundaes, they all made their way to the town library which was the assigned meeting point for the homeward journey.
It was there that Jimmy saw them. The library had computers. There were 6 of them, apparently all with fast internet access that could be used by library patrons, without charge, just by putting your name on the sign-up sheet. If Mom and Dad were too busy to tell their own kids what was happening, Jimmy figured there was more than one way to skin a cat. His mother had forbidden him from using any of his social media accounts. He was active on all of them - Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. Or at least he used to be, before his banishment to the farm. Yes, Jimmy was a product of the 21st century, but he still knew how to do things the old fashion way.
Last winter during the snow days when the school was closed, his 6th grade teacher Mr. Andrews, put the daily projects up on the school's website. "Snow days are not holidays," the man insisted and he required students to email him their written work each day. Accounts had been set up at the beginning of the year for each student on the school server. Jimmy knew it would be foolish to use that account for anything. But his best buddy, Mickey Bailey, never the best student in class, kept asking Jimmy to fix his grammar and spelling whenever they had an essay to write. He had set up a "private" email account off the school system for this purpose. He sent Jimmy his drafts and received comprehensible essays in return. Even without his phone, Jimmy remembered Mickeys "private" email address - skaterboy-2007@freemail.com. The existence of this account was only known to a few very trusted friends. Freemail, as the name implied, provided free email accounts to people after you completed their sign-up form. Jimmy could use a fake name, age, and address details and then he could write to Mickey and get him to ask around about where Mr. and Mrs. Bukland had gone. Somebody had to know.
As he raked up alpaca beans, Jimmy reviewed the outline of his plan. He would need to get into town at least two more times. Once to set up the fake account and send the email to his buddy Mickey. And a second time, or maybe more, to check for answers. His friend was active on social media, but Jimmy doubted whether Mickey checked his email account very often. He would need to give him a few days before seeing if he got a response. However, the idea of waiting another month for the Sullivan "big city family excursion" was out of the question. He couldn't remain here another 4 weeks just shoveling animal poop. Besides, he would need to be alone to set up the fake account. He knew he wouldn't be allowed to take one of the ATVs to town. Driving around the farm was one thing, but he knew you needed a driver's license for the main roads. And walking to town was hardly an option. A 10 mile round trip, after a full morning of chores would kill him. But then Jimmy remembered that Fred had a bike and said he rode into town from time to time.
"It's about a thirty-minute trip," his cousin had told him. "But maybe less, if you ride like the devil is chasing you. I did it in nineteen-minutes one time," he boasted.
Well, the devil wouldn't be chasing him, and Jimmy thought he could easily complete a bike ride of 30 minutes. Then he remembered that twice a week, Uncle Jack drove into town to buy animal feed and other supplies. He was sure he could cadge a lift with the man if he said he needed to borrow library books for his summer reading assignments for school. He had already established himself as a reader with the other boys in the bunkhouse. With no cable TV, crappy local channels, and extremely limited access to video games, he was actually reading more than he ever did back home. There was nothing else to do most of the time. He was reading three chapters of a simplified version of Robinson Crusoe to the younger boys each night as well. It started out as a request from Luke and Stevie, but soon Damien and the twins had joined the group. He even noticed Fred listening in over the last few nights. After that, he did another hour of his own stuff before going to sleep.
He had finished Becky Alberalli's book, "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda," which he loved. He really identified with the main character, Simon Spier. Simon was a 16-year-old high school junior who appeared to have the perfect life. But unbeknown to his family and friends, the guy was hiding the fact he was gay and there were all sorts of funny and weird things that happened to him because of it. Jimmy felt they could have used his photo on the cover. It was almost his life Alberalli was writing. But he was glad his teachers back in New York had put this book on his Summer Reading List. It helped him to come to terms with his own sexuality. He had also finished another amazing book, "March, Book 1" by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. That was about Congressman John Lewis and how much life had changed for African Americans in the USA since the 1960s. He could tell Uncle Jack he needed to borrow S. E. Hinton's book, "The Outsiders." That was the third book on his list, and his mom hadn't packed it with the others.
Two days later Jimmy was alone in the River Falls public library. He had an hour before Uncle Jack would pick him up for the trip back to the farm. He had Fred's library card and was all set to go. He found The Outsiders and then picked up a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to read to the younger boys as they were up to the last few chapters of Crusoe. Then he rushed over to one of the computers. It was early afternoon and three of them were available. He quickly ran through the process of setting up the fake email account. It was actually easier than he thought. Finally, he wrote the note to Mickey Bailey. He had planned what to say well in advance.
Jimmy had learned speed typing with KeyBlaze at school and his keyboard skills were considered very good. Still, it always paid to check your work. He re-read the email.
Satisfied, Jimmy hit send. He was proud of himself. He hadn't used his name, real location, or any of his regular Social Media accounts. No, this note to his best friend was completely untraceable. He looked at his watch. He still had another 30 minutes before Uncle Jack was due.
That night – Somewhere in Colombia
Finally, Diego Martinez had good news for his boss Angel Ramirez.
"We've got a lead on the location of the Bukland family," he said as he entered the office.
Angel looked up at the man and nodded at the opposite chair, indicating Diego should sit.
"Our tech guy, Alejandro, finally got a hit. Like we suspected, the parents couldn't keep the kids away from technology for too long. One of the kids sent an email to his buddy back in New York."
"Good news. Do we have them then?"
"Well not quite. The email was traced back to a small town called River Falls in South Carolina. Alejandro says he's certain the email was sent from the public library in town."
"So we don't have an actual house location?"
"No Angel, sorry. That's the best he could do. But it's a small town. A population of about 70,000 according to information we have. Not an easy place for a family of four to hide out. People notice strangers in the place that size."
"Okay good work. Make sure Alejandro gets a nice bonus this month. I want you to personally take charge of the operation this time. You're thinking of the FBI cover again?"
"That'd be my suggestion. Three of our best men, plus me. Four is a typical size for an FBI taskforce investigating say, 'money laundering.'
Both men laughed before Diego continued. "The three, all fluent English speakers, and we spend money on the clothes, cars, and the best credential packs the forgers can make. Then we need a safe house to conduct the interviews. Finally, help with disposal."
"You've got it. But how to do it?" asked Angel Ramirez.
"Honestly, I like the direct approach best. We go straight to the local sheriff and tell him we're looking for Bukland on wire fraud and money laundering charges. Does he know of a new family in town? They may be living under an assumed name. If he knows nothing, I'd hit the estate agents next, then stores in town and so on. The Buklands have got to be living somewhere. If worst comes to worst, we stake out the library, but I'm pretty sure it won't come to that."
"However good the cred packs you get, aren't you concerned some yokel will spot them?"
I had Alejandro check. The sheriff and all his deputies are locals. None of them have ever worked on another police force, and the last time there was any record of FBI activity in River Falls was back in the 1960s. They had some voting rights issues back then."
"Okay, get moving on this as soon as possible. If I'm going to expand into the US without building a network from scratch, I need Michael Giordano's balls in my hands."
Authors deserve your feedback. It's the only payment they get. If you go to the top of the page you will find the author's name. Click that and you can email the author easily.* Please take a few moments, if you liked the story, to say so.
[For those who use webmail, or whose regular email client opens when they want to use webmail instead: Please right click the author's name. A menu will open in which you can copy the email address (it goes directly to your clipboard without having the courtesy of mentioning that to you) to paste into your webmail system (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc). Each browser is subtly different, each Webmail system is different, or we'd give fuller instructions here. We trust you to know how to use your own system. Note: If the email address pastes or arrives with %40 in the middle, replace that weird set of characters with an @ sign.]
* Some browsers may require a right click instead
