-1The Caged Boys
A Novel By
Matthew David Stephens
Copyright 2012 by Matthew Stephens
Published by Smashwords
Chapter One
Junior woke up to his father bent over him and shaking his shoulder lightly. He knew the reason for being awoke at such an early time and got up with no objections. It was the same everyday for the Smith family. A day full of chores that was necessary for their survival. He met his father outside and wished him a good morning. After his father returned the greeting, they grabbed four steel pails and headed for the river.
William Smith had settled his family just far enough from the Silver Snake River not to be noticed from what the old townsfolk call, “The Dark Men.” He had built their humble home with his bare hands and the rare essentials available- just as many of the other non-believers had done. It wasn’t the life he had envisioned for his wife and two children, but as the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. He could have folded under the pressure and been a lot better off, but he was a strong believer in what was morally right, and the people who conformed to Mr. Black and his Dark Men didn’t seem to have morals, and they definitely were NOT right.
William walked with Junior through a large hay field, both lugging the pails at their sides. It was a beautiful day with a light breeze to keep them comfortable from the heat that would otherwise have them sticky with sweat. The breeze would not be able to compete with the boiling summer sun that was peaking over the horizon, and in a couple of hours they would be drenched. So for the time being, they reveled in the comfort of the early day and found themselves in rather good spirits. As they marched through the tall grass, a conversation began that led to a question William had feared Junior would eventually ask.
“Dad? Does everyone live this way?”
William stopped in his tracks and turned to his boy. He smiled at the curious look in Junior’s eyes. He knelt down in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He wasn’t sure what to tell him, or how much to tell him for that matter. The boy was only ten, and there are some things that virgin ears don’t need to hear until their old enough to completely understand it. So he decided to answer with a question in an attempt to deter him from hearing the awful truth.
“And what is so wrong with the way we live?” He knew that Junior knew better than to complain about the work. If there was one thing he tried to instill in his son, it was the fact that a man doesn’t get anywhere unless he works hard for it.
“Well, nothing I guess.” Junior looked down from his father’s eyes-afraid to upset him. “I just wonder where everybody else is, and why you always seem to be scared, or hiding from people.”
There it was. There was no possible way to dance around it now. He should have known that his son would eventually want to know why every time a person came by their hut, he would hurry the wife and children inside while he talked to the stranger. He decided his boy had earned the right to know.
“It’s complicated my boy, and your father should have probably told you earlier of the reasons for his actions, but you see, not everyone out there is a good person. In fact, some are down right dangerous, dangerous to you and our family. I tried to hide it from you because I don’t want you to think that everyone out there is a bad guy. But it is very necessary in this day and age to treat everyone like a bad guy until you get to know them.” William stopped and lifted Junior’s chin to look in his eyes. He wanted to make sure the boy understood, but at the same time, he wanted to make sure he wasn’t scaring him.
“It’s hard to tell you this. But to answer your question, No…not everyone lives like us. In fact, there are people just across the river that live in big nice houses and never have to fend for food like us. They have places to go and get meals that are already prepared and way more delicious then anything you ever tasted.” He studied Junior’s face for any sign of tears or hurt. He felt he might be being a little harsh with his words, but it was the reality of things.
“Why can’t we live there?” Junior asked not seeming hurt, just curious.
“Well, that’s where it gets a little more complicated, and some of it you’re just too young to know. What I can tell you is, your father did live there at one time and so did you, but you were just a baby. Your mother and I had a nice house and you even had your own room. We thought every thing was perfect and we would be able live like those across the river. But then one day a very bad man had decided he wanted to take our town under siege.” William stopped when he saw Junior’s face wrinkle in a gesture that clearly meant he was having trouble understanding.
“What I mean is…that very bad man wanted the town for himself and if you didn’t want to follow his rules, then you were abolished, which means forced to move out and start a life without help from others.”
“Why is he so bad?”
“Now we’re getting to some of the parts you’re too young to hear. I’ll tell you what, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask me anytime and I’ll answer the best I can, but for now we got get back to work. Daylights burning.”
They walked to the river and filled their pails with water. To William’s surprise, Junior asked no more questions about the past or their current living conditions the whole way back. William didn’t know if he would ever be able to work up the courage to tell his son of the real evil that Mr. Black and his men possess.
William had never seen the infamous Mr. Black in person. He just got vague descriptions from the people that used to be his friends and neighbors. It all started with what the town thought were just a couple of troublesome cowboys who liked to raise hell on their beloved community for shits and giggles. At first, they would appear in the saloon and heckle the patrons that were too drunk to defend themselves. It mostly consisted of smashing a few glasses and giving a few people a nice beer shower before riding off into the night laughing and cackling like a bunch of loons. Sure, it was a pain in the ass for the bar keeps, and the ones who were just trying to have a good time after an honest days work. But compared to what was coming, the people would have much rather gone home with a hurt pride and a beer soaked shirt.
It didn’t take long before more and more of these outlaw trench coat wearing cowboys came strolling into town on their horses. They would trot their stallions up and down the streets in broad daylight harassing the men and feeling on their women. Eventually, the rowdiness stopped and it seemed they were on a more serious mission. They actually were trying to become chummy with some of the locals.
William was not much of a drinker, so the first time he ever laid eyes on a “Dark Man” was when he was on his way into Eddie’s market to pick up a loaf of bread. He stopped when he heard the words being said to his neighbor, old man Henry.
“A change is upon you.” The scruffy long-haired cowboy said standing next to his horse and holding the old man’s arm. “You have a choice to either change with it, or suffer your own fate.”
William felt he had no choice but to try and step in and help his old friend.
“You want to get your hands off of him.” William was standing behind Henry and pulling him away from the stranger. The cowboy jerked his head up at William like a snake that feels threatened.
“You ought to mind your own business, partner!” William felt that if looks could kill, he would be one dead man. The smell of stale whiskey wafted from the man and William knew that he had gotten himself into more than he bargained for.
“I’m not looking for any trouble. I’m just concerned for the old man’s heart.” William patted Henry’s chest. “And you seem to be pressing him a little.”
“I’m just trying to explain that change is upon you. You’d be best not to cross me Mr.-” The cowboy moved in a little closer. “I’m sorry; I didn’t catch your name.”
“Well, seeing how we’re not exactly becoming friendly here, I think it’s best if I don’t say.”
The stranger gave an amused smile and hopped on his horse. “It’s okay; we’ll be talking very soon.” Then he took off down the street as if he were trying to win a race. Henry thanked William and they went about their day. He didn’t like the fact that he got involved in the altercation because a part of him knew, deep in his gut, that the stranger would make good on his word. It was a week later that his gut would prove him right.
Chapter Two
There had been talk around town of the cowboys that the town referred to as, The Dark Men, but no one really knew what to make of it. They couldn’t understand what these vigilantes were actually threatening, and they weren’t sure if the situation should be taken seriously. Men started planning to get a group together in order to drive these hooligans out of town the next time they showed their ugly faces, but before they could actually get it organized, the whole town was taken by surprise.
It was well into the night and William had been in the middle of a pleasant dream when the sounds of trampling hooves and panicked screams woke him. He sat upright in bed and stared at his wife who was awakened by the commotion as well. He climbed out from under the warm blankets and drew back the curtains of the bedroom window. He motioned for his wife to come over. They watched in horror as hundreds of horses, with the dark men propped on top, galloped up and down the street. Some were off their horses and ransacking their neighbor’s homes. Betty, the always reliable neighbor when you need a cup of sugar or a good conversation, was being dragged down her front steps in her nightgown against her will. She struggled to get away, but the men held firm and seemed to be enjoying themselves. William’s wife gasped as the man on the left of Betty squeezed her breast with what seemed like painful force. The two Dark Men laughed as Betty pleaded for them to stop. Shortly after, two more came out holding Betty’s husband. He was motionless. They dragged him down the front steps and threw him on top of a horse like a sack of potatoes.
William’s newborn baby began to wail in the next room, and that sent him into motion. He grabbed his wife by the wrist and pulled her into the baby’s room. He scooped the boy up with his free arm and headed for the back door. He was just thinking they might get away unharmed when the back door was kicked open and two men stepped in front of them. William and his wife stood frozen knowing there was nowhere else to run. His heart sank when he saw the face of the man staring back at him. It was the same whiskey-breath bastard from outside of Eddie’s market. He knew things were going to get dramatically worse from here.
“Well, well. If it isn’t my old buddy- oh! That’s right; we’re not friends so I never did catch your name.” William’s wife gave him a confused look as the Dark Man continued to tease. “I think it’s time we get better acquainted.” He smiled while trying to slam the door that was clearly off the hinges.
William moved his wife behind him and stretched an arm out across her chest in order to protect her from any harm these sick fucks intended to bestow upon her. With one arm protecting his wife and the other holding the baby, he was pretty much vulnerable to any type of attack the men wanted to plant on him. Instead of attacking him, they began to tease and taunt him.
“Oh, look who’s trying be the hero.” The man from Eddie’s said as he scooted a chair out from the kitchen table and took a seat. The other man quickly followed suit. William was lost on what the hell was going on. Why didn’t they go ahead and beat him to a bloody pulp while they had the chance?
“You’re a good man, you know that? Anything to protect the family, right? Give the baby to that lovely wife of yours and come have a seat.” The man pushed out a chair with his black boot and patted the spot where William was asked to sit.
Confused and timid, William handed the baby to his wife and slowly sat between the two men. His eyes were like pin balls, jerking back and forth from man to man watching for any sudden movements. There was one, but it turned out to be a pat on the hand.
“You need to calm down. It’s not as bad as it seems.”
“Oh yeah, then what is it?” William snapped.
“Look, I know we’re causing one hell of a scare here, but we’re not here to harm you or to run you from your beloved little town.” The man stopped and looked to his partner with a bit of a smirk. “Unless, of course, we’re forced to.”
“If you’re not here to harm us, then why did I just see my neighbor being dragged from his house unconscious?” William argued.
“Well, I assume he wasn’t willing to cooperate. Some people are not willing to accept the fact that there is going to be a new order of things around here. Like it or not. There’s a new boss in town and he’s one bad motherfucker.” With this, the men laughed and pounded fists. William’s blood was boiling, he was one step away from throwing the first punch of this little party, but his rational mind told him it would be a bad idea. His wife and child were unharmed, and he wanted to keep it that way for as long as he could.
“So what are your reasons for all this?” William asked while putting his hands in the air, desperate to know why he had a broken door and a crying baby if they didn’t plan on causing harm.
“We just want to make the point known that we’re taking over and there is only one choice you have to make.”
“THEN WHAT THE FUCK IS IT?” William screamed, getting tired of the run around and finally losing his temper. The man leaned forward and calmly looked at him with a half grin.
“It’s like that old saying. If you can’t beat em, you might as well join em.”
Little Junior started wailing again and his mother attempted to walk him into the living room. The man to William’s right got up and quickly cut her off, which made William get up and give him a shove. The stranger cocked back as if to start an all out brawl, but whiskey breath stepped between them.
“Let’s keep it peaceful, alright?” He stared at his partner and then back to William.
“Trust me; you don’t want to cross us.”
“I’m not going to sit here while someone harasses my wife.” William stood firm.
“That’s not our intentions. We are just making sure no one makes a run for it before they hear us out.”
“Then get on with it!” William said, exasperated and taking a seat. The two men joined him at the table once again and little Junior was content and sleeping for the moment in his mother’s arms. The men attempted to explain themselves.
Old Whiskey breath began by telling the story of their powerful leader, Mr. Black, and how his idea of world order is the only way to live. He told William that, with his cooperation, he could have all the things he ever dreamed of. An endless amount of food, supplies for repairs to the house, and then with a wink he said, all the women you could want beckoning to your every wish and command.
“Not interested.” William blurted out when he saw the way the men were looking at his wife. “I would never want my wife to be turned into some kind of sex slave, nor do I want one for myself, and I beg your pardon, but I think you guys are nothing but a bunch of sick fucks.”
William’s last comment was the final straw for any reasoning at the table. Whiskey breath gave a right hook, connecting with William’s jaw and knocking him off his chair. William put a hand to his mouth and felt the warm blood that was oozing from his lips. He tried to get up but the other man planted his boot down hard on his chest.
“I tried to play nice, but you insist on being stubborn. Now it’s time to take what we want, whether you like or not.” Whiskey breath told his partner to get William’s pansy ass off the ground and hold him. His partner did so and held William from behind with a strength he thought he would never be able to break out of. Old Whiskey gave him a couple more jabs to the face for good measure, and then really turned up the heat by caressing his frightened wife’s arm.
“You’re definitely a looker. I bet my boys would all love a piece of you.” The man laughed and his partner joined him while struggling a little harder to hold the over-boiled William.
“Get your fucking hands off of her!” The man ignored William’s command and continued taunting his wife.
“But before my men get a chance, I get first dibs.” He was standing behind her and running his hands up and down her thighs while pressing his pelvis into her backside. Tears began running down her face. “So, why don’t you go put that baby down and be a good girl for me? You wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to your beloved husband and little boy, would you?”
“Don’t listen to him, Linda! Don’t do it!” William pleaded to his wife while struggling to get free like a man in a straight jacket.
Linda could only think about the well-being of her baby and her husband. She told herself that maybe if she let the men have their way, they might be left alone for the night and could escape in the morning before daylight. In her mind, it really was the only option. She walked into the living room and gently set the baby down in a bassinet. She turned to face the hideous man standing before her and held out her arms as if to say, “Here I am, do what you will.”
Whiskey smiled a toothless grin and started off by caressing her breasts. Linda grimaced and turned her head when he tried to kiss her lips. He became angered by her lack of cooperation and tore the front of her blouse completely off. As Linda stood there half naked, feeling the man’s scruffy whiskers run up and down her torso and breasts, and hearing her husbands objections in the background, she began to silently hum herself a gospel song until she was no longer in her own body.
The Dark Man finally loosened his grip enough so William could deliver a mule kick to his groin. He went down howling in pain, and then William rapidly kicked him in the head until he lay there lifeless. He marched in the living room and was put over the edge by seeing Whiskey’s bare backside plunging into his wife’s open legs. His screams of anger came simultaneously with Whiskey’s screams of pleasure and he charged, picking up a fire poker along the way, and buried the sharp end into his back.
Whiskey folded to the ground, struggling to reach the poker sticking out of his left shoulder. William scooped up Linda’s clothes and threw them in her lap. When she didn’t immediately respond, he shook her and screamed at her to get her shit together and get moving. As Whiskey struggled to get up, Linda jammed her heel into his jaw and sent him back to the floor. Now that William was sure that Linda definitely had gathered herself, he scooped up the baby.
“Never mind the clothes, let’s just get the fuck out of here!” William said and dragged her through the kitchen by the wrist. When they reached the back door he paused and listened. It seemed that the whole town was under attack. Faint screams and whining horses came from all directions. He knew that if they could make it across the backyard, they could follow the tree line that ran beside Silver Snake River. But making it through the backyard was going to be no easy task. It was at least fifty feet to the tree line and the neighbors on each side of them were under the same heavy bombardment. Not to mention the fact that little Junior was upset about being woken up and was now screaming to beat hell. As William stood at the doorway trying to strategize a way across without being seen, Linda slapped her clothes on and took Junior to quiet him. A yell in the living room sent them out the door and into the madness without much planning.
Chapter Three
“Papa? How far is town?” Junior asked while hanging a pail of water over a fire his father built.
“As long as Silver Snake.” William answered vaguely. He knew Junior was curious about where his father had been going on those two day trips and coming back with a couple loaves of bread, fruit, and canned vegetables. As his sister and mother tended to washing clothes, Junior’s father began to explain his reasons for the long trips.
The truth is they were not far from the village they used to call home. It was about five miles to the north and it amazed William that they haven’t been spotted or ambushed by the Dark Men in the ten years they had spent in the open, establishing their tiny makeshift home. There had been drifters passing through from time to time, keeping Williams guard up, but most were harmless escapees from Mr. Black and his troops of evil like himself. On occasions when he was able to let his guard down enough, he would even let the strangers in for a meal and a nap. But for the most part, the drifters were pushed on by a double barrel shotgun, the only weapon William had, and it proved to be the most necessary tool for their survival. He even taught little Junior how to shoot, and he was a dead aim at the age of ten. They usually hunted and fed on small animals like squirrel, beaver, and rabbit. There were a few occasions where they were lucky to gun down a deer. William would only allow this in the winter, because the venison had a tendency to spoil in the hot days of the summer. If there was one thing William was a stickler about, it was definitely wasting food, or anything for that matter. Hunting food was not always successful, so William was left to search elsewhere. This had been his risky trips into town.
Although he didn’t agree with his old neighbors, and their cooperation under the new law of Mr. Black, He was still willing to accept their help if it meant keeping his family alive. So he would spend a whole day from dusk till dawn walking the banks of Silver Snake and arriving in town just in time that darkness settled on the town. It was best he not be seen by anyone, because the residents that he considered friends had informed him that any intruders spotted were to be shot on sight. William felt this would be especially true for him. He knew that Whiskey was still around, and he would love to wrap his dirty hands around the one who left him with a wounded back, not to mention pride.
William could always depend on Eddie, the one who used to own the market, but was demoted to manager because everything in town was now under ownership of Mr. Black. Either way, it didn’t stop Eddie from putting together care packages for his old friend. Eddie was getting used to the faint knocks that came on the back door once a month. He would happily let William in, and then instruct his wife to get a meal and beverage for their guest, and then lead him to a guest room when it was time to retire for the night. The next day William would give his thanks and take off before sunrise. Eddies packages were usually just the basic essentials like bread and canned veggies, but there had been occasions when there would be a treat like a cake or pie, and sometimes a useful tool that Eddie thought would be helpful, and it usually became more useful than imagined.
Although William appreciated everything Eddie had done for him, he couldn’t let go of the fact that his old friend was becoming more and more part of the evil that he himself was rebelling against. The tiresome worn-out look Eddie’s wife had acquired did not go unnoticed by William. It was obvious he was loaning his wife out to the Dark Men for sexual pleasures, and the foolish grin that Eddie had stretched across his face proved he was indulging in some of his own guilty pleasures. William was frustrated with him, but knew better than to bite the hand that feeds.
“Papa? Are we going to live like this forever?” Junior asked.
“Forever is a long time.” William answered as he slipped on thick gloves and removed a boiling pail of water from the fire. “Besides, all that matters is that we’re together.”
Junior followed his father to where his mother and sister were preparing to wash the threads that they considered clothing. Lily was about a year and a half younger than Junior, but was growing up to be an exact replica of their mother. Her features were quite a bit darker than her mother, but they carried the same radiant smile. That smile appeared on her face as Junior sat next to her for a little rest.
“Mama says were going to have stew for supper. You wanna help peel the potatoes?” Lily said. Junior grabbed the basket of veggies and produced a small pocket knife from his trousers. He got along with his sister like a best friend more than a sibling. After all, she was all he had, and was the only one around his age he’d ever had to talk to.
William headed off to start boiling another pail of water for the stew. It was a warm, beautiful day. They spent the day working together and sat down for a nice supper as the sun began to fall behind the hills in the west. It was one of the best of days they could ask for. The family was all together and in good spirits, unlike the day that followed.
Chapter Four
Junior was shaken awake by his father as usual, only this time it seemed much too early. It was pitch black as he sat up and stretched his arms. A rumble of thunder came to his ears and he knew why his father had interrupted his peaceful sleep. He crept out of the hut, trying his best not to wake his mother and sister. A few rain drops fell on his cheeks as he stepped outside. The sun was nowhere near rising, and by the way the sky rumbled and flashed with lightning, he doubted if it would show its face at all.
William was already beginning to unravel a large tarp and Junior went to help his father. The hut they called home was handmade by William. He built the frame with tree limbs and a spool of wire he had gotten from Eddie. Once he had the basic structure, he began the long-slow process of packing mud around it. He, Linda (who was pregnant unbeknown to her), and little Junior had spent many nights bundled together to keep warm from the cool night breeze. Once the hut was finished, it served very well to shelter them from the weather, but the down side to building a home out of mud and dirt was that it didn’t hold up very well in the rain.
Junior knew the routine as he and his father unfolded the tarp until it lay flat on the ground. They each grabbed a corner and walked it up and over the hut. There had been no wind and he thanked his lucky stars for that. There had been times when they had been blind sided by a bad storm, and trying to cover the hut in 30 mph winds was damn near impossible. Once they got the tarp on, they staked it into the ground at all four corners.
They spent most of the morning inside listening to the rain pitter patter on the tarp. William told old folk tales that he remembered his own father telling him as a child while Linda and the kids sat huddled together with open ears. Sometimes Junior enjoyed the rainy days the most because the family got to sit and enjoy each others company instead of off doing random chores.
The rain quit around noon. William and Junior stepped outside to see what damage, if any, had occurred to their humble home. The day remained grey, but the storm clouds were beginning to break apart so Junior helped his father remove the tarp. The advantage of a storm was that it left plenty of mud and soft dirt to pack on the hut. William and Junior began doing just that when the nightmare that became Junior’s life began.
Junior was packing away as his father dumped small piles of mud next to him. Then he sensed his father standing dead still behind him. When he turned around, he saw a look on his father’s face he would never forget. He followed his father’s line of sight. In the distance, outlined by the grey sky, there was a line of five horses with black shadows of men sitting on top of the hill.
“Who is it papa?” Junior asked getting off his knees.
“Get inside!” William said without turning to look at his boy.
“Is it the bad men?”
“Just get inside!” William said a little harsher than he meant to.
Junior, now realizing the seriousness of the situation scampered inside. When Linda saw the worried look on her boys face, she asked what the matter was. When she heard the words horsemen, the worried look jumped from Junior’s face to hers. A single tear began to roll down her cheek as she rushed the kids to a corner of the hut and covered them in blankets.
“Just stay there and don’t move until I tell you too.” Linda said and went outside.
“What’s happening?” Lily asked Junior.
“I don’t know but I’m scared.” Junior said.
“Me too.” Lily wrapped her arms around her brother and Junior hugged back. The embrace became tighter as the sound of horse hooves circled the hut.
Linda went out and stood next to William. She wrapped her arms around his waist as the horsemen began coming toward them. Two of them began circling the hut as a third one trotted his horse right up to where William and the love of his life stood. One look at the man on top of the colt made Williams heart sink deep in his chest. The man’s facial hair had started to turn grey, but there was no doubt it was Whiskey. The sinister smile he gave confirmed it. William knew he had been recognized as well.
“So we meet again.” Whiskey said and dismounted his horse. “It’s a shame that all this time in the wilderness has turned your lady into not quite a looker as she was before.” He walked to Linda and caressed her cheek. She turned her head and backed away.
“What’s a matter honey? Don’t you remember the good times we had?”
William reached out and gave Whiskey a shove in the chest. Whiskey staggered back a bit and gave a taunting snicker. William found himself staring into four different shotgun barrels from Whiskey’s cohorts. Whiskey gave a wave motioning them to lower their weapons. They did as told and dismounted their horses. The men circled them and William pulled his wife close.
“So you still don’t want to be friends I take it.” Whiskey said with his face inches from Williams.
“I would never befriend a sickening slob like you.” William said while he moved Linda behind him. He was waiting for one of them to try and take a swing. He knew he was outnumbered, but he would be damned if he was going to go out without a fight.
“Why can’t you just leave us be?”
“Well, let’s see. You killed my friend and stabbed me in the back with a fucking fire poker.” Whiskey’s voice was beginning to rise. “Folks tend not to forget things like that.”
“That’s only because you were assaulting my wife, you puke!” William’s face was turning a bright red and he held his fists clenched at his sides. “I wish I would of killed you.”
“Aw, that’s not very nice. The situation could have been avoided had you just gave a little cooperation. You chose for it to be this way.”
“I would never back down to the devil. I have morals and it would be over my dead body that my wife was to be used as some sex toy. And I can’t grasp how you guys can do the things you do and are able to sleep at night.”
“I sleep like a baby every night. Life is good under Mr. Black and I can’t understand why you would choose to live out here and feed off of scraps when you had a choice to live healthy and wealthy. But it’s too late for all that. I’m afraid your invitation has expired.”
“Fuck you!” William shouted and spat in Whiskey’s face.
Whiskey calmly wiped the spittle from his cheek and smiled. “No, I think I’ll save that for another round with your wife.” Whiskey snapped his fingers and before William could react, he was being held by the Dark Men. Whiskey circled the restrained couple, observing them like a prize possession in some art museum. Then just for his own amusement, he gave William an upper-cut to the gut. William tried to double over but was held up by Whiskey’s partners.
“So…Where are the children?” He pointed to the hut. “A boy and a girl, correct? We’ve been watching you- just waiting for the right time to strike, so don’t try to fill me with bullshit and call them out here.”