An 'X'mas Carol Part Two, Chapter 15
By Jaech Reiter
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Copyright 2011 by Jaech Reiter, all rights reserved

A Christmas and New Year's Eve Story Challenge Entry

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This story is intended for ADULTS ONLY. It contains explicit depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or if such material does not appeal to you, do not read further, and do not save this story.
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Part Two, Chapter 15

"Hurry up, Ben, get a move on it."

He wanted to angrily reply, but he knew better than that. He was, at least, figuring that much out. Still, despite the horrors of the last few days, Ben Scruggs felt it so demeaning to be marshaled out of the house by his mother --- what with his being naked, except for sandals and his bright pink NUDEP collar and bracelets, the latter saying '2a' in bold black letters against the pink background.

"Oh that pink is just sooo you, Ben!" Angel Wallsey called to him with a giggle as he walked past on his way to the front door.

It didn't help any that his mom had let his sister invite two of her friends to stay the night, as well as help wash him and get him ready for the Cartons that morning. Even now, he could barely keep down his meager breakfast, all two bites that he could stomach to start with, as he thought about it all.

Kyle Carton, who was a Level 1b Offender, was being taken to an Alternative Punishment Area in Seibert County, just east of Fox County, as an adjunct request by his parents to his punishment program. Ben was being brought along, as well, except that his was mandatory after Judge Breese was obligated by the School and Community Code against Violent Behaviour to upgrade the boy to a Level 2a Offender status. And Level 2 offenders had to go to an APA during their punishment. At their own cost.

Ben didn't know what was going to happen at this place, but he was very scared. His mother didn't make anything better by writing in marker on his back:

"This OFFENDER needs help with some serious behavioral adjustment!"

It just wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all!! He was trying! He was making great efforts!! They didn't know what it was like! They should have to try and be nice and 'considerate' while walking around naked, while getting beaten, and while being forced to do --- and eat --- horrible things. They should have to try to be 'good' during all that. See how far they get. He still felt nauseous thinking about all the cum those geek boys shot into his Chinese noodles and that Sam forced him to eat yesterday for lunch.

UUgghhh.....

"You look like you're about to throw up." His mom said next to him, waiting at the door. Timmy looked on by her side. She had already explained to his little brother why these things had to happen. He was accepting it a little more that Ben deserved this and had to go through it.

"I'm fine," Ben said, trying to keep any sort of edge out of his voice, but also trying to swallow back down the vile and rising motion of vomit that came with the memory of yesterday's lunch. It was better than thinking about either of the beatings from yesterday. Memories of those could almost wipe him out, especially that whole sensation of his butthole being ravaged by the artificial cock.

Bbbbrrruuuhhhbbbbhhhhheeegghhh!!!!!!!

His mom didn't comment about the whole body shiver that just went through him.

"You'll get through this Ben. And you'll be a better person." She said next to him, so very worried about him turning out like his father. She would do anything to keep that from happening.

He took a deep breath. He was going to try and say something nice and positive, despite feeling the very opposite. Something hopeful, despite losing hope. He took the deep breath and readied himself. He knew what he was going to say . . . . . . . . . and then Fran's other friend, Haley Tarrant, took all the wind out of that sail.

"Wow, you have a nice butt there, Benny," Haley called out sweetly, but with laughter in the back of her voice, "especially for a bully."

Fran and her two friends giggled at this, and Ben blushed once again at being seen naked by these girls a whole grade level below him, not that you could tell he was blushing, as he had been permanently red-faced all morning as the girls watched and assisted with his morning bathing, his lack of getting dressed, and in general just being there the whole time, seeing him in the only skin he came with into the world.

"Well," Angel amended, "Just a little bully."

The girls giggled all over again; even his mom smiled; and, yes, he blushed again. It was like that feeling would never go away.

"Well," his mom leaned down to 'not' whisper in his ear, "You do have a nice butt, Benny."

Geez. It was bad enough that his mom had just stood there and watched him beat off after he had gotten out of the bath and was ordered to do so by his sister. Man, that had to have been the absolute worst moment of his life, especially since he actually came --- right there in front of her!! Though, admittedly, it sure took a long and tortuous time.

But to have her just standing here at the front door, commenting on his backside anatomy, while Mrs. Carton stood at the door, also smiling at the girls' statements, and checking out his lack of frontside anatomy --- oh, this just brought everything back. Granted his butt had finally fully recovered from the indignations suffered upon it yesterday; they were right about that paddle only causing severe pain, but without even moderate-term marks or redness left to be visible. Not that his mother writing on his back would keep it that way for long --- he was pretty sure that things were about to soon change back there. For now, though, it was just as plump, and creamy, and unblemished as any 12 year old prepubertal butt could be.

Except that he was 14, regardless of what his butt . . . . . . and unfortunately penis and balls . . . . looked like. And he was too old to have his mom commenting on his butt, privately or publicly. If he had been made to jerk off again, this time in front of Kyle's mom, he was pretty sure he wouldn't survive the blackout. He wouldn't just faint. His brain would stop.

His mom stepped out to talk with Kyle's mom, doing the whole mom thing about where they were going, when they would be back, etc. As they chatted and laughed, his mom looking more relaxed and happy than she had in days, perhaps truly believing that this was just what her son was needing to turn things around, Ben just contemplated Death more.

That, of course, just brought his mind around to Elias Marley. If Elias weren't already a ghost, Ben sure would have liked to make him one.

"Hope your happy, Elias! Is this what you thought was good for me? for the Christmas Spirit??" Ben mumbled to himself angrily.

"What did you say, boy?" His mom rounded on him suddenly. Her tolerance of his sourness and antics had dropped to subzero in the last few days.

"Nothing." He was startled, and a bit scared on top of that. "I was . . . just . . . . ."

"Mumbling," She answered for him, and then rebuked him sharply. "What did I tell you about mumbling?"

"I'm sorry, mom, I won't do it again." He hated that he sounded like a little boy when he said this, but if he was wearing underpants he might have wet them; he was so on edge with the stress of the morning and the submerged fears of what was to come at the APA.

"Don't let me hear about you doing that when you are with the Cartons. I expect you to behave yourself and comply fully with the rules and requirements of this APA today, no matter what you are told to do."

"Yes, ma'am." His knees were about to knock the way she just threw that 'no matter what' out there.

"Good. I would like to be proud of you today. At least try to do something like that for me, Benny."

"Yes, ma'am." That one was easier to say. He wanted her proud of him again.

"All right, now give me a hug," This was so awkward. 14 years old and hugging your mom while you're naked. "That's my little boy. Now, turn around and thank your sister and her friends for helping you this morning. And no covering up."

It was probably a good thing that she had added that last part, since despite Ben being well aware of the mandate and his unfortunate two+ days in getting accustomed to it (if such a thing were possible), he now felt a greater urge, more than ever since first starting this misadventure, to cover up; he now had to again draw on those vapors of restraint in his empty tank to keep his hands at his side, or at least to keep them from jerking too far forward, as he forced himself slowly to turn around.

"Goodbye, Fran . . . . and . . . . . Angel . . . . . and Haley . . . . .and . . . . . thank you for . . . . . helping me this morning."

The girls giggled and told him they were happy to have helped, after all, they could 'see' that he was just a little boy and needed help to get ready in the morning.

"There you go, dear." His mom said pleasantly. "You see, you do have it in you to be civil and properly respectful toward girls. I expect to see that side always, from now on."

"Speaking of good sides," Mrs. Carton said from the porch, just outside the front door, "He does have a cute little bottom, Charlotte."

"Doesn't he?" Ben's mom agreed. "Let's hope that's the only thing he keeps from his father."

OMG --- please tell him his mom didn't just say that. Ben only barely caught the exchange between the women as he was still wholly taken aback by the giggling girls before him, staring and pointing at his small half-hard penis. It was only 2 inches at this state. It didn't even make it to three all the way hard.

"Thank you for taking him, Angela. You really did save me. I have to go in to work today; I don't know what I would have done."

"It's no problem. Sid will be bringing the boys back tonight, though. I'm just sorry we didn't have any room for Fran and her two friends. As it is, Jessica and I will be riding home with Alesha Sanderson. She's bringing her two kids Becky and Zachary and my daughter Cynthia in her car. It'll be just us girls on the way home. The boys will all come back together with Sid."

"Now," Charlotte asked, just to do the motherly clarifications, "Becky and Cynthia are both in 8th grade with Ben?"

"Yes, although Ben does look like he would fit more into 7th grade, to be honest. Maybe in 6th." Angela Carton admitted. "But then, all I have to compare is what my own Kyle looks like, and his best friend Casey Russo, who will also be going with us. Abigail Russo and I agree that this is good preventive medicine for both boys --- Casey to get the fear of NUDEP into him and Kyle to have just that much more humiliation by having his best friend along to witness everything. Alesha felt Zachary would benefit, too. He hasn't been troublesome yet, but he's in 7th grade along with the other boys. It's when these things seem to begin in earnest."

"Oh, I agree. They could all do with a healthy dose of fear and respect. And as far as things go with Ben, I'm just as surprised as you at his lack of development. I had always thought he was farther along. Just goes to show he was acting way too big for his britches."

Both women laughed at the joke, and the girls began giggling and laughing anew as Ben followed Mrs. Carton shame-faced out to the mini-van. It got even worse for him when she opened up the door and directed him in. Casey Russo was sprawled out in the backseat playing a hand-held game, barely giving the newcomer a smirked 'sucks-to-be-you' look, while an extremely embarrassed Kyle was sitting up in the middle seat, dick erect to his full 4 inches and staring straight ahead, flushed with humiliation, and trying to pretend that he wasn't really there, that this wasn't really happening to him, and that it really wasn't his mother watching as his smiling 9-year-old sister Jessica played with his exposed dick.

"Remember Jessica, don't let him shoot. You can torture him and get him hard, but keep him below the shooting range."

"Yes, ma'am." She then reached down and squeezed Kyle's swollen balls gently to bring him down a bit. The boy winced like a puppy, but he didn't cry. She was getting good at knowing just how much pressure to put on him. And he really needed to cum, as they had been preventing him from doing so since yesterday.

"Now, Ben, you would probably all be more comfortable if you sat in the far back; however, we aren't really concerned about your comfort today, are we? Jessica doesn't actually take up that much room, and she's already asked if we would put you on the same seat as her and Kyle."

Ben groaned inwardly, but took care not to be heard and got in the car. He had to climb over both Kyle and Jessica to get to the other side of the seat. As he passed Kyle, the younger boy once again took in the little hairless dick of Ben, a boy a grade above and supposedly a year and a half older than him, and again gave Ben a sneer of superior disdain as the boy passed him. Ben would turn 14 in February, about 2 ½ months away, but Kyle was still 12 and wouldn't turn 13 until next July. But looking at the two, anyone would think the reverse.

Of course Ben looked down and saw Kyle's hard, uncircumcised, four inches arising stiffly out of the small tufts of hair just above the boy's still-hairless, yet quite full, and already darkening scrotum. As Ben saw this sight again, he was unfortunately reminded by his recent memory that he had become well acquainted with the younger boys genitalia, by both sight and feel, as he had been forced to 'assist' in their display during his and Kyle's naked time at the grade school on Friday. That was unpleasant by itself, to say the least, more so as it was just a stronger reminder of his own deficiencies, and of the fact that he could have once bested this boy. Not that anyone beside Timmy --- and Elias --- would believe that last part.

"Yike!!" Ben yelped as he was startled by the feel of Jessica's small hand wrap around his small naked penis and give it a tug.

"You're a Level 2a now," she said. "So that means until we get Sam, I can play with it all I want."

"Actually, dear," her mom corrected, getting into the front passenger seat. "You only absolutely need the Minder's permission at Level 1c to handle an Offender's public properties. You can assume to have permission at Level 2, unless told otherwise by the Minder of any restrictions. But I happen to know that Ben doesn't have any restrictions on him, so you can play with him all you want. I doubt seriously that he will produce anything like your brother can, but you can make him squirm all you want. Just be sure he announces himself with each orgasm and either apologizes or thanks you respectfully after each one, whichever you prefer."

"Do I have to tell him which one I prefer?"

"Of course not dear, as long as you punish him each time he gets it wrong. And you do have to be consistent if you do tell him."

Ben paled at this information but gasped again as she started in vigorously to bring him to an orgasm quickly.

"OK," Sid Carton smiled as he started up the minivan, "Let's go pick up Sam."

Enroute to the Marleys, the adults smiled as they heard Ben yell out that he was coming, and then apologizing profusely for having an orgasm in their car. He wasn't sure which he should do, apologize to Jessica or thank her, but he took his cue from what looked like disgust, but was actually surprise, when she held up her hand to see the small amount of spermless semen he had shot. It would have been even more if he had not been made to jackoff in front of his mother that morning and then give an immediate encore performance for his sister and friends again. After all, though his small nuts were useless now, his prostate was still working like it did before Elias had visited him.

But Jessica smiled and used the slippery substance to even more effectively attack his sensitive dick, such that by the time they got to the Marleys and let Sam into the car, he was already writhing again and exclaiming desperately that he was cumming. Sam just smiled, knowing he was greatly going to enjoy this day, and the sixth grader moved to the far back to sit with the already 13-year-old seventh grader, Casey.

"Thank you . . . . .annngghhhh . . . . . . . JESICCA!! nnnGGAHHH . . . . .for . . . . AANNGGAAHH . . . . ma-a-king m-ME . . . .nnnnggggNnnggg . . . Gyahh . . . CUM!!"

Ben nearly screamed out as the much younger girl mercilessly worked that overly sensitive dick that so dearly needed a rest but wasn't getting one. What Ben didn't know was that part of his Level Two punishment involved an erectile pill, which his mother had given to him that morning. The pill that caused increased sperm and semen production was thought to be a waste on him, so he didn't get that one or the one that increased extra horniness. But the erectile pill alone did have some added horniness side effects, and they were all just starting to kick in, such that even as his dick was too, too sensitive to be touched, it never lost its hardness and was unfortunately already responding to the eager and enthusiastic ministrations of the grade schooler.

"You really shouldn't have thanked me," Jessica said with an almost evil sounding joy (to Ben at least, as he writhed, barely able to restrain himself from grabbing her hand – as it was he had his hand out and open and wanting to grab her wrist to stop her. Goodness knows how he was able to stop himself from doing so.) "You should have apologized for doing something that nasty in the car."

"I'm sorry!!!" He gasped out, barely able to keep himself in his seat as she continued her squeezing, squelching, and jacking of her hand up and down that now well-lubricated little dick.

"Too late now."

"I'm sorry for thanking you," poor Ben panted out.

"Well, that's only proper I guess. But you'll still be punished for not apologizing when you did the nasty thing. Anytime we are in the car, you should apologize for doing something so dirty as that."

"Yes, ma'am! Yes . . . AAAAGGGHHNNNUUH . . . . . . . CUMMING!!!!!!"

Ben jerked like he was having seizures, and the orgasm ripping through him, the third time in 15 minutes was unbelievable in its intensity. It felt like he was having seizures.

"I'm sorry . . . . ."

"Miss Jessica," the little girl prompted him.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jessica," Ben panted, literally, "for . . . . . for cumming . . . . in your car. I won't do it . . . . . . . again . . . . . . . . promise!"

That last part just sort of came out. He hadn't meant to say it; it just rolled of his tongue. After all, isn't that what you said when you got in trouble and were trying to minimize your punishment?

"OK," Jessica said. She may have been only 9, but her mind was definitely keeping up with this game. "But if you break your promise, you'll be punished even more."

She then started back in on his dick, going at it with a renewed vigor. Ben nearly started crying when against his mind's best efforts, his body responded traitorously to the manual torture. Ben and Casey just started laughing in the backseat. The adults upfront just smiled and shook their heads. Kyle wanted to rejoice in Ben's torture, but this was the first reprieve he had had all day; he just kept staring straight at the back of his mom's seat and continued to pretend that he wasn't there.

By the time they got to the APA in Seibert County 90 minutes later, Jessica had revisited her own brother five more times, just barely bringing him to the edge each time, and squeezing his nearly blue-balled nuts harder each time, and had brought Ben to tearful post-orgasmic apologies six more times. His penis was sore, but somehow staying mostly erect, and his body racked with traumatic, pleasurable pain that made him so limp and drained that he couldn't even follow the simple command to sit up straight. He was reduced to open tears but received no mercy from little Jessica, who stated that he had broken his promise so many times now that he was sure to get a big punishment.

Everyone piled out of the minivan, with Sam actually feeling some sympathy for Ben and trying to be surreptitious in helping him. He whispered in the older boy's ear: "I don't care how, but for your own good you better buck up and handle this better. I'm not going to keep helping you. I'm not going to risk getting into trouble for you."

"Thank you, Sam," Ben said quietly.

Sam just nodded and added. "Now wipe your eyes and quit crying. Apologize to Jessica again and then thank her for teaching you better manners."

"Yes, sir," Ben choked out. He did as Sam said and saw that afterward Jessica lost interest in torturing him. Instead she swung back to concentrate fully on her brother, teasing him and embarrassing him in front of a group of slightly older, young teen girls who were just arriving for the day to have some fun as observers at the APA. Casey just laughed at his best friend's afflictions. That didn't make anything better for the once-proud Kyle.

"Mrs. Sanderson will be here soon with Cynthia and Becky, as well as Becky's little brother Zachary. But they'll find you inside I'm sure. Let's go ahead and get you two little offenders registered so Alesha and I can go and enjoy ourselves at the Seibert Day Spa and your father can hit the links at the new fairways."

Mr. and Mrs. Carton took the boys and Jessica around to the entrance and registered with the man at the front booth.

"Oh yes, I heard Hampton County was sending us three of you today. You two are the first ones here from your County. In honor of that, I'm going to give you both a treat. But first, let me have you folks fill out these forms."

He handed over the standard release forms and information gathering forms, and while they were filling those out, he began fingerprinting, dick printing, measuring, and (much to the boys' horror) photographing the two newcomers.

"Usually we get this out of the way at either the court house or the local pediatrician, but seeing how your boys are from out of county . . . . well, we do have to get them into the system."

Meanwhile, right at the start of this most embarrassing and unexpected part, Alesha Sanderson arrived with Becky, Cynthia and Zachary in tow. The addition of the girls, as well as just one more boy who could spread the news at school, caused both boys to moan. The girls just laughed, but they weren't nearly so interested in the boys as Fran and her friends. Cynthia, at least, looked like she knew she might get bored quickly here.

"Mom, I'm kind of tired of having to look at my own brother naked, much as I enjoy seeing him go through all of this, and there's really nothing interesting about Ben; let's be honest."

"I don't know," Becky disagreed with her friend, winking at blushing Ben, "Ben's kinda cute. Besides, it was so sweet how he stood up for his brother."

"Which is just another reason why I don't think I'll enjoy myself a whole lot," Cynthia continued. "Come on, Mom, let me and Becky join you and Mrs. Sanderson at the spa, please?"

"Oh . . . . I don't know . . . ."

"Please, Mom. It will be just us girls. It'll be so much more fun!"

"I really wanted the two of you here watching out for Jessica. I don't completely trust Kyle with her."

"Actually," The man at the front began to inform them, after finishing photographing Ben and Kyle. "She cannot be here on her own if she is younger than 10. She'll have to have someone over 12 keeping tabs on her throughout the day."

"Casey," Cynthia said sweetly, twisting a finger through the boy's hair. He was a grade below her, and so in Kyle's grade, and had always secretly thought Cynthia was hot. So this action disturbed him. In a very good and awkward way. He wasn't as developed as Kyle, but he was older by more than half a year and developed enough that this caused a sure-fire stirring in his loins. "Didn't you just turn 13 a month ago?"

"Huh?" He asked, half-paralyzed by the feel of her hand going through his lightly curly, short, blondish-brown hair, "Wh- . . . . . wh- . . . . . .wait . . . no . . . . . no, I'm not watching Jessica."

"Well, no offense, Casey," Mrs. Carton, as though she agreed with Casey, "But if I don't trust Kyle on his own with her all day long, I'm not sure I should trust Kyle's best friend to take her side over her brother."

"I wouldn't do anything wrong," Casey immediately protested.

"I'm not sure you could handle it," Mrs. Carton continued. "It would be pretty tough watching your best friend go through all this, making him do some of it, taking his little sister's side against him . . . . . . . ."

"Oh," Casey said with a smile, the kind only your best chum could give you, right before he let you have it with a bit of fun, and he clapped his arm around Kyle's naked shoulder. "I think I can help my best friend learn his lesson all proper."

Casey smiled and Kyle inwardly groaned. 'Not Casey, too.'

But at that point Casey realized he had his arm around a naked boy, his own friend nonetheless, and he quickly dropped both his smile and his arm. What he missed during this, however, were the conspiratorial smiles on Mrs. Sanderson's and Mrs. Carton's faces.

"Very well, Casey, you've impressed me enough to trust you. You can watch Jessica today."

"Wait . . . whoa . . . . . . wait . . what??"

"I said, I will trust you to keep an eye on Jessica today. And it would be in your best interests to do a very good job. Your mother has been quite interested in the program. Do you understand me?"

The last part wasn't true. Casey was actually a fairly well-behaved kid at home. He got into things, and was definitely no doormat, but he never sassed his parents or took on an attitude. That went an awful long way to toleration for a parent. But he didn't know that. His imagination did its own math, and his shoulders slumped just a little in immediate defeat.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll do a good job. But what if she doesn't listen to me?"

"Jessica, sweetie," Angela Carton knelt down to tell her daughter. "You've seen what Kyle has had to go through, so I know you don't want to end up in the Junior NUDEP program that they are starting, do you? I didn't think so. So I want you to be good and listen to Casey. If there is a disagreement about how something needs to be done, then the two of you ask for an APA official to decide. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jessica didn't mind. She was quite gleeful about the prospect. Just as Casey had a secret crush for Cynthia, Jessica had one for Casey; but because of Kyle, she had always been too afraid before to get anywhere close to him. Now, however, she was looking up at the boy with a big old smile on her face and reached and took his hand in hers.

Casey immediately drew his hand back, but then closed his eyes and sighed. This wasn't so bad, and it would soon be over. He put his hand back down and let her hold hands with him.

"Just remember little girl," the man at the front said, "The full-fledged officials are the adults and older teens with the green bands around their arms. The ones with purple and blue bands are helpers, and they range from 11-15 years for blue bands and 14-17 for purple bands. Blues are just here to help punish and take care of the Offenders. Purples are sort of in-between, and they can help you with any minor issues. Major or unsolved problems or disagreements should go to a green band. Understand?"

"Yes, sir." Casey and Jessica both said.

"Now, my name is Mr. Macdonald, just like the farmer, Old Macdonald, and I'm one of the Weekend APA Monitors. So if you have any real trouble, ask for me. And now listen here, young man, Casey, right? Now you remember that she is the Minder, not you. You're just there to keep an eye on her and protect her. You understand?"

"Yes, sir." This time it was just Casey answering, and Jessica could feel his palm start to sweat as he held it.

"I'm going to have my staff keep an eye on you. If you abandon or mistreat her, at any time, there will be no warning. You will find yourself as naked as your friend in there and in just as much trouble."

Casey gulped. "Yes, sir."

Macdonald then turned back to the Cartons. "Just two more forms; these are Offender-specific release forms. These forms will dictate what the court has required, as well as, outside of that, what you are willing to let happen to your charges. You can also specify certain things that you specifically do or do not want to happen. Then together we will come up with a list of Tents that each must visit while here --- and how many times he has to visit each tent."

The Cartons started reading over one of the forms and Casey, Cynthia and Becky the other. There shocked mini-gasps and giggles coming from Casey and the girls (well, mainly the older girls), enough that Mrs. Carton asked the girls if they were sure they didn't want to stay for all of this. Becky sort of did, and Casey was hoping they would, but Cynthia was still adamant about joining her mom and Mrs. Sanderson at the spa. Becky gave in to that wish.

"Oh, Mr. Macdonald," Sam Marley finally broke in and indicated Ben, "This one here needs extra punishment for doing nasty things in the Carton's car on the way here, specifically playing with himself until he was . . . . . . . uh . . . . . ."

"Cumming?" Macdonald finished with a smile and then, looking Ben's smallness over, amended, "or at least trying to?"

Whoa! Wait a minute!! Ben thought, but stayed smart enough not to blurt it out, even though his facial expressions gave away his thoughts. This was SO unfair!!! They MADE him do that stuff!! He agreed it was all nasty, but they MADE him do it!!!

"Yes, sir," Sam continued, "That's what he was doing. Even after he promised that he would stop, he still kept doing it. Six more times, actually. The whole way here."

"Is that so?" Macdonald tried to suppress a smile, as Jessica nodded an agreement. He knew what was up; but that's why Offenders were here, to learn that all things 'unfair' are fair game when boys (and girls) abuse the system and other people's rights. For those crimes, they lose their own rights, even the right to Mercy.

"And one time he didn't say he was sorry for doing it, even though I told him afterward that he was supposed to." Jessica added.

"But I said sorry afterward, after she told me," Ben finally burst out, needing to defend himself in some way.

"That was too little, too late," little Jessica said, and Macdonald quickly agreed with her.

"But how was I supposed to know that before she even sa---"

"Boy! Are you arguing with us?" Macdonald sharply yelled at Ben. The nice old man suddenly looked quite dangerous to Ben's own well-being.

"Uh . . . . no sir," came a weak and somewhat whimpered reply.

"It sure did sound like arguing." The Monitor said, and Jessica nodded her head right along with him. "For all this arguing and recalcitrant behaviour, especially the disgusting playing with yourself the whole way up here . . . . ."

But this was soooo unfair! Ben thought impotently in his own head, his face showing the defeated and dejected boy within.

" . . . . . I think we should use a whole different sheet on this boy." Macdonald took away the form with the black bar at the top that Casey and the girls had been looking over and replaced it with one that had a purple header bar at the top.

"Holy shit!" Casey let out as he looked down this new sheet. The wider his eyes got, the greater the fear that went through Ben as he watched Casey's expressions.

"Young man," Macdonald said, pointing at Casey, "You'll want to watch your unnecessary language in this place, or you'll find yourself visiting the Black tent."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I just wasn't . . . . . uh . . . . . expecting . . . . .um . . . . .all this. Uh . . . . . what's the Black tent?"

"Ah, well, good you asked. Our system here is color-coded. We have 12 main punishment areas, each with a different color. The Black and Blue tents are our corporal punishment tents --- spanking, for the most part. The Black tent is handled by professional volunteers, and the Blue tent allows classmates and other kids the ability to spank or otherwise physically punish the Offender. Normally, any new Offender, or any Offender with newly increased status, such as young Scruggs here, would start off in the Black tent as a mandatory part of his or her sentence.

"However, Judge Breese put some limits on both of you as to how much time could be spent in the Black tent. You will start there, but only very briefly. Your Minders cannot send you back, and you would have to mess up pretty good to have the staff send you back. It's an odd request of Judge Breese, but we will honor it. The Blue tent, however, is completely up to your parents/guardians, and your Minders."

"Definitely Blue," Casey whispered in Jessica's ear, and she smiled big in agreement. Kyle would have been crushed if he wasn't in shock from hearing his best friend jump so quickly at that option.

"The Red tent," Macdonald continued, "is something we borrowed from another county's APA and modified it. It's called the Wheel of Fortune tent."

"Ooh, that sounds like fun!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Fun for you to watch, my dear, but I can guarantee you, no fun at all for these boys. We also have a Yellow pavilion, of which I am sure you will both experience the inside; an Orange tent; a Green area – which is our Games area, which I always recommend the parents consider; a Purple tent to which I am sending Ben (and I recommend Kyle get sent with him, at least once); a Lavender tent, which is most embarrassing; and a Pink tent, which I think Jessica will greatly enjoy, but which costs 10 dollars to visit. I recommend that one at the end of the day, dear."

"What is it?"

The man leaned down and whispered in her ear and she got a BIG smile across her face and clapped her hands in excitement. "Mom, Dad, pleeease?? It'll be a surprise!"

Kyle groaned as his parents smiled and shrugged and gave her some money.

"Now the White tent may be something of a waste on Ben, but not necessarily. I do recommend it for either boy, maybe even more than once. There's also a Tan tent which is," here Macdonald gave a low chuckle that unnerved the two boys and scarily infused the others with interest, "just plain evil. The last color is the Brown tent, which is off limits for both boys - - - - for now."

At this point Macdonald handed a card to each of the two minders, Sam and Jessica. Each card was 3x5 inches and of a heavy weight paper. Around the edge where 12 colors, 4 across the top and bottom, and 2 on each side, in a border about ½ inch thick. In each bar of color were 5 small stars, black ones in the light colors and white ones in the dark colors. In the corners of the enclosed rectangle were small circles, and next to each was written 'Prep 1', 'Prep 2', 'Prep 3' and 'Prep 4'. Clustered just above center of the card was a 2x2 table of four blank rectangles. Inside each rectangle was written a word in very light grey: 'Song', 'Play', 'Safety', 'Penalty'. Below this was a line for the Offender's name in thick red lettering and the Minder's name in blue ink.

"Now take a look at the back of the cards," Macdonald told them. "There are two rows of seven blank spaces and an eighth for a signature under each column. By law both I and your guardian can assign you up to seven required places, each, to visit while you are here, although sometimes the court dictates one or all of those, or even limits the number required. But as an example, since Kyle is here at parental discretion and without specific recommendation from the court, I might go light on him."

Macdonald took Kyle's card and wrote Black, Yellow, and Yellow in three of the spaces and drew a short line through the next four to make sure no one else could add to it. He then signed underneath his column.

"There, he will now have to go to the Black tent, as I had previously described and to the Yellow pavilion twice. But his father may feel that is too lenient, as it was his wish that Kyle be brought here for extra punishment, which is entirely acceptable and proper; and he may use his full seven spaces to set further required visits for his son."

"Which I will do, exactly that." Sid Carton said, taking the card and starting to write a few required visits for his son. Mr. and Mrs. Carton had also been provided a brochure with the behind-the-scenes explanations of the colors, something none of the kids saw. So Mr. Carton knew exactly what he was picking.

"I'll start with a Purple, since Mr. Macdonald recommended you visit at least once with Ben. Sam and Jessica will have to work out how to arrange that. And I firmly believe in good healthy exercise and sports competition, so I'm going to put you down for two Green area visits. And I bet a trip to the White tent will help take some of that rebellious fire out of you. I'll send you there twice. And Orange will help get rid of that know-it-all, fight-everyone arrogance that you've been brewing lately. So I'll send you there twice."

"OK," Macdonald started again, "Now if you look at the front of the card, you see those five stars in each color bar? Every time you take your Offender to a color area, the attendant will punch his card through one of those stars. That way we know how many times he or she will have been to each area. And by the end of the day, if they didn't go to the areas written on the back, at least one punch for each time the color was written on the back, then they have to come back and finish on another APA day."

Come back?? Both boys, Ben and Kyle, thought weakly to themselves. They would have to make sure they made it to the required areas first. At least, that's what they were thinking at that moment. How little they understood . . . . .

"Now, I just did Kyle's as an example. One of the things we do to increase worry and frustration on the part of the Offender, and thus challenging him to develop coping strategies to keep himself out of this trouble in the future, as well as adding to psychological portion of the requisite Pain factor, is that we don't tell him how many or which required areas he has to go to. Only the Minder and the Staff will know."

Macdonald decided to give Ben a full seven required fields, based on his two upgrades within NUDEP. He quickly scribbled a Black, two Purples, two Yellows, a Blue, and a Pink, writing next to the Pink 'Last Station of the day – Offender must figure out on his own how he will pay for it.' He then passed the card over to Mr. Carton, who was less enthused about what Ben should have to do. He just figured he would round out the rest of the color selection for the boy, except that the Tan was just too freaky to choose, and he could never consciously force any boy to go through the Lavender tent. It sounded even worse than Purple and Brown. So he marked down one visit each to Red, Orange, Green, and White.

"Mr. Macdonald," Sam asked, "What do these circles mean that say Prep 1, Prep 2 . . . . . ."

"Ah yes," the man said. "There are four prep areas near-ish to the center of the APA. You may use them as you need to, but every time you use a prep area, there is a cost. The minimum usage cost is 15 minutes of additional APA time, plus one minute for every additional minute you go over."

"You mean . . . . . added to whatever time the judge said we have to be here?"

"Yes, Mr. Scruggs. Your required time is 8 hours, which started when you were signed in. Any additional time that you gain will have to be served after those initial eight hours."

"We'll only wait for a maximum of nine hours before going back home, or whenever it is that my wife and Mrs. Sanderson, and I finish our dinner at La Croix Azure." Mr. Carton warned.

"Then that means, if you earn more than one additional hour of APA time, young Ben, you will be returning. And if you do not finish all the required sites on the back of your card, you will be returning. We have an agreement from Hampton County on that point already."

"But what are the prep areas, Mr. Macdonald?" Sam asked again.

"Well, Prep 2, for example, are outdoor showers. You can take the Offender there if he is smelly or dirty and require him to wash himself fully, every part of himself, in full view of others. If another Offender, boy or girl, is there at the same time, they may be required by the attendant to clean each other. This option is at your discretion, but do not abuse it. The Prep areas are staffed and will document abuse. And I recommend you use Prep 1 before going to either the Purple or White tents. Or you can use it as a punishment all by itself. Also, being sent there may be a consequence of some game or event at another tent."

"Is there a place to get snacks?" Casey asked, his stomach already rumbling.

"Yes, of course. All food services are at Prep 3. There is a canteen that offers a wide range of snacks for sale. If you have an Offender with you, then adds 15 minutes to his or her APA time, but you must offer to buy him or her a reasonable snack, and they are allowed the full ten minutes that their APA time bought to enjoy the snack unhassled. Also, there is a roofed outdoor cafeteria area where they can get lunch between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and dinner between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm. You may take them at any time during these hours, even if you are about to leave during the same hours and get lunch or dinner elsewhere.

"Once you stop for a meal at the café, 15 minutes plus one owed minute for each additional real minute will be added to the Offender's APA time. The Offender must remain seated and unhasseled for a minimum of 20 minutes. However longer it takes purely depends on how long it takes them to eat, up to a reasonable 30 minutes. Minders must buy their own food and can order from a more complete menu. The Offenders have a set menu to order from, but their meal is free. If you will be at the APA during the WHOLE of the mealtime, then you MUST take the Offender to the café at some point during that meal. It is required."

Ben and Kyle just groaned. They wouldn't be able to think about food while all the probably horrible stuff about to happen was happening! This was just adding more and more time to their APA experience.

"Also," Macdonald continued, "If the Offender has not eaten this morning, then it is required you send him there for breakfast, which will be served for another hour yet."

"Well," Angela Carton said in a quiet tone, one that you reserve to discuss tragic lives of others far removed from you, and one that everyone else can still actually hear, "It may be that Ben has that 'issue'."

Ben blushed severely, half from anger and half from embarrassment at the same root of her concern. Everyone knew that his family was poor, and no-one could figure out how they even met their house payments, but they did eat!! He hated being the charity case! He would have spoken up and defended himself --- except that he really hadn't eaten anything, and his stomach picked that moment to rumble even louder than Casey's had.

He flushed even more, but Sam quickly came to his rescue.

"You know what, I barely ate anything, either, this morning. Was kind of nervous about it all. I could use a breakfast, too. We'll go there right after the first tent."

He figured it would best to do the Black tent before Ben had any food in him. Ben looked over at the younger boy and mouthed 'thanks'. He didn't even think before he did. Sam just barely nodded and turned his attention back to the Monitor. Ben thought about it awhile and wondered why he had suddenly opened up and exposed his shame like that when he thanked Sam. Then he wondered if Sam really understood what his show of appreciation meant.

But Macdonald was still talking about the rules:

"Now, you see those four, nearly-blank spaces, with the words Song, Play, Safety, and Penalty marked in them? They require a stamp to prove that the Offender visited them at least once. And you have to have at least two stamps to validate your card at the end of the day. Meaning, the offender could have gone to every tent he was supposed to, but if he doesn't have at least two stamps on the front of his card, then the card is invalid. He or she will have to come back and do it all over again."

"What do those places do?"

"Song is anything from Karaoke to dancing, or both, and proves to be the most embarrassing for many kids. Play can potentially eat up a lot of time, so Minders that are willing to see their Offenders fail at meeting the requirements, yet not get their own selves in trouble for abuse of privilege, often take their Offenders to Play once or twice. Penalty is like the 'go directly to jail' of Monopoly, and they can either serve their time (1 hour) or agree to a 'penalty' card from someone willing to pay the 5$ to spring them. The Penalty cards are favors or arrangements, subject to approval by the Staff after acceptance, but they are thought up by the kids offering them and can be anything from simple to severe."

"Oh geezz," Kyle put a hand over his stomach and started to bend over, feeling like he was about to hurl. But the action of bending over immediately reminded him of the exposure of his ass and the vulnerability that it made him acutely feel, and he stood back up, but now just feeling cramps in his stomach.

"Finally, Safety is a place where the Minder can leave the Offender for a short period of time to use the bathroom, get a snack, or whatever. The minder must also leave the Offender's card with the attendant. The Offender will be safe and will be getting a relative break, as well. If left for longer than 30 minutes, however, the Offender can barter his need to get required visits completed with anyone willing and authorized by the attendant to take him. Whatever they agreed upon would be reviewed later, and likely held up as an ironclad contract that the Offender must fill at an appointed, or even somewhat open, time. That contractor would then take the Offender to one of his required places, or another place if the Offender is already complete and just doesn't know it, and then bring him straight back (unless sent another place by the first tent). Otherwise the Offender may choose to wait the whole hour for his Minder to return."

"What happens if the Minder doesn't come back in one hour?" Casey asked, getting skeptical looks from the Cartons as he did so.

"Then that Minder may get in trouble himself, and the Offender will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. The bidder is under no obligation to take him to any of his required places."

Macdonald could see the sweat building up on Ben and Kyle's foreheads and he smiled at their anxiety. That's exactly what this talk was supposed to inspire. Instruction for the Minders and anxiety for the Offenders.

"And you should know that any time spent in Penalty or Safety doesn't count as actual APA time. Keep that in mind."

"What if the new people tried to take him to a tent he wasn't supposed to go to?" Jessica asked. She liked seeing her brother have to pay for his past arrogance and bullying, but he was still her brother. She didn't want other people getting away with doing wrong stuff to him.

"You see that bar code on the back? That is scanned at every Color entrance and double checked at major checkpoints, like the Brown and Purple tents, the exits, the cafeteria, etc, and it provides the attendant with all the information on that Offender."

"Oh. Good."

"One more thing, boys and girls. You notice that there are 5 stars at each color bar? If you go to a place five times with your Offender, he'll get five punches. If you go the sixth time, you'll notice there is no sixth star."

"So what happens then?"

"The Offender gets a new card and has to start all over again."

"You mean he would . . . . I mean I would . . . . . I mean . . . . . lose everything?" Ben asked, unable to take anymore of this psychotic maze that he couldn't hope to traverse.

"Yes, he would, and watch your tone, boy."

"I . . . . I'm . . . . yes, sir. I'm sorry. I was just-"

"There are no excuses for behaviour here, Ben. There is either proper behaviour or unacceptable behaviour. That's it. Get that through your head right now."

"Yes, sir," came a very meek and toned down reply. "I . . . . . I'm . . . . . . I apologize . . . sir."

"Well, then, good luck – you actually will need it – and let's get started. Ben and Kyle, I doubt you had your bowels prepared properly this morning, so let's head over to the tables back here and get that started."

Ben and Kyle looked at each other civilly for the first time that day, but each was confused and shrugged their shoulders. They heard the word 'bowel' and thought this was maybe still about breakfast. So they followed Mr. Macdonald back to the 'tables' and soon found out how horrifyingly wrong they were.

This had nothing to do with breakfast.

Unless you were thinking of yesterday's breakfast.