Shawn and Joey: A New Life

"Get up McCarthy, your lawyer is here," the guard's voice snapped thirteen-year-old Shawn McCarthy out of his slumber. The youngster rubbed his hands over his eyelids, brushing sleep out of his emerald green eyes as they started to focus, and he looked around his bleak jail cell. "Get off your ass, Brat!" the guard barked.

"Yeah whatevers, what's he want now?" the youngster mumbled as he crawled off the thin, hard mattress that was on top of his steel cot. He ran his hands over the pumpkin orange coveralls covering his thin body, trying to straighten some of its many wrinkles, then ran his fingers through his light brown, almost blond hair as he sleepily stumbled toward the cell's bars.

"Let's have them, you know the routine," the big guard grunted. As he had how many thousand times since he had been locked in Wilson County Jail, an adult lockup, he crossed his wrists in front of his flat stomach, and waited while his captor snapped handcuffs onto them. "Step out," he was told as his cell door slid open, operated remotely by some unseen keeper.

After he stepped out of his cell into the corridor, he turned and leaned against its bars, bending one of his knees and raising his ankle. After the guard locked a heavy steel cuff on it he lowered that ankle and raised the other, so the other half of his leg shackles could be locked in place.

Shawn stiffened as the guard began running his hands over the lad's long thin arms, then his bony chest and back, frisking the boy. 'Not again,' the youngster thought as the big man gave each round firm melons of his teenage bubble butt a long squeeze. He clinched his jaw and wrinkled his button nose as the man groped his groin, firmly squeezing the acorn sized nuts hanging inside the coveralls.

"Let's go," Shawn was ordered.

He tried to prepare himself as he shuffled down the long corridor toward the cellblock's door. The cellblock was actually designed as an isolation unit of the jail's infirmary, but now housed the few underage inmates, like Shawn, that had been sent to adult jail. As old as it was it still provided the isolation portion of its function very well, the only contact with the half dozen or so other boys housed there was hearing them whimper or cry.

As many times as he had before, Shawn still fought to keep from breaking down as he glanced into a cell three down from his. He whimpered and darted his eyes back to the concrete floor when his older brother's worried eyes met his from behind the bars of Joey's cell. 'Be brave, we'll get through all this,' Shawn silently lipped brother's words, words of encouragement Joey had given him countless times during the eleven months the two of them had spent locked up, first in Juvenile Detention, then in adult jail, after being arrested.

Although Joey was scarcely a year older than Shawn, he was Shawn's pillar of strength. During the few times he was allowed to see his big brother, at court appearances and lawyer visits, Joey was probably the only thing that had kept Shawn sane, or from killing himself.

After being ushered out of the cellblock, the big guard passed his young prisoner off to two stern-looking female guards. "Later," the man said, discreetly grabbing another handful of the boy's butt cheek. Shaw could feel the man's eyes penetrating his backside as he half shuffled, half trotted in his leg manacles, trying to keep up with the ladies pace.

He continued hobbling down several halls and through several locked doors, a guard holding each of his elbows. Because of his short stature, only very slightly over five foot, and his ninety pound frame, he skidded as much as he shuffled as they half dragged him along.

Thankfully they released his elbows, and he was led into one of the small meeting rooms he had visited countless times. His face brightened slightly when he saw Mister Lang, his attorney, waiting inside. He stood motionless as one of the guards removed his handcuffs, but looked longingly down at his leg irons as the guards left the room.

"Hi Shawn, how are you?" his attorney asked as soon as the door closed. "We are waiting for Joey's attorneys to arrive, but we might have some good news for you," he added as he gestured the boy toward a chair. "This is Doctor Hutchinson, Doctor, Shawn McCarthy."

"Hi Sir," Shawn mumbled, more to the tabletop than the other man in the room.

"I'm sorry I am late, but traffic was horrible!" a lady's voice, that Shawn knew as Joey's lawyer, interrupted as she rushed into the room. "Hi sweetie!" she added, tousling Shawn's hair. "Joey should be here soon, I sent for him as soon as I arrived."

Shawn sat quietly for the next several minutes, answering the adult's idle questions about life in his six-by-ten foot cell, all the while praying the meeting room door would open again. He didn't have to wait long, and as he heard the door. Joey's lawyer broke into a wide smile saying, "Hi kid-o!"

Shawn jerked upright, and almost tripped on his leg shackles as he turned toward the door. Both boys whined as they stumbled against their manacles and rushed toward each other. "It's okay, bro, it's going to be," Joey whispered as he squeezed his little brother into a tight hug, almost crushing Shawn's thin rib cage as they cuddled. "I don't know how, but it will," he said as he cupped the back of his sibling's head and pulled it into his chest.

"I think we can help, will you guys sit down? We might have some very good news for you," Lang said. "If you agree, we have found a way to get you out of here."

Joey pulled his little brother even closer to his lanky body as he darted his eyes at Lang, cutting the lawyer a harshly distrusting look.

"We think we can, you and your brother sit down, please," Joey's lawyer added.

After a little coaxing, Joey guided Shawn back to the table. He cuddled his little brother under his arm as they sat side by side, facing the adults.

"We have reached an, an agreement, what us lawyers call a plea bargain, if you two agree to it," Lang began. He went on to explain that Doctor Hutchinson was the director of Boy's Village, a children's home. If Shawn and Joey agreed to move there, and participate in the program Boy's Village offered for troubled teens, they could get out of jail and live there.

"But, the judge, well and that jury said, well you said, we maybe have to get locked in here for, for twenty years! That, , , I mean the judge isn't gonna let us leave!" Joey replied. Shawn whimpered and pushed against his brother.

"We also told you we are appealing your convictions, that we might get them overturned," Lang countered. He glanced toward his colleague, hoping for help, before he continued. "Boy's Village is a home for boys, that helps children like you, that are, , , stuck in circumstances like you two are.

"We probably will win, and get you guys freed, either with this judge or on appeal, but that could take a year, maybe more, and if we win." He took a deep breath. "If we try that approach, you are going to stay in jail, just like now, for the year or so until it is settled."

"Let me tell you a little about Boy's Village," Hutchinson injected. "Look through this, it is a pamphlet about our home," he said, pushing a thin book toward the boys. "We help a lot of boys, boys just like you. And I promise it is much more comfortable than Wilson County Jail."

"Go on Son, at least have a look," Lang added.

Joey was hesitant, but opened the small book, glancing at the pictures on the first few pages. "You have a pool?" Shawn mumbled, to everyone's surprise.

"Actually, we have two, the other one is indoor for when it is cold. Look around the booklet, we also have a private lake, a gym and much more. If you are willing to move there, and work with us, I promise you will like it, and that we can help you." Hutchinson answered.

"What about the stuff that, well about killing our, ah, about what they said we did?" Shawn asked the pamphlet.

"Did you?" Hutchinson asked.

"That's, , , I mean we're not allowed to answer that! Sir!" Joey barked, putting his hand over his little brother's mouth.

"Good answer, for now," Hutchinson responded. "Boy's Village is here to help you, if you want help. We will talk about what happened, about how your dad died, and a lot of other things, if you agree to move to join us, but only when you are ready to talk about them."

Joey's and Hutchinson's eyes locked for a minute or so. "How much do you know?" Joey mumbled. "Ah, can I talk to Shawn some? When do we got to decide?" he stammered.

"Do we have to wear this stuff?" Shawn whined, rattling his leg shackles. "And get put in those sucky little rooms?"

"Little cages," Joey corrected.

"Not unless you need to be," Hutchinson replied. "You can have as much freedom as you can deal with," he said to Shawn

"I know everything the court knows, and I know about your past, sex and all," he added, locking his eyes on Joey's. "We don't care about that, I promise."

"I think you guys should talk about it, that is a wise suggestion, Joey?" Lang added. "If you decide that is what you want to do, we just have to run some paperwork to the courthouse so the Judge can sign it, and you can go with Doctor Hutchinson later this morning. And out of here."

"If you complete the Boy's Village program, it will be like none of this ever happened, nothing will be on your police record." Joey's attorney injected. "We will call the guard, then step outside so you two can talk."

Both boys shuttered and exchanged looks as they realized they would be locked back into handcuffs, and a couple of the guards would stand next to them if their attorneys left them 'alone'. "No, ah, well wait a minute, please?" Joey begged.

"Please, Joey, PLEASE!" Shawn whispered into his brother's ear. "Nothing's worse than here!"

"Okay, I hope you're right dude!" Joey answered. He thought for a minute, Shawn's baby face and frightened eyes almost drilling into him. "Okay, we'll do it," he told the lawyers.

They stayed glued to each other as they signed the several papers their lawyers pushed in front of them, and managed a quick hug before being locked back into their handcuffs and separated.

* * * * * *

"Empty out everything, you're moving," the guard's voice, barking into Shawn's cell, interrupted the boy's thoughts an hour or so later. "Five minutes, get going!"

'Yeah, everything, tooth brush, well tooth brush, what else do I have?' the youngster thought. After striping the sheets from his cot he looked around his cell. 'Wow, this is everything I own,' he silently whimpered as he stuffed his toothbrush into an envelope that contained some legal papers his attorney had given him.

Joey was standing in front of his cell being frisked, when Shawn stepped into the corridor. "I'm going to miss you, but you'll be back," the guard whispered as he squeezed the youngster's bum. He grabbed the boy's handcuffs and led him next to his older brother, locking a short chain between the two boys manacled wrists. "See you soon, brats," he told the boys as they shuffled in their leg shackles. The big guard gave each boy a final butt squeeze before passing them out the cell block door.

They were ushered by two guards through the jail for what seemed like miles, until a single jailer accepted custody of them, grabbing the chain connecting the two youngsters like it was a leash. He walked them into a small room, and after locking the door, removed their leg shackles and handcuffs.

"Strip, and put those on," he ordered, pointing at a small pile of cloth nearby. "Move!" he barked as the boys turned red faced.

Despite their embarrassment at the guard watching, the boys managed to quickly strip out of their jail coveralls and underwear, and into the baggy briefs, white gym-shorts and oversized tee-shirts they discovered in the pile of fabric. As soon as they slipped into pairs of sandals the guard grabbed Shawn's thin wrists, folded them in front of his waist and bound them together with a nylon strap. After doing the same to Joey he ordered them to turn around, and tightened a pair of disposable nylon leg restraints on each boy. Finally tethered them together at the wrists with another nylon strap.

Doctor Hutchinson was standing next to the open side door of a mini-van when the boys were ushered into the jail's underground garage. "Hi boys," he told them as he took the envelopes from their hands and helped them struggle into the back seat. "Just relax guys," he said before closing the side door.

After climbing into the driver's seat, Hutchinson turned to the brothers. "Shawn, Joey, this is Mike, he lives at Boy's Village," he said, pointing toward an older teen in the passenger seat. "I'm sorry about the poor fitting clothes, but I didn't know your sizes, he told his young prisoners before starting the van's engine and putting it into gear. As soon as the overhead door opened and he drove out of the garage onto the street he added, "Okay, Mike."

The wiry, black haired youngster swung his seat around and climbed out of it, dropping to his knees in front the brothers. "Stick your feet out in front of you, and be still," he told them.

Shawn's eyes widened as the teen produced a pair of wire cutters, and snipped the shackles off his ankles, then reached into his lap and released his wrists.

"Please put your seat belt on," Mike asked as he moved in front of Joey. Shawn, and Joey pulled the belts around them and buckled them, both leaving their legs extended, wondering what they were going to be locked into next. Mike climbed back into his seat, and had started fastening his belt before he noticed. "Put your legs down, it's cool," he told them, flashing a warm smile.

"It's about an hour's drive to the village, why don't we get something to eat while we are still in town," Hutchinson suggested. "Do burgers sound good?" he asked the rearview mirror. Getting only lost looks as an answer, he turned into a parking lot. "They have great burgers, let's go eat," he said as he opened his door.

Shawn turned and almost gawked at Joey as Mike hopped out his door and started toward the building. He jerked his head around when he heard the door next to him open. "Come you guys, I'm hungry!" Mike told them.

After giving Joey another lost glance, Shawn followed his brother out of the van and they followed behind Mike, who had already started toward the building. "They're not guarding us or nothing," Joey whispered to his brother as he watched Hutchinson, probably twenty feet in front of them, go into the burger shop without even looking back at them.

"Whatevers, what you wanta do?" Shawn murmured.

"Stay cool for now, but stay close to me,"

"Cool," Shawn replied in a soft voice. "Look what he's wearing, crazy," he added, gesturing with his head toward Mike.

"Whatever, he looks comfortable," Joey answered as he looked over Mike's tight body, clad in tight fitting white tee-shirt and very short legged tennis shorts, a pair of blue spandex shorts forming exactly to his muscular thighs underneath.

"Order what you want, it's on me," Hutchinson said, cupping the back of the brothers' necks and guiding them to the order desk. After a pause, Joey ordered a small burger and glass of water for each of them. "No, boys, order lunch," Hutchinson said. "Give them each a Jumbo with cheese, and large fries. What flavor malted milk do you want?" he asked, gently squeezing their necks. "Hey, this is your first, , , regular food in a long time, enjoy," he whispered to his shock faced charges.

After a sample bite, from the look on their faces, somewhat to see if their treat was real, both brothers inhaled their food like they hadn't eaten in weeks. Mike also ate with the voracity only a teen could, all three boys finishing long before their host. As they waited, Shawn began squirming in his eat, but waited silently as Hutchinson ate.

"Can I go to the bathroom, sir?" he asked when the man finally finished eating.

"Of course," Hutchinson answered. When the boy just looked up at him wide eyed he continued, "It's back there, in the back corner." Shawn still didn't move. "Go on, I'm sure you can find it."

The boy shifted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced at his big brother. "Well, but, don't you gotta take us?" he whined.

"You can't go by yourself?" Hutchinson asked, a little lost at why a thirteen-year-old would need help. "Why don't you ask your brother to go with you?" "Oh, I'm sorry," he said as he snapped to the lad's concern. "You are not a prisoner anymore, and I'm not a guard," he added, lowering his voice. "You guys go to the restroom, Mike and I will wait for you in the van."

"Yeah, come on," Joey answered for both of them, pushing his little brother out of the booth.

"Damn, no windows," Joey complained after making sure they were alone in the restroom.

"You wanta, , ," Shawn asked as he relieved himself.

"Can you think of a better time, that fool isn't watching us, he'll sit outside forever before snapping we're even gone!"

Shawn was silent for a minute or so, and followed his brother out of the restroom. "Do you think we should?" he finally asked as Joey peered out the corner of the door, toward the parking lot.

"After they lock us back up, we might not get another chance," Joey answered. "He's not even looking for us, we can go out that door," he said, pointing toward the other side of the dining area. "Come on." Shawn pulled back when Joey pulled on his arm. "Come on dude, this might be our last chance," Joey urged.

"What if it's cool there, like he said? What if we get busted, I don't wanta go back there, to jail," Shawn whimpered. "Mike is chilled, and he lives there!"

"But, what if it's another jail? What if Mike's a stooge or shit? You know what the judge said," Joey countered. He looked across the room at his getaway door, then at his little brother's frightened face several times. "Shit," he hissed. "I hope the fuck you're right!" he groaned, ushering Shawn into the parking lot and toward the waiting van.

"Yea! Cool!" Mike hooted as his face broke into a wide smile.

"Yes, thank goodness! They passed," Hutchinson replied as he watched his new charges step out of the diner.

Everyone made a little small talk for the better part of the next hour during the trip to Boy's Village. Hutchinson and Mike made a few attempts at conversation with Shawn and Joey, but it was obvious both brothers' minds were miles away as they scanned the rolling hills and fields through the van's windows, the first scenery other than jailhouse walls and courtrooms they had seen in almost a year.

"Welcome to Boy's Village," Hutchinson announced as he guided the van through an open gate. "I'm worn out, would one of you mind driving the rest of the way?" he asked, shifting the van into park.

"YES SIR!" Mike hooted, "I WILL!" He jerked his door open and dove out of the van. "Oh, yeah I forgot," he blushed as his seat belt pulled him back into his seat. "Yeah, thanks Doc!" he exclaimed as he cautiously began navigating the mini-van up the long, winding private road.

Hutchinson grinned as he glanced between his young chauffeur and the McCarthy brothers in the rear the back seat, both Joey and Shawn gawking at the neatly groomed meadows and woods on each side of the private road leading up to the village's main complex.

After driving almost a mile, Mike drove into a complex of twenty or so houses, scattered around two larger commercial style buildings, and stopped the van in front of a door, a sign next to it announcing EVALUATION CENTER going into one of the larger buildings.

"Did I do okay, sir?" Mike begged more than asked.

"Perfectly," Hutchinson answered. "I'm sorry Shawn, Joey, but I have an appointment. I'm already running a little late, but I will see you in a couple of hours," he said turning toward the boys. "I'd like you to go with Mike, he is going to help you get settled in."

"Come on dudes, it's cool," Mike chimed in as he slid the van's side door open. The brothers glanced at each other and apprehensively climbed out. "It's chilled, let's get you checked in, and then I'll show you around," Mike told them as Hutchinson drove away, and he motioned them toward the door.

After they climbed the couple steps to the door, Mike pushed a button next to the door and seemed to stand slightly more erect. Neither Shawn nor Joey had really noticed the thin, gold choker he was wearing until he seemingly stretched his neck. After a second or so the door softly buzzed, and Mike relaxed as he pushed the door open. The brothers followed him down a wide, well lit hall to door signed INTAKE. Mike again seemed to stiffen and crane his neck as he pushed to button next to the door. Almost immediately it buzzed, and he pushed it open.

"Hey Chicken Legs, where have you been, I gave up on you!" a muscular man, seemingly in his mid twenties, quipped as he walked to the trio and playfully slapped the side of Mike's head.

"Doc H got the munchies," Mike snickered, throwing a soft punch at the man's flat stomach.

"What's this? One morning in town and you're all cocky? Watch it BOY!" the man answered, popping Mike on his backside. "I bet you are Joey, and Shawn," he said to the shocked little faces staring at the scene. "I'm Zachary Green, everyone calls me Pop Zach," he told them.

"Yeah, or Coach Zach, he's a totally awesome wrestling coach," Mike injected.

"He's brown nosing, he doesn't want me to take him down again," Zach snickered, pulling Mike under the crock of his arm and rubbing the youngster's back. "Did you fill them in?"

"No sir, not much," Mike answered, leaning into the man.

"Okay guys, let me tell you what we are going to do," Zach said toward Shawn and Joey. "We are going to spend a few minutes doing all the trash we have to do to get you guys processed into the Village, and get you your uniforms and such. After that, Mike, who is your mentor while you settle in with us, is going to take you on a tour of the village and find you some quarters, your rooms. Want to get started?"

Mike slipped away from Zach, and stepped in front of the boys, after they remained as motionless as statues for several seconds. "It's chilled, Pop is cool," he told them. "I'm going to go check my school assignments, I'll be right back, I promise."

"Come on boys, I wont bite," Zack injected. After Mike nodded a couple of reassurances, Shawn and Joey followed the man into the next room. "Okay guys, please take off your shirts," he added as he typed on a computer keyboard.

After the brothers reluctantly bared their flat, thin chests, one, then the other stood in front of a digital camera while Zach took several front and side pictures of them. With a little coaching, they each lay their hands on what looked like a scanner.

"Great!" Zack congratulated them. "I just need to measure you for your uniforms, " he told them as he wrapped a measuring tape around each boy's chest, then waist and finally their thin necks.

"These are our gift, a welcome to Boy's Village gift," he told them as he picked up two gold chokers, identical to Mike's from the computer desk. "Be still," he told them as he snapped them one into each boys neck. "Okay guys, we are done!" he proclaimed, guiding them to a door at the back of the room. "I know you just got out of jail, I'm sure a good hot shower would feel great. Go get cleaned up, okay? Take as long as you like, and when you are done wrap a towel around yourself and go through that door," he told them as he ushered them into a room with several individual shower stalls.

Neither boy offered any objection, and dove out of their gym shorts and under shower heads. Another young adult was waiting when Shawn went through the door after enjoying a long, soak under a massaging showerhead. The man guided him into a small examining room.

The physical examination was even shorter than the lad hoped it would be, after weighting and measuring the youngster, the man listened to his chest with a stethoscope briefly, took his blood pressure and pulse. 'Gulp!' Shawn thought as he saw a needle coming toward him, but he didn't really feel it as the man drew a sample of his blood.

He blushed slightly when the male nurse removed the towel he had wrapped around his thin waist, covering his privates, but after the countless strip searches he had endured while in jail just stood motionless as he was examined.

"Great, go fill this for me, and get dressed," the nurse said, handing Shawn a urine cup. "Your uniform is right over there," he said pointing to a nearby table. Pointing at another door he added, "Then go in there and wait for Mike and your brother."

'Uniform? Wait!' Shawn thought as he picked up a pair of white spandex shorts and skimpy muscle shirt. 'What?' he wondered as he looked at the string bikini style underwear. Reluctantly he pulled the bikini up over his white thighs and over his hips. The shorts didn't conceal much more, absolutely skin tight. 'Yeah well,' he thought, enjoying the feel of the soft fabric pushing against his skin. The shirt was just as revealing, ending about half way down his thin rib cage and clinging to his chest. He pulled on the ankle socks and tee-bar sandals on the table before going into the next room.

Mike was already in the spacious, airy waiting room, totally engrossed in the video game he was playing on a huge, wide screen TV. "No, NO!" he screamed a couple of seconds later, and tossed the controller on the thick carpet he was sitting on.

"Wow, that's bad!" Shawn exclaimed, staring at the equipment.

"Hey dude, all done?" Mike answered as he turned around. Mike had changed into a tight fitting half shirt like Shawn's, but blue to match the color of his spandex shorts, instead of white like Shawn wore. "Joey should be done in a minute and we'll go cruising. Want to play?" he asked offering Shawn the game controller. 'Wow, I hit it lucky,' he told himself as he ran his eyes up and down Shawn's tight, thin body. 'Yeah!" he thought as he got a good luck at the thirteen-year-old's round, tight bubble butt, accented perfectly by the skin tight, shinny spandex clinging to it.

"Hey, when do we get clothes?" Joey asked as he joined his brother and Mike a couple of minutes later. "Man, you can see my, everything in this shit!"

"Its chilled, everyone wears them here, you'll get used to them," Mike answered, looking over Joey's skin tight clad body. "You guys look great! Come on, you want to go look around?" When neither of them answered he opened a nearby glass door. "Come on dudes, it's chilled." 'Slurp,' he thought as he watched them go through the door.

* * * * * *

"That is the last of the paperwork, welcome to Boy's Village, Ed," Doctor Hutchinson told his new employee, offering his hand. "Let me give you a quick tour of our campus. In a few minutes I have to meet with our two newest residents." He scanned his computer monitor and made a few mouse clicks before adding, "I see they are touring the campus as we speak. They are going to be two of your first assignments, we might run into them."

"Yes sir," Ed Philips meekly answered. Only about three months out of * school, today was the answer to all the prayers he had offered through college; he had finally landed a real, career job after years of being a pizza delivery boy, and sack boy at a couple of grocery stores while in getting his degree.

* * * * * *

"That's the school building," Mike announced, pointing at the other of the larger buildings. "Oh yeah, and that's the slop shack!" he snickered, pointing back at a wing of the building they had just exited. "The food place! It's chilled, they got great food!" he corrected himself. "Yeah, and down there's the gym, and we have our own tennis courts, and soccer fields and everything. You can even learn rowing, or sailing if you want!"

"Are we going to get busted or anything if they catch us out here?" Joey interrupted. "No one's watching us or nothing, what if they see us?" he added, looking around the vast open area, a fence or barrier nowhere to be found.

"It's chilled dude!" Just for right now you can't go anywhere without me, just until you get out of Evaluation, but it's chilled."

"What if, maybe we decided to run?" Joey risk.

"Don't, dude!" Mike barked, stopping and staring at Joey, locking his eyes on Joey's. He twisted the gold choker around his neck between his finger for a second. "It's chilled here, just give it a chance. But chill, if you screw up, , , well don't dude, please!"

"Hi boys!" Hutchinson's voice interrupted Mike and Joey's staring contest. "Oh, is this a bad time?" he asked seeing Mike's facial expression.

"No sir, hi Doc!" Mike answered.

'Yes, I can tell,' Hutchinson thought as he scanned the boys faces. "We just have a second, but I wanted to introduce Pop Ed, he joined us today." After quickly offering a round of introductions he added, "I'm sorry we don't have more time, but I'll see you guys soon, okay?"

Mike's glance silently thanked him as he ushered his new employee away.

"Cute kids, but, is that all they wear?" Ed asked his new boss, glancing back at the spandex clad teenage bodies he was being led away from.

"It's part of our program, that is uniform wear here. The outer shorts Mike is wearing is uniform wear for school," Hutchinson answered. "Besides working into our behavior modification program, we have very few problems regarding them possessing contraband."

Ed turned and took in one more dose of eye candy as he watched the three scantily clad teens walk away. "Forgive me if I am being nosy, but was that the McCarthy brothers, the ones that killed their dad? That have been on national TV for a month, or more?"

"You are very observant, they arrived late this morning," Hutchinson replied. "I don't think it has been released yet, so that their new location is not known. By the way, you will be working with them as your first assignment, working with another sociologist, developing a treatment plan for them. You can get started tomorrow."

"But, those boys beat their own father to death while he was sleeping, and, , ," Ed stopped in mid sentence when Hutchinson turned and glared at him.

"Does that frighten you?" the Doctor snapped. "Mike, the black haired youngster you just met, that is touring them, mentoring them, set fire to three bowling alleys, and killed over a dozen people before he was caught. Now he is one of my model students, one of many of the residents here that are my pride and joy."

He glanced around, and smiled as he saw Joey, Mike still talking, and that Shawn was now tucked between them, grinning. "As I told you during our earlier interview, when a boy sets foot on this campus, he starts a new life. If you have trouble dealing with a child because of his past, you have accepted the wrong job. This institution works on love, as does my entire therapy program. If you cant show that to all my boys, let me walk you back to your car, I am a busy man."

* * * * * *

"Give it a chance dude, I promise it's better here than anywhere you have ever lived," Mike said.

"It is pretty and stuff," Shawn injected. "Don't get mad Joey, please?" he exclaimed, pushing his thin body under his brother's arm.

"I'm chilled, bro, it's cool," Joey reassured his little brother.

"It's cool, don't get scared," Mike added, putting his hand on Shawn's shoulder. He was rewarded with a relieved face looking up at him. The youngster glanced back at his older brother, then reached out, wrapping his arm around Mike's thin, bare waist.

"Yeah, little brother, don't worry," Joey smiled down at Shawn's pixie face.

"You can't run away, don't even try," Mike began as the three of them started walking arm in arm. "As long as you're wearing one of these, you can't," he said, pointing at his choker. "There is some kind of chip or something in them, and the Village's computer knows where you are all the time. It won't let you go anywhere off limits." "It's cool, it won't hurt you or nothing, and it's better than getting busted or stuff!" he added, seeing Joey's surprised face.

"Let me show you," Mike said as they walked up to one of the houses scattered around the campus. "This is my cottage, wait here," he told them before stepping onto its porch, leaving the brothers on the sidewalk. "Watch the button after I push it," he instructed, stepping to the side of the door, and stretching to push the button.

"See how it turned yellow? It can't find my collar, you have to stand in front of the door," he told them, stepping back down to the sidewalk. "Now, you go push it, stand up straight right in front of the door," he told Shawn. "Go on, it won't hurt you," he added, wrapping his hands around the youngster's bony bare shoulders.

Shawn backed away, pushing his back against Mike's stomach. "I'll do it!" Joey offered, stepping onto the porch. When he pushed the button it turned red.

Mike guided Shawn up onto the porch. "Everybody stand up straight, so it can see your collars, and push it now," he instructed. When Joey did, the door emitted a soft buzz. "When it saw me, well my collar it let us in," he said as he pushed the door open.

"You screwing with the computer, or me again?" a male voice barked as they stepped into the cottage. "You know, I'm going to get you for that!" a short stocky man, seemingly in his mid-thirties said as he stepped into the cottages entryway.

"Hi Pop!" Mike exclaimed, pushing himself into a hug with the man. "This is my Dorm-Dad. Pop Sammy," he told the brothers. "This is Shawn, and Joey, I'm their mentor."

"Hi boys, welcome to the Village," Sam answered with a wide grin. "Don't trust him though, he a mischievous little rat!" he added, grabbing Mike and tickling his ribs. Mike giggled, and squirmed like a worm as Sam's big hands poked his bare stomach and ribs.

"Can I show them my room?" he snorted, trying to catch his breath. Mike gave Sam a quick hug and started down the hall. The three boys walked past a half dozen doors lining the hall before Mike stopped in front of one. "Go on in," he told the brothers.

Joey, with Shawn right behind, curiously walked through the doorway. They were only a foot or so inside the room when Shawn yelped, and both boys grabbed their necks. "It won't hurt you, it just vibrates to tell you you're not supposed to be in there," Mike reassured them as they darted back into the hall. "Come on," he said stepping into the room. "It's cool, I promise," he said, turning back toward the thin statues staring at him from the hall.

"No one is allowed in Mike's room when he is not there," Sam injected from behind the brothers, draping his big hands onto the boys' shoulders. He gently pushed them through the door.

"See?" Mike asked as Shawn and Joey looked around, their hands protectively covering their necks. "And it won't hurt you, it just vibrates to tell you that you are out-of-bounds, its chilled. This is my room, what do you think?"

"Wow, you got two computers?" Shawn exclaimed. "And a Playstation?"

"One of the computers is my roommates, everyone has a computer here, you will get one later today," Mike answered. "All the desks at school have computers too."

"Is everyone's room like this?" Joey asked. He pushed on one of the beds in the room, then sat in one of the padded, swivel office chairs in front of a study desk.

"Yeah, check this out," Mike answered, pulling a CD out of the fifty or so in his collection. He popped it into his computer, and almost instantly a set of large speakers, concealed in the walls sprang to life.

"Wow," Joey gasped as he listened to the music.

"Mike!" Sam's voice interrupted a minute or so later, cutting off the music the speakers were playing.

"Yes sir" the teen answered.

"Doctor Hutchinson would like to talk to Joey and Shawn, please take them back to the Eval Center."

"Yes sir. Come on, we got to go," Mike told his guests. They started out of the room when Mike turned back and rushed to his desk, grabbing a fanny pack and draping it over his shoulder.

"Let's go this way," he told the brothers when they started toward the front door.

The brothers followed their guide into a large, kitchen. Mike opened a large, double door refrigerator and grabbed an apple from it. "Grab something!" he told them, pointing at the crisper drawer he had opened.

"Help yourself," Sam said as he walked into the room. "Get what you want," the man added as the brothers gawked at the large collection of fruit inside. "Go on, you want a peach, a pear, there's some Kiwi in there," Sam told them. Shawn glanced at his brother and snatched an apple, tucking it behind his back, almost hiding it. "Get another if you want, these pears a sweet as candy," Sam told the youngster, trying to muffle his snicker. "You too," he told Joey, pushing the boy toward the refrigerator.

"Can I do my homework at Eval tonight Pop?" Mike asked.

"I see you planned on that," Sam quipped, pointing at Mike's fanny pack. "What time will you be home?"

"Ah, nine-thirty?" his charge risk. "Well, maybe nine? Sir,"

"Nine-fifteen, sign out," Sam answered. Mike darted to a nearby computer keyboard and typed on it for a second or so. Sam was right behind him, and punched in a few keystrokes after Mike stepped back.

"Thanks Pop!" Mike hooted, throwing his arms around his Dorm-Dad's neck. "Come on," he bubbled, bouncing out the door.

"He's nice," Shawn said after he rushed to catch up with Mike, and walked next to the older teen. He looked down at the fruit, admiring it as if it were a prize.

"He's totally cool, everyone here is," Mike answered, taking a bite of his apple as he pulled Shawn's thin body under his arm.

"Wow, this is totally yum!" Joey mumbled, his mouth still half full of his bite of apple. "We got these sometime in that, after school stuff they put us in before, , , well, , , I forgot how awesome they are," he said, his voice failing.

"Still want to run? It's really this chilled all the time here," Mike answered, pulling Joey under his other arm. He closed his eyes as he felt his new friends lean against him, and a thin arm wrap around his bare waist from each side.

Joey pulled his arm away from Mike's waist, but continued to walk next to him after a minute. "How come," he began, but hesitated. "How come, they, they like you so much, they grab you and stuff all the time?" "Do you gotta, do stuff for them? Do we have to?" He ran his hand down his skin tight shorts before adding, "Why do we gotta wear this stuff, so they can look at us?"

"Only if you want to," Mike replied. "Doc H would kill anyone that touched any of his boys us if we didn't want them too." He glanced at Shawn's then Joey's face. "Only if you want to, with other boys, or with staff."

* * * * * *

Should I continue? Let me know.