PEG BOY

by Berube, R. G.

  Santiago had been fit with his device; a leather harness worn like a loincloth whose purpose was to hold in place a smooth wooden peg, greased and inserted into the anus. The peg could be left inserted at all times except for evacuation and in the act of sex. A new peg of a larger size could be introduced when it was judged that the boy was ready. Its construction was such that the end of the shaft inserted into the anus was flanged to prevent it being lost within. A boy could sit or walk and the peg would remain in place. It was an uncomfortable feeling for the first few days after which time, some of the boys found the sensations to be erotic. Eventually the anal passage accustomed itself to the foreign object without the interior muscles continuously trying to eliminate it.

  Like all other boys, Santiago’s discomfort was lessened with opium, McIntyre’s undisputed hold that dictated what and how they would do his bidding. And it was this control that he was now addressing, clearly defining his expectations and the parameters around which they could feel themselves free. While McIntyre spoke, Santiago’s attention drifted to the two brothers with whom he had spoken. Even when all the others had helped in the moving, these two had been kept separate, seeing them for the first time. The smaller of the two clung to his brother and Santiago was struck at the dependence both seemed to have for each other. They were slight of build, but one was smaller was more delicate. His frail face was drawn and pained, the eyes sunken in their sockets and the mouth pulled down with sadness. The older boy sat with arms folded and an expression of defiance on his face. The mood about him was one that portended trouble.

  Their eyes met and Santiago nodded at the look of recognition, after the boy had scanned the room to put a face to the voice he had come to know. Santiago smiled, trying to express communality but all he received was a scowl. He heard his name called and realized that McIntyre had noticed his inattention and preoccupation with the boys.

  “Well, we seem to have someone who is more interested in flirting than in what I have to say. Tell me boy, what do you think will happen when we open our doors and you still do not know how we intend to operate? Santiago..., what do you see so exciting that you can’t take your eyes from it? Do you want that boy?”

  Santiago was feeling so under the weather that he could not think of an immediate answer and only shrugged. The bigger of the two brothers sniggered at his response. Santiago tried to attend to McIntyre but his drugged state was making it difficult.

  “This brings up another point...” McIntyre continued as he took deep puffs from a water-bottle at his feet, handing the stem to the mute hermaphrodite who sat beside him, his head leaning against one of McIntyre’s legs.

  “I don’t want to hear of any of you fucking each other! You will get all the fucking you can handle from the customers. You are to remain in your rooms unless otherwise called.”

  McIntyre saw the bigger of the twins raise his hand.

  “You have something to say?

  “Yeah..., are you going to keep us locked up in this dump all day without letting us go outside?”

  It had been the kind of response McIntyre had expected from the boy. He knew he would be troublesome. It was the kind of attitude that could incite discontent and discord. But he knew also that to eliminate the boy would render the other brother useless. And the slighter of the two was the one McIntyre thought most promising for his build and nature; the one who would attract the kind of man McIntyre had in mind. Although disruptive and each a problem in their own way, the boys had come highly recommended as being extremely versatile and aggressive in bed. McIntyre had tried to defuse their general non compliance with his usual remedy but only Kim, the more passive of the two had become addicted to the degree that usually insured cooperation. Michael, the more aggressive, would need to be taught a lesson.

  “All of you will get time to spend outdoors. We will provide opportunities for you to get out when all of us go for holidays from time to time. Now, any more questions?”

  McIntyre’s tone implied that there should be none.

  “Some of you know what to expect. I do not want to hear complaining. You have your own rooms and food whenever you want it. You will have all the opium you need and be provided with expensive clothes to make you look desirable. You are given a roof over your heads with nothing to worry about except keeping our customers happy and satisfied. And that is exactly what I expect from you!”

  McIntyre leaned forward, letting his hand slide down Mariposa’s thigh.

  “We have among you a good selection to fill the needs and desires of our clients. That is our purpose! Anyone who becomes unable to meet that requirement will have no place here. That means no place elsewhere! Some of you have come from houses that were hell-holes. Some of you may go back. I will keep no one who does not carry his weight. There are many ships looking for boys that can meet the sexual appetites of sailors long at sea. I could get a good price for any of you! Do you understand?

  One by one they nodded as McIntyre looked at each in turn, all except the twin, Michael, who had stood forward waiting to be noticed.

  “No, I don’t understand! How long do I have to keep this fucking thing up my ass? You should try sticking one of these up your own ass, McIntyre instead of having your head up there. Then you’d see how it feels!”

  Several of the boys laughed, although trying to stifle their appreciation for Michael’s outrageous behavior. McIntyre looked around angrily. He stood and walked to the boy and gave him a resounding slap in the face that sent the boy to the floor. Kim shied away, raising an arm to protect his face as he ran to his brother. McIntyre did not interfere.

  “I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” he said as he sat back down and took the pipe Mariposa had offered him. “From what I was told by the man who sold you, you were never without something up your ass including your brother’s cock. And as for that plug, that stays until your asshole is big enough and big enough is what I decide. And if I decide that it’s going to be as big as your mouth well then you don’t have long to wait. You, dear child, will have the honors of accepting our better endowed customers. I’m curious to see just how wide we can open the other hole you talk from!”

  This time the room was in silence save for Richard, who bellowed and slapped his thighs. But it was an artificial laugh slurred by cheap scotch and it had been meant to placate McIntyre.

  “Shut up!” then man yelled. He felt the meeting getting out of hand.

  “All of you...., you’re to keep those plugs in at all times except for when you service a customer. Dr. Carlson will be watching each of you so that nothing happens to you. He’ll decide when they can be taken out and when they are to be enlarged. One more thing while we’re talking about Dr. Carlson. As some of you know we sometimes have customers who come to us with diseases and so, occasionally, you may catch the clap or something like that. Be sure to report any illness as soon as possible to the Doctor. We don’t want to be passing anything on to out clientele…, of course it depends what part of you is affected. If your cock has the drips but your asshole is clean, then you could still earn money by getting fucked. By the same token, your ass could be put on vacation until it’s better but you could still suck or do the fucking. So with a little cooperation and some care we can carry on a very nice business here…, so don’t hide anything that you think might be illness. That’s all I have to say. I want to see Santiago and The Twins. The rest of you can go”

  When they were left alone, McIntyre motioned for all the boys to come closer. He lit another bowl of opium and passed the pipe-stem around. While the boys inhaled, McIntyre observed them closely.

  “You...,” he said, pointing to Michael. I’m going to tell you something now and it will be the last time I will say it. The next time it becomes necessary for me to talk to you about your antagonism, I will have you removed and be done with you. You’ll never see your brother again. Do you understand?”

  McIntyre had delivered the ultimatum with such force and vehemence th
at it scared Michael. It also scared Kim to the point that he began to cry and once again, he clung to his brother. McIntyre noticed the reaction with satisfaction.

  “If you care anything for him,” he said pointing to the clinging child, “you’ll do what I say. I promise that any more trouble from you will mean you’ll never see each other again!”

  Michael had taken Kim into his arms and was hushing and soothing him, stroking his hair and cooing. Santiago was moved by the care and mothering expressed by Michael. He was drawn to the boy, who was a child in years only. The expression of sadness in the boy’s eyes told of the pain, fear, and abuse they had suffered. Looking into those eyes, Santiago felt as though he were looking in a mirror at his own emotions. He shuddered at the thought of his own face expressing the kind of turmoil expressed by Michael’s.

  “You, boy...” McIntyre was pointing to him. “I want you to look after these two. I want you to be a..., er..., older brother” He looked at the Twins. “And you two are to go to him if you need anything, understand?”

  Santiago saw Michael sneer at him. The look implied that he had no use for him. “Funny...,” he thought, “You had use for me when I was on the other side of the door. You could have used me then!”

  “But what am I to do?” Santiago asked McIntyre.

  “You know how we run things around here. You’ve been around for more than a month. Just take care of things for them. You’re older, you can see that they behave and cause no trouble. Maybe if you do your job right I’ll let you fuck one of them.”

  Santiago suspected that McIntyre wanted him to spy on the boys and would likely be called in regularly to answer to questions about them

  “I’m putting the boys in the room beside yours. They will be your responsibility. Be ready tonight. We open the door at eight and we have reservations for more than enough appointments to keep us busy. You give me what I want and I’ll give you what you want.”

  The stipulation that without cooperation there would be no drugs was understood by all. McIntyre had established a system by which a boy could earn time off if he serviced a quota. Meeting the quota meant that a boy could choose not to work for a day, the following week. McIntyre provided an adequate kitchen and special foods were available to those who convinced their clients to buy them expensive meals. Alcohol was in continuous supply and it flowed freely. Mariposa the hermaphrodite drank whiskey continuously and was supplied with as much as he wanted to keep him docile.

  Santiago sat on the bed feeling anxious about the evening to come and of his responsibility to the brothers. He had tried speaking to them after they had left the salon, but Michael had rebuked the attempted friendliness with a curt reply that they could take care of themselves and had been doing so for a long time and that Santiago could mind his own business.

  The door to the bedroom swung open and one of McIntyre’s men walked in with a small package.

  “The boss sent this. You’re to share it with them...,” nodding his head in the direction of the twins’ room.

  The package was wrapped in brown waxed paper. Inside were putty-like cakes about the size of his thumb. Here was enough chandoo to last several days. McIntyre had given Santiago the means by which he could approach The Twins.

  He set about preparing the substance, looking forward to the pleasant euphoria that would make the coming evening less difficult. Santiago took the prepared opium and went to the boy’s room. Michael opened the door and saw what was in Santiago’s hand. He stepped aside and let him in. Kim approached, eyes wide at the sight of the gift.

  “Now..., can we have some now?”

  “That’s why I am here,” Santiago said smiling as he motioned for Michael to bring the lamp to the table. He held the stylet with the shandoo on it over a flame until it turned into a small ball of roasted opium and handed it to Michael, who pushed it into the pipe bowl. They did this three times, each passing the pipe to each other.

  Sitting next to the brothers, their attention distracted by smoking, Santiago was able to observe them more closely. Michael’s reddish hair was a wiry bush that curled about his head in ringlets. His freckled face was lean and hard, the nose pugged, the lips closed tightly when not speaking, were delicate and almost feminine in their fleshiness and shape. Sitting atop the table with his legs crossed, Santiago saw the thighs, smooth as silk and could barely discern the shape of a penis and testicles in the darkness of the space of the opened robe. He saw that the boys were children barely having reached puberty and remembered when his own member had seemed so insignificant.

  Kim stood by his brother with an arm on Michael’s leg, head bent, watching the preparations. The boy’s face looked pale and his eyes were even more sunken than Santiago remembered. He was sure the boy was ill. Kim, wearing only his underwear, seemed to be of little more than flesh and bones; a more delicate version of his brother but the faces were copies of each other so that at some earlier time they might well have been indistinguishable.

  “You know McIntyre wants me to spy on you and tell him if you start trouble,” he said to Michael as the boy breathed deeply the smoke from the pipe.

  “I know. Are you?”

  “Am I what?”

  “Going to report!”

  “He will expect something.”

  “What the hell does he think I am going to do?”

  “Probably talk to the other boys and cause trouble for him.”

  “How the fuck can I do that? Every one of them is as addicted to this shit and tied to this place as we are. The only thing they want is what we want..., this!” He held the pipe out to his brother. “And to this...,” Michael stood, unfastened the rope around his robe and dropped it. Then he removed the peg that had been up his ass. It was smaller than Santiago’s, but still large enough to surprise him.

  “You know..., I am almost used to this artificial cock. Kimmy..., take yours out!”

  Michael unfastened his brother’s girdle and removed the peg and smiled as he held it out to be seen.

  “Kimmy used to have trouble taking me, for Christ’s sake! Now look what they have him sized for. Hey little brother...” Michael pulled his brother to him and hugged him affectionately while demonstrating the considerable peg that had been removed from his brother’s ass. “Now you ain’t a good fuck no more..., not for me anyways..., not until this thing decides to grow,” he said, holding his own penis and looking at it.

  Santiago and Kim looked at Michael’s cock. It was small but had grown rigid from stimulation. They laughed. The effect of the drug had taken hold and with half-closed eyes they giggled as they tossed their wooden dildos at each other. Santiago’s was much larger than the rest and Michael took it and fondled it.

  “When we were small our mother used to give us the clothes our older brothers didn’t want. We never got anything new. It was always old and worn. I suppose we’ll be getting hand-me-down pegs too..., maybe yours will be my next fuck.”

  All were standing naked and the two brothers looked in amazement at Santiago’s flaccid and pendulous penis, immense in comparison. Their own cocks were still pink and thin, and without a pubic bush and their testicles were but little sacks. Santiago’s anatomy was fully blossomed, his cock having taken on the dark shade of full development. They observed the veins in the penis stand out as the appendage grew, with its already moistened head beginning to emerge from the generous foreskin. Santiago’s testicles hung heavy between his legs and were proud trophies of his prowess.

  Kim reached to touch the awakening giant. His little hand closed around Santiago’s cock and he found that his fingers could not meet.

  “Will I get as big as this?” he asked Michael, who watched in fascination.

  “Hard to imagine, isn’t it?” Michael said as he took Santiago’s cock in his hand. There was no trace of the initial animosity that had existed between them. Santiago knew the opium had done its job. The brothers were getting as excited as he already was. Santiago had not planned a seduction. Something
told him it was a poor idea. He had never been intimate with a child and he remembered McIntyre’s edict of not fucking each other. Someone could enter unannounced. There was something else he wanted to accomplish and a child’s seduction was not it.

  Santiago put on his pants and after preparing another pipe-full, he motioned for the boys to sit. Warning them of the possibility of someone listening at the door he spoke in whispers.

  “You know it was me that spoke to you outside the door at the boardinghouse. I did not desert you. I did look but could find no one who would give me drugs. I wanted some for myself as well, but found none. McIntyre had me shunned. Not until I agreed to come here did he allow me to begin earning money again and give me more of this. I do not want to be the one who answers to McIntyre about you. I like both of you. I want to help. Believe me when I say that I am not and will not be an enemy. Are you still going to try escape?”

  Michael stiffened, responding to exactly the question McIntyre would have had Santiago ask. The friendliness of a moment ago was replaced by a mood of suspicion.

  “I know what you think,” Santiago said. “Do not answer if you think I will be reporting back to McIntyre. I will not..., but do not answer.”

  Kim had gone to bed and had already begun to fall asleep. Michael sat back on the table-top, crossed-legged, seemingly unconcerned about his nakedness, trying to keep Santiago’s face in focus through his drugged stupor.

  The room suddenly was unbearably hot and the shadows of the room’s corners spread about so that in spite of the lantern’s light, the room grew darker. Santiago felt the floor becoming unstable as it wavered beneath his feet. His head grew heavy and his hands became numb. All he wanted was sleep and wondered why he was not in his own room …, and the face of the boy sitting on the table in front of him became distorted in the undulating waves of the room’s warmth. Michael’s smiling face had teeth showing between full lips and the lips were moving and the boy was speaking but he could hear no sound and he felt that they were separated by a space that was impenetrable.