A Very Special School

"Why the fuck did you tell him about us; you didn't have to tell him anything."

"Sorry, Colin, but he just forced me to tell him. He just wrung it out of me: I simply couldn't avoid it; he just made me tell him; sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"Well, it's a bit rich if he decides to beat us for something we did together when he himself did the same thing to you last night."

"Listen, pal, he doesn't see it like that, I can tell you. What he did to me, fucking my butt, was for him something quite different. He saw it as what he calls "therapy". That's what he called the six cuts he gave me across my arse to make me repeat what I had said to Caruthers. It was not a beating, he claimed, but a piece of therapy to help me regain my lost memory. So, forget what he did to me: it won't amount to nothing in his eyes; so just forget it, for you might make matters worse than what they already are. Anyway, you said that you didn't mind being caned and I reckon that with the present state of my arse, he might well let me off with just a warning."

Alas, knowing the Commander's fondness for whacking boys' backsides, that was a fond hope; as McGregor had said to his friend at the start, they were both in for the "high jump".

The Commander was waiting for them in his study immediately after supper. He was looking forward to what he intended to do to the boys.

"According to what McGregor told me last night, Armitage, you and he have been indulging in what I will politely describe as unacceptable lewd behaviour together. Is that right? Do you both admit that you have been breaking the school rules, which strictly forbid any form of sexual liaison between the pupils in this establishment? Yes or no; come along boys, I want a straight answer from both of you?"

The boys had, of course, to confess their guilt.

"But sir," said Armitage, "We only did what you say just once; really, sir; just one time only, sir."

"My dear boy, the number of times you did it has nothing to do with the present position you both find yourselves in; you both broke the rule and the matter is very, very serious and you will both now bear the consequences of your action. But just for the record, Armitage, have you done this same thing before, with someone else?"

"Many times sir, at the place where I was before being transferred here. I had a friend there and he and I did it regularly."

"Oh, I see! So we can consider you as a professional bugger in that case, can we?"

"Oh sir, please sir, we did it together, my friend and me because we liked it. We didn't know it was forbidden."

"Forbidden, boy! Forbidden! Listen to me, boy, it's more than forbidden it is against the law and let me tell you that if the police ever find out about what you and McGregor have done, then you will both be sent to prison; and I mean prison; not an approved school like this one. This is a very serious matter indeed and you two boys had better believe it!"

How the Commander had the face to say this to the two lads, in the light of what he himself had done to McGregor the previous day, beggars belief; talk about the pot calling the kettle black; but he clearly did not see his own action as being relevant as he thundered on.

"And you tell me also, that you enjoyed it! Did you enjoy it when you did it with McGregor? And you, McGregor, did you enjoy it too? Well, let me tell you two lads, that enjoyment does not come into it. The fact of the matter is that the pair of you, in your first week at this school, have broken a serious rule; a very, very serious rule indeed, one that risks exposing you to criminal prosecution and you will both now pay the price for your disobedience. Let us all step into the room next door, where the implement of correction awaits you!"

Both Armitage and McGregor were, by now, beginning to feel very uneasy about their immediate future prospects and Armitage's braggadocio to McGregor, about being indifferent to the cane, was beginning to wear thin, as the look on his face was starting to testify.

The Commander picked out a pickle rod from its bath, fixed it in its handle and waved it under the nose of the two lads, who were both beginning to tremble at the thought of what was now going to happen.

"Have you been caned before Armitage? At your previous place of detention, perhaps?"

In a very timid voice came the answer, "Yes sir, several times, sir but never with a cane like the one you are holding; it was always with an ordinary cane, sir."

"And did you enjoy being caned, Armitage? Did you enjoy the experience as you seem to have been able to bring down the wrath of your superiors several times; did it hurt or not?"

"It did hurt, sir, but not too much sir. I never cried when I got punished before, sir."

"Well, Armitage, let me just tell you that what I am about to do to you now, will hurt; it will not only hurt, it will hurt a lot, indeed a whole lot more than you can even now imagine. There is a saying that seeing is believing; well today, it's feeling that is going to be believing; and let me tell you, boy, that once you have had a taste of this very cane across your naked posterior, you will become a true believer. I am sir, an expert with the cane and I doubt that you will ever have, in your future career, a more painful experience than the one I am now going to share with you."

"Please sir, are you going to beat me as well as Armitage, sir; you just beat and birched me last night sir and I don't think I could stand another beating today."

"McGregor, do stop bleating on, boy; it is I and I alone who will decide, after close inspection, whether your posterior is suitable or not for further punishment today. What you think, boy, is of no importance; no importance whatsoever."

"But please sir..." McGregor's voice died, as he saw from the look on the Commander's face that he was wasting his breath.

"Well, boys, now that we are all clear about today's proceedings, drop your pants and underwear and stand in front of me with your hands on your head."

"Sir, you are not going to beat us naked, sir, are you sir; please sir, not that; I've never had my bottom beaten naked sir." moaned Armitage.

"Armitage, do not argue with me; there is a first time for everything and today is, for you, the first time that you will have the pleasure of feeling the very best of canes across your naked backside. Let me tell you boy, that I always beat errant boys directly on their naked buttocks; I believe that the experience should be painful, indeed as painful as possible for the recipient; and believe me boy, I think that you will find that the pickle rod is what I like to call the acme of canes. The pain it produces is excruciating; so you know, boy, that today you will be getting the very best that is available across your very deserving arse. Now, the pair of you get stripped and stand with your hands on your head, each of you."

The two boys did as they were bidden and stood in front of the Commander in the ludicrous position he had ordered. Any arrogance and bravado, that "you can do your worst, but see if I care" attitude, had completely vanished from Armitage's face as he realized that the Commander was in a different league as a disciplinarian to anyone else he had ever experienced. Add to this that the verbal tirade to which the Commander had just subjected them, had left both lads very deflated, so much so that they both looked utterly miserable as they waited for the next order.

"Well, boys, I have some good news for you. As you have both freely admitted your guilt, I have decided to be lenient with you today."

At this the boys brightened up, only to have their hopes dashed as the Commander went on.

"Yes, I have decided to give each of you only twelve cuts of the cane, instead of the statutory eighteen. So, Armitage, you first, step forward lad, and bend across the beating stool and we will get on with things, as you must, by now, be anxious to get the matter over with."

"Too bloody true." thought Armitage to himself as he positioned himself over the stool to be beaten. "You call twelve cuts lenient; you are out of your fucking mind." But he was wise enough not to give voice to his thoughts!

The Commander took his time adjusting the height of the stool to position Armitage's arse in exactly the right place to accept the cane. He explained to the hapless boy exactly what he was doing and why, thereby prolonging the agonising wait for the moment when he would deliver the first stroke. Then, judging the boys' backside to be perfectly offered he began, after warning him not to move until told to do so.

Armitage had two perfect, unblemished cheeks to his arse, and the Commander thought carefully before beginning his task, as he wanted to leave the boy with an artistic set of stripes to show to his dormitory mates that night. He then slowly and deliberately gave the boy six parallel stroke of the pickle rod, leading to six fine furrows, which rapidly coloured up to an angry red. Armitage, to his credit, took the punishment without a murmur and was surprised when, after the sixth stroke the Commander told him to stand up and again adopt he hands on the head position.

"Can I put my clothes back on now, sir?"

"Silence, boy; do as I say; stand there with your hands on your head until I tell you to do otherwise. Now, McGregor, kindly assume the position across the beating stool, if you please."

"Sir, oh please sir, don't beat me again; after last might I don't think I can stand it."

"McGregor, stop complaining and bend over; I am going to give our backside a detailed examination and I will decide whether or not you can stand a further caning, which, I might add, you richly deserve. Your views are of no importance, so shut up and bend over."

McGregor realized that he could but obey the Commander, who looked over the boys multicoloured buns and said. "Well McGregor, you seem to be in good shape after the correction I gave you yesterday. Your posterior, boy, has taken on a fine colour and looks in perfect shape for further attention; I see no reason why you cannot now be punished for your flagrant flaunting of the rules in your forbidden activity with Armitage, so I propose to give you the same treatment as I have just given him."

With that little speech, the Commander gave McGregor's aching arse six well placed cuts with the pickle rod, after which he told the boy to stand up, hands on his head, beside Armitage, who had looked on in horror as the Commander thrashed McGregor's arse for the second time in twenty-four hours. What the two lads thought standing there, naked in front of a hectoring Commander, we shall never know, but if they thought that they had escaped with six cuts of the cane, they were sadly mistaken.

"Armitage, kindly resume your previous position across the beating stool if you please; come on lad, jump to it, for I have not got all day to devote to this lamentable pastime."

Lamentable pastime! What a joke, for the Commander was enjoying every minute of what he was doing to the two boys as anyone could have seen as he gave the boy another six cuts with the biting pickle rod. In spite of his earlier stoicism, Armitage finally started to weep as the cane cut mercilessly into is buns. The Commander surveyed his handiwork after the tenth cut, stood back and administered the final two cuts, making up the promised round dozen, diagonally across the ten livid parallel marks, which were already becoming bright red. Telling the boy to get up and get dressed, the Commander felt pleased with his handiwork and wondered how many of his colleagues could have produced the symmetrical masterpiece which now adorned Armitage's arse.

"McGregor, resume the position if you please. Come on quick about it as I have other things to do apart from thrashing errant boys' backsides."

Poor McGregor, whose arse was now in absolute agony, had the good sense to remain silent and let the Commander finish the job. Both boys got dressed and prepared to leave. The Commander shook each by the hand and they both thanked him for having corrected them, with the verbal assurance that "We promise we won't ever do it again sir.

"

The Commander closed his study door as the boys limped away down the corridor, and thought, "The lads are kidding themselves; there is no way that they are going to stop doing something which they like; let's hope that they have the good sense not to get caught at it."

Chapter 13

The Commander thought hard and long about what he had just done and the events leading up to his latest efforts with the cane. He suddenly realized that certain changes were needed to avoid greater problems with boys having sex together, so he called a staff meeting of the eight housemasters and their deputies.

"Gentlemen, I am afraid we have a little problem of our own making with the sleeping arrangements we have made so far for the boys. It appears that we have set up the dormitories in which boys of different ages sleep together, in the same room, but in doing this I believe we have, inadvertently created a potential problem. I have just administered a thrashing to two boys aged twenty from Norfolk House. These two boys, McGregor and Armitage had been indulging in forbidden sexual activities together. Not to mince words and to put it in the vernacular, which is always more expressive and immediate, they have been fucking each other in the dormitory, in front of younger boys."

"Now, as you know, anal intercourse between the boys is strictly forbidden by the school rules, not to mention that buggery, for that is what the law calls it, is, moreover, illegal and punishable by imprisonment. Boys caught indulging in this practice must be severely punished; we cannot turn a blind eye on it. Unfortunately, when I say that it is forbidden, this does not mean that it will not happen, for human nature and the sex driving force being what they are, we shall never stop it. Lads in late puberty, who wish to have sex with each other, will do so, forbidden or not and beaten black and blue or not; we will not be able to stop them and that, gentlemen, like it or not, is something we and other all male establishments of any kind have to accept."

"What we can and must do, however, is to stop younger impressionable boys being exposed to such practices and for this reason, I think we have to rearrange the sleeping arrangements in all houses so that the older boys, who are the ones who risk indulging in such practices, are separated from the younger lads. So, gentlemen, in all four houses, I wish you housemasters to regroup the older boys into one dormitory, keeping the younger lads out of harm's way. So, quite specifically, let's put the eighteen and nineteen year olds together, separate from the older lads like McGregor and Armitage; it might reduce the amount of buggery that goes on, but I am under no illusions that whatever we say or do, we will never stop it completely."

"Now, the great advantage of these new sleeping arrangements is that you, the housemasters, will have an easier task in identifying which boys are sexually active. And let me say, here, that I want you housemasters to be extremely vigilant, so that we identify, as soon as possible, those boys who indulge themselves in this forbidden practice. I want us to know exactly which of our charges are sexually active. Any boys caught in the act must be punished immediately; and when I say punished, let me specify that each lad, caught in the act of buggery, will receive eighteen cuts of the pickle rod across his bare buttocks. This is mandatory; no questions; no explanations; no excuses; just eighteen hard strokes across the naked arse."

"But let us not delude ourselves, gentlemen, as I said earlier, beating these lads will not stop them repeating the offence; if they are that way inclined, nothing will deter them; they simply cannot help themselves, so great is the sexual driving force, as you all know. So, after having beaten any boys caught in the act, and let me remind you that this beating is mandatory and should be carried out immediately to link the punishment to the act, I think it would be helpful for those of you who feel able, to give the unlucky lads a little consolation, in the form of, how shall I put it, anal stimulation. I think that the direction this school, under my leadership should take, is to channel the sexual activities of such lads into a more controlled environment, an environment controlled by us, the staff. I can tell you that I myself administered just such a dose of post beating therapy to McGregor, the other evening and the boy expressed himself grateful for the attention, which, to some extent, eased the pain in his buttocks. Need I go any further gentlemen? I think not; I am sure that you have all received and understood the message and will be eager to put my suggestions into practice. The matter is now your hands, gentlemen: that is all, and the meeting is now closed."

As ever, the Commander, with that final hypocritical utterance, simply told his staff what he wanted and what they should do; he asked neither for questions nor discussion.

After the Commander had departed, Marcus Selby turned to his colleagues from the other three houses and said, "Well, there gentlemen, there we have it; life is to be very simple and our task is clearly defined. Succinctly put, all we have to do, is to find 'em, flog 'em and then fuck 'em. Life, gentlemen, is going to be a bed of roses for all of us, for what more could a housemaster wish for."

His colleagues roared with laughter, as they had now realized, the Commander had given them all carte blanche to root out the boys who were sexually active, give them incredible, no-questions-asked thrashings and take over the sex element in their lives themselves. The Commander had, in fact, just created what in a short time would become a hotbed of sexual abuse, with the staff having sex with the older boys. But then, that is the way things always seem to go in all male institutions. Whether the Commander realized that he was playing with fire will never be known. It seems very probable that both he and the majority of his staff found the backsides of their charges totally irresistible and would be willing to risk everything to satisfy their own sexual urges.

Of course, the staff and the Commander would argue that abuse was the wrong word, as the boys who were involved were all, in fact, willing participants and enjoyed having their arses reamed by older men, which was largely true. It was, moreover, pie in the sky, to think that by creating a sexual liaison between staff and boys that the relationship between the boys themselves would vanish; of course it wouldn't; if two lads fancied each other, then they would find the place and opportunity to indulge their carnal desires; no force or rules would ever stop them. However, it must be said that in initiating this latest venture, the Commander had taken another step down the long slippery slope, which would eventually lead, several years later, to his downfall.

So, subsequent to this fateful meeting, the housemasters made sure that they had identified all the boys who were indulging in what they usually referred to as lewd behaviour and the pickle rod descended with monotonous regularity across the naked backsides of boys caught in the act. The Commander looked on from a distance with considerable satisfaction as he saw the structure of sexual decadence he had sanctioned grow in importance, as boys were entrapped into sexual activities with members of the staff. No one objected, least of all the boys and as the years passed and boys came and went, it had to be said that Moulton-Midmarsh school had become a hotbed of sexual excess, which ultimately led to its cataclysmic downfall, but that is still in the future as the chronicles of the first year of its existence are still not complete.