Even the Modest Must Serve By Steam Train ( steam_t2000@yahoo.com )
Chapter4: Indentured
After Raymond left I was ready for a shower so I quickly washed down, and put on clean boxers, jeans, tee shirt socks and joggers. As I was walking out I noticed the school clothes I had discarded on the floor around my bedroom. In the past that's where they would have stayed, for Raymond to pick up, but not with the new me. I stooped down, picked them all up and put them in the dirty clothes bin that had always been there but which I now realised I rarely ever used.
How totally had I just taken Raymond and his predecessors for granted, never even thinking how frustrating my lack of effort or consideration for them must have been.
"Well things will be different from now on," I thought little realising just how true my sentiments were to prove in only a few more minutes.
I knocked on Jim's door and Ed's but no one answered so I went down to the back of the house and walked over to the servant's quarters.
It was the one area of the property I did not know real well. As kids we were punished if we came anywhere near the servant's quarters and as I grew into a teenager I had lost any interest in them till now. My experience with Raymond had aroused my curiosity.
So seeing Ed talking with Mr Lyons and Charker and Jim standing next to mum listening intensely as she talked with Mr Holt her legal council, I walked quickly into the male servant's quarters.
The first thing that struck me was that inside the ornate timber front door there was a small entrance porch which ended with a set of heavy iron grilled doors like I had seen on TV in prison scenes. Behind the doors, which were open, was a large room full of double bunk beds, plain tubular metal beds, with a small set of draws on either side. There were still a number of servants disrobing out of their Carter uniforms. I noticed that unlike me they carefully folded then placed their soiled clothing in bins provided along the room. The room was very clean, almost sanitary in its appearance. It smelt of a hint of disinfectant. The windows along the side were high up preventing anyone from looking out easily, but they did allow in fresh sunlight. Each window was fitted with the same type of grills as the entrance door. No way out of this room once you were locked in I guessed.
As I stood there looking in from the doorway, some of the servants noticed my presence and took up the `servant's position', heads bowed, legs spread slightly, arms by their sides and back straight. Others noticing their actions, looked around and also came to position, soon the whole room was still and paying respect. I realised I was holding things up for them as they were due outside in five minutes so I called out "carry on".
It was then I noticed Raymond down near the far end of the room. He was towling down after a wash, oblivious to his nakedness. How I admired this ability to put any feelings of modesty aside. I walked down to him and he stopped and took up position, so again I said, "carry on" whilst thinking "Third time I've seen you naked'.
I think he guessed my thoughts or was it where my eyes were peeking? Anyways he smiled and boldly whispered so none of the other servants could hear him "Don't get any ideas in here master"
I blushed and he smiled. I whispered back but with a huge smile on my face "Watch it boy you're heading for major punishment talking to a master that way". Not giving him a chance to reply I went on "You better get on with it Raymond, you don't have much time and I don't want to get you in any trouble".
He glanced up at the wall above the entrance door looked at the clock and quickly got on with drying himself.
I walked over to the far back end of the room, here a corridor lead to the bathroom. On either side of the corridor there were three small rooms on either side with doors, containing a single bed and a set of draws. I noticed one of the senior household servants undressed in one, sitting on the bed head buried in his hands looking the image of abject misery, he didn't even notice me and I walked on into the bathroom.
No one was in here now, but the floor was wet in places indicating it had recently been busy. The bathroom had washbasins down the left side and to the rear there were toilets but unlike the ones at school or in the public toilets I had used there had no walls separating them. I imagined how embarrassing that must be doing your business totally in public, my modesty made me blush again. The right side did nothing for my modesty either for here there were showers, the shower nozzles were protruding from columns in the room so that 3 people could stand around each column at a time and shower.
Again the room was spartanly functional and very sanitary.
"To your satisfaction master Thomas"
I jumped,
I had not heard Mr Harris our Overseer approach. He had always frightened me as a child probably because the servants were always so wary of him. It was Mr Harris who was responsible for their performance and their discipline. On very rare occasions dad had also threatened me and my brothers with Mr Harris's cane, if we continued to misbehave. It was no idle threat either because when I was 10 I had seen Ed who was then 12 caned by Mr Harris on the palm of his hand five times, on dads orders, for smoking. To my knowledge Ed never smoked again.
"Yes Mr Harris, very clean and tidy' I replied.
"Better get along outside too Master Thomas, the proceedings are about to begin"
`Thanks" I said and quickly turned and walked back through the corridor and the main room which was now empty and out into the afternoon autumn chill in the courtyard of the servant's quarters.
The servants were lined up totally naked in rows in front of me, the free staff out to the my right and mum, Ed, Jim, Mr Holt and some other legal aids were standing facing the servants. It was the first time I had seen naked women in the flesh. Dad never paraded any of our female servants naked on the estate, and even their punishment sessions were carried out beyond the inquisitive sight of us boys.
Trying to look casual but with a boner quickly tenting in my pants I wandered over past the line of female servants, taking a closer look. They were powerless to cover up and I was in heaven given this unobstructed view of all the female servants' breasts and pubes. Our servants who ranged in age from pre teens to women in their forties were on the whole a pretty hot looking bunch I remember thinking at the time, I guess any naked female is when your 14.
Just as I was totally enjoying the experience I noticed Mum with a look of total reproach and disgust on her face, and my joy and bliss quickly evaporated. She beckoned me to join her, which I quickly did.
It looked like mum was about to give me a major lecture and dressing down, but I was saved as things started to happen. A motorcade of cars and transport vehicles came into view up the front drive. Mr Harris yelled out for all servants to take their position.
When the front car pulled up a middle aged man dressed in a fine cut dark suit was assisted out of the back seat by the servant chauffer and walked over to my mother.
"Mrs Carter? Henry Lewis, Federal Liquidators Office"
"Joanna Carter, Mr Lewis" my mother replied showing all her dignity.
"I'm sorry but there is no easy way to do this Mrs Carter so I will be blunt" Mr Lewis replied.
"I have here the court orders duly stamped and certified that liquidates all the assets of your late husband Edward Raymond Carter III. You may inspect them if you wish".
Mr Holt, mum's legal aid went to say something but mum cut him off saying "No there will be do need, I shall trust all is in order, I want this over as quick as possible, as you will understand".
"Yes I do and thank you for your cooperation Mrs Carter."
Numerous questions followed to Mum, Mr Holt and to Mr Harris about the house, servants, staff and property and assets. I was bored stiff just standing there in the late afternoon chill as the formalities took their course. My stupor was quickly ended though when I heard Ed and my names called out by Mr Holt.
"Come here please boys," he said.
I glanced at Jim who had been the most nervous of us three whilst we stood there waiting.
"Now what" I said
Jim just turned white as if he knew something very unpleasant was happening and just said" You'll find out soon enough".
We came and stood in front of Mr Holt, something was happening but what? What did Jim know that I didn't? Had he found out something when he met mum just before this session? My mind was racing.
Mr Holt glanced at mum, who nodded slightly to him, on this signal he began to speak "Edward Raymond Carter IV and Thomas John Carter, I, as a duly sworn lawyer, do hereby confirm that Judge George Unwin of the 5th Circuit of the U.S. District Court has duly authorised and approved your mother, Joanna Delores Carter's request that you both be indentured into civil domestic servitude for a period of fifteen years. I do thus by the power authorised to me on the authority of the District Court strip you of all the rights and privileges accorded a free citizen as of (he looked at his watch) 4.07pm, today, March 13. You have been assigned to the Tallahatchie County Servitude Processing Centre for processing and auction. Your indenture shall be sold at the next indentured servant's auction at which time, your worth shall be determined and the proceeds of such sale shall be remitted to your indenturee the said Joanna Delores Carter. Officers prepare the new indentured servants for transportation".
I went to protest to my mother and I heard Ed begin to speak too but Mr Holts last comment seemed to be a signal to the other officials in attendance and four policemen emerged from behind Mr Lewis and grabbed us.
Two grabbed me and one slapped a plastic coated servant's collar around my neck and the other muzzled me then forced me to my knees. He took out the traditional hooked knife and began slitting my clothes from tee shirt through my belt and down my jeans and boxers, my clothes fell off me as he cut, I could feel the cool air against my exposed skin, I could feel how profusely I was blushing as all my modesty was cut away, all the gathered officials, my mother and my brother could see my naked body being revealed to their staring eyes. The Policeman even cut through my shoelaces, pulled off my shoes and then cut off my socks, leaving me totally naked in front of everyone.
I tried to cover my genitals, it's just your normal reaction isn't it, but apparently not for servants, as the two policemen quickly grabbed both my arms and said "Behind your back boy" I felt the metal cuffs, cold steel around my wrist and heard the `click'. I was totally exposed, all my modesty shattered, now everyone could see I was at 14, still totally pre pubescent. My penis was not big at the best of times but exposed to the cooling late afternoon air of early March it was a pitiful sight, shrunk to less than an inch.
"Did you bring a magnifying glass in your kit Mac" one of the policemen asked the other. "I'm not sure if this one is a male or female and which line should I take it too" I blushed even redder, if that was at all possible, I could feel the warmth of the blush flooding over my body, then I heard the cruel laughter from the crowd that stood behind Mr Lewis. Even my brother Jim was laughing.
At the same time as this was being done to me, Ed tried to fight off his captors, and before his captors could muzzle him I heard him yell out "Mum, don't do this, help us please"
As my clothes were being cut off me I managed a glance at Mum, she looked at Ed with a bland expression and replied "Edward don't fight this, it is for the best. With the money raised from your indentures, Jim will be able to finish school at PHS and you'll be financially supporting your mother. With out you I would have nothing. This way you will be looked after and cared for and your services will look after the rest of the family".
"Fuck you" Ed cried out but instantly one of the policemen punched him in the stomach he gasped for air and doubled over. "Don't ever speak to a free citizen like that again boy" he said.
Ed was no match for the well trained police officers and he, too, was soon collared, muzzled, made to kneel and was stripped naked with the traditional hooked knife just like myself, before being cuffed.
Ed and I were grabbed by our penises and walked like my father earlier in the day, over and placed at the end of the line of male servants. As I walked by the servants, some looked shocked, some disinterested, others looked preoccupied in their own fate but a few had broad smirks on their faces, obviously enjoying our complete humiliation and loss of status.
Things were happening way to quick for me to take in.
Panicked and with the greatest sense of fear I had ever experienced, I went to move straight back out of the line and go back to my mother, but I had only taken two or three steps when I was suddenly collapsed on the ground, pain throbbing through my arm like I had never felt in my life. One of the policemen yelled,"Get up boy or I'll up the dosage rate, that was just a mild prod".
I frantically tried to get back to my feet; I didn't want any more pain like that prod had just shot through my arm. My body though would not respond to my wish, I stammered and stuttered around not being able to properly gain my balance, it's difficult at the best of times with your hands cuffed behind your back, but now I lacked control of my muscles, I had even lost control momentarily of my bladder and l could feel the warmth of my piss running down my legs. The policeman noticed, so did some of the servants and I heard a muffled giggle from in front of me, I knew the voice, it was my own brother, Jim. How could he laugh at my distress, we were brothers.
"You servants are so disgusting, you never see a free citizen pissing down their leg, now get up!" the policeman again threatened.
I could see the policeman getting his prod ready again, I tried to protest I was trying to get back up, couldn't he see that?
He moved close to me I squirmed in fear, then I felt hands on my arms and I heard a voice say "Please master sir may I help him up sir, he is not used to the prod sir", I felt firm strong arms lift me up and stand me in the line, I was saved, who was this saviour? My mind was clearing and my muscles were regaining their strength. Ed was standing next to me on my right, fear in his eyes, looking at me but his arms were cuffed like mine behind his back, he couldn't have saved me.
The policeman said "I have a good mind to use this on you to, you insolent servant, but I'm not a brutal man, keep this new servant in line and I'll spare you and him any more punishment".
"Master sir, thank you sir" my saviour replied.
I looked to my left and there stood Raymond. He smiled a reassuring smile. After our time together earlier this afternoon I think I was already in love with Raymond, but now after risking his own body with punishment from the police officer I was totally infatuated with him.
End Chapter 4