Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 19:41:51 -0800 (PST)
From: Steam Train <steam_t2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: Alternative Deterrence Chapter 4

Alternative Deterrence.
By Steam Train    (steam_t2000@yahoo.com)

Chapter 4: Disgraced.


The next morning Tom had as usual prepared breakfast
for the Green family.

The morning conversation around the breakfast table
was particularly quite.

Flirting glances passed between Melissa and Eric and
then back to their parents. Daniel kept his head down
and his mouth firmly closed.

He felt ashamed and disgraced. It was obvious his
parents had told his brother and his sister all about
his run in with the police. Daniel was even too
embarrassed to look at Tom who was only a slave.

Daniel reasoned that Tom had undoubtedly heard of his
troubles as well and the thought crossed Daniels mind
that after tomorrow he might be a slave, albeit a
temporary one, just like Tom

The whole family seemed glad when they had finished
eating and could get ready for work, college and
school. The uneasiness and tension that was present
was not pleasant.

As Daniel was about to leave to catch the bus to
college from the end of Henson and Devine his mom
stopped him and asked. "Got your lunch?"

"Yes mum!"

"Got your college work to hand in?"

"Yes mum!!"

"Got your wallet?"

"Yes mum!!!" Daniel thought she is deliberately
treating me like a child again!

"Oh where are your house keys"

"Yes mum!!!!"

"What?" said Mrs Green?

Eric giggled in the background at his brother's
mistake

"Oh sorry, I mean I have them mum' replied a slightly
embarrassed Daniel.

"Well son you better let me have them" Mrs Green
replied.

"Why mum?" a puzzled Daniel asked.

"I am giving them to Eric. After your behaviour
yesterday Eric will be taking over as the responsible
adult from you. He will let you in after college if
Tom is not around until further notice.

"Mum you can't do that it's not fair".

"Daniel it is very fair considering your behaviour
yesterday. After you appear in court tomorrow I
suspect you will have far worse punishments to
contemplate than the loss of your house key
privileges".

Daniel took his keys out of his pocket and handed them
to an eager Eric who was beaming with pride at his
promotion in position over his brother.

It was more a symbolic thing loosing key privileges
than a practical punishment. Tom was nearly always at
home and so Daniel had hardly ever used the keys, but
the loss of status hurt.

All the way to the bus stop Eric jingled the keys in
front of Daniel till he could stand it no more.

"Fuck off Eric" Daniel retorted.

"I'm telling mum you swore" Melissa replied.

"Grow up Mel" Daniel responded.

"Don't worry about him Mel, He's just got the shits
because he's been demoted from number one son. Wait
till the court gets hold of you `little' brother you
wont just be demoted you'll be naked" Eric teased.

Melissa and Eric burst into laughter at that thought.

Daniel blushed profusely.

Both were curious about what their brother would look
like naked. Neither of them had seen him naked for
like eight or nine years.

When he arrived at College Daniel was the centre of
attention from his friends who attended college with
him and as word quickly spread about his arrest soon
many more students gathered to hear his story.

He was bombarded with questions about what happened.

When he told them he was charged and had to appear in
the juvenile court tomorrow there was a noticeable
gasp.

One of the guys from his year who had been listening
in asked, "So Green you going to be a nudie?"

Daniel blushed at this comment but before he could
answer the chant started.

"Nudie ^Å. Nudie ^Å. Greens going to be a Nudie"

Even his friends joined in the chant.

Daniel suddenly felt so alone. No one associated with
a `nudie' after all they were a slave, albeit a
temporary one but still you could never be friends
with a slave!

The realisation hit him then that he would be feeling
even more alone if that was possible if his friends
found out he had snitched on them.

Once classes started the day progressed normally but
during lunch break Daniel again had to field numerous
questions from students.

At lunch time between the questioning Daniel took
particular notice of who at college was a nudie. Some
of the Senior's were too old for the scheme unless
finishing off a sentence imposed before they turned
21. Sometimes for very minor offences one of the over
21 year olds would be indentured as a slave but
allowed to complete their education.

He noticed none of either type at the moment.

The only nudies he found looking around the campus
were ten freshmen, seven males and three female and
eight sophomores, all males. The bulk of them had been
naked since college recommenced.

Daniel did not know any of them personally; Eastbrook
College campus was large so he didn't even know all
the guys in his own year, though one of them Greg
Pearson was in his English Literature class. Daniel
wondered about going up to him and asking advice.

The trouble was `free' students didn't speak to NEWDD
slaves whilst they were in the program and besides he
distinctly remembered making a request along with his
friends to examine a very embarrassed Greg the second
day back at college.

Would Greg be willing to talk to him after that? Would
Greg laugh at him knowing that he was about to become
a nudie too?

Daniel was glad when classes resumed and he could
concentrate on other less depressing things.

Daniel came home as quick as possible trying to avoid
more questions. He was home in fact before his brother
and sister, so seizing the opportunity he dropped his
bag in the hall for Tom to collect and put in his room
later and went straight to the kitchen.

Tom was there and asked, "Master Daniel would you like
a drink?"

"Yes thanks Tom" Daniel replied politely.

As Tom poured out a glass of ice-cold coke, Daniel
decided he needed to start learning about how slaves
lived whilst his brother and sister were not around
and before his parents came home.

Tom had gone back to preparing the dinner and was
standing on the opposite side of the kitchen.

Daniel felt a momentary pang of embarrassment; he knew
what he wanted to ask Tom, `What was it like to be a
slave'? He just didn't know how to start the
conversation.

It was the first time in his life he had ever felt any
uneasiness around Tom.

Finally Daniel built up the courage and simply asked,
"What's it like to be a slave, Tom?"

Tom was facing away from Daniel as he chopped away at
some vegetables. Now he turned to face Daniel and
looked him straight in the eye.

A slave never looks a free citizen straight in the eye
they kept their eyes lowered.

"Master Daniel, I heard about your troubles, so I can
guess why you're asking".

Daniel blushed, something he was doing a lot lately.

"What's it like being a slave?"

"Well Master Daniel It's worse than anything you can
imagine. You're absolutely helpless as a slave; you
have no control over anything in your life. I say that
even though I know that with your parents as masters I
am very lucky. I talk to other slaves at the shops and
most are not as lucky as me. Many have to sleep in
cages like animals and get very regular beatings, I
get my own room and am only punished when I deserve
it".

"You're only going to be a temporary slave Master
Daniel for a short time but still my advice to you is,
do everything you are told, get your time over in as
short a time as possible so you can be free again.
Don't fight, submit and obey, that way you will not
incur any additional sentences."

"Be very careful Master Daniel because once you're in
the system even as a temporary juvenile slave, it's
very easy to be trapped forever."

Tom looked directly into Daniels eyes with real
genuine concern on his face. He had cared for Daniel
since he was born and wished him no harm. In fact he
loved the three children but that was something a
slave could never admit too.

"What do you mean, Tom?" Daniel asked.

"Master Daniel, when I was sixteen, I was indentured
for a year for traffic offences. When my time was
nearly up my master went back to court and on some
technicality had my term extended. I was not allowed
to be present and my family had wiped me because of my
reckless behavior so at the hearing their being no
objections the application was granted".

"When I found out my indenture had been extended I
verbally abused my master and then I lost my temper
totally and hit him. A slave cannot touch a free
citizen Master Daniel without permission, so as a
result of my actions I was enslaved for life, got
forty lashes with the bull whip and had to spend two
years hard labor in a rehabilitation camp".

`That's why Master Daniel I beg you to do everything
you are told as soon as you are told, don't ruin your
life like I did."

For the first time Daniel saw Tom in a totally
different light. He saw him as a human being just like
his father who had feelings and emotions. Tom was a
part of the Green household but he most defiantly was
not treated as part of the Green family.

Daniel realized sitting they're looking at Tom what a
very boring and repetitious life Tom was forced to
lead faithfully serving his family. Unless Daniels
parents allowed it as his masters, Tom was not allowed
access to all those things to occupy his time that
Daniel enjoyed and took for granted like sport, music,
TV, books and the movies.

What Daniel learnt from Tom was very frightening for
him but he was also glad he had asked. It would be a
big help in getting him through the next days, weeks
and months ahead.

End Chapter 4.


Acknowledgements:


`A Summer in Hell' by L. T. Richards