Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:44:38 -0400
From: Chris Johns <chris-johns@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Street Urchin Pt.1

This story is cross generational but the sex is not, and what sex there is
doesn't come into it for a long time, even then it is very mild. (For
raunchy stories, visit my site in nifty Prolific Net Authors). Like so many
other stories of mine, this one is fictional. It is not intended that any
of the characters represent real people although I'm sure the scenario
could be attached to many real situations, unfortunately.

Child abuse is the most horrendous scenario I can think of and bullying
comes into that category as well. The damage wrought on young minds when it
happens must be terrifying to see.

I realised on my final edit of this story that I am following a pattern
which I will now break. Too many of my stories involve a destitute or
abandoned, abused boy and his adult rescuer. I guess it is because I love
kids.

			     The Street Urchin
				  Part 1

Chris was feeling good, almost happy. He turned over lazily, feeling the
warm sun on his body as it shone through his window. Stroking his morning
wood softly he started to think about his day. Then it hit him. He shot up
in bed and looked around at the dingy room. The old mattress he was lying
on was dirty and stained, as were the pillow and blanket he had thrown off
as the sun warmed his room. The window was dirty, and he would have liked
to clean it, but doing so would have attracted attention and basic as the
place was, he had at least got a roof over his head. The other thing he
would have liked was a bath. He couldn't remember the last time he was
clean. His clothes would probably fall apart if they were washed. He was
sure they were held together by the dirt. Fresh tears streaked his dirty
face as he thought about his situation.

`I've never done anything really bad. I'm always polite and respectful, so
why has my God abandoned me?' was his thought as he pulled on his old
trainers.

Twelve years old, slight build and now, skinny to the point of
starvation. Light brown hair, long and very dirty, hazel eyes that a year
ago shone with happiness, now, dull and lifeless. No family, and fast
running out of hope.

On the death of his parents, Chris had been taken into care. He was cute
and might have been expected to find foster parents quite quickly but
before that could happen, older boys hitting on him had been too much and
he had run away. He had taken up begging but he had to avoid the main
populated areas for fear of being picked up by the police, so his takings
were meagre, hardly enough to keep him alive. A few of the shop keepers
were a little generous when he went to buy food, but he was still always
hungry.

He heard the noise as he finished sliding his feet into his trainers, then
the wall close to him was thrown across the room and a huge ball on a chain
followed it. Some of the debris struck him and he screamed.  Down below the
site foreman for the demolition crew heard the noise. Signalling to the
crane operator to stop, and shut off his engine, Bill Stevens
listened. Nothing, but he was sure he had heard a scream.

"Hold it Jack, I'm going to look in this house, I'm sure I heard a scream."

No one had bothered to check the houses in this block. They had been
abandoned and boarded up for years and were only now being demolished to
make room for new ones.

Climbing the stairs once he had gained entry by prying loose boards, he
reached the room where the ball had impacted and saw the little bundle
cowering in a corner.

`Oh my God, the ball must have missed him by inches', was his thought as he
took in the room with the bed only inches away from the hole in the
wall. He moved across the room and touched the child. Chris looked up, the
tears and the shock showing on his little face.

A huge wave of pity overtook Bill as he looked at the pitiful state of the
child and realised how young he was. He picked him up gently and held him
in his arms, working his way back through the building to the outside. The
remainder of his crew were shocked at the sight.

Jack nearly died, thinking about what he had been doing. If Bill hadn't
heard the scream he would have demolished the house with the kid inside.

"What the hell Bill, these houses are supposed to be empty."

"That's as maybe. While I sort this kid I want you all to take a house each
and make sure they really are empty before we knock down any more."

Bill then took his little bundle across to his pickup and sat him down on
the tail gate.

"Now kid, you're safe, but would you like to tell me what you were doing in
that house?"

Chris looked up at this big man that had just rescued him.

"I live there", he said in a tiny voice.

"Well you won't be anymore. Where are your parents?"

Chris said only one word before dissolving in tears again. "Dead."

"Well who is supposed to be looking after you?"

"No one."

This wasn't being very productive for Bill so he took a different tack.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

Half starved, twelve years old, only one answer likely to that question.

"Oh, yes please Sir."

Bill laughed, picked up his little man again and walked across to the
mobile catering van that was on site.  He sat him down at one of the tables
and went to the counter, to order a huge breakfast with large fruit juice.

"What's your name boy."

Again no extraneous words, just, "Chris."

"Alright Chris, now tell me why you are by yourself."

Chris studied Bill for a minute while he digested a mouthful of food.

"I ran away from a home because bigger boys tried to fuck me."

Ouch, that was pretty unequivocal. Food for thought.

"Well Chris, I have to go back to work. When you finish your breakfast will
you go back to my truck and stay there until I come for you again."

Chris looked at this big man trying to decide whether he could trust
him. He nodded and Bill went back to work. Chris devoured his breakfast
before doing as he was asked. He watched Bill and listened to the way he
spoke to his crew. Chris thought he could tell a lot about a person from
the way they spoke and he decided that Bill was a nice man, so he stayed
put.

Lunch time and the whole crew gathered at the catering van with Bill going
via his pick up to take the boy with him. The lunch time conversation
centred on what Bill intended to do with his little street urchin.

"I'm going to take him shopping for a set of new clothes. Then I'm going to
take him home to give him a bath, a meal and a good night's sleep in a
comfortable bed. Tomorrow we'll talk about what we are going to do with
him."

Chris had taken all this in and wondered again about this big man. He was
quite surprised at the next action by Bill's crew. They all dug in their
pockets and dropped money on the table.

"You'd better let us help with that then Bill, as we nearly killed the
kid."

Bill grinned as he took in the pile of bills.

"I'll probably be able to buy him a house to live in as well you guys,
that's a pretty generous contribution."

He pocketed it all before sitting down beside Chris.

"I guess you're going to have a pretty fancy wardrobe by the time we get
home tonight kid."

Lunch over and Chris was back at Bill's pickup. The crew walked back to
continue their work, but before they split up to go about their tasks
curiosity took over.

"What are you going to do with him Bill? You ought to take him to the
authorities."

Bill looked unhappy.

"I know, but he ran away from them because the older kids were hitting on
him. He's so damned small and vulnerable I just want to protect him."

"You're a bachelor Bill, I doubt the authorities will let you near him when
they find out."

Bill nodded but said no more.

Finished for the day, Bill drove to the nearest mall and despite raised eye
brows and more than a little reluctance to even let him in a shop, Bill and
Chris arrived at his home with bags of goodies for a 12 year old.

"Right young man, get rid of what you're wearing and I'll run you a bath."

Chris looked a little scared at the thought of taking his clothes off. He
remembered what it had been like with the older boys in the home. Bill
picked up on it and squatted down in front of him.

"Now, you listen to me. I can do anything I like to you can't I, because
I'm much bigger and stronger than you?"

Chris nodded, still looking frightened.

"So you can run out that door or you can trust me not to molest you. I've
seen everything you have under those clothes, not yours, but lots of other
boys as I grew up and as soon as I have you in the bath you'll see
everything I have under my clothes because I need to shower. When I'm all
scrubbed clean I'm going to wash you all over as well, but I promise I'm
not going to molest you. Ok?"

Chris nodded, still not sure, but he so wanted to be clean, and the new
clothes looked really neat.

Bill started to run a bath, checking the water temperature before turning
round to scope out a very naked little boy. The sight brought tears to his
eyes. Chris was just a bundle of skin and bone. He couldn't help
himself. He stooped down and scooped the boy into his arms.

"I don't know what we are going to do with you Little Man but I'll try
really hard to be able to look after you."

Gently lowering him into the bath, Bill confirmed the water temperature was
ok before going back into his bedroom and stripping ready for a
shower. When he walked back into the bathroom, Chris scoped him out, head
to toe and gasped. To Chris's eyes, Bill was like a Greek God.

While he showered, Chris just watched, when Bill finished, still dripping
wet he grabbed a loofah, sponge and some shower gel before telling Chris to
stand up. Very gently he washed the boy from head to toe, being careful to
keep touching of the genitals and bottom to a minimum. On the less delicate
parts of the body, particularly the feet, he used the loofah.

"Ok, hair now, so close your eyes until I'm finished."

Hair shampooed and then hair and body thoroughly rinsed with the spray head
from the bath's shower and Bill lifted his little man out and on to a bath
mat. He dried him thoroughly with a big fluffy bath towel and then himself.

Back in the bedroom and Bill let the boy select an outfit to wear. He
looked so cute with his hair combed and his new clothes on that Bill had to
pick him up and plant a kiss on his cheek.

"You look really special now. Would you like to eat?"

Chris almost dragged Bill through to the kitchen and watched with his mouth
watering as Bill put together a meal that he thought a little boy would
like.

A little TV before bedtime and Bill took Chris through to a small bedroom
and laid out his pyjamas.

"Your new toothbrush and paste are on the vanity unit in the bathroom
Chris. As soon as you're done come through to me and I'll tuck you into
bed."

Tucked in and happier than he had been for a year Chris let the emotion
show, the silent tears running down his cheeks. Bill lifted him into his
arms again and was surprised when the boy pulled his head down and kissed
him full on the lips.

"Thank you, Sir, for looking after me."

"You don't have to call me, Sir, I'm Bill, Chris. Sleep tight, and sweet
dreams."

Bill's dreams weren't sweet, in fact he got too little sleep to
dream. `What am I going to do with this little angel, I can't let him go
back to a home, but how can I keep him?'

Not happy thoughts when there didn't appear to be a solution.

Bill crawled out of bed reluctantly the next morning and went into the
second bedroom straight away to see his little guest. A gentle shake and
Bill stood back to watch as Chris woke. He stretched, yawned, opened his
eyes, looked around and then sat up like he was rocket propelled. His eyes
settled on Bill, stood with his arms folded across his bare chest wearing
just a pair of boxers. Then he smiled a shy little smile.

"Good morning, Sunshine, did you sleep well?"

"Oh yes Sir, I haven't slept this well in a long time."

"Ok, you use the bathroom first while I put the coffee on. I would dress in
your jeans and denim shirt with your work boots because I think you'll be
coming to work with me today."

Chris jumped out of bed looking down at his pyjama clad body and blushed
when he realised his woody was showing.

Bill laughed a gentle laugh.

"Happens all the time Chris doesn't it?"

The boy looked gutted when he realised Bill had seen it.

"Don't sweat it champ. I'm 28 and it still happens to me every morning as
well."

A shy smile and a reply.

"Really Sir, it's ok then is it?"

Bill dropped to his knees and pulled Chris into a cuddle.

"Yes it's ok, and I'm still Bill."

`What am I going to do with him?' was the continuing thought as he put his
morning coffee on.

A healthy breakfast of bran and juice for the boy before they headed out
for Bill's work. When his crew saw the little lad they couldn't believe it
was really him he looked so cute, and all cleaned up they could see he was
a truly lovely boy.

"Wow Bill, I wouldn't have recognised the boy if he wasn't with you."

That was Jack the crane driver, and all the others agreed. The question on
all their lips though was, "What are you going to do with him Bill?"

Bill shrugged, "I don't know. I want to keep him with me, get him back into
school and living a normal life again, but I don't know how."

Freddie had worked with child support agencies before coming into the
demolition trade because of the higher income he needed for a growing
family.

"Single parent adoptions are not unheard of Bill, but they are unusual, and
while they check you out it is very unlikely they will let you keep the
boy."

Bill nodded, he was pleased it was a possibility, but it was the period of
checking that worried him. The boy would be back in the same environment he
ran away from.

After starting his crew, Bill went into the site office and talked to the
secretary. He told her the story of the lad and asked her if she would
check around to see what his alternatives were, emphasising the fact that
he wanted to keep the boy. He called Chris over and asked the girl if she
would look after him until lunch time. No problem, Samantha would love
to. By lunch time Sam wanted to eat the boy. He was so cute and so polite
and respectful, not at all like her little brothers and cousins, who
generally were a pretty rude bunch. Consequence was that she put in a load
of effort to get the information that Bill wanted. Lunch time and Bill came
in to take his little lad to eat.

"Oh Bill, Chris is so nice. I want to eat him."

They laughed and Bill ruffled Chris's hair as he spoke.

"I'd better be careful leaving you here Lad, or there won't be anything
left for me to worry about."

Chris giggled but clung to Bill's leg.

"It's not good news Bill. You will have to surrender the boy to the
authorities and then apply to foster him. They say that could take months
and in the meantime he will be made available for adoption."

Chris heard all this and clung to bill even harder.

Lifting the boy into his arms Bill told him.

"We have to do this right Chris. I'll give you my address and telephone
number, I'll try to see you in the home as well and I'll push the
authorities to fast track my application to foster or adopt if you would
like that."

Chris cried that he didn't want to go back into care and Bill was lost. He
thought about his bowling buddy who was a police sergeant and called him,
laying out the situation.

Simon Creedy was, like Bill a bachelor, but he worked a lot of his free
time with child services helping abandoned and abused kids.

"I know a social worker who might be able to help you Bill. Tell me where
you and the boy are and I'll collect her and bring her over to you."

Mid afternoon and a Black and White pulled into the site with Simon and a
young lady in it.

Bill and Chris, with Simon and the lady, introduced as Janet Wiley, sat
down in the office while Bill told her the story of finding Chris, and all
the subsequent actions. He then told her why Chris didn't want to go back
into care.

Switched on lady, she immediately got Chris's last name and asked her
office to fax his file through to her in Bill's site office. No doubt about
the facts and a care workers comment on the bottom that confirmed the idea
that Chris had run away because of the actions of older boys.

Janet then almost interrogated Bill about his life style and living
arrangements. She was surprised that this big, single, building worker
lived in Ladywood, an up market suburb.

"I have a small house Janet, a decent yard and a second bedroom. There are
good schools almost within walking distance and I have good neighbours with
young children. It would be a good place for a boy to grow up. I cook and
clean and I know I can look after this boy as well as most two parent
families could."

Bill convinced this lady that he was right, she admired him for his
frankness. Janet then had to ask the loaded question.

"Chris, were you sexually abused in the boys home?"

He blushed and nodded making Bill suck in a huge breath.

"Was the abuse anal Chris?"

He shook his head.

"No Ma'am, I ran away when they tried that."

Bill couldn't help himself when that had been said. He lifted Chris into
his lap and kissed him on the top of his head.

"I'm so glad little man."

Janet noted the affection Bill showed, and wondered at this big man being
so gentle.

"Bill, I should take him with me and put him back in the same home he ran
away from, but I'm going to take a chance on being disciplined and leave
him with you tonight and book him into juvenile hall tomorrow morning. I'll
ask the judge to give you temporary custody, but in all honesty I don't
think you'll get it. I'll also ask that Chris go to a different home and
I'll do my best to get you accepted as a foster parent."

Bill realised he couldn't ask for a lot more, but he pushed his luck a
little.

"Will they let me call on him every afternoon on my way home to make sure
he is ok, and is there any possibility I could have him all day at the
weekend, even if he has to be escorted?"

"You're serious about looking after this boy aren't you Bill?"

Bill blushed, "Yes, I'm already growing to love him, and I know he is
comfortable with me. I make good money as a foreman here so I can afford to
put him through his whole education programme if the court allows
adoption."

Janet thought this would impress the judge and determined to push Bill's
case.

It went as expected but not desired. Bill did get visitation rights but at
the weekend he could only visit, he couldn't take out. A partial victory
was how Janet put it to him.

"It will look good for you Bill when they start the process of considering
you for fostering, you going to see him every day will impress them."

Bill nodded, he had no words to say, he knew he was going to worry every
minute he wasn't with Chris.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++