Hell’s Gates Part 3

Chapter 277-2

Hell’s Gates

Part 3

 

Stringum said. “Well that isn’t good, but it’s only a small problem. I knew I should have taken that box and dumped it somewhere where they couldn’t find it; hindsight being 20/20. Well, you boys better go and get ready. I’ll have Tony take the box and get it as far away as we can. Perhaps enlist some of our extra special help if necessary. In any case, we can not let Mr. Striker and Mr. Gregory win tonight. So do whatever is necessary to make sure they don’t. In the meantime, I will get every one of our underage boys out of here and taken to safety the moment the game is over. I want all you boys and kids out of here as soon as possible. I am not going to risk your lives when they learn that all their pledges are no longer here.”

The fake Stringum quickly made an exit as the real Stringum took his place. I and Mr. Bronson quickly found our teammates in the pool locker room as they were either undressing or greasing each other up with a mixture of Crisco, vegetable oils and anything thing that would make their bodies slick including their hair. Mr. Bronson said asking as he took off all his clothes and put them in a locker dawning on a robe, asked. “Everyone understands the rules of the game?”

Many of us boys did as we raised our hands.” He smiled said. “It’s a simple game of football and greased pig. You boys are the little pigs that are in control of the ball. The idea is that you boys make it across to goal post before being tackled throw the ball into the hole scoring a point; however, you can not use the same scoreboard. You must make a complete score by placing one ball into each of the holes. Turning the light green to red, when all three lights are red, you gain 5 points per score; giving us a total of 15 points. Then the boards will reset to green, and we begin again.

The one with the most points wins the game. There are four innings, if there is a tie, we go into sudden death; playing one more inning until there is a winner. However it may seem simple, but if haven’t noticed there is an extra element of surprise. It will be raining, liquid chocolate, and sometimes ice cold water. Making the field very slick, not too mention, you boys covered from head to toe in grease. Each team will have the same amount of boys…. as you are aware of we have made our selection. Spending cold hard cash and bribery to which boys we wanted. So will be playing against the other boys, but.

“The only ones allowed too run the field and throw the ball for the final score is you, boys. We, adults, are the grunts, it is our job to prevent you boys from making it to the goal line scoring the points; which is why you are all greased up to prevent the other men on the other team from getting hold of you so easily. There are no rules too how they can catch you, other then they can not hurt you to the point you can not play. They can punch you and knock you out. And they grab you anywhere on your body, except one place, which is our most sensitive area.

“If that happens they will be benched for the reaming quarter. Only 8 players are allowed on each team on the field. Each team must have 12 members at all times. If they are injured and can not play and have to be taken off the field. If they lose more then 7 players they will have to forfeit the game and the other team wins automatically. Mr. Wesley is our coach he will be the only one telling us which plays he wants us to run.

“If you have a play you would like to do he will ask as a team if we want to do it, but the final decision is his. His Assent Couch many of you know here is Mr. Couch Brady. Mr. Wesley was an all-state champion at Harvard University. But Mr. Striker went to Yale University where his rival college; he also won 5 state championships. His AS is Mr. Fairchild. Both are very serious contenders and have never lost a game in which we are playing tonight.

“No one has ever beaten them, but we are hoping to do so tonight using the best of the best that we feel will secure our victory. So let’s go out there and give them a beating they deserve.”

We all brought our hands in and gave a cheer and quickly left the locker room dawning on our robes.  The crowd cheered and booed as we came onto the field wearing nothing but our robes. We were known as Wolves and they had chosen the name Wild Cats wearing bright red arm and leg socks to tell each team apart.  Eli, Kirk Hank, and West were the boys on other teams with Chad, and three other boys I didn’t know and all the rest of Mr. Strikers and Mr. Gregory’s team.

Jake, Greg, and Mark were on my team with Luke and Martin seating on the bench with Chef Philips and Bishop Earl and Bishop Sakes; waiting for their turn to be called in when we are either hurt or need to change up. Mr. Bronson, Dad, and Mr. Vincent and Mr. Benson were our grunts taking the field first.

However, there were whispers as others noticed that Mr. Fairchild was missing leaving Mr. Striker the only couch. Stringum asked him if wanted a replacement and he shook his no telling him. He was more than capable of winning without him stating this was going to be a slaughter. 

Our referees were men from either Stringum or Mr. Strikers making it a fair game. It was hard to tell considering they were dressed in black and white shirts and shorts and all were barefoot, which made perfect sense, seeing the large shower heads above and the clean blue thick mat. That was still dry for the moment.

Stringum quickly outlined the rules of the game, the same rules Mr. Bronson went over with us. Mr. Striker walked down in front of his players, yelling at them as pointed at us, said. “Today, they are not your friends… today they are the enemy. Anyone not doing their best to win will be benched and if you are benched for not doing your best to win. You will each be punished severally, and possibly killed if I even see you not performing to my standers.

“I have never lost a game, and certainly will not lose this one. If I do, trust me, each person here will be either dead or crippled for the rest of your life. You will give me everything you have, blood sweat and tears. You will do exactly as I say when I tell you. There is only one rule. That is to make sure you make every touch down every score. Those that miss will be punished for each time they miss. We will win, and we will make them suffer. For this night I will be the ruler and crowned High King. That being said, you will bow down before me.

“Pledge your lives and your souls to me, those that don’t will die. If you are injured you will play injured until you can not walk or remain standing. We will do whatever it takes to win. You belong to me, I own you until I either win or we lose. Losing is not an option. Now get out there beat them into the ground. Each point you make I will reward each boy 50 dollars. Each time you miss, you owe me 100 dollars and 10 stripes across your back.

“Mr. Granger will be watching and will determine how many stripes and how much you owe me for your failures. If you reach 50 stripes you will lose a finger, if you reach 100 stripes you lose two fingers and so on. I do not care about your friendship; I don’t care about your miserable lives. I only care about one thing and it is winning. Cuts, bruises, and broken bones can be healed. I do not care about your feelings, your tears or how much pain you are in.

“Pain is accepted. Pain is life, Pain is what you will feel when you fail me. Your parents do not own you, nor can they prevent me from killing you or them if we lose. The task is simple, beat them and live, beat them and be rewarded. Now get out there and remember one thing. Failure to obey me will cause someone you love to suffer.”

Mr. Bronson gave the same speech, but it was more in fun as he winked at us; knowing that none of that was going to happen to any of us or our friends. He was only making it look good as he threatened our lives and our family’s lives. We were told to take the field removing our robes as everyone in the bench whistled catcall seeing us all naked. Man, I was glad I was used to being seen in public completely naked. However, it still caused our cheeks to blush.

Yet it was obvious that the younger boys were missing and everyone was riled up asking if they have seen this boy or another, but being as they were held hostage to watch the game. They couldn’t do much. Stringum nodded too Tony as he ducked out behind the bleachers and made a quick exit as someone quickly took his place. Mom and the girls were in the bleachers with all my younger brothers, well the ones that were above the age of 10 anyway not taking a chance of being kidnapped. Dad had told me that they had taken the boys and my mother and her friend Jenny to a safe house in Salt Lake City most likely to High Bishop’s estate.

I had noted Dr. Sars and Dora sitting in the stands, with High Bishop. Being as he was important member, of this coven with his three boys; and several other members of his church were also here for the game and the big celebration with their young boys and girls were here hoping. To give a showing that there were young boys here, eligible for tonight’s pledge.

I watched several men of Mr. Striker working the room trying to buy them unsuccessfully as I overheard many of the members say they brought them for their own pledge, but once they saw the money many of them changed their minds. I knew if my father was here, he wouldn’t hesitate to sell me or Aaron, and would gladly sign our life away. However, that only made things more complicated for us, being as we working hard to make sure that Mr. Striker or Mr. Gregory didn’t have the boys they needed for their pledge.

Mr. Bronson frowned and so did Mr. Wesley, stating it was a minor set back, but in truth is more than as we watch parents with young boys or girls remove their children’s clothes and throw them into one of the many burning containers. Stating they had no intention of taking these children home after tonight’s celebration.

Many of the children didn’t understand why their parents were burning their clothes as other parents were simply stuffing their children clothes into clear plastic bags and handing them to one of the many men wearing white jackets. Including their own and taking seats in the bleachers setting next to their friends as they either trade their children like candy.

There wasn’t a single child here that wasn’t naked, even some of the parents. But there were some parents that weren’t while they took off their Child's clothes and passed them around like fresh meat as they took the persons money. It made me sick to my stomach seeing them be forced to have sex like it was completely normal. Stringum, the High Bishop and Mr. Granger, as well as Dora and Dr. Sars, sat in the private box taking the best seats in the house with their boys they have brought with them for tonight’s pledge, that wasn’t going to happen.

While his two councilors ran errands talking to one person or another, trying to locate who has their own pledges having little or no success. Overhearing Mr. Granger telling them to do a room to room search that if they didn’t find them by the time the game ends they were going suffer like they never had before.

Stringum said he saw them with two men and they had taken them to their room for some fun before the game but hasn’t seen them since. He then told his men to start searching not only for their boys, all the boys under 12 but more importantly all the boys under the age of eight. Handing him them their stats sheet with all their vital information.

Telling Mr. Granger that he will get to the bottom of this, but most likely they are with some of the members inside their rooms. Yet many of us knew it was a lie, some of us knew that at this very moment they were about to leave the confines of the hidden room and taken to safety.