Nicky lay in his bed enjoying the feel of the sheets against his naked body. He had been upset when Brian had announced that Adam and he were no longer allowed pyjamas but now he thought that this was one of his stepfather's better decisions. He checked the clock on the bedroom wall. It was July and although the room was light it was not quite six o'clock. At least another hour of lying in bed feeling warm and safe. He glanced across the room to where Adam slept. He could tell from the sound of the other boy's steady breathing that he was still asleep. He wondered whether to creep across the room and slip into bed beside him.
Today they were due to drive down to Pembrokeshire to the cottage Brian had hired for the summer. He felt happy and excited.
Suddenly there was a loud knocking on the front door followed by a persistent ringing of the door bell.
Nicky jumped out of bed and pulling his shirt on, the only clothing he was allowed in the house, ran down stairs. As he reached the front door he heard Brian come out on the landing above him.
On the front door step stood a large man wearing a crumpled suit. Immediately behind him were a policewoman and two police men in uniform. Beyond them stood a man and woman dressed in civilian clothes. Four police cars with their lamps flashing were parked on the road.
"Mr Roberts," the large man said looking past Nicky at Brian. "I am Detective Inspector Samson of the Thames Valley Police, I have here a place of safety order in respect of Adam and David Roberts. I trust there will be no problem in executing it. I must further tell you that you are not obliged to say anything and if you do your words will be noted and may be used in evidence."
"Police Woman Evans take the boy upstairs and help him to pack some clothes and find the other boy as well."
The police woman followed by the two uniformed constables stepped past him into the hall.
The police woman put her hand gently on Nicky's shoulder.
"Are you Nicky or Adam?" she asked quietly.
"Nicky." "Well Nicky will you show me where your room is and where Adam sleeps as well and I'll help you get a few things together. You're both going to have to come and stay with us for a few days."
The two police constables had already reached the top of the stairs and were beginning to crowd Brian back into his bedroom. Nicky caught a glimpse of his stricken face.
"Now, now Sir," he heard one of the police men say. "I'm sure you agree it would be better just to let the boys go quietly rather than making a fuss. Better for them....." The man's voice was cut off as he followed Brian into his bedroom and closed the door behind him.
Adam alarmed by all the noise was sitting up in bed.
The police woman glanced at his bare shoulders.
"Don't you boys have any pyjamas?" she asked.
"No," Nicky replied. "Dad says they're not necessary."
"Oh does he. Well both of you get dressed and then we'll get a few essentials packed and we'll be on our way."
Adam started to get out of bed and then hesitated.
"I don't want to get dressed with you in the room," he said. "Couldn't you just go and wait on the landing please while we do it.?"
"Now don't be silly both of you. I've got to stay with you and there's no need to feel shy. I've got two younger brothers so I'm quite used to boys."
Reluctantly Adam stood up.
"Who gave you that?" the woman asked her voice reflecting her shock as she caught sight of the bruises that the cane had left on Adams bottom.
"Oh these," Adam touched them lightly. "Dad. I argued with him a bit."
"Hello Adam, Nicky," it was the woman dressed in civilian clothes. "My name is Mrs Rogers. I'm a social worker. How are we getting on then."
"They don't have pyjamas. Their Dad doesn't allow them any," the police woman said meaningfully, "and have a look at Adams bottom."
The social worker glanced at Adam and drew her breath in. She turned and before Nicky could protest lifted up the tale of his shirt.
"This one's had the same as well," she said.
"Well you help Nicky to pack," Mrs Rogers continued briskly, "and Adam you show me where your clothes are. I've brought a big plastic bag for each of you."
"Can we say good bye to Mum and Dad?" Adam asked as they came out onto the landing carrying.
"Not now Adam," the social worker said. "They're doing something else at the moment."
A police man stood on the landing outside their parents room. Through the closed door came the sound of raised voices.
"I want to," Adam said stubbornly.
"We both want to," Nicky chimed in.
"Now come along boys....Oh blast stop them!"
The two boys darted across the corridor. Adam reached the policeman first. He had no trouble in catching hold of the boy. But Adam wriggled and kicked so much that Nicky was able to dodge past him.
He burst into the bedroom and seeing his mother sitting in a chair by the window her head buried in her hands sobbing ran across to her and threw his arms about her.
"Mum, Mum," he shouted. "What have they been doing to you?"
"You," he said glancing round fiercely and fastening his gaze on the Police Inspector, " what have you been doing to my Mum?"
He was grabbed from behind.
"Sorry Sir," the policewoman said. "He just broke away from us."
Strong arms carried him struggling from the room down the stars and outside to the waiting police cars.
He gave up struggling. There were too many of them and they were too big and too strong for him to have a chance. Then he realised that he was being put into a different police car than Adam.
"I want to travel with my brother," he shouted .
Adam began to yell and fight as well.
The policewoman and a man in civilian clothes forced him into the back seat of the police car. Sandwiched between them he saw looking back through the rear window Adam still struggling on the pavement.
At the police station he was taken from the car. He kept looking behind as he was taken inside hoping to see Adam again but there was no sign of him. He was guided by the police woman and the civilian man who had travelled in the car with him to a light comfortable room with arm chairs, a sofa and a coffee table and a couple of straight backed chairs.
"Sit down Nicky," the man said quietly. "Are you hungry? I am sure you could do with some breakfast. We could get something for you from the canteen."
"I'd like some corn flakes please," Nicky said politely. He suddenly found he was very hungry. He remained standing
"Of course and something to drink?"
"Orange juice please if I may."
"I'll get it," the police woman volunteered and left the room.
"There, now while Angela gets your breakfast we can get to know each other. I'm Peter Stevenson and I'm a social worker. You're Nicky and your Mum is Mary Roberts and your step dad is Brian Roberts. Is that right?"
"Yes and where's Adam and can I go home after I've had my breakfast please."
"We're looking after Adam for the moment Nicky. There's no need to worry about him, he, like you, is quite safe now. As to going home, well we'll have to see. I and other people have a lot of questions to ask you but the sooner they've been asked and the sooner you've answered them, the sooner we can decide about you going back to your mum. Now why don't you sit down."
Nicky sat cross legged on the floor as he was require to do in the sitting room at home.
"No here on the sofa beside me."
"Oh sorry," David said scrambling to his feet. "Dad won't let us boys sit on the chairs at home. He says they're for adults not for little boys."
"Does he? Are there any other rules he's made like that?" the man sounded interested and friendly.
"Oh yes," Nicky said responding to this. He told the nice man about only being allowed to wear shirts in the house and how Brian had chosen ones with broad stripes because he said the boys looked better in them. He told him how Brian had bought shirts from Marks and Spencers and British Home Stores but had decided shirts from the latter shop were best because they had shorter tails. He told him about the open door rule and the no pyjama rule and lots of other rules that Brian had made.
He was still talking when Angela came back with his breakfast.
"I think," the man said as she put the tray on the table in front of Nicky, "that we have something here."
I wouldn't be surprised," she said seating herself in the arm chair. "Both boy's bottoms are badly bruised. The Doctor has just arrived and will be here in a minute."
A balding middle aged man wearing a dark suit and carrying a black brief case hurried into the room.
"Good morning everybody," he said cheerfully. "So this is Nicky and just having your breakfast are you young man. Well you finish that up while I have a quiet chat with Mr Stevenson to get the back ground to everything. We don't want your corn flakes going soggy eh?"
He drew the social worker into the corner of the room where they talked together in undertones. Nicky busy eating his breakfast could hear nothing of what they said but noticed that every now and again they would glance in his direction.
As soon as he had finished eating the doctor came over to him.
" Now Nicky," he said kindly, "I want to give you a medical examination to see if there is any thing wrong with you."
"Do you want to take him to the examination room Sir?"
"No I don't think so Constable. Less alarming for the boy here."
"It's going to be a thorough examination Nicky so I want you to take all your clothes off. I also want Mr Stevenson and the Police Constable to be here during the examination so that they can see what I am doing and if necessary tell other people about it. You're a big boy and you won't mind that will you?"
Nicky was not at all sure if that was right. He was used to his Mum and Dad and Adam seeing him with nothing on but being naked in front of three strange grown ups was a different thing all together, especially when one was a woman. However he was a naturally helpful and obedient child and anyway, he thought, perhaps if he did what they wanted it would bring nearer the time when they would let him go home.
The examination was not too bad to begin with. The Doctor examined his scalp, peered into his eyes and mouth, sounded his chest and back with his stethoscope. David began to wonder why he had been made to undress. Then the Doctor sat down in one of the upright chairs and putting his hands on the sides of Nicky's hips drew him close.
"Now Nicky stand still there's no need to be frightened," he said as the boy tried to shy away. "Did your Dad ever touch you there or play with these?"
"No never. Please stop. He never touched me there. Please." Nicky could feel himself getting excited and the thought of the police woman seeing that filled him with embarrassment.
"Never dried you after you've had a bath or been swimming or anything?" the Doctor continued remorselessly.
"Well yes, sometimes."
"Then he did touch you there. You must tell the truth Nicky."
The doctor took a jar of Vaseline and a pair of rubber gloves out of his brief case.
"Now Nicky I'm going to have a look at your bottom. It maybe just a little bit uncomfortable to begin with but if you're good and do as your told it will soon be over. Now get down over my knees."
Nicky glanced round desperately. To have to lie face down over the man's knee and have him fiddling with his bottom in front of strangers; Nicky was appalled by the thought.
"Shall I leave for the moment Sir," Angela, who had noticed Nicky's distress, suggested.
"No. No, certainly not Constable, I need you as a witness. Now come on Nicky don't be a big baby, over you go." He caught hold of the boy by the arm and guided him firmly down across his knee. Nicky lay there his naked backside stuck in the air feeling utterly humiliated. He felt the man's hands move gently over his buttocks.
"Hum, distinct subcutaneous bruising. When did your Dad beat you last Nicky?"
"Night before last Sir."
"And what did he beat you with?"
"A cane Sir. Oh!"
"That's all right Nicky. I'm just putting a bit of Vaseline there so I can get right inside. Try not to tense up boy."
"Why did he beat you Nicky?" Mr Stevenson asked.
"I changed my school report from a B- for English to a B+. Oh!"
One of the man's fingers was right inside him now. It hurt but at the same time Nicky realised with alarm it was making him increasingly excited.
"Well there's no doubt about it," the Doctor said. "Clear signs of anal dilation."
"Now I'd better take a swab just in case. I doubt if it'll be any use but you never can be sure. Tell me David when did your Dad last play around with your bottom."
"I..I don't know..Ouch...what you mean Sir."
"I mean when did he last go up there. Where I've just been."
"He never has Sir. Never."
"Ah well, that's all over. You can get up now. It wasn't too bad was it?" The doctor landed a friendly open handed pat on Nicky's bare rump.
Nicky got to his feet trying to hide his very obvious excitement with his hands. The police woman smiled and tactfully turned her head away as the boy scrambled into his clothes.
"Perhaps we could have a word together outside Doctor?" Peter Stevenson suggested.
The two men left the room.
"The boy's in denial of course Peter," the Doctor said as soon as they were alone together.
"You're sure that he's been abused?" the social worker asked.
"Absolutely certain and as I understand the position it could only be the father. There's the other boy but he wouldn't have been big enough to explain the dilation I have observed."
"I don't know yet what if any thing the medical examination of the other boy has turned up," Peter said doubtfully. It will be difficult if there's nothing there and both boys deny anything has happened."
"It's quite possible Peter that the other boy has escaped his father's attentions. As I understand it he has being living away from him for some considerable time. What is clear is that this boy has been abused and must not be returned to be abused again. That is my advice to you. Should it ever become necessary I will make it known to the relevant authorities that I have given you that advice."
"Yes but you just can't take a child away..."
"If I may make a suggestion. You send the boy to the Ovingdean House Home. You could then get my diagnosis confirmed by my colleague down there, Dr Shaw, who of necessity, with that institution situated in his practice, has become a recognised expert in such matters. It will be very difficult for anyone to argue against such action on your part with the opinion of two independent medical men to support you."
"Yes...Yes that may well be the solution Doctor. We do have some placements there already as you know and it would have the added advantage of taking the boy well away from his step-father."
"I'll get on with it straight away. We really need to get him in there today if we can."
"And I must get on with my rounds."
Back in his car the Doctor picked up his car phone.
"Ovingdean House...Good can I speak to the principal please, Doctor Butler speaking."
"William, Andrew Butler here"
"Yes very well thank you. Now look here Peter Stevenson the social worker down here will be telephoning you in the next few minutes to place a boy with you, Nicholas Roberts."
"Yes he is a good looking boy. Twelve years old, blonde hair, slim very pretty really. A desirable addition to your stable I would say. I've just examined him and said he shows unmistakable signs of _s_e_x_ual abuse. The step fathers the prime suspect."
"No there's no evidence of it at all but I was thinking if you get our good friend Doctor Shaw to say that he has examined him as soon as he arrives at the home and to support my view. ...There's no need of course for him to actually bother to see the boy at all.... Well I'm sure it won't be long before he will have all the symptoms and whose to say then that he got them after rather than before he passed into your care."
"No I'm sure the step father hasn't done any thing like that to him but the man's obviously a bit of a control freak and that's made him vulnerable. One of the neighbours reported him because he heard the boys being beaten."
"Well I'll leave the rest of it up to you then."
"Thanks same to you."
He replaced the receiver and drove out of the police station yard a satisfied smile on his face.
-------------------------------------
After the Doctor had gone Nicky was interviewed by a lot of different people all of whom asked him similar questions about his Dad and what his Dad did to him. One lady even produced a doll and asked him if his Dad had ever touched that bit of him or done all sorts of other things that Nicky until then had never even thought of. Finally Angela the police women had turned up and said the people had arrived to take him away.
"Am I going back to my Mum and Dad?" Nicky asked as he trotted along the corridor beside her.
"Not exactly," she replied. She did not Nicky thought sound very happy.
When they arrived at the public counter room there were two very big men wearing dark blue uniforms. They looked very like police men except that they had big round yellow badges on their shoulders and on the front of their shiny peaked caps.
"So this is the boy," one of the men said. He did not sound very friendly.
"Yes," Angela said, "and look here he done nothing wrong you know. He's just in need of protection."
"If he's done nothing wrong then he's the first boy I've ever come across that hasn't," the man replied and the two of them laughed.
"Any way we can't take him like that. We won't accept responsibility for transporting him unless he's wearing uniform. Company rules. Get those clothes off boy. Joe you've got the stuff for the brat haven't you?"
"Here they are Tom," the other man said producing a plain white plastic bag.
"If he's got to change can't you let him do it in one of the interview rooms?" Angela asked, note of desperation in her voice.
"Haven't got time for that. Anyway, what is he, something special or what. Come on boy get those clothes off and be fast about it and those pants. Everything boy. Fast."
Frightened and confused Nicky scrambled out of his clothes in the public room while Angela looked on unhappily.
"Now get these on," Tom said tipping the contents the plastic bag on the floor in front of Nicky.
There were a pair of thin white cotton shorts, a white T-shirt with printed in large scarlet letters across it's back OVINGDEAN BOY'S HOME and a pair of plain blue plimsolls.
"Doesn't he get any under pants?" Angela asked. "Those shorts are so thin you can see right through them against the light."
"So you can Miss," Joe said equably peering at Nicky. "So you can."
"Come on boy, sharp now, out to the car," Tom man said taking Nicky by the scruff of the neck and marching him out of the police station. Joe followed carrying the plastic bag containing Nicky's few possessions.
Nicky was bundled into the back of a large black car that stood in the station yard. Joe got in beside him and Tom drove. Nicky tried to move as far away from Joe as he could.
"Please," he said almost crying. "Please couldn't I go home to my Mum and Dad please?"
Joe cuffed him hard on the side of the head.
"Speak when you're spoken to boy and when you speak to a member of the staff you call them Sir. Do you understand.?" he rapped.
"Yes"
Crack. This time he back handed the boy across his face knocking his head back and splitting his lip.
"Yes what? boy."
"Sir. Sorry Sir."
"And don't forget. As for going home. No you're not going home not now ... not ever. You're coming with us and you'll stay with us so you'd better make the best of it."
"Oh Tom," he said to the man in front of the car. "Do you know he's gone and got blood on his shirt already."
"Dear, dear," Tom replied. "Matron won't be pleased with him. She doesn't like little boys that mess up their clothes and cause expense and everything. I wouldn't like to be in his shoes when we get to Ovingdean. He's certainly starting off on the wrong foot."
Nicky sat hunched in the corner of the car as it pounded steadily along the motorway. As time passed he became increasingly conscious of another discomfort apart from the soreness about his mouth and ear where he had been hit. He needed to have a pee. Hewas afraid to speak after what had happened but his need was becoming more urgent. He began to shift about in his seat.
"Hello," Joe said eventually. I think we've got a problem Tom."
"What's that?"
"The brats going to wet himself if we don't stop sharpish."
"Next service station then."
By the time the car pulled into Leigh Delamere services Nicky was beside himself. Holding onto himself with one hand he tried to wrench the car door open but found it was locked.
"Now, now," Joe said. "Not so fast boy. We cant have you running off and leaving your new friends can we."
He took pair of handcuffs from his pocket snapped one cuff round Nicky's right wrist and the other about his own left one. People turned to stare as they crossed the crowded hall of the service station. Joe was much the bigger and stronger than Nicky and he took his time. When they got into the toilets Joe insisted on making a fuss unlocking the cuffs and warning Nicky in a loud voice to snap into it and not to even think of trying to take a runner. Nicky only just managed to got his shorts down over his hips, there were no flies, in time. The relief was immense. Then he realised that he was standing with his bum bare, the bruises left by Brian's last beating clearly visible, and that everybody in the toilets was looking at him.
"Been in trouble has he?" said one of the men to Joe.
"Yer vicious little bugger he is, though you wouldn't think it to look at him now."
"What did he do?"
"Oh tried to rob an 84 year old woman of her pension money. Cut her with a knife when she tried to resist."
"I didn't......," Nicky started to protest and then broke off as Joe hit him across his backside with the handcuffs.
"Shut up you. No talking."
"That's right," the man said. "Treat him rough. He deserves it. I see he's had his bottom tanned already. I reckon he needs more of it. It's the birch that young thugs like that need."
There was a murmur of approval from the rest of the men in the toilet.
"It was his Dad that tanned him," Joe said. "Mind you I would have done it as well if I was him. Just wish I could do it now."
A man landed a kick on Nicky's rump as Joe marched him out of the toilets. The blow sent Nicky staggering forward. Joe pulled him up short and then sent him spinning hard against the wall.
"Try to make a run for it would you," he shouted slamming his free hand into the boy's stomach. Nicky doubled over gasping for breath. Joe twisted his arm up behind his back and ran him out of the service station.
Back in the car Tom turned round to look at the boy.
"He's bleeding again Joe," he remarked. "See he doesn't get any on the upholstery. It's a bugger to shift blood is. Here give him this Kleenex."
-----------------------------------
It was evening. They had left the motor way a good two hours ago. The roads along which they journeyed had got progressively narrower and less crowded. Now they were driving through a thick wood. Trees pressed in on them on either side. Then to the right a high stone wall topped with a treble strand of barbed wire replaced the trees.
The car slowed and turned off the road stopping in front of tall solid metal gates. Twocameras set on the gate posts swung to focus on them. On the gates was a large notice
"Ovingdean House Secure Boys Home Entry by Appointment Only Ring Bell and State Business into Intercom"
Tom rolled down the drivers widow and spoke briefly into the intercom. The gates swung open and Tom drove through. The gates clanged shut behind them. The drive was narrow but tarmacked and well maintained. It ran for a short distance through rhododendron bushes. It turned sharp left and across a wide smooth lawn stood a large Victorian country house built in the mock Gothic style set about with turrets and battlements. It even had a moat and a drawbridge. The car rattled over the bridge and drew up outside a heavily studded double door.
"Journey's end boy, out you get," Joe said pulling Nicky out of the car after him.
He rang a bell beside the double door and spoke into yet another intercom. The door swung open into a vast gloomy hall. Pushing Nicky ahead of him Joe crossed this, his footsteps echoing on the bare flags. He came to another door and knocked. A voice answered and he went in still holding Nicky firmly by the arm.
It was a large comfortably furnished book lined room. Seated behind a desk at the far end was a big bald headed man, sitting in an easy chair facing him was a thin sour looking woman dressed in a severe navy blue dress that had a suggestion of a uniform about it.
"The new boy Sir," Joe announced
"And a pretty miserable looking specimen too," the man remarked coldly. "How did he get in such a mess Joe."
"Tried to make a run for it when we stopped at the service station to let him go to the toilet Sir and then tried to resist apprehension Sir."
"I didn't...I didn't try to run away," Nicky protested.
"Did you speak to the boy Matron?" the bald man asked sounding mildly puzzled.
"No Mr Adams."
"Joe I don't think you spoke to the boy did you?"
"No Sir"
"And I didn't either. Hold him for me Joe would you."
Mr Adams got up from behind the desk and picked up a heavy cane about a metre long. He walked round the desk and took up position in front of Nicky. The boy held firmly by Joe cowered away from him.
"You speak,"
CRACK
Mr Adams delivered a fierce back hand cut across the front of Nicky's thighs. The boy gasped with pain.
"When you are."
CRACK.
"Spoken to."
CRACK.
Mr Adams stepped back and sat down on the edge of his desk.
"I will now introduce myself," he said mildly. "I am Mr Adams. I am principal of this establishment. You call me and every male member of staff 'Sir'. This lady you call Matron. It is her job to look after your health. She is good at curing little boys aren't you Matron."
"They seem to forget their illnesses very quickly when they see me," the woman said with cold smile.
"I understand that you have been sent here because you have been _s_e_x_ually assaulted by your step father. Now you may think that you can impose on me and get sympathy out of me by pretending that you are some sort of a victim. I am not so simple as that boy. If you hadn't played up to the man, incited him, led him on, he would have left you alone. I know you for what you are, not a victim, but a wicked scheming little boy. I'm used to dealing with evil boys like you. All the boys arrive here thinking they're clever, that all they've got to do is to hang round looking put upon and they'll have an easy time. They very quickly find that they are mistaken and you will find that too."
"You've come here because you're a nasty little boy and it is my business and the business of my staff here to beat that nastiness out of you. I've no doubt it will take a long time and a great deal of effort to do that. But you are going to be here for a very long time indeed and I don't begrudge the effort that will be required."
"You haven't started well either boy. Trying to run away. assaulting a member of the staff while absconding. Damaging property of the home by bleeding on your clothes. Contradicting a member of staff. Not a good beginning."
"Strip."
Nicky hesitated. He still had some residue of pride and the idea of undressing before the two men and worst of all Matron with her strange hard eyes horrified him.
"Strip boy or do you want Joe to hold you while Matron takes your clothes off for you."
Hastily Nicky removed his clothes and then stood to face the principal. He made no attempt to cover himself with his hands. He remembered how such demonstrations of modesty had annoyed Brian and he assumed that Mr Adams would be similarly effected.
"Fold those clothes up neatly boy. This is my study not a rubbish dump."
Watched by the three adults Nicky had to kneel on the carpet and tidy his clothes up. When he was back on his feet Mr Adams turned to the Matron. "It is my intention to give this boy twenty four strokes of the cane, twelve this evening and twelve tomorrow morning. In your professional opinion Matron is the boy in a condition to take twelve strokes now."
"He's a perfectly healthy little animal Principal. In my opinion you could safely inflict all twenty four stroke on him now. But you are always very kind to the boys."
"I think Matron it would be as well to postpone half the punishment till tomorrow morning. It will give the boy something to think about overnight. It will keep his mind clear of unhealthy thoughts."
See part 2 for continuation