Prologue

It is the year 2039. The world has recovered from the Crisis of the 2020s, and order has been restored. The Crisis began with a series of economic, environmental, political, and social disruptions erupting within a span of four years beginning in 2021, exacerbating each other. A resulting cascade of global incidents and disasters caused the outbreak of world war three in 2025. After the war's end in 2029 new governments are established in the remnants of the old world and now a new era has begun. By 2039 the world is rebuilt.

Slavery is now legal and accepted across the world. Strict regulations regarding the welfare of slaves are well enforced, and slavery is no longer an atrocity. Slaves are made in punishment for crime or voluntarily as an escape from poverty. Training centers turn slaves into valuable commodities. The most common professions for slaves are agriculture, home servants, and prostitution.

Chapter One
Amators

Daniel turned 13 years old on a rainy night in October. The weather was appropriate for the occasion. In real life, it's rare for the weather to mirror the tone of events as perfectly as it did on Daniel's birthday. Thunderstorms don't conveniently happen during dramatic moments, sunny days aren't always happy ones, and rain doesn't usually mean depression.

Tonight though, in spite of it being his birthday, the rain was entirely appropriate for how Daniel and his mother felt. They blew out his birthday candles together. His 'cake' was a pair of store-bought cupcakes. One with a number one candle, the other with the number three candle. Thirteen. It was just them sitting together in a mostly dark kitchen. Dad was in jail, and they couldn't afford a party. Dad would be sent off to one of the centers to become a gardener or a janitor or something else, it was only a matter of time. It was his fourth DUI conviction that got him there. Mom already had the divorce papers finalized, just in time to celebrate their daughter's birthday.

If she didn't divorce him, she would have been given the choice to join him, and become slaves together. That's how it worked. Families couldn't be split apart against their will, so if Mom had chosen that route Daniel would have been made a slave as well. He was a child in the eyes of the law and not allowed to decide for himself. They would all live in a slave compound together, a happy little family. Mom would be sent to work as a maid or janitor as well. Daniel might end up going to the … that one school.

The rain beat down on the roof of their duplex, the owner of which lived in the other half. He was a sweet old thing, very kind to them during these troubled times. But the fact remained that they were a long way behind on their rent and would likely get evicted soon. Daniel and Mom sat opposite each other at the small wooden table in the dining nook attached to the kitchen. Through the sliding glass door beside them they could see a distant flicker of lightning.

"Ooh let's count," Mom said.

Daniel didn't join in as his mother counted to thirteen. She trailed off after that, not hearing the thunder.

"Too far away," she said.

Daniel took a bite of his cupcake. Red velvet, with too much colorful icing on top. It was the saddest birthday cake in his life.

The night passed in silence, save for the steady beat of the rain while they ate their cupcakes.

"Happy Birthday," his mother said as Daniel stood to go to bed. He wasn't tired, but there was nothing else to do.

He changed into his pyjamas and flopped down onto his bed. His birthday hadn't been completely terrible, he reflected. His friends had at least given him some presents and brought sweets of their own to share at school. He'd been taken out to a movie after school by his friends as well. But as they were leaving the theater, he'd been given the news (via text message) that his father was being enslaved for repeat DUI convictions and Mom had divorced him. That had put a real damper on his special day.

As he lay awake pondering the future, his need to sleep was checked by his need to think. He wouldn't go to school the next day, instead he would be helping Mom pack in anticipation of eviction. Mom had said that they had a new place lined up, but wouldn't say where. Daniel hoped he wouldn't have to switch schools.

Finally, his need to sleep so he could function the next day became too much. He had one tool left to put him into a drowsy state and thus into sleep. He threw back his bed covers and shimmied his pajama bottoms down to his knees. He had to resort to jacking off. He was hardly in the mood tonight, but if it helped him sleep he would try it.

He cupped his boyhood in his right hand and caressed his small, warm balls in the other. He rubbed himself gently at first, and then more vigorously as he became harder down there. He knew his boyhood had a more scientific name, and even knew what that name was, but he didn't like calling it that for some reason. Likewise, he'd heard the real word for jacking off before, a long ugly sounding word that started with an 'M', but he couldn't remember it.

It felt good, and he moaned a little bit as his movements became more vigorous. To help him along Daniel pictured in his mind his cousin, Bobby, who he had seen naked for a moment earlier that year. He felt like he was doing something wrong, he was his cousin after all, but the memory of his boyhood swinging as he walked helped him finish. With one final moan he 'reached the top' as he called it. It worked. He immediately felt drowsy and was asleep a few minutes later.

***

He woke the next morning to Mom walking in unannounced. In his sleepiness he had forgotten to pull his pyjamas back up.

"Mom!" he complained, quickly pulling a blanket up to conceal his exposed private parts.

"What? It's not like I've never seen it before," she said. She tossed a stack of flattened boxes onto the floor along with a tape gun.

"Already?" he asked sleepily.

"Yep, we've got to get started ASAP," she answered.

Daniel grumbled as he got out of bed. "I'm gonna shower first."

Without waiting for permission, he pushed past Mom and walked down the short hallway into the bathroom they shared. He slipped off his pyjamas and entered the small shower.

He turned on the water and waited for it to get warm before aiming the nozzle at his body. Except it didn't get hot. As he waited, he realized that the house was unusually cold. After three minutes with no change in the water he opened the door a crack and called out, "Mom, is the heat out?"

"Yup, gas has been disconnected. Cold shower for you sweetie," Mom answered from elsewhere in the house.

Daniel rolled his eyes so hard they might have popped out of his head. He stepped into the icy cold spray and winced. He lathered herself up quickly, not wanting this unpleasant experience to last a second longer than necessary.

As he rinsed himself off, he noticed something that made his heart stop. On the shelf where the shampoo and body washes were kept was a camera. A GoPro, half obscured by bottles, its lens pointing right at him.

He shouted and slapped at it, sending it and all the bottles flying. He scampered out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself, expecting Mom to come running in at any moment. Except she didn't.

He cracked open the door again and called out for help.

"Sweetie it's okay, why don't you come out here?" came Mom's voice.

"Mom there's a fucking camera in here!" he shouted.

"Hey, language! We have a visitor," Mom said.

Something was wrong. There was no way his mom would be okay with this, unless she was the one who put it there. Daniel could scarce comprehend it. Still wrapped in the towel he exited the bathroom and made for his bedroom. Mom was in there, along with a man he had never seen before. They were looking at a tablet device together, sitting on his bed.

Daniel gasped in surprise. "Who, … who are you?" he demanded. The man must have arrived after he got in the shower.

"Daniel, this is Mister Reynolds. Mr Reynolds, my son, Daniel." Mom said.

"It's an honor and a pleasure to see you in person Mister Daniel Harcourt," the man said, extending a hand.

He was a thin man, maybe fifty, with a kindly demeanor like a grandfather. He wore an old-fashioned suit and a bowler hat, which he removed upon offering his hand.

Still extremely uncomfortable and now growing a little frightened, Daniel extended his hand. After shaking it Mr. Reynolds did not let go, but instead turned his hand over and looked at it closely. He rubbed his other hand over it, feeling the skin. Daniel yanked it away brusquely.

"Lacking in the manners department, but his skin is as flawless as you claimed, Mrs. Harcourt," Mr Reynolds said to Mom.

"My skin …?" He asked. Even more so than ever he wished he were dressed.

"Yes, your skin. Your mother promised me you were beautiful with soft baby like skin, and I can't say she was wrong on either count."

"Mom, who is this man? Why is he here, what's going on?" he asked warily, taking a step towards the door.

"Honey, I've made a choice for our future, and it's time you found out," Mom said, shifting slightly. As she did so, the tablet she was holding tilted enough for Daniel to see the screen. It was a live feed. A live feed of a bathroom from the perspective of a camera resting faceup on the floor. Their bathroom. His blood turned to ice in his veins.

"You …, you were watching me in the shower …" he said, hardly able to get the words out.

"Yes. So now that you know that we've seen you naked already, why don't you drop your towel so we can look at you properly," Mr Reynolds said, nodding at the only thing left to preserve his modesty.

"I …, I can't believe this," he said, hot, angry tears forming in his eyes.

"You told me he was a smart one, Mrs Harcourt. He is being remarkably dense," Mr Reynolds said.

"Honey, please do as he says. We can't make a poor first impression," Mom said.

Daniel turned and left the room as fast as his towel would permit. Normally he would flee to the sanctity of his bedroom, but that space had been invaded. He had nowhere to go. He couldn't go outside, his nakedness prevented that. His only option was the kitchenette or the small living room. He chose the latter. He sat down on the tattered sofa and folded his arms.

He wasn't immediately pursued. He could hear Mom and the strange man talking but he couldn't make out the words.

Why were they watching him shower? Who was Mr Reynolds, and why was he so keen to see him, a thirteen year old boy, naked? The only reason he could think of was that he wanted to …

[Oh shit.] The realization hit him like a speeding semi-truck.

[No, no, no. It couldn't be true.] His mother would never, she wouldn't do that. She had divorced Dad so they could avoid that. There had to be another reason.

He noticed some papers on the coffee table. He looked at them. One of them was a partially filled out form titled 'Voluntary Surrender of Parental Pights and Informed Consent of Sale of Minor Child into Legal Slavery.'

He couldn't breathe. [No, no, no, NO!] he flung the form away from him. Underneath it was a thing that looked like a brochure. He picked it up.

'Academy of Cupid School for the Art of Lovemaking.''" He read to himself, deciphering the florid cursive the title was written in. The cover of the pamphlet was a dark silhouette of a man and a woman standing on a sandy shoreline at sunset, embracing at the water's edge.

He heard his bedroom door creak open. He looked up to behold Mom and Mr Reynolds entering the living room. He was too angry and humiliated for words. They saw him holding the brochure and saw the surrender document on the floor, and Daniel could tell they knew that he now understood what was happening.

Mom spoke first, "I'm sorry sweetie, I wanted to tell you sooner, but I just couldn't bring myself to. Mr Reynolds understands that finding out can be a nasty shock and is willing to forgive your poor manners. He's one of the representatives of The Academy of Cupid training center. That's why he's here."

"How could you?" Daniel asked.

"It's quite simple, really," Mr Reynolds said. "Your parents are in dire financial and legal straits, and your mother knew that one of you, either you or her, was going to have to be sold. You, a nubile, beautiful, bisexual young boy will be worth considerably more than your mother is."

"Please, try to understand honey, it's not a bad life. I've read all about this school, they will treat you well. It won't be forever, just until I can get back on my feet and make enough money to buy you back. Please, you'll get three good meals a day, and they'll teach you a profession. It's much more than I could ever give you, it's the best choice for both of us," Mom said.

Some of Daniel's anger melted away as his mother began to cry. The tenderness of her words and the honesty in them, made Daniel feel a small pang of sorrow for his mother's plight rather than anger.

"I am sorry about the shock in the shower. Part of my assessment of potential purchases is getting candid video of them, so I can see what they look like when they aren't trying to impress anyone. You impress me, Daniel," Mr Reynolds said, a genuine smile on his face.

"There's no other way?" Daniel asked with a sense of hopelessness.

"It's that or be homeless. Homeless are usually rounded up and put into slavery anyway. With the money I'll get from you I could finally start my own business. My very own! Imagine it! When I make enough from that, I'll buy you back, and then we can be a family again," Mom said.

"The decision has been made regardless. I need to know if you are obedient, Daniel. It's the final box on my assessment. Now, please, stand up and remove your towel," Mr Reynolds said firmly.

Daniel looked at Mom. With tears in her eyes, she nodded. Daniel stood, and let the towel drop.

Daniel tried not to cry out as Mr Reynolds examined every inch of his nubile young body. There was no lust in his eyes, only a keen appraiser's demeanor. He was looking at him as if he were assessing the quality of a car or racehorse.

"Hmm, well dimensioned body, runner's physique. Little bit pudgy but not fat. Boyish but maturing. Beautiful creamy white skin tone, fair complexion. Auburn hair, slightly curly. Slightly freckled face. Brown eyes. Thin, but visible pubic hair emerging in groin. Circumsized penis, average size for age thirteen, quite beautiful. Scrotum is a little small but not unduly. About 157 centimeters [5'1"] tall, healthy weight. Turn around," he said.

It took Daniel a moment to realize that the last part was directed at him. He turned around, grateful to hide his front from the man.

"Rounded buttocks, nicely shaped. Skin on the back is as flawless as the front. Spine, straight." He concluded.

Daniel remained facing away from him as Mr Reynold spoke to his mother.

"We'll take him. He is a very sexy specimen, and obedient enough. Manners need work, but that's what the academy is for. You can turn back around, Daniel," he said.

He did so, this time covering his private parts with his hands. Mr Reynolds and Mom sat down on either side of him on the sofa, and at Mom's urging, Daniel sat between them. He couldn't speak. He just had every inch of his completely naked body examined by a man who wanted to buy him.

"Can I get dressed?" he asked after a minute had passed with Mr Reynolds and Mom discussing the terms and value of the sale.

"What for?" Mr Reynolds asked.

Daniel didn't want to think about the implications of that question, they were just too horrible. For what felt like an hour the man and Mom filled out paperwork and decided his future. When at last it was done, the woman who had been his mother had her check for a very large sum of money, and Mr Reynolds had his new slave.

"Say your farewells, quickly. It is time to leave," Mr Reynolds said as he snapped his briefcase shut.

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry, I had no other choice," Mrs Harcourt said to the boy who had previously been her son.

Daniel said nothing. He was surrounded by strangers. At Mr Reynolds' urging he stood. Mrs Harcourt followed.

"Can I go get my things?" Daniel asked quietly.

"What things?" Mr Reynolds asked.

"My stuff, like my clothes, my phone, you know?" he asked.

Mr Reynolds chuckled. "None of that belongs to you anymore. You belong to us now. You go to the school exactly as you are."

"Naked?" he asked, horrorstruck.

"Yes. It is a reminder of what you are now. You own nothing," Mr Reynolds told him.

Daniel was once again unable to speak. Mr Reynolds nodded approvingly.

"You're a fast learner. From now on you should only speak when spoken to in the presence of your masters. Failure to do so will be punished," he explained.

Daniel timidly walked to the front door at Mr Reynolds urging. When he opened it the cold autumn air hit his body and his skin erupted into goosebumps. He shivered slightly, both at the air and at his exposure to the world.

The walk from the door to the white van in the driveway that Mr Reynolds had arrived in was horrifying. Every passing car on the adjacent street could see him, every neighbor he had known for his whole life could see his nakedness. His bare feet objected to the cold, rough concrete. He was naked. It was with great relief that he climbed into the front row of passenger seats from the driver's side.

To his surprise there was another boy there already, sitting on the passenger side of the front row. Close to him in age, this boy was blond and ever fairer of skin than him, with shining blue eyes. His hair was very short, like a military buzz. He greeted Daniel with a genuine smile and a wave. He was clothed, wearing a simple white toga that hung to his knees.

"My name is William," he introduced himself.

Daniel didn't answer, he was too confused and upset. Tears were rolling down his face now. He buckled up habitually and then covered himself with his hands.

If William was insulted by Daniel's silence he didn't indicate as much. "They won't like that at the academy," he said matter of factly.

Mr Reynolds started the van and backed out onto the road.

"Won't like what?" Daniel managed after thirty seconds of continued silence.

"Crying. Or covering yourself," William answered.

"Are all boys like, always, you know?" Daniel asked.

"Naked? No, just when they arrive, and sometimes for punishments and lessons. But when you are naked, you get punished for covering yourself," William explained. His voice was boyish, not yet begun to change as Daniel's had:

"He's right. Daniel, move your hands," Mr Reynolds said from the front seat.

Daniel obeyed, but fresh tears appeared. He was so exposed, it wasn't fair. The upholstery was itchy on his bare backside. He wiped the tears away, remembering that William said they were forbidden as well.

"That's better," William said.

"Why are you here?" Daniel asked.

"We're amators" replied William.

"Amators?"

"Like partners. When I was sold two weeks ago there was no one to be my amator. So when Mr Reynolds was sent to buy you they sent me along to drive with you to the academy," William said.

"Where is the school?" Daniel asked. It was getting easier to talk now.

"Far. Like two hours away. We left really early in the morning," he answered.

They fell into a long silence after that. They were on the freeway now. Every person in every passing car could surely see him as they passed. Rain began to fall again as they drove. Daniel shivered.

"I know it's cold. I was super cold when I came to the school," William said.

"What does an amator do?" Daniel asked.

"We're partners. We go to class together and we help each other, we practice some things with each other. Oh, and we share a bed," he said.

"Share a bed?" Daniel asked.

"Mhm. The other boys are jealous and give me a hard time since I get my own bed because I didn't have an amator yet. But I do now."

There was another long silence. They were leaving the big city behind and were now traveling into the countryside.

"Hey Daniel, I have an idea," William said.

"Hmm?"

"Would you be more comfortable if I got naked too?" he asked.

The offer touched him. Maybe having an amator wouldn't be so bad. "Would you?" he asked.

"That's what amators are for," William said, kicking off his simple sandals and undoing his seatbelt.

"Thank you, William," Daniel said.

William pulled his toga over his head, revealing his skinny torso and simple cotton briefs. Daniel could see his ribs. With some effort William shimmied his underwear off as well, leaving him totally nude like his amator.

They looked at each other, both blushing a bit, Daniel more so than William. Daniel had never seen another boy his age naked before, only babies and toddlers and even then, only rarely. He was curious in spite of himself. William's body was boyish and less developed than his, but beautiful in its own awkward and gangly way. William was thin as a stick with long, skinny limbs. His circumcised penis was small, whereas his scrotum was large and round, hanging below the tip of his penis. Both were hairless. His package formed a contrast to Daniel's whose penis was four inches [10 cm] long and his scrotum small and tight.

"I'm glad to see you two bonding already," Mr Reynolds said from the front. Daniel had almost forgotten him. His interjection almost ruined the moment.

"I think you're pretty'" William said.

Daniel had never thought of himself as pretty before. He knew he was bisexual, but he'd never applied the term pretty to himself or other boys before. But as he feasted his eyes on William's body he realized that William was pretty, and found himself touched that William thought the same of him.

"I wish I'd grow pubes," William said mournfully, looking down at his groin.

"You will," Daniel reassured him.

"Yeah but the other boys tease me."

"How many are there?" Daniel asked.

"Thirty-six boys between the ages of twelve and sixteen. Thirty-five not counting yourself," Mr Reynolds answered uninvited.

Daniel and William both indulged in a dirty look at the front seat. William was right, him stripping down had made him feel better. Being nakedwasn't as bad when he wasn't the only one.

"What about girls?" Daniel asked.

"No girls. Only boys. There's a school for girls next to ours and they tell me that sometimes we do stuff together, but the Academy of Cupid is boys only," William answered.

"Men and women pay an absolute fortune for talented young male consorts. But enough talk. William, show him how to kiss to pass the time," Mr Reynolds ordered.

"Kiss?"

"Yeah, all the boys practice kissing with their amators," William explained as he unbuckled and scooted over.

"I…, I'm not sure." Daniel said apprehensively.

"It wasn't a request." Mr Reynolds responded sternly.

Daniel looked at William, who was now right beside him in the middle seat. William nodded at him. Daniel hesitated a moment more, then nodded back.

William leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. At that moment a fire lit in Daniel's stomach. He'd been thinking about boys lately, as well as girls. He had seen boys and girls kissing before, and often imagined doing it himself with someone. When jacking off at night his thoughts were on boys as often as on girls. The moment William's lips touched his Daniel knew that he wanted to kiss him back, so he did.

They pulled apart, grinning puckishly at each other. "That was only the beginning of how we're supposed to do it," William said.

"Keep going," Mr Reynolds ordered.

"The other boys taught me, but we're supposed to do it with our amator," William said.

"Then show me," Daniel requested.

William answered by scooching in all the way, so their hips and shoulders were touching. The bare skin on skin physical contact was warm and pleasant. He tilted his head in and licked Daniel's face, from his right jawline, up the check, stopping just below the eye. Daniel's eyes went wide.

William giggled. "Now you."

Daniel's heart was pounding. Here he was, in a van that was carrying him to a lifetime of slavery, naked as the day he was born, and now he was expected to kiss a boy he barely knew. It was too much.

"Please, Daniel. We'll get in trouble," William begged.

Daniel remembered the fire he had felt the first time and the desire to kiss his new friend. That combined with a desire to not get himself or anyone into trouble, inspired him to lick William back. He passed his tongue over William's face in the same way that William had. The feel of his skin beneath his tongue, the taste of him, was enthralling.

William planted a long kiss on Daniel's lips, and this time their mouths opened. Daniel's heart beat even faster when William's tongue entered his mouth. He moved his tongue over his friend's as they kissed. They pulled apart after three or four seconds.

"That felt really goo," William said. Daniel answered by smiling.

Daniel initiated the next kiss, this time licking his friend twice, once on the forehead and again from the jaw up to the ear. William shivered as Daniel's tongue passed over and partially into his ear. William answered by again kissing him on the lips and exploring the inside of Daniel's mouth with his tongue. This time the kiss lasted almost a dozen seconds before they pulled apart.

"This is so much more fun than when I had to do it with the other boys," William said.

Suddenly feeling very bold, Daniel began marinading his friend's face with saliva, using his lips and tongue however he chose, while William did the same to him. It was fun, ecstatic, and for a time Daniel forgot about the terribleness of his situation. When at last they decided to finish they were both sweaty, blushing, and their faces were wet. Both of their boyhood's were standing at attention.

"I've never seen two amators take to each other as well as you two have," Mr Reynolds commented.

William reached over and cupped Daniel's boyhood in his hand. Daniel recoiled and pushed it away. Suddenly the gravity of his situation returned in full force. The temporary reprieve provided by making out with William was gone.

Daniel turned away and leaned against the door, his shoulder pressed against the cold glass. Tears ran down his face like the raindrops on the glass.

William didn't say anything but scooted back to the passenger side seat and buckled in again.

Finally Mr Reynolds turned the van off the freeway and onto a single lane road that cut through empty land.

"Almost there," William said.

"Correct," Mr Reynolds agreed.

The road crested a small incline and then the Academy of Cupid came into view.

"There's your new home Daniel," Mr Reynolds said.

***

The school was a complex of minor buildings that surrounded a large central structure that looked like an Ancient Greek or Roman temple. All of the architecture was Romanesque or Greek. They weren't kidding with their name.

The van parked near a wrought iron gate in the high stone wall that enclosed the complex, in a covered row of parking places that were filled by identical vans and personal vehicles.

Daniel's sense of exposure increased again as he and William exited the van. His nakedness was exacerbated further when Mr Reynolds made William put his clothes back on, saying that only Daniel should be nude for his orientation.

Daniel had to battle the urge to cover himself with his hands as they passed through the gate one after the other.

Immediately ahead of them was a one-storey brick building set on a small incline. A stairway led from the stone walkway up to the main doors.

They ascended these stairs. Daniel keenly kept his eyes open for students and staff but saw none. As they approached the doors a stern looking woman, close to Mr Reynolds in age and similar in their professional yet somewhat uncanny demeanors, emerged and stood at the top of the stairs.

"Good morning Mrs Andrews, I've brought to you Daniel, age thirteen by one day. Daniel, this is Mrs Andrews, she will process you from here," Mr Reynolds said.

Daniel held out his hand to shake and was met with a cool glare in response. Mrs Andrews looked at his outstretched hand as if it were a dead squirrel on the walkway. He pulled it away.

"Mr Reynolds, his papers," she said.

He handed her a binder from his briefcase. She flipped through the contents quickly. Daniel shivered in the cold air. At least it has stopped raining.

"Hmph. It would appear from his assessments that Mr Reynolds thinks rather highly of you," she said.

She gave Daniel a long look, surveying his nude body with eyes that felt like X-ray beams. His skin crawled under her gaze.

"Well, we'll see," Mrs Andrews said. "I see you've met your amator already. Follow me. We're going to make a proper slave out of you."

Daniel and William followed her into the building. The doors shut behind them, ending Daniel's old life forever.

Chapter Two
Pleasure and Pain

Mrs Andrews led them down a small hallway of cheap linoleum and bare walls. They entered a medical exam room a few doors down.

Daniel gulped. How many more humiliations could they force upon him? Mrs Andrews gestured to the exam table, which he sat on. The cold vinyl caused his butt to itch.

"William, go get the shower ready for us," Mrs Andrews ordered. William left the room with a nod, leaving Daniel alone with the woman.

"The shower?" Daniel asked.

"Be silent," Mrs Andrews said sternly.

"What's going to happen to me?" he asked.

The response was an iron hard pinch on the forearm from Mrs Andrews' claw like hand. Daniel cried out in pain. Mrs Andrews stopped just short of drawing blood.

"Be. Silent." She warned.

Mrs Andrews then checked his blood pressure, took his weight, and did all the things of a standard medical check-up. Daniel remained silent throughout.

"Lay down and spread your legs," she ordered after completing the final step of the regular exam.

"What?" Daniel asked, forgetting the moratorium on speaking.

This time the punishment was a pinch on his right nipple, as hard as the first. Daniel screamed.

"Next time the pinch is in a place you really don't want it to be," she warned.

Daniel laid down as instructed, his heart was pounding and a fresh wave from his seemingly infinite reservoir of tears streamed down his cheeks.

He moaned in indignity as he felt Mrs Andrews's fingers probe and explore his boyhood, balls, and butthole.

"Have you ever had vaginal or anal sex?" She asked.

"I don't know what that means," he said.

"Then the answer is no. Stand up, we're done here."

Mrs Andrews marched him from the room and further down the hallway where they entered a tiled shower room with half a dozen nozzles around the walls.

William was there with a bucket full of hygiene stuff and a running shower head beside him. He was wearing a yellow poncho over his toga.

Mrs Andrews pulled a yellow poncho from the bucket and donned it over her clothes as well.

"You can't be serious," Daniel blurted before his brain caught up with his mouth.

This time the pinch was to his boyhood, Mrs Andrews crushed the meaty flesh of the tip between her fingers. Daniel couldn't even scream.

"Now get under the water and shut your mouth," she said.

William gave him a sympathetic look as he entered the freezing cold spray. It was his second cold shower of the day.

William and Mrs Andrews proceeded to scrub every inch of his body vigorously with soap and abrasive brushes until he was pink and pruney all over. His natural reaction to object to the unfamiliar hands on his body was checked by the fear of another pinch.

Then came the worst part. After he was washed and toweled down he was seated on a stool. From behind him came the sound of electric clippers.

Daniel could only sob as Mrs Andrews shaved his head. He knew now why William's hair was so short, he'd only had it for two weeks. First they took his clothes, next they were taking his dignity and vanity. A proper slave indeed.

After he was shaved William rubbed his shoulder with some antiseptic ointment at Mrs Andrew's instruction. Daniel knew an injection was coming, but didn't expect to be punctured by the largest syringe he'd ever seen.

He would have screamed except he was all out of screams. The needle went in and out in a second, but the pain endured for much longer.

"That's a micro RFID tracker. It's embedded into your triceps muscle. Any attempt to escape and you will be found. The penalties for escape are severe, so take my advice and don't do it," Mrs Andrews advised.

She and William then stowed away all the things they had used to wash, shave, and tag him. He was ordered to stand.

"Now it's time to meet the students and staff. William, go and ask the High Priest to call a general assembly in the temple," she ordered.

While William hurried ahead Daniel was lead by the shoulder out of the room and into the same hallway. He was taken down to the very end where there was another door leading outside.

It was drizzling again as Daniel was led across an open space of grass and trees in between the intake building and the temple. Daniel would have considered the campus quite beautiful if he didn't hate every brick of the place.

***

The temple was quite large and grand in its design. Three stories high and perhaps fifty meters [55yds] wide on its thin side that fronted the open space. The facade was adorned with Greek columns and a triangular cap.

"This is the temple. It is here that the fifteen and sixteen year-olds practice their trade as acolytes of Cupid. Worshippers travel from all over the world to make the sacrament with an acolyte. It is also where we have meetings and assemblies," Mrs Andrews explained as they approached.

Daniel knew better than to ask what the sacrament was. He had a pretty good idea, but it was too horrible to contemplate. It seemed that the Academy of Cupid was more than just a name.

The inside of the temple was a large open space, not unlike a church sanctuary. A pillared arcade ran around the lower half of the space, while above it was a gallery overlooking the room. There were no pews or benches, only an empty tile floor. At the far end of the space, at least fifty meters away, was a large marble altar.

A pair of nude statues, a man and a woman, three meters [10ft] tall and likewise made of white marble, stood on either side of the altar. The woman was looking at the man seductively, her nipples were aroused, and likewise the man had a raging stiffy. Daniel blushed a bit at the sight of the statues.

"Behold, Adam and Eve, the first lovers blessed by Venus and Cupid with the ability to procreate," Mrs Andrews said.

Daniel wasn't super familiar with the religion and mythology of the old world, but he didn't think that was right. He did not dare express that thought though, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Go and stand at the altar, between Adam and Eve. The students and staff will be here soon," he was commanded.

He obeyed. Upon the altar the words "come and experience the blessings of the flesh in exchange for the gift of prosperity" were inscribed.

A bell rang somewhere on the campus. Daniel stood idly at the altar as instructed while Mrs Andrews stood a short distance away.

A few minutes later the doors to the temple began opening and closing as boys came milling into the sanctuary. Daniel's sense of nakedness increased tenfold as students of the temple, all within a few years of him in age entered and looked at him. Some whispered among themselves while others simply stared at him. Daniel was reminded not to cover himself by a curt cough from Mrs Andrews.

Among the three dozen boys who arrived in groups of two to six were a handful of adults of both genders. Everyone, including the adults, wore the same featureless white cotton toga that hung to the knees.

After a few minutes everyone in the room faced Daniel and bowed as one. His cheeks went even redder. Why were they bowing to him?

He almost jumped out of his bare skin when he felt two warm hands upon his shoulders. He wheeled about and beheld an old man on the other side of the altar, wearing the same white toga as everyone else (except for Daniel). His toga was augmented by a gold-colored sash and he wore a laurel crown of leaves on his head. Daniel was looking at the High Priest.

Daniel bowed like everyone else. What a fool I am to think they were bowing to me.

"Rise, child," the High Priest said.

Daniel did so.

"What is your name?" the High Priest asked.

"Daniel, sir" he replied.

"My disciples and students, today we bring Daniel into our fold. Mr Reynolds and Mrs Andrews vouch for him," the priest said to the students and staff gathered near the altar.

"Daniel, we will teach you to give your body and spirit to others in the sacrament of lovemaking. You are a slave of Cupid, our founder and patron. Now, let us welcome Daniel into our family," he declared.

Mrs Andrews brought forward a blindfold. Daniel's heart went into his throat. This could mean nothing good. He meekly allowed Mrs Andrews to tie it around his head. Somehow being naked and blind was so much more humiliating than being naked alone.

"Begin!" the High Priest said.

Daniel heard someone approach him. They were very close. He felt someone's lips and tongue pass over his left nipple. He nearly cried out. They walked away without a word.

Someone else approached. If all the greetings were to be like the first, then this might actually be fun.

It wasn't. This greeting came in the form of a painful slap across the face. This time Daniel did cry out. The third salutation was a bite on the neck that hurt. He winced. This was not fun at all.

The fourth was a gentle caress of his balls with soft hands. He shivered as a wave of pleasure shook him. Fifth was another slap. Sixth, a kiss on the lips.

On and on it went, with some boys abusing him and others giving him affection. It was a confusing and scary experience, not knowing who was who, and not knowing if the next encounter would bring pleasure or pain.

At last the High Priest declared that the ritual was complete. Daniel's blindfold was removed. All of the people who were kind or cruel were before him. He had no idea who was which.

William stepped forward. He alone Daniel could be sure had done him kindness instead of injury. In his arms was a white toga like all the others.

Daniel allowed William to dress him, first with a pair of simple underwear, and then the toga. Blessed covering. He wasn't naked anymore. He nearly cried for joy.

"Now it is time for lunch," the High Priest said.

As if in answer Daniel's stomach rumbled noisily. He was reminded that he hadn't eaten anything that day.

Lunch was held in a small dining hall in an adjacent building. Like the intake building, the dining hall was set on a rise, and the large bay windows gave a great view of the surrounding wooded countryside. In the distance were mountains. Daniel again reflected that under better circumstances he would have considered the place to be beautiful.

William sat with him but no one else did. The tables were round, each with five chairs, all made from dark colored wood. There were more seats than were needed so they had a table to themselves. Food was served from a window into a large kitchen. Lunch was mashed potatoes and meatloaf with asparagus. It was delicious.

"Yeah the food is good here, I'll give them that," William said as Daniel tucked in.

"It's so weird. One second I'm getting pinched and told to be silent, the next I'm sitting here eating five star food" Daniel said.

"I don't get it either. You got through intake a lot better than I did," William said.

"How could you have been worse? I was a crying wreck the whole time." His nipple and boyhood still hurt from the pinches.

"Trust me I was worse. I almost got the fourth stage of corporal punishment. You only got to three once," said William.

"What's stage four?" asked Daniel. Before William answered he realized that he didn't want to know. Too late.

"Penetration by object," William said lightly. "They almost never do that though. Stage one is pain on arm or leg. Two is pain on nipples or butt. Three is pain in the private parts. Four is when they stick a big dildo in your butthole and make you walk around like that all day."

Daniel was horrified. "I hate this place."

"They almost never do four. They'll give you multiple threes first. I've only seen one stage four in two weeks," William said.

"Why were you sold?" Daniel asked. He felt like a person in a prison movie asking what someone was in for.

"We don't talk about our old lives here. You can even get in trouble for it," responded William.

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's easier to just pretend like you were always a slave," William told him.

After they finished eating William cleared their trays. "C'mon I'll show you our room."

He led Daniel to yet another building, this one a little larger than the others. Inside was an atrium with a staircase and a connecting hall that ran the length of the building.

Down this hallway were dorm rooms, six on a side. William took him upstairs to the second floor which was identical to the first. From there they went down the hall.

"And here we are," William said as they arrived at one of the rooms.

Daniel was surprised. It was roomy and well furnished. There was indeed only one bed, but it was a full sized mattress. There were two desks with chairs, two wardrobes, a closet, and a good amount of empty floor space. The room was lit by an overhead light and ceiling fan fixture in addition to a pair of desk lights. The whole affair was much larger than his bedroom in his old life.

His old life. Just this morning he was Daniel Harcourt. Student at Jefferson Middle, friends with Sam and Ken and all the others. He would never see his mom or dad again. Well, maybe his mom but likely never his dad.

He sat on the bed and stared at his feet. This was all so much to take in. William sat beside him.

"The first day is the hardest" he said, taking Daniel's hand in his.

Daniel made the decision not to cry. He'd been crying all morning and it had gotten him nowhere. This was his new reality.

"It must have been a lot harder for you without an amator," he said to William.

"Well, we're together now. We'll get through this," William answered.

"Was it real, in the van, or was it because Mr Reynolds told us to?" Daniel asked.

William answered by cupping Daniel's face in his hands and kissing him on the lips.

A bell rang somewhere, and the moment was over.

"Class time," William said.

"Oh, okay. I guess I didn't expect to start classes my very first day," Daniel remarked.

"Yep. Don't worry about being behind. It's mostly self-study with teacher supervision. I'll help you as much as I can. Boys are always coming and going so they don't stick to a rigid curriculum," William explained.

***

William took Daniel to a building full of classrooms and 'practice rooms.' Daniel didn't need to ask what happened in those rooms.

Their first lesson was reading.

"Reading?" Daniel asked incredulously.

"Yeah, they think well-educated boys are more attractive, so they teach us things like history, literature, philosophy, and stuff," William responded.

It was as good a first lesson as Daniel could have hoped for. The teacher was a man named Master Roberts, who took no extra notice of Daniel as they discussed the previous week's book, Jane Eyre.

After that was pornography appreciation. Daniel left with a face as red as a tomato. He saw more of the human body than he had ever cared to. The class taught them how to choreograph sex and demonstrated how porn was both realistic and unrealistic when it came to pleasing a partner.

"Most of the boys think that's their favorite class," William told Daniel as they left.

"What's yours?" Daniel asked.

"Yoga and calisthenics," replied William. "They want us to be as fit, and flexible as possible. It's a very relaxing class."

"How about least favorite?" was Daniel's next question.

"Oral. They make you practice on these gross dummies. Sometimes for detention they make you practice on one of the male teachers. That or kissing, because I didn't have a partner so I always had to swap with other pairs," answered William.

Daniel's head was spinning. Pornography appreciation, oral practice, yoga, kissing, reading. This was getting weirder and weirder. He'd known that there'd be things like this but now actually being in the thick of it, it didn't seem real.

So far, the other boys had left them alone. It seemed that boys primarily interacted with their amator. No doubt he'd get to know them in time, but for now Daniel was fine with being left alone.

"I'm really glad to have an amator," William said as they arrived at their final class of the day: oral. The sun was finally coming out.

The oral room was an open space with no desks, only a floor. Scattered about the room were lifelike dummies of males and females, anatomically correct in every way.

"Ugh," William said.

"Good afternoon boys. Welcome to beginner oral," said the teacher. She was a young woman, thin and prim and looked like a librarian. She introduced herself as Mistress Penelope.

The other students in the class were the younger brood of boys like Daniel and William, about ten in all.

Daniel and William positioned themselves on either side of a pair of dummies, one male and one female.

"We have a newcomer today. Daniel, have you ever given oral sex to a boy or a girl before?" Mistress Penelope asked.

"N-no," he answered.

Mistress Penelope whacked his arm with a metal ruler. It stung.

"Try again," she admonished.

"No ma'am," Daniel corrected.

"Better. Give it a go on the dummy, just you, I want to see how you do it."

"So I put his thing in my mouth?" he asked.

"It's called a penis. And yes. These are state of the art sex dummies. He will respond to your actions and I will critique you."

Feeling very unsure and awkward Daniel took the soft, small penis of the dummy and put it into his mouth. It felt like real skin.

"He's never going to get hard that way. Put some effort into it," Mistress Penelope said.

He tenderly began working it with his mouth. To his surprise the penis began to grow and became stiffer in his mouth. The dummy was getting a stiffy.

"Very good. Faster now. Play with his testicles, but gently," the teacher advised.

Daniel obeyed. Somehow this wasn't so bad. He felt the penis begin to throb in his mouth.

"You're a natural Daniel. Keep going. Put it all the way in until it touches the back of the throat. Yes, like that. Careful not to gag," she continued while Daniel worked. William was staring at him in surprise.

"And there we go!" Mistress Penelope exclaimed as the dummy emitted an electronic beeping noise.

Suddenly a squirt of water came out of the penis and landed in his throat. Daniel disengaged, coughing and choking.

"Don't worry, not real semen, obviously. Just salt water. Well done Daniel! That was very, very good for a first timer, and substantially better than some of our less talented boys who have been here a lot longer," the teacher said. She directed the last part at a small, dainty boy with brown hair who was sitting in the back.

"You deserve a reward. When you come back tomorrow, I'll have one for you," she announced.

The other boys were looking at her with wonder and envy. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself. Daniel suddenly felt naked again.

What had come over him? One second the dummy seemed gross and sucking its fake penis was a stupid idea. But somehow during the act he got carried away. As the other boys took turns practicing, he wondered what it would be like with a real boy.

After the lesson was over they had some free time before dinner. As they walked, Daniel noticed William was being unusually quiet. They went to their room, Daniel intending to nap before dinner, being exhausted from the day's events.

"What was that?" William asked as Daniel climbed into bed.

"Hmm?"

"Back there. You went nuts on that dummy. No one has ever earned praise from Mistress Penelope on their first day," William said.

"Guess I'm just good at it," Daniel replied sleepily.

William crawled into bed beside him. Daniel was grateful for the warmth and companionship. They snuggled up side by side. Soon they were asleep and remained so until dinner.

After dinner (spaghetti and sausage), it was time for homework. That involved reading from the next book selection (Lolita), doing a history worksheet (William helped), and then watching pornography together on their school issued tablets kept in their desks.

After that, Daniel went to sleep early. It had been a trying day in every sense of the word. He was horny from the porn, but since they were sharing a bed, he couldn't jack off like he wanted to.

William snuggled up in bed beside him once again. Both were wearing only underwear. The academy did not provide them with pajamas.

Subconsciously Daniel's hand went to his boyhood as he dozed. When he was brought back to alertness by a bang from upstairs, he noticed that William was looking at the shape of his hand in his underwear.

"Oh. Sorry," he said, turning pink.

William did not speak, but gently pulled Daniel's hand away and replaced it with his own.

Daniel gasped as he felt William's fingers on his balls and the palm of his hand on his boyhood. He looked at William who had an impish grin. Daniel smiled back and put his hand into William's underwear, so that their arms were crossed.

Giggling, they rubbed each other's boy parts. Even though it was tiny when it was soft, William's boyhood grew to be nearly as large as Daniel's as they both became aroused. They shimmied their underwear off altogether and laughed as their stiffies slapped against their bare stomachs. They took each other's boyhoods in hand and started jacking the other off. They were laughing, this was fun.

Not long after that they both reached the top within moments of each other. They each spurted into their amator's hand, creating a teaspoon apiece of the 'jack off juice', as Daniel called it.

After waves of pleasure coursed through his body Daniel's emotions changed faster than a traffic light.

Suddenly he was weeping. It was as if the orgasm had uncorked even more bottled-up emotions. That morning he had been a free person, and now he was a slave in bed with another boy who had just jacked him off. It was too much.

William held his hand and offered his bare shoulder which Daniel cried into gratefully. They fell asleep in this way.

***

The next morning began with showers. In an adjacent building was a common shower room where all of the boys showered together as one.

In his old life, Daniel would have been mortified by getting naked and showering with a bunch of other boys. However, given the circumstances of his first day at the academy, it was surprisingly easy to strip off his underwear and join the thirty five other boys under the spray.

He and William soaped each other up and scrubbed each other's scalps. He noticed that most of the boys were completely shaved down below, no hair at all. In fact, with his thin and scraggly assortment of pubes he was one of the hairiest boys in the school.

There was one boy who caught his eye. He was younger, like them, and was not with an amator. It was the boy who Mistress Penelope had looked at when she referred to the less talented boys in oral class.

"Hey William, why is he alone?" Daniel asked, pointing his chin towards her. He was trying to scrub his own back with a sad expression.

"Oh his amator hates him. He's terrible in all our classes. He was the newest boy before me, and I was the newest before you," William replied.

"So not all amators bond like we do?"

"Most do, but not them. Poor thing. His name is David," William said.

"He's not worth your time," came another voice. It came from one of the oldest boys, sixteen or thereabouts, and fully developed.

"Oh, hey Abraham. I think David is nice," William said.

"Take my word for it, you'd do better to leave that one alone. Not even his own amator likes him," Abraham said.

"Well Derek is a douche. Everyone thinks so," William answered. Daniel suppressed a chuckle.

"Ah, the new boy. Daniel, right? I heard you put on quite a show in your oral class," Abraham said.

Daniel felt distinctly awkward trying to have a conversation while completely naked with a likewise naked boy.

"Uh, yeah. I guess," he responded.

"Maybe you'll get to practice on a real person soon," Abraham said suggestively.

"Ew," Daniel said automatically.

Abraham frowned, "You are new. Once you've been here a little while all concept of grossness goes away."

"Say, where's your amator, Abraham?" William asked.

"Oh, Sammy is already done. I like to take the full time to shower. I think Daniel likes the showers too," was the reply.

Daniel realized that he had been staring at Abraham's penis for almost a minute straight.

"Oh, uh, sorry," he said hastily.

"Nothing to be ashamed of. If you like it, look at it. I like looking at you. Most of us turn bisexual within a few months here. A natural byproduct of the training," said Abraham, twisting his hips so his penis swayed side to side.

Daniel turned his eyes to Abraham's face. He was quite handsome, but then all the boys at the temple were. He had curly black hair, almost shoulder length, and a middle eastern complexion.

"Daniel turned bisexual the first time we kissed," William stated. Daniel might have slapped him.

Abraham laughed. "That good at it are you? I heard you two fooling around last night when I walked by your door."

Daniel averted his gaze while heat rushed to his cheeks.

"Aww, he really is new. You need to leave shame in the past my dude. I was complimenting you. It's a sign of a good amator bond. Some amators have full blown sex together regularly. Makes me sad for David, but he has it coming," Abraham said.

Suddenly the shower heads around them turned off as one. Showertime was over.

"See you around newbies," Abraham said with a genuine smile and left them.

"I like him," William said as they began toweling each other off.

David was a short distance away further down the bench where everyone was drying and dressing. Daniel wrapped a towel around his waist and wandered over to him.

"My name's Daniel," he said to the other boy.

"Hi. I'm David," was the reply.

"Do you want to hang out sometime?" Daniel asked.

"No," David said curtly. He stood and walked away.

"See? He's the problem, not us. We're all brothers here, and bullying is strictly forbidden," Abraham said.

After showering they had an uneventful breakfast. After that it was class time. Their first lesson was oral, which was one of the classes they had every day. As they entered, they noticed that there weren't any dummies on the floor.

"Good morning boys. We have a special activity today. I have a real treat for you. Our first human on human demonstration," Mistress Penelope said.

There was some excited muttering around the room. William looked nervous and David petrified.

"Everyone, stand over there and watch. Daniel, step forward," she continued.

"M-me, ma'am?" Daniel asked.

"Yes you. How many Daniels are there?"

Daniel nervously stepped forward and stood next to Mistress Penelope.

"This is your reward for doing so well yesterday," Mistress Penelope told him.

"Okayyy… thank you, ma'am," he replied. This was really weird.

"Please undress," she commanded.

Some reward! Daniel wanted to refuse, but knew it would not go well if he did. By now the state of nudity was losing its terror for him. It was only with a slight hesitation that he stripped off his toga and underwear. So there he was, stark naked in class. He shivered a bit.

"Lay down." Mistress Penelope said once he was nude.

Now he was really scared. He had some idea about what was going to happen but didn't want to think about it. He obeyed.

"David! Step forward and bring Daniel to orgasm with your mouth. Fail at this and you'll get a gauntlet. I'm tired of your lack of enthusiasm in this class and it's time you caught up with your fellow boys," Mistress Penelope ordered.

There was a collective gasp from the eleven other boys at the mention of a gauntlet. Daniel had no idea what that was, but it did not sound good.

David stepped forward and knelt in front of him. His eyes were red. He was so sure he was going to fail. Daniel felt a mixture of apprehension, excitement, and pity.

"Begin!" came the order.

David knelt. Very shyly he grabbed Daniel's half erect boyhood in his hand. He looked as though he had no idea what to do with it.

"Well put it in your mouth," Mistress Penelope said sternly.

David slowly put Daniel's penis into his mouth, and very timidly began to suck.

It felt kind of good, but not great. He came to full hardness, but he never felt like he was getting close to the top. David slowly bobbed up and down on his boyhood, never more than an inch or two.

Mistress Penelope began tapping her foot impatiently. When he came up for air Daniel noticed tears were on David's cheeks. In that moment Daniel knew what he had to do.

He grabbed the back of David's head and pulled it down so that his boyhood just touched the back of David's throat and his chin was resting on his balls.

"Pretend to swallow," Daniel whispered.

If David heard or not Daniel didn't know. He started to moan a little, and gradually got louder.

"Ah yeah, yeah, like that, yes, yes, yes, there it goes!" he cried, clenching his fists and doing everything he could to make it seem real.

David made an exaggerated swallowing motion and disengaged. Daniel was relieved when his boyhood softened almost immediately,

The deception seemed to fool the teacher at least. "Well it seems you've learned something after all," she said.

Daniel stood as David returned to the other boys. He looked at Mistress Penelope who was stripping.

Daniel noticed that Mistress Penelope was quite young and very beautiful. She finished taking her clothes off and stood naked beside her pupil. The class watched in rapt attention.

"Now Daniel, I want you to try to bring me to orgasm," she said. She laid down and spread her legs.

She was completely shaved down there. Daniel was very scared. He was fine with fooling around with William, but this was different.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded. Daniel knelt.

He lowered her face to Mistress Penelope's vagina and started to work. He remembered from the previous lesson and the porn that he had watched with William that enthusiasm was the key to female oral.

He was vigorous with his tongue, slathering it over every part of his teacher's labia, vulva, and vagina. He found the 'magic bean' and licked it ferociously.

Just like when he'd done the dummy, something took hold of him and he lost all inhibitions. This was fun. The taste of flesh under his tongue and on his lips was intoxicating.

It wasn't long before Mistress Penelope was shaking and moaning. Then, as Daniel's tongue was exploring the inside of her vagina she convulsed and let out an exclamation of joy. The classroom applauded.

"I can't believe it Daniel, you're so gifted!" she said as they returned to their feet. Her face was sweaty while Daniel's was soaked.

After that the boys listened to a lecture on the techniques used in oral sex, with Daniel's performance used as an example.

***

After class Daniel and William spent the ten minute break underneath an old oak tree outside the classroom building.

"You make the rest of us look bad," William said.

"I don't mean to. I'm just good at it," Daniel said.

"Last night you cried yourself to sleep, and today you're eating the teacher out," William remarked.

"It's a confusing time for me. I mean I enjoy doing these things, especially with you. But I'm still getting used to all of this," Daniel answered.

They were interrupted by the arrival of David. Again, without the benefit of his amator by his side.

"Thank you," he said.

"For what?" Daniel asked thickly. A moment later he remembered why and mentally slapped himself.

"For faking it. You saved me from a gauntlet," David answered.

"What is a gauntlet?" Daniel asked.

"You don't want to know." David said quickly, cutting off William who was about to speak.

"Think of it like a level five punishment," William said.

"Every time I start getting used to this place, I learn something else that's completely awful," Daniel said.

"It's not awful here. You get used to it," William said.

"You've only been here for a day. Wait, you'll hate it as much as I do. Thanks again, I owe you a big one," David said. He walked away before either of them could speak.

"That's the first time he's opened his mouth to say more than two words to anyone," William said.

"Well I know for sure I won't hate everything about this place," Daniel told him.

"Oh?"

"I don't hate you." smiled Daniel.

The End?