This is an original short story (one chapter). The places and people are fictional—although they may be archetypal. The story is not deep; the characterizations are only as deep as required for the action; this is just a little stroke piece. It is told from the standpoint of a senior prep school soccer captain. All characters engaged in sexual activity are over 18. ©2023, Brunosden
I was walking to my car with few fellow soccer teammates. The school day was over—and since it was Friday, with a game scheduled for Saturday morning, there was no after school practice. We had just finished a short strategy meeting with a few tapes of the opponents. We were joking and good-naturedly jostling each other. All of us lugged heavy backpacks, loaded with texts for a weekend of homework and were paying little attention to the world around our little circle.
As we reached the edge of the fencing which separated the "gun free, smoke free, drug free" Corpus Christi campus from the parking lot, I spotted what appeared to be a pile of rags just outside the gate, between two parked trucks. There was a used clothing box at the other side of the lot—and I assumed someone had just missed it and decided to dump anyway. As we approached, I realized that someone was under those clothes—and that someone was curled into a defensive fetal position—knees drawn up, hands overhead, all scrunched into a tight ball. There was a little blood on the ground. It was a boy, apparently naked except for a pair of tight black briefs. Torn jeans, a tee, a button up shirt, a jacket and a sweater had all been piled on top. It was obvious that he had been beaten and left.
I approached and lifted the tee over the boy's head and recognized Miguel, our goalie. "Miguel, can you hear me? We'll call for help. Can you tell us what happened?"
His eyes and his body opened. "Jeff, is that you? I thought they were coming back to teach me another lesson. I'm hurt pretty bad."
Four of us surrounded him—and Jacques pulled out his phone and dialed 911. I repeated, "Can you tell us what happened?"
"I was headed to my car a few minutes ago, talking on the cell, not paying much attention. Something hard hit me on the back of my head. There were four guys. I didn't really recognize most of them, but one guy, not from our school has been twice before warned me to me to drop off the team. I stumbled forward and fell. My phone went flying. I fell forward on my knees and belly and someone kicked my hip as I tried to get up. Then a large foot was placed on my back, and I was pushed to the ground. My backpack was pulled off. Then they used a knife to slice and pull off my jacket. My sweater and tee were pulled up over my face so I couldn't see what was coming. Someone tore my jeans off. They kicked me a few more times—at least twice in the thigh."
"Then one guy held me down while another pulled my briefs down. He swatted my bare butt and pushed something big and hard deep into my ass. It hurts like hell. Then it stopped suddenly. Maybe they heard you guys coming. They threw everything over me, warned me to stay still and silent if I knew what was good for me, and ran off."
"Did they say anything? Give you any reason for the attack?"
"No, not really. They said that I'd know why. But, they warned me not to show up for the game tomorrow."
I had the feeling he knew more than he was telling, but now was not the time to interrogate. Within minutes the EMT squad arrived. And a group of departing students, mostly athletes who had just finished after-school practice, had gathered to gawk. The EMT guys wrapped him in a thermal blanket, checked pulse, blood pressure, shined a light into his eyes, and examined all the bruises and cuts. At first they seemed concerned about a neck or back injury, but Miguel rolled over and smiled up at them. He had been speaking clearly. Miguel had been beaten, but didn't seem to have any permanent injuries or broken bones. The EMT's helped him to stand. I draped my jacket around his bare torso. It was long on him and covered almost all of his brief-covered mid-section, leaving his muscular legs exposed. They asked some questions and then finally decided that they could let Miguel decide. "Do you want us to take you to the ER?"
"Please no. I'm okay. I don't need the ER. ER would worry my Dad."
"Were you raped?"
"I don't think so."
"How old are you?"
"18, last March."
"Well you're old enough to make your own decision. Let's see if you can take a few steps. If you can walk, I guess we can skip the ER. But our advice is still to let us take you there."
Miguel walked a few and smiled.