I Own Nothing!

'Now he'd done it' Eliot thought as he sat in Sheriff Taylor's office'. Well not really an office per say more like the far corner of a one room prison. Kinda like on the Andy Griffith show only this was no TV show and he sure as hell wasn't hearing laughter from no audience." When Nate approached the crew with a con in Eliot's home town he was none too pleased to say the least. The prospect of seeing his family and friends again was not overly thrilling. Why you may ask? Well, to make a long story less long Eliot's dad died when he was eight. About two years later his mother met her second husband Earl. Earl adored Marcy; Eliot however was a different story all together. For eight years Eliot endured beating after beating from that man but he could never bring himself to break his mama's heart and tell her that her husband was a monster. As long as he never touched Marcy Eliot would never say anything. That didn't stop him from wanting to leave though. So when Eliot turned 18 he joined the army, his mama was so proud, his step father on the other hand was pissed. After all with Eliot gone who was Earl going to hit?

That brings us back to the current predicament. Sitting in a police station handcuffed to a chair waiting for his fate to be decided. That was the thing about Little Ridge the town was so small that the sheriff pulled double duty as both judge and jury in this town. And right now he was furious.

Sitting down at his desk Mac Taylor looked at the young man across from him. He hated to see Eliot like this. He had watch this boy grow into a fine young man and then poof he just upped and disappeared only to turn up 12 years later causing trouble. "Destruction of property, disorderly conduct, assault, and threat with a deadly weapon… did I leave anything out?"

"No Sir"

"Don't you 'No Sir' me boy… do you have any idea the kinda trouble yer in…Hu? I auta lock you up and throw away the damn key. Is that what you want? Well… Is it? I want an answer boy."

"No sir it's not"

"I didn't think so. I don't want to have ta do it neither. Specialy with what it would do to your poor ma seein her son behind bars. Well then… what do you suppose I do about you… I can't let you off scot free son much as I would love to. I have ta make an example of ya not to mention ya ain't gona learn nothing if ya ain't punished."

As the sheriff got up Eliot started to get an uncomfortable sinking feeling. The last time he had had a run in with the sheriff he had been 15. 'I didn't sit for a week after that'

"well Eliot here's how I see it… I could lock you up or I could use less conventional means of punishing you."

"less conventional means Sir?"

"Yes, if you want out of here without jail time I'll give you the hiddin of your life and let it go at that." 'Shit'

"Well boy what's it going to be?"

"I…I'll take the whippin" 'really what choice do I have' with that Sheriff Taylor uncuffed Eliot and turned towards the wall to fetch the thick leather belt he kept there.

"OK son, drop yer britches and get on over that desk." Trembling slightly Eliot got up from the chair and walked over to the desk undoing his jeans as he went. When he reached the desk he let his pants pool around his ankles and bent forward so that his elbows were resting on the desktop. "Underwear too boy, you know how it works" straightening up Eliot let his boxers join the pants at his ankles. Now, it's not like this was the first time he'd gotten it bare but for some reason his face was still heating up like an August day. As he bent over again Sheriff Taylor walked up beside him. "Now son you know I hate havin to do this but ya need to learn yer lesson and since neither one of us wants to see you spend the next 10 years in this here prison this is the only option I have left. Now I'm a gona give ya 100, that's ten for every year ya won't serve, if you try to stop me then I'll cuff ya to a cell door and give ya and extra dozen, you understand me." Eliot nodded his understanding and braced for the first blow.

CRACK…The first lash bit into his flesh like a knife… 'Damn that stung'… CRACK…the second left him gritting his teeth and screwing his eyes shut, CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…by the fifth it was all he could do to not cry out. 'He had been tortured by the best… Triads, Russians, hell they put him through worse in the damn black-ops training and never once had he talked or even really made a sound sept when they broke his rib that one time. So why was getting a lickin' with Mac Taylor's belt makin him want to cry like a naught little boy?' Somewhere around the 50th lash Eliot lost count all he could focus on was the searing pain in his backside. He sure wasn't going to be sitting comfortably for a long time. CRACK…Eliot slumped forward onto the desk with a whimper as the belt bit into the tender skin at the top of his thigh. CRACK… as the belt hit the same exact spot a second time Eliot lost his battle for control. "Almost done son just ten more to go" with great heaving sobs Eliot levered himself back up onto his elbows and braced himself for the final ten. CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK…CRACK. Eliot's knees gave out, the only thing keeping him from falling to the floor was the desk. "shuuu, son it's OK it's over."

Straightening up Eliot wiped his eyes with his sleeve then readjusted his pants. "I'm sorry sir"

"I know son… I Know. Now what in the hell made you do that to yer step dad anyways?"

"He…He hit mama"

"HE WHAT?"

"He hit her, used to beat me all the time when I was a kid. Never raised his hand to her though, never thought he would either, but when she said that she wanted me stay at the house while I was in town, well. They argued about it and he… well he snapped. Turned right around and hit her, knocked her right into the wall. I saw red. Next thing I knew you and Hank were haulin me outa the house."

"Eliot…Why didn't you say this before? And I'm not just talkin about today."

"Cause I didn't spect anyone to believe me before. And cause I deserved what I got today just like Earl deserved what he got."

"How on Gods green and verdant earth did you think you deserved to get whuped after defending yer ma like that?"

"Cause I saw the look she gave me when I was sittin in the car. It was like she didn't know me anymore"

"Son, yer mama loves you no matter what. And I'll wager a good guess she was still dazed from what Earl did to her."

Eliot just shrugged and looked at the floor. He herd Mac walk back around the desk to the wall where he had hung his coat and sidearm. "We're going to go pay yer mama another visit Eliot. And if that bustard is still there he aint gona be for much longer. "

Looking up startled Eliot just stared as Mac buckled his gun belt in place and headed for the door.

"You coming?"

"Yes Sir" Eliot hurried after the sheriff and out of the jail into the bright Texas sun.

Getting into the car, in the front this time, Eliot felt for the first time in a long time like everything was going to be ok.

END

So what did y'all think? The story sort of had a mind of it's own. I was thinking of a follow up with Earl getting his ass kicked for the second time. If you liked it and want more hit that review button down there. Don't make me get Eliot involved.