Chapter Two
Barney had been at the state home for a week when Mr. Black called him into his office. The office hours were over, but Barney just shrugged it off, Mr. Black was the head of the state home, so maybe he had work to do after hours, after all, he was in charge of the home and he did live there too, so maybe it was something to do with him and Clint finding a home, but if that were the case, why didn't he call Clint in as well. In truth, Barney didn't care much for Headmaster Black, that was what they had to call him since he was the head of the home, because he never seemed so found of Clint. Clint was a good kid and kept working hard, so Barney didn't see any reason for the headmaster to not like him, but whatever.
Barney arrived at the headmaster's office and had a seat, looking at him. He wasn't sure what the headmaster wanted, or why he was there so he waited for him to speak. That was something Barney had learned quickly here, you never speak here unless asked a direct question, so he waited.
"Barney, I'm sure you are wondering why I called you in here at this late hour," The headmaster asked with a smile.
"Well yes sir, I am curious," Barney replied quietly.
"I asked you here because your case worker seemed to think your father had been abusive to both you and your brother and she wanted me to talk to you about it. Could you tell me what your father would do to you?"
Barney paused for a moment. He knew you were to answer when asked a direct question, but what had happened between him and his father were things he wished he could forget, and that was what he was trying to do, he didn't really want to talk about them now. "I'd rather not sir," Barney replied quietly.
Headmaster Black smiled at him, "It's alright Barney, you can be honest with me in here, no one else will hear about it other then me."
Barney shook his head, "I understand that sir, but I have been spending this time trying to forget what happened, my father never really was a loving man."
"Oh, I don't think that is so, in fact, I think he loved you very much," Headmaster Black said with a smirk and Barney raised an eyebrow. "You see, your father and I were old colleges, I've known him for years, and when he passed away, I, being the head of this home, was able to help clean out his home to see what kind of home you had been living in so I could determine a good home for you and your brother. I must say I was quite happy to see the love your father had for you, in fact, I found a few of his love presents he left behind for you, and I was quite shocked to find you didn't want to bring them with you."
Barney raised a brow, and then gasped when he saw what Headmaster Black pulled out of his desk, using a key to unlock the compartment. There in his hands, Headmaster Black held up the black silk thong and the handcuffs. Barney shook his head, "No, when he died, I swore I'd never do such things again, and you can't make me!"
"Oh, is that so? And why was it you allowed your father to show you love the first time," he asked and Barney frowned.
"That was not love! That was a twisted drunkard's sick way of getting pleasure! He never loved me, he only used me," Barney thundered!
"Ah yes, I figured you would have an answer like that, so tell me, what was it that made you agree to his love, if it wasn't something you wanted, hum? You are a strong young man and very agile, you seemed to be the best on your football team, surely a young man of your strength could overpower a drunken man. So, if you didn't do it because you wanted, why did you do it, hum? Could it be because you did it to save that little brat of a brother," Headmaster Black asked with a smirk and Barney gasped.
"You can't mean that! You are the head of this home, you couldn't do that to one of your kids, it's not legal," Barney said quickly.
"You can take my words however you want to Bernard, that is up to you," he said with a smirk.
Barney shook his head, "No, you couldn't do that to Clint!"
"Who said I would do that to a reject like him? Doing that to him would be a waste of my time. Although he is a growing boy, and he would be entertaining, I would have to work for it too much, and it would be harder to hide. With you, you are full grown, and I know you can keep a secret, after all, you kept it about your father. No, I am not saying I would harm Clint in such a manner. The honest truth is that when there is a fight between the boys in this home and they are beating each other to a pulp, who is it that steps in and protects those being beaten up, hum? Oh, that's right, it's my job to protect them, isn't it? And when families come to adopt a child, who is it that shows them around, lets them see the children here and tries to influence their choice on which kid to take, that's right, it's me, isn't it? So no, I wouldn't hurt your brother, there is no need, but if you don't want to show how much you care about me, I can make sure your brother never finds a home and that living here is hell for him. I won't protect him from the older boys, in fact, I will make sure he is around the older boys, when you are not around. So, think about that Bernard before you say you don't want to show me you care," Headmaster Black said with a smirk, knowing full well what Barney would chose.
Barney sighed, his eyes showing his emotional pain, but nodded slowly, "Fi…Fine, I'll do what you ask, but you are not to let any harm come to Clint!"
Headmaster Black smirked, "I knew you would see it my way," he handed Barney the black silk thong with a smirk, "Here you are, go on and get changed and then return to my room, it's just through these doors."
Barney looked surprised, "You want to start tonight? You only just told me about it."
Headmaster Black smirked, "There's no time like the present, now go get changed."
"But…Clint is waiting for me," Barney replied, still surprised and a bit fearful, he though his days of doing this were over.
"Then I suppose we'll have to make it a quick session tonight so you can get back to that mistake," the man replied.
"Clint is not a mistake," Barney thundered.
"Go on now, go change and come back to my room, don't make me wait or I will make sure your brother's day is hell tomorrow," Black replied and Barney sighed.
Slowly Barney trudged down to the bathroom and went into one of the stalls and changed. He hated the feeling of these things, they were always so tight and uncomfortable, but he would have to deal, he was once again doing this to protect Clint. After changing, he slowly walked back to Headmaster Black's office, but this time, he walked into the bedroom rather then just staying in the office, and that night was one of the worst of his life.
An hour later Barney hobbled back to his own bedroom to meet a terrified Clint. Apparently Clint had been hiding under the blanket because lights out had been a while ago and young eight year old Clint was afraid of the dark. Clint shivered in fear under his blanket as he clenched his Robin Hood bear closely and Barney sighed. He walked over to his brother's bed and sat down.
"It's okay squirt, I'm back, and there's nothing to be afraid of."
Clint looked up at his big brother with wide eyes, "Barn, where were you? I was so scared that the boogie monster got you." Clint was of course too old to believe in such things, but all growing up their father had scared Clint with tails of the 'Boogie Monster,' and how he would grab unsuspecting kids right out of their beds and eat them all up. Clint often would hide in Barney's room to hide from that monster, and tonight was the same. Barney crawled into bed with Clint and wrapped his arms around him.
"It's okay Clint, I was just doing a job for Headmaster Black, I promised you I would always be here and I am," he said with a warm smile. "It's just that Headmaster Black has a few jobs he needs done later at night, and I guess he trusts me enough to give me those jobs."
Clint looked at him, worried, "So…So you'll be working at night? You won't be here?"
"No need to worry kid, Headmaster Black promised that on the nights he needs me to work, he'll let me come back before the morning so I can still sleep in here. I may be late, but I will be back. Now hush, everything is okay, and I am here, I'll be here for you, now get some sleep."
Clint didn't want to go to sleep, but Barney started to hum a song their mother use to sing to them to get them to sleep, and Clint slowly relaxed. In less then five minutes, Clint was asleep, and Barney sighed with relief. It took Barney twice as long to get to sleep, feeling used and dirty again, but eventually, his tired eyes won out and he fell asleep.
Over the next few years Barney served Headmaster Black's needs, and Clint was kept safe. Barney hated it, he was mad all the time, mad at his father for what he'd started, mad at his mother for leaving them all alone in this world, mad at Headmaster Black for the way he was treated. Barney was just really mad, and sadly he took his anger out on Clint. He bullied Clint, wanting Clint to have a taste of the hell he faced all the time now, but he felt horrible for it. He didn't mean to take his anger out on Clint, it just seemed to be his only vessel, and Clint always took it, taking up Barney's chores in the home and always trying harder to please Barney.
Finally Barney had had enough! He was tired of "meeting the needs" of Headmaster Black, and he wanted out! He knew he couldn't do anything without putting Clint in danger, so one night he packed all his things, and all of Clint's things and was ready to go. He had heard of a traveling circus that was coming through town, they could join up and run away and never have to look back at this home or Headmaster Black again, it was the only way to keep Clint and himself safe. Once everything was packed he woke Clint up to tell Clint his plan.
"But we can't just leave Barney, what if a family comes and wants to adopt us," Clint argued.
"No one's gonna adopt us kid, can't you see that," Barney fired.
"How do you know that," Clint asked raising a brow.
"Because…Because I just do," he thundered. How could he tell his little brother he knew they wouldn't be adopted because Headmaster Black would make sure they didn't. How could he tell him that Headmaster Black wanted them to stay because he wanted to keep Barney as his "toy." No, they were much better off leaving. "Besides kid, if we leave and join the circus, they will become our family."
Clint shook his head, "I don't know about this Barney."
Barney growled in annoyance, "Fine, don't come, stay here in this hell hole, but I'm leaving!"
Clint watched Barney pick up his stuff and go to leave and he grabbed his own bags and hurried after him, "Barney, wait, I'm coming too!"
With some quick talking, Barney was able to land them both jobs. Clint got a job with the Swordsmen, and Barney got a job as a roustabout. They were only there that night before the circus packed up and left town, and Barney never looked back, finally free of that life.