The Special Teacher

Chapter 6
Making New Friends

He was sure they’d chase after him, but he was bigger, he had his muscles, they were just girls. But when he looked back over his shoulder there was no one following him. He was alone. But he was also lost. He had no idea where this show was and he had no money, no phone, no car keys on him. He felt naked without them. Even if he could get to a phone he had no idea who to call. All his friends’ numbers were in his contacts, he didn’t know their actual phone numbers.

To make matters worse he could feel people watching him, their eyes glancing over his stupid shirt and then down to his bare feet. They thought he was one of the retards. They thought he shouldn’t be on his own. So he walked with as much determination and maturity as he could, arms crossed over his chest to hide as much of the stupid cartoon monkey as possible.

It’s a very long walk home. Thankfully Ngatea is a small town or it could have proved impossible. Still, he was barely halfway there and his feet were already killing him. How on Earth did Liam and the others walk all the way from their houses to school, play there all day running around like crazy, then walk all the way home, all in their bare feet?

And then it got worse. A jab of lightning hot pain stabbed through his big toe. Ethan cursed and grabbed at his foot, hopping on the other one then dropping to his bottom on the roughly paved footpath. He looked over the sole of his right foot, spotting the bright red blood bubbling from the big toe where he’d stepped on a particularly sharp twig. Damn it all! It was bad enough the bottom of his foot was now just as filthy as his students’ usually were, adding to his juvenile appearance, but now he was injured as well and with another couple kilometres to walk.

As he sat there wallowing in self-pity a middle aged man turned the corner and noticed his trouble. The man regarded him with some concern, no doubt taking in his wardrobe before asking, “Are you okay there buddy?”

Ethan cringed. It was obvious from the tone of voice that the man thought he was one of the town morons. A big part of him wanted to quickly correct that mistake, tell the man he was a grown adult and didn’t need his condescension. But on the other hand that seemed likely to be even more embarrassing. A grown man dressed like this, with a bleeding toe. It was easier just to play along for now.

“Hurt my toe,” he whispered back.

The man’s concern deepened and he knelt down beside Ethan. “Oh, you poor boy, let me have a look,” he urged.

Ethan died of shame inside as he let the man take his dirty foot and examine the wound. After a moment he smiled and assured, “It’s not too bad. Where do you live?”

“Te Aroha Road.”

“Really?!” the man exclaimed. “What are you doing all the way over here all by yourself?”

Ethan didn’t have an answer for that, so just shrugged.

“Well, that’s too far to walk with a cut like this,” he said. Then he ran his fingers gently across the rest of Ethan’s bare sole. It tickled and made him feel even more uncomfortable, especially as he couldn’t help but giggle.

“And your feet are so soft,” the man noted, sounding surprised. “You better come back to my house, it’s just around the corner. We’ll get that cut cleaned up and then I’ll drive you home. That sound okay?”

Ethan didn’t see he had much choice, so he nodded and let the man help him up. He didn’t let go of Ethan’s hand once he was up though, he led him by it, like he might run into the street after a shiny ball if not guided by an adult. It made him blush, but he said nothing, he just needed to get home, change into adult clothes, then he could worry about his dignity.

“What’s your name by the way? I’m Richard.”

“Ethan,” he answered quietly.

“Well don’t you worry Ethan, we’ll have you fixed up in no time. I’ve dealt with ouchie toes plenty of times before. It’s an occupational hazard for you boys always running around with bare feet.”

Ethan cringed at being called a boy, at the assumption he’d chosen to run around dressed like this. He walked on the heel of his right foot until they got to the man’s house, which did luckily turn out to be just around the corner. He noted there were some plastic toys abandoned in the front yard. Before he could ask about them the sound of plastic wheels on pavement grabbed his attention.

A young man was riding a big plastic child’s toy that looked like a tractor. The fellow looked to be in his late teens but was clearly one of the special school students. He wore a green t-shirt that reached his belly-button and nothing else. As he propelled himself down the driveway with his own bare feet his hairless, fully exposed penis flopped against the plastic seat of his toy.

“Da-dee! I widin!” the young man shouted, grinning from ear to ear.

The older man smiled at the boy on the toy and called out, “I can see that sweetie. Look at you go!”

The boy giggled and raced his toy right up to them, stopping it sharply before them and grinning ear to ear at his Daddy and the visitor, swinging his legs out and wiggling his toes. “Who dat?” he asked, no sense of manners, of introductions.

“This is Ethan and he’s got an ouchie toe, so Daddy is just going to help him get it cleaned up,” Richard answered for him.

The teen boy pointed at the hurt foot and said, “Gotta boo-boo.”

Richard nodded. “That’s right Simon. Just like you did last week.”

Simon nodded, actually looking proud, perhaps at remembering correctly. He grabbed one of his filthy, rough-soled feet and held it up to show it to his Daddy and the guest. “Wads awll ouchie,” he explained in his toddlerish diction. “Daddy kiff it bettah!” he declared, as though to assure Ethan that Daddy knew just what to do.

“I sure did,” Richard agreed, reaching over and mussing up the boy’s hair, earning an ear splitting screech of joy from Simon.

“So you going to be my special helper?” Richard asked the boy.

“Yeth!” Simon assured, standing up and abandoning his toy, reaching for his Daddy’s free hand.

Richard took the teen’s hand and they began to head for the house. But they’d only made it a few steps when Simon stopped abruptly and grabbed his dangling, floppy penis with his free hand, saying, “Uh-oh!”

Richard stopped too, asking Simon, “Is it tinkles buddy?”

Simon nodded sharply. “Pee-peeth!” he echoed.

“Well, do them now before we go inside silly boy!” Richard urged.

Simon giggled and pulled his hand free of his Daddy’s, widening his stance and grabbing his bare penis with both hands. It was only a second before he released a steady stream of tinkles into the grass before them.

Ethan couldn’t believe the man was allowing the boy to urinate in their front yard like this. It was absolutely disgusting. “No potty?” he asked, too shocked to stay silent.

Richard shook his head. “No need for that out here. It’s why we always let Simon be nakey-bummed when he plays outside. Much easier to do tinkles whenever the need strikes him and no accidents in his undies means no extra laundry for Daddy.”

Ethan felt a wave of revulsion at this explanation. The poor boy should be starting university, leaving home, becoming independent, dating girls, going to parties. Instead he was left half-naked to play in the yard because he wasn’t house broken yet, because he needed to pee in the grass like a puppy. And worst of all, he was smiling, he was oblivious to his state of utter dependence. He was just a simply little toddler in a big body and that’s probably all he’d ever be. This was his future, Ethan could see it. In ten years he could come back here and Simon would still be running around the yard with a floppy bare penis, doing his tinkles on the plants. He’d never know any better.

The stream slowed down to a series of spurts, then Simon was done. Richard rubbed the boy’s back and cooed, “You sure had a lot of tinkles that time buddy. Good boy.”

Simon absolutely beamed at the praise, turning to his father and letting himself be embraced in a tight hug. It wasn’t a manly hug, brief and with back slapping. No, it was a cuddle, a tight long embrace with Simon’s head resting on his Daddy’s shoulder.

“Okay, now, let’s deal with that toe,” Richard finally said, ending the cuddle and taking Simon’s hand again.

The house had been toddler proofed for a giant tot. Instead of knee-high gates at the doors there were soft mesh gates covering the whole door frame. Not just the lower kitchen cabinets but the upper ones also had childproof latches. Toys were scattered here and there, left wherever Simon had grown tired of them.

Richard noticed him looking at the toys. “You can play a bit after we fix up your toe buddy. I’m sure Simon would love to have a friend.”

“Hab a fwiend!” Simon parroted brightly, hopping up and down so his hairless pee-pee flopped against his tummy.

Ethan shook his head, he had no intention of staying here a moment longer than he had to. “I gotta get home,” he insisted. “Or… I’ll be in trouble,” he added, remembering to maintain his embarrassing cover.

Richard nodded. “Of course, we wouldn’t want that.”

They went up to the bathroom, Ethan sitting on the side of a tub filled with toddler bath toys. Simon dropped to his bare bottom on the floor, legs bowed out in front of him, wiggling his toes against one another and sucking his fingers. What kind of a life was this, Ethan wondered. He often thought it about his students, but he never saw how they lived out of school. To see what awaited them at home, it was jarring.

Richard got anti-bacterial wipes and plasters from the medicine cabinet. “Okay, let’s see that boo-boo,” he said kindly, kneeling down and cleaning the cut with the wipes.

“Ow!” Ethan couldn’t help squealing as the alcohol covered wipes made the cut sting nastily.

Richard frowned. “Sorry Ethan, but your feeties are very dirty and we don’t want the cut getting infected. It’s all clean now and it won’t hurt long.”

Ethan nodded and gritted his teeth until the stinging subsided.

“There we go, now a nice cool plaster for your war wound,” Richard joked, taking out a bright yellow SpongeBob plaster and wrapping at around Ethan’s big toe. “And it’s all done!”

Ethan was glad to have it over with. The god awful bright yellow plaster with its cartoon design was annoying, but at least now he could be on his way. He was about to stand back up when he noticed the toe was still tingling, but not in the same way as before. It wasn’t a stinging sensation, like the wipes. No it was actually kind of pleasant.

“See, you’re good as new!” Richard declared, patting his knee.

“Good ath newth!” Simon chirped around his fingers, wriggling his bare legs on the floor and clapping his feet together.

Ethan felt kind of funny as he stood up, sort of light headed. He blinked as a rush of fuzziness seemed to stuff his head up, clogging his brain.

“You feeling better now Ethan?” Richard asked.

Ethan only half caught his question, but managed to nod. The whole room seemed to nod up and down along with him. It was kind of silly, it made him giggle in fact. What a silly thing to do, what a silly boy he was being.

“Yes, you’re feeling much better,” Richard nodded. “Is your head all fluffy sweetie? All light and airy for me?”

“Uh-huh,” Ethan confirmed. “All fwuffy.”

He had to giggle again. His tongue felt all heavy and he’d said that word real funny.

Richard smiled and put his hand on Ethan’s shoulder comfortingly. “I know, it feels really good doesn’t it? That’s your special plaster doing its job. It doesn’t just fix the boo-boo on your toesie, it also fixes your head.”

Ethan gaped down at the special plaster, wondering how something way down on his foot could fix his head. And what was wrong with his head? Did it have a boo-boo too? He wasn’t sure. Suddenly he was quite confused about a lot of things. He looked back at Richard with slack-jawed confusion, feeling lost, feeling out of his depth.

“That’s right, it’s okay buddy, c’mere,” Richard cooed, opening his arms and inviting Ethan into a hug.

Ethan was more than happy to accept the cuddle. He wrapped his arms around the kind man and felt the Daddy’s arms close around his body, pulling him in extra tight. It felt so perfect, so safe. All his worries and confusion slipped away and he relaxed in the man’s embrace, letting his head rest against Richard’s strong shoulder. The man’s hand rubbed his back so gently, one cupping the back of his head too.

Richard whispered in his ear, “Good boy Ethan. Let it all go, let all the big boy thoughts go bye-byes. It feels just wonderful doesn’t it?”

Before the plaster went on his toe Ethan would have screamed at such a prospect, would have shoved the man away and run for it, cut toe or not. But now being called a good boy made him feel warm and loved, deep down inside. And the question was said with such kindness, it had to be a good thing. He found himself giggling even more, then turning his head to face the kind man and planting a big wet smooch on his cheek.

It was Richard’s turn to giggle now. “Oh, what a loving little boy you are,” he said.

Ethan didn’t even register that he was being called little. He made no objection this time, no insistence he was a big boy even. His head was too floaty, too melty.

“Now, we do have to get you home to Mummy soon, but I think first a little play time would be nice,” Richard mused, slowly releasing Ethan from the cuddle.

The idea of Mummy coming for him should have been terrifying, but now Ethan could only imagine more cuddles and kisses when he thought of Mummy. And play time sounded absolutely perfect!

“Yeff! Wanna pway!” Ethan agreed, not even noticing his loss of diction and vocabulary now.

Simon had climbed into a squatting position now and clapped his hands with joy at getting a new playmate.

“Okay, let’s get you two outside. It’s a lovely day after all,” Richard declared, taking Simon’s hand as he stood up and holding on to one of Ethan’s.

Ethan didn’t mind being led by the hand now. His intelligence was still slowly but surely ebbing away and he couldn’t recall feeling more excited about playing before. He was happy to be led to wherever the toys were. And he knew the grown-up man was in charge, he was just a little boy. He needed to be good and let the man hold his hand.

They headed back down to the front door, still wide open, the bright sunlight flooding in from the yard. But Richard stopped them at the front door. Ethan looked out at the yard and everything seemed brighter and more exciting again. He grinned ear to ear as the plastic toys left in the grass caught his eye. Toys were so much fun!

“Hold on buddy,” Richard said, holding Ethan back from running outside on his own to get to the toys.

“Wan dem toyth!” Ethan pleaded, pointing.

“I know buddy, but first I think you might be more comfy with your shorts and undies off, so you can tinkle easier, like Simon,” Richard suggested.

Ethan looked over at Simon, at the other boy, his equal, his playmate. He looked at Simon’s soft, hairless doodle hanging between his legs, all nakey. Yes, he wanted to be like his buddy of course, he wanted to be just like Simon. And it was so tricky to get clothes off when he needed to make pee-pees. Yes, this would make things so much easier.

“Wan’ off,” he agreed, tugging at the elastic waist of his board shorts with his free hand.

Richard smiled. “That’s what I thought. You’ll be much more comfy all nakey-bummed.”

Richard snaked his thumbs into the waist of Ethan’s shorts, grabbing the undies’ waist too, then yanked them both down in a single swift move. Ethan smiled at the feeling of air on his doodle and bum, placing his hands on Richard’s shoulders for balance as the man slipped his shorts and undies off each of his feet.

He felt the man’s big hand rub his smooth bare bottom as he stood back up with the discarded shorts now left in a heap on the floor. “There we go. That’s much better isn’t it?”

Ethan nodded with a grin. It felt much better than he’d even expected. No wonder Simon liked being bare-bottomed so much. Why would he ever wear undies if he didn’t have to?

Richard looked down and seemed to be really touched, smiling and patting Ethan’s shoulder. “Oh sweetie, I’m so glad to see you’re really enjoying this.”

Ethan didn’t understand what the grown-up meant. He was feeling really good though, really happy and all tingly in his head.

Richard continued though. “Look how happy your pee-pee is silly boy,” he said, gesturing.

Ethan looked down and saw that his doodle was indeed standing straight up, all stiff and big, the head bobbing against the bottom of his t-shirt. What a silly doodle he had! Richard reached over and lightly caressed it, stroking softly from his balls up the shaft. Pleasure exploded into Ethan’s head and he moaned and gasped.

“Oh sweetie, you really needed this didn’t you? You’re so excited you can barely contain yourself. I’m so happy I could help you,” Richard cooed, leaning in and kissing Ethan softly on his forehead. “You’re going to be such a happy boy, just like my little Simon. He needed it so badly too. And you’re just the same.”

Ethan was barely listening. He was lost in ecstasy from having his pee-pee fondled. But then Richard’s hand slipped away. Ethan frowned and pushed forward. He wanted more! But Richard shook his head. “No sweetie, you need to save your creamies for Mummy. She’ll help you baby, don’t you worry.”

Ethan didn’t want to wait. But then Richard gestured towards the toys again, and whatever he’d been thinking about was utterly forgotten. Ethan wanted to play!

“Go ahead boys, have fun,” Richard directed.

Simon toddled out the door and Ethan followed right after him. The sun was warm and delightful on his skin, the grass so perfect and soft under his feet. They reached the plastic tractors and fire trucks and cars in the middle of the lawn and both young men fell to their hands and knees in the dirt. Ethan grabbed a bright yellow toy tractor. It felt so satisfying in his hands. He pushed it along in the grass, his doodle going soft now, swinging free between his thighs just like Simon’s. The grass tickled it now and then, made him shiver and giggle, made it twitch like it might get all happy and stiff again. But he was too engrossed with the toys and the feelings would pass.

They played there for an unknown amount of time before Simon tired of his fire truck toy and sat back on his bottom, playing with his own toes. Ethan let go of his toy too, wanting to mimic his buddy. The grass was so gentle on the smooth skin of his bare bum when he sat on it. He grabbed his feet, exploring them like Simon was doing. It was fascinating how the toes wiggled.

Simon calmly yanked one foot right to his face and jammed his big toe in his mouth, slurping away at it, his eyes calmly scanning the sky. Ethan wondered what that taste like. He pulled his foot to his mouth and slipped his big toe between his lips. It was rough and funny tasting. But then something came loose in his mouth, something icky. He let the foot go and spit out the icky thing. It was the plaster. He’d forgot he had it on. Oopsie. He was a silly boy for forgetting.

No matter, Ethan grabbed the other foot, trying that big toe. Yes, that was better. He probed it with his tongue, licking at the dirt on it, gazing over at the flowers along the fence, wondering what they taste like. He wanted to know. He let his foot go, stood up and toddled right over to them, dropping down to a squat, resting on his haunches and grabbing a flower in his clumsy hands. He giggled brightly as it came loose, jamming it straight into his mouth, chewing at it.

Yucky! He spat the flower out. He didn’t like that at all. It was bright and pretty but didn’t taste nice. He felt warm liquid on his toes then and looked down to realise with total surprise that he was making pee-pees. Uh-ohs! He stood up, still doing tinkles, but managed to direct his doodle away so he got them on the flowers. He giggled because he was watering the flowers! What a silly boy he was! He scrunched his icky toesies in the grass, continuing to pee-pee, when with shocking rapidity the fog in his brain lifted.

It was like a light-switch was flipped. Ethan was fully lucid and horribly aware that he was standing naked from the belly-button down, peeing on the flowers in full view of Simon and Richard and, even worse, the road. What the fuck was he doing?! Why had he allowed the man to strip him naked like this and send him outside that way? More memories came flooding back and he gagged and nearly vomited as he recalled sucking his toes, his jamming his filthy bare feet in his mouth.

The peeing finally came to an end and Ethan was able to look around the yard. He instantly spotted the bright yellow plaster in the grass. The light-headed feeling, the tingling and foggy mentality had come on as soon as the plaster was on his toe. To his horror he realised that only his infantile decision to suck his toes has saved him, had removed the offending plaster.

But now what? He turned around to face the house, forcing himself not to cover his penis, not to give away his mental clarity. Simon was lying on his back in the grass, still playing with his toes. Richard was sitting on the front steps, on his phone, not paying full attention. But he couldn’t very well run for it this way. No, he had to get his shorts back on at the least.

Ethan toddled back across the lawn, straight up to Richard, ready to put on his best act. He nibbled on his index finger, trying to make his eyes wide and dumb looking. The man looked up from his phone with a smile. It was time to act. Ethan grabbed his penis, not to hide it, no to play with it, to yank at it like silly toddlers with no shame did. He grinned dumbly around his finger and said, “I wan’ juthe!”

Richard nodded, looking perfectly satisfied that the man before him had the mentality of a two year old. “Sure you can buddy. I saw you made some tinkles on the flowers, that must have felt good.”

Cringing inside Ethan nodded like a bobble-head and announced, “Doned uh-ohs!”

Was it too much? Was his over the top performance going to seal his fate? Was Richard going to force another plaster on his toe and watch him extra carefully this time, till his brains were gone for good and he wouldn’t even have to act like a toddler again, he’d actually think like one? It was a legitimate fear. If he didn’t get away right now he had no doubt Richard would make certain the next treatment was complete. A week from now, a year from now he’d still be lying in the grass with his penis flopping about for all to see, munching his toes next to Simon, a simpleton’s grin on his face.

But Richard simply said, “You sure did buddy, lots of uh-ohs. Okay, I’ll go get you some juice.”

The man got up and headed into the house. Ethan waited for him to completely disappear then darted inside to where his shorts and undies were thankfully sill lying in a heap. He yanked them on as fast as he could, then darted back out. But how to get away? His feet were still killing him and now there was no plaster on the cut.

That’s when he spotted the mountain bike with training wheels attached, sitting just inside the open garage. Wasting no time he sprinted across the yard, hopped on the bike and peddled it down the driveway and onto the footpath. He knew he still looked like a special boy riding a training wheeled bike in bare feet, but it was his best bet.

All the way home he kept looking over his shoulder, expecting a car to be following him, for another kind stranger with ulterior motives to jump out and capture him. But that didn’t happen. He made it home, hid the bike in the bushes and found his spare key still under the flower pot.

 

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