Into Another World - Sean's Story 15

Into Another World - Sean's Story

Part 15

Posted: March 30, 2007
Title: Into Another World - Sean's Story
Author: Ian Howe

*****

Sean took a deep breath and savoured the crisp desert air at night. He was free, finally. Well, almost. He still had to make it to the next oasis, but he was well-prepared and confident. It was only twenty miles and the night was young. With any luck, he'd arrive there in the morning, then talk to this other Sheik, and maybe he could even spend the next night in his own bed. Sean smiled to himself and set a steady pace for his march toward the West.

Gathering his equipment had been a piece of cake. Viggo had shown him a secret way to sneak into the kitchen earlier during their lunch raid, and Sean had picked up a loaf of sweet bread. Enough to live on for a night and a day, yet light to carry. Thanks to Patrick, he had boots, a coat, and a hat, all pilfered from the garden shed. He still felt guilty for drawing the boy into this, but each to his own, and he had to get away.

With a mild sense of unease, Sean remembered the acquisition of his water bottles. The kitchen had only provided porcelain and glass pots which were too heavy to lug through the desert. The Brit knew he'd need a lot of water and these pots wouldn't do. The only thing he could think of to solve his dilemma were the rubber enema bottles he had seen in Hugo's cupboards. His mind had balked at the thought of drinking from them, but he had had no time to come up with a suitable alternative.

Breaking into the doctor's room hadn't been an issue as nobody ever bothered to lock their doors. Sean had known his decision to flee was right when he saw the urethral sounds on Hugo's desk, together with a note to the nurse to have them sterilised. Next to the sounds, he had found another anal plug, larger than the one he had worn today. No, he had had no choice but to leave.

Sean had picked up two of the bottles. He had estimated that each held two litres, not too much, but he hoped to reach the other oasis by mid-morning the next day. Besides, too a heavy load would only slow him down. He had scanned the cupboards for anything else that might come in useful for his trip, then took a quick look in the adjoining rooms. His face broke into a wide grin when he found a box containing a blow-up doll... priceless! Placed under his blankets, it would make the others assume that he was sleeping late after over-indulging.

When Sean had opened the remaining door from Hugo's study, he had identified that room as the place he had been brought to when he'd arrived. His breathing had hitched for a moment on realising that he wasn't alone. The moonlight fell onto a still figure lying on his front, the uncovered back marred by stripes, welts, and bruises. Sean had gasped when he had recognised Christian. The young man had been deeply asleep, but Sean had suddenly realised that someone had to be looking after Christian, and he'd better leave the ward immediately if he didn't want to get caught.

He had returned to his quarters, filled the bottles after he had found to his relief that they were new, and packed his provisions into a bag he had also nicked from the garden shed. Then he had inflated the doll – a male doll, for fuck's sake; he hadn't even been aware that such things existed! – and arranged it under the sheets. It looked quite convincing when seen from the door and he hoped it might buy him another hour or two the next morning.

Dressed and with the pack slung over his shoulder, Sean had not looked back when he had left. Now he was out in the desert again, but this time he knew where he was headed and he had supplies. He'd be home soon!

One of the books in the library had stated that the average walking speed in the desert was less than a mile per hour. That had to be wrong, of course. Still, he'd travel slower than in the English countryside, so he'd better make as much progress as he could during the night.

Occasionally checking his bearings, Sean was relieved that his way led him along the dunes, not across them. Since he knew the direction, he didn't have to repeatedly climb the dunes to see if he was still on track. He'd do that from time to time when it became day, but for now he was happy to find his directions from the sky.

Bless his father who had explained the night sky to a young Sean. He knew how to locate the Big Dipper which pointed him to the Polar Star, and thus North. Sean smiled at the memory. When his father had introduced him to the constellations, Sean had asked why the bears had such long tails. Da had told him that a 16th century astronomer claimed that since bears were heavy creatures, lifting them up to the sky had required swinging them around a few times in order to gain enough momentum before letting go. Since the bears had been grabbed by their tails to achieve this, the tails had been stretched by the strain.

Sighing, Sean wondered if anyone would be telling his daughters about the bears in the night skies. He really needed to go home, although his sojourn at the oasis had admittedly had its benefits. Thinking about his old life, he planned the changes he would make. From now on, he'd not only lead a healthier life, but also spend more time with his girls. He'd speak with Mel and Abby and convince them that he'd be a better father in the future.

Yes, he had really enjoyed a few aspects of living at Sheik Urban's place. The happy afternoons with Patrick were also something he'd miss, as well as the discussions in the library with Christian.

Sean frowned. Seeing Christian hurt had of course startled him. Why would anyone ask to be whipped? He knew it had something to do with him, with the encounter in the garden after he and Viggo – No, stop that, this wasn't about Viggo, it was about Christian. There was something profoundly unsettling about the young man, and it was more than his strange craving for pain.

The young Brit had intrigued him from the first time Sean had seen him. He had looked somehow lost, as if he didn't fit into the harem. Like himself. So, maybe it was just the instinctive solidarity with another outcast who didn't belong there. However, Sean suspected there was more to it. He had to admit that he was very fond of Christian – hey, nothing wrong with that! In particular after having seen him in Hugo's rooms, Sean had wanted to cradle the boy's body in his arms and protect him; Christian had looked so young and vulnerable!

Suddenly, understanding hit. Christian had to be at least fifteen years younger than him. Taken away from his own children, Sean had simply found a surrogate child in the absence of his daughters' presence. In the blond's heart, Christian had taken the place of the son Sean had never had. He felt relieved. Of course, his feelings for the younger man were totally innocent and made sense to him now. He wished he could have told Christian, said good-bye to him, but he couldn't have taken the risk.

The night passed quickly. When Sean suddenly found himself in broad daylight, he remembered that the twilight period was much shorter in these regions. He decided to climb a dune and see if he could already make out the other oasis at the horizon. To his joy, he could indeed see something in the West. It was impossible to estimate the distance and it didn't look as if he'd reach the place by mid-morning as planned, but it didn't matter. Spurred on by having seen his goal, Sean felt refreshed despite having walked all night.

Hiking the desert in the sun was much less comfortable than during the night. Sean had not been able to find sun glasses and he thanked his luck that the oasis was located in the West. Still, the sand was unbearably bright and the hat didn't offer much protection. He had climbed a dune now and then, but the distance to oasis didn't appear to diminish.

The desert appeared to be infinite and Sean grew weary. He began to stumble and cursed the sand that got into his clothes and chafed at his skin. His thoughts wandered aimlessly and he was too tired to think of something rewarding like his girls. Instead, he remembered stupid things like a joke he'd heard once about a Foreign Legionary in the desert. What was it the guy had said? "I joined the Foreign Legion to forget the love of my life. Now, I find myself constantly reminded of her. Her name was Sandra..." Sean vowed he'd never go to a desert region or a beach again, nor a sand box in a playground...

When the sun rose higher, it became even worse. After emptying his second water bottle, Sean began to wonder if he hadn't made a serious miscalculation. He should have spoken to Ian and the Sheik, and asked them to spare him Hugo's probes. He was even beginning to contemplate if the large plug he'd seen on Hugo's desk wouldn't have been the lesser evil in comparison to the endless desert.

It was too late. Besides, that plug was only the next step on his way to the Sheik's bed, and he wasn't going to end up there. Sean knew that he was being corrupted; his experience with Viggo had clearly shown that.

The blond shuddered when he remembered how Ian had finally removed the plug. The older man had twisted the thing inside him before pulling it out, and Sean had gasped and jerked at the assault on his prostate.

"Is there anything I can do for you, dear heart?" Ian had asked innocently, and Sean had a smug grin on his face when he had politely declined the offer. Thanks to Viggo, he had not been interested in the older man's skills.

Then, Ian had sent him off to his appointment with Christian in the library. Instead of going there, Sean had joined Viggo for their kitchen raid and by the time he'd arrived at the library, Christian hadn't been there anymore. Maybe he had never been there at all after Sean had so unnecessarily lashed out at him, but now he'd never find out. Not that it mattered anymore...

Sean chuckled when he thought of Viggo. The Dane sure was a bit of a maverick, one heck of a mate. He'd miss their conversations and the fun they had had. Not yesterday's incident, of course, although he had really overreacted then. After all, he hadn't actively jerked Viggo off. Every man at the oasis knew that Sean wouldn't do that.

It had taken him a while to understand that being pleasured by a man didn't make him gay. The giving of pleasure to others was what made the difference. He couldn't remember the exact words Ian had used, but this had clearly been the older man's message. So, why should he have stopped Viggo from making him come? Sean wasn't liable for the Dane bringing himself off at the same time.

Although he didn't feel at fault for his behaviour, he was thankful when this train of thought was interrupted by something moving in front of him. Sean was again standing on top of a dune, and now he took his coat off and waved it enthusiastically. The figures changed direction and he cried out in victory.

He was picked up by the group of riders and they reached the oasis when the sun set.

*****

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