Jeremy

Nick strolled through the barn doors and headed toward the back where he kept his saddle. It was a beautiful day and he intended on taking advantage of it by riding his favorite horse around his property. At 6’4, 178lbs, he was a sight to behold. His head was bald (his choice) his face was clean shaved. He had beautiful white teeth, two full lips and his skin was a beautiful carmel color. He owned the farm that he grew up on. It was 9 beautiful, pristine acres that had once been a southern plantation. But, as the story goes, his great, great grandparents had been slaves on this very land. They had been lucky enough to have had an owner who didn’t believe in breaking up families. After the civil war, their children had grown up and earned a small income profit sharing. Eventually all the other freed slaves had left and the owner of the plantation had asked them to stay on and help run things. He had no wife and children of his own, and no living relatives to speak of. 
Nick’s ancestors pretty much ran things and continued to raise their families there. Eventually the owner died and willed everything he had to them. Of course the people of the day had tried every trick they could think of to ‘get those colored folk off that land,’ but their efforts were in vain. The will was water tight and it withstood every challenge that was thrown at it. As the years rolled by Nick’s family had prospered and were now considered one of the wealthiest in the state of Kentucky. Or, at least, Nick was. He also had no living relatives. His parents had died two years ago within six months of each other and he was an only child. His mother had wanted grandchildren before she died but, she didn’t know that her only child was gay.

So, here he was; 25, single and living in a huge farm house alone, with the exception of his housekeeper Eliza, and his butler Ethan. 

As Nick reached for the saddle he heard a slight rustling up in the hay loft. His hand stopped in mid-air and he paused to listen again. There should’ve been nobody in here today. He’d given all the hired hands the day off, to take advantage of the weather, and he knew that Eliza and Ethan were both in the house. Yet, there it was again. Somebody was moving around up there. 

He crept cautiously toward the ladder leading up to the loft and proceeded upwards as quiet as possible. Again the rustling greeted his ears and then it stopped. As he reached the top of the ladder, he peered into the loft and saw a pair of dirty feet sticking out of a pile of hay and that’s when he heard the gentle snoring.
Probably one of the towns many down and out he thought sadly. He climbed all the way into the loft and kneeled down at the pile of hay. Who ever it was had their face buried. 

Reaching down, he slowly pulled the hay away from where he thought the person’s head should be and was totally amazed when he saw that it was just a young boy.

“Alright,” Nick said loudly. “Wake up kid!”

The kid bolted upright at the sound of Nick’s voice, and would have slammed his head into Nick’s if he hadn’t jumped back in surprise. “Don’t hurt me,” the kid pleaded. “I’ll leave and I promise I won’t come back!”

He scrambled to his knees (sending hay flying everywhere) and leaped to his feet. Standing before Nick was a young kid around seventeen with brilliant green eyes and dirty blond hair. His clothes were in rags and he was painfully thin. Nick guessed he hadn’t had a decent meal in a long time. Also, from the smell, emanating from him, he hadn’t showered in at least a week. He was pretty ripe! 

His eyes darted around fearfully as if he expected more people to jump out at him 
“Slow down kid,” Nick said gently. “No one’s going to hurt you and you don’t have to leave...at least not until you tell me who you are and what you’re doing in my barn.”

The kid swallowed hard and licked his dry, cracked lips nervously. “I-I-I’m Jeremy,” he stammered. 

“That’s good kid.” Nick said slowly. “Now we’re getting somewhere. I’m Nick.” 
“I-I really didn’t mean to trespass,” Jeremy continued. “It’s just that I was so tired and…and…” 

Suddenly he burst into tears and sank down to his knees. He sobbed uncontrollably as Nicke gazed at him with pity. He sighed once and reached out to comfort Jeremy via a pat on the back. However, when he placed his hand on his back, Jeremy screamed in agony.

Nick pulled his hand away as if he were burned, then reached back out and gently lifted up his tattered jersey. My God, he thought to himself. Jeremy’s back was full of bruises and scratches. He reached down for his cell phone attached to his belt and pressed a button. Instantly Ethan’s voice came through. “Yes sir,” he said.
“Ah, yeah Ethan,” Nick answered. “Bring the pick-up down to the barn. I’m going to need some help bringing something back to the house. Tell Eliza to make up the guest room next to my mine, and hurry.”

“Yes Sir,” Ethan answered. The phone went dead, Jeremy smiled weakly at Nick and then passed out.

****

Running. He was running blind with fear because someone was chasing him with a thick leather belt. He was scared shitless too. But, there was someone who needed him. Someone who was calling his name in terror. He had to turn back and help this person. But, if he did, then the bad person, the evil man who drank a lot would beat him some more with that damned belt! What was he going to do? That voice was crying out to him again to come and help him. Jeremy, Jeremy! Help me! Please Jeremy…help me!

“Jeremy! Jeremy wake up! You’re dreaming man! Come on Jeremy…it’s alright…just wake up!”
Jeremy bolted up right and looked around in confusion. He shook his head to clear out the cobwebs and to shake off the rest of that horrible dream…no…nightmare that he just had. When his eyes cleared, he turned and saw that gorgeous black man…what was his name? Nick! Nick was sitting on the side of the bed. How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was escaping from his Father and then having this guy find him in his barn and…Oh Fuck, he thought to himself. His father.

“I-I gotta go,” he said quickly. He tried to move his legs to the side of the bed and winced in pain.
“Easy Jeremy,” Nick said gently. “You’re in no condition to go anywhere. Besides you have no clothes.”
Jeremy glanced under the covers and saw that he was (indeed) naked. Not only that, but somebody had bathed him and cleaned up all his scratches. But, he thought bitterly, that won’t make the bruises and pain go away. He sighed and laid back down.

“Now,” Nick continued. “Are you ready to tell me why I found you in my barn?”

Jeremy blinked once and tried to hold back the tears but they fell anyhow. He sobbed uncontrollably and didn’t object when Nick gently took him into his arms to console him. He wrapped his arms around Nick’s neck and his chest rose and fell as his body was racked with crying. Nick held onto him and wondered at the cruelty that this beautiful young boy had been through. The thought of anyone hurting him sent feelings of anger coursing through his body. The poor kid was beaten and bruised and painfully thin. He was dressed in rags but, yet, none of this could hide the fact that he was still a very sexy and desireable young man. Fuck! What the fuck was he thinking. The kid needed his help, not his cock! But, even still, he could not control the other feelings he was getting as he gently rocked the poor creature in his arms.