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Gonzales interrupted
my sobbing. “Rick. Listen to me. You have no choice but to stay here. Maria is
your legal guardian for almost a year before you becomes an adult. If you
manage to escape, Maria would go to the police and report you as a runaway, so
you will be arrested if you manage to enter the States and then you will spend
time in the juvies.”
“B..”
The gag made my speaking unintelligible.
“No but! I am now
going to explain your stay here. You will join a peer group as Mule. We have three
levels in our program: Mules, Miners and Mentors. You will be Mule for two
weeks before you can stand up at group therapy on Fridays and apply for the
next level. Mules don’t talk unless we are in group therapy; Mules are gagged
and tied to the carts during work and escorted by Miners or Mentors outside
work guided by a harness. Every morning you will get an enema so you don’t need
a visit to the toilet in order to do number two. If you feel the need to pee,
just do it on the ground. That part of your harness will be cleaned from time
to time. Please follow the staff-member.”
One of the
staff-members came over and connected a leash at each side of the bit. He
pulled and I had no choice but to follow him like a …. a
mule!”
We walked outside
where I saw that is was come kind of gravel business. There must have been
about 100 teenagers in action. Half of them were pulling cart dressed like me.
Others were busy with shovels filling the carts and a few students went around
nursing and overseeing the others.
A group of 5 teenagers
stopped to work, when we approached. The staff-member introduced me. “This is
Rich – you new mule. Rich: This is peer group 8, from Left: Ashley –
The staff-member left.
Ashley took the word. “Miners: Group hug.” They all came over and hugged me.
“Rick. You will be OK. We will look after you during your path towards
healing.”
Ashley took me over to
a cart. In fact it was a converted bicycle trailer with two poles going from
it. I was placed between them and hooked on to it with chains going from both
the cuffs and waist clincher. “Look Rick. The cart will be filled with gravel
by one of the miners. It is 50-70 kilos you have to pull. You have to take it
up to the top where another group will empty it. It is hot and I am going to
look at you every time you return in order to check if you need water. We work
the whole afternoon with breaks every second hour until 6 p.m. but try to
forget about the time. There is no clock anyway. Follow me and just be
cooperative. I have to tell you that I have to use the whip on you if you don’t
work. I don’t like it. In fact it will hurt me as much as it will hurt you, but
it will be for your own best.”
She pulled me over to
Vanessa who started to shovel gravel into the cart. When she signed me that I
finished I tried to pull the cart. It would not move. Vanessa gave it a push
and it began to move. I stopped again and now I could not move it. Ashley came
over. “Once you have got it in motion, do not stop unless you have no choice.
You have obvious neglected your body but we will see to that we fix it. Let me
help you a little.” She pushed it and I got going again. It was hard and I was
about to slow down again when Ashley, who obviously had followed me intervened.
“No you don’t.” Then I felt a lash from her whip on my left buttock. She
continued to follow me all the way. Once I arrived other miners emptied the
cart and I went back to my own peer group.
All afternoon went by
doing the same. The cart was filled. I pulled it up from the gravel pit. The
cart was emptied. Ashley only followed me the first time. She checked on me as
she checked the other mules every time I returned to the team. Inside I was
crying and angry. Why had Maria done this to me? I did not deserve it. I had
lost my parents. Should I not be allowed to grieve for them?
It was sunset when we
heard a whistle, which signaled that the work was over. We all left the gravel
pit. The miners release us and guided us over to showers, which was placed
outside the building. First they went under. It was not much of a shower, we
were allowed. Only about 30 seconds showering before it was out again. Then
they took us under the shower. We did not even get the outfit off. We showered
with out clothes on! I had been sweating so much that I barely got wet because
it almost steamed off me.
After showering, the
miners dried us with towels and we was guided into a large dining hall and placed
at a table with the number of our peer group on. The miners unhooked our cuffs
and the bit came out. I was sore in my cheeks, so it took a little before I
could talk. I turned towards Vanessa and presented myself. Ashley came over at
once. “No talking. You are a Mule. You are only allowed to talk during group
therapy. Shut up at once or the bit will be replaced with a tube gag, so you
have to drink your dinner.”
She meant business, no
question about that. Dinner was some odd mix containing chicken. Ashley and the
miners talked. As I could understand from their conversation, they were here
because they had partied without permission from their parents or having
trouble with rules in the house. Vanessa spoke to me. “Rick. You are not
allowed to talk, so I am just going to say to you that I think you did well
today. Yes, I can see that you are sad but forget this self-pity. You are here
by your own actions and there is only one person, who can get you out. It is
you, so grab a hold of yourself and start to reflect on why you victimize
yourself.”
After dinner it was
time for education. First Ashley took me to the bathroom where the butt-plug,
as they called the thing in my behind, was removed. Then she followed me to a
class-room.
Ashley took me to a
computer. “Here is your workstation. All the school papers from your school
have been transferred here and you are now a distance student at your old
school. I can see that you have neglected your school work for a long time, so
you just have to get on with it. The others have time on their own, which they
have earned by hard work. You have to show results, before you can earn free
time. So get on with it. I will get you in two hours.” She left.
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