Things went on like this for several weeks, in fact one day I looked up to see Shadow coming through the door and I realized, it had been just over three months now since that first night that I seen him. We talked nearly every night since then, at some point, the boy had expressed his concern that his boss would find out but I assured him I’d take of anything that may or may not happen. The truth of the matter was I had paid the pimp off, he knew from the beginning that I wanted Shadow and he was fine with it, as long as he got the kid’s worth out of it and as it was he’d gotten that and more so far.

A lot had happened in those three months, well in my opinion anyway. Little by little Shadow had opened up to me and I started to be able see just why he was here, what stopped that fire in his eyes from going out and he got to know me too. Tonight though … Well, things would change tonight, we’d reach a new level I decided.

He was the classic case of abuse; people from the south liked to drink and his Mother and her boyfriend were no different. Normally his Mom was passed out and that’s when the boyfriend took over as the parental figure. He never bored me with details as he liked to put it but one can get the general idea. If nothing else, the guy gave Shadow a high pain tolerance and loosened him up enough to be enjoyable to the rest of us. At that point, I hadn’t yet used Shadow, I still paid for him as I stated but for me this was more then sex. I wanted to fuck him of course but I wasn’t into whores, I didn’t want “Shadow” I wanted whomever Shadow hid.

Basketball was Shadow’s outlet, turned out the boy hardly slept so while the rest of the whores slept the day away, he was out playing ball in the local lot. He never knew but I had followed him a few times, the kid had talent, he could have gone far … Just another waste if you ask me but what could you do about it now?

As he sat down in the corner, at his usual place I finished up with another customer and walked over. Flashing my eyes over him, I saw a harsh new bruise around his jawbone but didn’t say anything at first and neither did he. He looked lost, as if his world had been shattered. He shook his head when I offered him a drink and looked down at his own lap before looking towards me again. He had something on his mind but by now, I knew he was locked up tighter then I’d ever seen a boy so, you had to work him just right. I just leaned down and rested my arms on the bar.

“They all hurt you?” I asked and saw a look of shock cross his face and I knew I saw a flash of sadness and he even held back tears. Out of all the things we had talked about, he always managed to more or less dodge the top of the line of work he was in but after three months, I wanted to push things further. I thought by this point, I already learned almost everything there was to learn after all. He just shook his head and move to get up, instead of letting him go however I grabbed a hold of his wrist and he turned back to look at me. “Sit down.” I told him and he did. He had to understand that it was all OK to talk about it, with me anyway.

His eyes stared into mine and he finally shook his head. It was if something broken in him right then and there, I think I could have asked any question and gotten an answer. “Only some of them.” He finally told me and I nodded. Lifting my hand I gently traced his jaw with my thumb, more and more whores were leaving with Johns, it was getting late, and I had time to talk …

“Shadow.” I started. “I want to know something. We had been talking for a while now and there’s something I’ve always questioned. Why Shadow?”

It was then the boy’s face softened and he nearly smiled. In fact, he did smile and again I nearly lost it. I love it when he did that. Biting his lip, he sighed before beginning. “It’s nothing big …” He shrugged. “I use to hide a lot as a kid, whenever by mom’s boyfriend would come after me and I could get away I’d hide outside, in the shadows. I just felt protected in the night so what better when to protect the real me ya know?”

Leaning closer to him, I wanted nothing more then to touch him, to hold him and most of all to hurt him. I wanted to hear him cry as he had whenever he couldn’t get away those nights that his Mother was passed out. I wanted to beat him, and make him beg for what he didn’t want, what he hated and what he feared. He had no idea of the thoughts that ran inside my head though; if he had, he would have headed for the door and never looked back. Not that I’d let him go of course, I had plans for him and even if they didn’t go according to plan in the end he’d be worth all my money and trouble.

“Most boys forget who they are, ya know?” I told him. “After a while they just move pass all the old shit and do nothing but deal with the new stuff.” Looking at the clock that was just above our heads a moment I licked my lips. “I’m out for the night.” I said, though it was a lie, I knew the others would cover me. He nodded his head and looked down again; I could tell he was disappointed. “Come out with me.” I ordered him gently and later as I walked out the door he followed. He was a good boy after all … Always did what he was told.

Once outside I lit a cigarette and leaned against the wall. Sighing some I just laughed aloud, knowing he wouldn’t understand why. “You’ve come here nearly every night I’ve worked for three months.” I pointed out taking a drag and them removing the cigarette from my lips. “Why is that?”

“I like it here.” He answered.

“Just here?”

“And …” He shied away some like he always did and looked up and down the street. He didn’t go any further. “Do you even enjoy being fucked anymore?” I asked bluntly. The teen before me was growing weaker by the moment and I had no idea what was causing this break in him but I’d use it to the best of my advantage. Again, he answered with no words but shook his head no. Reaching for him I wanted his hand and he gave it to me allowing me to pull him closer and under the street light I could see the tears that made his eyes sparkle and that also threatened to fall.

“What happened tonight?” I went on and that was when he leaned into me. His smaller body rested against mine and I lowered my head so that we where eye level, I was so close I feel his breath and so close I could have easily kissed him but didn’t.

“Boss says he sold me.” He whispered. “I got to go …” He trailed off and that was when he began to cry. I wrapped an arm around him and smirked to myself, Shadow was indeed going with a buyer but what he had not yet realized was just who that buyer really would be and in reality, he may never know either.

I held him closer for several minutes and he slowly began to calm down. I rubbed his back and kissed the top his head, smelling his hair and whispering softly to him. The truth was a pimp would sometimes sell a boy, it was sick world that we lived in and most of the teens had no idea what they were really getting themselves into. Yeah, he could run, he could hide but they would find him and by the time they were done, he would have wished he were back home under old what’s his name.

If he thought this was a surprise … He had more to come.