Survivors V

[aurelius]

Survivor V: 21-25

 

 

 

21

 

Menes said, “Will you come in and have some water with us?”  I looked at Lateef and Garin.  Garin said, “I’m going back to help Akhom and Tafari bring up more slabs.  Why don’t you guys stay here and have some water?”

 

I brought Abari down from my shoulders and said to him, “Will you be OK if Garin’s gone?”  Abari whispered to me, ”I want to see the other carvings!”

 

“Just so you know,“ Akhom said, “I promised the little guy that if any of you did anything bad to him, I’d sit on you!”  He said it with a smile, but he also pointed his finger.

 

“Akhom,” Shakir said, “When have you ever known us to break our word?  We promise the little guy is safe with us.”

 

“Well, OK.  But you have been warned—just in case.”  And here Akhom went over and bent down to Abari and said, “You can trust Menes and Shakir, and if they trust Aki and Babu, then you’ll be safe.”  I could feel Abari relax.  “OK,” he said to Babu, “I want to see your carvings!”

 

So, as Akhom, Tafari and Garin left, Lateef, Abari and I followed Menes and Shakir, Aki and Babu into the house.  Menes, Lateef, Abari and I sat on the floor and Shakir brought out some cups and a jug of water.  “We don’t have enough cups for everybody, so Menes and I will just drink out of the jug—and two of you will have to share.”

 

“That’s fine,” I said, “Abari and I will share.  Is that alright with you?”  Abari nodded.

 

Then Aki helped Babu put several carvings in front of Abari and me.  Abari gasped: “Wow!” he said.  “Here’s a cow.  And here’s an eagle.  And here’s a fish.  And here’s a turtle; and here’s a crow.”  He picked each one up, and then put it down.  It seemed he wanted to look at each of them first.

 

Babu said, “And I have this one, but I wasn’t sure if you would like it.”  And he put in front of Abari a guard with a spear, standing straight.  It was quite a good carving.  I wondered if it was of Aki.  Abari hesitated, but then he said, “Well, it’s only a wooden soldier, and he can’t hurt me.”  I reached over, kissed my little brother, and whispered to him, “I’m so proud of you!”

 

To Babu I said, “Thank you for letting him play with these.  It’s just what he needs!”

 

“I thought maybe they might help.  If he wants to, he can take a couple more.  I don’t think there will be a lot of guys on the island who will want them.”

 

“No,” said Lateef, “But if you carve some larger pieces, I imagine some would.”  He turned to me and smiled.  “I think our fathers wouldn’t mind a carving of a shark!”  And here Lateef and I chuckled a little.  Abari also got the idea: “Oh yes!  Carve a shark for our fathers!”

 

“But you can’t tell them!”  I said and pointed my finger at my “little” brother. “No telling!”  Abari lowered his head.  “Oh, Jabar!  I want to tell them so much!”  “I know you do, but don’t!”  “Well, OK,” he said.  And I knew I would have to remind him—especially when he showed his toy horse to them that night.

 

Babu laughed.  “I doubt if I can find a piece of wood as big as that shark, but I think I can carve one this long”—and he held his hands apart about as far as his shoulders.

 

“That would be fine,” said Lateef.  “We’ll figure out a way of putting it up on the wall of their house.”  And then Lateef looked around at all the men.  “But don’t say a word to anyone—not even Akhom or Garin—Garin especially; he would love to tell that secret!”

 

Abari played with the other wooden toys.  Lateef asked Aki and Babu how they liked the island, and how they liked the water.  In the distance, I could hear Akhom, Garin and Tafari putting up more wall slabs.

 

“The water’s great,” said Aki, “but it takes some getting used to.  I’m not sure if I’m stronger—or just younger!”

 

“Yeah, Abari and I have it easier: we know we’re stronger—and older.  And it does take some getting used to.  You look fit—is that from years of soldiering, or is that the water?”

 

“It’s the water,” Aki said. “They really never fed us well as soldiers.  We got plenty of beer, but I think that was a mixed blessing: it led to plenty of fights.”

 

“Yeah, my lover here—“ and Babu put his arm around Aki’s shoulder, “Would get into fights—sometimes protecting me, for which I’m always grateful.  You see, some soldiers don’t just hurt little boys.  They can hurt bigger men too.”

 

“They can?”  Abari looked up from playing on the floor with the fish and the cow.

 

“Yes,” Babu said, looking directly at Abari, “Soldiers can hurt other soldiers too.”

 

“Oh! I’m so sorry!”  Abari rushed to Babu and hugged him.  Babu’s eyes welled with tears.  He looked down at Abari and said, “But now we’re here; we’re free on the island and we’re among friends.”

 

We were quiet; we could all hear Akhom, Tafari and Garin helping each other put up the roof slabs.

 

Aki said, “It sounds like our house is almost done. Let’s go see.”

 

Babu said to Abari: “You can take as many toys as you can hold.”

 

“But I can only carry two.  Can Jabar carry some?”  

 

“Of course.”  So Abari picked out the fish and the cow for me; he took the horse and the soldier.

 

We all got up and went out to see the new house.  Aki turned to Menes and said, “Thanks for taking us in, but we are so grateful to you for putting up our own house,”  And he turned to Akhom, Tagari and Garin, shaking each of their hands.  

 

“We’re happy to help!” Akhom said.  “And, for us, we got to see our new helper here—“  and he put a meaty arm around Garin’s meaty shoulders—“in action!”

 

Lateef said, “We should be getting home. But we haven’t even seen your look-out.”

 

Menes laughed, “Then you’ll just have to come see us again!”

 

 

22

 

All-in-all, I was very happy with the way the day turned out.  I had great talks with my dad and Lateef; Garin did well helping at the quarry; and, most of all, Abari found a new friend in Babu.  I knew we would be coming back to see Aki and Babu.  And I also knew that Lateef and I would have to watch Abari closely tonight and tomorrow so that he didn’t spoil the surprise for our fathers.

 

When we got home, we sat down to have some water together.  Abari excitedly showed Amare his new toys.  “Babu made these toys for me!  He gave me a horse, and then he let me pick the fish and cow and soldier.  I’m not afraid of this soldier because he’s just a wooden toy.  Babu and Aki were soldiers on our ship but they weren’t bad or mean.  In fact, some other soldiers hurt Babu too—and Aki had to fight them so that they wouldn’t hurt Babu!”

 

Lateef and I looked at each other several times.  It seemed Abari was so excited by his new toys that he didn’t remember the shark secret.  But Garin figured out that something was up, and so he whispered, “What’s going on?”  “Later,” Lateef said, and he gave Garin a hard look; it shut him up.

 

“So,” said Amare, ”where are you going to keep your new toys?  I know you probably want to sleep with them, but if you do, you might break that horse’s leg, and you wouldn’t want that.  Can we keep them on the table?”

 

“Yes!  Let’s keep them on the table.  And then, in the morning when you fill the cups for morning water, I can get them down and start playing with them!”  I could only smile and keep smiling.  Abari was so happy with his new toys.  And he had found a new friend in Babu.  

 

And of course, my dad could read my mind.  He reached over to me, pulled me to him and whispered, “See?  This is all your doing: because you protected him, he’s able to be a little boy again.  You’re a good brother!”  All I could do was throw my arms around his neck and hug him hard.  I was crying, but softly.  I loved that Abari was able to play, but I also loved having a father who loved me.

 

Lateef went around and lit the torches.  I was glad he did.  Abari had to sit in Amare’s lap, and I wasn’t going to let Gareth get up and light the torches.  So, once again, Lateef had to be the adult.

 

But Amare also wanted to know about Garin: “So, Akhom liked your work in the quarry?”

 

“Yes; but he said I had to get a bit bigger—like you—before I could carry two slabs.”  Garin—for the first time I had seen him—looked a little tired.

 

“Yes, you could use a bit more size.  It will come; you’re still a kid, you know.”  He paused.  “And although I’ve got a new son, you’re still my little boy.”  He reached over and squeezed Garin’s big shoulder.  Garin—big, muscular Garin—looked like he was going to cry.  Lateef rubbed his back and said, “Yeah, but you’re no longer my little brother!”

 

“Yeah but I still love you!”  And Garin gave Lateef a deep kiss.  This time, no one seemed to mind at all.

 

Abari was rapidly fading; it seemed that once he found his place in Amare’s lap, sleep wasn’t far away.  

 

Lateef said, “We should be going,” and he and Garin got up and did the goodbye ritual with their fathers.   As they left the house, I could hear Garin saying, “Now what’s this big secret you and Jabar know?”  As they walked further away, I could faintly hear Lateef say, “When we’re back at our house.  Can you wait that long?” 

 

After Amare had laid Abari down for the night, he returned to Gareth and me and said, “Yeah—what’s this secret you and Lateef have?”

 

“Yeah,” said Gareth,  “Tell!”

 

I smiled.  “Nope; not telling.  But I think you both will like it!”

 

“OK,” Gareth said, “Have it your way.  But—and here he turned to Amare—“I tremble to think what these two big brains have in store for us!”

 

“I know!” said Amare. “They’re both way too smart for their own good!”

 

I just chuckled.  “I love you guys so much!”  And I tried my best to put my arms around both of their wide shoulders.  I wasn’t successful, but they got the idea.

 

‘OK,” Gareth said, “To bed my not-so-little Jabar!”  And he picked me up and threw me over his big shoulders, giving my butt a light smack.  I giggled, happy to be a kid for whatever few days I still had left.

 

 

23

 

In the morning I realized that I had very few days left to be a kid: I was bigger.  Not more muscular, but an inch taller.  And my cock was definitely bigger.  I tried to stretch my big shirt down so that it would cover my big cock.  Abari was a bit taller, but he was definitely more muscular.  I was still just a bit taller than he was, so technically, he was still my “little brother,” but he was putting on muscle fast.  I found myself thinking it would be comic, watching this muscle kid play with his new toys.

 

But play with his new toys he did.  He was already playing with them on the floor as Amare poured out our morning water.  My dad Gareth was on the floor with Abari, playing with the fish, pointing out how well it was made.

 

As I sat down with them, I asked my fathers, “So, is this what my life is going to be like for a while—every day, I’m taller, and every day Abari’s got more muscle?”

 

“Yes,” said my dad.  “I know you’d like to be a kid for a while, but once the water starts working on your body, your body changes.”  Here he reached over and tussled my hair.  

 

But then he stopped and looked at the bottom of my shirt.  I knew what he was looking at.  “Jabar,” he said.  “Your cock—“  And then he looked at Amare and said, “Amare?” with a tremble in his voice.  Amare came down to the floor and gave my dad a big hug.  I couldn’t hold back any longer; I went over to my dad and said, “I’m so sorry!”  And I cried a little with my dad.

 

Amare said, “I know you want to mourn the loss of your little boy, but you have to welcome a young man.  And this young man—“ he put his hand on my shoulder— “needs a snakeskin pouch.  And you know what that means.”

 

My dad looked at Amare and said, “Of course, you’re right.”

 

My dad put me a little way from him and took my hands in his.  “We don’t have many boys on the island but we do what any new man here does: when a boy becomes a man, he goes into the jungle and kills a snake.  The jungle is the part of the island where you haven’t been yet.  It’s roughly between the quarry and the training field.  The water from the pool runs down there and everything grows big.  The trees are taller and there’s less light but more heat.  Big snakes live there; in the jungle, the snakes rule.  We mostly leave them alone.

 

“You do not go into the jungle alone—no one does.   When new men go there, other men go with them.  Menes and Shakir will go with Aki and Babu when they kill their snakes.  And, by the way, these snakes are not like the asps in Egypt. These snakes are big and they crush the life out of their victims.”

 

Abari was standing next to me.  He gasped and said, ”That’s scary!”  He was talking for me.

 

My dad continued: “Yes, they look scary, but always remember—“  here, he looked me squarely in the eyes—“Your fathers and brothers will be with you.  I held the snake and unwrapped it from Lateef’s legs, so that he could kill his snake.  I will be there to help you too.”

 

Abari put his hand on my shoulder and said, “I want to help Jabar too!”

 

“And you will, my son,” said Amare, “but killing the snake is something that Jabar must do.  We will only help.”

 

My dad continued: “So, in our family, when a boy becomes a man, he goes into the jungle with a knife his father gives him—I will give you mine—and kills a snake.  We will protect you.  Do you trust me, Jabar?”

 

I was scared to death but I was also looking into my dad’s eyes when I said, “Yes, dad, I do.”

 

My dad hugged me and kissed me; I could feel a tear fall to my shoulder.

 

“And know this: Amare helped kill the snake for Xander and Zuberi.  They went into the jungle together because their cocks got big at the same time.  Amare and I went with them into the jungle.  A very big snake wrapped itself around both Xander and Zuberi.  Amare and I took hold of the snake’s tail while Xander and Zuberi stabbed the snake until it was dead.  So you will have our help in killing the snake.

 

“When the snake is dead, we bring it back to the house and skin it.  We make a pouch for your cock.  And then we have a feast and celebrate your becoming a man.”  Here my dad paused again; I loved that this was hard for him too.  But I had to say something:

 

“But what if I don’t want to become a man?  What if I want to stay your little boy?”  I was crying; my dad hugged me tight.  “You will always be my little boy, and if you let me, I will still cuddle you in bed.  But just look at your cock peeking out from your shirt!”  He raised the bottom of my shirt, looked at me and smiled: “You have a nice, big cock, my son.”  He turned to Amare and said, “His cock reminds me of Lateef’s cock, don’t you think?”  

 

‘Yes, it does.”

 

My dad turned back to me: “You need a pouch for your big cock,  And that means we need to go kill a snake.”

 

Just then Lateef and Garin came in.  “Did I hear you talking about my big cock?” Lateef said, smiling.  Our dad pulled up my shirt again and showed my brothers my cock.  Lateef smiled broadly, came over to me and gave me a hug.  “My no-so-little brother has a cock almost as big as mine!  We need to help you kill a snake, my brother!”

 

“Yes, we do!” said Garin, loudly, almost as if he would do it himself.  Then he turned to his dad and said, “Shall I go get Xander and Zuberi?” 

 

“Yes, my son.  I think they’ll want to come.  And Lateef should stay with Jabar.”  So, even though Lateef was faster, Garin left to get the older brothers.  I figured that this was an occasion when my dad wanted his sons near him.

 

My dad got up and went to the table; he picked up a belt with a sheath; in the sheath was a knife.  He motioned for me to stand up.  Then he said,  “You are a man, my son.  When a boy becomes a man, his dad gives him a knife.  This is now yours.”  And he placed the belt with the knife in my hands.  I looked at him; he read the concern in my face. “Don’t worry,” he said, “I have another son who loves to make knives as well as swords.  I suspect Xander will make me a knife in a couple of days.  He may even show up with one.”

 

Lateef was standing beside me: “Our dad gave me his knife when I became a man, and Xander made him a knife in two days.”  I had the sudden feeling that this knife deepened my belonging to my dad and to Lateef—and to Xander.

 

All of this had happened before we drank our morning water.  Amare brought the cups down from the table.  “We need to drink this, and then get some fresh water at the pool before we go into the jungle.  And it wouldn’t hurt if we swam a little in the pool.”

 

Abari turned to Lateef:  “Was it scary when you killed the snake/“

 

“Yes, it was.  But I had our fathers with me and Xander and Zuberi.  Garin was big but I had become a man before him since I was older.  He stayed with his dad.  Xander and Zuberi and my dad all had knives—our dad had Amare’s knife.  You have to get close to the snake and that’s the scary part.  A snake can quickly wrap itself around your legs.  You have to stab it in the head to kill it, so you have to hold the head.  Xander and Zuberi unwrapped the snake from my legs.  My dad helped me get hold of the snake’s head, and I stabbed the snake two or three times until it died.”  Here both my dad and Amare were nodding their heads.  “Or maybe one of your bigger brothers will help you.  Garin practically strangled his snake with one hand.  I’m sure he wouldn’t mind killing a snake with his two meaty hands!”

 

“Damn right!”  Garin said as he came into the house.  Then he came and faced me: “I know you have to kill the snake yourself, Jabar, but just ask for help and I’ll do it for you!”

 

“And if this stud slips and falls—“  Zuberi looked slyly at Lateef—“then Xander and I can kill a snake between us.”

 

“So,” Xander said, kneeling in front of me, “you have nothing to be afraid of, my brother.  You have strong older brothers who will stand behind you and beside you and help you kill the snake.”  Seeing beautiful Xander kneeling so close in front of me, I couldn’t resist hugging and kissing him on the cheek: “Thank you!”  Xander returned a kiss on my cheek; then he stood up and turned to our dad: “I thought this day might come sooner than later, so I brought a knife from the smithy.”  The knife was already sheathed in a belt.

 

Our dad chuckled and said, “Thanks, my son!’  He took the new knife and gave Xander a hug and kiss; then he turned to me and said, “See?  I have great sons!”

 

 

 

24

 

I was scared, but I also had two big, muscular fathers, two big, beautiful older brothers, a bull stud of a brother, Garin, and one of the smartest men I’d ever known as a brother, Lateef.  And if that wasn’t enough, there was my little brother, Abari, whose eyes seemed to swim with terror.  I knew I couldn’t let him down.

 

We walked as a group toward the pool.  I was pretty grim.  Garin tried to make light of the situation saying, “Look out, snakes!  Jabar, the snake-killer is coming for you.”  But I wasn’t feeling at all boastful.  My dad put his hand on my shoulder a couple of times as we walked.

 

Lateef provided the best advice: “Yes, it’s scary, but it’s also something that you can do.  All you have to do is think it through: 1) you go into the jungle; 2) your brothers and fathers are with you—and this collection of muscle is powerful—more powerful than almost any snake; 3) you find a snake—or the snake finds you; 4) your brothers and our dad come behind you and beside you—they are there to help—and your brother Garin is positively giddy at the chance to kill a snake with his bare hands—so he’s your ultimate back-up; 5) your brothers and dad will make sure the snake doesn’t take you down—they will unwrap the snake from your legs; 6) you get hold of the snake’s head—and one of your brothers—probably Garin—will help you do this; 7) once you hold the snake’s head, you stab it once, twice, three times—depending on how big the snake is (apparently Xander and Zuberi had to stab theirs something like seven times, between the two of them); the snake dies, and you have a bunch of muscle men to carry it back to the house.  So, see?  If you break it down into steps, it’s not that scary—right?”

 

“It’s still scary, but think the steps are helpful,” I said quietly.

 

At the pool, we all lightened up.  I love the pool; I love splashing my brothers.  I love being thrown into the air by my dad.  I loved watching Xander’s dive.  I loved watching Garin climb the rocks with Xander and diving—head first—after Xander.  In short, we had fun.  I could see why father Amare suggested we stop for a swim.   And it’s possible the extra water was fortifying.  I didn’t feel bigger or better as we left, but I was more at peace; I loved being surrounded by my fathers and brothers. 

 

As we walked toward the jungle, a stream from the pool flowed by us.  As we got closer, there were tall grasses and reeds growing.  You could tell where the weavers had cut down grasses and reeds to make rope.

 

But the jungle is a dark place.  When we all walked in I couldn’t help looking around and being scared.  Bird songs sounded strange—they seemed to echo.  I had never been in such a place.  I envied Abari, held in the massive arms of Amare.  I was surrounded by strong young men and yet I couldn’t help feel in danger.  Everywhere was a bush or a vine or a tree and some trees were so tall I couldn’t see their tops.

 

I had a strange idea cross my mind: that Babu would like some of the wood in the jungle—except that some of the wood I walked by on the ground was falling apart.  One thing about the water we drank: it made our feet durable.  Every man on the island walked with bare feet and never complained about it.  But the mossy, even soggy jungle floor was nothing I had ever felt.  It gave too much; I felt unstable.  I was afraid of falling down, and I hadn’t even met a snake.

 

I got the idea that my dad and the others were leading me to a place they had been to before.  It wasn’t an open space but it wasn’t full of big bushes and trees, either.  I heard noises in the underbrush to my right—was that a snake slithering by?  I didn’t know; l couldn’t be sure.  How was it that everyone besides Abari didn’t seem scared?  How could all this strange, dark, hot, wet, and soggy place not scare these guys?  I looked again at Abari; he was holding on to his dad for dear life.  And yet Amare held Abari as if they were going for a walk.

 

And then Amare stopped walking.  And after a few more steps, Xander and Zuberi stopped walking.  Lateef and Garin were still beside me, and my dad was only a few feet away.  But I suddenly felt more alone and exposed.  This was it.  I was exposed to any snake that wanted me for his dinner.  

 

I tried not to dissolve into tears and fear.  I wanted so much to be strong and make my dad proud; I wanted to be like Lateef and Garin, like my dad.  But I was afraid that fear would make my legs run without me even deciding to run.  I was only a boy.  I shouldn’t be here; I shouldn’t have to become a man.

 

And then I heard a very soft sound—a movement and a low sound starting to get a little louder.  And then the sound became a slither and I could feel the clammy snakeskin start to wrap itself around my legs.  The snake wrapped around my legs once, twice—weren’t Lateef and Garin supposed to unwrap the snake from my legs?  Were they still beside me?

 

Yes, they were; they were reaching down, taking holding of the snake, unwrapping it a little from my legs.  They were allowing me to stand but allowing the snake to coil so that it could raise its head.

 

It wasn’t a big snake, but it was big enough.  It was pale with darker markings.  Suddenly I imagined the terror that Xander and Zuberi must have felt as their big snake wrapped itself around both their legs, pushing them together, trying to crush their bodies.  At least this snake wasn’t that big.  I pulled the knife from its sheath.

 

I knew I had to grasp its head.  It raised its head so that it was as high as my chest—my skinny, un-muscular boy’s chest.  I had my dad’s knife—my new knife—in my right hand, so I reached for its head with my left hand.  Its head slipped away.  I tried again; I caught it for a moment but the snake was strong enough to simply pull its head away from my hand.  Oddly, it didn’t try to bite me; it just kept slipping its narrow tongue out at me.  I tried it again; I caught the head for a moment but it slipped away again.  This seemed to be the hardest part and no one told me about it!  Meanwhile the snake kept coiling around my legs; Lateef and Garin kept pulling at the snake to un-wrap it from my legs, but the snake was fast and kept re-coiling around me.  

 

Suddenly, Xander was beside me, reaching with his big arms to pull the snake away from legs.  And then Garin was behind the snake.  He reached with his two big hands and caught the snake’s head and held it steady.  He smiled.

 

“But I have to do it myself!” I said.  So I put my left hand on his right hand and he slowly drew his hand back.  I smiled.  I was holding the snake’s head—or at least half of it.  I could do this.

 

Garin smiled: “Strike, Jabar!  Do it!”

 

I raised the knife and slammed it into the snake’s head.  But I suddenly felt like I wasn’t doing it—I was only an arm with an hand holding a knife—an arm that was connected to Garin, to Lateef and to Xander.  I felt like I was one with my brothers.  My eyes welled up with tears—I had never felt so connected to anyone before in my life.

 

My dad was at my shoulder:  ‘Good, Jabar!  Now do it again.”  So I pulled the knife out of the snake’s head and I slammed it in again.  The snake’s coil around my legs relaxed.  When Garin and I let the snake’s head go, it collapsed to the jungle floor.  Suddenly I was surrounded by my family: my dad and Lateef hugged me;  then Garin and Xander hugged me.  Zuberi and Amare came over and patted me on my back.  Abari yelled, “Jabar killed the snake!”

 

 

25

 

Xander and Garin were lifting the dead snake when I said, “Stop!”  I re-sheathed the knife.  They stopped, but I could feel everyone’s eyes turned toward me, in surprise.

 

“I just want to thank all of you for your help.  I really could not have done this without all of you—“ I looked around at everyone.  “If I could, I would hug you all at the same time!”  

 

“You’d have to have pretty long arms for that,” Lateef said, and everybody laughed.

 

“I know I can’t hug you all at once, but I have to thank you now—before we leave this scary place.”  I paused.  I could see that Lateef, my dad and Amare were curious, while my other brothers mostly looked confused.  “I’ve told our fathers this, but I want tell the rest of you, too: I’ve never felt much love in my life.  Today I felt loved, and I feel so much love for all of you right now!”

 

“Aw, little brother, you know we love you!”  and Garin hugged me.  And soon I was surrounded by big, meaty arms hugging me.  It was wonderful to feel all their arms around me.  Of course I was crying—but I was also smiling.  As the hugs ended, Abari made Amare let him down; soon Abari was hugging me and saying, “You are my brave big brother!”

 

“Come, my son, my young man,” my dad said, “We all love you and we know you love us.  It’s time we carried this snake back to the beach.”

 

Dad put his arm around my shoulders; with Abari walking next to me, we started to leave the jungle.  Xander and Garin and Zuberi carried the snake.  I picked up the tail—it was that long.

 

As we were coming out from under the tall jungle trees, we met Menes and Shakir, Aki and Babu.  “I see someone’s killed a snake!” Menes said.

 

“Today, my son Jabar has become man!” my dad said; I could hear pride in his voice.  This made my heart happy.

 

“Well, ours is not as noble a quest,” Shakir said, “We’re just here to get some snakeskin for Aki and Babu.”

 

Garin let his part of the snake go; Zuberi took over, and I was left with a bit more of the tail to carry.  Garin came to me and said, “With your permission, Jabar, I’d like to help Aki and Babu kill their snake”—then he turned to Aki and Babu—“or are you going to kill two?”

 

“That depends on how big the snake is!” Menes said.

 

Garin turned back to me: “This is your party.  I’ll get there as soon as I can, but I want to help these guys.”

 

“No,” said Lateef, “you just like killing snakes!”  Then Lateef turned toward Aki and Babu: “You know my brother will kill them for you, if you let him—he nearly strangled Jabar’s snake in his two big hands.  But my little brother is an honorable man—he killed the snake himself!”

 

Amare said, “Why don’t we wait until Aki and Babu have killed their snakes, and we’ll have another big feast on the beach.”

 

“That’s a great idea!” my dad said.  “We need to make a cock pouch for Jabar anyway.  We’ll carve one out of the snake, wash it off in the bay and Jabar can come to his party in a man’s snakeskin pouch!”

 

Garin reminded me: “So what do you say, Jabar?”

 

“Of course, go with Aki and Babu!  And kill their snake for them!”  Garin smiled and went over to Aki and Babu; they headed into the jungle

 

Having a man’s snakeskin pouch sounded good, but I wondered if I was ready to show my still-pretty-skinny body to a lot of strange muscle men with only a snakeskin pouch for my cock.  Then again, everyone said I had a pretty big cock!

 

Of course, Lateef figured out what I was thinking.  “Don’t worry.  I was scared to show my skinny body when I became a man.  You’re growing; you may not get a lot of muscles like Garin, but I think you’ll do fine.  And if you feel too embarrassed today, you can stand beside me.  We’ll be two skinny guys among the muscle studs!”  I loved having Lateef as a brother.  

 

Lateef of course took Garin’s place as we carried the snake back to the beach.  Along the way, we stopped at the pool and had a swim.  I had a lot more fun this time.  I even raced Lateef across the pool.  I still lost, but not by much!  “See, little brother?  You’re getting more muscle and you don’t even know it,” he said.

 

Along our way home, Amare and my dad invited any man we saw to come to “our” beach for a snake feast—and they said to spread the word.  When we got home, our dad asked Lateef to invite Akhom and Tafari and anyone else at the quarry.  Lateef ran up the hill.

 

“I wonder if I’ll ever get to be as fast as him,” I wondered out loud.

 

“You just might,” said my dad.  “But you’re still growing.  You may get more muscle than Lateef.  But I doubt if you’re get as much as Garin.”

 

“I don’t know what I’d do with as much muscle as Garin has!”  My dad laughed.  “Now that sounds more like my little Jabar!”  And I found myself smothered in his big, warm arms.   “And now we need to cut you out a snakeskin pouch.”  He motioned to Zuberi and Xander to throw the snake on the fireplace.  Then my dad took his new knife and started carving a pouch out of the snake.  It didn’t take long.  Soon he was scraping off the insides of the snake from its skin; he took the soon-to-be pouch down to the bay and scrubbed it, then rinsed it a couple of times.  

 

My dad called to me and said, “Strip!”  I did.  All my brothers had already seen my cock so that wasn’t a problem.  But there was the problem of my skinny body.  Lateef took a few steps and stood beside me.  My dad then told me to lift one foot, and then the other.  He worked the new pouch up my legs until it held my cock.  Lateef said, “See?  Your cock bulges in your pouch just like mine!  You are a man, my brother!”

 

“You are a man, my son,” and my dad hugged and kissed me.  Did I feel a tear on my shoulder, or was that just some spray from a wave coming in?

 

Xander and Zuberi also said, “You are a man, my brother!”  Abari ran to me and hugged my legs. “You are my big brother man, Jabar!”

 

Then Amare came over and knelt in front of me: “You are a man, my son.  And you will be a good man, just as you have been a good brother to your little brother.”  And I was swallowed in one of Amare’s huge embraces.