The Wrestling Team

(Revised)
by: Peter

(© 2007 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 1

The howling wind blew the snow against the windows so hard that it stuck like plaster. The wipers couldn't handle the snow packing on the windshield.

"We can't get home in this," Braden said quietly. He was nineteen, the oldest of the senior wrestling team, having been held back a year when he was in grade school.

No one responded. The flashing red lights up ahead were barely visible till they were right on the police car that was parked diagonally across the street. Coach rolled down the window for the approaching officer.

"You'll have to turn around," the officer said. "All roads are closed in and out of the city."

"I've got four boys here I need to get home," Coach Colby said.

"You'll never make it. It's drifting so bad the snow plows can barely keep up with it enough to get the National Guard through to rescue stranded motorists. You'll have to find a place to stay in town. You can pull in here and turn around."

It obviously wasn't up for discussion. Coach thanked the officer and rolled up the window. He pulled into the mall parking lot where snowplows were keeping a space clear for cars to turn around.

"Where're we going?" Cody asked.

"I don't know. Keep your eyes out for a motel," Coach said.

"We passed one on the way," Braden said. "It's only a few blocks back."

The NO VACANCY light was on at the motel but Coach pulled in anyway, on the off chance that they might have one room that they could all share. Braden got out to go with him into the motel. Their hopes vanished when he walked into the lobby and saw people lying on the furniture.

"We don't have anything," the clerk said as they walked up to the desk.

"I saw your NO VACANCY light. I took a chance anyway. Nothing, huh?" Coach said.

"Not even a broom closet," said the clerk. "We have some guests who have volunteered to share their rooms, in fact, and those are taken."

"Do you know of any place?" Coach asked.

The clerk shook his head sadly. "You might try Motel Six up the street, and there's a Best Inn about a block further, but I doubt if they'll have anything either. The city is practically on lock down."

"Yeah, I know. The police wouldn't let us leave the city."

"The governor has declared an emergency and called out the National Guard. They're arresting anyone caught trying to drive on the highway."

"Thanks, anyway, "Coach said. They went back to the car.

"The sign meant what it said, huh." Sean said.

"Yeah. We'll check Motel Six and Best Inn," Coach said.

There was nothing available at Motel Six and the only luck they had at Best Inn was the clerk calling around to some other motels. But he found nothing. Coach sighed, rubbing his hand over his mouth.

"I wish I could help you," the clerk said. "I couldn't even let you sack out in the lobby, it's so full."

"Thanks, you've been a big help, calling around for us," he said.

He turned to leave when the clerk stopped him.

"Wait...I just thought of a place...." His words trailed off, as if he regretted speaking out.

"Where," Coach asked.

"There's a place...down the street," he said, rather hesitantly.

"It's not a motel, it's a men's social and health club, but they do have rooms for their members. Just small changing rooms, but with bunks."

"I don't care if it's the dog pound," Braden said under his breath.

"It's down on the right side of the street, called The Locker. You might give them a try," the clerk told them.

"Thanks."

They went back to the car and Coach told the boys were they were going next. The boys weren't too optimistic about the health club letting them stay the night, especially since they weren't members.

"Just find a place that sells blankets, we can sleep in the car,"

Cody said.

Coach didn't know what he was going to do if the health club turned them down. They couldn't sleep in the car, the temperature was dropping fast.

"As a last resort, we could go to a fast-food place and sit in a booth to keep warm," Braden said.

"We may have to do that," Coach said. He pulled into one of only two parking spaces in The Locker parking lot. "Well, cross your fingers, guys," he said as he and Braden were getting out of the car. He pulled his collar tight and they leaned into the wind to make their way to the entrance. The vestibule was like an oasis compared to the outside. They went through the door to the counter.

"What can I do for you tonight, gentlemen?" the clerk asked in a friendly tone with a friendlier eye toward Braden.

"Something, I hope," Coach said. "I've got four boys that I brought here for a wrestling match and we can't get back home. We can't even get out of the city. I need a place for them to sleep. The clerk at Best Inn said you have rooms."

"Yes, we do, but we're not a motel. We're a private club."

"Yes, he explained that. What does it take to join?" Coach asked.

The clerk eyed Braden again then looked back at Coach.

"Did he tell you that we are a private gay men's club?"

"No. No, he didn't," he replied with a surprised blink. He looked around at Braden, who gave a shrug of indifference. "But I don't think we'll have a problem with that if we can just get a place to spend the night in out of this weather."

"You said boys. How old?" the clerk asked.

"He's nineteen, the others are eighteen, all seniors," coach said.

He thought for a moment, shaking his head. "Still, they are high school students."

"Why would that make a difference?" Braden asked.

"You couldn't make an exception for one night, considering the weather conditions?" Coach pleaded. "There's not a vacant motel room in town."

"I'm sorry, I wish I could help, but I really don't think I should."

"What if you signed something, taking full responsibility?" Braden said quietly to the Coach.

Just then another man came in behind the counter. "Is there a problem?" he asked cheerfully. His nametag read Derek: Manager. The clerk explained the situation.

"I'm afraid he's right," the manager said after a moment's thought.

"Geezuss, what am I going to do with these guys?" Coach said under his breath, half to himself and half to Braden, as he stepped back from the counter.

"Wait. Just a minute," the manager said.

They turned back to the window.

"Do they all have IDs?" the manager asked.

"Drivers license," Braden said. ` "I can't turn you out in this weather. If you'll take full responsibility for your boys, I'll take the chance," the man said.

"Thank you very much," Coach said with great relief in his voice.

"Just so you understand, it is a gay establishment," the manager warned.

"Yes, he explained it's a gay men's social club," Coach said.

"It's uh...it's very social," the manager said, glancing at Braden.

"Maybe you need to come with me, let me show you around first." He buzzed the door and coach went inside. Braden started to follow him but the manager hesitated.

"You might want to leave him here," he said.

"If I'm going to be staying here...," Braden began.

"Its okay if he comes along," Coach said.

The lounge had two long couches, arranged L-shaped along two walls, and coffee tables and a wide-screen TV. Past the lounge and vending machines, the hallway was very dark. They could make out that several men they passed wore nothing but towels. Some of the doors to the rooms were open but it was too dark to see in except for a couple of them, you could see figures lying on the bunks.

"The rooms downstairs don't have televisions," the manager said.

"There's a workout room straight ahead, your boys could use that, preferably with supervision."

"The guys will love that," Braden said.

"And the showers are right there beyond the glass wall. There's a Jacuzzi, too. But again, I suggest supervision. You might do well to keep them out of the steam room and the sauna."

"I understand," Coach said.

The man turned and looked at Braden then at the coach. "You said it was okay for him to come along, I presume I can speak freely."

"Sure. I don't think you're going to say anything that will shock him," Coach said.

"It's very important that you understand what we are all about.

Right now, we're having a blackout party which is all the more reason that I stress that you'll have to keep a tight rein on your boys. I know they're of legal age, they can have free run of the place as far as we're concerned, but I doubt you would want them to roam into the wrong place and be exposed to some of the activities."

"I'll keep a tight rein on all of them, "Coach said. "We're only looking for a place to sleep and keep from freezing. Anyway, it's almost too dark in here for them to see anything."

The manager led the way up the stairs which were lighted by tiny track lights. The hallways were dark but there were faint glows of light coming from several of the rooms. Coach was shocked to see naked men lying on the beds, some alone, some in pairs, groping themselves or jacking off while they watched TV. He glanced at Braden. The boy simply shrugged and smiled.

"I'm wondering how I'm gong to get Cody and Scott up here without them seeing that," Coach said to Braden under his breath.

"Easy, coach, we'll blindfold them," Braden said, laughing.

"These are our video rooms upstairs," the manager went on. "There is a cable channel but I can't block out the other two channels that are showing x-rated videos. So the televisions will be your responsibility."

"Even if they get a peek, I don't think a little exposure is going to damage them for life," Braden said. "Heck, Coach, its not like we haven't all seen x-rated videos."

"Just the same, I'll take the upstairs room with Scott where I'll have control of the TV. One of you older boys will be responsible for Cody."

They went back downstairs to the vestibule.

"Thanks for the tour," Coach said. "Let me go check and see what the guys think."

"I'm trusting that your boys are all eighteen, Coach. I won't ask for ID. You're not all five going to fit in the two rooms I have left. Four of you can double up in the two rooms, one of you can use the couch in the lounge."

Coach looked at Braden. "I really need to be with Cody or Scott,"

he said. "You or Sean will have to take one of them under you wing."

"I'll take the couch," Braden said.

"Problem solved," Coach said. "Now, is there anyplace close by to eat?"

"We have vending machines and there's a pizza place down around the corner," Derek said.

Coach and Braden went back to the car where the boys were shivering from the cold.

"I don't think he believed we're all over eighteen," Braden said.

"I don't think so either."

Back at the car Coach explained the situation.

"Okay, they've got two rooms, so four of us will have to double up. They're designed as singles so it'll be a tight fit. Braden is going to take the couch in the lounge. There are showers and a workout room, and vending machines; I think we can survive."

"I could stand under a shower till the hot water runs out," Cody said, his teeth chattering.

"There is one catch. It's a gay men's club, in case anyone has a problem with that." He waited for a reaction. The boys looked at one another as if they were each waiting for the other to say something.

"I don't care if I have to double up with one of them, it'd be better than freezing to death out here," Scott said.

"Yeah, it's not gonna bother me," Sean put in. "Hell, it might even be fun," he drawled.

"Don't even go there," Coach said gruffly. "Cody?" asked.

"I just want a place to get warm," the boy moaned.

"Okay, I' m going back in and reserve the rooms then we'll go back to that pizza place for something to eat," Coach Colby said.

He went back inside and put the money down for the rooms. Then they walked to the pizza place. They were waiting for their pizza and not surprisingly, the boys were talking about the match.

"If Braden and Cody hadn't won, we could've been on our way home by now," Sean complained good naturedly.

"We might have gotten out of town but we would've probably ended up in a ditch somewhere," said Braden. "Hell I'm just glad we found a place to sleep."

"Yeah, we can tell how glad you are over the idea of spending the night in a gay men's club," Scott chided him.

"Yeah, how come Braden gets to have all the fun, sleeping on the couch?" Sean complained, laughing.

Coach stood out of the booth. "I'm going to make one call home and let them know we're spending the night, but we don't know where yet. If anybody asks when we get back home, we stayed at the Motel Six. Got that?"

He leveled a sharp gaze at all of them. "We do not ever tell anyone where we stayed. No one. Not ever."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Hell do you think I'm going to advertise that I spent the night in a gay men's club? Especially with these guys," Sean said.

"I don't have a tooth brush," Cody drawled.

They looked at him like he was stupid, then broke out laughing.

"Geezusss, Cody, we're close to freezing our asses off and you're worrying about a toothbrush?"

"They've got all that stuff in the vending machines," Braden said.

"I'll give you money to get what you need," Coach said. He paused for a moment. "Look, guys...I don't know how to say this, but...well, you guys have to realize as young athletes ...you're going to be prime targets in that place. You can't go ballistic if somebody makes a pass at you or says something out of line, which will probably happen. We are guests there; they didn't really want to take us in because you're all high school students. If someone makes a pass, just tell them politely that you're not interested."

"What if we are?" Braden joked.

Back at the club they all registered separately.

"Do I charge for two rooms and three lockers?" the clerk asked the manager.

"No, just the two rooms."

"Do you have anything you want to put in a lock box?" the man asked. "It's safer," he added.

They offered their wallets and all but a few bucks of their money for the man to lock up. He gave the room keys to Coach and handed out towels and blankets, then buzzed them inside to the lounge.

"Dam, look at that television," Scott said.

"You can watch TV if you stick together," Coach said quietly.

"I just want to find the shower and get warm," Cody said.

Just then two guys came out of the locker area wearing only towels. They made a show of pausing to eye the boys with obvious interest.

Coach quickly gathered them around him at the vending machines where they bought toothbrushes and one tube of toothpaste, one razor and shaving cream and a stick of deodorant.

"Listen up, guys while I show you around the place." He took them to the workout room first. The boys were impressed.

"Hey, this is nicer than back at school," one of them said.

"Yeah, they've got more equipment."

"You can work out if you want to, but only in pairs.

Scott...Cody...if you want to work out, you'll have to have Braden or Sean with you, just like you're going to be sharing a room," Coach said. "I guess I'm talking to you, Sean; you're going to responsible for Scott or Cody."

"I'll take Cody," Sean said. "Nothing against you, Scott, I just think Cody will make a better bunk-mate," he added, laughing. Nobody was surprised; Sean was always looking out for Cody, like a little brother, even though they were nearly the same age.

"Okay, Scott will be with me, and Braden is on his own. The showers are right over there behind the glass, and you can use the Jacuzzi. But only in pairs. Nobody goes anywhere alone, not even to the rest room.

Except you, Braden, I have to trust you to be you're on your own. The rest of us stick together. The steam room and the sauna are off limits to all of you. That includes you, Braden...stay out of the steam room and the sauna."

"Somebody needs to pay the light bill around here," Cody said.

"The guy said they've got the lights turned out for some kind of black-out party," Braden said.

"Which makes it all the more important that you don't venture anywhere by yourself. You never know what you might stumble into," Coach said. He unlocked room 128 for Sean and Cody and gave Sean the key.

"Looks like you're sleeping on the floor, Cody," Sean drawled when he saw the small bunk.

"I warned you, it'd be a tight fit," Coach said. "Just remember how cold it is out there and make the best of it."

"Just kidding, coach. We'll fit," Sean said. "Even if Cody has to sleep on the bottom," he added, laughing.

"Keep your door shut," coach said firmly.

"Yes, sir," Sean said.

"Scott and I will be upstairs in room 230," Coach said. "Remember the room number in case you need me. And keep your doors shut. Maybe you haven't noticed, but you guys have been eyed like prize bulls since we walked in this place."

Braden headed back to the lounge. "See you guys in the morning," he said over his shoulder.

When Sean and Cody were settled into their room, Coach took Scott up the back stairs to try to avoid walking up and down the hallways where the doors were open and TVs showing the gay videos. He was keenly aware of the looks they got and he was glad to get the boy inside the room. There was barely room for them to turn around but it was a safe haven.

"There's more room on the bed than there is on the floor," Scott said.

"Thank heaven for that."

To be continued...

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Posted: 04/18/08