4.

On his thirteenth birthday, Keith Cross did not celebrate becoming a teenager, instead he spent the day travelling ... alone. Mum and dad would be alright with this, well to a degree at least with it being more a case of dad succumbing to the demands of his own father as Keith's dad went through the very same thing when he himself became a teen and hell would have it seen if grandfather couldn't have his only grandson go through it too.

Times change, traditions change and no matter such, there are many who flat out refuse to adapt to the times and break from tradition. Dad doesn't keep much from mum but the less she knows about what Keith is in for, the better.

'Listen son ...' dad tells Keith before he sets out on his journey. 'Don't resist ... the more you comply the easier this will be. There is nothing easy about this but ... head down and you will be fine ... understand.'

'I don't want ...'

'I know. This has been in our family for a few generations now. Time being what it is, I'd rather have it end with me, but your grandfather is having none of it. We'd have the lectures that his own father went through it, he went through it, and he put me through it and it not having it end just because times are changing ...'

'It's barbaric and you know it dad. You can end it; I know you can.'

'Trust me, it's best to just get through it and move on. Your mum and I will be here for you when you are done, I'll be here for you.'

No point debating, perhaps it is best to get on with it. Dad sees that his son has accepted defeat, he brings him in for the hug and speaks softly into his ear. 'Remember, head down. You'll get there.'

A ferry first, a ninety-minute journey on water, then a two-hour train journey and that was to be followed by a three-hour coach journey which had a twenty minute lay over. After this he had a bit of a trek to follow.

Directions were left on a cell phone and despite his young age and the fact that he was left to his own devices, Keith followed the instructions without any problems. He was to spend the whole summer with his grandfather who was determined to build character in his only grandchild.

The phone would track his progress and send reports to dad and his grandfather along the trip until the destination is reached, so he never truly would be alone, nor would he be truly lost at any stage though if he were to get to his destination alone and promptly then he would be well on his way to becoming a man the Townsend way. Technology only to a degree, then only allowance grandfather would allow. The destination would be a well out of the way cabin, a cabin in which he would learn so many life lessons.

Keith followed every instruction to the letter, didn't dally, done all he needed to do. No delays with the public transport along with the brisk trek had him at that cabin earlier that anticipated. This had been something he knew was coming for some time and was probably, to some degree at least, more prepared than even his father could have believed he might be.

One hundred and fifty small red ribbons and twenty-five small white ribbons, all numbered, would be placed appropriately along the wooded trek he'd make along up to the cabin, mapping an area as well as can be done during one trek. There would be no going around in circles, possibly ensuring that trek would be covered as quickly as possible.

His heart had already been beating quickly long before he got close to the cabin though once he caught sight of that cabin, his heart began pounding so strongly that it may go so far to burst his ear drums. A few deep breaths done little to calm his soul. The cool soft breeze, the swaying of the trees, the sounds of insects and local wildlife all disappeared with the pounding of a heart.

He tried to get to the cabin as quickly as he could once he had caught sight of it though with fear in his heart, his legs and feet refused to the point that it felt as if an hour passed between when first sight of that cabin had been caught compared with the moment of actually standing at its door. In truth, only a matter of seconds had passed between one and the other. The placement of a palm onto that wooden door made it all the more ... real. This was happening, it was about to happen, months of treatment that would only be described as inhumane were about to begin.

Unexpectedly, the cabin door opened slightly with the placement of a palm upon it, and it opened with a creek. If he weren't already afraid then this brought the fear home and to heighten it all the more, a deep voice would speak completely catching Keith off guard, 'come in and sit down.'

'Grandfather ... it's me ...' he struggles to say.

'I know who you are, now do as I say. Come in, shut the door and sit down.'

It has been five years since Keith had last been in his grandfather's company, so grandfather introduces himself demanding that he always be referred to as sir. Keith's visitation is not anything recreational. For the next three months he is the student and grandfather is the instructor.

After the initial conversation following the arrival, Keith would be fed, shown to his room then told and shown what chores he would be expected to perform on a daily basis. Failure to perform these chores would be met with disciplinary actions. Keith would not dare guess as to what those actions might be.

Keith's first lesson, the first task, not chore, expected of him would be to spend the night outside at a distance no less than five hundred meters from the cabin. Doing such will apparently build character, strength, and everything else that goes along with such a task. It's Keith's thirteenth birthday and this is how he gets to spend it? He dares not to dispute anything. It is far too soon to find out what the repercussions may be ... a night outdoors in a forest he knows nothing about ... could things seriously get any worse? In truth they are only beginning.

The sounds, the lack of clear sight and the smells of that first night ... all things that would never truly leave him, no matter what the rest of his life might be. Entering the room at The Flesh Factory, he would right away be reacquainted the sounds, sight, and smells of that night in an unfamiliar forest. How can such a thing be when he come to be indoors so many years later?

Over that summer, Keith became very familiar with that forest. His personalized mapping system worked to a Tee. This room is not at all a place anyone would want to become familiar with. Ten hours is what he has to spend in this room, informing his friends of this challenge was done with a sense of anticipation brought about by his summer with grandfather.

If any of this five can successfully take on this challenge, Keith would be sure that it is him and knowing that his four closest friends are taking on a challenge too ... well that gives him all the more incentive to successfully complete it. Seconds after entering his room at the Flesh Factory, the first of many small red ribbons, all of which are numbered, shows itself.

Yeah,there appear to be ribbons in this room, ribbons just like what he had used tomap the forest area all around where his grandfather cabin is. How is thispossible?