Now, these boys are the school bullies. I was wondering what they were up to today. Now, being on the other end of their bullying ways. I knew it was a matter of time until they came down to where I was seated. Sure enough, I wasn't paying attention and I was poked in the ribs, and part of my sandwich came flying out of my mouth. I let out a loud laugh and said, "Hey, what's the big idea?" I turned around to see Randy, the meanest son of a bitch at our school. I gulped and stared at him doe-eyed.

He said, "Just the reaction I was looking for." And he laughed and walked away. In my young sixteen years, this is the first time I really felt fear. Here my sworn enemy knew my greatest weakness. But I thought, "What do I have to fear? What's he going to do, pin me down and tickle me here at school? I don't think so," I chuckled to myself.

The rest of the day was pretty boring, and at 3:00 sharp the school bell rang. I felt my heart jump in my chest, remembering word for word what happened at lunch. As I walked out the front door, I looked around very carefully; seeing nothing, I shrugged and made my journey home.

About halfway home, I cut through an alleyway. I had a funny feeling, but I started walking down it anyway. The alley was dark, and halfway down there was a chainlink fence with an open field. I was thinking, if I can make it that far, I could jump the fence and I would be home free.

As I came upon the fence, I started laughing, and heard, "What are you laughing at, Shorty". I just about crapped my pants as I turned around, and standing there was Randy.

I just stuttered "H-h-hi." I started shaking so bad I thought my legs where going to give out. Randy moved forward and shoved me into the fence. I bounced off the fence and landed on my ass.

Before I knew what was happening, someone grabbed my ankles and pulled them under the fence. My pant legs got tangled in the sharp wire prongs under the fence. While this was happening, I was in shock; I just covered my head and expected a severe kick to the head or groin area (one of Randy's favorite maneuvers.)

But instead, I felt something wrapping around my ankles, tying them to the other side of the fence. I thought, "Now, this is fair: tie me down to the ground so three assholes can beat the tar out of me." I started silently crying to myself.

Then Randy grabbed me violently by the neck and pushed my face into the fence and grabbed my wrists. He then lashed them together with a buckskin sheath and tied them also to the links of the fence. Now for the first time I could see his little gang. The one who tied my ankles was Butch, a pint-size version of Randy and just as mean. Standing to his left was Scotty, kind of shy and usually just watched what the others dished out.

Anyway, I tried pulling my arms free, and after a minute, gave up. That's when Randy started to speak. "Boy, do we have a special surprise for you, and it's compliments of Scotty."

I looked up at Scotty and he had the biggest grin I've ever seen on him. I heard, "Hey, Scotty, you want to tell him what we have planned for the evening?" Scotty: "No, why don't we just show him." And he bends down to my right foot and starts unlacing my shoe. I yell, "Hey, what are you doing? Just let me go! I didn't do anything to you. Not to any of you!" Scotty just smiles at me and yanks my shoe off; I wiggle my toes in my socked foot. Starting to get an idea where this is leading to...

Scotty then says, "I hope this here foot's as ticklish as your ribs are." My eyes sprang open as far as they could, and I muttered, "No, no, no." Scotty says, "From your expression, I take that as a `yes'." He then looks around on the ground and picks up a stick and holds it out for me to see. I close my eyes, thinking if I don't see it , I won't feel it. Oh God, was I wrong! As soon as the stick was dragged across my foot, I started giggling. Up and down the arch it went.

Oh God, I prayed he wouldn't find out this was my most ticklish spot. I bit my lip and thought, "Don't take off the sock. Don't take off the sock..."

And, like he was reading my mind, I felt my sock being pulled off over my toes.

I totally lost it, screaming, "No not on my bare feet, please! Anything but bare feet! I can't take that! You can have my ribs, just leave my feet alone!!!"

That's when Butch gets involved and yanks off my other shoe and sock. Now both feet are bare, and I start thrashing hysterically, trying to get free. I look at them with begging eyes. They look at my feet then at each other, saying "These must be at size 12. Well, Scotty, you want to go first? You have 15 minutes to do your worst. I'll be timing you." And with that, he attacks my sole using all five fingers. Raking from the toes down to the heels and back up again. Over and over. I close my eyes and clench my teeth.

But that only lasts a few minutes, then a steady harmony of laughter escapes my mouth, which I cannot stop. I fear once I start, I won't be able to stop. Finally, the scratching on the foot stops, but before I can control myself, I feel twigs on the other sole. And I start laughing even louder.

For 15 minutes those sticks had me howling.

Then I hear it: "Time."

Then I slump forward and bang my head into the fence. Then Randy says, "Damn, that was just too close to call. Maybe if you both do it at the same time, we'll get a winner."

And then I feel my toes being tied to the fence, one at a time. During this, I tried to pass out.

But then I hear, "We're ready." I screamed, "NOOOO." I feel fingers digging into my arches, and scream hysterically. Wiggling fingernails caressing every inch of my soles. This went on for a long time. At least in my mind it did. Then I heard, "Let's try these."

And I felt stiff brushes on my soles. They both started dragging them across my arches at the same time. Then under my toes, scrubbing, until my throat was sore. Then in different patterns all over my feet. I felt my eyes roll up into my head and I passed out. I don't know how long I was out, but then the water hit me in the face.

I jerked awake to hear, "You baby, I didn't get to finish you off yet." Before I could say anything, the brushes where scrubbing my soles again.

But before I could react, Randy kneeled behind me and dug into my ribcage. I arched my back and started screaming hysterically. The other two dropped their brushes and dug their fingers into my arches and toes.

I've never felt a torture like this, and hope to never again. The world turned into a purple haze, colors and sounds ran together, as my mind exploded with laughter and madness.

From this point, I have no idea what happened next. All I remember is waking up to a tingling sensation on my feet again. I jerked awake and stared at whatever was at my feet.

I focused my eyes, but everything was dark. I looked up and saw the moon. I wasn't able to move; was I tied up still? I couldn't tell. Then I smelled it. What the hell was that smell? Was it food? It smelled sweet. And it was coming from me. Then I felt it again on my soles. I laughed out loud and it stopped. What the hell was that? It felt like... No, it couldn't be - not that!

Then I heard the sniffing at my feet - Oh God, they coated my body with some kind of food!

Then the licking on my soles started, and I heard another sniffing at my rib area.

I started screaming hysterically.

This is going to be one hell of a long night...