SCREENPLAY VERSION OF PART OF

“A WOUNDED BOY” by FEMALEFAN

AND C van D

Scene 1

The action opens in the palace gardens of the Queen of Panionia, a small kingdom in the interior of Asia Minor, on the borders of the Parthian Empire. The camera pans across the luxuriant lawns and fountains, the climbing plants and flowering trees. In one part, a team of gigantic Nubian slaves is at work, erecting the monolithic columns of a new temple. To the rhythmic cracking of the overseer’s stockwhip they heave on the ropes. The only sound they make is that of hoarse heavy breathing. Zooming in, the camera shows that the slaves have been blinded, gelded and muted.

The camera now brings us into the palace, to the luxurious quarters of Princess Selene. The Princess reclines on a couch on a dais. On the floor, rugs and silken cushions are arranged in a half-circle. Sitting or sprawling on these are five young girls of the Princess’ own age (14-15) her companions and maids-in-waiting. All the girls wear long robe-like dresses of diaphanous material.

Centre-stage, the beautiful young boy-eunuch Alexis, the Princess’ personal attendant, is performing a langorous dance. His blonde hair, cut in a pageboy bob, is held in place by a gold headband. He is naked apart from a minuscule garment: a jewelled girdle round his waist supports two small square aprons of gold-coloured satin front and back, leaving his hips bare. The boy's movements cause these to flutter up and down, allowing the girls tantalising glimpses of his well-rounded bottom. Decency is preserved – but only just – by the tiny triangle of gold satin – in effect a g-string- which Alexis has on underneath. Through this the girls can easily see the outline of the neutered boy’s neat little penis. The overall effect is extremely erotic.

While Alexis dances the girls chat among themselves in low voices.

1st girl. Hasn’t he got an adorable bottom? I’d like to kiss it!

2nd girl. You and your obsession with bottoms – you’re as bad as my brother.

1st girl The one that’s an officer in the Guards?

2nd girl The very same. You know he’s just bought a young Syrian boy? Paid 500 gold pieces for him at an auction sale. We call him Arion. Lovely dark eyes, and a body to die for, like satin.

3rd girl. Tell us more, Sophrosyne! Does he take the boy to bed with him?

2nd girl Every night. He says it’s far nicer than doing it with a girl.

4th girl He takes the boy to bed – to do what? You don’t mean he does – you know - with the boy, the back way?

2nd girl Well, what other way can he do it with a boy? You are a pea-brain, Helen.

4th girl It must smell! After the man has finished, I mean.

5th girl You know nothing about it, Helen. My uncle, Pharnes, often goes to a place in the city – they call it the Garden of Ten Thousand Pleasures – where men can do it with young boys. After he’s chosen the one he wants, the attendant takes the boy and gets him ready. He has a special pipe made of bone, with a soft leather bag on one end. He fills this with warm water and shoves it up the boy’s behind, to wash his bowels out.

1st girl How do you know all this, Astarte?

5th girl (sulkily) Never mind how – I just do.

3rd girl That’s enough about bottoms. Just wait till he twirls round again towards us - you’ll be able to see IT!

(The girls wait and watch, till Alexis’ loincloth flies up, showing the shape of his gelded genitals.)

4th girl Humph! Doesn’t look as if he could do much.

2nd girl Well, of course he can’t do much, Helen! He’s been pruned down there, between his legs, like all slave-boys are. Our little Arion’s been pruned – that’s what made him so expensive.

4th girl How do you mean, pruned?

1st girl Aren’t you the innocent one, Helen? Look behind you, at that bronze statue of Adonis. Now look between his legs and what do you see?

4th girl His - penis, and a sort of pouch, with two little swellings in it.

2nd girl His balls!

1st girl Exactly. The boy’s balls. Now every slave-boy gets taken to a surgeon to have his balls cut out. That is, if he’s lucky. More often, though, the slave-dealers do it. It’s done so that he can’t ever do the thing with a girl that starts a baby.

3rd girl It must hurt! Oh, how I wish we could persuade him – Alexis – to tell us about it – how he was “done”.

(At that moment Alexis finishes his dance. He goes over to the dais where the Princess is reclining and prostrates himself before her. Selene gestures to him to get up.)

Princess Selene (yawning, she’s seen it all before) Look girls, I’m tired. I thing I shall retire for a bit, and read. Alexis will keep you entertained. (She goes out).

Second girl Alexis, come over here! We want you.

Alexis You called for me, noble lady?

First girl. Yes, we did. We want you to entertain us.

Alexis Shall I dance some more, noble lady? Or I can sing to you – I have a high voice – or I can play the sitar, or..

Third girl We want you to tell us all about yourself. How you became a slave – and everything. And don’t say “noble lady” all the time. We’re your friends. Sit down here.

(Showing a lot of buttock as he does so, Alexis squats down among the cushions)

Third girl That’s better. Where did you come from, Alexis? You speak our language well – though I must say, with an accent.

Alexis I come from the hill-country beyond Adiabene, so I speak the dialect of that region. I’m free-born – I never was a slave.

Fifth girl But if you were free-born, why were you – how did you get to be – what you are?

(The camera zooms in on Alexis’ face. He is blushing scarlet!)

Second girl Come on, Alexis! After all, you’re more like one of us! Or can you still do it – do what boys do to girls?

Alexis. No, not anymore. I’ve tried and tried but I just can’t.

Second girl. Well, come on then – we’re waiting!

Alexis. (with an effort) I come from a small village, in the Adiabene region. My parents were very poor- just peasants – and they died when I was only two years old. I was raised by my mother’s relatives on a farm, and I worked as a farm boy as soon as I was old enough. In summer I looked after the goats on the hills and in the autumn I worked as a ploughboy.

Then when I was thirteen I met this girl. I think her name was Roxana but everyone called her “Little dirty one” because she always looked scruffy and untidy. Well, one day I was on my way to work…………..

FADE OUT and FADE IN again, to a scene in Alexis’ village two years earlier. There is just a dirt road and a line of peasants’ cottages. Alexis appears. He is as unkempt and tousle-haired as we’d expect a farm boy to be: his only garment a loose grey-brown homespun shirt, knee-length, belted round his waist into a sort of kilt. His bare feet are filthy.

From the doorway of one of the cottages a dirty little face looks out.

Little dirty girl I say, Lexy! Lexy!

(Alexis crosses the road to the cottage. The camera follows him inside. The little dirty girl pulls him into an inner room. She wears a sort of smock-dress in the same grey-brown homespun. Her feet, too, are filthy.

Alexis. Hello! What’s the matter?

LDG (in a breathless whisper) I want you to put your thingie into me! I want to know what it’s like!

Alexis You want – what?

(LDG pulls up the hem of her dress, showing her “private area”. Alexis stares at her.

LDG Don’t you like it? (flutters her eyelashes at him)

Alexis. Yes – it’s very nice.

The camera zooms in, showing that beneath his shirt, Alexis has the start of an erection. LDG reaches under his shirt-hem and begins to fondle Alexis’s penis.

LDG (in a whisper) Do you like me doing this, Lexy?

Alexis. Yes – oh yes, it’s lovely!

LDG Now let me see yours properly.

(Alexis takes his shirt off. The camera shows he has a 3-inch erection, very stiff, and a plump scrotum, but no pubic hair.).

LDG. M-mm! That’s a good one! Now, then…

(LDG props her behind against the wall, spreads her legs and pulls Alexis towards her. She rolls his foreskin back)

Alexis. That feels wonderful! (LDG continues to play with Alexis’s foreskin).

LDG. Now, you’re lovely and hard, so……

(She helps him put it between her vagina-lips)

LDG (in a hoarse whisper) Now, Lexy, shove it right up, right the way in.

(The camera zooms in on their “private bits”, as Alexis puts his penis up LDG’s vagina).

LDG. (in a hoarse whisper) Ow, that hurt! No it didn’t – it’s nice! Now, fuck me hard!

(The camera focuses on the couple, showing Alexis’s bare behind pumping to and fro as he jabs into her. This lasts no time at all).

Alexis (gasping) Oh! OH! OH! OH!

LDG What’s the matter, Lexy?

Alexis I think I’ve finished!

LDG. Already? (She says this in a disappointed voice, having, herself, barely even started)

(Heavy footsteps are heard outside).

LDG My God, someone’s coming!

(LDG’s father, a strongly-built countryman, comes in. The camera shows us what he can see – the ooze of blood on LDG’s thighs; Alexis’ penis subsiding but still wet with the girl’s love-juices)

Father What in thunder…(Light suddenly dawns. He grabs hold of LDG flinging her across the room) You little SLUT! You filthy – little – SLUT! Get into the scullery and scrub it out like I told you. I’ll have more to say to you later. And as for YOU…….

Taking hold of Alexis by the hair he hauls him, still undressed, out into the street. As they emerge from the cottage they almost collide with a man coming along the street. He has a neatly-trimmed beard and wears a long blue garment like an Arab ‘dishdasha’. He is the local barber.

Father (to the newcomer) Will you help me, please?

Barber What’s your problem?

Father I need to get this boy – this filth – to the flogging-block. And when I do, I’m going to thrash him and thrash him and thrash him till I drop.

Barber Why, what’s he done?

Father He’s forced himself on my daughter and taken her virginity. No doubt about it, I caught him in the act. How am I supposed to get her married off, if she isn’t a virgin?

Alexis (squirming) That’s not true – she made me do it!

Father Shut up and don’t tell such wicked lies, you little rat!

Barber H’m! A serious situation and a serious crime. Listen, if I speak Ionian Greek can you understand me?

Father Just about.

Barber (in Ionian Greek) Well, then. You can thrash him today till blood runs down his back and your arm aches, but in a fortnight or so, he’ll have forgotten all about it and he’ll be up to all his old tricks. So what I say, if this boy has no relatives who might object – and my understanding is that he hasn’t – what I say is, what’s wrong with gelding him?

Father Huh?

Barber I mean, if it was a stubborn ass or frisky horse, you wouldn’t think twice about it. You’d have him gelded to calm him down. Well, it works just the same with boys who get above themselves. Believe me, I know.

Father You have experience?

Barber Yes. I used to live in Sardis. I worked down by the harbour, where the slavers brought their cargoes in. I was one of a syndicate. Between us we used to castrate between two and three thousand children every year. We lost a few when the operation went wrong, but for the majority, their nature altered completely. They became sweet-tempered, obedient – do whatever you wanted – and they could never, ever, be a nuisance with girls.

Father And could you – would you do this boy?

Barber It’d cost you ten dirhams.

Father. At that price, what are we waiting for? Here you are (He counts the coins into the barber’s hand)

Barber Many thanks. I just need to go home – I live quite near here – to get my gelding-instruments and some other things, and I’ll come straight back and castrate this young satyr of yours. And afterwards he’ll be as good as gold, I guarantee. Just make sure he doesn’t bolt, meanwhile.

Father. I’ll do that. (To Alexis) Go in there, you (pushing him into a shed and bolting the door)

FADE OUT and FADE IN again, suggesting the passing of a short time.

The Barber reappears, together with his assistant. Close behind there follow two youths carrying a stout wooden bench. Over his shoulder the Barber has a leather satchel. The assistant is carrying a small brazier filled with charcoal.

Barber You can put that bench down here. (To the father) Nearly ready. Just let me set out my things. (He unfastens the satchel and sets out an array of razor-like knives, pincers, hooks and snippers. Meanwhile his assistant gets the brazier going).

Father You’re certainly well equipped for the job! What do you use that for? (pointing at a pair of pincers with spoon-shaped jaws)

Barber I won’t be using those today. But since you ask, I use them to castrate very young boys – say six or seven years old. At that age a boy’s testicles are very soft, and it’s possible to “pop” them, just like a grape. Afterwards they just dissolve away, and the boy grows up forgetting he ever had balls. It can be done with your thumb and forefinger, but I prefer to use those shaped pincers.

Father But not on our friend in there (jerks his thumb towards the shed door)

Barber No, he’s far too old for that treatment. I shall cut them right out, just as I would a horse’s. (To his assistant) How’s that brazier, hot enough? Alright, you can put the irons in. (To the youths who brought the bench) You can bring him out now.

(They go to the shed and bring Alexis out.

Alexis (shrieking) Don’t hurt me! Oh please don’t hurt me! (He begins to howl)

Barber Listen, whatever-your-name-is. You have done something very wicked – you’ve taken something that was not yours to take – something that can’t ever be restored. As a punishment I am going to take something from you ,

Two things in fact. And that will remind you, all your life, of what a wicked boy you were.

He turns to the youths.

Lay him on the bench; one of you take his shoulders and the other his feet and (to the assistant) when I tell you, you press down hard on his knees. Hold him very still. If he wriggles about and the knife slips I might gash his penis and I don’t want that to happen. (Alexis is still howling)

The youths put Alexis down on the bench, none too gently. You can just stop that crying. Crying’s not going to make it hurt any less. Alexis howls more loudly than ever)

(Attracted by the activity in the road an urchin of 11 – 12 stops to see what’s going on. His eyes are popping out of his head)

Urchin (to his mates) I say, Mico! Zan! They’ve taken that Alexis, from the farm, and he’s going to get his balls cut out!

Another urchin Whee! Come on, you guys!

Barber Now, hold him as still as you can.

The barber slits the boy’s scrotum on both sides. Alexis shrieks as the knife touches him.

Urchins Coo, I bet that hurt. Look at the blood!

Barber Go away, you boys, unless you want the same treatment. (The boys giggle and pull faces at him)

(To Alexis) Hold your noise, you!

By now a small crowd has gathered. Several boys have come to see Alexis’ humiliation, and we can also see the dirty little girl, holding her hand up to her mouth to hide her embarrassment. The barber proceeds to the next stage of castrating Alexis, crushing his spermatic cords with an emasculator, and snipping his testicles off.

Barber Nearly done. Just got to stop the bleeding. (He reaches for one of the gelding-irons from the brazier. As the red-hot metal touches his raw flesh, Alexis shrieks his loudest yet. Some of the bystanders turn away. The boy’s shrieks die away into gut-wrenching sobs)

Barber (to himself) Finished. (To the crowd) You can all go away – there’s nothing more to see here.

The barber starts packing up his tools. The crowd breaks up. A woman brings Alexis’ shirt and helps him to limp away.

FADE OUT and FADE IN again. We are back in the palace, where Alexis is finishing telling his story to the girls.

Alexis As soon as I was healed I went back to work on the farm. But the boys made fun of me because I’d lost my balls, so one night I slipped away and came here. I begged my way along the road, and once or twice I – I let men have sex with me. Some men will pay a good price for sex with a young castrated boy.

1st girl And then you were brought before the Queen?

Alexis. Yes. I think you know the rest. May I go now? Her Highness may need me for something or other. (He goes out)

2nd girl That was magical! While he was describing how he lost his balls – actually had them cut out – I almost wet myself with excitement.

3rd girl If only we could have some more boys to play with and talk to – boys like Alexis.

4th girl We could make them tell us about their operations. We might make them take off their clothes and show us!

5th girl That’s a wonderful idea! Let’s ask Princess Selene.

1st girl Yes, let’s.

(The camera leaves the girls excitedly discussing these possibilities and takes us to Princess Selene’s boudoir. Alexis has just entered the room).

Selene Hello, Alexis! Did you manage to amuse my friends?

Alexis Yes, Highness – I think so.

Selene Well, I’m bored, so now you can amuse me. You can start by taking my clothes off.

(Alexis carefully removes the Princess’ silken garments. She sprawls naked on the huge bed.

Selene Now take your things off too, and come and lie down here with me.

(Alexis does as he is told. His penis hangs limp.)

Selene Now let’s have some fun. (She takes Alexis’ rosebud penis between finger and thumb and plays with his foreskin. She also caresses the ridge of skin where once he had a scrotum)

Selene Poor Alexis! It’s a shame you were ever gelded. Still, if you hadn’t been, they wouldn’t have allowed you near me. So let’s make the most of it. Kiss mine and I’ll suck yours. Only don’t pee in my mouth!

(Alexis moves around till he and the Princess are in the “69” position)

BLACK OUT

FINIS

ALEXIS TELLS HIS STORY

SCREENPLAY VERSION OF PART OF

“A WOUNDED BOY” by FEMALEFAN

AND C van D

Scene 1

The action opens in the palace gardens of the Queen of Panionia, a small kingdom in the interior of Asia Minor, on the borders of the Parthian Empire. The camera pans across the luxuriant lawns and fountains, the climbing plants and flowering trees. In one part, a team of gigantic Nubian slaves is at work, erecting the monolithic columns of a new temple. To the rhythmic cracking of the overseer’s stockwhip they heave on the ropes. The only sound they make is that of hoarse heavy breathing. Zooming in, the camera shows that the slaves have been blinded, gelded and muted.

The camera now brings us into the palace, to the luxurious quarters of Princess Selene. The Princess reclines on a couch on a dais. On the floor, rugs and silken cushions are arranged in a half-circle. Sitting or sprawling on these are five young girls of the Princess’ own age (14-15) her companions and maids-in-waiting. All the girls wear long robe-like dresses of diaphanous material.

Centre-stage, the beautiful young boy-eunuch Alexis, the Princess’ personal attendant, is performing a langorous dance. His blonde hair, cut in a pageboy bob, is held in place by a gold headband. He is naked apart from a minuscule garment: a jewelled girdle round his waist supports two small square aprons of gold-coloured satin front and back, leaving his hips bare. The boy's movements cause these to flutter up and down, allowing the girls tantalising glimpses of his well-rounded bottom. Decency is preserved – but only just – by the tiny triangle of gold satin – in effect a g-string- which Alexis has on underneath. Through this the girls can easily see the outline of the neutered boy’s neat little penis. The overall effect is extremely erotic.

While Alexis dances the girls chat among themselves in low voices.

1st girl. Hasn’t he got an adorable bottom? I’d like to kiss it!

2nd girl. You and your obsession with bottoms – you’re as bad as my brother.

1st girl The one that’s an officer in the Guards?

2nd girl The very same. You know he’s just bought a young Syrian boy? Paid 500 gold pieces for him at an auction sale. We call him Arion. Lovely dark eyes, and a body to die for, like satin.

3rd girl. Tell us more, Sophrosyne! Does he take the boy to bed with him?

2nd girl Every night. He says it’s far nicer than doing it with a girl.

4th girl He takes the boy to bed – to do what? You don’t mean he does – you know - with the boy, the back way?

2nd girl Well, what other way can he do it with a boy? You are a pea-brain, Helen.

4th girl It must smell! After the man has finished, I mean.

5th girl You know nothing about it, Helen. My uncle, Pharnes, often goes to a place in the city – they call it the Garden of Ten Thousand Pleasures – where men can do it with young boys. After he’s chosen the one he wants, the attendant takes the boy and gets him ready. He has a special pipe made of bone, with a soft leather bag on one end. He fills this with warm water and shoves it up the boy’s behind, to wash his bowels out.

1st girl How do you know all this, Astarte?

5th girl (sulkily) Never mind how – I just do.

3rd girl That’s enough about bottoms. Just wait till he twirls round again towards us - you’ll be able to see IT!

(The girls wait and watch, till Alexis’ loincloth flies up, showing the shape of his gelded genitals.)

4th girl Humph! Doesn’t look as if he could do much.

2nd girl Well, of course he can’t do much, Helen! He’s been pruned down there, between his legs, like all slave-boys are. Our little Arion’s been pruned – that’s what made him so expensive.

4th girl How do you mean, pruned?

1st girl Aren’t you the innocent one, Helen? Look behind you, at that bronze statue of Adonis. Now look between his legs and what do you see?

4th girl His - penis, and a sort of pouch, with two little swellings in it.

2nd girl His balls!

1st girl Exactly. The boy’s balls. Now every slave-boy gets taken to a surgeon to have his balls cut out. That is, if he’s lucky. More often, though, the slave-dealers do it. It’s done so that he can’t ever do the thing with a girl that starts a baby.

3rd girl It must hurt! Oh, how I wish we could persuade him – Alexis – to tell us about it – how he was “done”.

(At that moment Alexis finishes his dance. He goes over to the dais where the Princess is reclining and prostrates himself before her. Selene gestures to him to get up.)

Princess Selene (yawning, she’s seen it all before) Look girls, I’m tired. I thing I shall retire for a bit, and read. Alexis will keep you entertained. (She goes out).

Second girl Alexis, come over here! We want you.

Alexis You called for me, noble lady?

First girl. Yes, we did. We want you to entertain us.

Alexis Shall I dance some more, noble lady? Or I can sing to you – I have a high voice – or I can play the sitar, or..

Third girl We want you to tell us all about yourself. How you became a slave – and everything. And don’t say “noble lady” all the time. We’re your friends. Sit down here.

(Showing a lot of buttock as he does so, Alexis squats down among the cushions)

Third girl That’s better. Where did you come from, Alexis? You speak our language well – though I must say, with an accent.

Alexis I come from the hill-country beyond Adiabene, so I speak the dialect of that region. I’m free-born – I never was a slave.

Fifth girl But if you were free-born, why were you – how did you get to be – what you are?

(The camera zooms in on Alexis’ face. He is blushing scarlet!)

Second girl Come on, Alexis! After all, you’re more like one of us! Or can you still do it – do what boys do to girls?

Alexis. No, not anymore. I’ve tried and tried but I just can’t.

Second girl. Well, come on then – we’re waiting!

Alexis. (with an effort) I come from a small village, in the Adiabene region. My parents were very poor- just peasants – and they died when I was only two years old. I was raised by my mother’s relatives on a farm, and I worked as a farm boy as soon as I was old enough. In summer I looked after the goats on the hills and in the autumn I worked as a ploughboy.

Then when I was thirteen I met this girl. I think her name was Roxana but everyone called her “Little dirty one” because she always looked scruffy and untidy. Well, one day I was on my way to work…………..

FADE OUT and FADE IN again, to a scene in Alexis’ village two years earlier. There is just a dirt road and a line of peasants’ cottages. Alexis appears. He is as unkempt and tousle-haired as we’d expect a farm boy to be: his only garment a loose grey-brown homespun shirt, knee-length, belted round his waist into a sort of kilt. His bare feet are filthy.

From the doorway of one of the cottages a dirty little face looks out.

Little dirty girl I say, Lexy! Lexy!

(Alexis crosses the road to the cottage. The camera follows him inside. The little dirty girl pulls him into an inner room. She wears a sort of smock-dress in the same grey-brown homespun. Her feet, too, are filthy.

Alexis. Hello! What’s the matter?

LDG (in a breathless whisper) I want you to put your thingie into me! I want to know what it’s like!

Alexis You want – what?

(LDG pulls up the hem of her dress, showing her “private area”. Alexis stares at her.

LDG Don’t you like it? (flutters her eyelashes at him)

Alexis. Yes – it’s very nice.

The camera zooms in, showing that beneath his shirt, Alexis has the start of an erection. LDG reaches under his shirt-hem and begins to fondle Alexis’s penis.

LDG (in a whisper) Do you like me doing this, Lexy?

Alexis. Yes – oh yes, it’s lovely!

LDG Now let me see yours properly.

(Alexis takes his shirt off. The camera shows he has a 3-inch erection, very stiff, and a plump scrotum, but no pubic hair.).

LDG. M-mm! That’s a good one! Now, then…

(LDG props her behind against the wall, spreads her legs and pulls Alexis towards her. She rolls his foreskin back)

Alexis. That feels wonderful! (LDG continues to play with Alexis’s foreskin).

LDG. Now, you’re lovely and hard, so……

(She helps him put it between her vagina-lips)

LDG (in a hoarse whisper) Now, Lexy, shove it right up, right the way in.

(The camera zooms in on their “private bits”, as Alexis puts his penis up LDG’s vagina).

LDG. (in a hoarse whisper) Ow, that hurt! No it didn’t – it’s nice! Now, fuck me hard!

(The camera focuses on the couple, showing Alexis’s bare behind pumping to and fro as he jabs into her. This lasts no time at all).

Alexis (gasping) Oh! OH! OH! OH!

LDG What’s the matter, Lexy?

Alexis I think I’ve finished!

LDG. Already? (She says this in a disappointed voice, having, herself, barely even started)

(Heavy footsteps are heard outside).

LDG My God, someone’s coming!

(LDG’s father, a strongly-built countryman, comes in. The camera shows us what he can see – the ooze of blood on LDG’s thighs; Alexis’ penis subsiding but still wet with the girl’s love-juices)

Father What in thunder…(Light suddenly dawns. He grabs hold of LDG flinging her across the room) You little SLUT! You filthy – little – SLUT! Get into the scullery and scrub it out like I told you. I’ll have more to say to you later. And as for YOU…….

Taking hold of Alexis by the hair he hauls him, still undressed, out into the street. As they emerge from the cottage they almost collide with a man coming along the street. He has a neatly-trimmed beard and wears a long blue garment like an Arab ‘dishdasha’. He is the local barber.

Father (to the newcomer) Will you help me, please?

Barber What’s your problem?

Father I need to get this boy – this filth – to the flogging-block. And when I do, I’m going to thrash him and thrash him and thrash him till I drop.

Barber Why, what’s he done?

Father He’s forced himself on my daughter and taken her virginity. No doubt about it, I caught him in the act. How am I supposed to get her married off, if she isn’t a virgin?

Alexis (squirming) That’s not true – she made me do it!

Father Shut up and don’t tell such wicked lies, you little rat!

Barber H’m! A serious situation and a serious crime. Listen, if I speak Ionian Greek can you understand me?

Father Just about.

Barber (in Ionian Greek) Well, then. You can thrash him today till blood runs down his back and your arm aches, but in a fortnight or so, he’ll have forgotten all about it and he’ll be up to all his old tricks. So what I say, if this boy has no relatives who might object – and my understanding is that he hasn’t – what I say is, what’s wrong with gelding him?

Father Huh?

Barber I mean, if it was a stubborn ass or frisky horse, you wouldn’t think twice about it. You’d have him gelded to calm him down. Well, it works just the same with boys who get above themselves. Believe me, I know.

Father You have experience?

Barber Yes. I used to live in Sardis. I worked down by the harbour, where the slavers brought their cargoes in. I was one of a syndicate. Between us we used to castrate between two and three thousand children every year. We lost a few when the operation went wrong, but for the majority, their nature altered completely. They became sweet-tempered, obedient – do whatever you wanted – and they could never, ever, be a nuisance with girls.

Father And could you – would you do this boy?

Barber It’d cost you ten dirhams.

Father. At that price, what are we waiting for? Here you are (He counts the coins into the barber’s hand)

Barber Many thanks. I just need to go home – I live quite near here – to get my gelding-instruments and some other things, and I’ll come straight back and castrate this young satyr of yours. And afterwards he’ll be as good as gold, I guarantee. Just make sure he doesn’t bolt, meanwhile.

Father. I’ll do that. (To Alexis) Go in there, you (pushing him into a shed and bolting the door)

FADE OUT and FADE IN again, suggesting the passing of a short time.

The Barber reappears, together with his assistant. Close behind there follow two youths carrying a stout wooden bench. Over his shoulder the Barber has a leather satchel. The assistant is carrying a small brazier filled with charcoal.

Barber You can put that bench down here. (To the father) Nearly ready. Just let me set out my things. (He unfastens the satchel and sets out an array of razor-like knives, pincers, hooks and snippers. Meanwhile his assistant gets the brazier going).

Father You’re certainly well equipped for the job! What do you use that for? (pointing at a pair of pincers with spoon-shaped jaws)

Barber I won’t be using those today. But since you ask, I use them to castrate very young boys – say six or seven years old. At that age a boy’s testicles are very soft, and it’s possible to “pop” them, just like a grape. Afterwards they just dissolve away, and the boy grows up forgetting he ever had balls. It can be done with your thumb and forefinger, but I prefer to use those shaped pincers.

Father But not on our friend in there (jerks his thumb towards the shed door)

Barber No, he’s far too old for that treatment. I shall cut them right out, just as I would a horse’s. (To his assistant) How’s that brazier, hot enough? Alright, you can put the irons in. (To the youths who brought the bench) You can bring him out now.

(They go to the shed and bring Alexis out.

Alexis (shrieking) Don’t hurt me! Oh please don’t hurt me! (He begins to howl)

Barber Listen, whatever-your-name-is. You have done something very wicked – you’ve taken something that was not yours to take – something that can’t ever be restored. As a punishment I am going to take something from you ,

Two things in fact. And that will remind you, all your life, of what a wicked boy you were.

He turns to the youths.

Lay him on the bench; one of you take his shoulders and the other his feet and (to the assistant) when I tell you, you press down hard on his knees. Hold him very still. If he wriggles about and the knife slips I might gash his penis and I don’t want that to happen. (Alexis is still howling)

The youths put Alexis down on the bench, none too gently. You can just stop that crying. Crying’s not going to make it hurt any less. Alexis howls more loudly than ever)

(Attracted by the activity in the road an urchin of 11 – 12 stops to see what’s going on. His eyes are popping out of his head)

Urchin (to his mates) I say, Mico! Zan! They’ve taken that Alexis, from the farm, and he’s going to get his balls cut out!

Another urchin Whee! Come on, you guys!

Barber Now, hold him as still as you can.

The barber slits the boy’s scrotum on both sides. Alexis shrieks as the knife touches him.

Urchins Coo, I bet that hurt. Look at the blood!

Barber Go away, you boys, unless you want the same treatment. (The boys giggle and pull faces at him)

(To Alexis) Hold your noise, you!

By now a small crowd has gathered. Several boys have come to see Alexis’ humiliation, and we can also see the dirty little girl, holding her hand up to her mouth to hide her embarrassment. The barber proceeds to the next stage of castrating Alexis, crushing his spermatic cords with an emasculator, and snipping his testicles off.

Barber Nearly done. Just got to stop the bleeding. (He reaches for one of the gelding-irons from the brazier. As the red-hot metal touches his raw flesh, Alexis shrieks his loudest yet. Some of the bystanders turn away. The boy’s shrieks die away into gut-wrenching sobs)

Barber (to himself) Finished. (To the crowd) You can all go away – there’s nothing more to see here.

The barber starts packing up his tools. The crowd breaks up. A woman brings Alexis’ shirt and helps him to limp away.

FADE OUT and FADE IN again. We are back in the palace, where Alexis is finishing telling his story to the girls.

Alexis As soon as I was healed I went back to work on the farm. But the boys made fun of me because I’d lost my balls, so one night I slipped away and came here. I begged my way along the road, and once or twice I – I let men have sex with me. Some men will pay a good price for sex with a young castrated boy.

1st girl And then you were brought before the Queen?

Alexis. Yes. I think you know the rest. May I go now? Her Highness may need me for something or other. (He goes out)

2nd girl That was magical! While he was describing how he lost his balls – actually had them cut out – I almost wet myself with excitement.

3rd girl If only we could have some more boys to play with and talk to – boys like Alexis.

4th girl We could make them tell us about their operations. We might make them take off their clothes and show us!

5th girl That’s a wonderful idea! Let’s ask Princess Selene.

1st girl Yes, let’s.

(The camera leaves the girls excitedly discussing these possibilities and takes us to Princess Selene’s boudoir. Alexis has just entered the room).

Selene Hello, Alexis! Did you manage to amuse my friends?

Alexis Yes, Highness – I think so.

Selene Well, I’m bored, so now you can amuse me. You can start by taking my clothes off.

(Alexis carefully removes the Princess’ silken garments. She sprawls naked on the huge bed.

Selene Now take your things off too, and come and lie down here with me.

(Alexis does as he is told. His penis hangs limp.)

Selene Now let’s have some fun. (She takes Alexis’ rosebud penis between finger and thumb and plays with his foreskin. She also caresses the ridge of skin where once he had a scrotum)

Selene Poor Alexis! It’s a shame you were ever gelded. Still, if you hadn’t been, they wouldn’t have allowed you near me. So let’s make the most of it. Kiss mine and I’ll suck yours. Only don’t pee in my mouth!

(Alexis moves around till he and the Princess are in the “69” position)

BLACK OUT

FINIS

ALEXIS TELLS HIS STORY

SCREENPLAY VERSION OF PART OF

“A WOUNDED BOY” by FEMALEFAN

AND C van D

Scene 1

The action opens in the palace gardens of the Queen of Panionia, a small kingdom in the interior of Asia Minor, on the borders of the Parthian Empire. The camera pans across the luxuriant lawns and fountains, the climbing plants and flowering trees. In one part, a team of gigantic Nubian slaves is at work, erecting the monolithic columns of a new temple. To the rhythmic cracking of the overseer’s stockwhip they heave on the ropes. The only sound they make is that of hoarse heavy breathing. Zooming in, the camera shows that the slaves have been blinded, gelded and muted.

The camera now brings us into the palace, to the luxurious quarters of Princess Selene. The Princess reclines on a couch on a dais. On the floor, rugs and silken cushions are arranged in a half-circle. Sitting or sprawling on these are five young girls of the Princess’ own age (14-15) her companions and maids-in-waiting. All the girls wear long robe-like dresses of diaphanous material.

Centre-stage, the beautiful young boy-eunuch Alexis, the Princess’ personal attendant, is performing a langorous dance. His blonde hair, cut in a pageboy bob, is held in place by a gold headband. He is naked apart from a minuscule garment: a jewelled girdle round his waist supports two small square aprons of gold-coloured satin front and back, leaving his hips bare. The boy's movements cause these to flutter up and down, allowing the girls tantalising glimpses of his well-rounded bottom. Decency is preserved – but only just – by the tiny triangle of gold satin – in effect a g-string- which Alexis has on underneath. Through this the girls can easily see the outline of the neutered boy’s neat little penis. The overall effect is extremely erotic.

While Alexis dances the girls chat among themselves in low voices.

1st girl. Hasn’t he got an adorable bottom? I’d like to kiss it!

2nd girl. You and your obsession with bottoms – you’re as bad as my brother.

1st girl The one that’s an officer in the Guards?

2nd girl The very same. You know he’s just bought a young Syrian boy? Paid 500 gold pieces for him at an auction sale. We call him Arion. Lovely dark eyes, and a body to die for, like satin.

3rd girl. Tell us more, Sophrosyne! Does he take the boy to bed with him?

2nd girl Every night. He says it’s far nicer than doing it with a girl.

4th girl He takes the boy to bed – to do what? You don’t mean he does – you know - with the boy, the back way?

2nd girl Well, what other way can he do it with a boy? You are a pea-brain, Helen.

4th girl It must smell! After the man has finished, I mean.

5th girl You know nothing about it, Helen. My uncle, Pharnes, often goes to a place in the city – they call it the Garden of Ten Thousand Pleasures – where men can do it with young boys. After he’s chosen the one he wants, the attendant takes the boy and gets him ready. He has a special pipe made of bone, with a soft leather bag on one end. He fills this with warm water and shoves it up the boy’s behind, to wash his bowels out.

1st girl How do you know all this, Astarte?

5th girl (sulkily) Never mind how – I just do.

3rd girl That’s enough about bottoms. Just wait till he twirls round again towards us - you’ll be able to see IT!

(The girls wait and watch, till Alexis’ loincloth flies up, showing the shape of his gelded genitals.)

4th girl Humph! Doesn’t look as if he could do much.

2nd girl Well, of course he can’t do much, Helen! He’s been pruned down there, between his legs, like all slave-boys are. Our little Arion’s been pruned – that’s what made him so expensive.

4th girl How do you mean, pruned?

1st girl Aren’t you the innocent one, Helen? Look behind you, at that bronze statue of Adonis. Now look between his legs and what do you see?

4th girl His - penis, and a sort of pouch, with two little swellings in it.

2nd girl His balls!

1st girl Exactly. The boy’s balls. Now every slave-boy gets taken to a surgeon to have his balls cut out. That is, if he’s lucky. More often, though, the slave-dealers do it. It’s done so that he can’t ever do the thing with a girl that starts a baby.

3rd girl It must hurt! Oh, how I wish we could persuade him – Alexis – to tell us about it – how he was “done”.

(At that moment Alexis finishes his dance. He goes over to the dais where the Princess is reclining and prostrates himself before her. Selene gestures to him to get up.)

Princess Selene (yawning, she’s seen it all before) Look girls, I’m tired. I thing I shall retire for a bit, and read. Alexis will keep you entertained. (She goes out).

Second girl Alexis, come over here! We want you.

Alexis You called for me, noble lady?

First girl. Yes, we did. We want you to entertain us.

Alexis Shall I dance some more, noble lady? Or I can sing to you – I have a high voice – or I can play the sitar, or..

Third girl We want you to tell us all about yourself. How you became a slave – and everything. And don’t say “noble lady” all the time. We’re your friends. Sit down here.

(Showing a lot of buttock as he does so, Alexis squats down among the cushions)

Third girl That’s better. Where did you come from, Alexis? You speak our language well – though I must say, with an accent.

Alexis I come from the hill-country beyond Adiabene, so I speak the dialect of that region. I’m free-born – I never was a slave.

Fifth girl But if you were free-born, why were you – how did you get to be – what you are?

(The camera zooms in on Alexis’ face. He is blushing scarlet!)

Second girl Come on, Alexis! After all, you’re more like one of us! Or can you still do it – do what boys do to girls?

Alexis. No, not anymore. I’ve tried and tried but I just can’t.

Second girl. Well, come on then – we’re waiting!

Alexis. (with an effort) I come from a small village, in the Adiabene region. My parents were very poor- just peasants – and they died when I was only two years old. I was raised by my mother’s relatives on a farm, and I worked as a farm boy as soon as I was old enough. In summer I looked after the goats on the hills and in the autumn I worked as a ploughboy.

Then when I was thirteen I met this girl. I think her name was Roxana but everyone called her “Little dirty one” because she always looked scruffy and untidy. Well, one day I was on my way to work…………..

FADE OUT and FADE IN again, to a scene in Alexis’ village two years earlier. There is just a dirt road and a line of peasants’ cottages. Alexis appears. He is as unkempt and tousle-haired as we’d expect a farm boy to be: his only garment a loose grey-brown homespun shirt, knee-length, belted round his waist into a sort of kilt. His bare feet are filthy.

From the doorway of one of the cottages a dirty little face looks out.

Little dirty girl I say, Lexy! Lexy!

(Alexis crosses the road to the cottage. The camera follows him inside. The little dirty girl pulls him into an inner room. She wears a sort of smock-dress in the same grey-brown homespun. Her feet, too, are filthy.

Alexis. Hello! What’s the matter?

LDG (in a breathless whisper) I want you to put your thingie into me! I want to know what it’s like!

Alexis You want – what?

(LDG pulls up the hem of her dress, showing her “private area”. Alexis stares at her.

LDG Don’t you like it? (flutters her eyelashes at him)

Alexis. Yes – it’s very nice.

The camera zooms in, showing that beneath his shirt, Alexis has the start of an erection. LDG reaches under his shirt-hem and begins to fondle Alexis’s penis.

LDG (in a whisper) Do you like me doing this, Lexy?

Alexis. Yes – oh yes, it’s lovely!

LDG Now let me see yours properly.

(Alexis takes his shirt off. The camera shows he has a 3-inch erection, very stiff, and a plump scrotum, but no pubic hair.).

LDG. M-mm! That’s a good one! Now, then…

(LDG props her behind against the wall, spreads her legs and pulls Alexis towards her. She rolls his foreskin back)

Alexis. That feels wonderful! (LDG continues to play with Alexis’s foreskin).

LDG. Now, you’re lovely and hard, so……

(She helps him put it between her vagina-lips)

LDG (in a hoarse whisper) Now, Lexy, shove it right up, right the way in.

(The camera zooms in on their “private bits”, as Alexis puts his penis up LDG’s vagina).

LDG. (in a hoarse whisper) Ow, that hurt! No it didn’t – it’s nice! Now, fuck me hard!

(The camera focuses on the couple, showing Alexis’s bare behind pumping to and fro as he jabs into her. This lasts no time at all).

Alexis (gasping) Oh! OH! OH! OH!

LDG What’s the matter, Lexy?

Alexis I think I’ve finished!

LDG. Already? (She says this in a disappointed voice, having, herself, barely even started)

(Heavy footsteps are heard outside).

LDG My God, someone’s coming!

(LDG’s father, a strongly-built countryman, comes in. The camera shows us what he can see – the ooze of blood on LDG’s thighs; Alexis’ penis subsiding but still wet with the girl’s love-juices)

Father What in thunder…(Light suddenly dawns. He grabs hold of LDG flinging her across the room) You little SLUT! You filthy – little – SLUT! Get into the scullery and scrub it out like I told you. I’ll have more to say to you later. And as for YOU…….

Taking hold of Alexis by the hair he hauls him, still undressed, out into the street. As they emerge from the cottage they almost collide with a man coming along the street. He has a neatly-trimmed beard and wears a long blue garment like an Arab ‘dishdasha’. He is the local barber.

Father (to the newcomer) Will you help me, please?

Barber What’s your problem?

Father I need to get this boy – this filth – to the flogging-block. And when I do, I’m going to thrash him and thrash him and thrash him till I drop.

Barber Why, what’s he done?

Father He’s forced himself on my daughter and taken her virginity. No doubt about it, I caught him in the act. How am I supposed to get her married off, if she isn’t a virgin?

Alexis (squirming) That’s not true – she made me do it!

Father Shut up and don’t tell such wicked lies, you little rat!

Barber H’m! A serious situation and a serious crime. Listen, if I speak Ionian Greek can you understand me?

Father Just about.

Barber (in Ionian Greek) Well, then. You can thrash him today till blood runs down his back and your arm aches, but in a fortnight or so, he’ll have forgotten all about it and he’ll be up to all his old tricks. So what I say, if this boy has no relatives who might object – and my understanding is that he hasn’t – what I say is, what’s wrong with gelding him?

Father Huh?

Barber I mean, if it was a stubborn ass or frisky horse, you wouldn’t think twice about it. You’d have him gelded to calm him down. Well, it works just the same with boys who get above themselves. Believe me, I know.

Father You have experience?

Barber Yes. I used to live in Sardis. I worked down by the harbour, where the slavers brought their cargoes in. I was one of a syndicate. Between us we used to castrate between two and three thousand children every year. We lost a few when the operation went wrong, but for the majority, their nature altered completely. They became sweet-tempered, obedient – do whatever you wanted – and they could never, ever, be a nuisance with girls.

Father And could you – would you do this boy?

Barber It’d cost you ten dirhams.

Father. At that price, what are we waiting for? Here you are (He counts the coins into the barber’s hand)

Barber Many thanks. I just need to go home – I live quite near here – to get my gelding-instruments and some other things, and I’ll come straight back and castrate this young satyr of yours. And afterwards he’ll be as good as gold, I guarantee. Just make sure he doesn’t bolt, meanwhile.

Father. I’ll do that. (To Alexis) Go in there, you (pushing him into a shed and bolting the door)

FADE OUT and FADE IN again, suggesting the passing of a short time.

The Barber reappears, together with his assistant. Close behind there follow two youths carrying a stout wooden bench. Over his shoulder the Barber has a leather satchel. The assistant is carrying a small brazier filled with charcoal.

Barber You can put that bench down here. (To the father) Nearly ready. Just let me set out my things. (He unfastens the satchel and sets out an array of razor-like knives, pincers, hooks and snippers. Meanwhile his assistant gets the brazier going).

Father You’re certainly well equipped for the job! What do you use that for? (pointing at a pair of pincers with spoon-shaped jaws)

Barber I won’t be using those today. But since you ask, I use them to castrate very young boys – say six or seven years old. At that age a boy’s testicles are very soft, and it’s possible to “pop” them, just like a grape. Afterwards they just dissolve away, and the boy grows up forgetting he ever had balls. It can be done with your thumb and forefinger, but I prefer to use those shaped pincers.

Father But not on our friend in there (jerks his thumb towards the shed door)

Barber No, he’s far too old for that treatment. I shall cut them right out, just as I would a horse’s. (To his assistant) How’s that brazier, hot enough? Alright, you can put the irons in. (To the youths who brought the bench) You can bring him out now.

(They go to the shed and bring Alexis out.

Alexis (shrieking) Don’t hurt me! Oh please don’t hurt me! (He begins to howl)

Barber Listen, whatever-your-name-is. You have done something very wicked – you’ve taken something that was not yours to take – something that can’t ever be restored. As a punishment I am going to take something from you ,

Two things in fact. And that will remind you, all your life, of what a wicked boy you were.

He turns to the youths.

Lay him on the bench; one of you take his shoulders and the other his feet and (to the assistant) when I tell you, you press down hard on his knees. Hold him very still. If he wriggles about and the knife slips I might gash his penis and I don’t want that to happen. (Alexis is still howling)

The youths put Alexis down on the bench, none too gently. You can just stop that crying. Crying’s not going to make it hurt any less. Alexis howls more loudly than ever)

(Attracted by the activity in the road an urchin of 11 – 12 stops to see what’s going on. His eyes are popping out of his head)

Urchin (to his mates) I say, Mico! Zan! They’ve taken that Alexis, from the farm, and he’s going to get his balls cut out!

Another urchin Whee! Come on, you guys!

Barber Now, hold him as still as you can.

The barber slits the boy’s scrotum on both sides. Alexis shrieks as the knife touches him.

Urchins Coo, I bet that hurt. Look at the blood!

Barber Go away, you boys, unless you want the same treatment. (The boys giggle and pull faces at him)

(To Alexis) Hold your noise, you!

By now a small crowd has gathered. Several boys have come to see Alexis’ humiliation, and we can also see the dirty little girl, holding her hand up to her mouth to hide her embarrassment. The barber proceeds to the next stage of castrating Alexis, crushing his spermatic cords with an emasculator, and snipping his testicles off.

Barber Nearly done. Just got to stop the bleeding. (He reaches for one of the gelding-irons from the brazier. As the red-hot metal touches his raw flesh, Alexis shrieks his loudest yet. Some of the bystanders turn away. The boy’s shrieks die away into gut-wrenching sobs)

Barber (to himself) Finished. (To the crowd) You can all go away – there’s nothing more to see here.

The barber starts packing up his tools. The crowd breaks up. A woman brings Alexis’ shirt and helps him to limp away.

FADE OUT and FADE IN again. We are back in the palace, where Alexis is finishing telling his story to the girls.

Alexis As soon as I was healed I went back to work on the farm. But the boys made fun of me because I’d lost my balls, so one night I slipped away and came here. I begged my way along the road, and once or twice I – I let men have sex with me. Some men will pay a good price for sex with a young castrated boy.

1st girl And then you were brought before the Queen?

Alexis. Yes. I think you know the rest. May I go now? Her Highness may need me for something or other. (He goes out)

2nd girl That was magical! While he was describing how he lost his balls – actually had them cut out – I almost wet myself with excitement.

3rd girl If only we could have some more boys to play with and talk to – boys like Alexis.

4th girl We could make them tell us about their operations. We might make them take off their clothes and show us!

5th girl That’s a wonderful idea! Let’s ask Princess Selene.

1st girl Yes, let’s.

(The camera leaves the girls excitedly discussing these possibilities and takes us to Princess Selene’s boudoir. Alexis has just entered the room).

Selene Hello, Alexis! Did you manage to amuse my friends?

Alexis Yes, Highness – I think so.

Selene Well, I’m bored, so now you can amuse me. You can start by taking my clothes off.

(Alexis carefully removes the Princess’ silken garments. She sprawls naked on the huge bed.

Selene Now take your things off too, and come and lie down here with me.

(Alexis does as he is told. His penis hangs limp.)

Selene Now let’s have some fun. (She takes Alexis’ rosebud penis between finger and thumb and plays with his foreskin. She also caresses the ridge of skin where once he had a scrotum)

Selene Poor Alexis! It’s a shame you were ever gelded. Still, if you hadn’t been, they wouldn’t have allowed you near me. So let’s make the most of it. Kiss mine and I’ll suck yours. Only don’t pee in my mouth!

(Alexis moves around till he and the Princess are in the “69” position)

BLACK OUT

FINIS