The Box

[Adam Phillips]

Being in the heart of all the action sometimes requires some strenuous leaps of faith, but that's nothing compared to resurrecting people.

 

You people keep talking about miracles. We know you don't believe in resurrections, Mark. We're not talking about miracles. We have rationally-plausible explanations. And we know shit like that happens because we saw it back when we watched Days of Our Lives or whatever.

 

So, no miracles. We just know what really happened behind those grisly scenes you narrated and intend-to-narrate. All those things you conveniently forgot to mention.

 

(Okay, I'll quit now.)

 

But I really think that JJ... :devil:

 

(actually, I don't give a shit)

[Mark Arbour]

You people keep talking about miracles. We know you don't believe in resurrections, Mark. We're not talking about miracles. We have rationally-plausible explanations. And we know shit like that happens because we saw it back when we watched Days of Our Lives or whatever.

 

So, no miracles. We just know what really happened behind those grisly scenes you narrated and intend-to-narrate. All those things you conveniently forgot to mention.

 

(Okay, I'll quit now.)

 

But I really think that JJ... :devil:

 

(actually, I don't give a shit)

 

Everyone knows that only the Flying Spaghetti Monster can resurrect people. Geez.

 

Then again, I'm thinking of what kind of creative fun I could have writing about all those noodly appendages. There's an orgy that might make Stef blush.

[Tiger]

Well, there really are instances on soap operas that cannot be real, but faked death is NOT one of them. There's also MIA, which is also quite feasible, at least for Aaron and Steven.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudocide

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_in_action

Edited April 30, 2010 by Tiger

[rjo]

Tonto's letter to Steven talks about secrets. Aaron and Steve could have lived and be in hiding all these years. Would Mark do that to us? Would he? As for Jeff being alive that is a different matter. To much to ask. Who was in the coffin? He fooled JP at the time. JP is very hard to fool. If Jeff was alive what would that do to JP and Stef? If Steven and Arron were alive that would be different.

[methodwriter85]

You know, the more I think about it, the more plausible it seems that Aaron and Steve faked their own deaths so they could lead a tropical life away from the oppressive nature of Claremont. All they would have had to have done is switch their dog tags with a dead soldier who is barely recognizable, and there you have it.

[KJames]

Tonto's letter to Steven talks about secrets. Aaron and Steve could have lived and be in hiding all these years. Would Mark do that to us? Would he? As for Jeff being alive that is a different matter. To much to ask. Who was in the coffin? He fooled JP at the time. JP is very hard to fool. If Jeff was alive what would that do to JP and Stef? If Steven and Arron were alive that would be different.

 

The way I see it, it could only have happened if they were assigned to the same unit together. Then, during battle, a couple of guys who resembled them closely were killed in such a way that burns and facial features were unrecognizable, leaving only dog-tag ID...that would have been accepted as positive ID in most cases, especially if their uniform shirts were also switched, then they could have abandoned using someone else's identity until the end of the war...but it doesn't sound like the type of character that either of them were.

[mmike1969]

You know, there is a very simple solution to the mysteries about Uncle Aaron. It just takes a little effort on Robbie's part...

 

Personal Short Story

 

A few years ago, going through a box filled with my dad's old books I was going to sell at the used book store, the buyer handed me back a picture she found in one of the books.

 

It's a picture of a baby in an incubator dated in 1963 inside one of the books... Tubes sticking in/out of him with my parents looking through a glass window. I know it was NOT my oldest brother since he was born in 1964.

 

I was 36 then and I have NEVER heard of this person.

 

Mysteries of a hidden brother? Did my mother have an affair? WTF, Who the hell and more importantly was Where the hell was this person...

 

My solution was to pick up a phone and call my dad.

 

Me: "Hi dad! How are you!... I am doing fine... By the way, who the HELL is ..."

 

Dad: "..."

 

Sadly, he died shortly after birth and I am guessing it was a traumatic event that my parents never bothered to mention him.

 

At the same time, even NOW my parents leave me out in the cold.

 

The oldest of the living brothers got engaged in Sept 2009... I didn't know he was getting married until Jan 2010... And only after my dad asked me if I needed a new suit...

 

As for JP being nervous, I am re-reading Bloodlines yet again and something in Chapter 19 caught my eye that I missed before.

 

JP:

[methodwriter85]

Interesting story, Mike. It's sad how most preemies didn't stand a chance back in those days. Contrast that to JJ's birth in 1985, where being six weeks premature wasn't that big of a deal.

[Tiger]

JP:

[nightsky]

I'm mostly caught up with the story, and getting sad that I'm running out of story to read.

 

I don't know where Mark's going with this ride... but it sure is fun! (we're right back to teen angst stuff. yay!)

[methodwriter85]

Speaking of teenage angst stuff...shouldn't Brad and Robbie be helping Darius visit different colleges throughout the summer instead of reading these letters? I feel like it's custom for parents to start the college tours with their kids the summer before senior year. I just kinda realized this when replying to KJames in the 9/11 thread that summer/fall 1999 is college application time for Darius Schluter. And it's Darius's generation that things started really getting cutt-throat with admissions, right?

[paya]

You know, the more I think about it, the more plausible it seems that Aaron and Steve faked their own deaths so they could lead a tropical life away from the oppressive nature of Claremont. All they would have had to have done is switch their dog tags with a dead soldier who is barely recognizable, and there you have it.

 

Now I think, even if Mark ever would have been thinking about a twist like that, after all those speculations published here he just has to kill them off to show all those speculations were ...just speculations. It's what authors do to keep their readers in their toes. or Mark has to come with another solution no one had mentioned so far!

[Mark Arbour]

Now I think, even if Mark ever would have been thinking about a twist like that, after all those speculations published here he just has to kill them off to show all those speculations were ...just speculations. It's what authors do to keep their readers in their toes. or Mark has to come with another solution no one had mentioned so far!

 

You have all given me food for thought.

[nightsky]

After I caught up, I decided I could read this thread b/c there would be no spoilers. Imagine my surprise when there is no mention of Aaron or Steven dying in the story yet! And we've got them faking dead on some tropical island, sipping mai tais, and enjoying life.

 

I can't wait to see how Mark gets us from Chapter 13 to Steven, Aaron, and Jeff living it up in the tropics (except... Jeff needs someone too, no?)

 

psst... I know to expect one chapter a week from THE OTHER ONE, how often do we get new stuff here?

Edited May 5, 2010 by nightsky

[mmike1969]

Speaking of teenage angst stuff...shouldn't Brad and Robbie be helping Darius visit different colleges throughout the summer instead of reading these letters? I feel like it's custom for parents to start the college tours with their kids the summer before senior year. I just kinda realized this when replying to KJames in the 9/11 thread that summer/fall 1999 is college application time for Darius Schluter. And it's Darius's generation that things started really getting cutt-throat with admissions, right?

 

Perhaps they looked up his future College on the Internet

 

Or maybe he Darius decided to take a year off and do the Travel the World thing before deciding what he wants to do. You know, visit Europe before 9/11 and then afterward decide to skip College for now and join in the military much like Aaron and Steven did.

[Enric]

ch14: oh, those family heritages...

[methodwriter85]

Or maybe he Darius decided to take a year off and do the Travel the World thing before deciding what he wants to do. You know, visit Europe before 9/11 and then afterward decide to skip College for now and join in the military much like Aaron and Steven did.

 

I don't think Darius will want to join the military, given the shit he's likely going to get for being middle-Eastern.

 

As for the story...Nathan and Steven...I kinda like 'em. Maybe it's because Nathan reminds me of a guy I know, physically. Although Nathan isn't as dumb as a box like my sweet but really dumb friend is.

 

 

Edited May 11, 2010 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

I don't think Darius will want to join the military, given the shit he's likely going to get for being middle-Eastern.

 

As for the story...Nathan and Steven...I kinda like 'em. Maybe it's because Nathan reminds me of a guy I know, physically. Although Nathan isn't as dumb as a box like my sweet but really dumb friend is.

 

 

 

Wait a minute, I thought Nathan was supposed to represent you? Didn't you tell me that you had rock solid muscles and were built like a wrestler?

[methodwriter85]

Nah, I'm more broad-shouldered and stocky, although I do have the tree-trunk legs Nathan has.

 

Back to the story...Brad is bringing up the events of 1985. Hmm. Wonder if that's signifcant, or foreshadowing something...maybe Brad and Robbie still have some issues to work through...

[ricky]

An awesome chapter. It was so loving with Nathan jealous of his brother. And so completely surrendering the way they came together. Too bad he has to dia a horrible death and what of Nathan then?

 

Where is that damn spoiler button I've heard so much about?

 

Anyways, Mark this was awesome.

[Tiger]

Aaron is such an asshole. He was more or less rubbing it in Steven's face and lying to him at the same time. Hopefully, Steven will have better luck with Nathan.

[Mark Arbour]

Aaron is such an asshole. He was more or less rubbing it in Steven's face and lying to him at the same time. Hopefully, Steven will have better luck with Nathan.

 

I think Boot Camp really messed him up.

[ricky]

I think Boot Camp really messed him up.

 

Back then bootcamp was more like brainwashing than training. Not at all like it is today.

[paya]

so much for the tropical island ideals well... no wonder... you had to brainwash those guys so that they would fight no matter what if you wanted to beat Japs and Germs...

 

I'm interested in how it develops with Nathan. 1) I don't remember him being talked about before, in previous stories, 2) are we for Steven-Aaron other way round? This time it's Steven going to fight leaving Nathan hopelessly in love? I'm sure Steven would handle his depart in a better way than Aaron (if not for being Steven, then definitely to prevent Nathan getting the same experience Steve got - which is in fact "being Steven" as well ) but how Nathan is going to handle it?

 

 

[Mark Arbour]

so much for the tropical island ideals well... no wonder... you had to brainwash those guys so that they would fight no matter what if you wanted to beat Japs and Germs...

 

I'm interested in how it develops with Nathan. 1) I don't remember him being talked about before, in previous stories, 2) are we for Steven-Aaron other way round? This time it's Steven going to fight leaving Nathan hopelessly in love? I'm sure Steven would handle his depart in a better way than Aaron (if not for being Steven, then definitely to prevent Nathan getting the same experience Steve got - which is in fact "being Steven" as well ) but how Nathan is going to handle it?

 

 

 

That gets resolved in Chapter 17.