T.I.C. by Ricky

[Agincourt]

I'm starting this thread a bit early to post the link to chapter 1 of this story:

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/efiction/viewstory.php?sid=1393&textsize=0&chapter=1

 

I'm moving ahead in the story and so far it looks like a good one. Even if no one else does, I will try to have something to say on Thursday, although I'm going to have to hustle to get to chapter 5 by then.

 

A

[Agincourt]

Here is my post actually discussing this story.

 

There will inevitably be spoilers below. Please consider this if you have not read the story.

 

The eponymous T.I.C. is a young lad named Tyson Ignacio Coruthers. Through an almost unbelievable series of bad breaks and institutional indifference, he has spent much of his time in prison. (It's unclear whether it's juvie; althoug unlikely at his age, it sounds like he was among an adult population, although this is never made clear.) As the story opens, he has just finished serving two years when he is busted again, within hours of his release. This will be his third criminal beef. He is offered a choice of going to trial, and likely getting another two-year prison sentence, or accepting a plea deal where he will plead guilty but receive parole conditioned on him going to the Ogden Castle Ranch in a rural part of California. He chooses to plead and take the ranch.

 

A kindly officer named Bill takes him up to the ranch, opining that Tyson seems different from the other boys he has brought up there. Apparently the state has tried this idea before, but all the previous boys have either changed their minds on arrival at the ranch, or been sent back because they wouldn't behave. Tyson, of course, is already nervous, and now is convinced that he, too, will undoubtedly be sent back. That's just his luck. Somehow, Bill decides that Tyson is trustworthy enough that he removes the handcuffs that were put on for transport. Tyson sees his first deer on the trip to the ranch, which impresses him greatly.

 

Upon arrival, Tyson meets Ogden Castle, who goes by "Oggie," the father and owner of the ranch, and his son Nick, who is Tyson's age. It is immediately decided that the new arrival should go by the nickname "Ty."

 

Ty is pretty much a basket case on arrival. He is scared of everything, convinced that the countryside is filled with malicious creatures out to do him in. He is distrustful, after years in the horrid prison environment, and painfully naive about everyday things that most people take for granted.

 

Nick takes Ty out by horse to a location where he is repairing a fence. Both boys are riding the same horse, with Ty sitting behind Nick and holding on with arms around Nick's chest. Ty quickly discovers that the motion of the riding, coupled with the proximity to Nick, has given him a raging erection. On arriving at their destination, Nick is revealed to have an equally raging boner. Nick playfully runs his hand over Ty's bulge, evidently thinking that the two of them might jack off together. Ty completely shocks Nick (and the reader) by immediately getting on his knees, unzipping Nick and getting out his cock, and delivering a professional-quality blow job. When Nick asks about this afterward, it comes out that this is what Ty has been accustomed to doing in prison -- taking care of more dominant prisoners and guards. He just assumed that was what Nick expected.

 

This begins a series of events in which Ty reveals any number of hangups and fears based on his time in prison and his lack of experience in the outside world. Nick and Oggie try their best to reassure him that things are different now, and that he should trust them. More importantly for the story, Ty and Nick fall madly in love with each other, and in surprisingly short order are actively having sex.

 

Oggie learns of what Nick and Ty are doing, and takes it in stride, much to the relief of both of them. Nick continues to introduce Ty to various aspects of country living, and hooks him up with a horse named Camille, with whom Ty seems to have an almost telepathic kinship. Ty also learns about gathering eggs and feeding the chickens. When a couple of chickens escape, Ty suggests adding a "sally port" to the chicken coop -- an entryway with an additional door, so that any escaping chickens can't get all the way out. His inspiration: The double-door entries to the prison buildings.

 

Ty is revealed to have a special gift when it comes to drawing. This will figure prominently in later parts of the story (beyond chapter 5).

 

Oggie decides to take the boys into town and stay at a place owned by a friend of his named Sharon. Ty amazes the other two by eating so much at dinner -- he is apparently making up for years of starving in prison, where others would take his food (not that it was particularly good to begin with) away from him. It becomes apparent that Sharon and Oggie are more than just friends. There is a hilarious scene where Nick and Ty are in their room having sex. Ty is on his hands and knees, doggy style, and Nick has put a belt around his midsection to hang on to, rodeo style. Nick is wearing a cowboy hat and boots (nothing else). Nick is f**king away, calling out noisily, and the somewhat rickety bed is banging the wall. Sharon, hearing all the commotion from outside, opens the door to their room just as Nick is coming inside of Ty. She nearly collapses in laughter, closing the door and deciding not to say anything to Oggie.

 

* * * * *

 

I realized after I had read a ways into this story that I have read other things by the same author. Specifically I have read The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of and at least part of Blind Sensations.

 

The author has a unique style. He seems to like protagonists who enter the story with major strikes against them, and likes rural settings.

 

The discussions between these young characters, as they talk about subjects like love, trust, and other life issues, seem old and wise entirely beyond their years. Many of the situations are rather melodramatic and somewhat hard to believe. Yet it is still an engaging story.

 

My biggest gripe is that the point of view in T.I.C. wanders all over the place, especially in the first chapter or two. It is written in the third person. I am accustomed to third person that is written from one character's point of view. In T.I.C., however, we find ourselves not only inside Ty's head from time to time (he is the logical POV character), but without warning inside Nick's head and even Oggie's head, learning their reactions to story events. I don't appreciate that, because it kind of spoils the fun. I prefer to have a consistent POV based on the experiences of one character, so that we, the readers, discover things about the other characters at the same time and in the same manner as the POV character does. It kind of takes out a lot of story interest if we're simply told what the other characters are thinking inside. (Of course, sometimes readers will see things that the POV character does not, things that may foreshadow developments that the POV character does not suspect. That's different. My complaint is about being told exactly what other characters are thinking at various points in time.)

 

Interestingly, as the story progresses, the POV steps back to becoming almost detached. Whereas earlier we were told what various principal characters were thinking, now all we get is objective description of events. I would say that this extreme -- great detachment -- has its own set of problems, because things just seem to "happen." My preference would be for a happy medium, with POV tied to one character (probably Ty).

 

In The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of, the author quite unexpectedly inserted a story development as shocking as Bambi's mother being shot by hunters. I am hoping that this is not something planned for T.I.C. I do plan to continue reading it as time permits.

 

This was a good story suggestion.

 

A

[Agincourt]

I feel like kind of a lone voice in the wilderness here. I hope other will participate at some point.

 

A

[Nephylim]

Hun I know I am being a bad reviewer. Things are pretty crazy here at the moment with my daughters moving in and other stuff happening. Maybe we should put things on hold for a couple of weeks as it seems everyone else is busy too. I suppose this is a busy time of year with everyone either on holiday or covering for other people who are on holiday. Perhaps we can put August's list back to September. I don't want to scrap them altogether because I know of and really like some of the stories. I will definately come back and comment on this one at some point because I think the story is definitely worth comment. It is my favourite ricky story and I just love its premise and the way it has progressed. Will be back later