Cia

You got the emotions so right with this one. The fear and pain from the past that haunts a person. The sense of cautiously waiting and watching, silently judging a person but unable to share the reasons why it's like that. Finally the inevitable confrontation, the new situation with the old one. How will it end, will it be the same all over again or will life and love surprise you? This was not a happy story though it ended in a very positive light. Healing from trauma is a process and one that takes time and a lot of trust. Tane let Jared know that he understood, that he was there and would be patient with him and that made all the difference. Jared needed that. Wonderful story! Thank you so much!!

This makes the other anthologies make so much more sense. I do think it would be great re-released as a whole work as well. You put so much symbolism in your work I always have to think when I read them. Not saying that is a bad thing Thanks so much for the interesting read!!

I really liked your story Jian. The characters were fresh and while they were doing the whole love at first sight storyline scenes it didn't have the contrived, suddenly in love and will be together feel that you sometimes find when people write a love story. They got to know each other, though it only took a day. Then Bill made a classic mistake. He decided to do what was best for someone else. I think we've all done that at some point in our life, sometimes it's the right thing to do and sometimes it's not. The hard part? You can't ever really know, since you are not that other person. You blended the scenes and the timeline spectularly. I even saw a bit of you in this story. Thank you for the great read!

Awww... moving out on your own for the first time is a bit scary but freeing at the same time. I was so young when I did it I was lucky my stupid phase was over. Sounds like you are ready to hit the ground running and are getting all the details out of the way before the move, good for you! I hope it all works out!!

*Gasp* You're cute... What are you doing with Cam again? Oh yeah, he's a cutie too, Who'd have thunk it? Oh wait, I've seen a pic of you before, what am I going on about?

Hmmm... I tried to read the story but the lack of pause in the punctuation kept rushing me as I read. I did like the characters, the description of Angelo insisting he be locked up in a cell because he might murder someone made me chuckle. Your overall style in writing is very formal, even the speech of the characters held a cadence that I wasn't used to which made the story seem stilted to me. I've not run across your writings here on GA before so I'm not sure if you are a native English speaker or not but I know as an American I am used to a much more relaxed style of speech. You brought the characters to life for me but I just didn't get into the story as well as I might have had it been less formal.

Well it may sound pompous but to me it did raise some flags. First off, Sam is truly asexual, which is rare. Yeah, he's got great skills in the job they are bringing him in for but then to be expecting him to take over as management on a division with such importance in his 20s? Unlikely at best due to exactly why he said he knew he lost the job and why he didn't want to work at John Hopkins. Lack of experience. So why put him in that position? My thought when they were talking about the testing and his abililty to interact with the teams and candidates and his overall dedication to the program whether he got the job or not was that they would not be going this far to tempt and manipulate him without some ulterior motive. Besides, I'm sorry but a mission made up solely of couples? That's a nightmare waiting to happen in some aspects. If there are altercations you have no one who is able to look at the issue without being influenced by an unbiased attachment since each person has a partner they are loyal too first and foremost. Sam showed his loyalty and drive for the mission to succeed and that was what clinched his appointment to the team. The writing was smooth, flowing and I loved the personal interactions. I kept getting interrupted as I read and with some stories I can't just jump right back in and with this one I could. It was a great story, thank you for the interesting read Graeme!

OMG, that's awful Heart!! For me any sort of repetitive sound or tapping noise gets me in seconds. I lose my cool. Obviously my kids will never ever have drums. On the hubbies side... leaving dishes lying around for me to pick up. How hard is it to put it in the dishwasher? And NO, there are no points for putting it in the sink 2 feet away from the dishwasher. If it's not that big of a deal for me to have to put them in there why can't he do it himself? Grrr.... just thinking about it irritates me

Thanks for the comments everyone! I did deliberately leave the question of light and dark vague. It was something so very integral to their world and a very major factor of their relationship but it was something that everyone took for granted. It wasn't bad to be of the dark or of the light but they did not mix. No one needed to explain it because that was just what was. The parallel's that we draw between races in our reality was sort of inevitable. In the past the same 'knowing' that the two just couldn't mix was the same. In this, it was less the challenge of how would society react but how confident were they in their love and dedication to the other. The narrator was left as more of an unknown than Eren was. Eren was confident, assured and determined to fight for what he truly wanted. The narrator was more reserved, fearing what would happen not so much for his sake, but for his love's. When Eren decided that taking the risk was what he wanted, what he was sure of, the narrator gave in, finally acknowledging what he wanted and he was willing to risk everything for the chance to be together. The idea for the story came to me from the picture. The dark and light sides of the image were beautiful in their own ways, both the color and lack of it. But the blending of the two, the way the shadow highlighted the colors the bright sunset painted on the clouds made the area where the two halves came together the most spectacular part of the picture. In a relationship that is what we do for our partner. We bring our two halves together and make each other better, both the good and bad parts. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to read this story and comment. I really did try to push the descriptions in this story to be very vivid, thank you Anyta and Sam for noticing, it was the hardest part for me. Oh and Hamen, honestly I have no idea who the narrator is. I saw the face, the eyes, skin, hair... but the body and the gender never came through to me. It was a struggle when I wrote the story because I didn't know really. I didn't want to 'he or she' the character since I decided if they didn't want to tell me it must not matter.

Wonderful story Em!! You definitely led the reader into believing the younger brother Ashley was coming out but I thought that was just a tad too formulaic for you I was waiting for the twist. The scene at the park bench was what clinched it for me, I just had to think that it would have gone differently had they both been gay. Aaron is the embodiement of the responsible older brother. I had a sister, much closer to me in age, but with it just the 2 of us as the older one she often took care of me, bearing the brunt of things when times were difficult. It's so very wonderful to see you write a relationship like that into what was a very emotional story overall. I wonder though... would Ashley's confession and the resulting reaction by his parents make them think twice before they lose their cool after Aaron's reveal or would it make it worse? His dad could become angrier in reaction, blowing all things out of proportion because it's been too much for him. Or he could have realized that he ran the risk of losing his children with his behavior and will react in a more positive or at least neutral manner. I think that is the heart of what most people fear when they 'come out'. Very well done. Thank you for the great read!

I loved this story of course. I really liked Trace's character, his strongwilled mind, his determination to protect everyone in his life, his selflessness. Jackson's bravery, his understanding and his patience with Trace is great. Most of all I like Mitch, whose matter of fact acceptance that Trace needed to find his own happiness even if it was at some cost to himself was so very 'romantic' even though it was done as a friend/brother, not as a lover. I really enjoy the way you can bring your characters to life, it keeps me reading your stuff over and over. Thanks!!

I defend my viewpoint. You have a beginning and a middle and an end to this story which was really about Shadow finding his Blaze. The background, the war, the ruling houses breakdowns are all vital to the story of how Shadow and Blaze come to be where they are and who they are. They train as individuals to find their strengths and weaknesses and then they meet and bond. They spend years learning each other, finding out who they are together, as Shadow and Blaze. Then they truly complete the bond, with a bit of very discreet nookie, I might add. In doing so and finding themselves under Eland's oak and on Calumn's land, both realize who they truly are and they take the steps in the coming scenes to figure out what they are supposed to do. They are the chosen of the god and goddess, a Mystic and his Knight, and the heirs to 2 kingdoms. They have a purpose and they now realize that and will face it together which is the only way to defeat the war coming in the future. The war to come, the places they will go and the deeds they will accomplish are all things that I want to know as well. In the meantime I am in awe of the land, the rituals, phrases and people that Lugh has so vividly brought to life. Thanks Lughbert!!

I loved this story when I read it before and I loved it again this time. I was so sad, so heartbroken over what I know is reality for so many people. But you forced me to remember things I knew in my youth; joy in simple things, things others take for granted is just as valuable as joy in the big things in life. That both the callousness and kindness of strangers can play out in ways we might never dream. Above all... that sometimes loved ones can surprise us. Thank you for the thoughtful and beautiful story, it was phenomenal.

To be honest, it was the emotions of the story that held me. Narration as the sole storytelling format seemed to lay out the story a bit pedantically but Adonis' emotions, his blithe application and testing, his sudden dread and fear when essentially intimidated into signing... those things kept me reading. I like your characterizations and I really enjoyed the story by the time I was done. Thanks for the interesting read!

I really like this story. It was so simple and yet the emotions involved had me on edge. Would he make it to the island? I don't know if you were using the lighthouse as a metaphor but safety from a storm is what they always meant to me. John was trying to get to the island, to Lucas, amid a great storm in his life. His own fears and issues along with the rejection of his family, especially poignant, and the possible rejection at school. You end this story with them as close as 2 people can be, skin to skin, wrapped up in each other's arms, secure and safe in the other's love. It was a wonderful story, thank you.

This story elicited some interesting thought on my part. So many people focus on teenager or college aged years when they portray 'coming out' stories. In your story we are given a tale where people are really learning themselves and who they are inside later in life. They begin to see things with new eyes and a whole new world is opened up to them. It is never to late to examine who you are, we are always evolving, changing, and growing until the end. Thank you for the great story.

I have used a variety of Canon's and some Kodak cameras. If I had to choose, I like Canon's better. They are not as expensive as Nikons but I feel they do just as good a job taking pictures. Unfortunately I'm not really up on the point and shoot versions of their lines, I've Canon film and slr Rebels. However, I saw this one in store, the SX130 IS I liked the way it felt and the features provided. It gives you many options on shooting settings, providing both pre-set shooting modes as well as manual. There are a variety of flash features, jpg file quality and it even does movies. With 12.1 mp it will take fine quality photos, though it only has a 4x zoom, the biggest downside in my mind. The Canon website price is $249, though often that is the higher end of what you can find a camera for if you shop around your area. The link goes to the Canon website spec page. Hope that helps a little. I'm not an expert by any means but if you have any questions about cameras feel free to pm me, I'll help if I can.

Wow, 90 views and yet you are the first to leave a comment, Thanks Louis. I am really glad you are enjoying the story. If I had to pin the story down to a 'theme' it would be courage under fire. There are so many ways that a person can react to adversity in life, be it a loss, abuse, neglect. How we act under those influences and how we react say a lot about a person. The ability to endure, to keep your 'self' intact and to show true grace of heart and soul is something that not everyone will come to know in their lifetimes but anyone who has will understand the message I have tried to place within the story. That being said, Dane and Tap's story wasn't planned out really. I started with the germ of an idea and the first chapter, intending this to be a truly 'short story'. 15 chapters and almost 60,000 words in, the story has unfolded in much more rich detail and emotion that I ever expected. The characters truly came to life for me and I think that has come across to the readers as well. You are right, Dane is not meant to be read as a weak person who allows others to abuse him because he is a wimp but because he knows there are some battles that are simply futile to engage in. He endures quietly, making his plans and doing his best to live the life he cannot currently change. He's become inured to the violence though it does not fail to hurt him, physically and emotionally each time it occurs. There is a sort of fatalistic acceptance a person achieves when faced with that sort of day to day abuse. That is where comes in. Tap has lived a good life, but instead of that making him oblivious to other's emotional states it has made him more aware. His parents instilled within him a need to reach out to others, to share the joy and fire he has for life with the people he surrounds himself with. He's well known and liked, a popular person who could easily be cocky and full of himself. Instead he sees Dane and instantly recognizes the pain he is in and tries in his own big, blustery way to make it better. He is quietly thoughtful in the many small ways that truly mean something. As a pair they both bring something that the other needs. They are more together than the sum of their two parts alone. There are still challenges to come but that is what makes us appreciate the truly good moments in life. That is another of the main aspects of this story. I truly hope everyone continues to enjoy it.

Marriage means a lot to me in some ways, but I am in no ways possesive of a name of a ceremony. I've actually been thinking a lot about the subject in general and mine in particular lately. In a year of many ups and downs I celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary to a man next week. We were married all those years ago by a minister in a local country grange hall twhere we grew up. The minister was simply because he was a close friend of my husband's family who took the time to fly down from Alaska to perform the ceremony because as a teenager my husband asked him to, years before I ever met him. My family was there, his family was there and we said before everyone we cared about, "I choose you" by taking those vows. Of course, anyone who knows me wouldn't be surprised I made the minister take out the words, "and obey". I think that is what marriage is about. Being with someone you love and sharing that with the world. Children might come of it, they might not, but that is not what it's about. It's about loving and committing to another person. Religious people use the words, 'my marriage' to own it. It's not something you can own, at least it shouldn't be. Everyone deserves to be able to declare their love the same way, those emotions in life are what make us the most human. Denying a person that is like relegating them to a lesser status. If I had found my other half in a woman or if my children should turn out to be bi or gay I would never want that forced upon them or me. I do think it inevitable that people will wake up and marriage between two people of the same sex will be universally legal. Some day they will see that showing the love a couple shares should be allowed to all people equally, no matter who they are under their clothes.

Happy Birthday!

I carry my cellphone around pretty much constantly as well. But I rarely text, it's not a fancy phone with picture capabilities and such. Mostly it's because I am on the go a lot with 2 kids and it's safer to have a phone with me in case of breakdowns, key lockouts, schedule changes and such.

LOL. You must have been such a troublemaker Benji! Naughty!! Did you get caught or forced to confess?

Hope you have a great day Kia!!

I've unfortunately run the gamut of abuses children can face, abandonment, physical, emotional, sexual. It's not ever something you just 'get over', so no, it's not absolutely ridiculous that it would still be affecting you Tipdin. Unfortunately and fortunately the experiences I was faced with as a child made me into the person I am today. Would I love to go back in time to protect the child me from the bad people in my life? Hell yes. But if I did that I would wipe out many of the sources to my own convictions as a parent now. To be there for my kids always, to never use a belt or strap, to be attentive and fair to both equally, to listen and not always dictate, and above all LOVE them, no matter what. With both words and actions. That's sometimes not easy because I'm a raging touch phobic as a side affect of my childhood but it's important. And yes, that means if either of them come to me and say I'm gay or bi I'm okay with that, since I've been asked that question by quite a few people on here. Basically, being an adult means trying to overcome those influences and trying to 'patch things up' with those in our life that may have treated us badly. If it takes a counselor to get you to that point then well and good, that's what they are there for. If you don't feel like they help you then don't use one. I personally never could but I know of others who believe that therapy saved their lives, so obviously not everyone out there is a quack. Also being an adult means that if you find that the attitudes and actions of the abusers has not changed you can write them off. You tried, you gave it a shot. Good for you. Now do what needs to be done to be happy and live your life the way you want to. Because it's too short to stay unhappy if you don't have to.

I still won't watch horror or thrillers, hell I close my eyes and plug my ears during previews of them! All this started after my best friend traumatized me when I was 8 while watching IT. I won't go into it but she was a mega brat that night. To make matters worse, my grandmother has the damn IT clown doll in her collection. I told her when she parcels up the dolls between my sisters and I later on I soooo do not want that thing