zakynthos

I love your great humor responses I wasn't actually advocating for a graphic blow by blow Just observing that the powers of the Force to "just say no" are amazingly strong here. Maybe it's the water

My initial reaction was similar to yours. Having been a recipient of parental neglect due to (mental illness) I do feel strongly for the all 3 of the young men who have effectively become orphans. This is the quiet reality that looms in the background of this redemption tale. As far as judging the broken and failed parental units - we don't really know much about the dad other than he is not present in any meaningful way. Aiden's mother - all I can say is to try not to judge her too harshly. I will add to Topher's response that she has moved beyond grief into serious mental illness. She seems to be in a quasi-catotonic state. She is in dire need of help herself and in no way capabable of providing care to anyone at this point. It is futile to try to apply normal logic to people with severe psycho emotional damage. It's a bad situation for everybody - just trying to offer some insight as I advocate for compassion

In any locale other than Merrickville - I 'm pretty sure hormones would have taken over when Axl and Ollie's goodbye kisses intensified. Actually - they missd out on the perfect opportunity to break in the newly acquired truck bed 😩

Really appreciate you sharing that this story isn't totally fictional. I think that makes story more believable and relatable when the writer taps into actual people and events. Maybe a necessary ingredient to creating a powerful tale of the human condition

Well The plot thickens as they say. This type of revelation (about Gareth) has opened a window of seeing him more clearly. He's so self contained - it;s hard to get too close even when sharing space. Obvious he is isolated and lonely. The added insight of Gareth's grandfather being a "strict disciplinarian" (putting a nice face to it) says a lot. Now it seems he is trapped into a cycle of abuse he is conflicted and confused about. Not sure how this will impact Matty and Alex - they are kind hearted and well meaning but pretty clueless (thru no fault of their own) but into something way over their heads.

having a hard time believing he would save Casso (specially since he had to put hi,self at risk to pull him back up) Stockholm Syndrome ???

maybe not but i'm guessing the label maker will creatively be put to use

I love the compassion here for the plight of the single parent (specially the undereresourced not fully adult yet single parents. It's one of the toughest gigs there is (for both the dependents and the protector) You're totally right - Ollie is the perfect counterpart especially since he is well versed in Orel care Ollie really sees Axl and it is not thru eyes of pity but rather thru admiration. Very moving to witness

Too bad for Axl then - no luck with the Merrick boys

The suspense is killing me - ok maybe not to a fatal level (but I do have the paramedics on speed dial) Matty and Alex are just so innocently naive - you just know they are going to fall (or get lured ) into something nasty. Definitely getting an Oliver Twist twist to the story. So I get the feeling the vacation will be ending soon

merrily merrily merrily -li fe is but a dream - right now they are moving through a fog of calm - just treading water But - I get your sense of foreboding - to me this feels like the beginning of a roller coaster ride when you are being pulled up the first big steep hill. There is the feeling of an uneasy calm because even though its all good at the moment - you know the bottom is going to drop (soon) and it might get scary

The STORM ? If they are lucky. Let's hope they aren't too unlucky.

Just enjoying your crazy ability to make your characters so solidly real - both the loveable and the detestable ones. I think the Merrickville tales story like this one is when your writing is the most powerfu (well - to me anyway)l. Written with love and humor - a potent cocktail. Your work is littered with little poetic phrases that I cant help but stop for a moment to appreciate (like taking a moment to stop and smell the roses). This little side tale actually encompasses some pretty heavy life conditions - but is kept pretty light hearted with liberal doses of humor and insight that seem to transmute pain into pleasure. Not an easy thing to do really.

Things didn't iurn out too bad for them considering being homeless on the streets anywhere - underage and all of it making them pretty vulnerable to the nastier elements of the world It seems like a surreal xerene vacation from their troubles but it feels like the calm before the storm

Still wondering what became of Hank and what happened to his truck/car left in the hollow. enquiring minds want to know 😁

I truly love your optimism - glad you're willing to share as I am in dire need of some. From my perspective - what I see is 2 trains in opposing directions running full speed one one track. Classic impending trainwreck. Makes me want to call out and yell - STOP! Totally useless - speeding trains never listen 😱

Thats a really valid point My comment was referring to Alex's parents attitude but you are right - that knowledge would be an understandable response for cutting off Mattys friendship with Alex if Matty had gone full monty disclosure. Seems though - that if Mattys parents knew all the gritty details - they would likely have not kept Alex's dad in the dark. Guess we'll find out eventually

My imagination has been running amok about this ambush (sorry in advance - if this is getting too annoying ) Here is my possible improbable to add to the list - Just for fun I am imagining the evil little Tarquin (age 7) was involved in the ambush. After all, he was in a tower window staring down ominously at Andrew when Andrew drove off. Maybe the ambush road that Andrew turned onto was visible from the window in the tower and it was Tarquin who made an unauthorized call to notify Denton. This fits in with Topher's comment (a few chapters prior) mentioning that Tarquin (age 7) was punished to 3 days in the dog kennels for some yet to be disclosed offenses by his doting father. Perhaps Tarquin unwittingly being involved in getting several of his father's henchman unalived was the cause for his punishment Sorry - but I think I had too much coffee this morning and my mind is now officially off the rails

Maybe I mis-configured the trap - but I thought a vehicle with flood lights (Hank) pulled onto the main road from a logging road to the right. Then Denton's Chevy pulled onto the main road from a logging road to the left. That would mean both Hank and Denton were lying in wait for Andrew. Hard to imagine they would cut down a tree just in hopes that Andrew might drive down this particular road. My Vulcan logic is saying "that is a highly improbable move Captain Kirk" 😁 Thus - a third party involvement Plus being tailed on a lonely deserted stretch of highway would have caught Andrew's attention even in his distracted state of mind

It looks like Alex is having the mother of bad ideas and will soon be going off the rails. I have to think that if his parents had been more understanding and supportive, Alex's impending disaster might have been averted. Instead of shutting down the conversation - maybe his parents offering some sort of help - like for instance - assisting Alex in making contact with his lifelong friend Matty instead of choosing to not get further involved and acting like it is normal for parents to (permanently ?) send their only child (not sure if he is an only child) off to a distant relative. The banishment of Matty sounds like something that might have been normal in Charles Dickens time zone - Maybe Alex's parents read to many Dickens novels in their youth 😁

Seems like there is a loose end here - Hank who was left with an injured ankle at the creek (or up the creek - may not have a paddle but his rifle may suffice) I think here is a saying - "dead men tell no tales" Andrew is probably is a bit of shock - I would guess it will be left to Walter to clean up the mess

Really ? Will is pretty perceptive. He already knows Andrew is up to something probably dangerous. Two leaders no (not counting Hank) of the White Cross mysteriously disappear and Will is not going to know ?? That's going to be a bit of a sticky wicket 🤔

Seems like there is a puzzle piece missing - well I am puzzled at any rate An impromptu ambush was set up on a back road not normally used. To me - it seemed like Andrew's road choice was a bit random and not a road he could have been anticipated in advance to be on that night. So, someone else had to have been following Andrew to be able to know which road he was travelling on (after leaving the Merrick mansion}. Once Andrew turned onto Concession Road 4, this third party would then have had to contact Denton to relay Andrew's travel route to enable the trap to be set. That's my guess anyway

You're hitting on a deep Truth here. (almost) Every monster in human form is a distorted twisted spirit of a once innocent child. (the infamous orcs of JRR Tolkiens Lord of the Rings - have a similar origin story - they didn't start out that way) It feels like you are touching on a much deeper tragedy of the chidren souls damaged beyond repair - who later become little toxic clouds of poison infecting everything they contact. Your little backstory revelation makes it a lot more difficult to fully despise Tarquin now. URGHH!

Really great job capturing Alex's emotional state when coming out to his folks. I really felt the fear and anxiety he was feeling. Matty's parents silence is really cruel regardless of what they know or don't know. Poor Alex has to be wondering whether it is Matty or his parents decision to excommunicate Alex. AN explanation would have been kind and much appreciated. I havent read the previous story so I have know intel on Matty's parents but right now - they don't seem to good. Exiling their son is kind of an indication