LJH

Have you ever awoken to a clear, azure sky, clearer than the day before? It immobilises. Have you ever heard birds singing and recall each whistle in your head like a song you've never heard? It's penetrating. Have you ever comforted yourself with the fullness of true love? The greatest love of all? Its rare. I have. Thursday morning is such a day. I wake feeling energised like never before with Alex beside me. I'm drowning in the strength of his love. It is the end of yesterday. It is the begin

Alex's skin has turned gray and his clothes are wet from sweating. He's seated on the bench outside Coach's office, wringing his hands, rocking his body. I stare out the window, taking in the view of the campus steps, students milling about, and the whiteness of the clouds forming mushroom heads in the distance. 'Kinetics?' I mumble. He couldn't have heard. Too soft. 'No. Psychokinetics. I move things with the power of my mind.' I turn to face him. He's

Alex drops me off at the entrance to the sports complex. He'll find a parking and text me his location. I move slowly through the corridors toward Coach's office and I'm walking on air. Alex has made all this possible. I know there will be more possibilities and moments of happiness. I reach his office and there is one other person leaning against the wall in the corridor. Geoffrey Marx. No big surprise. I move past him and sit on the bench, trying hard to concentrate

A cool breeze slaps my face. I am awake. The headache is gone. My chest isn't hurting. My nose isn't blocked, I wrinkle it; no cracking and the plaster has been removed. One other thing, Alex isn't holding me. 'Al?' I mumble. No answer. I whip my head around to face him. His side is cold. I call out, hoping he's in the shower. No answer. He's placed my prostheses on a chair beside the bed. I fit them, and head fo

Alex opens my door and takes me by the elbow, 'It's okay, I can do this.' I remind him. He steps back immediately, 'Sorry. I'm always helping my dad. Instinct.' He takes my head in his hands and kisses my forehead just as a car passes.. 'Thank you,' he whispers. 'What for?' 'For coming back.' He kisses me on the forehead again, then takes my hand and leads me up the steps. The house has the unmistakeable aroma of

We drive along the ridge that straddles the western boundary of the city. He turns onto a dirt road that leads to the precipice, stops and turns off the lights. Pointing upwards, he smiles, 'Take a look.' The night is young. The star-grained sky tells a billion tales, each story shining brightly; each story spanning eons. I have never taken the time to look at the sky at night. 'When last did you see such a beautiful sight?' '

The weather has cleared. The grass in the centre of the track at Ellis Park Stadium, across the road from the University of Johannesburg, smells new. The blue sky, the sun, the sounds of the city, everything is washed clean, it's like life has been ironed out and deoderised. I expect Alex to drop me off at the stadium and leave me, instead, he follows me through the corridors and chooses a seat in the stands where he is able to focus on me without interruption. I atta

Friday is overcast and raining. I feel rotten about leaving Alex. He leans against the door post and watches me pack my few belongings into his black kit bag. 'Are you sure you'll be okay? What I really mean is, do you want to do this?' 'I don't want to do this, but I have to. I can't bare the thought of not being able to run, and I have to go home. You know If I could stay I would, but I can't, Al. I want to stay. My parents, they'll worry.'

I don't hear Mom calling. I don't hear the bedroom door open. I don't see the frustration in her face. My mind is preoccupied with images: meeting Alex at Patrick's party, the messages he sends to my cell phone, carrying me up the steps, the kiss and my reaction to it. 'Keegs, what on earth is going on?' She leans in at the door,'I've been calling you for the last two or three minutes. Your friend is here - are you ready for practise?'

The text on my cell phone screen says: "I know u like movies. Wanna join me?" He's brave. I like that. I'm vulnerable right now. I like that. There is mutual attraction. But do I need to be reminded every day that there might be more to my feelings for Alex than I would care to admit. He has this knack of being around when needed, and I needed company. I texted him: "Yup." This is the start of it. The moment I throw caution to the wind, and express my tr

He sends me a text at 23.30: "Just wanted to say goodnight. I enjoyed our chat today." I smile and return a text five minutes later: "Nite Nite. Thank you, sweet man." Sweet man? Sweet man! Are you out of your freaking mind? Change that. Make it...Make it...big guy. I fall asleep with a smile on my face, ready to take on the last few lectures before final examinations. I have to prove to the establishment that even a disabled man can make a difference. I wake up to the sound of my HT

michael dun 1886 Michael Dun...CH 1 to 3 are up....This was the first complete novel I wrote...enjoy it. I had fun writing it cos it deals with among other things, different cultures in an amazing adventure into Africa...drop by and tell me what you think.. Men are not allowed to love each other the way we do. Therefore it is a crime and we are locked away, labelled insane and incurably so. We do not feel threatened here in this great wilderness. Here we are free, able to wrap our arms about each other or hold hands or even dance. We have never known such freedom.” Michael Dun - 1886 It is Late 1885 One year before chaos descends over the goldfields of a new town called Johannesburg. Michael Dun is an Englishman born into British aristocracy, he is a geologist, a spy for the British Colonial Office, and to top all of this, a man who prefers men to women. In these early days, the word homosexual, gay, homo, lesbian and dyke had not been coined, men simply loved other men. Michael’s first assignment is to spy on the gold digging activities on the Ridge of White Waters. As fate would have it, on the eve of his journey to the Cape of Good Hope, he is called to his family home on some urgent, unfinished business… Michael Dun will eat into your life slowly. Beware! This tale of intrigue, adventure and gay abandon, will thrill you as I take you on a journey from England to Cape Town in an original and absorbing tale of forbidden gay love. All my novels deal with the conflict between good and evil, after all, this is a universal theme and will always be around.

This tale of intrigue, adventure and gay abandon, will thrill you as I take you on a journey from England to Cape Town in an original and absorbing tale of forbidden gay love.

Charlie Manning Charlie Manning had gathered his knowledge from the only gardener he knew and loved, his father, John William Manning. He taught him when to plant, how to build a cold frame and hotbed, about soil and rocks and trees and weeds and grasses. Laburnum’s terraced lawns lined with perennial borders, stepped rocks and water features, hidden views of smaller gardens with statues and a yellow flowering ground cover, portrayed to Michael a place somewhere in heaven. An aspect of

Laburnum The carriage slowed and the house came into view, a large crossover between the old and the new Victorian. A huge slate building built around a busy courtyard with several paths that led to the servants quarters. The stables, a laughing place with chatter and grumping of horses in the background. The inner parlor of the house, a sanctum of silence. The garden, the most delightful place of all with its perfumed colour and tall trees spread across the hills. If the ga

BRITISH COLONIAL OFFICE - ENGLAND Lord Granville was one of an unseen few who advised Queen Victoria. The public had never seen him, never heard him, and would not miss him.A soft-spoken man, he carried the world in aging hands and was on the lookout for a coup to revive the confidence of his lost youth. At an age when retirement was in sight, he had not reached his peak. A regretful situation for any one with more to achieve. Leaning back in a brown leather chair, he tw

Any advice will do. Always will reciprocate a read. I'm writing the end chapters and playing around with endings...such fun. But I'm reposting Even Stars Die and adding new chapters and tighter, leaner writing. The first two chapters are posted. Constructive crits and reviews are always a good place to start. Hope you enjoy the story as much as I had fun writing it and seeking direction from all my friends and fellow writers here on GA. have a blessed xmas and a perfect new year. Louis J

I reach for the door and climb into the car. As a rule I don't wear my blades everywhere I go. I decided a long time ago to carry around my normal prostheses. I place my Cheetah legs on the back seat. 'So, you say Patrick asked you to help him out. Don't you have band practice or something?' 'Tomorrow. Thursday is my day off from music.' 'You're lucky you get a day off. I don't know what that is.' 'You should try it sometime, good for the karma.' Every time he changes gears h

Angst before marriage...

THE CHOICE 2005 1 Your throat locks with emotion. You’re on your way to the wedding and you feel sick. After long periods of soul searching, the final decision to carry out this act must be quick. You’re nervous because after so many years of living in constant fear of being chastised, you finally have recognition. The office staff will be there, some smiling, some thinking how silly. The press will be there with ink as ammunition. If you marry, you will be blessed with years of

The Story of bilateral amputee Keegan Mansfield.

Prologue Shooting stars. The night sky before morning is silent music. The blackness is deeper and sounds carry farther. The moon settles east over the mountains, and as we climb higher, she grows closer. The road is endless as it snakes its way into the Outeniqua Mountains in the Western Cape. I’ve had the holiday of a lifetime. We’re going home. We’ve travelled from Cape Town to Knysna, to St Francis bay and George on the east coast. Dad hasn’t taken a break since Ge

Andy Andy, Alex is not the bad guy, just protecting what's his. He has enormous powers and they need to come out in these next few short chapters. There are not many chaps left so the story is now building up to the ending climax. Peaking and then ending on a note of hope. Yes, Alex will be revealed. And so will the truth about the accident that left him without legs. Thanks for the read big guy. Appreciate your comments hey. Anyta Very pertinent observation. I'll change that sentence with the grin word. As for the rest, all I can say is read on, some of the best novels don't make sense until the last line. In these last few chapters, you will encounter Alex like you've never seen him before. And never will again. His powers just become so wild and almost unbelievable until the great reveal when all will be understood. The conclusion, I might add, is shattering, so prepare yourself. About POV. Anita Shreve, in The Pilots WIfe, changes POV excellently and keeps doing it throughout her novel. I am attempting to do this POV change only once because these are scenes that Keegs cannot know about or see so he can't describe them. When he returns from Capetown in Part 3, the POV will change back to him and this will lead into the major climax at the end with a bried reaction scene slowing down the novel to it's inevitable end. CIA Your obsaervations are noted. I will change that scene where mother slaps Keegs. I have the right perspective now, thanks to you. It will drive the next scene between his parents and Alex, there is a lot to work on in the upcoming scenes between Alex and Keeg's parents. And I hope I will not leave you disappointed. About Keegs calling Alex Mr. Meyer, well, in the context of the scene, which is a poignant scene, Keegs says it softly and poignantly, almost singing it. Perhaps I should point that out in the scene itself. It's not said out of anger, but playfully. Thanks for the great input guys, and please, don't hate Alex, he's more than just meets the eye. He's just a wonderful surprise that Keegs will chewrish for the rest of his life...

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fishing lol. I know the ending - oh and one other person on this site knows it too. not saying that Alex will die. I don't like to kill off my characters. Not after I've worked so hard to create them. so there's no chance of that happening. But....LOL I'll leave it there. Thanks for reading. I'm glad you like the simplicity of the writing. I firmly believe in the economy of words, so the right word has to be used at all times. just my own finicky way. enjoy the read.