Philippe

Nicky felt the physical and emotional loneliness; missing his dear dad and his over worked mom, with little to do and no one to share it with (sorry Mr Bojangles). Jack on the other hand feel the opposites of Nicky’s physical and emotional experiences. Suffering too much parading around in a fake facade of holiday spirit, berating being the norm sealed with sharp kiss of a slap up side the head. The abuse poor Jack is experiencing is far worse than the lump of coal in his stocking; the severity of his abuse wrapped in the Christmas’ past and present, magnify the pressures to his breaking point…yet again. Thankfully, Nicky was there to answer Jacks call, for Jack was too far down, drowning in depression. Too far down to hang on by himself. Nicky doesn’t even know or recognize that he probably saved Jack’s life…again. Nicky has become the critical life jacket for Jack to stay afloat. Yet, Jack still gives freely his heart and soul for hopes Nicky may love him the way he does Nicky. Hopefully, they all make it back to school and to each other without incident. And hopefully Noah has gotten his Dear John letter from Christmas Present to Christmas Future.

Around thirteen we lose rational thinking and it just doesn’t seem to return for about 10-15 years. Then we look back and the big emotional issues of those days seem so small. But the issues and/or emotions we swept aside seem like missing puzzles pieces that where there all along. Life is full of it’s own practical jokes, that far too often exceed their shelf life, making them regrets of what if’s. 😢

My parents and grandparents were very traditional, the old saying that things you don’t discuss among family and friends are: money, politics, religion, comes to mind. Why is that dad? Opinions are like assholes, son, everyone’s got one, and nobody thinks theirs stinks. I appreciate that the GA site allows us to share comments about the stories and perhaps how it touches our lives, but has a discussion forum, THE PIT, for those that want to go beyond the entertainment value of the story, to debate or share their opinions on current politics. Of course, the authors themselves are sometimes guilty of expressing their opinions of those best not discussed among family and friends topics; making it difficult to enjoy the story without having to read/pick your way through a political fence. Fiction is a wonderful thing that perhaps is under appreciated. 😊

Perhaps drawn and quartered?

High enough that your feet dangle when that trap door releases.

Neck stretching is good; a crowd pleaser once the crimes are revealed, against individuals, country, and allies.

It seems one wears a mask to stand out for other than what he is seen as stereotypically…different . While the other wears a mask to blend in; to meet the expectations of what is…def, normal: not abnormal. These two both fit the classic comedy and tragedy masks 🎭 of theater; may the next ACT be a new found identity and confidence…for both young men.

Hmmm 🤔, colon-er….oh, co-loner. Dang dictionary punctuation and syllable breaks mess me up. Jeez Hi, I’m Cal, are you a coloner? 🕵️ I’m not ready for that but nice to know you are interested if we get that far.

It’s easy to sow unrest, yet hard to prove, The real source of the problem to remove. So while he has good points, he shouts, His colleagues echo for political joists. His shout points may be rightfully so, Me doubts who did make them, Shadow? Cross the people, gain the political power, Masses lead astray, Unity Rally turns sour. Governors Aide doth protest too much, Opposition fed the speech to besmirch? @Al Norris, trust your gut, not Vargan, This ambush seems a used car bargain.

A turning point indeed. Dallas is finally about to talk to his friend without having to worry about the high school pack bristling. Meanwhile, JJ has returned as his true self to recall survival skills even beyond his life saving heroics of just his last 24 hours of existence. Unfortunately, the mini weather system of the valley may be working against them. The temperatures are cooler so the heat and smoke rises to then be capped by a warmer atmosphere above the valley; so a small campfire is unlikely to penetrate or make a plume unless the temperature above the valley allows it. Meaning, the search may still be focused upstream, and/or not looking for signs of life…but rather assuming wrongfully that it is most likely a recovery search. Come on guys; do a broad search, then if necessary start with the creek bank, gulley debris, and the rocky outcrops. if I throw a dummy into the creek, how fast and how far is it likely to travel before slowing, or stagnating, even if…dead weight? No crashes dummies on hand? You could always test the hypothesis using a real dummy, say…Timmy. Oh, no, no, no. Then that would mean Timmy might awaken to find JJ giving him mouth to mouth 👄.

The arrogance of the man taking out a strategic asset, in the name of greed no less. Then using mercenaries and terrorists in operations against assets they have a vested interest in; where and how did they ever pass the security checks for access to military data and systems? Two more cliffhangers these last two chapters, strike three coming up…careful what you pitch @Topher Lydon

SinClaire needs a good push…

Sausage in Buns? Isn’t that soft porn; like one move and you could…xxx.

Understandably, ass it is hard to view an entire porn movie, butt it’s more common for people to take it in the shorts, like production Trailers.

Oh yeah, one that I remember all too well probably needed a roof rack…dang, I nearly choked, and it wasn’t oral.

Oh yeah, teens and toddlers do have one thing in common…

Hmmm 🤔 high schoolers separated from the main group with reduced chaperones; why did I all of a sudden start hearing ….

Ahh, but limited Rangers and limited adults to pull from chaperoning a school trip with multiple kids already injured; so even when the situation is briefed to rescue, the resources, weather, terrain, and lighting can still delay the search.

I don’t know…Penniless Bottoms makes it sound like royalties are desired, or should I say well received?.

I’m not a surfer and definitely not versed in all the different boards and what coastal waters or wave type they are best for; but I seem the remember the bumpers stickers bragging “Real Surfers Have a Long Johnson.” This stands to reason that it was probably the Dave Johnson Boards from Santa Barbara in mid to lateate 1970s; so my college years of the same mid to late 70s. Of course in the gay circles, there were a few gag bumper stickers claiming; Spring Break 197x I RODE A LONG JOHNSON, or Nothing like shooting the tube with my Long Johnson. That’s many years ago, but something to that effect.

Split is too forgiving; is thinking something, but not saying it being cruel? Help Timmy start up the bank from where he was last seen holding/grasping the other end of the log for his life line to survival. Then oopsie, he slips from the helping hands that were just not fully committed at risk to their own life into rescuing a fellow goonatic; while others are frantically watching 2 classmates struggle for their own life line. This all, after being maliciously dumped into nature’s meat grinder by unsaid goonatic. Yes, Timmy, enjoy that same battering ride over the rocks for which you sent your classmates, Then celebrate your flighty fall off the waterfall, for a breath taking final slap against that cold hard water pool. Now, you can lay cold and crying, as without the goon squad beckoned, I’m sure there will be no fire, nor anyone willing to share their precious body heat. Perhaps life does have a way of evolving as the Darwin Theory is proven the most important lesson of the day. But I just thought it…nothing so cruel was ever spoken. 😈

Too frequently in history those allegiances can hold sway, however as the Joint Intelligence Chief, they have a vast responsibility to be unbiased, and delegate to the most appropriate branch regardless their own respective branch history …if it even needs clarification of which branch will have lead that is; but to deliberately ignore chain of command to take action on internal matters of a branch chief is against rule and it shouldn’t take long to have this JIC disciplined and removed. This is an all hands on deck, international terrorism situation brewing, critical secrets broadcast, a Russian Sub in their waters now aiding the national maritime crisis. Such political ploys is a huge distraction and hampering the manhunt. That Sailor can walk the plank, his legacy would end quickly if they want to right the ship.

Kissing cousins don’t fight for long, but this will get Will an even bigger voice at the table if he plays this situation well. The JIC has some questions to answer too, and he just put an investigation bullseye of his management decisions and affiliations. It could bring him down even if this is just his pride, cause resources were diverted when the nation is in crisis…and he did it outside the chain of command, which is a big no-no. No excuse either when the branch chief is sitting in on the same meeting.