drsawzall

From the frying pan to the fire...much of it unnecessary...as noted above...we still don't know the results of the 'incidental' contact in a previous chapter and who let the dog out???

My guess is the skid-steer is leaking oil and fuel causing a horrible environmental disaster...that's my story and I am sticking to it...other than the author should be careful if he accepts a ride in a convertible...just sayin...

What a fantastic chapter, I found the following simply amazing ... "Go to it, Esemerelda!" Max said, from close by. Around them, the dark plain suddenly lit with images torn from the human history books, stretching from the beginnings of the race to the present day. Here a large man in furs swung a huge stick at a giant crouching cat, while others around him threw rocks or swung sticks of their own. Beyond them, dark-skinned humans working together patiently fashioned structures of adobe along a stretch of mountain cliff. Nearby, armies of soldiers carrying spears and swords charged at each other across desert sands. In another location, a sleek Viking longboat under full sail battled huge waves as lightning danced in the skies above. And in another place, a steam-powered tractor slowly plowed a field under a magnificent blue sky with a touch of orange along the horizon. The images came and went in a flood, gradually speeding up, until there were so many flying by around them that they became mere impressions, barely registering before they were gone. But the sense of history passing was enormous. Charlie felt a sense of time descend upon them, weighty beyond all reason, as all the event lines that made up this reality and others were searched, categorized, and labeled with astonishing speed. Nicklus gasped in amazement. "It's so beautiful!" It seems that doors popping up all over the place, wonder what roads they may lead to????

Geritol??

Well now, it isn't just Dom that needs some professional help, there is much buried that needs attention and dad needs to step up his game a bit...

All I got is...

Let's add Mike to the 'two behind the ear club'...he just ain't fit for society...or anything else...

I had to choose the Wow button over the Angry one...telling myself revenge is a dish best served cold... I believe there is a lesson or two in store for Brian's father, a very powerful chapter to say the least...

That's quite the road to travel with many doors to peruse... In fact, you piqued my curiosity with the following... Charlie counted the steps on the way down. Interestingly, there were exactly 365 of them. As they neared the bottom of the staircase, Charlie noted a small drop in the temperature, enough to cause him to wonder if they were going to emerge outdoors somewhere. But as they reached the last step, a doorway presented itself, beyond which they could see a larger open area, and the reflective glint of what could be light off a glass window. Max stopped there a moment, and then turned to smile at them. "Charlie? You and Kip, Rick, Adrian, and Browbeat should go first here." Charlie knew better than to stand there and ply the elf with questions. Max was a part of this, somehow, and would have told them what was going on if he had been able to do so. That he was not free to do that suggested other things. "Come on, Kip." Charlie tightened his grip on his boyfriend's hand and stepped forward through the doorway into light. Into moonlight, to be exact. The front and side walls of the room were made of glass panels.The glow of the moonlight lit the room all around them, almost unnaturally bright. Beyond the clear wall-panels, a ragged dark edge on the horizon suggested mountains, and the night sky blazed above it, cloudless and filled with stars. Charlie walked forward to gaze out of the front window, and gasped at their height above the ground. The room was apparently perched upon a mountain flank, with a wide valley spread out below. Directly overhead, accompanying the light of the three-quarters full moon, were shimmering bands of emerald and rose, that waxed and waned as they played within the Earth's magnetic field. But no part of the Earth we know, Charlie now was certain

Wouldn't that be a case of Depends....

As contrasted to inpatients...sorry @Ivor Slipper

It is going to be difficult for Stellars (An oxymoron for an ignorant football jock's name) to plead anything but guilty...I'd ask what heck he was thinking, but then again, it is apparent that thinking isn't an attribute that could be attributed under any reasonable circumstance... Then there's this...

There's a lesson for Mom and dad and that is try talking to each other, not at each other...talk about a dysfunctional road trip from heck!!

All I got is.... or knickerbockers

Thank you very much for this delightful Christmas present!~!!

At least I can surmise where Britanica Brain originated!!! A merry and a ho ho ho to all!!!

Thank you, Gary for the Christmas Eve present, I have to agree with all of the comments above... For me, the seminal image in this magnificent story is the following as it captures and symbolizes so much...as to the wildings, I'm sure of their return just as I am sure of Jubal and Lucas finishing their circling around each other... “Sure missed this place,” Lucas said as Dinah turned into the laneway without any direction from Jubal. “See you sawed that blasted branch off.” “Yep, I did, so you wouldn’t have to bend every time. It’s a place to be missed, that’s for certain,” he said as he looked sideways. Lucas’s gaze was on him. “Would you miss it if you left?” Jubal didn’t stifle his sigh this time, feeling more of that tension at the question. “Love this place, Lucas, I surely do. I love… well… everything about it, and you should be proud of where you’ve settled.” He nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. “Happy to hear you say such.”

Thanks for the early Christmas present with another great chapter!!! The very best to you and yours this holiday season...

My mind must be going, when did Browbeat meet Nicholaas previously??

Not to mention the possible mess left behind by the eight maids-a-milking...

Well, the boys have crossed the Rubicon and all went well, now it is time for them to work on constructing a relationship that will stand the test of time.

Another wonderful chapter and thank you for sharing your gift with we readers!!! It is truly appreciated!! Merry Christmas and a joyous Happy New Year to you and yours!!

It took some time but there was a 'happy ending' for Brad and Alden....

Holy frigging crap...foist on pg 4.....