Dodger

I forgot this was going to be posted today, so it was a nice surprise to see it when I got home. This was another epic chapter. Hemothrance's death (didn't he have it coming?) stands out, but as with every chapter before it, I was captured from the first word. I would like to see Keter alive, but this cliffhanger is impossible to predict, and I can see it working either way. There's an element of sadness attached to Keter's character that has been there from the beginning. Almost as if he has known all along that his life was to be short, if important. I hope I'm wrong, but either way, I'm certain it will be handled perfectly.

Gods teeth, man! You had me ducking and diving for cover as they approached the hall of the dead. I agree with all the comments above. A powerful and gripping chapter. Anyone not reading this story is missing out.

As usual, you're right on so many things, Steve. The locker room bullies are coming out of the woodwork now that Alex is no longer a threat, and the fact that there are calling him out is not a good sign. It suggests that word is getting out just as Alex himself had predicted. It's not an immediate problem for Robbie but it may be a good idea for him to open up completely to Conner. He may be laid back but it looks as if this new kid is on the ball. Rory has always been one of my favourite characters. Totally straight and comfortable with his own sexuality, but blissfully unaware of his appeal to Robbie, who tries to disguise it as a joke. As for Nathan. It's not clear what he wants yet but it will be difficult for them to be friends and nothing else.

I'm not sure how that would go down with those who are demanding his blood, or how many chapters it would take to transform him into a reasonable human being. Maybe if he were to fall down the same stairs as Robbie and suffer total memory loss!

That's exactly what I was thinking. His soul was anxious for Stravor to deliver him.

A powerful and emotional chapter. I admit, I wasn't expecting Stravor to go through with it, but I suppose you could say the boy forced his hand. Perhaps he left it too late to make his offer to run. The boy's bravery was remarkable, but his insistence that the amulet remained with him after death was significant. It makes me believe he had faith or knowledge that it would not end badly. As for Stravor. After Keter's death, I was hoping he would begin to question the validity of his god, instead of accepting that his was the only way. His father's reaction was the sadist of all. I could feel his disappointment at his son's loyalty to an evil master over his own wise words. I'm looking forward to seeing Stravor, the younger turn against his master. A great chapter and so well written. To end on a positive note. At least Shade managed to get his oats; I was happy for the guy! 🐴

Ah, forgot to do that bit!

Conner is a nice guy who will no doubt be an asset to Robbie in many ways. There is definitely an attraction there and Conner's laid back style may be a good balance for Robbie's often over-dramatic approach to every problem he faces. On paper it looks like a no brainer, providing Robbie can resist the temptation of playing with the bad boys.

Don doesn't do diversity and acceptance of differences, just like Robbie doesn't do good decision making.

Well put, Tony. Don's bigoted views and stubborn refusal to listen to reason has made a lot of enemies. He's angry and no doubt hurt but he's also an intelligent man who's not used to being on the back foot. How he handles this will be a big test.

Don may have had a full head of hair until Robbie arrived. That's another thing he can blame on him. I think Don knew the evil balding bigot was a reference to him and would have been seething in the audience before walking out. It's quite insulting to walk out during a stage performance, so Don wanted to show his displeasure. I expect he'll be looking for a way to even the score. So far, Robbie has profited from Jo's advice, but he's not out of the woods yet.

There will be plenty more of this story soon. It has been re-vamped a little with some minor changes, which should make it a better read.

Thank you, @mg777. While I appreciate your kind words; I'm not sure if I would be capable of another 44 chapters. I have enjoyed writing this story, but at times it has threatened to engulf me. It is already more than double the length of the original story, which had 57 chapters and was completed before I started posting in 2015. The story got a little out of hand after about a year when I began adding characters and deviating from the original plot. I won't reveal how many chapters remain, but I must admit, I'm looking forward to getting Robbie off my back for a while and concentrating on a few other badly neglected stories. He can be very demanding at times.

Warped minds are always welcome in this story. I suspect Don was probably expecting a more Disney like version of Peter Pan. Maybe he should have attended some of the rehearsals. It will be interesting to see his reaction. Don is already unhappy with Mr Andrews for voicing his concerns over Mr Symmonds and paving the way for Jo's intervention. This will create even more of a divide between him and his former ally. There has been a long running battle between Nathan and Don which began before Robbie arrived. Don always saw him as a threat to his family and tried to destroy his friendship with Daniel. It would have worked if it wasn't for Robbie, who brought Nathan back into the picture and has since replaced him as public enemy number one.

This is very true. Nathan, Tom, and even Fran (don't forget, he has played for both teams) have all been dominant partners. Then, of course, there's Alex who missed the list because he was too dominant.

This is a wonderful story; made even better by the numerous comments that follow. There are a lot of good points made and theories which often send me scrambling back to the story. I like the way you've written this, Tim. It's very clever and compulsive reading. There's a lot of information in every chapter and clues that are easy to miss. I like the gradual changes I'm seeing in Keter and Stravor. The boy is becoming more assertive and testing Stravor's conscience, but how can Hemothracene know what is being said? I think Stravor will have to silence the sword.

This is very true and we've seen how this attraction has influenced his decisions in the past. Getting into a relationship with Daniel's best friend, fooling around and flirting with Alex. Messing around with his cousin was risky. Even Tom had an element of danger attached. He enjoys pushing his luck and seems to be unaware of his boundaries, which has often been his downfall, most notably with Alex.

Everyone can see the possible pitfalls here and Robbie's well-documented history of falling into them doesn't bode well. Nathan's interest seems to have coincided with the rise of Robbie's mojo and provide a stiff test of his resolve. On paper, of course, Conner is the sensible choice who even Robbie knows will be good for him, but will that be enough in the end? We don't know yet what Nathan's intentions are. It's possible he just wants to remain friends, but it doesn't usually work that way so we have to assume he's making a play to get back with Robbie. The notable absence of his supposed boyfriend may also give us a clue.

Thank you @chris191070 for being a loyal follower of the story.

While it's likely Don's large frame would have stuck out like a sore thumb among the students on the stairs that day, it's not implausible that he may have hired someone less visible to do his dirty work for him.

Nathan is a feisty character with a devilish streak in him which Robbie finds attractive. It's a weakness in him which has been prevalent from the start and the reason why he was drawn to Alex. Nathan, of course, is aware of this and he's smart. Using the Christmas play to belittle Robbie's enemy was a masterstroke that no one else could have pulled off and it very nearly did the trick. It's not clear yet if this was a deliberate attempt to win Robbie over, or if Nathan even wants to win Robbie over. He already has a boyfriend who Nathan didn't mention and didn't seem to be around after the play. There's a lot of questions that still need to be answered, but as you point out, Robbie needs to be wary of Don. Those locker room numbskulls seem to find their way into every school in the western world. It's odd how they all seem to have exactly the same personalities and deficiencies. Robbie is definitely not alone there.

Probably because he's done such a good job of sabotaging himself in the past. The fact that he was able to make a decision without dwelling on it for too long may be a good sign, but he needs to back it up now and show some commitment to the boy who waited patiently for him all this time. Nathan will be a temptation but Robbie can't afford to slip up this time.

Thank you @croyde for reading and commenting on the story. I'm glad you're enjoying the ride.

Conner seems like a sensible guy and I think even Robbie can see that he needs someone like that in his life. A calming influence who can keep him out of trouble and help him to conquer his demons. Nathan is the temptation he knows he should resist, but it's not going to be easy.

Let's hope he's made the right choice. Nathan has always been a thorn in the side for Don.