mayday

Yes! And thank you first and foremost for this extra chapter today! I love it. It is great to see Matt emerge from his hiding place. We now get an idea what kind of person he is, apart from his incredible strength to survive such terrible ordeals and degradation. I now see a chance that he may heal in the end, however bad his scars may be. He keeps his promises. He is ready to help and contribute. He does not want to be a burden on anyone. He must be a great judge of character to be able to see through Andrew faster than the latter sees through himself. Andrew has feelings for Matt. Maeve is a wonderful woman, wise and gentle. Matt can trust her. And he does so already. We see it when he decides to take a slice of cake and much better later when they are in the kitchen together. If he is as good looking as you imply, Tim, I could fall for such a person myself. How can Andrew not?

There is nothing to be done in that part of the world, when a storm is raging, especially with a small boat, and weather forecasts up there are not perfect. What was Andy to do? Send them home again? Yes, he might have put Maeve in danger, but was there any other option? And even if he had been home, I do not imagine him to be the kind of man who scares away criminals.

I guess that Maeve has no idea what horrors Matt is fearing. But he does not know her and he has reason not to trust the kind ones who "protect the monsters". But I think Maeve is wise enough to know that words alone won't alleviate Matt's fears. What might help him for the time being would indeed be a longer storm to let him explore the house and to see that there is no torture chamber as Kanaan's. Or maybe he comes across Andrew's book on modern slavery - which might surprise him. But you are spot on, drsawzall: This wind-swept island in very dangerous waters with strong currents must feel like a new imprisonment to Matt. The sea there is much too cold to swim in, even in high summer.

Oh, and thank you for giving us a glimpse into Matt's past. I have only read this chapter twice so far.

Brilliant. Unlocked doors without locks, good food, a friendly woman, a storm outside to make sure he has a quiet night. Choosing clothing for himself for the first time in years. It may not seem much, but baby steps towards freedom and yourself are very convincing in my eyes. What a contrast to the years before in Matt's life! Will his night be calm or will he be plagued by fears and nightmares? How can he believe that he has nothing to fear from now on but his own demons? We've had so much 'black'. Thank you for giving us some 'white'.

I have forgotten two things: The wild overgrown garden and Matt's thoughts and feelings there are beautiful. Am I wrong or is this the first time we see him in relatively "natural" surroundings? It makes me think of the storm on Andy's island. Robert seems to know about Doreen's use of the shower in stressful situations and he is keen on being there for her. Great family scenes.

Kanaan's sparing Ahmet surprised me. But my heart aches for him having to go to a future in surroundings where one bad misstep will get you killed. And I felt relieved that we got a glimpse of Matt to see that he is not catatonic or destroyed in his soul. He is still expecting to find friendly people. I would not have thought that possible. There is now hope he may recover. Maeve and Andy's parents are a wonderful and strong support group to him. And in such fraught situations, where the one major decision cannot be right before the law and before our conscience we need friends we can rely on. His mother - what dreams had she given up? Her reasoning for supporting her son are so touching. Human trafficking in Northern Africa does not suprise me. The refugees from the South are easy prey and without protection or rights. But it is said to happen over here, too, as well as in the refugees' centres in the UK, where a lot of children and teenagers disappear. Your story paints a reality that is hard to bear, my friend. Thank you for not sparing us.

Hi Tim, I am really happy that I could make you smile this morning. I am smiling myself while reading your response. I have been following your chapters and poems as ever but I had lost my password and - ugh - only today have I discovered what to do about that, so that I finally could post a response. I was gripped from the start and have read your chapters several times, discovering new details and marvelling at your ability to convey Matt's and Andy's feeling in such different and horrifying situations at every reading. Matt's ordeal has not been easy to digest. I had to swallow each time I read about him. And I know he still has a long way to go to be himself again. Which is at once terrible --- and promising for us readers as it may mean that we will have more chapters to look forward to. I am being quite callous and selfish here, I know... I am also relieved to find that - hopefully - there is an out for Dante, whose fate until being bought on the market is one you know more than enough about to convey to us convincingly. I would also like to know about his future. I am not sure I want to read about Ahmed's (if he has one), but he is part of this story, and I am bracing myself as I write... Saturday - that's just about bearable... Thank you!

Thank you for this story, Tim. I am deeply moved by Matt's fate and Andrew's feelings. I'm also grateful for your respect for Matt's privacy by not letting us be present too long while his owner is gratifying his urges. What we imagine is bad enough. How can anyone recover from such terrible years? As ever you are making it hard to wait for the next chapter. Your writing is simply too compelling. And I would love to know more about Dante, too.

As much as I enjoyed reading about Sandra's immense progress and Owain's reaction, it was the last part which I loved most, how honest Owain is with himself and his own feelings. I really loved that.

Beautiful chapter, beautiful ending. What more can you wish for? The only trouble I have with this chapter is that it is the last.

Dylan still has a lot of issues to overcome, but somehow I'm sure he will. The kids are a delight. And everybody learning something new - nice chapter!

What a fitting end to a wonderful story. Thanks, Gary, for sharing it with us. I am sorry to see it ends here, but we know all we need to know about our two heroes. All's well that ends well.

Great chapter! Like Parker, I enjoyed that immensely. First bathing in the two men's closeness and love and then having a true friend coming to ensure their privacy and - in the end - safety. Just great! Thank you, Gary, again, for a very enjoyable read.

Beautiful!

Now we know. And we know why Jubal does not trust. Interesting, isn't it that it is all strangers who abuse him and his situation? At least to me, it seems to be so. Forget about his father, though. Even Jubal does not seem to reckon him in. It is always the same: prejudice and the fear of the unknown... I admire Jubal for surviving his ordeals. I admire Lucas for letting Jubal set his own pace. That can be soooo difficult... Thank you, Gary, and happy new year to you!

surprising and most beautiful ending - thank you for an uplifting story on a dreary day...

so lovely the ending

Great chapter. But I am wondering about Owain chatting about Colin's private matters and troubles with his workmates so openly.

Very different, this chapter, from the the ones before. Somehow soothing and not at the same time. But Lucas will have missed him on that day...

I love how realistic you make these dialogues. Great story.

Aren't they skittish?

Well, maybe it all depends on what the wildlings will do..

You have made us feel Jubal's fears of throngs and being crowded and being found out. What happened to him? You have given us some clues so far, more in this chapter, enough to guess, but not nearly enough to know. I'll try to be patient. I guess that Reid and Lucas might be close enough to discuss the situation and how to help Jubal overcome his fears, but I am not sure they would do something like that. Or is it only Jubal who thinks that opening up and expressing one's feelings is something men don't do? Lucas has his job cut out for him to help Jubal face his fears. I agree with CincyKris that they will need being home together to find the peace to build trust again and to overcome the barriers so obvious in this chapter. Thank you, Gary, for another great chapter, full of suspense...

Lots of great moments here. Beautiful setting, too. And very promising for the future. And a welcome contrast do Colin's family scenes...