lomax61

Hi Aditus, Lovely story. I’m reading this as the teacup being a metaphor for the relationship, once beautiful and now broken. What I loved is the man is fully comfortable and accepting of his sexual nature, and distinguishes that from his love and commitment. Such a shame his girlfriend has insecurities. Interesting why the man chose Andy to share his story with, and maybe they’ll meet again in the park one day. Thank you for sharing.

An almost gothic chiller; short, well told, and very readable. The bleakness and confines of the island made a great setting, and at the end I had more questions than answers. What is the giant sea spirit keeping everyone captive on the island, and why? Why did the creature appear that first night, at the beginning of the story? Was that a warning? Why hadn’t anyone on the mainland warned him about the island’s curse, before he took the trip? Or did the curse only apply to certain individuals? And just as I had a moment of bright optimism, believing the protagonist was going to have a happy ending with his new beau, Isaac, back home in London - you throw us a curveball. Nice job.

Hi @LadyDe - Ancient Aliens, huh? I've not heard of that, but it's now on my to watch list. I've left the ending to the reader's interpretation, but yours is how most people I've conversed with have seen the character of Barclay. I wanted to leave the story with some optimism for James. Thank you so much for your kind review.

Thank you, @aditus A couple of people read the story twice for the same reason and I hoped it was not because it was confusing with the flashbacks. Thank you so much for reading.

Reyansh is an absolute saint in this story. I know you show us how deeply he loves Austin, and there is that old adage that true love conquers all, but his love and loyalty and caring for Austin went above and beyond. Austin does acknowledge this in the end, by agreeing to Reyansh’s terms, and in the line “... had been taking and taking from his boyfriend without giving anything in return...” I know this was Austin’s story, finding out about his true origins and the source of his nightmares after the death of his mother, and I do really feel for his plight, but even with so much trauma, the self-obsession soon begins to rankle. So with you ending the story with Reyansh insisting on taking time away from their relationship made perfect sense to me.

Thanks Mark. Yes, very different. I wrote this back when I was experimenting with my writing style (this is so much harder than my usual style) and it stalled along the way. So I’m really glad GA gave me the impetus to finish this short story.

Hey @Leo C Thanks for the kind review. “...the topic of reincarnations originates from our fear, that this life is all we get.” While I tend to agree with this, the topic does play to a fundamental need within us all as sentient beings, that there must be more. It also makes for an interesting plot line, and coincided with an article I read a few years ago (I was going to post a link, but the article is no longer there) about the scientific nature of energy, together with the explanations of a very educated Hong Kong local friend about Taoism. My main belief is that my stories have a happy ending, or at least, in this case, the seeds of one.

Hi Carlos, Thanks for your review. Yes, we both tried something new this time. This one has been cooking for at least 10 years, was never enough for a full length novel, but needed to see the light of day. I just pleased we have this avenue in GA to try out new things.

Still got that Ron Weasley / Ed Sheeran fetish, I see!

Thanks @Parker Owens. I’m a little cautious about using flashbacks, but I felt this story needed them to fill in gaps and keep the momentum going. Thank you for reading, and for your kind comments.

A simple, but sweet story of a nice guy. Lovely ending with the family.

I echo what others have said; this was an excellent story, brilliantly told, while being a seamless and compulsive read. I love how you don’t stop to explain in detail the equestrian world, but pepper mention within the story and dialog, which keeps the story moving along. That takes a lot of hard work, so I take my hat off to you. The subject matter is also sadly topical in what has become a society quicker to condemn than condone, the volatility of reputation, and how even a verdict of innocence does not guarantee life getting back to normal. And as a sucker for a happy ending, Damiano Rossi’s appearance, along with Patrick’s loyal students, left me grinning. Excellent job.

Great story, Carlos. I realise I started by saying this kind of story is not usually my thing, but I really enjoyed this, the retelling of the tale of Atlantis, the tribe from wolves to dolphins and mermaids/ mermen. Which goes to show you’re never too old to try something new. You said this is not your usual style so I’ll have to check out your other work.

Thanks @NoSkis, I’m guessing you liked this. It’s very different from my usual style, but something that needed to see the light of day. Thanks for reading.

Very clever. I did not see that coming, and I am always pleased when that happens! Bringing Onaeco into the equation makes sense now. Good job.

Nice continuation from chapter one. You’re letting us see the pack dynamics more in this chapter, the challenge to leadership, the fight, and honour in defeat of Tejan, who probably expected death.

High praise indeed, thank you, @drsawzall. Yes, this could spur me to create a sequel, but I won’t promise anything, because I have so many other projects on right now. Thanks agIn for the kind review.

Hi ghanbrews, Thank you so much for such a glowing review. I’m really pleased you saw so much in this because I wrote this on a number of levels, especially to make the mix of ideas thought-provoking. But then I needed the central character to be relatable, and it sounds as though James worked well for you. Yes, the story is a mix of aliens in our midst keeping an eye on us, and, as you correctly state, Taoism, the philosophical belief that we live in harmony through the Tao 道 - ‘The Way', and which also incorporates concepts of reincarnation. I’m living in Hong Kong right now, so am familiar with the tenets of Taoism, but many other religions and beliefs including Sikh, Hindu, Jainism, and even Native American traditions contain elements of rebirth. Thank you so much for reading.

Thanks Tim. At the end, I wanted to show James being given another chance, no matter who we perceive the final connection to be.

You’re welcome, dughlas. Thank you for reading.

Thanks Gary. When I floated this past my editor (@Timothy M), he had a lot of questions at the end, some of which are buried in the text. Others, I wanted him (and other readers) to find his (their) own answers, such as Guardian reborn as Barclay, or maybe Alain who could be the little girl who shows James her toy elephant.

道 HILL OF CANDLES "Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. There is existence without limitation; there is continuity without a starting point." Zhuang Zi, Chinese Philosopher, 4th Century BC. Forty minutes along the private lane, tracing the barren Scottish coastline from Melvaig to the Seahaven Open Facility, the surface transformed from smooth tarmac to deep, uneven tyre tracks of mustard-coloured mud. Like a rowing boat caught in a mighty wake, the Nissan rental

Psychologist James Mannigan is granted a series of interviews with the Vynx brothers, four men of unknown origin found naked wandering Dartmoor fifteen years ago who claim they are not human. Housed in the Seahaven Open Facility in a remote part of Scotland, they live unremarkably alongside other guests. At first, through his questioning and study, James finds nothing he has not encountered before. Until Guardian, one of the brothers, insists on sharing their beliefs on reincarnation. As events unfold and finally reach a violent climax, James finally learns why he has been chosen.

An interesting beginning. Not my usual kind of story but you've left a few questions hanging that make me want to read on.

A nice, simple story. Damn those opening paragraphs had me imagining the arctic wastes. What I really like is the voice of Max with his ‘you know?’, ‘cool’, his adolescent dialog, and fourteen year old thoughts. You’ve captured those really well. The sexual awakening and mutual experimentation is handled believably, too, with neither boy freaking out. Like other reviewers, I admire Max’s attitude and reasoning when Cedric decides to get a girlfriend, almost shrugging the fact off, unhurt but still wanting to stay friends, even if he muses about them doing the same thing again. I was left wondering how Max might turn out when he gets older.