Cole Matthews

Thanks Valkyrie!!! I wanted to do something a little different and Cia''s twist made the pieces all come together!!! I appreciate your help with it.

Awesome job and so gruesome!! I loved it!! Happy Halloween

Very exciting! I can’t wait to read what happened. Awesome job.

What a lovely story. You could feel the sense of their connection. Thanks for sharing!

The Treasure of Escanaba “Another Hamm’s, Red?” The young man nodded, his scalp gleaming beneath the glow of the red bar lights. Festooned around the mirror were strands of fake gray cobwebs, sprinkled with black cardboard spiders in the corners. Typical. “Is Hal meeting you here?” the bartender asked as he flicked the cap from the bottle of cheap beer. The sodden, blue label was peeling from the brown glass. He set the brew down with a clink in front of guy. Red picked up

Red and his best friend Hal go on a quest. They are looking for buried treasure and for all their dreams to come true.

Twyla really symbolizes caretakers and how they are expected to carry so much weight. She's got so many worries, but I think she's also a grounded person. You'll see soon enough she is strong but not afraid to ask for help. Thank you so much for the note about Twyla's struggle. I'm really trying to portray her story as well.

Yeah, there are certainly greedy lawyers. I think Twyla figures she needs a little justice for her brother and that wasn't the right place to get it. Thanks for the comment!!

It's unfortunate that the legal process can be misused. There are plenty of people who abuse the system. Sometimes the system can abuse an innocent as well. I'm glad the story had an impact on you. I love getting people to think. Thanks for the interesting and engaging comments.

Cracks Appear Susceptible to numerous disease problems including blights, powdery mildew, leaf spots and cankers. It also is visited by many insect pests including aphids, scale, borers, lacebugs and caterpillars. Wood is weak and tends to crack. Branches may be damaged by ice and snow. Litter from leaves, twigs and branches may be a problem. Shallow roots may clog sewers or drains and make gardening underneath the trees difficult. Salix babylonica description from a tree catalog Rus

That is a wicked good story! Thanks so much for bringing Halloween to life like this. 👍

Morgan turned to face his stalker; the bright light blinding him as the shadow approached. The weight of the tire iron reassured him, though his mouth was parched with fear.

Ran will have to read this story. He’s terrified of spiders and this is deliciously sinister! 👍

I love seeing other people compare the elements to people. In elevators, observe how people chose where they stand. Four people who don't know each other will be spaced at equal distances from each other. People with affinities to one another gravitate together, while those without affinities (bonds) will space themselves from the others also at equal distances. We are controlled by our bonds and affinities, it's true. Great job!!!

I liked these poems very much. The first one was lovely and the second one evocative. But, I liked the third one the best because it really portrays friendship in a way that is so shockingly true. Oftentimes, friendship is something overlooked, but in this poem, you show in depth how powerful and necessary good friendships are. Very, very impactful.

Clay's coming up again soon. Next up, we have Twyla dealing with her husband's illness and a memory of her brother. There is another aspect to Jake she recalls. Thanks for the comment!

He's a teenager. I doubt he'll volunteer the information to Rush and Ben. However, that doesn't mean it won't get out. Thanks!

When you get the job you dream of, it can either disappoint or when it's gone, it's like the death of a loved one. For Rush, it's definitely a funeral. He's without a job at this point, but I have a sneaking suspicion he'll be part of solving this mystery. It''s hard for him though, and for Clay as well. Thanks for the great comments.

I'm glad you remembered that scrap of paper. It's coming up!! Never fear. As far as the pieces to this puzzle, there are far more than the picture needs. Rush and Ben will be putting them together and tossing out the pieces that don't fit. Actually, that is a very apt comparison to what I'm doing with this story. Thank you for the insightful comment!!

Salix 2 – Haunted Twyla sipped her herbal tea, which she’d laced with a bit of brandy. Okay, it was more than a touch. But, it helped her sleep. It was hard getting to sleep lately. The news earlier in the day may have made it a little easier, or so she hoped. Her husband was sleeping on the couch with a slight grin on his lips. Steve looked peaceful and relaxed. His face was gaunt and his skin had a grayish hue to it, but otherwise he could be a resting child, innocent and calm.

Fixed!

I don't know the story about the murder. However, there is a short story which introduces readers to Clay and I named the story Boy River. I did so because of something his boyfriend did to him and it is referential to the sex trade. Since there is a town called that in northern Minnesota, I used the locale as Clay's hometown. Thanks, Cole

Happy Birthday!!! Thank you Myr and thanks to all who help keep the lights on here. It's hard to quantify and qualify how this place has changed my life. I've written lots of stuff in the past but never really found my voice. Then, I found this place. It inspired me to try again, and this time I wrote a whole novel. It only primed the pump because the encouragement, the support, the wonderful critiques and suggestions, have all helped me to grow as a writer. I continue to write and read and critique because of this community of artists. Writers and readers come and go, and come back, and so this is a sustainable colony of people working on their creations and enjoying other people's stories. The longevity isn't a fluke. It's because people are committed to keeping the ship afloat and doing so with style, care, and love. Sincerely, Cole

We could feast on the red herrings if I fried them up! Hahahaha!!! Not really. Most of the actually clews will be discussed coming up. New chapter out today!!! Thanks!

I think they're used to people quitting on a dime. It's not unusual for people in that position to simply disappear. That's an interesting point. Steve's disappearance seemed to have very little impact, even to his parents. Thanks for the observation. Very sharp!