wildone

Well I will submit "The Goatmen" once again after explianing where I got it from. Since CJ won't comment on the possibilty of any such truth, it makes me wonder........ :wacko: . As far as it being not gender neutral, all I can say is that since they have female FBI agents, they are not Gwomen, they are Gmen. Pretty weak, eh? Steve

Oh just great!!!! Hey Bondwriter, got any hitmen in the Mauritius area??? :2hands: Steve

I think CJ is like poor misunderstood Eric of FTL fame. If we leave him alone, he will always end up doing the right thing in the end

Hmmm, a shaved goat that has been tarred and feathered and now has spines sticking out from all over him? Has CJ suffered enough? Steve

Damn, I've heard of people not having sex due to one person having a headache, but after watching that second video I imagine you goats are never in the mood . Steve

Yikes! I can think of 4260 reasons why you might not want to consider doing this :wacko: . Now as far as Chapter 5 goes, I really liked that you brought up the pasts of both Brandon and Chase. I think that by doing so, the final major character development of the two is finally done. I must say I'm not surprised that Bourbon had a bit to do with Brandon's downfall in life at the time . It seems Shadowgod's influence has a much wider swath than what most of us understood. So maybe it is correct to blame him for all the bad in the world . With Betty, oops Helen, I'm really liking her character. It seems Chase has a bit of mischief in him that he likes to direct to towards her. I foresee Brandon being dragged in unsuspecting with Chase for future hi jinx regarding Helen. Poor Helen. I will admit that I still giggle like a little girl every time "The Scar" is brought up in the story. I know it is important to the story, especially after the prologue. Maybe it is the placements of the scene changes that is bugging me. The story is generally a happy go lucky, feel good story so far. With the sudden cut aways to "The Scar", it just doesn't seem to flow for me. I don't know what you could do differently, except maybe putting the side story at the very beginning, or the very end of the chapter. But hey, that is just my opinion. Now that you have revealed the next chapter's name, I may just have to jump on the T and F bandwagon if the kiss is between anyone besides Chase and Brandon. So in order not to make that post into an official tease, I will now start a chant that I learned from a certain anonymous goat....6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, pleeeeeeeeese! If the chapter is more than a week away, the kiss must be only the start of more action between the two in the chapter. If not, get me my shears . Steve

Be forewarned, this is going to be a looooong post.... As I have followed CJames over the past while, I have often wondered about his true origins. I do recall a story that was told to me year after year when we were camping as kids at summer camp, usually on a overnight trip away from the camp proper, usually in nothing more than lean-twos in Kananaskis Country in the Alberta Rockies. It was in the category of a ghost story, that still has me thinking when out camping. It goes something like this: Back in the early nineteen seventies, the Province of Alberta was mapping out the building of more roads and facilities in Kananaskis Provincial Park in the Alberta Rockies. The area was pristine, untouched mountainous area between Banff and Calgary on the eastern slopes of the rugged Rockies. As there were not really even any logging roads at the time, the province enlisted the use of contractors, who were used to fly over the vast area and plan out the future of the park. One such surveyor was a new university grad who after a couple of years of pre med, decided he couldn't stand the blood and guts of medicine and changed over to geology. On his first flight he and a pilot took off from Springbank airport and were going to survey the route for the main highway through the park. As it was spring, there was still plenty of snow cover on the ground and in the mountains. At one point of the flight, they were crossing a valley just above the tree line, a sheer wind probably caused by a Chinook, literally flipped the plane upside down. Being so close to the ground, the pilot did not have a chance to react and the pilot and surveyor crashed quickly. Once on the ground, the surveyor looked over at the pilot who he knew was dead, even without checking for a pulse. Suddenly the pain in his leg told him that he better worry about himself first. As he looked down at his left leg, where most of the pain was coming from, he realized that the console had broken from the frame and was pinning his leg against the floor. Quickly realizing that he was bleeding profusely from the leg, he tied a tourniquet just above the knee. This seemed to slow the bleeding, and gave the man a chance to look around the plane for something that he could reach to pry the console off his leg. Realizing that there was nothing to help him, he remembered from back in med school a film they had watched on amputation. Realizing that there was no radio, as it was smashed apart, he decided that he only had one option to survive. After several hours of excruciating pain, he had managed to cut through his entire left leg just above the knee, he had also put on a couple of more tourniquets to stem the bleeding. When he was done, he wrapped the pilots coat around the stub, and secured the whole thing with the pilots' and his belt. He was able to pull himself from the plane, with nothing more than the clothes he wore and a first aid kit and survival kit from the plane. As he dragged his body slowly across the snow, he began to realize that he would soon die from either exposure or the loss of blood. When he began to give up all hope, he noticed that about fifty feet away, there was a dead mountain goat with one of it's legs in a leg trap. Pulling himself over to the goat, he began to see hope again, as he now had a source of food until hopefully rescuers found him. After several days, and no sound or sight of planes or rescuers, the goat was mostly consumed by now. The meat gave him more energy, but still he had no way to walk. With not much left of the goat but the carcass and legs and head, he started having an idea, that probably no other sane person would think off. He took the rear leg and cut it from the goat. He noticed the width at the top was much the same width of his leg just above the knee. Using a needle and some thread from the survival kit, he began to sew the goat's leg to his leg. Since the blood had stopped from his leg, he felt very little pain. Finally after sewing for quite a while, he released the tourniquets from his upper leg. He immediately felt the warmth of the blood move down his leg. The strange thing was that he felt the goats leg becoming part of his leg. As he looked down at the part that was goat, he was shocked to see the skin pinking up, and he could feel the pins and needles of an area that had frostbite. Not understanding how it could be, he pulled himself up a tree so he was in a standing position on his right leg. Totally not believing what happened he gingerly put the weight on his left leg and was surprised to see it was supporting his weight. Realizing he now had a chance, he started to walk in the way that he thought was towards the main highway. Slowly his vision started changing and he could see much better at night. His smell seemed more intense, and he seemed to be growing more body hair rapidly. He then realized that as much as his blood was flowing into the goat's leg, the goat's blood was now mixing with his. This would also explain the flashes he saw before him, where he saw a human setting out leg traps. After a couple of weeks the man/goat, had no urge to be found and began to realize that if he did come across another human, he would probably kill them. His hatred for humans was all consuming now. Slowly, spring turned into summer, and this brought the humans out camping to the mountains. The goatman was able to control his urges when he smelt humans, and turn the other way. Finally the urges became too much. A pair of newlyweds were camping in the Barrier Lake area that had just opened up that summer. Their second night there, in the middle of the night, the guy got up in the middle of the night to go take a leak. When he was away from the tent and relieving himself, he thought he heard a noise. Thump, click, thump, click, thump, click, thump, click. He turned to the noise, and saw a creature that looked half man, half goat driving a sharpened stick into his finance's body in the tent. Screaming he ran towards the goatman who suddenly noticed the man running towards him. As the man got closer, he realized his wife was dead, and he could see the look of death in the goatman's eyes. Realizing the goatman was now coming closer to him, thump, click, thump, click, he saw that the thumping was from a heavy bare human foot, and the clicking coming from a goat hoof where the left foot should be. In a panic the man ran away as fast as he could. The next day, the RCMP and Provincial Conservation Officers searched the entire area, to no avail. They did find the man's wife, but had trouble believing his account of a goatman killing her. So was born the legend of the goatman. To this day, anywhere in the Rocky Mountains from the United States to the Yukon Territory, people have heard late at night odd sounds. When asked what they sounded like, they reply it was a "thump, click, thump, click, thump, click. Hence, this is why, my vote is for The Goatmen, as I do believe that CJames is the original goatman. Just look at his picture!! I imagine the sunglasses are truly hiding the murderous glow in his eyes. Steve P.S. Remember the above "ghost story" is told to kids about 8-14, and not meant to be criticized for the total unbelievable nature. But I'll tell you, when your out camping and that is the last story you hear, it is damn scary

Okay, so now I'm beginning to wonder if this whole CJames=Shadowgod thingy may have some weight to it. First we have: Then we also have:

Let me just say that if I was 20 years younger and out at the time, and you weren't with someone, I'd say "hey" . But, I have to ask, wouldn't it be a bit narcissistic if you dated someone named Steve? Hmmm, something for even me to ponder . Steve

Hey Bondwriter, I like to usually check into people and places where I'd drop 5 grand. So....if you open a new browser window and type in hitmen dot com, you will see the errors in your ways . $5,000....Wow CJ, I loved the final chapter and epilogue . What a great way to finish up a great story. The one line from my favourite character, to be left unnamed , "I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy" had me howling with laughter. From the epilogue, I took it that the story was somewhat a mask for being a biography of Blackheart's life. Very interesting on how you managed to work that into the story . Once again, great story, great finish, and a great way to start your hosted page! Steve

Congratulations!! CJ I'm excited for you that you have your own home at GA. As far as I know, you are the first goat to reach this status. You mentioned that you have five stories posted there, but I'm sure if we cut and pasted some of your 4200 posts, we could have a lot more stories there Actually I believe this will be my 100th post, so what better way then to congratulate the lurker who never posts . I have enjoyed your writing and contributions to the forums, anthologies, and administration in the past, and hopefully with you being hosted, I will be able to enjoy a long time in to the future. Once again, congrats on receiving a much deserved place to call your own. Got to go now and hopefully read the conclusion of FTL. Steve

I'm guessing that the Sheriff Buchanan, Sheriff Williams, Veronica, Chad and Dex are all in the storage building. I don't believe that any of them escaped and got past everyone outside and into the mineshaft. I will still go with that the mystery person is Eric and that he was in the mine shaft all the time hiding. He heard the Sheriff revel his plot to Chris, and was now understanding that maybe he wasn't part of the little gang that he thought he was. The sheriff took credit for doughnuts, he came up with the plan to kill off all the captives and the story to follow up. If it was Eric, he heard this: And he also heard this: So, maybe Eric realizes that his position to the Sheriff is nothing more than the "damn nephew" and that he wouldn't be needed anymore as well. I think that would be motivation to act. Steve

Cj, I have to admit that I was chuckling or outright laughing my way through the entire chapter!! Right from the start when they are putting Brandon in front of the mirror, to when he gets asked to guess who is gay in the hot tub, I was in stitches. I don't know if you planned the chapter the way you did, but inserting the little segment on "The Scar" kinda had me laughing even more. But I'm sure we will find out in the future more about him, and what he has against Instinct or if it is or is not personal. The thing I liked about the chapter the most is that I think a lot of people can relate to Brandon through out the chapter. The way he is among new friends, unsure if they will accept him. Then when they have no problem with him, it builds his confidence and he is ready to make decisions with his gaydar. Hilarious . With the references between Betty and Helen, I'm wondering if Helen will have some traits of Betty. Will she start showing some feelings towards a guy in this story? Hmmm, maybe they will be towards Gabe since he really is the only other male character so far. . Finally, loved the way you set up the end for Brandon to guess yet again wrong which brother is gay. We have Eric giving Brandon the lycra shorts, letting him use his shower, offering him clothes, and deciding what pictures of Chase to put on the cover of the magazine. The start of the next chapter should be as good as the start of this one!! At least Jon won't be the only one to be mistaken for being gay, and can enjoy in a little payback. Steve P.S. Hopefully there is more hot tub or pool parties in the future

And since you're to blame for everything......... Thanks Steve!! Steve

Yesssssss!!!! CJ, you have made my day The clues are in the story!!! I feel so good, so happy, so relieved. Since Bondwriter and Ieshwar have started the discussion, I will ask these two questions of everyone: First, the mystery male in the mine shaft. Who, I ask, is capable of picking the lock of handcuffs? Who has got out of multiple situations by supposedly being slimey, sneaky, and underhanded? Could it be the true hero of the story? Wait, there is the second question, and possibly the second hero of the story. and previously . Now does Betty seem like the type of gal to sit around and idly wait for the phone to ring?? So once again CJ, Thank you very much!!! Steve P.S If I'm wrong, which I have been, then everything that LOst Cause said, ditto!

I decided to check out GA rules on the harassment of Goats and Echidnas, and found this rule: So, there is nothing suggesting that we can't have some fun with goats and other families of the animal kingdom Oh wait, I guess your members, so it is all inclusive. Darn Steve Must be a Monday night, the forum has reached a new level of silliness . Hopefully there might be a new chapter at the stroke of midnight.

Ummmm......does this mean that CJ is Shadowgod's hand puppet??

Thanks Guess this means that there is not much of a chance of both sides just apologizing and tipping back a few as they all celebrate Steve and Chris's birthdays, eh?

Ohh, this chapter sounds like it has Betty all over it !!!! Now for something . Can anyone explain this to an ignorant, non gun toting Canadian what Lock and Load means (we'd much prefer to both apologize and go out for a beer than pull out a gun in most situations ). My understanding of it, even though I've never handled one or fired one, is that this expression came from the old Westerns with a rifle or shotgun. Wouldn't you first load the gun, then lock the barrel in place, then fire? So shouldn't it be load and lock? Just curious Steve

CJ, I finally figured out why there is a bomb in the prologue!!! You have finally created a plot that you can use the seldom used :nuke: icon in your posts!!! Steve

I'll add my two bits on the subject as well. I sent something to Shadowgod the other day that touched on this subject. Lately, I too have been wondering if attitudes have changed. I may be biased, as it is now legal to marry in Canada for gay couples. But here is kinda the way I have seen things progressed. Ten years ago, the topic of Gay marriage came up in Canada, and up to that point, I would say a majority of people were dead set against it. Jokes were abundant, you could openly express your opinion of your dislikes at work, home, wherever you wanted too, and generally nobody would disagree. Then, people started to challenge the marriage law in the provincial courts of several provinces. This if anything, got people more riled up. Suddenly we had parades and marches to defend the "traditional definition of marriage". But something happened. The courts looked at our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the judges made decisions that they were being discriminatory to a segment of the population. Since there was now a few more rulings from courts in the different provinces (which do have jurisdiction over marriage laws), the federal government had to wade into the controversy. Without too much detail, the Supreme Court was asked by Parliament to make an opinion on if they could stay with the remaining status quo, or maybe redefine marriage, or give gays and lesbians a civil union. The court said that it had to be marriage for all. As this was proceeding through the courts and Parliament, I noticed a major difference in opinions. People seemed to start listening to both sides, and not to the mob mentality. They actually thought about the core of the issue, if two people love each others, can they not be married. People stopped listening to the conservative right, and started questioning their churches teachings, and the momentum began to sway the other way. The above is really what happened in my family with my Dad, and probably quite a few other people. The part about the heroes, I would agree that in a way they are. I believe the heroes are ones who don't accept the status quo and take on the difficult challenges. I would say here, the heroes in this story is probably the original 11 gay couples and the 11 judges that ruled in their favour. For it was them that made it into a issue that was big enough to make ordinary people think. Don't think I'm saying everybody is happy with the decisions, but now in the workplace, homes, bars, etc,, it is now the opposite as far as someone expressing their dislikes of gays, they will usually get a heated argument from a lot of people who don't agree with them. Hopefully in ten years, you in the states can tell similar stories. Let's all hope!! Steve

Well lets see how I can give some opinions without sounding like a jerk about this latest chapter. :wacko: First off, I guess the word I'm looking for to describe how I felt after reading the chapter, might be underwhelmed. Probably with all the revelations in the past chapters and the action, this one seemed to be lacking a bit of that gusto. It must have been difficult to write the chapter as it seems you wanted to wrap up the Thaddeus and the lawsuit line, continue the mystery behind our beloved Eric , and to build on the relationship or non relationship between Dex and Betty and set up the supposedly Meth lab in the desert. It sort of felt that the ending was put in to liven up the chapter, which it did. Maybe part of the problem I'm having is that you answered so many questions in the last chapter, that you opened up a few different cans of worms in this chapter. For that you are Evil . Not to mention the cliffhanger . If anything, it does make me wonder how you can possibly wrap up all the loose ends over the next two chapters. I know you ask for criticisms of your stories, and hopefully I have been constructive in this. In no way have I meant any of it to be negative. Steve

CJ, If it is late.....don't worry. You can always blame it on Shadowgod .

I'm going to agree with Rigel 100% here. I believe that Brandon was kicked out of his family, his band, and his life for the simple fact that he was gay. What other secret can usually evoke these responses from everybody to wards someone (except maybe if his parents found his secret Milli Vanilli CD collection) . I also believe that Lump is the homophobe. With the brother's and their parents having a falling out, it is usually the parents and their generation that don't accept homosexuality, not the younger generation. Lump obviously saw the boys dad as being his ticket to have the money to buy the booze, drugs, and sex, so he would stick with their Dad. There was also a reference to the brothers waiting to see how Brandon would react to the family secret. How many homophobes keep their feelings sheltered and away from anyone who will listen? Whereas the opposite, telling one is gay is still very much a decision most people have to make on an individual basis after they learn a bit about other people. My guess is that Chase is also gay, and Dan and Eric will stand by their brother. Chase's obvious hate of Lump being the strongest, leads me to think that he is the object of Lump's homophobia. Some of the things giving that away was Chase immediately taking off his shirt, and the way the Chase had to immediately get into the shower after the rehearsal. Both brothers seemed to know why Chase needed the shower so quickly and also knew his answer for letting Brandon join when Helen called. One question for you CJ, you made reference to "Drumbeat" magazine that made Brandon uncomfortable when questioned about it when he didn't play drums, which Chase was also very excited with the prospect that maybe he did. You also made reference when Chase first took off his shirt that drummers did this because of the intense workout. So what is Drumbeat magazine? I'm expecting a magazine with pictures of hot drummers without their shirts on. Steve

Nice first couple of chapters CJ The prologue kinda threw me for a loop, since you released chapter one in the sneak peak area. Even more so with the second chapter, you can be assured I will always be wondering what 3 bombs will have to do with this story. I liked that you established Brandon's character pretty well at the beginning. It seems you decided to make sure we all know what Brandon is like physically, as well as emotionally at the time. BTW, I don't like Gabe and hopefully he exits stage left very quickly. As far as Jon, Eric (hmm, something about that name ), and Chase, it will look like we will have to wait for future chapters to have their characters developed. While everyone else reads the first three chapters, it will be interesting to see what they feel the "family secret" is and who is the cause of it. Also on how Brendon will react. Well, you've got me hooked already, but that is to be expected with the quality or writing in the past and present . Looking forward to see how the brothers let Brandon see the expression on the new guys' face when they announce the person. Maybe a mirror or a camera, should be comical. Steve