Headstall

Chapter 2

Purgatory Slowly, very slowly, August’s brain began to recover from the wallop of being found out. He’d never felt so raw, so terrifyingly exposed in his whole life, and had no clue what to do next. He used to push his secret from his thoughts, to convince hisself it had no place of any concern, but he’d been a damn fool to think so. Apology? Yep, he supposed he did give Fletcher one for them poor sheep, but it weren’t the craziest thing what happened back there on that s

Hi.

Radio in the car and on my TV (my satellite TV has a lot of radio stations, and the sound is excellent with my soundbars. Sometimes, when I'm writing or editing, I put on a satellite station, like the one out of Whitehorse. Otherwise, I listen to my albums on my record changer.

Happy Saturday, folks.

Riding cowgirl isn't topping.

Hi, Albert.

Hello, all.

I cut my own hair yesterday. I'm pretty good at it. Sweet dreams brother B.

I understand totally. I have trouble understanding people on my landline especially, and can end up wasting a lot of time. Glad you finally had a good experience. I asked for chapter likes and comments so I know how readers are feeling about that particular chapter. I can often read between the lines and it helps me. This one has been slow to get off the ground it seems, and I keep hoping for more attention on it, but it is what it is. I ask for story likes too, and story recommendations because there are great tools for readers choosing a story. Cheers, my friend. Gary

Hey, J J ! I hope you find this story worthwhile. Please leave a chapter comment sharing your thoughts on the story so far. Cheers! Gary

Howdy.

It just goes to show, you never know when you might run into a capybara. Fun little story, well-written and thought provoking. If you've got a few minutes, read this.

Wow, Chris. Loved this, and I'm still scratching my head at what I read. So many possibilities for where you could take this. This was surprising, very different from what I've read from you before. Good job! Cheers! Gary

Calm down.

He-Man! Now we're talking!

Ah, folks? Anyone? Please leave a Like/Reaction for the story itself on the front story page if you can--it's just a click--and it should allow more eyes to find this one. Thanks!

Aw... Heath... There is certainly a lot of tension between these two young men. Albert Cooley? Yeah, he's that guy, that father who believes it's his right to control everything and doesn't answer to no one. It was an attitude I saw often in my childhood. That spare the rod bullshit. Happy you liked the start. I threw them right and us into the fire, didn't I? Ain't nothing like some naked rassling. Thanks, friend, and I'll see you next Monday. Cheers! Gary.

Lol! I like your enthusiasm, friend. I hope you find the story worthwhile.

I will quit writing before I ever use AI. I promise myself that, because what would be the point.

Yes, AI is actively writing fiction, ranging from flash fiction to full-length novels, and even claiming regional literary prizes. However, the role of AI in writing is a subject of intense debate within the literary community. [1, 2, 3] How AI is Being Used Collaborative Writing: Many authors use AI as a brainstorming, outlining, and editing assistant to push through writer's block. Mass Production: Some authors utilize generative AI to write, self-publish, and sell hundreds of books—particularly in formulaic genres like romance. Experimental Literature: AI systems have authored standalone experimental novels, such as 1 the Road. [1, 2, 3] Current Limitations and Criticisms Lack of Originality: AI models generate text based on averages of previously written data, often resulting in formulaic, bland, or overwritten narratives lacking genuine human emotion. [1, 2, 3] Plagiarism & Ethics: The training data for these models often includes copyrighted books, raising major legal and ethical concerns for authors. [1, 2] Industry Response Many writers and editors view mass-produced AI fiction as a threat to the livelihood of human creators. Some literary institutions have even faced backlash for recognizing AI-written short stories in prestigious competitions. Many literary creatives fear a future where human-written books become "luxury items" while AI floods the market with free or cheap text. [1, 2, 3]

I just watched a piece on CNN about AI, and it makes me so angry. I feel a sense of doom for what is coming.

Hi, all.