Cynus

The next chapter will answer a lot of questions and set us up for Part 3 of the story. I can't say much more, because I don't want to give any spoilers.

Emma's a product of her upbringing as much as everyone else is, just instead of running from it like Ian and Silas did, she was cowed into submission when her siblings needed her most. But she's back on track, now. And Theo's words will stick with her, I promise you that.

It can be incredibly difficult to stand up for your siblings, especially as a girl raised in a Mormon household. I say it that way, because Mormon culture places the woman beneath the man. Not to the point that she's property or something as backwater as that, but to the point where in a contest of authority in the household, the wife is always expected to bow to the husband's perspective. It's a terrible, horrendous, system, but it also explains why Emma would have a hard time standing up and decrying her parents' actions publicly, but would seek to love Ian and Silas in secret.

"So you decided you're going to stick around, huh?" Adam asked as they pulled into the Wendy's parking lot. Ever since their first dinner there they had decided to make it their regular gig, even though Ian had said that they were welcome to eat at the restaurant for free. Silas was clear that he didn't want to take either Ian or Adam's money, but both of them continued to insist that they pay for things, and Silas had reasoned that it was better to spread that generosity out rather than make Ia

I agree. I'm of the philosophy that if you do not understand something, you should seek to understand it as well as you can, because knowledge is the greatest of all tools to help us build a better world.

Seems like I've been extolling the virtues of Theo all day today so I'll just . . . Do it again! I mentioned somewhere earlier, either on the forum or in response to a review, that Theo serves as the protector of the band. That includes Silas as far as he's concerned. The others follow his lead to some extent when it comes to such matters, which is one of the reasons why none of them were willing to tell Emma where Silas was.

As much as I wish that mentality was the one they acted from, I'm going to have to say that the reasons for their actions was the "tough love" approach I described in the forum. They didn't want to risk their standing in the church or the community, so even if they did want to support their child they knew that he had to straighten out or be kicked out for being out.

I don't actually know if it's unusual or not. Perhaps another thing I should admit to knowing nothing about? Haha! At least I know a little bit more about rock concerts than I do about either cars or dogs. Theo might get his own short story or novella sometime in the future, because he really grew on me through writing this story. He's painfully straight though, so I guess he might have to have a gay son if I'm writing it for the present audience? Maybe a daughter instead?

ReaderPaul asked in his review of chapter 15: Cynus, this is probably a coincidence, but the names "Silas" and "Cynus" somewhat sound a bit similar. That was not deliberate, was it? The similarities in names was not deliberate, though I suppose it could be Freudian. I honestly chose the name "Drake" first, and then paired a list of names I've wanted to use for a while against that last name. Silas and Ian were the ones that jumped out to me, and then I had to decide which sibling got which first name. I decided I liked Silas more and so I paired it with the protagonist. I just thought I'd share that with anyone who is interested. I have a number of different ways that I end up choosing names, but that's the mystery of Silas and Ian.

The similarities in names was not deliberate, though I suppose it could be Freudian. I honestly chose the name "Drake" first, and then paired a list of names I've wanted to use for a while against that last name. Silas and Ian were the ones that jumped out to me, and then I had to decide which sibling got which first name. I decided I liked Silas more and so I paired it with the protagonist. Adam will probably be the last person to hear the song, considering he loathes rock, but I won't confirm who the first person to show it to Silas is. Going to remain a mystery until it happens.

I like Emma. She's based off of someone in my life that I'm fairly close to, even though we don't speak as often as I'd like. Probably because I have too much Theo in me. I adore Theo . . .

I didn't really do much of the thinking. Silas did it for me. I don't know that I've ever had a character who wrote himself easier than Silas did. There was an alternative title for this story: "No Rest For The Wicked", but my beta-reader made a convincing argument about retaining the working title of "The Navigator". When I was considering the other title, this scene was one that stood out in my mind.

I didn't really do much of the thinking. Silas did it for me. I don't know that I've ever had a character who wrote himself easier than Silas did. There was an alternative title for this story: "No Rest For The Wicked", but my beta-reader made a convincing argument about retaining the working title of "The Navigator". When I was considering the other title, this scene was one that stood out in my mind.

I will give dughlas a concession here. As much as Silas' parents were wrong and established a precedent with Ian, they could have changed in their tolerance level over the six years between Ian leaving and Silas leaving. While this would make little difference in how they would have treated each scenario, it does affect what mentality they held at the time of Silas' disappearance. And now two more years have gone by, and there's no telling what's going through the parents' heads now. But Silas' emotional abuse is not in question. he definitely suffered, and suffered greatly, and there is no denying that what his parents did to him was horrendous. But many Mormon parents do similar things, and most describe it as "tough love". They honestly believe that by depriving you of basic human decency you will return to the fold.

Thank you for reminding me! I actually knew that when I was writing that chapter but I forgot about it when the point was raised later. It's funny that I can forget a thing like that when I used to drive commercially. I tried to figure out the poll thing, but my knowledge of the system is still fairly infantile. I couldn't seem to find anything that would tell me how to do it. There is more Adam on its way. Next chapter, even. I promise that he's not going anywhere. I have that same weakness. Though I also have a weakness for straight men, which is probably why I love Theo so much. It's short and curly, actually. Like Drpaladin said, it doesn't have to be long or thick to be curly. My own facial hair curls at 1/2 inch, and the person I based Brady's appearance off of curls at even shorter, and he's only 18. Brady is pretty close to 19, so he's got an extra year on my friend.

They would be performing in less than thirty minutes, and his blood was beginning to pump with excitement. Tim Franco had managed to score them this gig in Twin Falls that was better than anything they had ever imagined. They weren’t opening for this one; they were the main event. Brady would have never imagined that the past few weeks would have turned out the way that they had. Navigator had gone viral, and already had over a million hits on YouTube, and nearly everyone that heard it seeme

In honor of The Navigator passing the midpoint, I have a question for you all. Who is your favorite character and why?

I think of Ian and Amy's home as Silas' new campsite. So when Adelaide isn't with him directly, it's okay because she's only a short distance away. It's a controlled environment to some extent. The barbershop wasn't. He was at the mercy of the barber and was forced to trust Amy in a situation outside of his control. Also, did I neglect to mention that I know nothing about dogs? Yeah . . . There's definitely parts where I'm going to get things wrong about their behavior, I just hope it's not too noticeable all the time.

Thanks, Les. I'm glad that you're reading at both sites. I have a slightly larger collection of stories at AwesomeDude that haven't all made their way here yet, but I like writing at both places. Family is definitely more important to them both than Silas realizes, but Ian's been wanting it for longer. I think giving Silas a room like that was something he's been dying to do since they first crossed paths in the diner.

There's a discussion about Silas and Addy at the Barbershop going on in the forum(I know you don't go there often, but I can try, right?) At least, he's somewhat heard the song. Don't worry, he'll hear it soon. We'll have to see what happens. And as much as Silas has suffered, he's also survived. The boy will outlast everything the world throws at him. Or at least we can hope . . .

Thank you. I'm glad you like it!

When I wrote it I was considering it as more of a subconscious fear than a conscious one. Silas didn't necessarily know why he was having trouble giving power over Adelaide to Amy, but it was definite, real anxiety. I believe that Silas sees Adelaide as the ultimate symbol of his freedom and independence, as Puppilull alluded to, and then as Tim pointed out there was that knowledge that Amy might use that against him. Giving Adelaide up is like giving up his heart, or in the metaphor of The Navigator, it's like giving up his compass. She's the one who has kept him going in the right direction, and without her, he's lost. At the barber shop he's in a place of emotional vulnerability, after spending the day with Amy. He wants his compass more badly than ever to help guide him to the right decision.

That's awesome, and scarily accurate. I love it! I also had a question for those who have read through chapter fourteen. I know the answer for why I wrote it this way, but I'm curious what the readers saw. You're often able to make connections that I never even noticed, and may have written subconsciously. Why do you think that Silas had a hard time giving the leash to Amy at the barber shop, but didn't seem to bat an eye at leaving her with Chelsea and Tara at the coffee shop when he took his sink bath? What is the difference?

I chose to respond to these two at the same time. In all honesty, I could be remembering incorrectly. There were so many other things that my parents did to me, but particularly my mother, over my childhood that I may have imagined them going without me. I know that they went without me to something I cared deeply about when I was sick with Strep throat, but I could be wrong about it being this. I was six at the time, and we might have just not gone to the mall, and my memory could be flawed. I've never confronted them about it though. I'm fairly close with my siblings now, though not as much with my parents. Some obstacles just aren't worth overcoming.