Geron Kees

Will needs a leash and a handler! The guy is, by far, his own worst enemy. YES, go talk to Dr. Wohler. YES, do not trust the police for anything. YES, please do something SMART, instead of just letting emotions run rampant. Aidan's patience is incredible. If he manages to hang on long enough to help Will untangle the knots of his thinking, he may be rewarded. But so far, it's not looking good. If Aidan is not in love with Will, than he's just too goodhearted for his own peace of mind. I have known a few people over time that were raised in strict religious households, who seemed to think everything that happened was God's will, and they had no say in it. I agree that it's a form of brainwashing, that takes the ultimate responsibility for everything out of the user's hands. How does that stunt the growth of problem-solving skills, and does it lead to a denial that positive action can have any affect on their own lives? I can't imagine the sort of hopelessness that might accompany the idea that your God has turned his back on you, or is deliberately making your life horrible. It's a trap, when applied literally. It requires one to live a life that is this or that, one or the other, the choices being actions that further the supposed will of the God (as determined by the human church, of course), or act against it, and therefore make one an unforgivable sinner. There are many who can interpret religion and take the best of it and deny the worst of it, and live happy and decent lives. But for those who are trapped, bludgeoned by someone whose beliefs are absolutely rigid, it can make life the very hell they are supposed to be avoiding. End of rant, thank you very much.

An unpleasant chapter, save for Will meeting Caitlin. Will must have had a really thick pair of blinders on concerning Joey. Concrete, maybe? There is something sad about seeing Joey self-destruct so violently. What was his self-hatred all about? I guess we'll find out what happened. Maybe Will can truly start to heal now. Yes, an unpleasant chapter. But a needed one, surely.

A fascinating and enlightening chapter. Again, I liked that Dr. Wohler is who he is. A plain and simple set of questions to see where Will's head was, and the best fit for a solution for him after his release. Will really did need to 'go home' from this. Back to 'life', not to a place filled with more darkness. Aidan, once he realized that Will would live, let his own feelings be known about how Will was acting over what he had done. This may have seemed shocking and out of place at that moment, but it was plain it had the effect on Will of making him consider another viewpoint than his own. Clearly, Will has an obsession about Joey. Only that sort of view of someone would override all the evidence of his eyes and ears and feelings, not to mention what others were telling him. Obsessions are not rational beasts. They need to be tamed, caged, and carted off, not tolerated and nourished with unreal thinking. Will's mom is his MOM. For real. She may have had a moment of indecision when faced with dealing with her husband on this, but being MOM won out. Good for her! Will's dad -- I am not going to call him names. He is the victim of a mindset that doesn't know compromise, refuses parity with any other form of thinking, and treats all non-believers as needing to be 'corrected' somehow. Like there is only one true mindset possible among 8 billion of us. If anything is unrealistic, it's the notion that ANY one human, or faction of humans, has discovered the one TRUE reality that we all should be living in. I feel like this story has taken a needed pause, but now is back on track. I am looking forward to to the next chapter! Come here, Josh <quick hug here>. NICE job.

Sheesh! Charlie would like all your guys, but Kip would be all over Will, trying to help! Aidan would fit in well with the gang, I think. He seems to be able to read minds already!

The wording of that sentence left it sort of up in the air. But Raimey could have just meant that Lestho was able to duplicate what Raimey imagined, and described to him. No magic involved!

I am not worried about rock bottom. Every pretty lake where I live has rocks at the bottom. It's a matter of perspective, and I am just trying to understand the trigger mechanisms that are driving Will's fears and depression. It's like trying to describe the color blue to a blind man. Unless you've seen blue before, you'll never quite get it. I am not quite blind with respect to Will, but I need a different color set of spectacles to understand better where Will is seeing things so differently. Hopefully, if I try on enough pairs...

I believe you. I have never had a suicidal thought. And, it makes it hard to get to a place where I can see that course of action as an option, or even a need. That's immeasurably sad, that someone would see that as the only path to take. It is up to rest of us to try to spot these things, and to assist any way we can.

Wow. Another good chapter, but I find I am not easily able to understand Will's problems. I guess because I am not him? How he could possibly still have feelings for Joey after the guy stabbed him in the back the way he did is beyond me. And Joey is still twisting the knife! I have never had these sorts of problems, so I find it hard to relate to them, I guess. I am not the sort to fall apart when life turns sour, nor descend into misery, or to be confused about the issues at hand. And I am not the sort that would take my own life for any reason. When life hands me a dead chicken, I make chicken soup. But what Will just did to Aidan was hard to digest. If someone like Aidan told me he loved me, and I had ANY feelings for him in return, I could not then disembowel him the next morning like Will did. "Aidan, last night was a mistake!" That was profoundly sad. And after THAT, Will's going to go jump off the fire escape??? I feel sympathy for Will's problems. They are clearly BIG problems, and he needs help, obviously. I know there are plenty of people out there who don't easily meet life's difficulties head-on. I just hope this will all work out. I have to admit, Josh, you certainly know how to throw a gut punch!

A very strong, very trenchant chapter. It's sad to think people endure events like this, and that some do not come out the other side. Will was fortunate that Aidan returned, but even before he did, there seemed some doubt that Will would go with his plans. There was some bit of signal there that even he realized it was not the way he wanted things to end. Aidan arrived at the right time to help talk Will down. His caring for Will seems clear. Also clear is that Will's parents should be left out of the loop on this one, for now, anyway. They have more potential to make things worse than better. I was fascinated by the thoughtful caring in this chapter, Josh. I liked Dr. Wohler very much. Aidan is coming along nicely, too! Well done!

I was not terribly surprised by Joey's reaction. I was a little surprised that Will expected it to be otherwise. My thought was, "What the hell are you thinking, telling Joey this?" I mean, I thought Will was sufficiently aware of the dangers inherent now in his position to understand that discretion was needed in all this. I was not at all surprised by Will's father's reaction. Or his mother's actually. Thumpers are dumpers. Aidan is good for Will. He obviously cares. Laura earned a little respect from me, too. Joey contacting Will's dad only showed that he was NOT worth the love and respect that Will heaped on him all those years. A sad chapter, but one that will change Will's life, for certain. Aidan's too?

NO! I mean, um, please, no, don't slow it down.

Hey! Joey actually seemed to be the upset one, that Will was not around to fawn over him. He's been taking Will's admiration for granted, it seems. Nikki is like a few people I have met in the art world, a sort of a small cyclone of yowling pussycats that revolve with a motion like good-natured fury. She's likable, though. I see some honor behind those fangs! Aidan and Will are a good match. Aidan already knows that, but Will is only just starting to suspect. I am hoping that pastor daddy gets to the gallery and sees Will's paintings hanging along with merpeople screwing. That sort of apoplexy has to be seen to be admired! Great chapter, nicely moving things along. I was going to read chapter 6 next, but I think I'll save it for tomorrow. Some more good writing, Josh. And, good storytelling!

TWO chapters, even! My work week ends on Thursdays, so here I am!

I may have imagined the story, but I think you know more about it than I do!

Frankly, I think Jamie and his friends have learned by now that much of what they imagine can be made to happen. The lens, while being a joint production of Jamie and Garvin, is attuned to Jamie's mind, really a reflection of it, in large part. Garvin's part in the lens is supportive, by dint of the love he has for Jamie being poured in as an ingredient in its making. It gives the lens strength. Do you really think it's a good idea that ANY others could be able to use Jamie's lens? This story really could go anywhere. I haven't stopped thinking about it at all. But a follow-up would require a careful re-reading of and study of the story on my part, so as not to step on my own feet in the telling of further adventures. As always, you make me think. Thanks!

The squirrel population in my backyard, especially Pixel, Hex, and Atom, can testify that I am very generous with walnuts! We were at a business party once, and some young and dedicated Christian woman was handing out religious tracts. At a party! Most people were soon avoiding her, and she started to get desperate for converts. At one point she cornered me, and smiled, and started talking to me. I had heard snatches of her conversations with others, so knew that a pitch was coming. She finally asked me what my religion was. I looked at her in all seriousness, and said. "I'm a Druid. I worship the stone and the tree. Are you interested? I can tell you about it." She suddenly looked very uncomfortable, and edged away from me. No, no, she needed to get back to her date. She left. One thing I have always had a sneaking admiration for is the saying, 'Fight fire with fire.' A little brimstone doesn't hurt, either!

Great chapter, Josh. I like Nikki. Instant like, you know? I know a few people with that sort of personality -- interested, companionable, able to put an irate bear at ease with a smile and a few words. I am somewhat partial to intelligent kooks, too. And Will may have a future with her in the art world. There is no question that Aidan likes Will. But he is able to put being a good friend before that. That usually makes for a very good relationship if it happens to grow. The best relationships are between friends AND lovers! I think this one will will qualify. I laughed when Will was shocked that he missed church. I'll bet his dad wasn't happy about it! Whoo-hoo! Guess we'll see. It sounds like Killian and Asher aren't going to be around long. Ah, well. That will give Will and Aidan a chance to grow as detectives. 😁 Next chapter, please!

There are good people of every sort, including people with religion. They aren't that hard to tell apart. In fact, if you have a conversation with any Christian in this country today, you know within five minutes whether or not you'd want them living on your street.

A great set-up chapter for the relationships ahead. Room to grow, and room to bloom. These four seem natural together. And, it's nice to have Killian and Asher back. I want to see how their own relationship has grown. I do notice a similarity between Killian's parent's and Will's. Strict dad immersed in his own unreal reality, mom kind of caught in the middle of the two worlds. Elements from your own life? Just tell me where to get off the bus if I'm being too nosy! Another fine story in the making!

The murder, the intrigue, the deception, the lust, or the debauchery?

My family is singularly lacking in religious participants (we are all happy heathens), save for one female cousin who is a fundamentalist Baptist, and the bane of our existence. Rumor has it that her mother stepped out with the mailman, as even her father can hardly stand her.

Ah. Killian's cousin. Has Aidan got the mystery-solving gene? I am not very good with holier-than-thou religious types. I tend to speak my mind to them, in a very strong mind your own damn business sort of way. And the more intrusive and domineering they are, the more strongly I express my views. So, I already don't like Will's dad. His mom is caught in the middle, of course. Too early to say much else. Aidan seems like a good guy. I guess we'll see, huh?

Okay. I have taken a deep breath. The door is locked. Let's go!

Happy to see you back, Josh. Been WAY too long!

Or have been a Joey. I suspect it can be difficult from either end!