MacGreg

When I first read the sneak peek of this piece, I anticipated reading a story rooted in a mysterious friendship between two young boys - one who was a little different. However, what you provided went above and beyond my expectations. You crafted a tale not only about friendship between two unlikely characters, but also about man's deep connection to nature, the intolerance of diversity, the balance of urban development, the responsibility of protecting land, and the struggles of marginalized people (or, in this case, salamander-humans). Granted, there is a little magic to this story. But for the most part... it's steeped in reality. Thank you for sharing it with us, tim.

I hope you know my lack of comment here was not lack of concern. Some comments are better expressed in a PM. This poem did cut like a razor, right across the page. I think we all felt the incision of this one. But you are loved, boy, there is no doubt. These comments speak that truth.

This won't be an easy (or fun) transition, sounds like. But go into it with an open mind and some positive energy; you may find that something good comes from this change. Sometimes it takes a jolt, like a move to a new place, for life to get a kickstart and take you in a different direction. Your cousins and their families may surprise you. Best of luck with it, my friend.

Although I don't get to hang out in them much, the clubs are a great feature on this site.

Well, there's definitely something magical about Sanctuary (something in the air...?) if Christian can be so amenable to accepting Finn's proposal - not just of marriage, but of following the "rules" of the pact. Everything's happening at light speed. It's a little too perfect. Also interesting to learn that, really, it's Sam's clan/species that are the wealthy ones, not the humans of Sanctuary. The salamanders dig up the gold. The humans are just the caretakers of the estate, there to ensure the species' safety and preservation. Fascinating story, boy. Can the secrets of Sanctuary really be kept secret forever..?

Very touching, indeed. This can't be an easy experience... I'm certainly not looking forward to cleaning out my mother's place when the time comes. When my grandmother passed, I inherited some of her old wood furniture, which is still in my house. Your words illustrate sweet memories, Parker, tinged with sadness. I especially love the skyscraper form for each stanza. It adds to the beauty and special subject matter of the poem. And can I just add that the alliteration of " pink pregnant peonies prepare" made me smile? Thank you for sharing this.

PrideFest in Denver is mid-month. Always a lot going on around town then. I don't go out and party at the clubs much anymore, though. Instead, I'll be hosting a party at my house that Saturday night. The following morning is the parade downtown, so whoever's left at my house can carpool over there.

Too much Aunt Mary makes people stupid.

Great way of doling out information to your readers in small amounts to keep us invested in the story! So, the lawyer has some documented information about Sanctuary... somewhere... I hope he can deliver as promised. We're all waiting to know more. It's interesting to me how comfortable Finn and Christian are with one another, after only having spent time together the one evening. Part of the 'fate' scenario, where they both know, without fully knowing or understanding, that they're meant to be together at this point in time - two paths joined into one. It's a good thing that Christian is so receptive to it all. Many others would back away, slowly. Thanks for giving us another great chapter, tim.

Hard to believe the time is upon us so fast, renee! Best of luck to you and D with everything. It will be a time of great joy and many challenges for you both - but mostly joy.

Yeah, this moron has been all over the news here. I'm tired of seeing the replays of his brilliance. I can only hope that the FBI fires him. He can go on to some dumbass reality show from there. Or, better yet, be given the 2018 Darwin Award.

A solid beginning here, with a great introduction to this character. I look forward to reading more.

Thanks for swinging by to read, Mike. There's a lot more hide and seek in the chapters ahead. I hope it remains intriguing for you!

Glad to hear that, tim. Don't know why I never saw your comment. Thanks, again.

Thanks all for reading and liking and/or commenting on this. Honestly, tim and I debated posting it. We debated even writing it. But some things need to be expressed, and it seemed the best way for us to do it, in this Exquisite Corpse form. Mike was the first person to read it, privately. His immediate approval of the piece prompted me to go ahead and post it. @MichaelS36 your comments mean a hell of a lot to me. You're right about it being intrinsic to the Life and who we are. I have deep bonds with many subs. My affection for tim is kind of wrapped up in you, too, because you're there with him, guiding him to be a better person and the best sub he can be. And, hey, on occasion you might administer a few well-placed smacks from me. ;)

My mind often slips to you when i know it should not i love you from afar, though i will never see you but you know my heart across all those miles because i cannot hide my truth from you Even though we shall never meet These miles of agonizing separation Cannot alter the connection we share you and I are of the same ilk, bonded Sometimes my longing for you is agony i cry tears you will never see i wish for the impossible, a chance to serve to touch skin i can only dream of know

Wow. This little piece of writing packs a punch. I read it twice through. You rile up the reader and leave no satisfaction. Well done.

you took on the task and made a powerful poem. It's full of honest emotion - fear, hope, anxiety, love. I can tell you wrote it from your heart. Definitely a piece worth keeping and sharing with Baby J.

And the mystery thickens... I definitely got the impression from Nora's surprised reaction that she is aware of the secrets of the Sanctuary, and is perhaps a part of it somehow. A descendant of someone of someone... Things are more connected and interwoven than we've yet to understand. Does anyone else find it curious that Finn finds such satisfaction in the sound of a door lock opening/closing? This fact has been mentioned a couple of times. Finn intrigues me, maybe more so than Sam. As always, tim, you unravel the layers of your characters with a well-crafted process of slow reveal. I look forward to the discovery.

I was expecting to find out the story of Sam and the Sanctuary, but instead I was taken on an adventure of planes, trains dates, and automobiles. Finn and Sam are funny together. There's an obvious bond there, almost like long-lost siblings. I didn't realize Sam was literally a salamander - I thought he (and his kind) was a rare human-like creature who had never fully completed the human evolution cycle. He's an interesting character! A little ornery, a little humorous, a little serious. I'm anxious to find out more about his story and the Sanctuary. I know you will reveal more in your way, which I appreciate about your writing style. Great chapter, tim.

When I write, I have music on almost 99% of the time. Music has been a constant companion in my life, and I rely on it to drown out the peripheral white noise in my head. Without music, I would have a difficult time focusing on creative projects. When I'm meditating, or communing with nature, or tending to someone's needs, music is unnecessary. But when I'm writing - music on, almost always. I definitely think that different genres of music help my creative process, depending on the subject matter. I can be all over the board with what I listen to, it just has to be meaningful to me. Visual stimulation, on the other hand, (such as video or TV) is not something I work well with. That will shatter my concentration completely. Like @Mikiesboyand @Ashi, I find inspiration in everyday observations. Sometimes, even the most mundane scenery or occurrence sparks something in my mind. So I'm always looking at my surroundings, analyzing people, taking it all in and filing it away in a pipeline to be retrieved (or not) later.

Thanks for all the time and energy you put into this site, Myr. I will avoid using the G word around you.

As others have said, there is no right way to feel about it. A reunion like this can be more bitter than sweet. Whatever you feel, it's your prerogative to feel it. Allow yourself time to let it sink in. No need to make an immediate decision. As for the sins of the parent... No one is predestined to repeat them. I struggle with the sins of my father, but his sins are not mine.

Thank you for sharing, tim. There may not be too many people who will understand the truth of your words, but I'm proud of you for writing it and hope that it will shed further light on D/s dynamics. Being at your Dom's feet in this way doesn't mean you are a slave or a second-rate partner or that you're being punished. It means that you are wise enough to recognize the value of sitting in quiet repose, of showing obedience and the release of control to your Sir so that you can gain some peace during troubled moments. It's meditation, meant to re-center and refocus a sub who may have strayed. Always done with love and respect. It's good you see the value in it.

I personally don't care about the preciseness of the details in this story. It's the content, not the context, which elevates it, and any inaccuracies are part of its fictional world.