Anton_Cloche

Your strength and resilience in writing this story, are mirrored in many of the boys and adults. So THANK YOU for that @empath. Take care, stay well (hopefully someplace warmer than 10° / -10° )

And @pvtguy seems to have hit the nail on the head as well. Like far too many good men in the 1980's and 90's, Daniel's inability to find a loving life partner like Juan, while keeping hidden in plain sight, sent Danny into the death trap of Aids, with the KS "splotchy and inflamed skin" rash a telltale sign. 😦 This sadly explains the early death of Daniel as was revealed elsewhere, in the photo of Daniel surrounded by the boys he rescued, lining the walls of the future Academy. 😢 💔

Trees by Joyce Kilmer I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest (pressed) Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.

@Drew Payne thank you so much for this new chapter. While I am quite surprised that Liam is mandated to spend another year at Nurton Cross, I'm happy that the Crown didn't transfer him to regular prison. Such a move would have likely crushed his spirit, not to mention the harm he would suffer (sexually) as a teenager (albeit 18) thrown into prison. Having passed his 'A' Levels with two B's and an A, Liam assumes he can't go to university. 🤔 And while gaining admission to Uni in the UK is very competitive (and expensive), his grades indicate he has the ability to deal with abstracts (which is what Essay questions essentially are). That ability could easily see him get into a FE (Further Education) College, essentially a 'technical college that trains people for specific careers (Trades/Construction/Engineering, IT, Business, Teaching, Communications, Hospitality, Health/Medical/Veterinary and many other professions). Liam just needs to get through the next 9 months before his next (last?) opportunity for full parole, and with lawyer Mark ensuring records are sealed, and perhaps a pardon 🤞. Liam has, since Day One, shown remorse for his one mistake. He's now spent 1/3 of his life paying for that terrible mistake. It's time for Liam to begin a new life. He can never forget what he did, but he deserves a second chance. Hopefully your next four chapters can show Liam moving forward, and perhaps you can provide a "10 years on" Epilogue?

I am fairly certain that given both David Sr and Jr connection to Uncle Joe and to the mountain (their property), and Uncle Joe's spiritual connection to "Turtle Island", that they will all continue to be 'Stewards' and fend off any developers trying to take the land. Young David needs to remind himself often to visit Uncle Joe, but @drsawzall has a good point about David adding space for Uncle Joe, both within his house, but equally as important to provide enough open land for Uncle Joe to put his Teepee.

Okay @Bill W the 'boys' have explained who/what the are to Mac's parents, and they seem "fine" with explanation. So when does the evil skinwalkers make a fourth appearance, and why?

Shorter and wider U.S. cuke 🥒 used for dill pickles or the larger "English" cucumber, about the same size as Nathan's Famous "footlong" weiners ? 🤔 😛

Aah. Watching and listening as Uncle Joe "talks" WITH the trees 🌴 shows how inter-dependent 'we' and the World are, and can, if we know how, learn to respect each other. Thanks @CLJobe for this lesson. Just goes to show just as "you're never to old to learn", you are also "never to old to teach" and pass along life's lessons.

@empath Draining the Ocean is so damn familiar, in many ways. I am interested in seeing how John Renkin went from being a scared boy to becoming someone who largely ignores his own children years later after his marriage to his own version of Cruella De Vile. (Not a typo I assure you 😉 ).

Another absolutely wonderful (Reconstructed/Reconstituted?) chapter @Andre Delport. I don't know if you ever watched the old M*A*S*H television series, but Ryan's advanced awareness of incoming plane is almost and homage to Radar O'Reilly and his " Choppers" alerts. 😉. Nice to see Dan and Joan Kinley dropping on from Texas to honour Ry and Drew on their 10th wedding anniversary!

I think it's a sure bet that Uncle Joe has inside knowledge of how "The Great Spirit" (or "Creator") sees young David's inner spirit and respect for nature. And while "the Great Spirit" would oppose cutting down (killing) living trees, it would allow Uncle Joe to help David harvest 'Deadfall' trees (literally trees that have fallen over as a result of storms etc.), and those not rotten or split, to be used to build a cabin or a larger home, with David's porch. In a way, paying tribute to the past lives of trees providing shelter in the woods, to the wood of these fallen trees being used to create shelter for 'The Great Spirit's" human living beings.

And you're just reaching this conclusion now? The dozens or more hints via comments and double entendres didn't turn on a 💡 over your head? Perhaps the bulb is burnt out from overuse lighting up with all the excellent ideas and 'AHA' moments that have created your wonderful stories for us Bill. 💓 🤗

"Oh Bother, where art thou"? (From Homer's The Odyssey) Thank You @empath!

@Summerabbacat comment, and in particular this section about Joshua's need for both control and self-isolation, and your repetition @empath of Joshua's habitual 'counting' throughout this story, made me wonder if he has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). My personal awareness of both conditions, leads me to lean towards the highly-functioning form of ASD more frequently referred to as Asperger's. FYI: Studies (Lancet and others) have shown that people with Asperger's have a significantly higher likelihood experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or attempting suicide, especially when in stressful situations, compared to the general population. I am glad that despite the minor 10-year age difference between Joshua and Marcus, these two extraordinary men found each other when both were in need of a 'significant other' to make their lives complete. Or at least I hope so.

♠️♥️♦️♣️ ALL will fall like the proverbial House of Cards by the Force of Buono over 👿. 😪 turn into a 🌊 and then hope and joy. It will taken time. I suspect we need to keep the Kleenex and other 🧻 'tissue' handy. Thank you @empath for this journey. 💞

Perhaps it is a result of: · An early Groundhog (or a recent 'celebration') Day Oops; · Caused by Siberian Express / Polar Vortex pushing Below Freezing Extreme C🥶LD weather onto ______ ? Both of the above, OR a third option is glitch in the system? IT experts claim 'most' online sites have software / AI in place to prevent duplicate posts from occurring. IT says it's a simple matter of putting a 'tag' on everything posted to a site that prevents repetition. And NOBODY can doubt IT and AI. Everything's perfect until it's not. 🙄

Hmm, this is a duplicate chapter post. Wonder how that happened. Guessing GA system software isn't smart enough, or doesn't use an identifier (code like other websites?) on previously published chapters to recognize when that is about to occur and prevent it?

" ... Spinoff stories"? Do tell where they were posted, because I can't seem to find them. Or it's the damned -5 winter Brain Freeze effect. And that kind of cold affects everything. How cold is it? Well you don't need a chilled spouse / partner saying NO to give you serious 🥒🥶🥶

SHC (Spontaneous Human Combustion) 🔥 would work if it were a real thing. Supposed only leaving shoes behind.

Karen on steroids 😉. I've met a few (okay Many!) like that. "My way or the highway" types that usually lead to divorces. And while some were "princess / spoiled" daughters, others just turned that way. If I know why or how they are that way, maybe I could create an antidote, sell it 💰💰 😂 , (or make a spray for use in outdoor circumstances when they approach, like 🐻 spray). Might also work on skinwalkers.

Thank you Preston for this chapter. Dalton is such a good big brother, looking after Brodie, without any complaining. Would that all big brothers were like him. Now he's graduated. Planning for his future seems to be in place. But first: "my friends and I would be going on a six-week overseas backpacker trip to explore some amazing places around the world". What could possibly go wrong? Oh wait, this IS a @quokka story. But it's not like any of his other protagonists (the lead characters) ever run into problems. 😳😉 ... " For now"

While people often say: "Not a day goes by without thinking of them" ('loved' ones taken too soon), it is in the quiet moments where some memories come back stronger than ever. 💔 If Uncle Joe is right (and who says he isn't) , "the heart bleeds for our brothers but the Great Father in the sky heals the heart in time. He fills the emptiness with memories created by love. You will see him again.” Trust, and Hope. Thank you @CLJobe for another insightful chapter. 🫂

With all this building going on, (that Orion wants) it's a shame none of these 3 are handy enough with tools (stop it) to include a workroom to build some of their own specialized items to carry the weight of there. Like an adjustable multi-position bench, table or anything else that crosses their minds. Like a customized picnic table for the private deck. With padded rubber cushions to 'rest' on. Or a climbing wall with numerous 'grips'. Hmm 😳🍌🍑

@mrbossmant and @Cane23 were both correct (7 and 6 hours ago) when they responded to my comment 8 hours ago (zero dark 30) where I misinterpreted @empath last two paragraphs of this chapter, and assumed the boys that walked into the Las Vegas FBI Field Office were the De Luca twins Em and Elio, when in fact they are Roland and Miles, who while now 'safe' are forever damaged. 💔 In the clear light of day, I remember that Rocky and Orlando are working for 'Don' De Luca to remove the evil of child / boy sex trafficking from being in any way connected to him and his 'organization'. The 'Dons' decision a direct result of being responsible for his own twin great-grandsons who are the same age of many of the boys harmed (or worse). Thank you @empath for this story, and I eagerly look forward to coming chapters, and, with the many, many loose threads 🧵🧶 from each person's story in this book, to be woven into the tapestries that form the next book(s) that follow Kept Boy to Made Man.

Oli's transformation in this chapter is more than I thought could happen to a young boy. Let's hope his abilities to adapt, mostly in terms of protecting and helping his 'brothers' now includes helping himself. The last portion of this chapter, when SAC Daniel Janick receives a call from his counterpart in the FBI Las Vegas office, with Daniel replying: “They just walked up to the front door and asked for me by name?” immediately had me thinking Roland and Miles had gotten free. Then my heart sank when I read the remaining two paragraphs and realized it was the De Luca twin boys Em and Elio that had walked in to the Vegas FBI office seeking help. Not that they aren't deserving of assistance, but they are coming in very well off and provided for (at least from a 'clean' legitimate business run by their 'Bisnonno' the mobster 'Don'), but they haven't suffered as Roland and his younger brother Miles had been: kidnapped, raped and threatened with death; or the suffering of all the other young boys in this sad story (based on real life occurences that continue to this day in January 2025). 😩 💔