Mancunian

It would appear that Mithras is more than a myth, but who or what is Mithras, and how does Mithras control what we call mother nature?

Human sacrifice is inhumane and barbaric, is this what it appears to be or is there something more? And why is it that when human sacrifices are made it is always a young male or female, why not an older person? I'm hoping there is more to this ritual and it is not as barbaric as it appears.

I haven't read Shirley Jacksons short story so I have very little idea of what to expect. To me this this ritualistic Tombola looks like an impartial way of looking for a sacrifice or sacrifices which is one step short of being barbaric and illogical. Why would the settlers resort to what is in effect a pagan ritual when they are the descendants of intellectuals from Earth, what has happened to set them on this course?

Sci-fi that reflects aspects of reality, I think I'm going to like this.

This sounds interesting, I'll give it a try.

There are many differences between American English and British English, you will find many more. One that can be embarrassing is the term fanny, in America it means something completely different to its meaning in the UK, no doubt you will come across more. Concentrate on British English for now, you will pick up the Americanisms in time. If you are using a spell checker on your computer make sure it is set to British or UK English, that will help you with your English lessons.

Thank you @ReaderPaul, I think the comments can be as interesting as the story. I love to know everyone's take on what has happened and how they see the characters.

I'm not getting involved in that part of the conversation as it may end up going down into the gutter, lol. Except for airports and certain high-profile locations not even our police carry firearms. I've witnessed a few instances where the police have had to take serious action against offenders, I prefer to leave asap and put myself a safe distance away. Thank you for letting me know that you are still enjoying the story, it means a lot to me.

Hello my good man, how are things at the homestead today?

Aloha Albert

Jeremy has found Carter but he hasn't saved him yet. Has Jeremy bitten off more than he can chew? Possibly, they are not out of the woods yet (pun intended), now he and Carter are on the run from Lopez. Fingers crossed they make it. 🤞

I love Judy, she has a sharp tongue and fiery temper, but hiding beneath is a very warm and caring heart. This combination makes her a very formidable opponent should you cross her, she will defend those she cares about with the ferocity of a lion. Charlie and his new friends will do all they can to help Harry. Thank you for the compliment @ReaderPaul, Terry, @raven1, is the best friend and editor that anyone could have.

Late but still very welcome as are all readers. Thank you for your wonderful and supportive comments @ReaderPaul, they are appreciated.

Even though Abel has said he will hand over his investments to the kids I still cannot find any redeeming qualities in him. Find him guilty of all charges and pass the death penalty. As for the 'so-called' mother, remove the life support, let's take away any possibility of the state claiming what should go to the kids.

I hope everyone can bear with me while I take a moment. This is my son's song, I never got to hear him call me daddy or see his first steps.

Hiya Page

Aloha Albert.

I wish I could say a lot of good things about Jeremy for looking for and trying to help Carter, but let's be honest, he is only there because he doesn't want to upset his children not for any altruistic or other good reason, but at least he is there. But to be fair, he is better than Laura, she would prefer Carter to die. Terrified, Carter is running for his life knowing that if he is caught he will suffer a torturous death at Lopez's hands, I'm hoping he succeeds or is found by Jeremy in time, but what will the future hold for him? Will it be a happy future or one where he is continually running from Lopez? I fear that Carter has more suffering ahead of him before he finds happiness.

There is no reason for you to feel like an idiot and nothing for you to be scared about. Let me tell you something about all of the authors on GA, we had to learn too. We all had to learn about adjectives, verbs, adverbs and nouns, some have learned more than others and some are still learning so you are not on your own. We also had to learn about sentence structure, grammar and how to use punctuation, some have learned more than others and some are still learning. Some authors use computer programs to help with these things, while others don't. I use a program called Grammarly which is a great help, there are other computer programs and apps that do the same as Grammarly does. A lot of authors have people to help them, they are called beta readers and editors, they do not write the story but they do help an author to get it right. A beta reader will read a story and point out parts of the story that do not make sense or tell the author about other errors in the story. An editor will check for mistakes in spelling, and the wrong use of adjectives, verbs, adverbs and nouns and tell the author about them so the author can correct them. The editor will also help the author with sentence structure, grammar and punctuation. Sometimes it is a bit like having a teacher checking your work and authors do learn a lot from beta readers and editors. Authors are human, we make mistakes and sometimes we need help too.

As the author I can confirm that Michael is definitely straight, although I cannot reveal my sources, lol. Knowing that you are enjoying the story is music to my ears and the reactions you leave are greatly appreciated. I understand how real life can sometimes get in the way of doing many things that we want to do. Any comment that you can leave will be as valued as all others and I promise to acknowledge and respond to them, recommendations and reviews will also be valued. Thank you for your support.

I'm sure you will smash that soon, there are more of your stories for me to read and there are other readers who love your stories too.

I don't know how @headstall does it, but he did it again. He drew me into the story and made me feel the emotions of the narrator as he thought back to happy times and a relationship that was full of love. If you haven't experienced the pull of Headstall's stories you are missing out. There is a lot packed into this short so be prepared, read and learn about love and grief, no regrets, there is no room for regrets in this story, it is beautiful.

I was at the hospital earlier and posted my comments before I had finished writing them. I'm back at home now, dialysis is done for today, so I can finish and tell you something that happened at the hospital. We always value what we have, but sometimes we don't appreciate its true value until we no longer have it. After I read this two of the nurses came to ask if I was okay because they had seen me wipe a few tears from my eyes. I couldn't explain to them how I felt or why so I showed them what I had been reading, one of them walked away unable to speak and swallowing as if she had something stuck in her throat, and the other asked for the web address for GA and your profile name, she wants to read more. So you have made an impact on more than me today, now I can leave a review.