Wayne Gray

Sad, but important to remember. Thank you for writing.

Thanks for commenting, chris. Elias seems to be safe, and more, he's very happy to be away from his apartment and Danny. As for Danny getting what he deserves, well, we'll have to see about that.

Thank you, tim. Some hard stuff, but good too.

We will see, indeed. It's good that you care about him. As the writer, that makes me feel good. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!

Thanks, Fae. Yeah, it's rough to read. But, I do hope there was a bit of satisfaction too. As for changes, there are a few. Some subtle, but one not so much. The scene with Greg and Clay is new, while we're missing a scene with Clay and a certain parolee... As I said, I've grown as a writer, and it was time for the story to show that.

Oh no. I'd never write such a thing. There's enough hurt of that flavor in the world already, I won't breathe more of it into life. Thanks for reading. I'm glad you liked it!

Awww, well, I'm glad you're happy with the chapter. Clay has more going on than his temper. He has real issues with a lack of control and power over what had happened to Orson. He blames himself for the loss of Orson's leg, even if it isn't logical, he still feels responsible. That feeling of powerlessness was part of the reason behind his behavior with his son and Jeremy, and now his sense of failure is raising its head again. Luckily, Greg gets him.

Thanks for the comment, Mancunian. Elias is safe, for the time being. Though, the guys have no legal rights to him at all. Pretty much as soon as he's reported missing, they'll have to turn him over to the police. Though he won't be in physical danger in their care, his fate will be out of our campers' hands. Don't worry about getting carried away. Danny is a pretty rotten guy.

Caleb is so flustered, confused, and just lost. Maybe you're right about Charles. Maybe he can help the boys figure things out. We'll see, eh? No comment on the ring. 😄

June 12 (Tuesday, 9:45 p.m.) Danny stepped inside, his eyes on Elias as if he were looking at a possession. His mouth curled into a smile. "Honey, I'm gonna freshen up. You've been asking about Elias, so you guys catch up!" His mom disappeared into the bathroom. 'I can't. Not again.' Elias wet his lips. He held the plate and the jar in his hands. They still shook. Danny stepped forward and looked at the trembling boy. "Are you cold?" His smile devolved into a leer. "After I'm don

I don't know how I missed replying to this, but better late than never. West Virginia and North-Eastern Kentucky are indeed very similar. By now you've read through and know that Wren had deep issues with his sexuality related to his Dad. It was very hard for him, and he just kept things as close to his chest as he could. You're right - Rachel and Beecher likely both at a minimum suspected. Again, you know what happens in the remainder of the story, and how that turned out, so I won't get into unnecessary supposition there. I'm glad you made it through the first chapters! Yeah, Wren didn't have many fans initially and I understand why.

Good! Yeah, a lot of folks didn’t like Wren much in the first chapter of two. I’m glad you made it through it.

This is the worst cliffhanger I've ever written. Well, from this side of the pen, it's the best one! Thanks for commenting. I'm glad that you're enjoying it.

That's far more succinct! Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂

Greg is a by the book kind of man. The month prior to his move, he started the process to register his firearm in the state. He's legal.

I shall also not comment on this except to say that I'm not commenting about not commenting!

I shall not comment on this, except to say that I shall not comment!

Hi, Mike. Thanks for the comment, and for the insight into the life of an ex-cop. I could only imagine that: a man known to put people into prison going there himself. Yikes! Not a good time at all. As you said, that knowledge-base though, it doesn't go away. The drive to see the wrongs righted is still there too, no doubt. They're all passionate guys when it comes to their camp, and now their campers. We'll have to see if logic rules the day.

Thanks for commenting on the chapter, Mancunian. First, the important bit: Yes, I corrected the lack of chocolate for which I was called out! 😄 This one is a roller-coaster. The ranger's boy definitely did something stupid, reckless, and absolutely beyond the pale of what a functional person should do. He put the campground and everyone in it at risk. Then there's Elias. The poor kid, he has been through a lot - more than anyone should ever have to bear. But, frankly all of the kids have been through hell. Jeremy's program gives them all a network of peers - people they can relate to and lean on, while the campground gives them a place to be who they're meant to be. Orson is sick with worry for his new friend. It's not quite paternal, but it's something deep and perhaps related to his own need to belong and be needed. So that he'd react in such a way shouldn't be too much of a surprise. He's emotional, and I think he should be. How much more emotional will he be should he find out how much danger Elias is in right now? We may find out.

Must... resist... evil... laugh!

I've done my job if you're wondering what the hell is going on! Hehehe.

I get the difficulty in making the decision. The idea here is to inspire emotion, and I'm glad that this chapter did that for you. Thanks for reading and commenting. There's so much more to come!

Yeah, Camp Refuge and our campers are in trouble. How will our men respond to Elias's danger? That's to come! Thanks for reading and commenting!

Good! 🙂 Lucky for you it's all completed already.

Oh, I fixed it. Thanks!