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A captivating chapter Kbois. Thank you for introducing Kinbaku and Shibari which I hadn't seen before. It truly is a beautiful art form when performed and photographed well. There is just a hint that both David and TC could now reconcile their differences and possibly tie the knot with Sinclair or another sub. Here's hoping 😎

I should have know'd me better but yeah, just that! 🤠 Westerns are better known for their action more than an exposé of their character depth. Here you've managed to achieve both by focussing on a static scene between characters, like here at Sheriff Willard's office, where all the revealing action, has already taken place elsewhere. That keeps the scene exciting and allows us to see possible deeper insights into characters. Like, did Sheriff Willard know that Wes and Lee had a thing for eachother and were bringing up Dan as a couple. Was he also aware that Dan and Boone were more than just good friends? And of course, does such an astute fellow know more about Boone and Coy, than anyone but Will had spotted? As I say, a great and pretty much unique mechanic for a Western, at least in my experience. Hats off to you there, pardner!

This chapter brought the West to life for me Gary. So many Westerns are action movies or stories. There's just enough dialogue in there to show how macho, cowardly or evil a character is. This chapter did so much more. We got to see a great man in Sheriff Willard: his anger, clearly prompted by the remorse at the loss of two good friends in Wes and Lee and their charge, Dan. He eventually relented on his distaste for Will's brother, Coy, given his strong sense of judging a man's character. Has he done enough to turn Coy away from a futile subsistence sifting for riches? He's given Boone and Coy solid advice to go and set up a life for themselves. But will they remain in contact or will they forever go their separate ways. They have a few days to decide before the rewards comes in. A really well written story Gary and honestly not one I expected to like so much at the outset.

You've got to wonder if a real fan would take so long to read your story @chris191070?

Great short Ivor. Mark and Adam got on well with the other four guys and the strip poker provided plenty of entertainment. It's lucky these two live close together. They have plenty of stopovers to look forward too in the years ahead.

To the uninitiated, like myself, it seems that the Western customs are coming through in droves. My suspicions are that it's been well researched. There's a sense of impending doom about Boone and Coy's much needed talk and inevitable separation. I always like skipping on to the next chapter at these points. Although, Boone needs to move on with his life, theres no doubting he can't cease to care for Coy's future wellbeing. In time, Coy may end up dealing with the physicality of Boone's absence but his stoicism will help him get by unless, or until, Will's enemies come a looking. I'm not so sure I'd be so trusting of the Sheriff to draw the right conclusions. After all the risk of getting it wrong could be a hangmans noose. Its a big risk just to clear Dan's name. Still it's confirmation to Boone that he beat Will's stranglehold over his brother, as Coy was now making good choices of his own. Roll on the next campfire pardner so you can regale us with what happened next.

Interesting start Ivor. I like the matter of fact style with no embellishment. Makes it all seem very plausible. Looks like Adam and Mark are going to pair up well together and that's a good thing as the other 4 lads have no incentive or, I suspect, any inclination to add to their number. I never go the chance to go to camp but it looks like it could be fun, if you didn't get beaten up.

I don't get why Boone feels so strongly that he needs to protect Coy from himself. Coy seems open to the idea of being intimate friends but Boone won't hear of it. He clearly thinks Coy is the most beautiful specimen on earth. It's like Boone has been brainwashed by 5 years of negative vibes from Will and people Will has influenced (Coy's mother). Or just maybe he loves Coy that much, he wants him to grow up and have a life with a wife and kids. That's quite a sacrifice that Boone is making. But deep down, I think Boone knows that a life with Coy could be there for the taking.

I'm enjoying the ambling nature of a country Western. It's not for the want of a helluva lot of action having taken place, as recounted in the dialogue. Although Boone seems intent on heading up north to start life afresh, in some small mountain holdings, I think Coy will plead with Boone to let him ride along. After all Boone is all the friend and family he has left. As Boone pointed out he cant really afford to buy a place outright, so it makes sense for the two of them to pool resources. Interesting characters and story Gary. Mind some if'n I join yer posse and mosey on out wit' ya?

The strangest anomaly for me was that i too was shocked by the abrupt ending. But that was only after thinking that the story was being overly extended by Jamie's intransigence to see past his own narrow view of what transpired. Trust is a major part of any relationship and using one's heart to hear a friends own explanation of events, is irrevocably owed to a once time soul-mate; even ten years on. It was Jamie, not Ali that was found woefully wanting , in this story. Nevertheless, it was definitely a brave and fairly unique narrative for the author to explore. Choosing your own ending, is nothing new. It just strange that this story's ending would provide a great beginning for many a new one.

Don't imagine for one minute that you're alone in that space. There's a lot of people sharing that exact same feeling.

Yes i didnt read Endings. I had to give myself a breather from your stories Gary. A couple of them affected me quite deeply which I hope you see as a compliment to the quality of your characters, dialogue and storyline. I think my headspace is in a better place now 😌. An honorary mention to Exes and Ohs too, while I'm singing your praises.

Read Gary's Morningstar: The Malaise @Freemantleman High on the list of many readers here. I'm sure Gary won't mind me plugging another story on this thread.

Although I was adamant that Jamie needed to see Ali and no one else, I like your style. What you did with the Ollie encounter added an intriguing twist to the story. I've now had a full change of heart and think this story would have had great mileage from continuing the romantic adventures of Jamie and Ollie and Ali. Admittedly, that may have portrayed Jamie as more of a villain, in your readers eyes (me included) but it definitely warranted another chapter or two after all that torment. 😉

I really enjoyed the fact that the story is set to a Western theme. Within the time it took to close the bar, you brought back years of recent history for both Coy and Boone. So Coy's no good brother Will killed Dan, who was more than just a friend to Boone. It looks like Boone is about to ride on out of Coy's life, in the firm belief that he misread Coy and made him consider whether he was really straight. Coy and Boone seem destined to head their separate ways so we can only wonder about what isolation lies ahead, for them both. Great start Gary.

Jamie has to know there were so many antagonists around them that others would do just about anything to break them up. Lies, deceit, misinformation, hate and hurt were all very real ramifications of the lengths others would go to. Yes Jamie might have been devastated by what he was told about Ali back then, but only a fool would ever be intransigent enough to refuse a long trusted friend the opportunity to explain their version of events for themselves. Jamie making that mistake when he was 18 would have been a disaster of monumental proportions. But to continue with that folly at 27, makes him deserving of the ire that he provoked in my last response. Of course there's only one course of action that Jamie needs to take and that's to accept the possibility that he was wrong, and selfish to the extent that he precluded Ali from being a much maligned victim too.

Just in case...

It's a captivating story Ethan. It takes a lot to get me to react this way and yet you managed it. I'm still very much invested in what happens next and hopefully Jamie and Ali will end up enjoying a friendship that I sense they were robbed of, in their teens. What could possibly be in the letter. Maybe Ali's last Will & Testament leaving everything he owned to Jamie. Who knows?

I'm pleased that you didn't continue with Jamie's stubbornness in refusing to inform Ali about who he was. I'd reached the point of no return, where I'd lost all sympathy with Jamie's stupidity. Its one thing being deceived but its another, insisting on holding onto that false narrative when another is wanting to explain what happened from their perspective. Jamie has believed every absurd lie except the most plausible one being presented by his once great friend. I'd almost like to see an ending where Ali lives happily ever after with the barman. Screw you Jamie.

It was all lies. Just spill the beans already, Jamie, before the Pizza boy sends you scrambling for your wallet.

I thought that at first but would they really target Alistair? Jamie only got injured trying to save Ali.

Great storyline, even if it's frustrating that it was all caused by their listening to other people's lies instead of asking eachother the obvious questions why. It appears that Alistair's school mates also lied to him, about James. Maybe it did all start as a prank, but then they realised that Alistair had fallen, big time for Jamie. After the car accident they decided to end the joke and tell Alistair a a yarn that Jamie was desperate to get away from the spoilt rich kid. The two of them totally need to sit down and talk this out. It's already ten years too late! Don't let Ali walk out that door without talking this through.

What evil machinations running through your mind @wildone That's so twisted! I love it 😃

How can Jamie be so sure that it was all a lie? I suspect that he's been listening to too many rumours that have been spread around. Maybe Ali's father even had Jamie arrested for stealing the bike. Who knows. We now need part 7 soon Ethan, so don't go leaving it in a box in the shed.

I doubt that just ending it, is brutal enough for Ethan's style. Past form suggests his baddies really go for the jugular. 👹