Summerabbacat

Mark is astute, articulate and amusingly acerbic. He also cares a great deal about Jack, and by extension Nick. I wonder what he really thinks of Noah. Nick's breakdown has seemingly been beneficial for both Jack and himself, and may be good "practice" for when Noah breaks his heart or tears him apart, which I feel is imminent. Predatory, a very apt word for Noah @SilentandBroken, and from what I have observed, a "natural" extension of his manipulative, smarmy and disingenuous behaviour. I got the sense Jack's pronouncement of love was HUGE too. Not an emotion he is used to experiencing, let alone expressing. The Halloween party may prove to be a Helloween party. I don't think illicit drugs are the only danger facing Nick. Fresh, young, virginal meat.

“Fleetwood Mac? So tasteful. And Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were born just to harmonize with each other”. And reputedly almost throttle each other, well at least him almost throttle her. For every Rhiannon, Dreams and Sara there was a Save Me A Place, Walk A Thin Line and Caroline. “He looked genuinely flabbergasted, like I’d just revealed we lived by candlelight and churned our own butter, or that the Earth wasn’t really round.” The book-burning Moms For Liberty? “Part of me wanted to jump up and down on the bed, but I figured that might look a little silly.” It's been done before Nick, and it would have looked very silly. Just ask Oprah, Tom Cruise did it and it was embarrassing. “I wanted to crawl under the table. Noah winked at me over his coffee. Something about the way Noah talked to my mom bothered me, though. It seemed manipulative in a way. Fortunately, I think my mom took it more playfully.” Ya think Nick? I agree with you @drsawzall. Noah is smarmy; a disingenuous sycophant who feigns cool and chic because he is an entitled prig. He makes my skin crawl. Jack is highly intelligent and very introspective, a dangerous combination. It appears his mental health issues are not being managed properly at all, and the "food" he eats will not help at all. Very impressive writing @LittleBuddhaTW.

Jack left no stone unturned when berating his mother, she must surely know exactly what he thinks of her, but maybe she does not. Has she abused him either physically or verbally, or perhaps she has abused him by simply ignoring and/or neglecting him for much of his life. He has been at the boarding school for a long time; has he essentially been dumped their by rich parents who want little to do with him. He is on medication, a regime which Mr G seems to be well aware of. Is he just being medicated as his only form of therapy for what may be a very serious problem? I, like a number of my fellow readers, am suspicious Noah has contributed at least partially to Jack's problems. Nick's vacillating is not helping either Jack or himself. I am definitely team Jack, however, Nick is a 14 year old boy who is not equipped to deal with Jack's problems, which appear to be complex to say the least. I wonder what Nick's mother will make of Noah. An outsider's observations may be very useful.

It must have been so brief I missed it. No doubt Eve would have made it all about herself, how she had been wronged and she was making the effort to amend. I will NEVER like her.

I have but one question after this chapter @Josh Aterovis. “Adam is taking Kane to stay with his mother for a week, remember?” Why, what possible reason could Kane have for wanting to spend time with that evil bitch? I am trying to determine the significance of the house Steve is keen to purchase in Chicone. Is it significant because Killian may be sensitive to at least one deceased former occupant of the house, and this may convince him he has a connection to dead people e.g. Seth and perhaps Amalie? Or, does Ira's murderer have a connection to the house? Or is the house totally unrelated, its only purpose the death knell in the relationship between Adam and Steve if Steve proceeds to purchase it? A very intriguing diversion perhaps @Josh Aterovis. And what of the imminent return of Judy and Jake? Is this another potential intriguing diversion or is it somehow linked to Ira's murder too? I think Killian can learn a lot from Novak, discipline and focus being chief amongst the learning opportunities. Killian is very bright, but as Novak so sagely pointed out "unless you learn how to harness them and put them to use, they won’t amount to a hill of beans. Just like any talent, you have to learn how to use it to its fullest potential". You certainly have we readers on the edge of our seats as noted by @camerio1, with no one person appearing to stand out yet as the possible murderer. It was perhaps telling Novak appears to believe there is more to Travis and Paige Haynes and their relationship with Caleb than meets the eye.

Oh what glorious weather, send it my way please. In such weather I never use my aircon. Mine has been running for 12hours + per day since early May with temperatures dropping as low as 11°C during the day, strong winds and rain. My cats hate such cold weather too. My eldest has been putting her nose just outside the door onto the terrace off my bedroom, then looks at me with a WTF look and quickly retreats back inside. The youngest one who loves to sit on the terrace does not even bother to try, she gets out of bed, comes downstairs, sits directly under the aircon or goes under a blanket wrapped around her floor cushion, and stays there all day until it is time to go back upstairs to bed where she will snuggle up to me all night.

Very well written and profoundly moving @Gary L. The "shame" of his illness was so pronounced, I suppose anything bowel-related is "icky", and that was the part I found the saddest. His refusal to suffer in silence and shame again, and the sympathy of the policeman, a glimmer of hope.

You're too quick off the mark, Mark. My comments were so poorly written. I have heavily edited them, but to no avail. I should learn and write my comments in a Word document before publishing as I find the ads constantly popping up on my screen distracting and very fucking annoying, plus one of the cats usually appears bottom first in front of the laptop screen as I write too.

"The thought of crossing that bridge with him once more excited me, although at the time I had no idea just how prophetic those words would prove to be." Will JJ and/or Pete and/or Dallas find themselves Under The Bridge, or on a Bridge Over Troubled Water, or on a Bridge To Heaven? I assume the log bridge all the students crossed over safely to trek to the coal mine, will have to be crossed over to return to the buses to take them back to the campsite, and this is possibly when JJ's prophecy will come true. It does not appear the log bridge is secured into concrete blocks or affixed in any meaningful way to the surrounding earth, and with the number of students, teachers and rangers who already crossed over it, I imagine it may already have started to loosen from the earth. Furthermore, with the heavy rain which has apparently fallen over night, I assume the creek over which the log bridge crosses will continue to fill up with more water from higher ground, thereby making the earth "foundations" into which it is "built" even looser still. "Are we expected to walk across that?' one of the girls screeched. 'It's perfectly safe,' Mrs Bird said to us all. 'It has been used for years." Mmmm, famous last words, perhaps. I sense an impending disaster is the "excitement" prophesied by JJ @Mark Ponyboy Peters, with his thoughts so closely aligned to the events which have just taken place. Nothing humans build is indestructible, especially when the unpredictability of Mother Nature is part of the equation. I just hope JJ and/or Dallas and/or Pete can swim. I sense JJ and Dallas may be thrown together again, with possibly Pete joining them in some manner.

'Uncle Doug got into the mix, "You do tend to be a little, um..." "Bitchy? You can say it." "I was leaning toward overbearing, actually." Seemingly Marie Louise has always been unpleasant and bossy, even before the chemical leak which killed millions of her fellow Americans. "Marie-Louise thought, 'At least I pretended I didn't want the bigger bedroom. Todd's already in a smaller room.' Billy was almost fifteen and Todd was thirteen. Elaine and Doug had no idea how much trouble that will cause." I imagine Marie-Louise will thrive on the discord her arrival will bring to the household. She may well set her sights on Billy, but if he refuses her advances she will move on to Todd. Let us hope both boys are not a slave to their hormones completely. George Dunlop Sr. profession is one which will make him increasingly wealthy as the population ages and sags. Gravity and obesity are his best friends, at least financially. Vanessa will benefit greatly from his skill, ageing far slower than her contemporaries, with a little touch up here and there along the way to make her appearance less prone to extreme change. Think Raquel Welch rather than Cher or Nicole Kidman.

Lachlan and Medea MacDonald are a horrid pair. I thought at first they may have reared Rory as a trophy or status symbol, or to prove their ability to breed, but it appears they have no use for him at all. Thankfully he has Mirenna, the housekeeper, who appears to provide him with some companionship whilst he resides in the family tomb, an ostentatious display of alleged architectural splendour. I am sure Matthew realises far more about Gavin and Jason's new found relationship than what they think he does. He is perceptive and non-judgmental, and clearly wants his father to be happy, having raised him single-handedly since the death of his mother at a young age. Another slow-burner, Hugill-style @Robert Hugill. Unlike your other stories, I have not noted any regional language as yet, although perhaps as a reader I am so used to words hitherto unknown appearing in the Hugillverse that such words have lost their power to surprise and delight. Mmmmm no, I don't think so.

I suspect what you consider "heat" is nothing like what we have and I relish in Australia, and what I bemoan as freezing is nothing like what you experience as cold in Baltimore. My perfect climate is between 30°C - 40°C with humidity of 80% plus. Anything less than 25°C and I am starting to feel a little "chilly". I have been like it since childhood. Christmas Day is just not Christmas Day unless it is 38°C+. As for snow, no thank you.

It is no wonder the boys are angst-ridden; the "food" they eat is disgusting. All that fat, salt, sugar and soft drink. The description of the cinema was most amusing @LittleBuddhaTW. "The theater smelled like warm fake butter and ancient upholstery. The air was thick with salt and sugar and something vaguely sour that clung to the back of your throat. The floors were sticky in that classic, unloved way – every step came with a faint shlk of shoe meeting syrup (or, God forbid, bubblegum). Popcorn was everywhere. Scattered along the aisles. Piled in corners. Like no one had ever bothered to sweep up after a movie ended … in the 1990s." Noah is smarmy and projects an air of jaded boredom. Jack is uber-emo and projects an air of jaded boredom. Of the three, Nick appears to be the only one not in disguise. Noahnickjack - what a conundrum.

The age old phrase 'if it is too good to be true it probably is not' surfaced before Jack said of Noah “But Nick... Noah isn’t who you think he is.” After Jack's remark, I am even more certain Noah is not who he is presenting himself to be. There is something a little too well-rehearsed about his manner, a veneer of affable pleasantry. I don't trust him.

Ya think @Tris? Killian's heart is in the "right place", but he does seem to have a laissez faire attitude towards danger, which is unfathomable given the ferocity of the two murderers he has encountered in Todd (Bleeding Hearts) and Caitlin (Reap The Whirlwind), particularly the former who tried to kill him and whom he killed in self-defence. I hope Killian's questioning of Mrs Fields and his display of affection towards her with the parting hug was not observed by the murderer @VBlew. If it was, I believe Mrs Fields' life is in grave danger as @Josh Aterovis' killers have not to date stopped after a single killing; both Todd and Caitlin went on to commit multiple murders, although the "cast" of both Bleeding Hearts and Reap The Whirlwind was much larger than the cast in this story, at least to date. Given Mrs Fields dire living conditions and her precarious health, it would not take much to finish her off; Nadine could probably finish her off merely by breathing her "smoke sour breath" on her. I, like @Philippe, wondered if it might have been Travis Haynes who visited Caleb for some evening amore, but discounted this speculation after Mrs Fields indicated the person was of a small build like Caleb. It is possible Mrs Fields eyesight may be so poor she might mistake a grown adult for a much smaller person, but I don't think so. If Travis was partaking of a bit of "enboyment" with Caleb, it would explain Caleb's refusal to reveal who he spent the evening with on the night of his father's murder. It would also have given Paige the opportunity to murder Ira, a murder which would serve a dual purpose, ridding her life of a man she despised, but also having the murder pinned on Caleb whom she may have come to despise if she knew he was on the "downlow" with her husband. Another possibility as to the identity of Caleb's nightly visitor, whom he may have spent the evening with on the night of his father's murder, is someone who is underage. Many of we readers have assumed, or it at least appears that way to me, that Caleb is trying to protect the identity of his lover, but what if he is merely trying to protect himself because he is having sex with a boy less than 16(?) years of age. The DNA and prints may have been contaminated by now by Killian @drsawzall. Having never watched an episode of any of those CSI TV shows, I am not au fait with the wonders of DNA testing, although I vaguely recall it may have been relied upon in a few episodes of the British TV series, Silent Witness, which I saw a few episodes of many moons ago. I am sure he will have an app on his phone he can record his discoveries on, although he did seem fond of the trusty notebook. He has not had a car accident in the last few chapters so one of those may be on the cards, or a heated row with Arsehair which leads to the two of them fucking like bunnies. @drsawzall's red herrings have made another appearance @Josh Aterovis, even making an appearance in @Philippe's "pond". They sure seem to be in plentiful supply in Baltimore. Do they swim from the Atlantic Ocean into Chesapeake Bay before congregating in the Patapsco River at Baltimore (apologies if I have the geography all wrong)? And I have to congratulate you @Josh Aterovis on your physical description of Nadine. From her "smoke sour breath", to her "leathery skin" to her "freckled cleavage". I imagine she has skin like a reptile, all dry and scaly from heavy smoking and too much sun exposure. I can relate to the latter as I was an avid beach-goer and suntan lover from my early childhood, and particularly from my mid-teens until well into my late 30's/early 40's. I still love the sun and DO NOT wear SPF50+ sunscreen, but I am more cautious than I use to be (getting a crispy scalp is not pleasant).

I am not defending Killian's unnecessarily rude response to Adam's questions and comments when he arrived home late, but I don't think Killian realises the positive difference he has made in Adam's life. I suspect Adam views Killian as a link, albeit a tenuous one, to Seth, which only strengthens the paternal feelings Adam has for Killian. Adam wants to "do right" by Killian as I think to some extent he may think he "failed" Seth. The murder of Seth must have almost destroyed Adam, moreso because he had missed out on so much of his life. I was shocked by Adam's response to Steve, there is a palpable tension between the two. I sense the Blues Are A Brewin'. I think Killian well understands Novak's instructions @drsawzall; he just has little or no intention of following those instructions. He has shown a wilful disregard for his own safety in the past and I cannot see that changing, particularly when he believes it is he who will uncover the truth. I understand his reluctance to disclose his dream to anyone, but I believe he should disclose it to Adam or Steve at least. It appears Caleb may have been using Arsehair to some extent given the latter's reaction to Killian's revelation Caleb was staying with someone on the night of the murder. There is merit though in Novak's speculation that Caleb may have lied that he stayed with someone. If Mrs Field is still in the hospital as indicated by Paige Haynes then who was it that made the curtain twitch, if it twitched to the touch of a human? Perhaps it was the killer. More intrigue @Josh Aterovis. I do hope Love On The Rocks is not "in the cards" for Adam and Steve. Adam has had more than his share of heartache and deserves happiness after the harrowing time he had at the hands of that hateful bitch, Eve. Perhaps you can arrange for the person with the axe to pay a visit to Eve too. I doubt she would be missed.

I had the exact same thought @CincyKris, a huge overreaction by Dallas motivated by an insecurity that he may have a same-sex attraction. And what of Dallas. I have an image of him in my mind, one which is very attractive indeed, a muscled tanned hunk in a very impressively filled jockstrap. But because of his name, I have also had an image of him akin to Sue Ellen Ewing, portrayed by the stunningly attractive Linda Gray. Dallas in a 1980's frock with padded shoulders, pouting and prancing like a nervous cheetah or as so eloquently described by Felicia in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert - a cock in a frock on a rock. "...... while all around us were acres of dry brown summer grasses waving back and forth in the gentle breeze". This observation by JJ rang small alarm bells for me @Mark Ponyboy Peters. I wonder if there is a bushfire imminent or if one of the students will carelessly throw away a cigarette or a joint into the scrub and a fire starts. Dallas and Hollywood to the rescue, both clad in Speedos. Delicious. The shrill voice of the aptly named Mrs Bird brought to mind an image of Miss Hathaway from The Beverly Hillbillies TV show. Tallish, thin and bird-like in appearance, "pecking" at the students, fussing and admonishing them for next to nothing. Another fine chapter from the pen of the pony, or given its location the biro of the brumby.

A sizzling summer sexcapade for three long-time close friends to complete their high school education. A light-hearted journey, with an occasional moment of quiet contemplation and idealogical challenge. The three friends are engaging characters and the pace of the story predominantly fast and furious, apart from the occasional balmy night. A most enjoyable read from @KKirk yet again.

I was greatly saddened by the parting scene between Rick and Randy too @Seraph28. Of the two, Randy seemed to be the more "devoted" to the idea of marriage to a woman and the fathering of children; Rick I could imagine choosing a different path if another alternative opportunity presented itself and the attraction was strong enough. I much admired Rick for his choice not to be the "third wheel" by sharing an apartment with Mike and Jim. It was very evident from the moment Jim and Mike had their first mansex experience with each other, that there was a strong emotional attachment in addition to the scorching sex. I wonder how Methodist Mamma Carpenter will cope with Mike not settling into a heterosexual marriage with a pretty and fertile young maiden. Terrific story @KKirk. The experience was akin to watching some of my favourite Falcon or Catalina porn movies from the 1980's/early 1990's, but with much better dialogue and "acting". No wooden "acting" from the likes of Jeff Stryker or Steve Hammond, but then we weren't really watching the movies for the thespian talents of its stars.

"Rogering" is a very English description @Cane23, which I have read and heard used to describe both anal and vaginal sex. The extended Philpott family continue to amuse and entertain we readers @Robert Hugill. The breakfast banter between the four men was very amusing, and to his credit Matt more than matched the other three. His preconceptions and observations were both inquisitive and interesting. And I loved Gray's reference to Matt as his "undefined", which surprisingly Matt took in his stride. I thought at first this might upset him, but if it did he hid it well. Vince's reaction to being discovered by Freddie in a compromising situation was very amusing. Vince, the big old hairy nelly bottom, his masculinity perhaps threatened by the fact that he obviously enjoys a good "rogering". And Freddie's reaction to his father's bottoming was in of itself also very amusing. Another string to your bow @Robert Hugill. This story has surprised me more than any of your others to date; the character depth and sheer delight this "awkward" family have brought to the table, I could not have imagined when it made its debut.

This chapter left all four boys well and truly fucked, jubilant with jizz, sated with semen, salivating in a stupor of sexual bliss. Methinks the boys and Brian should have this song playing as their soundtrack when four becomes five, ignoring the obvious gender references. From the master of musical masturbation, the purple prince of penetration:

Rick, Randy, Mike, Jim and their Daddy, Sassy Sawzall, with his mighty, magnificent, man-mauling mallet of Massachusetts.

Not that I can recall. The only films I can ever recall seeing even remotely alike were about werewolves, An American Werewolf In London (by choice at the cinema) and a little of Howling II: Your Sister Is A Werewolf (by accident on TV); and I have only ever read perhaps one or two stories about werewolves in the past. The only reasons I started to read this story are because @Laura S. Fox wrote it and I found it amusing that a fox was writing a story about a wolf. The supernatural genre holds very little interest for me as a general rule.

“I find that I am changing Gav. Slowing down.” Jason looked directly at Gavin. “At first, I was around because, well, I needed to be, to help you and Matthew. But more recently, I’ve realised that I enjoy it, having family and having a routine. So, I’ve no intention of messing that up. We’ll be low key and take things slow. Right?” A remarkably frank, mature and unapologetic statement from Jason which caught me completely unawares, one which demonstrated he is so much more than the stereotype he was presenting himself as at the outset of the story; a far more appealing and engaging person than I thought him capable of being. And what of Matthew's Irma? Another little surprise packet, although not nearly as stereotype "bursting" as her parents. Very religious but with a sensible attitude towards sex? To quote Victor Meldrew "I don't believe it", but seemingly it is true. And it appears @drsawzall that Tina did not share her brother's naturally hirsute body. Thank goodness for small mercies. This one is perhaps set on a different plane in the Hugillverse @Robert Hugill, although the aspirations of the characters are not so different from many of those in other Hugillicious tales.

Now I understand a little better @Seraph28 as I thought they were essentially the same. Given this, my mathematical calculation was incorrect @Laura S. Fox.