t.n.

"Your voice a whisper only one can hear." I love this verse... I have struggled with depression in the past and for about 5 years the black dog was all over me, eating me out. I was drowning, struggling to keep my head above the water to be able to breathe and thankfully I somehow managed to do so but it was beyond exhausting. I was lucky to have my friends and family around me and I could feel their love amd support however it felt that I was inside a glass cage shouting for help and they were all right outside but could not hear my pleas. I am in a much better place for a while now, and I dare say happy, but the black dog catches up with me at times and I have felt its breath right behind me... thankfully I have managed to stay ahead, always searching for new things to do for me whenever I feel its presence close. Thank you, @Mikiesboy for sharing these two poems, they both spoke to my heart! And I wish you bright days, filled with love for yourself because you are worth it; and then maybe the leash will be so long and far away that you forget it's there for a very long time.

Brilliant chapter! The outcome may be sad for Andy but I couldn't see a different relationship between the two at this point. It would have been too soon and very likely for the wrong reasons for both of them. Matt needs time to process everything and heal and Andy needs time to distance himself from Matt - the fact that he saved Matt, especially given the way this happened, could not, in my view, form a basis for a healthy relationship, unless it is properly processed by both of them. And Andy may be a decent guy but his previous actions do not show maturity in the way he dealt with everything - definitely not until after Matt arrived at his home. I also had a feeling that, at least at the beginning, that Andy had some kind of romantic vision that Matt would fall in love with his savior and they would live their hea together, and this is the wrong reason to want to be with someone. So it is good for Andy as well that Matt has not reciprocated. Having said that, I think they are both brave to communicate how they feel and I am definitely looking forward to tomorrow's chapter to see how the story will end. Great writing @Mikiesboy! Thank you!

So sweet, I am left with a smile on my face. 😊 Thank you @Andr0gene . And extra thanks for not making us wait for this first meeting

Oh, we are invested...very much so The building of your characters is so good...I can feel Sam's inner fight, the fear and the reluctance on the one hand and the need to let himself be vulnerable and let loose and trust and love on the other. And Ben, he is constantly there, a strong presence, boldly flirting and pushing Sam whilst at the same time making sure that Sam knows and feels that he's got him, that Sam can trust him and that Ben may push Sam out of his comfort zone but he will always respect his boundaries and he will be there for him to catch him when he falls. Thank you @JJ Quinn! This is a beautiful story, a great chapter and I am so looking forward to reading more of these two and to the fireworks of the next chapter!

Oh no...I was afraid of that 😳... I hate to have to be patient but I guess I will just have to

I am so glad I don't have to wait for a new chapter as long as Kai and Adam do for a new letter... I wanted to scream at Adam in the previous chapter to open the letter now , how could he leave it in his drawer for so many hours?? I love the development of the characters and the building of their friendship (and more) as they both open up to the other. And I sure I am looking forward to when they actually meet- shouldn't be so far along the way now, right @Andr0gene?

So sweet ❤️ Oh..and Maggie, she's the best!

Brilliant story @Arch Hunter! And the end of this chapter was hot, hot, hot! My guess is that Liam is still coming to terms with being gay but I am not sure he is (fully) closeted. Olivia knows (and probably Abi does as well) although maybe Olivia is just very perceptive. I also have a feeling that Liam knows Mike's story and that he is gay. Liam is 15 so i can see why his actions and reactions are a bit over the top or not always consistent with how he feels (eg ignoring Mike at the beginning or the way he reacted with the kid). As for sleeping on the couch, my first thought was that he wanted to give some space to Mike, who before their jerk-off session had told him he wanted to be alone, or because it was a bit too much to be in the same room with Mike right after that - maybe he was a bit ashamed as well?

I am not opposed to that either😆

I totally agree! I haven't read I Hate this Town and I may be missing out on the characters' past but the building of the characters here and the developmemt of the story is solid and I am hooked. But @Demiurge I don't really appreciate the cliffhanger. Well...I guess I do (it was actually a great way to end the chapter) but isn't it time already for the new one?

❤️ I needed to repost this @84Mags. One ❤️ was just not enough

Just perfect! Everything as it should be, Jubal and Lucas so in love and happy, Reid and Billy, the wildings finding their way home and Ke! Thank you Gary for an awesome chapter to a truly beautiful story❤️

So much love in this chapter and so beatifully written, thank you Gary.❤️ Jubal is so happy and so filled with love he can't stop himself from telling Lucas how much he loves him and how happy he is now. And you can feel him being so much lighter, as if he a huge burden has been lifted off his shoulders. I guess that's what being in love can do to you, even more so if you have opened your heart and shared difficult stuff, you just float in a cloud of happiness and there is nothing that can stop you or bring you down! That's how Jubal feels now and hopefully nothing will bring either of them down, at least not for a while, until they had enough time to enjoy their love for each other.

Yes please!🙏 Most of what I was thinking after reading this chapter has alredy been said so I will only share just a couple of random thoughts. The wildings have been rather symbolic in this story and i think when Jubal sees the stallion (because I am certain he will) it will also have a strong symbolism, maybe it will be a sign for him that this is home and he is where he should be and with whom he should be. Reid will play an important role in making Jubal feel more at ease in Bearpaw and helping him understand how Lucas feels. He and Lucas are close and it is likely that after Jubal left them the other day they had a discussion about him. Also he feels bad about how him mentioning the money kind of caused Jubal to flee, so I expect that Reid would want to talk to Jubal about that and that talk will help Jubal realize a few things and see Reid as a true friend, a friend who knows and is ok with who Jubal is. Thank you for another great chapter Gary! Merry Christmas to you and happy holidays to all! .

Well, I don't know about magical, but Greece is a beautiful country and all you need to do is book a trip and see for yourself if it's close to what you imagined :) I would be happy to give you tips. And I will happily come to Bearpaw with you and be your assistant. What better way to learn a few things myself. You create beautiful images Gary. It's 10pm here and all I can hear outside is the traffic, so the creek and the orchard and the wildings, you just took me to such a beautiful and peaceful place. So thank you🤗