Paladin

Another one joining the Kevin fan club. My fear is that the next chapter will encourage and expand his fan club. Maybe some editing is necessary. OK, maybe I'm kidding.

JJ and Dallas are getting closer again.The danger in this situation is that a relationship can develop out of a sense of gratitude for being saved and the closeness involved in sharing a traumatic experience, rather than one based on mutual affection, love and concern for each other. If Dallas and JJ get back together, I hope it is for the latter reason. However I now know why the AI generated photo of JJ doesn't have black hair.

I tried to project positive counselling without writing the actual therapy sessions. I'm pleased you feel I succeeded You are right about PTSD @pvtguy. Josh was suppressing a lot, but it started to surface again with reporting to the police. Nathan is aware and ready to provide therapy.

@Ticklishboy30 you're another fan of Kevin's and he hasn't done much yet. You're not alone in growing to like Vanessa who like Jordan has changed with Cameron and Joshua joining the family. The slices will remain a mystery.

Thanks @Daddydavek. Don't you think Josh has had enough experience cooking? Dinner and more covered in the next chapter.

Another fan of Kevin's. I don't think you'll be disappointed. As you say, Nathan is really helping Josh and his support group are also important.

Slow up @Lynx003. He has to finish high school first.

Well spotted @drsawzall. The question is how?

Thanks for reading @drsawzall. You'll just have to keep reading to find out.

Yes you will get to know more about Kevin.

Thank you @Summerabbacat for this detailed comment. It was revealed briefly back in Chapter 2 that Kevin is gay. Vanessa has probably "grown" on you because she has changed during the story. She told Josh that he brought a necessary breath of fresh air to the family. Jordan has talked about how he has changed because of Cameron and Josh. That breath of fresh air has brought change to Vanessa. Olivia is a surfer so I think she will be OK on the Manly ferry, but we will have to wait and see. I also think you will like Olivia. You are right about Daniel.

Jordan drove Joshua to the psychology clinic by following his GPS instructions. Once there, Jordan was surprised that the clinic was in what seemed to be a three story office building. When they entered the foyer the first thing he saw was the building’s reception and security counter immediately ahead of them and next to that an entrance to the corporate areas. To his right he could see the clinic and to his left was a busy café. Jordan told the lady behind the reception/security desk that

Quote: 'Well then, gentlemen, our commands are safe from Midshipman Blake's predations,' said Captain Huxley dryly, firing a meaningful glance to Pitt. 'He has his sights set on the Lord High Admiral.' Huxley is well aware of what is happening on his ship, including the tension between Pitt and Blake. I have to assume that he is also aware of the different tension Vane hold towards Blake. Excellent writing; both what is written and not written.

We all seem to have forgotten that some of the students and teachers are stranded on the gold mine side of the river, which apparently doesn't have many (any) crossings.

Not a complaint @Bill W. I was just using it to illustrate my point that we normally use decimate to mean destroy in a general way and not in the specific one in ten sense.

I have to admit that decimate is one of the words I love seeing people argue about. It's up there with what's the plural of octopus and platypus. I entirely agree with the Mirriam-Webster comment The word decimate is what we might delicately refer to as a problem word. It seems to invite spleen, at least on the part of a small but committed group of linguistic enthusiasts who feel that it is often misused. While in Latin usage decimate means to eliminate one in ten there is little to support the argument that this meaning also applies in English usage. For example, none of the examples of decimate being used in a sentence that @Bill W has posted use decimate in the sense of one in ten. While there is a strident group I would call "language purists" who insist decimate should only be used to describe destruction by one tenth, there is little, well actually no, evidence that decimate is generally used with that meaning in English and probably never was generally used in English with that specific meaning. Of course, it's now obvious I've joined the group of people who argue about decimate.

I was merely and innocently suggesting @Summerabbacat that if Hollywood was first to find them he keep the others away, so JJ and Dallas could 'rest' while waiting for the helicopter. JJ already has the fire, he just needs it to smoke. Pity he threw away the cigarettes.

You seem to know what could be regarded as too much insider information about the porn production industry.

Because of this chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters I have gone in and updated my story recommendations to include Action Packed and Cliffhanger. You had me hooked from the movement of the log bridge. I wonder if you have experience rescuing people from rapidly flowing water. While I want JJ and Dallas to be rescued I would prefer it to be after they are awake and no longer cuddled together. However if it is Hollywood who first finds them, then . . . . JJ needs to remember that his fire needs to produce a lot of smoke. That will attract the attention of people searching for them.

@Summerabbacat, are you forgetting that Harbourside Media already has links to the Thompsonville gays and could easily diversify.

Yes I noticed it was more than focusing his camera.

I've seen photos of the snow in Armidale. Impressive scenes but a bugger with the trees down and power off. Take care and hope things improve for you soon.

Thanks for the Phoenix backstory. Now how do Dale and Ryan get out of their predicament? I'm sure it won't be without some tickling.

Much more fun than the usual stage rehearsal even if some of it was staged. How come Michael escaped being tickled? I think his keenness to photograph people being tickled betrays an interest in being tickled. (Why isn't there a tickle emoji?)

Here @Summerabbacat, we seem to be back with Picnic at Hanging Rock. Are you suggesting a parallel between Miranda's crossing the stream and disappearing with our young friends crossing a log bridge resulting in a dramatic catastrophe. As @Mark Ponyboy Peters observed, we will have to wait to find out. I think the gaping hole in the side of the mountain would be more dangerous than the log bridge. For starters inside would be a lot darker than on the bridge. I was going to say we have the triangle of JJ, Dallas and Pete, but in that mix is Merry, so more a square and potentially straight sides. @Mark Ponyboy Peters, I remember travelling in those old wooden railway carriages with compartments. There were the ones with sitting compartments, each with two bench seats facing each other with room for three or four passengers per bench seat, and then then there the sleeper compartments for two passengers with two bunk beds. I travelled many times in both types and have many stories I could tell.