empath

We're not done yet, but I'm pretty sure the story is over half told.

Reading wills and working with the bereaved was a common but infrequent part of Walter’s job. It was typically done in his office, scheduled in advance and formal, an uncomfortable and sometimes contentious appointment following a family member’s passing. This was different. Roger Cicero was not family, nor was he expecting a visit from Edward Vitale’s attorney. Walter suspected the man before him hadn’t even known his client had been sick. “May I come in, Mr. Cicero?” Roger slid sidew

There is a lot of talk about coming out, but I’ve been thinking more about the costumes people wear to hide their true selves. Billy has been an exploration of that idea. For his it was surplus fatigues and a characterized personality. He played the part that allowed him to fit into the world he lived, farmer, militiaman, patriot, etc. He has been hiding and repressing who he really is and what he truly thinks, both about himself and the world. His role in rescuing Oliver has stripped away the act. My guess is that most people wear a costume we can see, but we make the mistake of assuming the way they present themselves is all there is to them. Billy challenges me to dig a little deeper to see the real person behind the facade. Ahhhhh! I feel it! 😅 The more I learn about trauma, PTSD, and the human mind, the more I see how our unique experiences often lead to similar reactions and results. As I noted above, it causes me to be more gracious and curious with others. What has happened in someone’s life to create the character I see? Who are they really, underneath the mask? Every person's experience is unique, but the human experience in general seems to have a limited number of themes. Thank you! And back at you @mikedup! This season can be overly complicated, but I love your reminder and wish. Peace and Goodwill! Here, here!

Thank you for reading and saying hello! This has been a journey for me as well! It has been a crazy seven days for Roger Cicero. No rest for the weary!

Sorry my friend!

The Jack of Spades came to a stop on the crest of the hill, frowning as his Italian-made wingtips sunk into the black, oily mud. He knew enough about farming to know he was standing in more than dirt. The man he referred to as Two or Deuce stepped up beside him and held out a pair of binoculars. Two was also carrying the rifle he had used the night before. The Jack of Spades took the glasses. A smirk split his face as he considered asking the man to lie down on the well fertilized earth

app-enabled toys!

Poker deck, jokers included. Of the fifty-four cards taped to the board, that card remained the only one matched to a real-world identity.

hehe. I didn’t get up early enough to get into it. School drop off and work await. Hopefully I will have some energy this evening to get some more words out of my head!

To write something, I have to first imagine it. I realized early on that telling this story was going to be difficult. I focus on the fear and the trauma, which is awful enough. There are things best left unimagined and undescribed. 😢

@pvtguy beat me to it! With 53 unidentified cards, many with their own supporting networks you are most likely correct. It was subtle, but that was hinted at last chapter: His knowledge of sex was now extensive. He knew how to please men, women, and other boys in almost unending ways, many of which he found painful, disgusting, or both. He missed... A certain gender is not a prerequisite for perverse villainy.

Thanks for reading and responding! I appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement. Writing has become an unexpected passion after decades of thinking, “Maybe I should write a book.” Thank you all for sticking with the story through its dark and disturbing moments. As @drsawzall pointed out, this is sadly not all that farfetched. Hopefully we will see prosecution of the “Johns” quicker than the case in Boston he referenced! Good grief. I struggle to imagine what this kind of pressure must be like in a case like this (which is scary since I am supposed to be the one telling the story); Not being able to act on what you know for fear of impacting things you have yet to learn. Luckily, there are those who know better than I how to handle this kind of a situation! Work and the holiday season are slowing down my writing a bit, but I am anxious for the next chapter too! Thanks again for the support, comments, reactions, and recommendations! I find your engagement motivating!

Great story @Gary L! Thank you for sharing it with us! I am rooting for Juan. Hopefully he can find freedom to be who he is and get out from under the guilt and misery of his first forty years! ❤️

The enormity of the case was on display before a tired Daniel Janick. The man tuned out the sounds of the bullpen-turned-command-center behind him as he thought about how much they had learned but how little the ever-growing team knew. His eyes moved from one large whiteboard to the other before finally zeroing in on the handwritten name at the center of everything: Charles Miller, codenamed Darius, the Ace of Spades. Of the fifty-four cards taped to the board, that card remained the only

Thank you to all of you who react, comment, review, recommend, etc! It is very motivating to know people are actually reading and appreciating my stories! On October 15th, I nervously shared my first bit of fiction with the world and your reactions and words have made it very much worth the risk! Special call out to @flesco, who provided my 1000th story/chapter reaction today! I’ve published over 105K words leading to almost 400 comments, 29 recommendations, and 4 reviews. I have no idea how many people have actually read my stories, but it is a lot more than I expected almost two months ago when I submitted what was going to be a single short story. Thank you all for the support and encouragement. I am not the same person I was even two months ago. I am actually writing a novel! Much love, my friends! Sappy post-script: Like so many of the characters in this chapter, I feel like I too am finding a family I never expected to find!