Stories

For the residents of New York City, the Covid-19 pandemic took most by surprise. Schools closed and teens and preteens, used to seeing each other everyday, found themselves instead with parents and siblings. Online conferencing was a poor substitute for human touch and nothing could replace the kiss of a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Dave had enough to worry about with his mother being as a nurse, but when she was admitted to the ICU at Bellevue, his uncles from Seattle and his boyfriend became his lifeline. He couldn't help but wonder, though, what would become of him if she didn't make it.

Left to give out candy in his penthouse apartment, Seth can't even go trick-or-treating this year. Making the best of it, he dresses up as an obscure Star Trek character that no one will recognize. Asher has become a bit of a loner since starting high school. With no parties to go to, he dresses up and goes trick-or-treating in New York City high-rise. A passionate fan of the Star Trek series, he comes to a certain penthouse and is greeted by a boy dressed as Captain Kirk's son. 5 hours later, several bags of candy consumed and every possible Star Trek topic discussed, he was no longer alone.

When Tom wakes up the morning of September 11, he knows right away something is off. It doesn’t take him long to discover that Clark, his love, is trapped in Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. Their only hope is a legend from Clark’s Grandmother for a chance to dream again.

When Jack loses his wife of more than 40 years, he finds himself besieged by widows looking for a husband. How strange it is, then, when he realizes the one he wants is his neighbor, Larry. (2010 Fall Anthology - No Going Back)

In 1972, Jeff attended a summer science program, where he fell in love. Now, nearly fifty years later, he's a distinguished astrophysicist with a Nobel Prize and an extensive lecture circuit. Imagine his surprise when he gives a talk at Stuyvesant High School in New York, and is asked a question by a boy in the audience who looks exactly like his first love.

Danny and David are two typical American teenagers who share a passion for skateboards, alternative music, philosophy . . . and each other. (2009 Gay Authors Novella Writing Contest) The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of David of Hope in editing and Alastair in proofreading this story, as well as the support of Gay Authors, Awesome Dude and Nifty. I would also like to thank Rigel for correcting errors with respect to Orthodox Jewish practices.

When my wife died, I decided to move back to Indiana, to spend more time with my grandson. Noticing that Cliff seemed despondent, I decided that a fall hike in Clifty Falls State Park was just what he needed. Suspecting that he was gay, it turned out he was, but his affect was related to something else entirely. We learned a lot about each other and the path we took turned out to be metaphorical as well.

Asher and Seth are two young teens living in New York City who have recently become boyfriends. Thanks to their efforts, Kyle and Francis (Freck) have take their first steps together as a couple, but they face many obstacles because they are preteen prodigies and because of a troubled past. Both young boys come from backgrounds of affluence, yet neither has experienced the love of family. Many storms await all four boys in their explorations of love, including a record Christmas blizzard. Can love be their salvation?

Zach thought he was fooling everyone and was only out to Jake, his kid brother. Then on his 15^th birthday, his dad gave him a rainbow pendant inscribed with the Hebrew word ‘Chai’, which means ‘Life’. His dad had had it made to give to his best friend, Cliff, who had AIDS, but never got the chance. Zach promised to wear it with pride, but hid it under his shirt, forgetting he had to undress for gym, a class he shared with Tanner, his secret crush.

Aaron and Brian are two high school students who fall madly in love. Their love grows and they slowly experience everything until one fateful night when an accident leaves one of them unscathed and the other with a disability. Forced to deal with feelings of guilt and inadequacy, and even thoughts of suicide, they persevere as they face new sexual frustrations and struggle with life's challenges.