Stories

The sequel to my popular "Ranch Hands' book (on Amazon and other sites for sale).
This version was written in 2012, but another version was suggested, which was published in 2012 as well.
I've supplied both of them here for you so you can decided, which one should've made the cut?

what do you do when you think you're going to lose someone forever, then they come back changed?

Five Colorado teens face the horrors of nuclear and biological war and civil disorder

Derek Arriens had always been the kind of boy to help others, so ending up with a career as an EMT after high school wasn’t a surprise to him or anybody who knew him. Derek volunteered for the rescue squad as soon as he got his license at 16 1/2. Three years later something happened that made him wonder if he should consider a change of career.

Morgan Bentley is a bastard. Matthew hates him. Cory is Matthew's best friend but too close to see. When Cory gets an internship at Morgan's father's company things begin to get complicated and then they get dangerous.

Ryker thought he volunteered for an experiment that would help his government in a war against an alien planet. He didn't know he would become the experiment, or that he'd end up on a planet full of aliens that killed humans on sight. He wasn't exactly human anymore though.

When you have been betrayed by everyone you ever loved and thought loved you, when you have been utterly abandoned and are sooo alone, when you have nothing, no one, only pain and shame and abuse... what do you do? What can you do?

Weeping Lily is a band, a group of friends with an unique style who are definately going places. Their star is on the ascendent and, against expectations they are taking the world by storm. They have everything they ever dreamed of. However, one of them is wounded possibly beyond repair, one of them is in love with the wrong person and all of them are confused. Then something happens, something so huge and terrible it rips their world apart. Will any of them recover?

Sometimes the brain fails and the heart is left to pick up the pieces. Tyson, the son of a heartless politician and an abusive control freak, has survived four suicide attempts, and has now been committed to a psychiatric ward. With severe anger issues, unhealthy behaviours and a tendency to self-harm, Tyson's terrific treatment team fights a difficult battle. Another boy in the ward, Vladimir, suffers from schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress. Tyson thinks he's perfect.

Grant is a man new to his work and to the East Coast of the United States. He has been given every opportunity and chance, and has capitalized on that as he starts his new life. Troy has lost almost everything, and his life over the last sixteen months has been nothing but a struggle.

A burned journal sends them on a collision course.

This is their story.

Author's Note: The story will update twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays