Jump to content
    Cynus
  • Author
  • 3,683 Words
  • 6,018 Views
  • 23 Comments
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

The Navigator - 2. Chapter 2

div>
Check out my Patreon for early access to chapters(note:everything started at GA will be released in full at a regular pace. This is early access only, not exclusive access) and exclusive content! https://www.patreon.com/Cynus

Ian Drake. Silas hadn’t seen his brother in almost eight years, not since Ian had been evicted from their home for refusing to become a missionary for the church. It was the way many Mormon families worked, though not all were as strict as theirs had been. Ian had been Silas’ best friend up until Silas turned eight and suddenly Ian was gone without even leaving a note.

At first Silas hadn’t been told the truth. His parents had told the rest of the kids that Ian had decided to leave, but his older sister, Emma, had confided in him when he turned twelve. She was twenty at the time she told him, and had been the eldest after Ian had been disowned. They had two siblings between them, Spencer and Rebecca, but Silas had latched onto Emma after Ian had left, and when she thought he was old enough to be told the truth she had done so.

Emma had said that Ian decided to leave the church and their parents had done what they had called ‘tough love', making it clear that if he wasn’t going to be part of the church and live by church standards then he was going to have to leave. Ian had told them to go fuck themselves and had left the next day. Only Emma, who had been sixteen at the time that Ian left, had been told what had really happened to help soften the blow with the other children. She had done her best, but as time wore on she couldn’t take the fact that her parents never spoke about Ian or what happened.

Silas had been traumatized by the news, especially considering his own doubts that had been rolling around in his head. His confusion had been made much more complicated by Emma’s revelation, though she had told him more as a warning than for any other reason. She could see that he was beginning to change and think in ways that their parents would not approve of, and she had told him that if he wasn’t careful he might end up suffering the same fate as Ian had. The prospect of being tossed out on the street was one Silas hadn’t liked and his perspective had begun to change.

At twelve Silas became a boy scout, something that his parents approved of without question, and in a desperate need to prove himself to them he focused on his scouting more than anything else, putting it above even his social life. He completely lost himself to the program; learning how to survive in the wilderness was something that he excelled at, and the scouting program noticed. He was nominated to join The Order of the Arrow, the scouting elite, and they had pulled him aside one night at a weeklong summer camp and had allowed him to join their order. His parents had been proud of him then, and even prouder when he managed to finish his eagle at fourteen.

But there was something he had been unable to reconcile within himself. Scouting had taught him to be honest. He had been unable to deny his feelings for one of the other boys in his troop, and in the process of wanting to be true to himself he had ended up telling the boy of his feelings. While he had asked the boy to keep it a secret, his friend ended up telling the troop leader, which brought the matter to his parents’ attention.

His parents had been livid and asked him to deny his feelings, and in that moment he had been faced with a dilemma that he had hoped he would never have to endure. He knew that if he told his parents the truth then they would disown him and kick him out, just as they had with Ian. At the same time he knew that if he lied to himself and denied his feelings, then he would not be being honest. As his parents leaned into him, asking him to tell the truth, he had finally broken down in tears. He hated himself for it, but he lied to them and said that everything that had been said about him wasn’t true. He told them that he had never come on to the boy in his troop and it was all a lie.

His parents thanked him for being honest, though he had never felt sicker, and then they had left him alone. That night he had been so traumatized by what he had done that he knew he had to come clean. He wrote out a letter explaining everything, and then packed up his survival gear before leaving the house to make it easy on his parents.

Adelaide had shown up an hour later. She had started to break free of the yard when she saw him leaving. Like every dog seems to know the mood of the boy she loves, Adelaide had sensed that he wasn’t coming back and went to great lengths to catch up to him. She had stuck with him ever since, and though it was harder to take care of a second mouth to feed he had never regretted having her with him. She had been far more help to him than a hindrance, and it had certainly been less lonely than it would have been had she not been there.

The next year and a half had been spent either in the wilderness or working odd jobs to pay for basic necessities. No matter what, he always made sure to move on from an area after a few months at the most. People began to ask questions after he spent too long in their company because they tended to think that they were entitled to know things about him. He found that idea laughable, but it was also dangerous.

This was the first time since he left home that he knew someone in advance of his arrival. That it was his brother, Ian, was something Silas didn’t know how to deal with. Even though he had learned the true reason why Ian had left, he still held a great deal of resentment for the fact that Ian had never tried to contact him. That fact alone was reason enough for Silas to want to keep his distance from Ian.

But despite all that he still found himself looking over his shoulder as he continued toward the edge of town, half hoping that he would catch some sign of his brother still chasing him. When he left the diner Ian had come after him, but Silas was quicker and dressed in clothing that allowed him to move a lot faster than his brother’s slacks and dress shoes had allowed. Silas had finally managed to lose him several blocks later, but he kept his pace, ensuring that he put as much distance between himself and Ian as possible.

He only stopped when he ran out of breath, pulling up short in front of a house with a white picket fence that surrounded the yard. He placed his hand against the top of the fence and leaned into it, breathing heavily. He removed his beanie and ran his fingers through his hair as he looked back the way he had come. It was later in the day now, and people were starting to get up and move about. He had been forced to dodge around cars several times, and had almost run into the paperboy as he crossed in front of Silas on his bicycle.

From the look of it he only had a few more blocks to go before he reached the woods, and then he knew he’d be free. No one would be able to catch him once he made it there. He looked down to Adelaide who was watching him curiously, he laughed softly and reached down to scratch behind her ears. “Thanks for coming with me, girl,” Silas said as he stared into her eyes.

The sound of a door creaking open drew his attention to the house he was standing in front of. There was a black-haired girl watching him with cautious blue eyes as she stepped out and reached for the newspaper on her front porch. She was dressed in a pink bathrobe over a set of blue pajamas. She was about his age, and attractive as far as Silas could tell. He tried to avoid making her feel any more uncomfortable by looking away from her but she kept her eyes on him, and her lack of attention caused her to lose her balance. As she caught herself against the door, her slipper-covered foot shuffled against the newspaper and sent it rolling off the porch to land on her shoveled walk several feet away.

The girl giggled in embarrassment and then covered her mouth as Silas looked at her again. She stepped outside quickly and moved down the walk to grab the paper. Silas waved and started walking away, whistling to get Adelaide to follow him. He only made it a few steps before he heard a quiet voice say, “Um . . . hi.”

Silas turned back toward the girl and smiled at her using the same smile he had used on Jenny in the diner. The girl blushed and looked down as Silas replied, “Hey, my name is Drake. What’s yours?”

“Chelsea,” the girl answered with another giggle. “Are you new? Did you just move in?”

“My family is just here for the spring,” Silas replied casually. “It’s a cold morning, what are you doing outside?” He eyed the paper in her hands and then looked back up to her eyes.

“Talking to an attractive boy with a dog,” Chelsea answered with sudden confidence. She walked up to the fence and crouched down, reaching forward slowly with her hand. “Can I pet her?” She asked before she committed to the act. Silas nodded and she reached through the slats in the fence and let Adelaide get her scent before scratching the dog behind the ears.

“I hate to burst your bubble, but I’m afraid that this attractive boy doesn’t swing your way,” Silas answered honestly. Chelsea stiffened, her hand pausing briefly. Adelaide whimpered and Chelsea slowly returned to normal as she started scratching her again. When she straightened from her crouch she moved her hand to her chest, where she withdrew a necklace from underneath her pajamas. She clutched it in her fingers as she stared forward, not seeming to notice where she was.

“Sorry, did I say something wrong?” Silas asked, and Chelsea blinked before she smiled at him and shook her head.

“No, it’s just . . .” Chelsea began and then interrupted her words with a sigh. She met Silas’ eyes and showed him the crucifix that she was holding in her hand as she rolled her eyes. “This town has two kinds of people in it, those that belong to The Church of Light and Truth on the other side of town, and those that don’t. My family belongs to the church, though sometimes I wish we didn’t.”

“I have my fair share of experience with a church that doesn’t accept me,” Silas replied with a smirk. Chelsea seemed distracted again and Silas sighed and took a step back from the fence. “I should be going . . .”

“Hey, be careful while you’re here,” Chelsea said, interrupting him. “I wouldn’t be as vocal about being . . . um . . .” She paused uncertainly as if not sure what to call him.

“Gay?” Silas asked with a roll of his eyes. “You know you can say it right?”

“Yes, g-gay,” Chelsea replied with a nod. “I’m sorry, Drake. This is the first time I’ve ever talked about this with anyone that wasn’t yelling at me about how wrong it was. If it’s any consolation, I don’t believe what the pastor says. He’s a total…” She hesitated as if she wanted to say something harsher but instead she finished with, “Jerk.”

“Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Chelsea,” Silas said with a nod and a forced smile. “Come on Addy. Let’s go.”

He made it several feet down the sidewalk before Chelsea called out to him, “Drake!” He turned and she smiled and said, “It was nice to meet you too. I hope you and your family enjoy your stay for however long you’re here. If you’re interested we should go grab lunch sometime. Can I give you my number?”

Silas turned and patted his pockets and shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t have a phone.”

“Then how about you just meet me today at three-o-clock at the corner of Main and Third?” Chelsea said with a grin. Silas chuckled and held his hands up helplessly.

“Can’t be today, but I can do tomorrow. You’re not going to try to turn me straight, are you?’ Silas asked with a smirk.

“No, I know that does no good,” Chelsea replied with a sigh. “Too bad, really. I do think you're cute, but I also find you interesting, and that’s the reason I want to meet you. Is that something we could do?”

Silas nodded and turned around again. “Main and Third at three,” he called over his shoulder. “I’ll be there. Hope it’s worth the cost.”

“I’ll see you then!” Chelsea called back. Silas kept walking until he heard the front door to Chelsea’s house close, and then he turned to look back. She was gone, and Silas was left to ponder what had just happened. He didn’t know why he had agreed to meet her, and he wasn’t sure that he was going to keep the appointment either.

As important as honesty had once been to him its importance had dwindled over his time on the streets. Lying sometimes helped him survive, and that was his number one goal. But still, there was no reason not to meet with Chelsea, other than the possibility that he might run into Ian again. He didn’t know how Ian would react, however, and if his brother was still attempting to look for him. If local law enforcement were to become involved in any way, he’d have a serious problem on his hands.

Perhaps it was better not to go to lunch after all.

 

~    ~    ~    ~    ~

 

Silas finally made it into the woods by seven-forty in the morning, and he breathed a sigh of relief as the town began to disappear from sight behind the trees. He felt safe again, and knew that provided he kept a low profile he wouldn’t have much to worry about. Ian would eventually give up on looking for him, and then he could risk making his way back to the highway and find a trucker to take him away.

Until he was certain that the law wasn’t looking for him, however, he needed to have somewhere to sleep, and at least in that regard he had the advantage of experience. There was a dirt road that continued through the woods where the pavement ended, but Silas took the first trail that he came to that took him off of the road. The road would take him up to cabins and cottages that were likely as not occupied and he wanted to get away from people at all costs.

The trail was well used, likely by both hikers and bicyclists, and that was not what he wanted either, and as soon as he found a lesser used trail that branched off the first he took it. He continued this process, keeping his direction both north and west as well as he possibly could with the trails available until he found himself on a game trail that began to take him much deeper into the woods.

He hiked for nearly two hours, putting as much distance as he could between the town as he could while leaving enough daylight to prepare his campsite properly, but once he heard the gurgling of a small stream in the distance he knew he was getting close. He now had a water source, and where there was water there was also food; animals had to drink sometime, and rabbits were easy enough to snare for someone who knew what they were doing.

The stream came into sight, a foot or two deep at the most by his best estimation, and roughly ten feet in width where the trail intersected it. The water was running fairly quickly, a result of the snow melting in the spring temperatures, and Silas took the time to choose which stones he would use to cross on before he started across. Adelaide followed his movements exactly as he started across, making sure to keep his balance and take his time to avoid falling into the stream. The last thing he needed to do was add hypothermia to his list of dangers to watch out for.

When he reached the other side he began to look for a campsite, and found a sturdy tree with enough open ground beside it that he’d have room to construct a shelter leaning against it. He whistled and Adelaide’s ears perked up. “Okay, girl,” Silas said with a grin, “Get me some sticks.”

Adelaide dashed into the nearby brush, and Silas looked around for the first log to use in the construction of his lean-to. He saw one in the distance that with a little manipulation could work well and then dragged it over to the tree he was using as his base. He slid his backpack off and opened it, withdrawing a small hacksaw and a hatchet and then set to work on the log.

Over the next few minutes Adelaide returned dragging large branches in her mouth and adding them to a pile next to Silas. He thanked her for every single one, and she happily kept going until he asked her to stop. He picked up the log he had been working on and wedged it against the tree. He then set about leaning the branches that Adelaide had brought him up against the log creating angled walls and a cavity between them, leaving an entrance in the side facing the stream.

He paused to eat a protein bar, and tossed a dog biscuit to Adelaide who ate it up eagerly. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he had the food in his mouth, but he paced himself and ate it slowly anyway. The time he had spent with the band had been good to him and he had eaten quite regularly, though now he was paying the price of that temporary opulence. He would have to acclimate himself to eating less again, and until he did he’d be feeling hungry a lot more often.

“I’m almost done,” Silas said to Adelaide, and nodding toward the structure. “I think this one will be pretty good. Our blankets are still in pretty good condition, too.”

Adelaide looked at him in confusion and Silas chuckled before taking another bite of his protein bar, chewing it slowly. He dug into his bag again, withdrawing a plastic container that held two halves of a soda can and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. He opened the container and withdrew the can, sliding the top which had been indented at regular intervals, into the bottom and then setting it on a level place on the ground. He pulled a small pot from his backpack and walked toward the stream, filling the pot with water and then set it on a rock as he opened the bottle of rubbing alcohol and poured some into the soda can. He then withdrew a lighter from his pocket and produced a flame, then lit the alcohol within the soda can. The alcohol roared to life but was contained within the soda can, and he placed the pot on top of the can. Although the center flame was smothered, the flames continued to rise through the indentations to hit the sides of the pot, heating it and the water inside. He waited for the water to boil before he removed the pot from the heat and then smothered the entire makeshift stove with the plastic container that normally held it. The flame died instantly, and Silas went through the process of pouring the remaining alcohol back in the bottle and then dismantling the stove and putting it away as the water cooled.

“The water’s safe now,” Silas said to Adelaide and nodding to the pot. “Drink up.”

As Adelaide drank, Silas withdrew his own water bottle from his backpack and took a long drink. His bottle was almost empty, and his spare already was, which meant he’d be spending the rest of the day boiling water to replenish his supply. He cursed himself for not checking his water level before he put the stove away, but decided he’d worry about it later. For the moment he had a shelter to finish, and then he’d have to set some snares and hope that he caught something by the morning.

Adelaide looked up at him when she had finished her drink, sensing that something was going through his head, but he smiled at her and tried to force the anxiety away as he did every night. “We’re going to be fine, girl,” He said as he crouched in front of her and scratched her behind the ears. “Don’t worry about me. We’ll get through this, one way or another.”

She barked at him, and he laughed at the sound. Even though he knew that she didn’t understand the words he said, she had understood the emotion behind it. Somehow she always knew, and she was the first one to tell him that he was full of bullshit. It was true that they would survive, but whether or not they were going to be fine was a different matter altogether. He hadn’t been fine in a long time, and he wasn’t sure he ever would be again.

div>
Check out my Patreon for early access to chapters(note:everything started at GA will be released in full at a regular pace. This is early access only, not exclusive access) and exclusive content(stories posted only at Patreon as of this posting)! https://www.patreon.com/Cynus

Special thanks to my patrons for their support: Michael, Charlie, Bill, Paul, Matt, James, Shadow, Joe, Bart, John, Mark, Sam, Pete, Richmond, Scott, Frank, Amr, Haldon, Jay, Mark, Joel, Steve, Don, Jos, Peter, Chris, Heiko, Jeff, Raymond, Ganymedes, Jerod, Mike, Craig, Jack, Pooven, Caleb, Joey, and YOUR NAME HERE. You're all awesome!

Updated: 5/24/2018

Copyright © 2015 Cynus; All Rights Reserved.
  • Like 55
  • Love 1
  • Wow 2
  • Sad 5
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
You are not currently following this author. Be sure to follow to keep up to date with new stories they post.

Recommended Comments

Chapter Comments

  • Site Moderator

Now we have Silas' back story and a portion of Ian's. Other than not willing to go on missionary work, we still don't know the real reason Ian felt he couldn't support the church. It's a shame that belief and conformity are stronger with their parents than love of their own children. Ian and Silas were close once and it would be good for both of them to be close again and gain back part of what they have both lost. Silas has become a little too cunning and much less trusting over the past year and a half. It appears that this small place has its own sizable share of prejudice in the form of the Church of Light. Apparently the light shines outward, but not inward where it might expose those things taken out of context and misinterpreted.

I didn't mention it in my last review, but Silas' navigating skills tie into a conversation I had with a friend recently. Few people seem able to use maps or orient themselves without an electronic device and turn by turn directions anymore. Map reading and finding directions on your own seem to be fading skills. That too is a shame.

Link to comment

What a nice story! I'd missed the first chapter, and am now caught up---and you've done a great job setting up a story line, with Silas as an interesting, self-reliant character. I suspect he won't be nearly as self-sufficient if he and Ian are able to talk; there's a LOT of unresolved issues there.

Really looking forward to more of this tale. You've done a great job so far!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
On 04/29/2015 04:11 PM, drpaladin said:
Now we have Silas' back story and a portion of Ian's. Other than not willing to go on missionary work, we still don't know the real reason Ian felt he couldn't support the church. It's a shame that belief and conformity are stronger with their parents than love of their own children. Ian and Silas were close once and it would be good for both of them to be close again and gain back part of what they have both lost. Silas has become a little too cunning and much less trusting over the past year and a half. It appears that this small place has its own sizable share of prejudice in the form of the Church of Light. Apparently the light shines outward, but not inward where it might expose those things taken out of context and misinterpreted.

I didn't mention it in my last review, but Silas' navigating skills tie into a conversation I had with a friend recently. Few people seem able to use maps or orient themselves without an electronic device and turn by turn directions anymore. Map reading and finding directions on your own seem to be fading skills. That too is a shame.

Welcome to my life. :) Although the experiences within the story that Silas and Ian go through are NOT drawn from my own life, I grew up Mormon and much of their home life growing up is based upon my own experiences, or the experiences of other families I've known. Unfortunately what happened with Silas and Ian is much too common in Mormon households.
Link to comment
On 04/29/2015 04:11 PM, drpaladin said:
Now we have Silas' back story and a portion of Ian's. Other than not willing to go on missionary work, we still don't know the real reason Ian felt he couldn't support the church. It's a shame that belief and conformity are stronger with their parents than love of their own children. Ian and Silas were close once and it would be good for both of them to be close again and gain back part of what they have both lost. Silas has become a little too cunning and much less trusting over the past year and a half. It appears that this small place has its own sizable share of prejudice in the form of the Church of Light. Apparently the light shines outward, but not inward where it might expose those things taken out of context and misinterpreted.

I didn't mention it in my last review, but Silas' navigating skills tie into a conversation I had with a friend recently. Few people seem able to use maps or orient themselves without an electronic device and turn by turn directions anymore. Map reading and finding directions on your own seem to be fading skills. That too is a shame.

Welcome to my life. :) Although the experiences within the story that Silas and Ian go through are NOT drawn from my own life, I grew up Mormon and much of their home life growing up is based upon my own experiences, or the experiences of other families I've known. Unfortunately what happened with Silas and Ian is much too common in Mormon households.
Link to comment
On 04/30/2015 01:28 AM, Robert Rex said:
What a nice story! I'd missed the first chapter, and am now caught up---and you've done a great job setting up a story line, with Silas as an interesting, self-reliant character. I suspect he won't be nearly as self-sufficient if he and Ian are able to talk; there's a LOT of unresolved issues there.

Really looking forward to more of this tale. You've done a great job so far!

Thanks! I loved writing Silas. He's one of my favorite characters I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know.
Link to comment

I'm curous as to why he wouldn't want to know from his brother, what happened all those years ago. I understand being upset he didn't contact him, but is that reason to ignore him? Is a chance to say hi to someone who you loved and loved you not a better idea than sitting in the woods? I'm a little surprised he's got this total avoidance idea when he was treated the same way his brother was. If anything, you'd think he'd have commiserated with is brother. just for the sheer craziness that he'd walk into a diner and see him all those miles from home, would make seeing him kind of a destined thing you'd think.

Link to comment
On 04/30/2015 11:38 AM, Cannd said:
I'm curous as to why he wouldn't want to know from his brother, what happened all those years ago. I understand being upset he didn't contact him, but is that reason to ignore him? Is a chance to say hi to someone who you loved and loved you not a better idea than sitting in the woods? I'm a little surprised he's got this total avoidance idea when he was treated the same way his brother was. If anything, you'd think he'd have commiserated with is brother. just for the sheer craziness that he'd walk into a diner and see him all those miles from home, would make seeing him kind of a destined thing you'd think.
I like to think that it's more of a reaction to being isolated for nearly two years. The reason why he ran from Ian is the same reason why he ran from the Band. Silas is scared to get caught up in any sort of relationship because he's afraid of getting hurt again. Or at least that's what I saw in it when I wrote it. I suppose it's entirely possible that I failed to bring those emotions to life.

 

Still, there is more on this later so I can't spoil everything. I'll just have to hope that you still want to know more. :)

Link to comment
On 04/30/2015 11:38 AM, Cannd said:
I'm curous as to why he wouldn't want to know from his brother, what happened all those years ago. I understand being upset he didn't contact him, but is that reason to ignore him? Is a chance to say hi to someone who you loved and loved you not a better idea than sitting in the woods? I'm a little surprised he's got this total avoidance idea when he was treated the same way his brother was. If anything, you'd think he'd have commiserated with is brother. just for the sheer craziness that he'd walk into a diner and see him all those miles from home, would make seeing him kind of a destined thing you'd think.
I like to think that it's more of a reaction to being isolated for nearly two years. The reason why he ran from Ian is the same reason why he ran from the Band. Silas is scared to get caught up in any sort of relationship because he's afraid of getting hurt again. Or at least that's what I saw in it when I wrote it. I suppose it's entirely possible that I failed to bring those emotions to life.

 

Still, there is more on this later so I can't spoil everything. I'll just have to hope that you still want to know more. :)

Link to comment

I, too, was wondering why Silas just took off after coming face-to-face with his brother, especially after reading Ian's back story. I understand that Silas was upset that Ian never tried to contact him, and Ian should have, but I would have thought that Silas would run into his arms, thankful he found him.

 

Oh, and maybe Ian DID try to contact Silas, but his "parents" (and I use that term VERY loosely), intercepted the letters and threw them away. Maybe Ian has been wondering why Silas never wrote back or something. Just a thought...

 

But maybe you're right. He's been on the road alone so much for the past few years, maybe running away is just second nature to him.

 

I did like Chelsea and thought she'd be a good ally. Too bad he took off though.

 

Love, love, love Addy!!!! She steals the chapter! :P

Link to comment
On 05/01/2015 06:19 AM, Lisa said:
I, too, was wondering why Silas just took off after coming face-to-face with his brother, especially after reading Ian's back story. I understand that Silas was upset that Ian never tried to contact him, and Ian should have, but I would have thought that Silas would run into his arms, thankful he found him.

 

Oh, and maybe Ian DID try to contact Silas, but his "parents" (and I use that term VERY loosely), intercepted the letters and threw them away. Maybe Ian has been wondering why Silas never wrote back or something. Just a thought...

 

But maybe you're right. He's been on the road alone so much for the past few years, maybe running away is just second nature to him.

 

I did like Chelsea and thought she'd be a good ally. Too bad he took off though.

 

Love, love, love Addy!!!! She steals the chapter! :P

The Navigator was originally born from an idea of a homeless boy and his dog. Addy was made to steal the whole show, so I'm glad that she won her way into your heart as well. :)
Link to comment
On 05/01/2015 06:19 AM, Lisa said:
I, too, was wondering why Silas just took off after coming face-to-face with his brother, especially after reading Ian's back story. I understand that Silas was upset that Ian never tried to contact him, and Ian should have, but I would have thought that Silas would run into his arms, thankful he found him.

 

Oh, and maybe Ian DID try to contact Silas, but his "parents" (and I use that term VERY loosely), intercepted the letters and threw them away. Maybe Ian has been wondering why Silas never wrote back or something. Just a thought...

 

But maybe you're right. He's been on the road alone so much for the past few years, maybe running away is just second nature to him.

 

I did like Chelsea and thought she'd be a good ally. Too bad he took off though.

 

Love, love, love Addy!!!! She steals the chapter! :P

The Navigator was originally born from an idea of a homeless boy and his dog. Addy was made to steal the whole show, so I'm glad that she won her way into your heart as well. :)
Link to comment

So Ian was his brother? I pegged him as much older than Silas, so I was a bit confused. Age differences that big aren't so common where I live.

 

Parents choosing a church over a child... I can't see any god being pleased by that. I hope Silas has the courage to slow down his running and take a chance on Ian.

Link to comment
On 05/10/2015 05:26 AM, Puppilull said:
So Ian was his brother? I pegged him as much older than Silas, so I was a bit confused. Age differences that big aren't so common where I live.

 

Parents choosing a church over a child... I can't see any god being pleased by that. I hope Silas has the courage to slow down his running and take a chance on Ian.

Unfortunately the church over the child is very common in the religion that the boys were brought up in. It happened a lot in my own childhood (I was raised Mormon like the boys were) and I still carry more resentment than I should for that.

 

Also, Mormons tend to have a lot of kids, so between the oldest and the youngest there tend to be significant gaps. Eight years between is fairly common. :)

Link to comment

How sad to see the innocence, trust and honesty of a young teen betrayed and berated by the people who should care for him. I suppose we cannot really blame the boy Slias liked for not keeping it a secret, because no matter whether he felt the same or not, the emotions might be too difficult for him to handle. But it's hard to forgive his parents for putting such pressure on him.

I've always found it sad that a church, which for a short time in the past had a less strict view and diverged enought from the prudish victorian ideals and the mainline Christian faith to allow polygamy (which I'm OK with), did not manage to develop an equally accepting attitude to the love between two men. It's so heartbreaking to see the interviews with the young Mormon men who want to belong to their church, are adamant to stay pure until they are married, are good and caring people, yet still face rejection and condemnation. It makes me wanna :puke:

Chelsea obviously knows her church is wrong too, and I wonder how she learnt that. But perhaps the other half of the town has some influence on what is taught and thought?

Adelaide is great, but why do you have Drake treat her like a human? All dogs can drink from puddles or streams without danger, except for special circumstances. I naturally assumed Drake was making water for his own consumption, and he even needed to do so as per the next part. So giving the boiled water to the dog was weird, IMO.

Link to comment
On 05/14/2015 08:51 PM, Timothy M. said:
How sad to see the innocence, trust and honesty of a young teen betrayed and berated by the people who should care for him. I suppose we cannot really blame the boy Slias liked for not keeping it a secret, because no matter whether he felt the same or not, the emotions might be too difficult for him to handle. But it's hard to forgive his parents for putting such pressure on him.

I've always found it sad that a church, which for a short time in the past had a less strict view and diverged enought from the prudish victorian ideals and the mainline Christian faith to allow polygamy (which I'm OK with), did not manage to develop an equally accepting attitude to the love between two men. It's so heartbreaking to see the interviews with the young Mormon men who want to belong to their church, are adamant to stay pure until they are married, are good and caring people, yet still face rejection and condemnation. It makes me wanna :puke:

Chelsea obviously knows her church is wrong too, and I wonder how she learnt that. But perhaps the other half of the town has some influence on what is taught and thought?

Adelaide is great, but why do you have Drake treat her like a human? All dogs can drink from puddles or streams without danger, except for special circumstances. I naturally assumed Drake was making water for his own consumption, and he even needed to do so as per the next part. So giving the boiled water to the dog was weird, IMO.

Well, to be honest I know nothing about dogs, haha! As a writer I do the best I can with the knowledge I have to make it work, but that doesn't mean I always get it right, unfortunately.

 

Oh the Mormon church... such a sad place. I wish I knew why they were so adamant about homosexuality being a sin, but they were once an extremely racist institution as well. They didn't allow people with darker skin into their priesthood before the seventies, and only did so after the world practically forced them to socially.

 

I bet it's only a matter of time before the political monstrosity that is the church will decide that they've "had a revelation from god" that homosexuality is no longer a sin. :) After all, they have to keep making money.

Link to comment

Hopefully Ian finds Silas and they can make their peace and become brothers again. Silas at least needs someone who cares about him, even though he wouldn´t admit it.

Link to comment
On 09/05/2015 10:54 PM, Suvitar said:

Hopefully Ian finds Silas and they can make their peace and become brothers again. Silas at least needs someone who cares about him, even though he wouldn´t admit it.

I agree. Silas has been alone for so long, and though Adelaide will always stick with him, he needs some human contact if he's going to get past his emotional hurdles.

Link to comment

Addy has a lot of love and devotion... And shows it without hesition.
I hope Silas reconciles with Ian.

Link to comment
On 09/06/2015 07:42 PM, Foster said:

Addy has a lot of love and devotion... And shows it without hesition.

I hope Silas reconciles with Ian.

Addy's the true protagonist. :D

Link to comment
Just now, Wesley8890 said:

This is gonna be depressing isn't it?

I think "Rivers of the Dead" is more depressing than this story... I don't find it particularly depressing at all. There's more anger in this story than sadness, I think.

Link to comment

I know silas is gay, but I'm hoping he keeps his 'date' with Chelsea. I have a feeling that she might be good for him. If only to help him to start trusting people again.

  • Like 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
16 minutes ago, Marty said:

I know silas is gay, but I'm hoping he keeps his 'date' with Chelsea. I have a feeling that she might be good for him. If only to help him to start trusting people again.

Silas appreciates your concern for his emotional wellbeing, I promise you. :)

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
View Guidelines

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Newsletter

    Sign Up and get an occasional Newsletter.  Fill out your profile with favorite genres and say yes to genre news to get the monthly update for your favorite genres.

    Sign Up
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Our Privacy Policy can be found here: Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue..