Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 07:11:45 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: The Castaway Hotel-book 4 chapter 18 Legal Notice: The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts. The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality. Don't read this story if: **You're not 18 or over, **If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live, **Or if you don't want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex. The author retains copyright to this story. Placing this story on a website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author's permission is a violation of that copyright. Legal action will be taken against violators. I wish to extend my thank you to Ed for his editorial assistance with this chapter. If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section. E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com. * * * * * * * * Although the boys in these stories have unprotected sex, I strongly urge all of you out there to be smart and protect yourselves from various sexually transmitted diseases by using condoms when having intercourse. * * * * * * * * The Castaway Hotel -Book 4 - by BW (Young-Friends). Copyright 2000 by billwstories Chapter 18 - A time of healing, a time of doubt. May 2001 Little Ricky came tearing across the terminal toward me and leaped into my arms, hugging me and giving me a kiss on the cheek. Then he hugged me again and then he asked me if I had received all his post cards. I told him that we got the one he sent from the hotel on Wednesday, but he seemed disappointed that we hadn't seen the others. I told him they'd probably be waiting for us when we returned, as we left early Thursday morning and they wouldn't have had time to reach us by then. That seemed to suffice, so he started rambling on about their trip. Even though he had turned thirteen before he left, his size and enthusiasm would have made passersby think he was about ten, and he still maintained that level of enthusiasm and wonder about everything. Quickly he rattled off tales about their plane ride, eating at Planet Hollywood, and about Disney World, but I had to stop him at that point, telling him that he could fill me in on the rest of it on the ride home. He smiled and agreed, and then he turned and said 'hi' to all the boys. When I put him back down on the ground, he ran over to Ricky, having spotted his hero while I was still holding him. He hugged Ricky and lifted the old boy off his feet, no small accomplishment for someone his size, and then he lifted up one of his own feet to show Ricky that he was wearing the sneakers that Ricky had given him for his birthday. Now he began to tell Ricky and some of the other boys about the things he had done, while I sat and talked with his parents as we went to collect their luggage. They were both still quite excited too, and they told me how they had a wonderful time just watching Little Ricky enjoying himself. They thanked me for all we had done for them and for the little surprises they found when they arrived at their hotel, and I merely told them that I was just glad we could do it for them. We decided that we'd better take their things and be on our way, as Mr. Becker was planning to get up early tomorrow and get back into his farm routine and Jake did have to go to work too. We led them out to the vehicles, packed everything inside, and then we were on the road. Little Ricky and the Beckers rode with me, and Little Ricky's mouth was going the whole time, telling me about all the things he did. He started with the plane ride, telling me how he had been allowed to go into the cockpit and 'fly' the plane, and then he showed me his pilot's wings, which he had pinned to his shirt. Then he told me about going to Planet Hollywood that first night, hoping to see famous people, but no one he cared about was there. He told me Monday and Tuesday they went to the Magic Kingdom, and that his favorite things there were Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Splash Mountain, but he told me the best thing happened to him Monday night, at the hotel. They got back late in the day and his parents were quite tired, but he wanted to go for a swim. His parents agreed, figuring they could rest poolside while he swam, so Little Ricky got to go swimming. While he was in the pool, he ran into another boy and was shocked to learn that David Gallagher was staying at the same hotel. He was one of the people Little Ricky was hoping to see. The boys hit it off and David even invited him over to meet his own parents. Eventually the two groups got together and they all got to know each other better. David's parents had asked the Beckers about their plans and schedule, and they told them about what they had planned. David's parents then suggested that maybe the Beckers could take their son with them to the Disney-MGM Studios on Wednesday, as people recognized the three of them together and David never really got a chance to enjoy himself. Even wearing disguises of sorts, they still seemed to attract attention and they thought that David might get a chance to just be a boy for a while if he could go with them. He'd wear his baseball cap and sunglasses, like Little Ricky would, and they thought that the boys had enough similar characteristics that people would just assume they were brothers and not realize who he really was. By now Little Ricky was teasing his parents to go along with this, and they agreed, so Wednesday they were among the very first to enter the park, so they could go on as many rides as they could before the lines started to get long. Little Ricky told us that he and David had enjoyed the Tower of Terror, the Star Wars ride, and the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular the best and they had a great time together. They said no one else knew that David Gallagher was with them and that they both had a terrific time, and they even had dinner with David and his parents that evening, the Gallaghers' way of thanking them for helping their son to have fun like any other boy. Ricky and David exchanged addresses and phone numbers, promising to keep in touch, but they had other plans for the next couple of days and might not be able to get back together again. It seemed that David was performing somewhere nearby and they had taken this opportunity to try to enjoy themselves. It was truly a remarkable experience for Little Ricky and one he would never forget. After this, he told me that they returned for a second day at the MGM Studios on Thursday, to take in some of the other things, and then Friday they went to the Epcot Center. He told us that the World Showcase was okay, but he really enjoyed Future World. He enjoyed Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, and Test Track the best out of everything. Test Track was a newer ride where you were the dummy during car testing. Little Ricky said that was the absolute best and he went on it as many times as he could. He told me that on Saturday they went to Animal Kingdom and spent their last day there. He said that Dinoland was his favorite thing there, but he liked the Safari Village too. Finally, he told us about the plane ride back and then he thanked me again for sending him to all of these places. Believe it or not, I think Little Ricky had run out of energy, and out of breath too, because he just settled back in his seat and took it easy after that. About halfway back to their house, we decided to stop and eat. In the restaurant, some of my boys filled the Beckers in about our trip, telling them about the things we'd seen and done before we picked them up. All three of the Beckers seemed pleased that we had enjoyed ourselves too, and that we hadn't just made this long trip to collect them and take them back home. I could hear Little Ricky asking the boys about what it was like to look out from those tall buildings and about how they liked the 'Lion King', wanting to know if it was like the movie. He had obviously seen the film at some point, in fact I'd say he'd seen it several times judging from his familiarity with the storyline and songs, but he wanted to know how they could have done it on a stage. The boys tried to explain it, as best they could, and Little Ricky seemed to understand what they were telling him and was able to picture in his mind what it must have been like. I made a mental note that we'd have to find a way to have him see the musical version for himself, sometime in the future. It was getting dark by the time we reached their farm, but someone had left the porch light on and a card wedged in their doorframe, welcoming them back home and telling them that all of the day's chores had been completed. Mr. Becker handed me the card, which was one of those humorous cards with a drawing of several cows on the front of it. It had obviously been one of those blank message cards, but someone had neatly written a message on it for them. On the front they had written 'It's udder-ly exciting', and on the inside it continued 'that you and the cows came home at about the same time.' Then there were personal messages welcoming them back and telling them about what had been done while they were gone. It was nice to see that they were close with their neighbors and that those people would have made sure to do something like this to welcome them back. I had forgotten how farm families tend to bond together and help each other out in times of need, and how they tend to become extended-family for all those other families that live nearby. They did have a wonderful support system in place, as I discovered while trying to have the farm taken care of while the Beckers were away, as these people were eager to volunteer, even though they had much work of their own that would need to be done. Some had even refused the money that I had offered to pay them for their help, so I told the Beckers that we'd throw a big Labor Day picnic at their farm for everyone, if that were okay with them. They thought that would be a wonderful idea, so I told them to start making plans and I'd supply everything we'd need. It was getting late, so I got everyone else back into the vehicles and we headed for our own homes, knowing Jake still had to return to work tomorrow. That short leg of the trip seemed to go fairly quickly, compared to how much driving we had already done, and Jake and Shannon transferred their things from our vehicles and into their car, thanked us for including them, and then they said good-bye and headed off to their own place. We took our belongings into the house and I had the boys take their things up to their rooms, then they went to get cleaned up before they went to bed. Mark, Frankie, and Dustin helped me to make sure that all the trash and other things were removed from both the van and the Suburban, then they also went in to take their showers and get ready for bed. Mark kind of held back, as the other two went upstairs, and, once we were alone, he thanked me once more for taking him on these trips and making sure they were special for him. I told them that it had been my pleasure and I was glad that I was in a position where I could do that for him, but he told me that he suspected that I would have done it anyway, even if we weren't as well off. I just told him that he might be right, but it was nice to be able to have the money to do things like this for all my boys, whenever we wanted. Mark gave me one more hug and said good night, and then he disappeared up the stairs too. That next week was also kind of busy, as there were a great many things I needed to catch up on. Besides things we had let slide around the house, there were things that needed to be done to get Pat ready for his plastic surgery the following Monday and in preparation for Frankie's 18th birthday party, the weekend after that. Frankie had asked me if he could have a co-ed party, so he could invite his girlfriend and a few others, and I told him that would be fine. Now I had things to take care of, ordering what we would need, while Frankie sent out the invitations, with the help of Dustin and Ricky. I also told them to come up with things they'd like to eat and do at the party, to make sure we had activities that they and the girls would all enjoy. I had plenty of other things to take care of and was happy for their help with issues such as that. When the list of invitees was given to me, it included everyone's girlfriend, including Dion's new friend, plus Frankie had included all the extended family, including Jake and Shannon. It would be quite a gathering. Tuesday afternoon I was finally able to take Frankie and Kevin out to practice driving some more, and Dion asked if we could drop him off at the school, where he was going to meet his new girlfriend. She was in the summer recreation program's play and he was going to meet her after their rehearsal, spend some time together, and then he was going to walk her home. I told him that would be fine, so we dropped him off on the way. It all seemed quite normal, so I went back to thinking about what I'd do for Frankie and Kevin. I decided to let the two drivers practice by driving on some of the less busy streets, having acknowledged that they needed to move on from practicing in the parking lots. They were doing quite well and I told them so and I also advised them that in a couple of weeks we'd move up to driving on all the local streets. We'd then do that for a while and, once they proved they could handle that, I'd take them out and let them try driving on a highway. They seemed encouraged and excited by this news, and they did very, very well while they were behind the wheel. Going back to Dion, I heard later, via the rumor-mill, that Dion and his girlfriend didn't hang around the school for very long, not after she informed him that no one was home at her house. Her father was working and her mother was running a number of errands for the family and for her grandmother, so she wouldn't be there for quite some time. This encouraged them to go to her house and, when they got there, they went down to her family room to watch a video on their large-screen television. I think they both knew they weren't really going to watch this video, and soon their time together turned into a make out session. They were soon kissing and sucking tongue, and then she let Dion take off her shirt and bra, while she undid his shorts. While he was feeling up her breasts, she was checking out his more than adequate tool. When they came up for air, she told him she had heard about this from his old girlfriend, but she didn't really believe the other girl at first, knowing she wasn't very experienced. She told him that now that she'd seen it for herself, she was also kind of shocked, as she didn't expect him to be that well endowed. Seeing Dion wasn't all that tall and that he was also on the slender side, she was surprised at how much meat he had packed away between his legs. After discussing it a bit longer, she decided she wanted to try to play with it for a while and then she'd give him a blow-job. Of course Dion was all for that, and she began to fondle his erection, before she began to lick and suck on that rigid pole. He thought maybe this was her first time, as she really wasn't very good at giving head, and he tried to explain to her how to do it, but she didn't improve much. He finally told her he was going to shoot, so she pulled off and masturbated him until he dumped his load on his chest, and then she tossed him a box of Kleenex, to wipe himself off with. Dion wasn't very impressed, to say the least. After he had cleaned up all his cum, he moved back over and began sucking on her tits, with his ministrations causing her to moan and squirm around beneath him. While he had her occupied in this fashion, he managed to slide off her shorts and panties, and he slowly worked a finger inside her hot hole, gently sliding it around. Now she really began to squirm and moan, and Dion took the chance to try something new. He gradually slid down her body, licking his way down until he worked his way between her thighs, and then he began to tongue her cunt lips and work his oral muscle inside of her, to search out her clit. He had thought of trying to go farther, meaning intercourse, but he hadn't expected this opportunity to arise, so he hadn't brought a condom with him. Even though he still would have liked to, he determined it would be best to wait and what they were doing would have to do for now. He thought that he did make her orgasm a couple of times during that session, judging from her little screams and body reactions, but he was too inexperienced with females to know for sure. After a while they finished their sexual activities, afraid that her mother might return soon, and then he asked her if she'd like to come to Frankie's birthday party a week from Saturday. She said she'd love to, so he said he'd call her with the details later. They also planned to get together again this coming Saturday, to go to a movie or something. After they made those arrangements, Dion said good-bye and he began his walk home. I don't think he told Trey any of the details of his encounter that afternoon, but Trey did all the right things, as he pretended it didn't matter that Dion had been with someone else, only that he was glad that Dion was home with him now. The two went off, to check out some new books that Trey had picked up when he rode into town with Mark. Trey had gone in and made his purchases, and then he also walked home, arriving only a short time before Dion returned. Seeing both boys liked to read and that they basically liked the same types of books, something else they had in common, they went off to compare notes and decide who was going to read which book first. It was like nothing else mattered and at that point nothing really did. I didn't see either of them again until dinnertime, as they both started reading and didn't emerge from their room until it was time for them to eat. Pat and I sat down later that evening, to discuss his upcoming operation, as I wanted to make sure that he still wanted to go through with the plastic surgery. After convincing me that this was what he wanted to do, we talked a bit about what he would be facing, both during the surgery and after. I wanted to make sure he was ready for everything that he'd have to face and let him know that this wasn't just some stroll in the park type of deal. He was fine with all the details about what he'd be facing, telling me that he just wanted to get rid of some of the more obvious scars, so people wouldn't be so quick to stare at him. I told him that it might not work out that way because, instead of staring at the small scars, people might be inclined to still stare at his handsome face. He let out a little laugh, told me that I only said that because he was my son, and then he said he could handle that kind of staring. Now that I knew that he was psychologically ready for this procedure, I explained a little of what he'd be going through after the operation was done, things I'd learned from researching the procedure online, and I advised him about how long the recovery might take. He was a bit shocked at this part, but he still wanted to go forward with it, so I told him that I'd be there with him through the entire process. He thanked me for that, but told me that I'd only need to be there for the operation itself and that it wouldn't be necessary for me to stay there overnight. Although he appreciated my concern and intentions, he hinted that he was too old for me to do that again. After assuring him that I'd honor his request, we ended our brief discussion and I left him to his own thoughts. That weekend was another flurry of activity, as several of the boys had dates and others had things they wanted to do as well. All three vehicles were in motion most of the day, with Mark offering to transport the boys earlier in the day for me, if he could use one of the vehicles for his date later. I happily agreed, giving him the van for the day, as it took a great deal of work from me. I used the time to go on the internet, to do some more reading on what would be happening to Pat on Monday, so I'd be prepared to help him through it. Various groups of boys were with me in the house at different times during the day, and that gave me the opportunity to spend some time alone with individuals or small groups throughout the day. I don't get a chance like this often, so I made sure to make the most out of it while I had the opportunity. It was nice to be able to spend time like this alone, or nearly alone, with the boys. With so many of them and so much going on, I don't always get the time to do things like this, though I wish it could happen more often. I was in bed before all the boys got in that evening, as I trusted the ones allowed to stay out that late. They were all very careful to be quiet when they came in, so as not to wake me or the other boys, as they really didn't want us to know what time they came in. What they didn't know is that I did wake up each time I heard that front door creak open, and I knew the times that someone came in. I didn't always know who came in at that time, but I knew when people arrived. All I know is that I soon could account for the correct number of individuals returning home and, when I awoke the next morning, all the boys were there and all the vehicles were in the driveway, none of either any the worse for wear. I did go up and rouse the troops to get them ready for church, which was not what some of the later arrivals home wanted to hear at that time of the morning. They knew that they had go with us, however, if they wanted to be allowed to stay out that late on a Saturday night again. While my group of late night revelers hit the showers to get cleaned up, I went downstairs to fix breakfast for the other boys. We went to church and I said a special prayer for Pat, just hoping to cover all the bases to ensure that everything would go well tomorrow. Even though the doctor kept reassuring both of us that this was minor surgery, I knew that there was always a risk of something going wrong. I felt Pat had been through enough already and I didn't want to see him have to go through more or suffer further. The pastor even offered Pat his best wishes, remembering what was going to be happening to him, and Pat thanked him for his concern. The rest of our day was fairly quiet and laid back, at least as far as this family is concerned, and we didn't have to worry about getting so many things ready in preparation for tomorrow. This operation was going to be done locally and many of the other boys were planning to go to the hospital with us, so they could offer Pat their moral support. Pat had told them all that it wasn't necessary and that he appreciated their intentions, but he didn't want them to have to sit around a boring old hospital for all that time. Although they understood his line of reasoning, each boy said they wanted to be there and they also let him know that they WOULD be going. He just thanked them and said that he would have done the same for any of them, and he knew he probably wouldn't win that argument. The boys made sure to let him know he was right. Monday morning we arrived at the hospital before 8:00. I left the boys in the waiting room while I went in with Pat. I would stay with him until he was taken into the operating room, and then I would go back to wait with my other sons. Pat was given one of those hospital gowns to put on, which he wasn't too pleased about. He did put it on and carefully climbed onto the stretcher afterward, and then I covered him with a blanket, to help preserve his modesty. We waited there for a few minutes before the anesthesiologist came, and then she talked to Pat for a short time, explaining things, before she gave him a shot. It didn't take all that long for the shot to start taking effect, and soon Pat was starting to drift off. A short time after that, an orderly came in to wheel him to the operating room, so I kissed Pat on the forehead, wished him well, and watched him go down the hallway, until he was wheeled out of sight. At that point I went to go back and wait with my other boys, and they were asking me all kinds of questions the minute I walked in. They wanted to know if the operation had already begun, how long it would take, and then they wanted me to give them the details of what would be happening. As I was describing what would be going on, Andrew interrupted me with a question. "Daddy, why do they call it plastic surgery? Does the doctor use plastic to make Pat's face look better?" The other boys started to chortle, but I made a gesture to them to knock it off and I tried to answer Andrew's question, using information I discovered when doing my research. "No, honey, they don't use any plastic in the operation. It got that name from a Greek word 'plastikos', which means to mold or give form. They used that name because the doctor molds or gives new form to areas of the body that need improvement, either from a naturally occurring problem, an injury, or because of disease. That's what they are going to do for Pat. They're going to take care of those parts of his face that were scarred by the accident at school, and give them new form, to make him look better." "Then he won't come back looking like he's wearing a hockey goalie's mask?" We all had to chuckle at that, but we soon controlled our mirth. "No, honey, he won't look like that, but his face will be bandaged, swollen, and slightly discolored for a while. Pat will have little scars where they sew the skin back together, but they'll be a lot less obvious than the scars he has now." After that, some of the other boys wanted to know how they'd be doing that, so I explained how they would be removing the scar tissue and then sewing the ends of the healthy skin together, reducing the affected area to a smaller scar. I told them that they would probably be using self-absorbing stitches, so they won't have to be removed later, and allow the skin to grow back together. I informed them that the doctor said Pat might need some laser resurfacing later, to smooth out the surface of the skin, but only if he discovered during the operation that the areas were too badly affected to use the removal process. The boys seemed to be satisfied with the explanation, so we just sat and waited. The boys had brought walkmans, hand-held games, and some magazines and books with them, to keep themselves occupied during our wait, and I tried to read some magazines that I had brought with me. I was a bit nervous and really couldn't concentrate, so I didn't really remember anything that I read, if that's what you could actually call what I did. A few hours later, the doctor came out and told me that everything had gone well and that they had been able to repair all but one area today. They would use the laser on that at a later time, to smooth out the rough surface, and Pat's scars would be much less noticeable to others from this point on. I thanked him for his help and asked him what other things I should know. He told me that Pat would be kept overnight and that I could take him home tomorrow. He told me some areas of his face would be bandaged for a while, that I would need to help Pat keep cold compresses on the treated areas to control the swelling, and that Pat would need to keep his head elevated while sleeping. He also told me that Pat would have to curtail his activities for a few weeks and to try to keep from getting stressed. If he did go outdoors, he was to wear a wide-brimmed hat, to shade his face from the sun and he'd have to use an SPF 15 on his skin, once the bandages came off. He gave me prescriptions for creams for his face and drops for his eyes, telling me precisely when and how I should use them. When we had finished that, I thanked him again and he went about his other duties. I tried to get the boys to head home at this point, but they wanted to wait around and see Pat first. I did convince them to go with me to the cafeteria then, to grab a quick bite to eat, so we all made our way there, before returning to see how he was. When we arrived back at the waiting room, a nurse came out to tell me that Pat was just coming out from under the anesthesia and I was allowed to go into the recovery area and speak with him. I told him not to try to talk, but to just listen, and I told him all his brothers were still here. They were going to wait until he was moved into his own room, so they could come in and see him, then I'd take them home. After I had everyone else fed, I'd come back later and stay with him until he fell asleep. I would go home at that time, but return in the morning, and I'd be there when he was released and allowed to go home. He nodded his understanding and squeezed my hand, letting me know that he understood and agreed with what I told him. When Pat was finally moved into a room, we all trooped in to see him, as the doctor said that wouldn't be a problem, as long as we didn't stay too long. The boys went in to say hello to their brother, give him their support, and assure themselves that he was all right. His face was bandaged and they did have some cold packs over the bandaged areas, but his eyes were open and he did know we were all there. He waved weakly at us when we entered, just to let us know that he knew we were there. Once the others were convinced that everything had gone well and Pat was going to recover, we agreed it was time for me to take them home. Pat waved at us again as we departed, as both the doctor and I had told him not to speak and stretch the skin against the stitches, and his brothers said their good- byes and told him they'd be back tomorrow. He closed his eyes and gave in to his fatigue, and the boys felt a little better, having seen him. We had a pretty quiet dinner, as none of the boys were very talkative. I went back to spend some more time with Pat at the hospital, but about the only thing that happened at home was that some of the girlfriends called up to see how Pat made out. I think they were truly concerned, and they didn't just call to score points with the boys, as they all knew Pat and he was a very likeable kid. I also got calls from everyone in the family, including those related by blood and those we had just included as kin, as they all wanted to learn how Pat had made out. Seeing many of them would be at Frankie's party this weekend, they told us that they'd see us all then, or maybe even before, but they wanted me to give Pat their best. I told them I would, and I told them they could call back anytime over the next few days and I'd let Pat listen to their get-well messages, although he wouldn't be able to respond. I knew that we'd hear from all of them tomorrow or the day after, either via the phone or in person. We went in to the hospital again, early the next morning, and we told Pat about all the people who had called to see how he was doing. I know this made him feel good, but I think he was more impressed that all his brothers had come in to see him, both yesterday afternoon and again today. Even Mark was with us this time, as he told his boss he'd be a little late, so he could run to the hospital first to see Pat. That seemed to be no problem, so here we were, all together, showing our strength and unity as a family. The doctor didn't arrive until around 9:00 and we left at that time, so he could examine Pat and determine whether he could be released. About fifteen minutes later he came out to tell me that everything looked fine and that Pat could go home in a little while. He told me to keep him on softer foods for a while, no steak or anything that required heavy duty chewing, as he didn't want any more movement to the facial muscles than absolutely necessary for a couple of days. He also told me to keep cold compresses available to him, to keep the swelling down and the pain under control, and he gave me a prescription for some painkillers, just in case he needed them. He reminded me about the creams and eye-drops, going over his previous instructions once more, then he told me that he wanted to see him next week and that I should call the office to set up an appointment. Before we left, I asked him how long Pat should wait before he began to talk and eat regular food, and he told me that he could start Thursday or Friday, if he wanted to, it was just that the delay would keep the skin from stretching too much and prevent the stitches from tearing through the skin. He explained that he really had to stretch the skin in a couple of areas, as the width of the scarring was greater than he assumed after he removed the damaged tissue. I told him that I'd make Pat wait until Friday, but then I'd let him resume his talking and normal eating habits in preparation for the weekend, as we would be having a party and many visitors. The doctor assured me that would be fine, but to restrict Pat's activities for several weeks, keeping him as calm and relaxed as possible. I told him I'd do that, and then we waited to get word from the admissions and billing offices that Pat had been officially released. The boys all took turns waiting on Pat, sitting with him, and entertaining him. They tried their best to make sure he was comfortable, that he stayed reclined, and that he had everything he needed. They continued that for the entire day, and the boys even took his meals to him, so he could eat in bed. I let him use my bedroom, so he could stay on the first floor and I wouldn't have to worry about him going up and down the stairs. I was going to sleep on the sleeper-sofa, but Pat used the notepad the boys had given him to let me know that he expected me to sleep in with him. After all, it was a king-size bed and there was plenty of room. After discussing it with him for a few minutes, telling him I was worried that I'd bump him during the night, he wrote down a very good point, one that I hadn't thought about. He reminded me that he wasn't supposed to talk, so he couldn't yell for me if he needed anything during the night. If I were lying beside him, he'd only have to reach over and shake me, and then I'd be there for him. His argument won out, so we spent the night together. Wednesday started off quietly enough and, once again, the boys were treating Pat like he was the king and this was his castle. Just before lunch, Graham came up to me and asked me if we could talk. I told him that we could, but he let me know that this needed to be done in private. Not arguing the point, I followed him up to his room and asked him what was up. "Dad, you can't let Brent go on this trip." I was startled by his statement, but more curious as to why he had said it. "Why do you say that? Why shouldn't I let Brent go on vacation with his friend?" "Because something bad is going to happen to him if he goes." I looked in Graham's eyes and could tell that he was serious and even somewhat scared about this. "Why? What do you know that I don't?" "It's just a feeling I have and things I've seen since you told him he could go." "Things you've seen? What types of things?" Graham hesitated and looked at me, his eyes seeming to stare a hole clear through me. I think he was trying to judge just what he should tell me and how much detail he should offer. At that point I think he decided Brent's safety was more important than looking ridiculous, so he continued. "I've seen black shadows around him since you told him he could go, and it's getting darker every day." Now I was somewhat speechless. Ever since Graham's vision and pronouncements about Sammy and Andrew, I've had the feeling that he might have some kind of psychic ability. Now I believed it was time to explore the reality of this possibility. "What do you mean, you've seen black shadows around him?" Once again, Graham hesitated before he spoke. I believe he was wondering whether I believed him or if I'd make fun of what he told me next. Seeing I had never reacted that way before, he decided to explain what he meant. "Dad, there's the dark shadow that goes all around his body, and it's been getting darker and thicker almost every day. I know this means something bad is going to happen to him. Please, don't let him go." "Graham, are you sure that this isn't just a little jealousy that he'll be doing something that you won't?" "No, Dad, that's not it. I don't care if he goes with his friend. I just want him to be happy, but I don't want him to get hurt." "Have you ever seen shadows like this before?" Again he hesitated before he spoke. "It's only happened twice," he whispered. "And what was the other time?" "Well, they've been happening together." "Together? To whom else is this happening?" He seemed to go a little pale with this question and he started to respond twice, but nothing seemed to come out of his mouth. Finally he regained his composure, and he told me what he had seen. "It's been happening to you and Brent, but your shadow isn't as dark or as thick. Dad, please don't let him go. If you do, something bad is going to happen to both of you." I thought for a second, trying to rationalize what I was going to say before I answered him. "Are you sure you're interpreting this correctly? I'm not going with him, so how can something happen to both of us if he goes on this trip? Maybe that means I should LET him go. Maybe the bad thing will happen if he stays here. Maybe this bad thing would happen at home or in the car, if I took him some place, but that would be the only way it could happen to both of us at the same time." He thought about this a minute before he answered me. "I don't think that's it. I didn't start seeing any of this until you told him he could go. Then I started seeing this thing forming around his body and then it began to go around yours too. Please, Dad, don't let him go. I don't want anything to happen to Brent, but I don't want to lose you either." I knew I had to try to calm Graham down and try to dispel his concerns. "Okay, let's look at this more closely. What exactly do you mean when you tell me he has a dark shadow around him?" "It's like this dark area that goes all around his body, and yours too. It's kind of like there's a black cloud that goes around the outside of your body." "Do you mean like an outline, as if someone traced around us with a big magic marker?" "Yeah, that's it. There's an outline around both of you, but it's not like a line, it's kind of shadowy. Brent's outline is getting darker and blacker almost every day, but yours is still kind of gray." "Graham, I'm not doubting what you see, I just can't understand how we could both be affected by the same event, especially if he's going somewhere that I'm not. Here's what we'll do. I will tell Brent to be extra careful while he's gone, and I'll also tell Jimmy's parents to keep a close eye on him. That should do the trick, don't you think?" "No, I don't, Dad, but I'll see if the shadow goes away after you tell all of them that. If it doesn't, you've got to make him stay here. Promise me that." "Graham, I won't promise that, but I'll promise you that we'll consider everything before I let him go. Will that be okay with you?" "I guess, but I still think you should keep him home. I'm really, really scared about this." "I know you are, or you would never have told me about it. I will take this seriously and I'll hold off on my final decision until later. In the meantime, I'll talk to Brent and Jimmy's family, relaying our fears, without getting into specifics. I won't put the blame on you. I don't want any of them to think that you're trying to spoil things for them." He nodded his head in understanding, but I don't think that was a primary concern for Graham. He did understand that I didn't want people to start making fun of him or ridiculing him because of his unusual ability.if that was indeed what it was. I would address his concerns without laying any guilt or blame on him, and I'd insulate him from any consequences, if I decided not to let Brent go. I knew that I would have to do some serious thinking about this now, not wanting to over-react in either direction. One way or the other, someone would be upset with whatever decision I made. * * * * * * * * If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section. E-mails may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.