Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2000 12:18:22 EST
From: Phaedrus57@aol.com
Subject: Isle of Refuge 9  (tt,bt,consensual)  Young Friends

Caveat: This is a story of love and adventure among a group of teenaged
boys.  It contains scenes of sexual activities between boys.  If this
offends you, do not read the story.  Please go to some other site.  If the
laws of your country or locality say that it is illegal for you to read
this type of story (i.e. that you are too young to have erotic thoughts or
sexual questions and your innocent little mind shouldn't entertain such
possibilities as are portrayed in this story), you should obey the law.  If
you read this story nevertheless, don't get caught!  Hide your downloads
and delete your history.

For obvious reasons, the characters in this story do not practice safe sex.
Remember that they are fictional products of my fevered imagination, but
the dangers of unprotected sex are real.  In this respect, I hope that
readers will not follow their example.

Enjoy the story, which will go on for many chapters.  I hope that it will
appeal to your minds and hearts.  It isn't primarily a sex story, although
it has its erotic moments.

Comments are welcome and strongly requested.  Flames will be ignored.
E-mail me at phaedrus57@aol.com.

This story is dedicated to the memory of my beloved foster son David, who
died of AIDS in 1992, a week before his twenty-ninth birthday.

This chapter is dedicated with love and gratitude to Eric (Lonelykid),
whose e-mail a few weeks ago got me writing again after many months.
Thanks, Eric!  I hope you like this chapter.  And please e-mail me again.
I had a minor software disaster and lost your e-mail address along with
many others.

Finally, I apologize to all "Isle of Refuge" readers for my extremely long
delay in posting this chapter.  My life has taken some unexpected turns but
I hope that I can now resume regular postings approximately every two
weeks.  I hope you didn't give up on me.  I have many more chapters
planned.


Isle of Refuge
Chapter X: The Lost Sheep

Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep
and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open
country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds
it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his
friends and neighbors together and says, `Rejoice with me; I have found my
lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing
in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous
persons who do not need to repent.
				Luke 15:4-7

	Richard recalled these words as he led the boys up from the beach
toward the northern end of the island.  They had especially moved him when
he had heard a sermon based on this parable in chapel at school, and this
passage had become part of his personal creed.  He loved the image of the
compassionate shepherd carrying the frightened and bewildered lamb back to
the safety of the flock, and made it a personal ideal.  Richard had been
deeply disturbed by the story told to him haltingly and tearfully by Joey
and Angelo the previous evening when they had stumbled bruised and
frightened back to the campsite.  Their quest into the unknown region had
ended in disaster, and they had had to abandon Terry to face his guilt and
shame alone.  Richard was haunted by Angelo's physical and emotional
torment and by the image of Terry forsaken in the night. This morning he
had consigned Joey and Angelo to Francois' gentle care and taken the
others-Kevin, Mike, Miguel, and Tommy-to search for Terry.  He hoped that
they were not too late.

	Francois, who still was not fully mobile, had learned from years of
experience as the oldest brother how to comfort younger siblings.  Now he
sat at the bottom of the tree beneath the treehouse clasping Joey loosely
with his right arm while he rubbed Angelo's back with his left hand.  When
the search party set forth, Francois was softly singing a Creole song,
stopping to translate each verse to Joey and Angelo, much to their
amusement.  The two younger boys surrendered themselves to Francois' warmth
and strength as they struggled to come to terms with yesterday's shattering
events.  Supported by Joey and Angelo, Francois made his way to the pool in
which the three boys spent a long time washing each other's bodies.  Joey,
the most reluctant of all the boys to express feelings of tenderness and
affection, held Angelo very close and kissed him while Francois carefully
inspected his violated anus and gently washed it clean.  There was a little
dried blood and the area was red and swollen, but no serious physical
damage.

	"Does it hurt a lot?" Joey asked.

	"It's really sore," Angelo answered, "but I think it'll be OK.
It's just like what my brothers used to do to me, but nobody knew, so I
just hadda get over it by myself."

	"It doesn't look too bad," Francois said.  "Its gonna hurt to take
a shit for a few days until the swelling goes down."

Joey stroked Angelo's tawny back and said, "I really love ya, bro.  I don't
know what I'd do if anything happened to ya!"  Both boys' penises were now
erect and pressing against each other's bellies.

	A bit surprised by Joey's overt show of affection, Angelo said
softly, "I love ya, too, Joey!  Thanks for being my friend."  He rested his
head on Joey's shoulder and they held each other in a firm embrace.

A few minutes later, Francois said, "We'd better get out of the water
before we all wrinkle up like prunes.  Do you guys think you could find us
some lunch?"

	Joey and Angelo reluctantly pulled themselves apart and helped
Francois back to the foot of the big tree.  Laughing exuberantly, the two
younger boys ran off to gather some fruit.  Francois smiled to himself as
he saw their usual playfulness return.  Joey and Angelo soon came back with
their arms full of fruit, and the three boys ate hungrily. Joey and
Angelo's attempts to smear Francois' body with juice necessitated another
excursion to the pool.

 	When they returned to the foot of the tree, all three boys found
that the midday heat, the food, and their relief at the return of security
and normality had made them irresistibly sleepy.  Francois pulled Angelo
onto his lap, and Angelo curled up with his head on Francois' muscular
chest.  Joey snuggled up to Francois' side, held securely by the black
boy's strong arm.  He laid his head next to Angelo's and took his hand.
Feeling safe and loved, the three were soon asleep.


The search party made its way along the beach and plunged into the rough
wooded terrain of the island's northern half.  Following Joey and Angelo's
directions, they headed for the abandoned village.  Tommy and Miguel led
the way, followed by Kevin, Richard, and Mike.

A few minutes after they left the beach, Mike shouted gleefully, "Hey! Look
what I found!"  Everyone stopped and gathered around him.  Mike pointed out
a low growing plant with trifoliate, serrated leaves.  "It's pot!" he said,
grinning.  The boys could see similar plants all around them.  Miguel,
Tommy, and Mike exchanged high-fives, laughing delightedly.  Richard and
Kevin looked at each other apprehensively.

"We can pick some of the leaves and take them back and dry them in the
sun," Mike said excitedly.  "My cousin Donna used to grow it in her closet
under a special light and then dry it on her windowsill.  That was some
slammin' herb!"

Richard said quietly but emphatically, "Terry's somewhere out here, maybe
hurt or worse.  Is this the time to be thinking about pot?"

Mike, Miguel, and Tommy looked at the ground, embarrassed.  "Sorry,
Richard," they all mumbled.  They resumed their quest.  In the still, hot
air they could hear only the singing of birds and the buzzing of insects.
Despite the rampant vegetation and bright sunlight, the place felt lonely
and desolate.  The boys stayed close together and said little.  Even Tommy
seemed solemn and subdued.  They could see where Terry, Joey, and Angelo
had cut their way through the thickest underbrush.  Before long they all
saw a clearing in the trees ahead.

"There's Terry!" Tommy shouted, pointing at the bronze back of a human
figure lying motionless in fetal position on the ground.  Richard could see
the machete lying just beyond Terry.  Tommy took just a step to run ahead
when Miguel and Kevin each firmly grabbed one of his arms to hold him back.

"Tommy, you stay here with Kevin and Miguel while Mike and I go to see how
Terry is," Richard said firmly.

Sick with apprehension, Richard and Mike walked quickly toward Terry, who
still showed no sign of life or consciousness.  The clean metal surface of
the machete flashed with the reflection of a beam of sunlight filtered
through the leafy canopy overhead.  As they drew closer they could see that
Terry was breathing.  His eyes, bloodshot and red-rimmed, were open.  He
had scratches and bits of dried mud on his legs and torso.  As he became
aware of Richard and Mike's approach, he put his hands over his face.

"Why did you come here?" Terry asked in a low, hoarse voice.  "Why didn't
you just leave me out here to die?  I don't deserve to live..." He began to
sob.

Richard knelt and put one hand on Terry's shoulder.  "Look at me, Terry!"
he said gently.  Terry uncovered his eyes and looked up hesitantly, his
face a mask of shame and remorse.  "You're our brother, Terry," Richard
continued, "and no matter what you've done, we love you and we need you."

"I-I-s Angelo...okay?" Terry asked, hardly able to get the words out.

"Physically he is, but you really hurt his feelings a lot," Richard
said. "He sure doesn't need your death on his conscience."

"I love him.  How can I ever face him again?  Now he'll hate me forever!"
Terry said despairingly.

"If you love him, you have to face him.  Your have to convince him that
what happened wasn't his fault.  He needs for you to make this up to him.
You owe him big time!  You have a responsibility to him, and you can't just
leave him hanging," Richard said with quiet passion.

When they had seen Terry talking with Richard, Miguel and Kevin had
released Tommy from their restraining grasp.  The little boy bounded to
Terry's side and threw his arms around him.  "Are ya okay, Terry?  We were
so worried about ya!" Tommy said, and planted a kiss on Terry's tearstained
cheek.

At last, Terry smiled.  He returned Tommy's hug and kiss and said, "Yeah, I
guess I'm okay.  And thanks for worrying about me, li'l bro!"

Kevin held out his hand to help Terry up.  "C'mon! Let's go home and get
you cleaned up!"

As soon as Terry was on his feet, he was enfolded in a group hug.  "Ewww!
You smell nasty!  No more hugs until you've had a bath!" Mike said,
wrinkling his nose.  Everyone laughed.  They began their homeward journey.
At first they all felt euphoric with relief.  They laughed and chattered
and walked rapidly.  Mike pointed out the marijuana patch he had
discovered, but they did not linger there or take any of the leaves with
them.

As they drew closer to the campsite, Terry grew quiet and subdued.  He
dreaded facing Joey and Angelo, but he could hardly wait to see them.  The
other boys sensed his mood.  None of them was sure how to deal with what
Terry had done and they could not foresee how Angelo would react to his
return.  It was mid-afternoon by the time they reached the beach.  The hot
sand underfoot and the rhythmic sound of waves washing up on the beach made
them feel that they were close to home.

Terry had to force himself to walk up the steep bank along the well-worn
path leading from the beach to the campsite. Although the other boys were
eager to show Francois, Joey, and Angelo that they had gained the prize
they sought, they did not look forward to the confrontation that was sure
to follow.

Francois, Joey, and Angelo were just awakening from their nap when they
heard the voices approaching from the beach.  Suddenly they saw Tommy burst
into the clearing and heard him announce breathlessly, "We found 'im!  We
found 'im, and he's okay."

"Great!" Francois said, grinning happily.  But Angelo pressed his face onto
Francois' shoulder and Joey stood up defiantly, his face set in anger.

"Stay cool, Joey," Francois said quietly.

"I just wanna hurt him so much," Joey replied, "but I won't."

Miguel appeared, followed by Richard leading Terry firmly by the arm, and
then by Kevin and Mike.  Terry saw Angelo clinging to Francois and Joey
glaring at him with his fists clenched. He had no idea what to do or say.
He wished the earth would open and swallow him up.

"Terry, stay right here," Richard said.  He turned and walked across the
campsite toward Joey, Angelo, and Francois.  He gave Joey a quick hug and
knelt down beside Angelo.

Rubbing Angelo's shoulders, Richard said, "Angelo, can you look at me?"

Angelo lifted his face from Francois' shoulder and looked at Richard with
red-rimmed, tearful eyes.  Richard stroked his cheek.

"Terry has to talk to you sometime, but only when you're ready.  Do you
want to hear him now, or do you want to wait?"  Richard said.

"Can I wait 'til tomorrow, Richard, please?  I don't think I can handle it
yet," Angelo pleaded.

"Of course you can wait.  Terry can't really be a part of us again until
you feel comfortable with it.  He has to convince you that you're safe with
him and that he takes responsibility for what he did."

"Is Terry okay?  What's gonna happen to him?" Angelo asked.

"Terry is okay.  He had a bad night, but no worse than he deserved.  And we
won't let him come to any harm," Richard reassured him.

"I-I-I-s he gonna sleep in the treehouse tonight?" Angelo asked, his voice
trembling.

Richard thought for a moment.  "I don't think Terry should sleep in the
treehouse until we all feel that he has made up for what he did to you.
Until then he can sleep on the ground," he said.

"I don't want anything bad to happen to him," Angelo said.

"We all slept on the ground until we built the treehouse, and it didn't
hurt us a bit. Terry can use one of the hammocks," Richard replied.

Richard stroked Angelo's back, kissed him on the cheek, and then stood and
walked back across the campsite to Terry and the others.

He said, "Terry, Angelo isn't ready to talk to you now, but he might be
ready tomorrow.  Until then, I don't think you should sleep in the
treehouse.  It wouldn't be fair to Angelo..."

"It's kewl, Richard, you don't have to explain," Terry said, looking at the
ground.  "I've gotta earn my way back, right?"

    Everyone felt dirty and sweaty, and soon all of the boys were in the
pool scrubbing and splashing each other with their usual exuberance.  Joey
and Angelo went beneath the waterfall as they usually did, but Terry made
no attempt to join them.  Joey washed Angelo with uncharacteristic
tenderness and Angelo reciprocated.  They didn't talk much, but smiled at
each other continually.  Angelo at last felt relaxed and comfortable, and
he and Joey seemed to have reached a new level of intimacy and mutual care.

It was now late afternoon, and after their bath the boys began gathering
food for supper.  Mike led a fishing party, which Terry eagerly joined, to
the lagoon, while others gathered fruit and firewood.  The fishing party
returned with several large, succulent fish that were cleaned and roasted
over the open fire.  As darkness fell, everyone felt contented and secure
as they sat around the dying flame.  Tommy was as usual snuggled in
Miguel's lap.  Mike and Francois sat close together, their arms over each
other's shoulders.  Angelo's head rested on Joey's chest as Joey stroked
his arm.  Terry sat next to Kevin and Richard.

Richard said, loudly enough so that everyone could hear, "Terry, we're all
grateful that you're back with us.  We need you and we aren't complete
without you."

"Not nearly as grateful as I am that you still want me," Terry replied, his
voice husky with emotion.  "I know I really fucked up!  I'd never do
anything on purpose to hurt any of you guys.  You're my family, the best
friends I've ever had, my true brothers.  Thanks for giving me another
chance!  I won't fuck up again!"

"Why not?  How do you know?" Mike asked.

Terry looked at the ground and then back up at Mike.  "'Cause I know that
if I don't control myself I can hurt someone I really care about.  If I
care about someone, I've gotta respect him, not just use him.  Just because
I'm, like, totally attracted to someone doesn't give me the right not to
pay attention when he says 'No'."

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes.  Richard said, "I'm glad we've come
to take sex with each other for granted.  Mostly it has brought us closer
together and made our lives here happier.  But it's a very powerful drive,
and it can do harm as well as good. Especially for guys our age, it can
bring out dangerous and destructive feelings.  We have to tame its power.
Without love and respect, it's just exploitation."

"What's exploit...exploit...ation?" Tommy asked.

"It's when someone doesn't think about another person's feelings or needs,
but only what he can get out of the other person," Kevin explained.

"It's like what my brothers used to do to me," Angelo said quietly.

The boys had had an active and emotional day, and everyone was getting
sleepy.  Richard and Kevin helped Terry rig one of the hammocks.  Joey and
Angelo avoided Terry, although they felt very strange and awkward as they
did so.  Everyone went to the pool to wash before going to bed.  After
Terry had climbed into his hammock, Richard and Kevin walked over to speak
to him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Richard asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Terry said, blinking back tears.

"If you need us, you know where to find us," Kevin said, taking Terry by
the hand.

"Try to get some sleep," Richard added.

"Thanks, guys.  Don't worry about me," Terry said.

"G'night, Ter," Kevin and Richard both said, and climbed up to join the
others in the treehouse.

All day Joey had been trying to think of some way to make Angelo feel
better.  Joey had never before worried so much about someone else's
feelings.  The emotional coldness he had experienced throughout his
childhood made it difficult for him to recognize and express his own
feelings, let alone empathize with those of another.  He had tended to take
for granted his friendship with Terry and Angelo.  It had not occurred to
him that their intimate, playful relationship would ever end.  The events
of the past two days had frightened him, but he hadn't known how to express
his concern.  He had found himself on the verge of tears again and again.
He had stayed very close to Angelo, touching him whenever he could.  Angelo
had noticed Joey's attentions and found them comforting, although he hadn't
thought much about them.

Next to Tommy, Joey was the least physically mature of the boys.  Since
arriving on the island, he had grown very conscious of changes in his body.
His 13-year-old hormones were doing their work.  His penis and testicles
had grown larger, and he had noticed a few strands of hair appear at the
base of his penis.  Only recently he had begun producing a small amount of
semen in the course of his, Angelo's, and Terry's frequent sexual play.  He
had begun to worry about his height and lack of muscular definition, and
about the strange and unpleasant new smells his body seemed to produce.
Puberty had hit him like a series of hammer blows, leaving him moody and
confused.

As Joey and Angelo crawled into their sleeping area in the treehouse,
usually occupied by Terry as well, Joey put his arms around Angelo and
pulled him close.  Angelo, much more accustomed to hugging and touching,
reciprocated.  The two thirteen year olds lay on their sides facing and
embracing each other.  Joey was acutely aware of the warmth of Angelo's
body and the softness of his skin.  He felt his own penis and then Angelo's
begin to harden.  At the same time, his eyes began to fill with tears.  He
felt a lump in his throat.  His heart seemed about to burst from his chest.

In a trembling voice, Joey whispered, "Angelo, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay.  You don't sound so good, though," Angelo answered.

Joey took a deep breath, and said, "I've been so scared all day, thinking
about what would happen if you weren't here.  I just don't know what I'd
do...if...if..." He began to sob.

Angelo stroked his back and kissed his cheek "Thanks being so nice to me
today. You're my best friend and I love ya.  I'm not gonna leave ya.  I
know ya love me, too, even though ya don't say stuff like that."

Calmer now, Joey said, "I've never felt like this about anybody before, but
every time I saw ya hurting today, I felt like I was hurting, too.  I just
wanted to do anything to make ya happy.  I guess...I think...I love ya...I
wanna be near ya...I wanna take care of ya."  He was sobbing again, his
face buried in Angelo's shoulder.  A dam had burst within him, and his
years of sadness and loneliness were pouring out with his tears.

The role of comforter was natural to Angelo, and his warm heart was moved
by Joey's pain.  He continued to embrace the smaller boy passionately and
to caress his head and back.  "It's okay, baby, just let it out.  I wanna
take care of you, too," he whispered into Joey's ear, and kissed his neck.

Neither Joey nor Angelo knew how long it was before Joey's body stopped
shaking with sobs.  Time seemed suspended.  All defenses and barriers
disappeared.  They were at one in mind and heart.  Joey gradually relaxed
and dozed off, enveloped by Angelo's warm body and wonderful smell.  Angelo
held Joey to him like a treasure, infinitely precious.

In the next sleeping cubicle, Miguel and Tommy had gone to sleep almost
instantly, wrapped in each other's arms as usual.  Beside them, Richard and
Kevin were preparing to make love when they had heard the beginning of Joey
and Angelo's whispered conversation.  They lay still and listened.  When
they heard Joey crying, Richard took his lips from Kevin's and whispered,
"Should we help?"

"No!  They'll work it out," Kevin whispered back.

They lost themselves in each other.  When they had made love and returned
to normal space and time, the next cubicle was quiet.  They could hear only
Joey and Angelo's slow steady breathing.  "Your were right as usual, my
love," Richard whispered.  Kevin smiled happily, snuggled up to his
boyfriend, and fell asleep.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Angelo awoke feeling something soft
and wet on his right nipple.  After a moment, he felt Joey's head making
small movements against his chest.  He deduced that the warm, wet pressure
came from Joey's tongue.  It felt wonderful.  Angelo felt his penis harden.

"Watcha doin', Jo?" he murmured sleepily.

Taking his mouth away from Angelo's breast, Joey whispered, "Tryin' to make
you feel better than you ever have before."

"You don't hafta do that, babe.  You make me feel good just bein' here,"
Angelo said, and kissed the top of Joey's head.

"I wanna do it.  Just relax and leave everything to me!" Joey replied, and
returned to licking Angelo's chest.

Slowly Joey licked and kissed his way down Angelo's chest and belly,
enjoying the feel of his smooth, warm skin.  He heard Angelo sighing
contentedly.  He rubbed his nose in the wreath of black, curly hairs at the
base of Angelo's penis, inhaling deeply.  Suddenly he loved the pungent,
musky scent.  He knew Angelo and Terry's bodies as well as he knew his
own. He knew the feel of their skins, the smell of their sweat, and the
shapes of their penises, both soft and hard.  But he had never really
thought about them before.  Why had the fragrance of Angelo's crotch not
moved him deeply until now?

He held the base of Angelo's penis in one hand while he kissed and licked
its tip.  He began to lick and suckle Angelo's testicles, taking one and
then the other into his mouth.  He pushed Angelo's knees up onto his chest
so that his lips and tongue could reach and soothe the still red and
swollen anus.  Angelo moaned softly.

"Did I hurt ya?" Joey whispered, his voice full of concern.

"Naw!  It feels great!" Angelo answered breathlessly.

Joey took as much as he could of Angelo's rigid five and a half inches into
his mouth and began to move his head up and down.  Angelo moaned, "Oh,
yeah!"  Joey alternated between licking and sucking, coating the penis
thickly with saliva.  He pulled Angelo's knees back down so that he was
lying flat. Getting onto his own knees, Joey straddled Angelo's hips.  He
covered his fingers with saliva and used it to coat his own anus.  He held
Angelo's hard, spit-coated penis straight up as he lowered his buttocks.
The tip of Angelo's penis was now touching Joey's hole.

Realizing suddenly what Joey planned, Angelo said anxiously, "Are you sure
about this, Jo?  I don't wanna hurt ya!"

Joey replied, "I don't mind a little pain.  Sometimes it feels good, ya
know what I mean?  Anyways, I really wanna know what this feels like.  I
like it when I stick my finger up there.  Your dick should feel even
better."

"Please stop if it hurts too much," Angelo pleaded.

"Okay," Joey said.  He lowered himself further, and made a conscious effort
to relax his sphincter.  He gasped as the penis penetrated his outer ring,
and then stopped as it went in a bit further.  The pain was intense, but
the pleasure was even greater, and Joey moved further down as the pain
began to fade.  He stopped again as Angelo's penis made contact with his
prostate, and his own penis became fully erect.  He felt his whole body
tingling, as if small jolts of electricity were passing through it.

Angelo moaned as he found himself buried more and more deeply in Joey's
rectum.  He was barely able to gasp, "You okay, Jo?"

"More than okay...this feels great!" Joey sighed.

Angelo surrendered to the sensations he was now feeling.  He had often been
used to bring pleasure to others, but his own penis had never been inside
someone else before.  He was amazed at the intense heat inside the sheath
of Joey's bowel.  He was transported to new heights of pleasure.  He could
feel the semen rising.  He forgot to breathe.  Suddenly Joey's sphincter
constricted around his penis.  Joey cried out and emitted a stream of
translucent fluid from the end of his engorged four-inch penis onto
Angelo's chest.  Angelo thought that his penis would explode as he emptied
his load into Joey.  He lost all consciousness of space and time.  It was
as if his whole being were concentrated in his prick.

Exhausted from the most intense orgasm of his young life, Joey collapsed
onto Angelo's chest as Angelo's penis began to soften within him.  As both
boys began to return to reality, they felt suffused with warmth and
closeness, enveloped in the cocoon of each other.  Their lips locked
together in a long kiss.

Finally, Angelo said, "Ohhh, Joey, I've never felt anything as good as that
before!  I just wanna stay this way forever."

Joey giggled softly.  "I told ya I'd make you feel better than you ever
have before."  He hesitated, then added, "I really love ya, Ange.  I love
havin' ya inside me."  He felt tears stinging in his eyes.  He knew that
his life had changed forever.  He could say no more.

Angelo kissed Joey again and stroked his back.  "Thank you, a million
times, babe!  I love ya even more!  Please don't ever leave me!"

Still enfolded in each other, Angelo and Joey drifted off into a deep,
dreamless sleep, their semen and sweat drying between them.

    	When they awoke, it was broad daylight.  All of the other boys
except Terry were standing around them, grinning broadly.  "Okay,
lovebirds, wake up while it's still morning," Mike said, laughing.  As
Angelo opened his eyes, Mike began to clap his hands and everyone joined in
a round of applause.  Joey and Angelo grinned self-consciously and then
engaged in a passionate kiss.

"Don't rip off each other's skin when you try to get up," Kevin said.

"Sounds like the voice of experience," Angelo responded.

Kevin had had the foresight to bring a pail of water up from the pool and
he and Richard used it to help Joey and Angelo separate without too much
pain.  They found themselves being hugged affectionately by all of the
others in turn.  They were then escorted down to the pool where everyone
helped clean them up.  Next, the other boys made them sit at the foot of
the tree and served them breakfast.  Joey and Angelo couldn't stop touching
and smiling at each other.  It was the happiest day either had ever known.

Huddled in his hammock, Terry heard the noises of fun and camaraderie.  He
didn't know yet what had happened in the treehouse last night, but he still
felt utterly desolate and alone.  Would Angelo be willing to talk to him
today?  How could he face him or any of the others?  What could he say?  He
had thought of a hundred speeches to make to Angelo, but none of them
seemed adequate.  If only they had left him to die alone in the abandoned
village!  Why had they made him come back?

Only when he couldn't hear voices any longer did he make himself crawl out
of his hammock into the bright sunlight.


NEXT: Chapter 11-"New Arrivals"-Coming SOON.