Seth Takes A Holiday

By Will Willoughby

Seth awoke on a rather uncomfortable bed in a room 

that he did not recognize. As he slowly opened his eyes

to let in the morning light, all he could see was white.

He was covered with a white sheet, 

the ceiling was white and

white light entered the room through 

a slit in the garish curtain that covered the window. 

The walls were white, the sheet was white and 

the light filling the room was white.

“The sky outside must be overcast making

the light cold and white instead of 

the warm and golden.” Seth thought to himself.

Suddenly, Seth’s mind was blank, all thoughts left his head 

and so he simply lay still on the bed.

He could feel his breath entering and leaving his lungs. 

He could hear everything, the tick tock of his wristwatch

on the bedside table and could especially hear the silence; 

the silence was very loud. 

Still, he did not know where he was or

what had happened

to bring to him to this room, 

in this place that he did not recognize.

It started quiet and then got louder as Seth listened to a sound

coming from another part of the room. 

He recognized it, the sound of water running out of a faucet 

and then he heard a deep and masculine cough.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Seth asked.

“What, you’ve forgotten me already? 

You told me that we had a special connection.” 

Said the masculine voice from the bathroom.

Seth’s mind raced. 

Who had he been with last night?  

Where had he been last night? 

Who was in the bathroom?

“I guess, I’m little hung over.” Seth replied.

“I’m not surprised!   

You were on fire last night! 

I’ve never seen anyone do the stuff you did. 

You are one crazy sex fiend.”

Instantly, Seth’s mind flashed with images. 

He saw himself in a room filled with men,

most half-naked or totally naked.

He remembered a mirror one of them had been placed

on the desk in the room 

and then he remembered white lines

so many white lines, white, white, white,

white and white smoke filling the air.

More flashes rushed through his head,

naked bodies, the smell of cigarettes, booze and 

more white smoke.

Seth scratched his nose because it hurt! 

His nose was raw and crusty.

He sneezed and it jolted his mind awake and

he realized that he was naked underneath the white sheet. 

He took his hand and ran it over his body and

he could feel crusty patches on his body like dried patches of milk

or something else and the crusty patches were on

his stomach, chest and face.

“Excuse me.” Seth said. “Where am I?”

“You are in….er …Heaven’s Gate Resort.”

“How did I get here?”

“There are many roads to Heaven’s Gate. 

You took the hard road but you made it anyway.”

Seth had always been different and 

never did things the way other people did them 

so, the voice seemed to be making sense.

“Why is everything all white?” asked Seth.

“White is your color. You always chase white.”

“Still, I don’t remember how I got here?”

“Think Seth! Do you remember the sound of your heart? 

Do you remember the thump, thump, thump and 

the pounding in your chest?”

Seth paused and tried to remember. 

His mind flashed with images again and 

he seemed to be standing over himself, 

looking at himself lying on the exact same bed. 

There were men, lots of men and no one was listening to anyone else,

everyone was talking. They were all talking at the same time, 

talking over each other, 

some were laughing, some were in corners kissing and 

others were on the floor... 

There was groping and licking and sucking and fucking.

For some reason, Seth was on the bed and couldn’t move

but the other men came over to him.

“How are you?”

Seth couldn’t answer because he was lost in a dazed white haze. 

One guy took off Seth’s shoes, another took off his shirt and 

a third took off his pants.   

Seth couldn’t resist, he did not want to resist.

“Just relax!

You need a man's touch to relax you and make you feel better.” 

Said one of the naked men.

Before long, more naked men joined Seth on the bed. 

Each one was touching him as they touched each other and

the ecstasy of moment grew.

Soon, Seth’s bed became a carnal game of Twister.

Seth moved left and then right, 

he touched one guy and then another and then another.

How many men were with him?

He didn’t know and he didn’t care, 

he just kept kissing and touching and 

opening himself up to whoever wanted to enter him.

It was then that he remembered the pounding in his chest…

the thump, thump, thump.

Seth gasped for air but could not catch his breath. 

Then his whole body started to shake and quiver. 

He coughed up flem, saliva, no breath, no air all he could feel was pain and tightness in his chest.

Somehow, he managed to scream, “HELP! HELP! HELP!”

All the men in the room looked at each other. 

They quickly started putting on their clothes and

running out the room like it was on fire. 

Within minutes Seth was alone, on the bed, 

naked under a white sheet and gasping for air. 

He remembered seeing some pretty colored lights 

before everything went black.

Suddenly, the sound of the water running in bathroom stopped.

“You remember now?” said the voice from the other room.

“Yes, I remember. Am I dead?”

“Well that depends on what you consider life or death.”

“What do you mean?”

“You lived your life as if you were dead. You were one of the walking dead long before your body actually gave up and let go of life.”

“But I just wanted to get away from everything. 

I wanted to escape from the pain.”

“Unfortunately, escape is really not an option in life. 

Didn’t you end up having even more pain each time 

you let the white take control?  Remember,

Where ever you go there you are.”

“So, what happens now?”

Seth got scared all of the sudden. 

The voice, the presence in the bathroom was gone and

didn’t answer him.

“What? What happens now?!!!”

Like a whisper in his mind, Seth heard. 

“That’s up to you!”

The room became pin-drop silent, it was deafening to Seth's ears.

Seth got out of bed and went to the bathroom, 

no one was there.

He then went to window and opened the curtain and

all he could see was white light. 

He then went to the door. 

He tried to open the door but it wouldn’t budge,

he pulled on the doorknob, screamed, pounded until his knuckles bled

and  then he eventually collapsed onto the floor.

He couldn’t get out of the white room and

no one even knew or cared that he was there.

The END!

Karen and Her Magic Violin

By Will Willoughby

Eric Murphy didn’t know exactly when it started but

one day, he started looking at the other boys in school differently. 

He noticed the way the light fell on their hair or

the color of their eyes or 

how a certain color shirt looked really on good them.

Eric had never been particularly fond of girls, 

perhaps it was because he had four older sisters at home.

His sisters were always telling him what do. 

He liked playing with the other boys but 

he often felt uncomfortable and different around them.

At recess, the other boys in school played soccer or 

dodge ball and he especially hated dodge ball because 

he always got hit hard and that red rubber ball hurt bad. 

So, Eric decided that the one thing he did like about girls, 

was jumping rope with them during recess. 

“Cinderella, dressed in yella went upstairs to kiss her fella

Made a mistake and kissed a snake,

How many doctors did it take?

One, two, three, four…red hot peppers!”

Red hot peppers was the part in the rope

jumping game when the two girls twirling the jump rope, 

started twirling it super fast and 

Eric would have to jump, jump and jump until he missed. 

Eric was pretty good and could jump fast for almost a minute 

before the rope got tangled around his feet.

Jumping rope with the girls did not make Eric popular with

the other boys in school.

They started to notice the different way

that Eric looked at them.

They started to tease him, especially Steve Marks. 

Steve was relentless in his teasing of Eric.

“Look at the boy jumping rope like a girl.   

Do you want to kiss me little girl?” Steve would say.

More and more Eric kept to himself and eventually

even the girls stopped playing with him at recess.

“You’re a boy, you shouldn't be jumping rope with us!”

Eric took to sitting on a swing all by himself and 

waiting for the recess bell to sound.

He had to learn to avoid the other kids and 

take back staircases to classes because 

now everyone constantly made fun of him.

“Look at the girly boy, girly boy!”

Steve was very popular and 

when he made fun of Eric all of the other kids would

laugh and point at Eric too.

One morning Steve was in a very aggressive mood and 

when Eric was at his locker before class, 

Steve poked him on the shoulder and said,

“My brother told me what you are. You are a faggot!”

Steve Marks then turned to his friends and said,

“Hey everybody. Guess what? Eric is FAGGOT!“   

Steve started chanting,

“FAGGOT! FAGGOT! FAGGOT!” 

and the other kids joined him.

“FAGGOT! FAGGOT! FAGGOT!”

Eric quickly closed his locker, 

pushed through the chanting and laughing kids and 

went into his classroom.

Being shy and introverted, Eric had no idea what the kids were saying. 

He thought to himself,

“What’s a faggot?”

Eric went to the bookshelf and 

pulled out the Webster’s dictionary. 

He quickly thumbed through it until he got to F and 

then started looking for the word faggot.

The word was actually in the dictionary,

defined as,

"an archaic unit of measurement for bundles of sticks."

Eric really didn’t quite know what the word archaic meant

but he did understand, bundles of sticks.  

“Why are they calling me a bundle of sticks?” He thought to himself.

Eric eventually found out what the other kids meant 

when they were calling him faggot. 

He thought about the way that he looked at other boys and 

he knew, they must be right and that he must be very wrong.

“I’m a bad thing.” Eric thought to himself.

More and more, Eric kept to himself and 

he didn’t talk to the other kids. 

He kept his head down, when walking through the hallways, 

played alone at recess and 

ate his lunch all alone in a corner of the lunchroom.

One day at lunchtime, 

he was surprised by the sound of a voice.

“Hi, what’s your name?”

“I’m Eric!”

“Hi, Eric. My name is Karen. Can I sit with you?”

“I don’t think you want to sit with me. 

No one wants to sit with ME.” said Eric.

“Well, I do. If that's OK with you?”

“Yeah, it's OK.”

Eric smiled and took a good look at Karen. 

He had seen her before. 

She was the only black girl in his school and always carried a violin case.

“What are you having for lunch?” asked Karen.

“A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some chips and a fruit cocktail cup.”

“I have a bologna sandwich and an apple.” Said Karen.

“Do you play the violin?” asked Eric

“You don't think I carry around this around because 

I play the drums, do you?"

"No, I just was asking.  I didn't know."

Karen smiled let down her guard.

"Yeah, I’m the only one in band who plays the violin and 

I’m not that good yet but I practice everyday and 

one day, I am going to play in a symphony orchestra. 

What do you like to do?”

“Well...er...I don't do much. I don't have any friends but 

I like to read. I read books about far away magical places where 

people have magical powers and can disappear and 

cast spells and turn evil people into frogs or 

just zap them with their magic wand.”

“You know, Eric. I think you and me could be good friends.”

“No one wants to be my friend. I’m a faggot.”

“Well, I’m black and no one wants to be my friend either, 

so if you are okay with me being black then 

I’m okay with you being…you!”

“What’s wrong with being black?” Asked Eric.

“Nothing, but as my Mom says, 

some people aren’t very smart and 

they are scared of anyone who looks different.”

“I’m not black. I’m just different and 

they aren’t scared of me, they just hate me. 

Everyone hates me!”

“I don’t hate you, Eric. I like you!”

“You do?”

“Yes, I do!”

Eric and Karen became fast friends. 

They started to eat lunch together everyday. 

They sat at a table, all by themselves in a corner of the lunchroom, 

while the popular kids sat together in the center of the room. 

The other kids would sometimes look over at them 

and point and laugh but Karen and Eric never noticed because 

they were too busy talking and enjoying each other’s company.

Lunch was Eric’s escape from the reality of his day. 

After lunch, he would again have to walk through the hallways to class 

and whenever Steve Marks saw him, he would yell out loud,

“FAGGOT! Hey everyone, look at the FAGGOT!”

Fortunately, from reading his books Eric had learned 

how to make a magic force field around himself and 

so, no matter how much the other kids made fun of him, 

he knew that his magic force field would protect him. 

However, one morning, he was tired and 

his force field wasn’t working when Steve and 

a bunch of other boys started to taunt him.

Eric was at his locker, getting out his books for science class, 

when Steve and the other boys surrounded him in a circle. 

Steve looked at Eric and then unzipped the zipper on his pants 

and took out his penis. Eric didn’t know what to do; 

he was surrounded by Steve and the other boys.

“This is what he wants, guys. 

He wants to get down on his knees and worship my dick.”

The other boys started laughing and spitting on Eric

one boy got behind him and pushed Eric down onto his knees.

“Come on, suck it, FAGGOT!”

Just then, Eric heard a voice.

“Eric, are you Okay?”

It was Karen. 

She was standing directly behind Steve. 

Steve quickly zipped up his pants and turned to face Karen.

“This is none of your business!”

“Eric is my friend, so it is my business.” Said Karen.

“It figures that a Faggot would be friends with a…”

Karen stopped Steve by looking him square in the eyes and said,

“I know you are not going to say what I think you are going say.”

“Is that so? You fucking n…”

Before Steve could get the word out of his mouth,

Karen took her violin case and slammed it against the side of his head.   

Steve fell to floor with a big thump. 

The other boys were too shocked to react immediately 

but then started shouting as Karen moved to Eric's side, 

looked at the boys and said,

“Who’s next?”

The commotion caused Mr. Nettles, one of the teachers 

to come out of a classroom and into the hallway. 

He approached the group of kids and said,

“What’s going on?”

“She hit me with her violin case for no reason.” 

Said Steve still lying on the floor, 

with a gash on the side of his head and dripping blood.

“Is that true?” Mr. Nettles asked.

“Yeah, I hit him but it wasn’t for no reason.” Said Karen.

“You two.” Said Mr. Nettles to Karen and Eric. 

“Wait for me in the Dean’s office. I’m going to take this boy to the nurse.”

Needless to say, Karen and Eric were suspended from school for a week. 

After they returned to school, 

Karen never left Eric’s side and took extra time to make sure that 

he didn’t have to walk through the halls alone. 

The other boys still taunted Eric, 

especially during gym class and 

when they took showers after class but 

Eric didn’t mind because he had Karen and his magic force field! 

Karen and Eric stayed friends for many years.

She was the first person, who made him understand

that being gay didn't mean he was a bad thing!

The End

The First Day of Kindergarten

By Will Willoughby

Life had never been easy for John Bradley. 

John grew up on a farm in small Midwestern town.   

His days started early in the morning long before the sun rose, 

he collected eggs from the chicken coup, fed the cows 

and used a pitchfork to clean the manure from the stalls 

of the two plow horses that his family owned.

The plow horses named Rowdy and Buck were his best friends. 

His father bridled them every morning and 

all day they plowed and worked the fields.

The Bradley family planted, soybeans, corn, wheat and sorghum. 

These were the staples of the family farm.

John was a different kind of boy, 

he spent his free time after chores walking through the woods, 

looking at the sky and 

watching the many different birds that lived,

nested and started families in the trees around his farm.

Of course, as life demands John eventually had to go to school. 

He was very frightened on the day 

when the bus was due to arrive to take him to his first day of kindergarten. 

His sister Sally said,

“Don’t worry, John! I’ll go with you it will be fine.”

John thought that Sally would go with him on the bus and 

to school but Sally was older than John and 

there was a different bus coming for her but 

John didn’t know this little fact.

Sally walked with John to the bus stop and 

when his bus arrived, she led him to the door and 

handed him a dollar.

“Here’s your milk money. Have a good day!”

John got scared and looked at Sally.

“Aren’t you coming with me?”

“No John, my bus will be here soon. You are on own!”

John started to cry and said,

“No! Please! Please, Sally come with me!”

“Stop crying. Be a man! I can’t go with you! 

Now go, get on your bus! You don’t want to keep the bus driver waiting!”

Sally then pushed John onto the bus and 

waved goodbye as the door closed.

John took a seat on the bus, looked out the window and 

watched as his sister waved goodbye to him. He was terrified. 

The bus was filled with children his own age, 

everyone was talking and laughing; 

it seemed like they all knew other but 

John didn’t know any of them.

John just kept thinking about his best friends, Rowdy and Buck and 

wished he could be riding them through the woods and fields.

He hugged his little bag filled with school supplies and

the nap mat his mother had given him.

“What this for?” John had asked.

“In kindergarten, you need a mat for nap time. 

You lie down on it and take a nap.”

The roar of the bus engine and 

the voices of the other children made John sleepy and 

soon he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He was awakened by a poke on the shoulder.

“Hey! Hey! Wake up! We are almost there.”

John opened his eyes and saw the boy who poked him.

The boy had dark hair, deep brown eyes and brown skin.

“Hi, I’m Edward. What’s your name?”

“My name is John.”

“Are you excited?” asked Edward

“Not really! I don’t know what’s going on?

I don’t know anyone and my sister left me here all alone.”

“Well, you aren’t alone now. 

I think we are going to be really good friends.”

“Really?”

“Really!”

The bus arrived at the school and the kindergarten teacher,Ms. Jensen 

was waiting to take the children into the classroom.

John thought that Ms. Jensen was quite young and very beautiful. 

She had long shiny blond hair and big green eyes.

After all the children had gotten off the bus, Ms. Jensen said,

“Good morning children, My name is Ms. Jensen.

I’m your kindergarten teacher.

Now, children please hold hands and follow me.”

Edward grabbed John’s hand and 

they followed Ms. Jensen to the classroom.

John said to Edward,

“Ms. Jensen is beautiful!”

“She’s ok!” Edward replied.

Once in the classroom, Ms. Jensen said,

“Okay children choose a desk.”

All of the children started scrambling to find a desk.

“Come on, John. Let’s get one in the front row.”

Edward took John’s hand and pulled him to the front of the classroom, 

where they grabbed desks next to each other in the front row.

Of course, Ms. Jensen had to make sure that all the children were present.

“When I call your name children, please say, HERE.”

“John Bradley.”

“Here.”

It took longer for her to get to Edward.

“Eduardo Tujillo.”

When Ms. Jensen said his name 

some of the other children started whispering and 

one boy even laughed, John didn’t understand why.

“Here.” Said Edward.

After roll call was finished, 

Ms Jensen brought out the PLAYDOUGH.  

Each child got a piece of wax paper on their desk and

a can of PLAYDOUGH.

“Children, we start each day with PLAYDOUGH show and tell time.

Make whatever you want with the PLAYDOUGH. 

If you need more just come ask me and 

then you can show the class what you made and tell us about it.”

Edward and John looked at each.

“What are you going to make?” Asked John.

“I think, I’ll make a knife!   What are you going to make?”

“I don’t know! I’ve never done this before.”

The boys sat at their desk and began molding and 

shaping the PLAYDOUGH.

Only 20 minutes had passed

but to Edward and John it seemed like hours had passed.

Ms. Jensen announced,

“Ok Children, PLAYDOUGH time is over. 

Now, it’s time for Show and Tell. 

You will each get a chance to show and tell 

everyone what you’ve made.”

Ms. Jensen called the children to the front of the class 

in alphabetical order and 

each child showed their PLAYDOUGH creations to the rest of the class.

One child had made a lollipop tree, 

another made a cow and 

another made a big mass of PLAYDOUGH mess that didn’t look like anything.

“OK, now John Bradley show us what you made.”

John got up from his desk and 

held in his hands something that looked like two horse with two riders.

“What have you made for us today?” asked Ms. Jensen.

“These are my best friends. Rowdy and Buck and 

my new friend Edward, 

we are riding together through the field on sunny day.”

Before Ms. Jensen could say anything,

many of children started laughing and 

one boy with pug nose and sharp chin said,

“ Why would you want to ride horses with Edward?”

“Now, children that’s enough!” Said Ms. Jensen.

After a while Ms. Jensen called on Edward.

“What have you made for us today, Edward?”

Edward stood in front of the class and said,

“This is my green knight with his magic sword. 

He is the bravest and strongest knight in the world. 

No one can hurt him and 

he will cut anyone who tries to hurt him or his friends!“

The children started mumbling again and 

the group of boys pointed and laughed at Edward’s green knight.

Ms. Jensen gave the class a stern look and then said,

“Very good, Edward. He looks very brave and strong!”

A few more children showed what they made to the class. 

Mostly, Mom’s cooking dinner, a dog, a cat,

a little red wagon and a tricycle.   

When everyone had had a turn, Ms. Jensen said,

“Okay, did everyone bring their nap mat?”

All of the children except Edward said Yes. 

Edward did not have a nap mat. 

John looked over at Edward,

“Where’s your nap mat?”

“I forgot to bring it!”

“That’s Okay.” Said John. “Mine is big enough for two.”

“Really?” asked Edward.

“Really!” said John.

John then did something very brave. 

He got up from his desk and went over to Ms. Jensen.

“Please, Ms. Jensen, 

my friend Edward forgot to bring his nap mat. 

Can he share my nap mat? It’s big enough for both of us.”

“I think, I have an extra nap mat that Edward can use but 

you can both nap on the floor next to each other if you want to.”

John smiled and he had learned from his mother and father to say, 

please and thank you.

“Thank you, Ms Jensen.” Said John.

Ms. Jensen turned down the lights in the classroom and 

the children spread out their nap mats.

John and Edward put their mats in a corner of the room,

far away from the other children.

Soon, the children started to fall asleep but 

Edward and John were wide awake and whispering to one another.

“I like you, Edward.” Said John

“I like you too, John.” Said Edward

“Why did the other children point and laugh 

when Ms. Jensen called your name?” asked John.

“I’m different.” Said Edward.

“How?” asked John.

“Can’t you see? My skin is brown not white like yours.” Said Edward.

“So what!” Said John.

 “My friend Rowdy has a brown coat and 

my friend Buck has a white coat and they are best friends.”

“Rowdy and Buck are horses!” said Edward.

“Yeah but they were my only friends…until I met you.”

“My father told me that other children might make fun of me

because of my brown skin and 

that I should just ignore them.” Said Edward.

“Why do they make fun of your skin?”

“Because It's different.”

“Edward, I’m different too.”

“Your skin is white. You look like everyone else. I don’t.”

“I’m different inside. I don’t feel like everyone else. 

I feel different. Maybe we can be different together.”

“Go to sleep, John.”

“Are we friends? Always and forever?” asked John.

“Si, Juan. Amigos para siempre!”

“What?” asked John.

“It’s Spanish! Yes, John we are friends forever!”

John put his hand on Edward’s nap mat and said, “Amigos?”

Edward placed his hand on John’s hand and said, “Yes, Friends!”

John and Edward feel asleep and 

before long they heard the voice of Ms. Jensen.

“Wake up, children! Wake up!”

John rubbed the sleep from eyes and looked at his friend, Edward.

Edward was still asleep and John noticed

that Edward’s toe was poking out from one of his shoes. 

Finally, Edward woke up.

“Hi. Did you have a good nap?” asked John.

“Si…er..Yes. I had a dream about mi madre…my mother.” Edward replied.

“Look, your toe is poking out of your shoe just like mine.” Said John.

John then started to wiggle his big toe that 

was poking out of a hole in his shoe. 

Edward looked at John’s big toe poking out from his shoe and smiled.

“These are my brothers shoes. He wore them alot.” said Edward.

“Mine too.” Said John. 

“I wear his clothing and shoes after he outgrows them.”

“Me, too!” said Edward.

Kindergarten was not easy for Edward and John. 

The other children were quite cruel and Edward and John were often 

left out of the games at recess. 

Edward and John didn’t care because 

they would play together on the monkey bars, 

swing on the swings and 

share every moment of the day together.

Of course, as life goes the boys were separated. 

Parents move, life changes and things rarely stay the same.

However, the two boys never lost the friendship that 

they found on their first day of Kindergarten.

The End.

The Boys From Pompeii

By Will Willoughby

Once a long, long time ago there were two boys named Jonah and Fabian,

who grew up under the shadow of the great mountain Vesuvius.

Jonah and Fabian spent everyday together in every season. 

They could almost hear each other’s thoughts without speaking.

In their town of Pompeii, at the foot of the great mountain 

the boys enjoyed being alive. Of course, this was a long time ago 

and life was much more difficult in those days.   

However, the boys took every chance they could find

to run through fields, swim in cool river waters, climb trees 

and make discoveries of hidden things under rocks or high in the tree tops.

They often liked to climb up into tall pine trees. 

In the tree branches, the boys were hidden from sight and 

yet they could still see everything going on in the valley around 

the mountain and in the town of Pompeii. 

One day, while sitting in the sweet smelling branches

near the top of one of the tallest pine trees , 

Jonah discovered a large bunch of twigs and feathers.

“Fabian, look at what I found.”

“What?”

Fabian darted through the branches to Jonah’s side 

and looked at the discovery. 

It was a large nest and in the center were two eggs, 

white with little brown spots and larger than chicken’s eggs.

“Jonah, this is an eagle’s nest!”

Jonah looked at Fabian,

“We must not tell anyone. 

My father told me that Eagles are very special and must not be harmed.”

“I know.” Said Fabian.

The boys kept their discovery secret 

and visited the nest every chance they got. 

Of course, they had to wait 

until the mother eagle flew away in search of food. 

Then, on a very bright and sunny day 

after the boys had finished their chores,

they climbed the tree and made a new discovery.  

The eggs had hatched and two small baby eagles were in the nest.

Jonah said, “Let’s name them Jonah and Fabian.”

“How do we know they are both boys?” asked Fabian.

“We found them. They are just like us I know it.”

Fabian gazed at the two baby birds in the nest.

“Well, the one left is the cutest! I think he should be called Jonah!”

“I think the one on the right is cuter. I think he should be called Fabian.”

The boys agreed and named the baby birds. 

They continued to visit the nest everyday 

to watch the young eagles grow.

Each day the baby eagles got bigger and stronger. 

One day the two birds looked directly at Jonah and Fabian.

“It seems like they know us.” Fabian said.

“I think they like us.” Jonah replied.

Soon, the baby eagles began to sprout feathers and

walked clumsily around in the nest.

The boys were very careful each time 

they climbed the tree to the eagle’s nest.

“My father told me not to touch baby birds 

because the their mother will smell something different on them 

and not feed them.” Jonah said.

So, the boys only watched as the eagles 

named Jonah and Fabian grew, never touching them.

During this time the townspeople became frightened 

because there were great rumblings 

inside the great mountain, Vesuvius.   

People were afraid that the gods were angry and 

showing their displeasure with the town of Pompeii.

Jonah and Fabian were frightened too 

but being boys they stilled played in the shadow of the

rumbling mountain and visited the eagle’s nest.  

The mountain had been very angry for almost a week, 

smoke spewed from its peak and 

even in the full sun of day the valley 

around the mountain was cloaked in shadow.

On a very rumbling day, Jonah and Fabian 

became frightened for the eagles and 

they went to visit the nest but when 

they climbed up the tree and looked into the nest, 

the two baby eagles were gone.

“I hope the angry mountain didn’t hurt them 

and throw them out of the nest.” Said Fabian

Suddenly the boys heard screeches high above their heads.

“Look!” said Fabian. “Look in the sky!”

There circling around the tree, 

riding high in the air were Jonah and Fabian, the eagles.

“They are flying! They are flying!”   The boys said.  

The boys were so happy and 

watched as the birds played and soared on the wind.

Suddenly, the mountain gave a big rumble and

a huge cloud of smoke erupted from its peak. 

From their vantage point, the boys could see

panic on the streets of Pompeii.   

They quickly climbed down from of the tree, 

ran through the fields, crossed the river and entered into town.

People were screaming as the mountain rumbled even worse than before. 

The earth moved beneath their feet.

Buildings toppled, brick and stone cluttered the streets 

as people ran screaming in fear.

“We have to find our parents?” Jonah said.

Just then the mountain, Vesuvius exploded, 

smoke, burning liquid rock and fire filled the air.

Jonah and Fabian looked around at other people in the streets.

Men, women and children suddenly

began lying down on the ground together, 

holding one another and saying goodbye.

Jonah and Fabian looked at each other, time was short. 

They held onto to each other and 

as the burning liquid rock overcame them and 

they fell to the earth in each other arms. 

The last words they heard were:

“I love you, Jonah!”

“I love you, Fabian!”

The two boys held each other as 

the molten lava poured over them.

Some time passed, no one knows how long, 

days maybe weeks after the mountain had lost its fury, 

sunlight filtered through still falling ashes 

when two loud screeches rang through the deathly silence.

Two shapes high in the sky came closer and closer 

to the ground where amidst the desolation 

were the perfectly preserved shapes of 

two young boys frozen in an eternal embrace. 

The shapes in the sky were the eagles.

They landed on the ground, 

next to the boys and a pool of shining, shimmering sunlight surrounded them.

The birds scratched around a bit and

 then stood motionless for a long time. 

Suddenly, both birds touched their frozen namesakes with their wings 

and then took off into the sky.

The birds soared high into the sky 

heading directly for the sun and

a new sound escaped from their beaks. 

It was an unusual sound for eagles because 

in those few notes out of their beaks came 

the sound of joy, freedom and love!

The End!

The Bouncy Life of Frederick and Freemont

By Will Willoughby

Once upon a time there were two bouncy toys living

a perfectly peaceful life 

on the shady porch

of a sunny house in a sunny city in a sunny state. 

These were not your regular everyday toys like a Tonka truck, 

Legos or a Barbie doll.  

No, these were special toys made of wood 

that had been hand crafted in some small 

and far off place in Europe.   

They were not the Gepeddo Pinocchio type of wooden boy toys either.   

They were bouncy toys attached to bouncy wires.   

Now, the toys loved their bouncy life.

The toys, a pink flamingo and a green frog were 

attached with little golden nails to a beam on the shady porch.

Everyday, they bounced up and down,

left and right, to and fro and moving freely in the passing breeze.   

The frog was no ordinary frog. His name was Freemont 

and he was surfing frog with 

a wonderful bright yellow surfboard.

The flamingo named Frederick was pink, 

his legs were crossed and

he had a pretty white daisy adorning his knees.

Frederick and Freemont loved the carefree bouncy life.  

They could see a busy and active street from their porch perch,

cars and trucks and all sorts of people

were hurrying to get from one place to another.  

There was no shortage of things to keep them fully interested in life.

Frederick and Freemont often had conversations

 (of course when no one was listening) 

about all of the different things that they saw every day.  

They loved talking with one another and being together.

However, despite their friendship, Frederick and Freemont 

were distinctly different.

Freemont as a frog was naturally was green

He was also very curious and carefree.  

He jumped at all the activities that each day brought his way.    

Anything new or different was a source of endless enjoyment for Freemont.

On the other hand, Frederick was a flamingo 

and flamingos are pink

and by nature a bit snobbish and reserved.  

Firstly, flamingo's are pink, which is indeed rare and 

Frederick was keenly aware of his own pinkness.   

Flamingos also have long thin legs, which gives them

the appearance of elegance, grace and refinement refined. 

Yet despite these differences, Freemont and Frederick became friends, 

very close friends indeed and shared 

all of their hopes and dreams about life and the future.

And naturally due to their close proximity to one another

Freemont and Frederick eventually fell in love.  

This was no ordinary love, 

after all they were both boys.

The surfing green frog and elegant pink flamingo

seemed an unlikely pair. 

Of course, everyone expected 

Frederick to be a beautiful and elegant bird of the world.

However, they did not look as kindly upon Freemont.

Freemont was after all a frog; 

"What is a frog compared to a flamingo? 

Flamingos eat frogs for lunch."

“Humph!” People would say,

 “What is Frederick doing with Freemont? 

They aren’t in the same class. 

Frederick is so special and Freemont is just..er...well...a…frog.”

However, for a long time Freemont and Frederick

ignored the unkind looks and 

dismissive tone of others because they were in love.  

“Love knows only Love.

You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince and I found mine in you.” 

Frederick said to Freemont.

“It is you and me against the world.” Freemont responded.

Of course, everyone was terribly jealous of Freemont and Frederick. 

Frederick and freemont were very happy, laughed freely

and truly enjoyed being together.

However, jealousy is an insidious thing 

and it slowly found it’s way into their relationship. 

The jealousy of the world wiggled its way into their relationship,

before either Freemont or Frederick became aware of it.

On outsider might have noticed a curious thing about Freemont and Frederick. 

From their perches on the porch, 

Freemont was always looking toward the street while

Frederick was looking toward the porch.

Frederick wanted a home and Freemont wanted adventure.

Frederick being able to fly had seen much of the world 

and he wanted to settle down with Freemont and make a home. 

However, Freemont was not a frog of the world 

and had the wanderlust,

he wanted to jump into unknown and new places. 

Unfortunately, as much as Freemont loved Frederick, 

he was not ready for the responsibility of making a home

and creating a life.

Frederick and Freemont began to squabble more and more frequently.

“You are so perfect Frederick.

Of course, you never say anything or do anything to upset me.”

“Freemont, I’m not perfect. 

I just want to talk and discuss things. 

We can't sweep our problems under the carpet. 

We have to throw them into the light of day,

where they loose their power to hurt us.”

“Frederick, you are not a shrink you are a simple pink…flamingo.” 

Freemont responded.

 “Get over yourself!”

 However, they loved each other so much that 

eventually the squabbles would fade away.

Life got more and more complicated

for Freemont and Frederick and 

instead of laughing and enjoying each other’s company; 

they were often at odds with one another.

As much as they tired to remember, that beautiful sunny day 

when they started bouncing on that shady porch, 

nothing seemed to end the bickering and discontent.

Discontent is a terrible affliction in a relationship. 

Freemont and Frederick began to gaze toward

other frogs and other flamingos thinking 

perhaps the grass was greener somewhere else.

It’s an old cliché but quite true. 

Clichés exist because they are indeed true. 

Frederick remembered one such old cliché, 

“In a every life a little rain must fall.”

Well, one day the torrential rains came. 

Freemont and Frederick started the rainy day blissfully. 

They were cozy, comfortable and 

had eaten some of their favorite foods. 

And yet the rain kept coming and

then something happened to Frederick. 

He caught a glimpse in Freemont’s eye 

and heard an odd tone in the sound of Freemont’s voice.

Frederick thought to himself. 

“What can that be? Does Freemont really love me?”  

The thought made Frederick quite nervous 

and he began to think and 

think and think and then think some more.

“Freemont must have met some other flamingo 

that he likes better than me.” Frederick thought.

It was impossible for Frederick to rid the thought

from his mind and finally he asked Freemont a fatal question.

“When we’ve fought in the past, 

did you ever spend time with another flamingo?”

Freemont was sleepy and a bit tired, 

so he answered Frederick quite quickly and probably without thinking.

“No.” Freemont responded. 

"They always ask don’t you have a boyfriend? 

It’s too much trouble.”

Freemont’s answer made Frederick’s heart beat fast

and his head started to pound.  

“Did Freemont know what he just said? 

They always ask?  It’s too much trouble.“

Of course, Frederick knew immediately that if,  "they always asked"

that meant there were 

THEYS, not just one other flamingo 

but more than one. 

THEYS! THEYS!! THEYS!!!

Frederick started acting like a lawyer 

and began his interrogation of Freemont.

Their normal squabble quickly became a BATTLE 

as Freemont grew more and more furious at Frederick.   

There was no time to breath, to think, to calm down. 

The battle became more and more heated and 

then suddenly Freemont left. 

He bounced off the porch and down the street 

disappearing into the rainstorm.

Frederick just bounced and bounced and bounced 

as the wind and rain battered him to and fro. 

He could not think, 

he could not eat, 

and he could not drink. 

He could only cry and 

wish that Freemont would come home

but Freemont did not come home.

The day turned to night and 

then a little before midnight Freemont came home.

“Where have you been?” Asked Frederick.

“Under a bridge and

talking with a friendly flamingo.” Freemont responded.

Frederick became inconsolable 

and the battle resumed only this time worse than before.

Freemont was red eye furious 

and bounced off the porch and into the night 

as the rain poured even harder.

Frederick couldn’t bounce anymore. 

He just cried without stopping.   

He cried so much that his tears poured as heavily as the rain.

Frederick was made of wood and put together 

with just a bit of glue. 

The moisture from his tears, 

flowing down his wooden body loosened the glue 

that held together his wings.

As he cried on that shady porch,

he suddenly heard a noise, 

the sound of something hitting the wooden floor of the porch. 

Frederick looked around, blinked the tears from his 

and then he saw his wooden wings lying in a puddle of tears and rain

on the floor of the shady porch.

“I’ve lost my wings.” 

Frederick thought to himself and a deep sadness filled his heart.

 “I’ll never fly again.

Freemont is gone and there is no one 

to repair my broken wings.”

Frederick could not even cry anymore. 

He just bounced endlessly, staring straight ahead

without seeing anything.   

Frederick’s heart was broken, 

his wings were broken 

and his dream of a home with Freemont was broken.

The night passed and the morning sun,

though hidden by lingering rainclouds, 

brought gray light to chase away the darkness. 

Suddenly, Frederick was startled by a sound. 

Freemont trudged onto the porch, ruffled and wrinkled. 

Frederick immediately noticed that Freemont 

had lost the beautiful yellow surfboard that had been attached to his feet.

“What happened to your surfboard, Freemont?”  

“The glue got wet and it came off.  

I lost it somewhere in the night.” Freemont replied.

Frederick tried to say something but it was clear that 

Freemont did not want to talk.

However, Frederick could not help himself.

‘Where were you all night Freemont? “

“That’s none of your business. 

Nothing about me is any of your business anymore. 

We are done. 

I need to be other frogs like me and not a perfect pink flamingo like you.”

“Freemont! Please don’t say….”

Frederick couldn’t finish speaking. 

Freemont looked at Frederick and said,

“You can never forgive or forget anything, Frederick.

 You can’t shut up. 

You have to talk about everything 

and you never listen to anything that’s important to ME!. 

I don’t want to be with you anymore.

I don’t LOVE YOU! I NEVER loved you!“

“Freemont,you know that's not true! We love each other. 

We can figure things out. Just give it a chance.”

“I’ve given us too many chances already.

 I’m done with you, Frederick. I do not love you.

 I do not respect you. 

You are dead to me. 

 Good luck in your lonely perfect pink life.”

Freemont then headed off into the gray morning light

and out of Frederick’s life forever.

“What happened to those sunny, 

happy days together?” Frederick thought.

“What happened to us? 

How does everything disappear on a rainy day?

What happened to our love and our dreams?”

Frederick could not find any answers and 

a deep emptiness filled his little wooden heart. 

Frederick would never fly again and his heart would slowly 

become an echo chamber filled with cobwebs.

Frederick still bounced on the shady porch 

in the sunny city 

in the sunny state 

but it was only a bounce from the breeze, 

he had lost Freemont.

Freemont had made Frederick bounce

even on day with no breeze.

Now, Frederick could only think 

of everything that might have been.  

The End.

 ACCEPTANCE