Wrong Bride, Right Groom - The Cabin - Maxi's Story
#9 of Wrong Bride, Right Groom
Salutations all you happy readers and fellow writers out there. As you can see, i finally got to posting the next installment of my on going series, and am rather proud if it. How ever this one is different, as it is not a complete chapter....well not by itself anyways. for you see that this is actually just the first section of a three part chapter, the other two chapers involving the same things, merely from another perspective. thus i figured that it would be easier (not to mention quicker) to understand if i broke it up....hope you don't mind and the other two sections will be posted as soon as i can get my lazy ass to type them.
As you know, all the legal mumbo jumbo about being 18 and what not still apply...though i have honestly begun to wonder if anyone actually leaves when they read that....but that's nt my place to say. and all the characters mentioned in thie chapter are copywrited to me...Cyan Spirt....so no stealing unless you want to have my pack of wild lawyers ransack your home. and besides, if you want to use my characters....just ask...and i'm sure we can come to an agreement.
This chapter is dedicated to all my friends and fans, though to one person in perticular...Loveless Yuki. and may i just tell those of you who don't know him, he is a great guy to hang out with, a wonderful artist in my opinion, and may i just say a fantastic writer as well. which is why i am putting a link at the bottom of my story to where he has his own series going so that you can read it once you are done with mine.
so i'm sure you're all thinking the same thing, "enough with the rambling!!" and i have heard you and grant your wish....one with the story!!!
Sincerly your writing wolf,
Cyan
p.s. comments and votes are always welcome on my stories as well as Yuki's when you click on the link located below!
Wrong Bride, Right Groom - The Cabin: Maxi's Story
Maxi's ears rang with a booming voice as he heard Nathaniel shout again, "god damn it! I said MOVE!" and with that the smaller lion heard the side doors of the limo slam open and then closed in quick succession. The sounds of grunting and stretching ensued as Dean and Dan moved their joints after having sat in the limo for more hours then either would prefer to think about.
"So....is this the place that we will be staying at till Mom returns?" one of the twins asked, as though the rear window Maxi could just make out the form of figures moving in his direction.
"Yeah...this is where we will be staying," Nathaniel commented as he took in a deep breath of fresh mountain air before surveying his surroundings and instantly sensing he was missing something....or rather someone. "Go take your brother out of the trunk will you?...He has been cooped up there for almost the entire day."
And with that the cub heard the click of the trunk door unlatching and soon the steel wall opened to reveal the nature which encircled the Cordero's hunting cabin. "W-w-we here?" Maxi mewed softly, his legs and arms having fallen asleep hours ago as four golden paws wrapped themselves around his naked form and pulled him from the trunk; his brothers hoisting him over their shoulders like a used rug as they had done earlier that same day. The cub's head hung low, not having the strength to lift it any higher, as he stared at the dirt floor below him; the black rocks and shiny fragments of glass standing out against the muted beige sand of the make-shift driveway.
"He can walk..." the pride leader said bitterly as he scoffed towards his bound son. The cat's once golden pelt had become full of dirt and grime after laying in the trunk for untold hours, his tail wrapped itself around his waist in a meager attempt to hide his sheath from the eyes of his father and brothers. But with those words, Dean and Dan lowered him till his feet barely touched the ground and simply let go, his legs instantly buckling out from under him after having become stiff and feeble as the hours had passed simply laying in the limo.
Squirming around on the dirt below, his ankles and wrists still bound together with small plastic ties, the lion cub mewed pitifully up at his clothed family. "Cut him loose you dunder-heads!" Nathaniel shouted before the twins spontaneously snapped back to attention and stopped snickering at their sibling's predicament. While one hoisted him up from the ground by his bound wrists, the other ducked down, and with a small pocket knife cut the plastic tie so that Maxi could regain the ability to walk once again.
Slowly and hesitantly, Maxi tried out each joint, moving his legs around and hearing the small pops of his ligaments beginning once again to flex and bend at his will. "It still aches a bit..." he whimpered to any feline who would listen to his pleas, but they all avoided eye contact with the boy as though he carried a plague. Then without a word the older lion turned and started walking towards the obvious entrance to the cabin, his brothers quickly following in behind their father as he felt one paw on either side of him grip his shoulders and guide him towards the looming structure before the approaching family. The lion winced as his bare paws had to walk over small sharp stones and twigs, their points jabbing into his sensitive pads and adding to his distress, but none the less he looked up at the cabin determined on viewing his newest destination.
For there, nestled in between the trees was a structure that, for its surroundings, seemed rather modern in its construction. Its roof was covered in large solar panels that seemed to follow the sun's path across the sky and were currently facing westward towards the sunset he had seen while being driven up. And from between the breaks in the panels, he could make out the red timber that made up the roof planks and surrounding walls of the structure. The building only had one floor on which many large glass windows protruded from the front area, which the feline figured was the living room or den. Small grayish air vents stood out against the wooden backdrop as he could see that each was latched with a large combination lock. And as he continued to move closer to the looming swelling, he could see a small gated off area in the back where the air-conditioning unit was housed. Silently, Maxi angled his head in an attempt to further view the cabin, but only succeeded in seeing a small clearing of grass and weeds before the land fell back into a dense forest of large trees.
The cub was too concentrated on his surroundings as he nearly tripped on the first stone step that led to the front porch of the cabin. With his own paws still restrained behind his back, and with his brothers' paws guiding him with small nudges either to the left or right, he managed to climb the four steps and move into the screened off outer porch of the cabin. "Just push him into one of those seats will you Dean?" their father asked as he pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the door before stepping inside, "and then you boys come with me...We have to go set up for your brother's encagement....err....stay."
The twins merely laughed as Dean hoisted their bound sibling by the waist into the air and sat him down on one of the large sun-chairs that scattered the porch. Then with a small grumble if having to do even more chores, the boys slowly drooped their heads and followed their father in side, slamming the door as they went. "Bastards..." Maxi whispered to himself as he struggled with the plastic tie that still held his arms together, but like all the other tries, it was of no use. But being alone for the first time in a couple of days gave the boy some time to finally take a breather as he surveyed his current surroundings.
The porch was covered in dust and dead leaves, looking as though this cabin hadn't been used in some time; the floors screaming for a good sweeping and the walls crying out in vain for even a drop of water to touch their dusty paneling. There were two large windows on either side of the front door, both of which whose trim was stained a dark cherry red to accent the black door and brass door knocker. There was also a screened bug net that traveled all along the outside frame of the room which gave a full view of the outside, yet still felt like he was, as his father put it...caged. The only furniture in the sparsely decorated space were three large sun-chairs, one of which he was currently sitting in, and two small end tables which were placed on opposite corners of the enclosed room.
Maxi then took in a deep breath, letting the faint scent of paint and wood stain fill his nose before he took a moment and stared down at his naked form, finally seeing his body in the purity of natural light rather then the dim confines of the limo. His eyes lingered on his soft furry chest, the light golden color smudged with dust, grime, and the occasional ball of lint which clung to his fur. The paler color on his chest, drifted away to a darker complexion on his thighs and legs, the full force of his golden sheen evident on his sculpted lower half. The last remnants of the day's light filtered through the screen and bathed him in golden rays which made his pelt shimmer like a newly cut yellow diamond. The boy then took a moment to stretch his newly freed legs apart as he turned each ankle in his socket, hearing the small cracks of his joints loosening up; this move giving him a clear view of his soft sheath which lay pressed against his right leg as he slowly removed his tail from around his waist and shivered as he felt the small tip of the fur slowly brush against his sac hidden from his view. He then let the soft warm air slowly drift from between his sealed lips till he felt his chest relax, and having given up on trying to free his paws for the moment, he slowly stole glances through the window that was off to his left.
Through the dusty window panes he could make out the form of his brothers and father moving about as he slid large pieces of furniture here and there, the dragging sounds resulting from the legs being slid over the wooden floors reverberated out of the room. Finally they stopped and met in the middle of the room as Nathaniel pondered a moment before pointing to his sons and directing them outside while he turned and took a seat on one of the large armchairs that faced the main entrance and reached to the side as he pulled out a small gray box and began fiddling with it. Though Maxi's attention to what his father was doing was suddenly cut off as the front door opened with a creak and Dean and Dan stood before him. "Dad says everything is fixed up for your stay.." one replied as each lion walked to one side of him, slipped an arm around his elbow, hoisted him to his feet, and directed him through the large black front door in order to stand in front of the leader of his pride.
Half walking and half dragged through the door, all three boys soon stood in front of their father who was seated on a plush mahogany colored armchair. "We got him Dad....just like you asked.." Dean spoke up as the twins stood behind him with puffed out chests as through they had just returned from a successful hunt. The now captured male taking a quick glance around the room as Nathaniel placed the gray box down and sat like a king on his freshly buffed throne. The room looked to lend itself to serve multiple functions, as the large television against the back wall followed by the long couch and two plush chairs told of a party room; while the long oak table told the story of a dining room; and the picture window in the corner along with a separate door that lead out back told the tale of merely another entranceway. But along with the door across from him, there were three doors to the right side of the room before the wall disappeared behind a corner, each door lacquered a deep cherry red to match the burgundy walls and hardwood floor which covered the space. And along his backside he felt an added increase of heat, and with only barely turning his head, he managed to take a glimpse of a large brick fire place with a roaring flame hidden behind a steel grate to protect the flammable structure from any stray embers.
An awkward silence fell over the large room as Maxi swiveled his head back around to meet the gaze of his father, neither saying anything as their faces became like emotions carved out of solid marble. Pride elder staring down at his youngest sireling, as son stared back up at the male who had given him life, neither of the two gazes being interrupted by a single blink. Though soon the older male made a small wave of his paw and scoffed, "shove him in cell number two will you...the air conditioning doesn't work in number one and we can't afford to have him overheat and get heat stroke." His voice crisp like a dried leaf being crunched between fingers, and soon his focus was back on the gray box as he once again began to turn it all around as he played with the small dials and knobs.
Maxi barely had time to respond before he felt the tugs and pushes of his brothers, their movements directing to the right and through the doorless entrance that led into a small and overly cramped hallway. The burgundy colored walls and wooden floors continued as they passed three doors on his right and two more on his left till finally they arrived at the end of the passage; which to the feline's surprise was merely a dead end with a small circular window that looked out onto the backyard. "Where are you taking me?" he quipped lightly up at his siblings.
"Pipe down will you!" Dean growled at the cub as he pushed the boy into the arms of his twin and set about running his paws over the wall next to him. His fingers set about tapping gently at the paneling, his head moving against the wall till his ear was mere inches from his fingers so that he could better discern the differences in tone till at last he located the area he was searching for. "Found it!" the older lion said gleefully, and with a small poke on a well hidden indent in the plaster, the sound of whirring gears sounded throughout the hallway as the three boys took a few steps back and watched in earnest.
Each lion watched with baited breath as two door sized sections of wall slid inwards and back into the paneling to reveal large gray steel sections in their place. "Well don't just stand there..." Dan said as he made sure to firmly hold his younger brother against him, "open cell number two already!"
"But which one is number two?" Dean responded, for each door had had it's numbers panels torn off the front, leaving only a unpainted section in its place. But only getting a soft kick from his brother, the male shrugged and opened the door on the right by slowly turning the small handle, and after a hard yank or two the hinges gave way and he was meted with a full face of hot air. The smell of sweat, paint chippings, stale air, and dust filled the hallways before the door was instantly shut, "guess it isn't that one huh?" he said with a chuckle as he ran his paws back over his mane to tame the wild hair.
"You are such an ingrate!" Dan sighed as he shoved his partly bound younger sibling against Dean's chest this time, who caught him with a small grunt of surprise. "Hold him will you....Think you can handle that much?" he said sarcastically and was rewarded with a sneer for a response. "Good enough....now I'll open this one.." and with that he tightly gripped the handle and forced the hinges to open, a rush of cool air flying into his face as he smirked and motioned for Maxi to take a look at his new accommodations.
So with a few slow steps, the smallest lion walked past his brother and stared into the bare room which lay before him. The walls were a dull gray as no one had even bothered to even paint the cold steel panels, their shimmering surface scratched by countless claws that had been dragged over the hard metal. The floor was padded with a ratty and deflated gray mattress whose springs had all been pulled out and only the bare bits of foam and cloth remained. As the boy looked around the room, he noticed that besides a small window placed high above the floor on the opposite wall, there was only a small lighting fixture that provided illumination in the tiny cell. Though through the bare light, he managed to make out a small gray box exactly left of the door frame where he now stood, staring into the bleak accommodations he had been provided with by his father. "Please don't...I'll be good, I promise," Maxi squealed as he turned around to face Dean and Dan.
"Dad's orders.." Dean replied with an uncaring shrug as Dan merely nodded, they both standing coldly at the entrance. The lion then took a few steps so that he was between Dan and Maxi, and with a small shove of his paws, pushed the smaller feline into the cell. The twins simply watched as Maxi tried to catch himself, but only ended up falling down on his rump with a thud, a small puff of dust erupting from the grimy mattress below him. The cub then looked up at the two lions who stood towering above him at the entrance and was about to whimper and beg some more before he heard the crackling of flowing electricity.
All three of the felines turned to stare at the small gray box, a small light on it blinking red for a few seconds before it flashed green and a rough voice came through. "Di-chk you boys get Ma-sck in......wan-chak...feed....din-shck..." the voice horribly distorted, and none of the felines could make out what ever was said, through the gray speaker.
Dan merely sighed as he walked over and used a finger to press a small black button on side, "We can't hear you Dad....Can you repeat that?" he talked into the speaker before releasing the button and taking a step back.
The voice grumbled on the other end, and soon static filled the room as it raised and lowered in pitch till once again the voice of the male lion returned. "God damn contraption...Now what I said was," as their father took a deep breath, as though having to repeat himself was an overly laborious task. "Did you boys get Maxi in his cell? And I want you to feed him dinner as well. Got that?" as the older male lion sighed, seeing that his message finally got through to his offspring.
Even through the shoddy speakers, Nathaniel could hear the twins chuckle and snicker as they rubbed their paws together as an evil scientist would do when he is contemplating his newest scheme for world domination. "Sure farther...Absolutely...I can promise that Maxi will get fed," Dean said as a small sneer passed between his lips, his eyes locking with those of his twin, their ideas passing between them without even a spoken word.
Though this little plan certainly didn't show without their father catching on instantly that something was definitely up. "And I want you boys to do nothing to Maxi's food....Do you understand me?...NOTHING!! Or you two will be sharing the cell next to him, do I make myself clear?" the speaker shouted as it clicked off, Nathaniel not even waiting to get his sons' responses.
"Yes sir..." the twins said in drone-like unison as both boys glared at their naked brother still sitting on the dusty mattress before walking out of the small cell and slamming the door with a loud clang. The sound of a large lock being slid through the pad lock and then set, echoed in the small chamber as once again Maxi was left alone, isolated from everyone.
The light of dusk filtered through the small bars to fill the isolated chamber, and dragged the small boy deep into his thoughts as he slid himself so that he could lean back against the base of the left wall. Maxi's claws clicked against the metal wall behind him as they were still bound behind his back, his joints now numb and slightly sore from the excessive time stuck in that unnatural position. The boy's loneliness came rushing back to him, spurred on by the ghostly silence which hung like a damp cloth over his cell; the urge to make a noise filling his mind as he lifted and leg and brought it swiftly down atop the mattress, a cloud of dust poofing up in a small mushroom cloud.
As the sparkling dust danced in the last golden rays of the setting sun like so many dancers floating through empty space; so did thoughts weave their ways into Maxi's mind as he sat there, his head resting between his knees, whimpering to himself. "Gods Jason....I'm so sorry," he sighed as he could feel the salty tears slowly fill his eyes. "I didn't mean for you to get....you know....killed, I swear I didn't!" he whined to the four bleak walls the enclosed him, "I want you here with me....and it is all my fault that you aren't."
Like the many dams he had seen his father collapse in the name of progression, the dams in his eyes were starting to crack and shatter as the first of many tears cascaded down his dusty golden cheeks. Slowly the sobbing grew more forceful as the lion was soon heaving the drops of water from his eyes to only watch them form a small puddle on the mattress below. "I....I-I never even got to tell you....that....that...it was you I wanted to get m...m-marri-" his struggling voice interrupted by a large pounding on the metal door.
"Dinner is here ya little whelp!" Dan screamed through the steel door which separated the brothers. And with that Maxi could make out the sound of a deadbolt sliding and scraping against the metal before a small hatch slid out of the way at the bottom of the door. The small lion only eyed the opening silently, knowing there was no way to formulate an escape based on an opening the size that even the smallest of mouse cubs would have a hard time squeezing through.
"Dad made us cook you a steak..." Dean said, as Maxi was sure he could detect a slight growl. And with that a small blue plastic plate was slid through the opening and came to rest against the boy's foot, the smell of the grill wafting around the enclosure as though someone had just set a bag of charcoal on fire and left it to smoke unattended. "So you damn well better eat it!" the voice said with an audible sneer; the twin obviously being enraged at having to serve their captive sibling.
Slowly the cub's eyes left the opening and looked down at the plate in front of him, the glossy blue surface covered in dark grease and bits of burnt meat. And what wasn't covered in grease, was hidden by the large slab of meat, its form taking up almost the entire surface of the plate. Maxi sniffed the meal set before him a while, his gaze dancing over the burnt outer crust to see the small cut through the center which showed of the bright pink and still juicy center. That was certainly one thing he couldn't say bad about his brothers, they certainly knew how to make a good meal when they put their minds to it, and chances are his father and forced them to do just that in preparation of his course. Though something sill seemed missing, "well...can I at least have something to drink?" he whined.
"Yeah, yeah...we though of that already bro..." Dan responded; a small brown can then slid through the slot, though only managing to make it less then half the distance across the room that the plate did. "It's root beer...Dad said it was your favorite and that you might as well have a bit of enjoyment..." the voice sounded again with a sarcastic tone.
"Bite me..." Maxi grumbled under his breath as he struggled to move closer in order to finally get some liquid into his body. "And just how am I supposed to open the blasted can and take a drink!?!....my paws are still restrained behind my back by that fucking tie!" his voice reverberating off the metal walls around him, making his expression seem even louder then he meant it to sound.
"God damn, you are such a whiny brat!" Dean said as Maxi watched a golden paw slip through the slot, and with a few slides over the carpet, found the can and pulled it back out of his cell. The cub could hear the distinctive pop of the top of the can, along with the fizz of the bubbles that he figured were now pouring over the edge. "Go to the kitchen and find something will you Dan?" and with a small grunt of acknowledgement, the sound of sneakers on the wood floor and the slam of a door was heard by the current prisoner.
Then there was nothing but silence, broken only by the occasional sound of someone sipping a drink, as the two brothers waited for the third to return from his mission. But soon enough the creak of a door opening came as a paw rattled on the metal door as though to get Maxi's attention, even though he had been aware the entire time. "Found something," the lion reported, and with a couple grunts and snickers, the can was slid back into the cell, only this time there was a huge curly green straw that stuck from the opening.
"You know you could have just untied me!" the prisoner shouted at the degrading prospect of having to use such a childish object. "I mean how the hell am I supposed to eat that steak?!?" as he slammed a foot against the mattress, which only produced another small cloud of stale dust.
A loud sigh erupted from the other side of the door as a fist made a single deafening slam against the metal door. "And you could have just done what you were told to do in the start, and none of this would have happened you fucking bitch. You will never become a true member of our pride, and in my eyes an embarrassment to the entire family...right Dean?" Dan's voice cut off, and was then followed by a few moments of silence before the other twin realized that he had been addressed.
"Absolutely," Dean responded finally, his voice not nearly as sure in its conviction as his brothers, but certainly not one to go against family policy...or his father. "In fact Dan, you know I believe that h-" before his explanation was interrupted by the patronizing voice of his sibling.
"Yeah, sure, great, whatever..." Dean said with what Maxi could imagine a roll of the eyes and a dismissal of the paw, though his brothers' faces were hidden by the large gray door that separated them. "And as for how you eat you steak, I don't give fucking damn how you do it! In fact, I could care less if you starve, the family might just be a little better off as a result!" and with that, the small panel where his food had been shoved trough was shut with a loud CLANG and the youngest lion could make out the sounds of someone fiddling with the lock before the small 'click' echoed in the tiny chamber.
"Good night brother...I hardly knew ye," Dan said with a chuckle, "and thank God for that." Then, once the twins made sure that all the locks were secured, the panel was rehidden, and that the air conditioner was indeed pumping cool air into their brother's cell, they were off. "Hey...think Dad still has the game on?" Dan asked in passing as the lions trotted down the hallway and out of hearing range from their imprisoned sibling.
Once again Maxi was left all alone to his thoughts of Jason and the rest of his life, though this time there was food to distract those ideas for the time being. Struggling, the cub managed to right himself up, and use a foot to gently slide the can of soda the rest of the way across the mattress and close enough to his body so that he could lean over and take a sip. Instantly he let a contrived relaxed sigh escape his muzzle as the cold soda flowed down his throat, the first thing he had had to eat or drink in well over a day. The bubbles tickled his nose as he sucked constantly on the twisty green straw, watching the fluid travel around the curves and loops of the design before ending up flowing against his tongue. Though leaning over as he was, his sweaty and dusty mane was falling into his eyes and making it hard to concentrate on keeping himself hydrated, till at long last he removed his lips from the saw and sat up again, flipping his head back so the mane would slide back into place and he could see the steak in front of him.
Now figuring out how to eat a steak without the use of one's arms or utensils was going to be an interesting challenge, the boy thought as he used a footpaw to shift the plate closer to his body. Then, after a small prayer that he was flexible enough, Maxi bent over with his mouth open in an attempt to pick up the steak in his small fangs, and after a few tries of straining his abs to basically flex in half, he managed to get his muzzle low enough to gently gnaw at the edge of one side. The smoky smell filling his nostrils and flooding his brain as the mental message of 'food' was shot throughout his body and instantly his stomach began to growl; so to satisfy his lust for food, he bit down into the meat and began to pull, softly at first, till he saw that much more force would be needed before he could take his first bite. Finally, after a continual struggle with the slab of meat for a few more moments, he was rewarded with a juicy chuck, and in a matter of seconds it was chewed and down his throat, his mouth hungry for another bite.
The second, third, and fourth bites went much the same as the first, as the lion reveled in the sensations of a full stomach; after each nibble taking a sip of his soda though no longer mesmerized by the curly loops of the straw. Though on the fifth bite, he managed to hit a rather tough piece of gristle, and spent two minutes or so frustrated by his pulling not rewarding him with a chuck of steak. In the end, he just yanked on the slab of beef so hard that it flew off the plate and slapped his chest as it dangled by the corner that was still held between his teeth. Maxi could feel the juices running down his chest and making his pelt smell like he had just spent the day in a smoker rather then the back of a limo. And with gravity helping the process, he finally got the bite of steak he was seeking, however he was also rewarded with a very wet lap as the half eaten steak fell atop his thighs, coating them in warm meaty juices.
"Just my luck," the cub wined to himself as he tried his best, but could not maneuver a foot or his mouth to reach down and remove the steak from his pelt. But soon enough something caught the boy's ears as a faint hissing sound seemed to come out of the walls or sealing, the noise like a balloon that had a small hole in its side and was slowly letting out air. And from outside his cell, on the other side of the large metal door, he picked up the faint sound of mumbling before three 'thumps' of things hitting the floor of the cabin. "Wh-what's going on?" the lion said with a frightful tinge, obviously not liking the sudden stillness save for the hissing.
But soon enough his question was answered by a large plume of dense purple smoke slipping in from around the edges of the door to form a massive cloud in front of him. The purple fog seemed to hover at the ceiling as more and more slipped through the cracks, its wisps of smoke gently caressing the light fixture before enveloping it, sending a faint purple light covering the cell's gray walls. "AHHH!!....What the hell is that stuff?!?" Maxi shouted as he turned to face the fog, and plating his feet on the ground, began to propel himself backwards till his back slammed against the far wall. Soon the small lion was cowering in the corner as the smog just seemed to build and build, pushing the clean air out through the small window till it began to drift down to Maxi's level, much to his dismay.
"No no no no no no!!" the feline howled as the purple wisps danced over his face and muzzle. Instantly he began to hold his breath in a futile attempt to out last the fog, though soon he felt as though his lungs were shriveling up, and forced himself to deeply inhale the smoke. His head instantaneously felt light headed, as though he had just inhaled a helium balloon, and the room around him seemed to shimmer and swirl in a mass of gray and purple tones of color. His breaths became slow; taking in gasp after gasp of the smog till it became a labor to even keep his eyes open, and felt them shut with a deafening mental CLANG. He soon barely had enough energy to keep his head up, and soon enough his body slid along the back wall till his face impacted the mattress with a soft thump; his body barely able to even mouth the words, "sleeping gas..." before he drifted off into a mauve shaded slumber.
well i hoped you liked the story and wouldn't mind leaving your thoughts below on what i did well, what sucked, and what i have to improve on. and as promiced above in my overly long opening...here is the link to my dear friend's story series, "A Desert Rose" ENJOY!! http://www.freewebs.com/amberstone/