Loved it but it's the saddest by far of all your tales.

sad but excellent

Writers group read aloud and discussed. Very well liked. We are doing study of your stories. This is excellent.

Wow! You did it. Actually, I have 24 stories here. As long as you wanted to read all of them, I can tell you that a very short piece that I wrote last Christmas eve is what you are missing. Check out THE LAST PRESENT. Not my best, but Heidi liked it and others too. I am learning to suppress the author intervention because of the two of you also. So thanks. I'll get back to you on your PM too. Many thanks for reading and liking and favoriting.

Hi Devon, Finally. My 23rd story. I'm sure this was the last from the looks of your list. I'll check again. Reading your works has been a pleasure. I'll say that before I go farther. This story is naturally very bleak. But the fact that you deal with such an issue is good. Your preface, however, may be unnecessary. I sense something here that I've seen in your stories and that you may have mentioned in a comment: Some of these stories were written for a different audience that knew you. Your preface is very telling about that. So are some of your other prefaces and interventions. You can explain that if you like when we talk. I said I would send you a service message on this forum, and I will try to get around to it today. Heidi is right, in my opinion, about this particular intervention where you step out and speak to the reader. I think the reader already can see that Brent is convinced of his alter life, and the author does not need to reinforce it. Truly, great details. You main strength. Also, the way you start things is always good. In medias res, as they used to teach us. In the middle of things. Another one of your strengths. Liked the story a lot. Sad but true. The Colleen side story was very skillful too. Watch for a message. Probably today.

The psychology here is deafening!!! A big wow!! Bravissimo!!

Heidi, Thanks!! It is hard to break the author intervention habit because it has always been a part of my style, but I liked that you pointed out this flaw. The story is, I admit, hard to take. It is very real, but can become very, very depressing if you don't distance yourself from the main characters. But I like to deal with reality. Many thanks for all your comments on all my stories. I will withhold my comments on the final two or three until I see yours.

I had to re-read this one because it'd been awhile since I read it the first time. Very sad, very sad....I remembered that the first time I'd read it, even though I knew where it was inevitably headed, part of me was hoping that there would be that twist in the end where he wasn't imagining anything, and that he really was chosen to be the representative of our dismal planet. No such luck of course. Knowing that this sort of thing goes on daily...everywhere...and that the signs are often ignored and/or not acted upon by those whose job it is to do so is what makes it so depressing. My only critique really, and this is sort of directed at several of your stories, is that that the interjections by you are not needed. It takes away slightly from the drama of the moment. I know others have mentioned this elsewhere. I also know that it could be a hard habit to break. Try to resist the urge next time and just see how it turns out. You could always add your own comments at the end without taking away from the rhythm of the story. Other than that, great story.