days of silence Yet Another Story Search

[Rutabaga]

Once again I'm wracking my brain trying to remember where I saw a story.  I'm pretty sure it was at AD.

I thought it was by Gee Whillickers, or maybe Merkin, but no joy either place.  I've checked a few others but still no luck.

It might have been called "The Wall" or "The Gate" or something having to do with midnight.  (How's that for vague?)

The story involves a mid-teen boy whose back yard adjoins the back yard of the house on the next street over, where another mid-teen boy lives.  The two boys were pals until two or three years ago, when the protagonist stopped hanging around with him any more, and I believe had stopped talking to him altogether.  I think the protagonist may also have gone goth or something similar at school.  These two boys had previously had a ritual where they met in the gate opening between the yards at midnight on a particular day (a birthday?).  In the story, the protagonist is building up the courage to go to the gate again at midnight, where once it strikes 12:00 he will deem himself able to talk again.  Or something like that.

I have probably garbled the story line, but does that suggest anything to anyone out there?

R

[Paul]

Pretty sure this is it. I remember reading it couple times in the distant past.

https://codeysworld.com/viv/short-stories/days-of-silence.html

 

 

[Rutabaga]

That’s it. I would never have found it. 

Thanks,

R

[Camy]

Wow! That brings back memories. It was written for the first anthology at Gay Authors ('Days of Silence'), which also included my first ever short story, 'JJ and The Boys.'

Thanks, Paul. And Rutabaga!

[Gee Whillickers]

On 2/12/2023 at 1:58 PM, Rutabaga said:

Once again I'm wracking my brain trying to remember where I saw a story.  I'm pretty sure it was at AD.

I thought it was by Gee Whillickers, or maybe Merkin, but no joy either place.  I've checked a few others but still no luck.

It might have been called "The Wall" or "The Gate" or something having to do with midnight.  (How's that for vague?)

The story involves a mid-teen boy whose back yard adjoins the back yard of the house on the next street over, where another mid-teen boy lives.  The two boys were pals until two or three years ago, when the protagonist stopped hanging around with him any more, and I believe had stopped talking to him altogether.  I think the protagonist may also have gone goth or something similar at school.  These two boys had previously had a ritual where they met in the gate opening between the yards at midnight on a particular day (a birthday?).  In the story, the protagonist is building up the courage to go to the gate again at midnight, where once it strikes 12:00 he will deem himself able to talk again.  Or something like that.

I have probably garbled the story line, but does that suggest anything to anyone out there?

R

I too remember that story, and really enjoyed it a few years ago. I'm honored that you thought it was one of mine.

 

[Rutabaga]

I remembered that you had one called "Northern Lights" and thought that might be it . . . but of course it was not.

I still put "Exothermic Reaction" high on my short list of perennial favorites.

R

 

[Cole Parker]

I'm often asked by readers to suggest stories on AD they might like.  Gee is one of the authors I list as the best and whose stories never disappoint.