This is the continued story of Simon’s Journal.
I would highly recommend you read the first volume of this story, Thirteen Days before you begin this novel.

The following narrative is nearly a complete work of fiction.
Any similarity to actual individuals living or dead is completely unintentional.
If reading a coming of age story about boys wearing diapers and exploring their awakening sexuality is offensive or illegal in your area, then might I suggest you go read War and Peace or something equally stimulating.

Simon's Journal

Volume II

Thirteen Nights – After the Crusade

Written by

Danny
Author of Thirteen Days

Chapter - 2

PART 4 – It may not be first contact, but it is first discovery

As Dad and I were walking back out to the car I noticed how cool the air was getting. “It’s kind of chilly this afternoon huh?” I said to Dad.

“Yeah, sure is! Hope it doesn’t get too cold.” He said back.

“Me either, I’m tired of the cold!” I said just as we reached our car.

The ride back to the house was uneventful aside from minor chitchat between the two of us. When we pulled into the driveway of our home there was a car, neither of us recognized, sitting in front of our house. We soon learned who it belonged too when the two of us walked in through the sliding backdoor.

“Oh! Hello Mrs. Winston!” I said, realizing that it was Mike and Taters’ mom. Though she smiled when she saw us come in, it was plain to see that she’d been crying seconds before we came home.

“Is everything alright?” Dad asked. With a single quick look that she gave us both, I could tell that everything wasn’t alright.

Mrs. Winston stood up and embraced me just the way Aunt Polly had embraced Tom Sawyer when she learned that Tom had not drowned in the river, but was still very much alive.

She started sobbing again, and I could feel her tears moistening the top of my head.

Without realizing she was suffocating me, she pressed my face into her ample bosoms and was cutting off my air supply. “Mrs. Winston, I can’t breath!” I cried, though I knew it was mostly muffled.

“Oh I am so very sorry my dear, sweet boy!” she said, only partially releasing me.

I probably played it up a little more than I had to when I gasped for air after being freed from her constricting arms. The thought also flashed through my head of how grateful I was for having my new rib protector; otherwise, she would have crushed me for sure!

“What’s going on?” I asked, as she held my face in her two hands like she was inspecting a melon at the grocery story. It wouldn’t have surprised me a single bit if she would have tried to thump my noggin to see if I was ripe! Thankfully she didn’t!

Mom went on to explain that she’d been telling Mrs. Winston all the gruesome details that I’d shared with her only days before about Tater, Bull and everything that they’d done, and I do mean everything! I wanted to crawl under the house and die, but I couldn’t; Mrs. Winston was still holding my face and wouldn’t let me go.

When she looked away for a second toward Mom, I gave Dad a desperate pleading glance for him to rescue me from this emotional mess of a woman. Thankfully, he understood and finally liberated me.

“Why don’t we let Simon go back to his room and we’ll talk more.” Dad said, as he pried me free from her trembling hands.

Dad handed me the bag of things we’d bought at the Computer show, even his things, and sent me to my room. I had never been happier to get sent to my room in my life! Aside from one quick trip to Mom and Dad’s bedroom to drop Dad’s new purchases on his bed, I did not come back out of my room until nearly time for bed! Heck, I didn’t even go out for dinner or when Lowell called for me on the phone.

I closed my door and changed out of my diaper because I’d apparently wet it again on the way home. However, since I couldn’t put a diaper on by myself, especially now that I had on my new chest armor, I just slipped on one of my Goodnights, climbed into the bottom of my closet, and closed myself into the dark.

I stayed there in the dark, mostly thinking, until I was sure Mrs. Winston had left. Then and only then, did I climb out again. I retrieved my electronic journal before returning to my closet-tomb, where I closed myself in again to record the events of my day.

While writing, I had just got up to the point where Dad and I had run into Lowell at the Computer Show when I realized that while I’d been talking to Lowell was when I’d wet myself, and not when we’d been on the way home as I’d guessed earlier. That really bothered me, maybe more than it should have.

When Mom had dinner ready for us, Dad came looking for me and found me sitting in here. Without opening my closet door, I told him I didn’t want any dinner. I was surprised when he didn’t press the issue and just left me alone. A short while later I heard Mom and Dad arguing again and it got pretty dang heated, but since I was closed-up in my closet, all I could hear were muffled yells and nothing clear.

At exactly 9:03 p.m. I slid open my closet door to see what time it was and decided to run the cable between my E-Journal and my computer so that I could check my email and write to Lowell to explain why I didn’t want to talk to him when he called. I had a lot of email; more than I normally get in any given day. The first one I opened was from Mike and it had arrived before school this morning. It was short and to the point and nearly made me break down and cry.

Simon,

I just wanted to tell you that no matter what; I will still be your FRIEND! I got to go to school now but I will try to call you after school or email you again.

Mike

I couldn’t believe the email from Mike, and it really set me to thinking about why he sent it. Had he known something this morning, even before his Mom ever came over and before my Mom told her everything; even the super personal stuff? There is just no way of knowing. I mean without actually asking him, which is just what I was thinking of doing. However, first I checked to see if I had a second email from him, and sure enough I did, and it was a long one…

Hi again Simon,

Okay, first thing I have got to tell you is that you can’t tell anyone that I’m emailing you because I’m not allowed and I will explain about that in just a second. First, I have to tell you that you won’t believe what happened at school today! Everyone is so scared since those kids came up missing and Principle Freeman brought in Security Guards this afternoon and they are watching all the doors and walking the hallways. Also, and I think maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but if it were me I’d want to know. There are a few kids saying some not-so-nice stuff about you. Man, word got around really fast about my brother and his friends. I don’t blame you at all for what you did! I really mean that! Neither does my Mom but we’ve been told that for right now, it is better that we don’t talk with you. Some lawyer guy is the one that told my Mom that and she said that me and you can still be friends but not right now because Tate is coming back home tomorrow maybe. There was some kind of court thing today and they said that Mom has to, uh, I can’t remember what it is called, but they said Mom has to give them money so Tate can come home. She is so way mad. Not at you but she is mad at my brother Tate! I know Tate is in major, big-time, super-sized, trouble because even Dad called home from all the way over in Kuwait this afternoon. I am so glad that I got to talk with him and I am not ashamed to say I cried because I miss him so much. Mom said that my little sister and me are going to be staying with my uncle for a while because of Tate and maybe my older sister when she comes back too. Mom is hollering me for me so I have to go.

Your way good friend, Mike!

Just as I was getting ready to hit the reply button to send Mike an email back, I heard the doorbell right and wondered out loud, “Who would be coming over this late?”

For maybe a full minute I actually thought about getting out of my closet to see who it was, but I realized that I didn’t much care who it might be. I wasn’t feeling all that social tonight. However, I did try to listen to see if I could hear anything but I couldn’t, so I returned to my emails.

Mike,

Thanks for your emails today. Did you know your Mom came over here at my house? At least she was here not too very long ago when Dad and I came home. Dad and I went to the computer show today. I’ll tell you all about it later.

I can’t believe Mr. Freeman brought in security guards. I only heard about the kids being taken this morning when I was at Dad’s work, but I didn’t know it was around here.

Dad and I went to the hospital today and while we were there, Runt woke up from his comma. I didn’t get to see him but Dad said that he’s doing good. Have you heard from Lowell or Jasper? I saw Lowell at the computer show today.

Thanks for being my friend and I am sorry that things are so rotten right now ‘cause of me!

Your friend too, Simon!

As soon as I pressed the send button on my screen a new email, this time from Lowell appeared, so I opened it next.

Hi Simon! I tried to call but your Dad said you were not feeling good. I hope you are okay. Maybe you over-did it today at the show. I hope not. I was just calling to tell you that my Dad would not let me come over today. I sold another Plasma TV today after I saw you. That makes two all together. My Uncle said I am a natural salesman. I wish we had time to talk at the show. I been wanting to talk with you about some stuff but I guess it can wait. Write back as soon as you get this so I know you are okay. Have you got to ride your new skateboard yet? Lowell

I wrote Lowell back right away:

I got your email just now. I was writing to Mike when it popped up in my inbox. Sorry I didn’t come to the phone when you called. I’m not sick, just got stuff on my mind. I know that’s not an excuse but I just needed to be alone for a while to try to think about some stuff. I hope you are not mad at me. Have you heard about the three missing kids on the news? Mike said that they brought in security guards to our school today because of it. Did they do that at your school too? I think that I might not be able to ride my skateboard for a while until my ribs finish healing. What do you want to talk with me about?

Simon

After I wrote Lowell I looked through the remaining emails that I’d not yet opened and saw that I had one from Jasper that came in around 4 pm. I took a deep breath, felt my chest pressing against my new body armor as I did so and as I let out my breath I opened his email expecting the worst.

I don’t know if you will read this or not but I just had to write you. I am sorry I got so mad at you. Bull came home this afternoon. I was here because my parents didn’t want me to go to school today. Dad is home too; he came home really early this morning. Mom says I’m not to be friends with you anymore but Bull talked to me a little while ago and he explained a bunch of stuff that no one else would tell me about. He said that I shouldn’t stop being your friend and that what happened had nothing to do with you. He wants to write to you too but he said he’s not allowed too have any contact with you but if you say it is safe and you don’t mind he said he can send you an email from my address. He wanted me to ask you first to be sure it is okay first, so is it okay? I’m sorry I didn’t come to your birthday party, I was really mad at you because . . . well that doesn’t matter now. I know none of what happened was your fault and I hope you and I can still be friends and it is okay if you don’t want Bull to write to you, I will understand.

Email me back, Jasper

As I read Jaspers email something inside of me was telling me that I needed to go and tell Mom and Dad what both Mike and Jasper wrote to me. Now maybe I’d of listened to that little voice inside of me had I not come home to find that Mom had told Mrs. Winston all about how Tater and I had had sex together. Maybe I would have felt different had she not betrayed my confidence. Well, right or wrong, that’s how I felt at that moment and still feel now. While I thought about it, I honestly started to get scared that she would make it so that I couldn’t be friends with Jasper or Mike if she knew Tater and Bull both were either home, or coming home.

I still had a couple emails that I’d not opened. Two were from my best-friend BJ, but I was no longer in the mood for emails, so I decided to close down my email and Journal a little while longer. Just as I was about to close my email, a second email from Lowell popped up in my inbox.

Simon,
I just got your email, are you still online right now? Can you email me right now? Can we talk with IM? – Lowell.

Without thinking about it, I decided to go ahead and email Lowell back so that I could send him my Instant Message Screen Name. I told him to give me five minutes to log on with my computer and I explained that I was currently using my E-Journal.

I crawled from my closet floor and went to my desk where I logged onto the Internet and brought up my Instant Messenger. I already had a message from Lowell asking me to add him to my contact list, so I did and right away he started messaging me.

Lowell: “There you are! Hi Simon!”

Me: “Hi Lowell.”

Lowell: “Thanks for coming online.”

Me: “No problem! Glad you emailed me back so fast!”

Lowell: “Yeah me too!”

Me: “So what’s so urgent?”

Lowell: “Oh boy! That’s kind of hard to say!”

Me: “I don’t understand.”

Lowell: “Can I ask you a question first?”

Me: “Sure!”

Lowell: “Promise not to get mad or freak out?”

Me: “Ask me first and then I might promise.”

Lowell: “All right. Here goes!”

There was a pause before Lowell’s question appeared on my computer screen.

Lowell: “How do you feel about wearing diapers?”

It was my turn to pause, but for a little longer than he had. I honestly had not expected that question and was sure he was going to ask me about Tater or Bull, or something that had to do with them.

Lowell: “Are you still there?”

Me: “Yes.”

Lowell: “If you don’t want to answer it’s okay.”

Me: “You tell me first.”

Lowell: “That’s fair. I really like them!”

Again, I paused as feelings I’d never felt before were flooding my being and I struggled to make sense of them. When I didn’t reply Lowell sent another message.

Lowell: “Do you remember that day when we met at Wal-Mart a couple weeks ago?”

Me: “Yeah sure!”

Lowell: “Well when me met next to the skateboards, that wasn’t the first time I saw you!”

Me: “Huh?”

Lowell: “I saw you getting out of that clothes rack. I was watching you.”

Me: “How?”

Lowell: “Don’t worry, no one else saw you!”

I went silent once more.

Lowell: “You were spying on the diaper isle huh?”

Me: “How did you know?”

Lowell: “I guessed, because that would have been the only place you could see clearly from inside that clothes rack!”

Me: “So you were spying on me?”

Lowell: “No, not spying. I just happened to see you going into the rack and you got to admit that it was not normal!”

I didn’t reply.

Lowell: “You do like diapers don’t you?”

I stuck my tongue in my cheek, and with a nearly panicked state falling in on me, I replied with a single word.

Me: “Yes.”

Lowell: “I KNEW IT! I followed you all over the store when you finally came out of hiding again just so that I could talk to you.”

Me: “Why didn’t you say something then that you saw me?”

Lowell: “I didn’t know for sure, not until later when I finally got to meet you again.”

Me: “Wow!”

Lowell: “You can say that again!”

Me: “Wow! Again!”

Lowell: “LOL”

Me: “I’ve never told anyone before!”

Lowell: “Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell!”

Me: “Thanks!”

An awkward stillness hung as neither of us sent a message. I just didn’t know what else to say and the longer we went without messaging, the worse the awkwardness got. Finally, Lowell sent a message though.

Lowell: “Have you ever heard of the term, Teenbaby?”

Me: “Yes.”

There was a short pause before Lowell sent the message.

Lowell: “Are you uncomfortable talking about this?”

Me: “I little!”

Lowell: “Would you rather we didn’t talk about it?”

Me: “No, it’s cool.”

Lowell: “Whew!”

Me: “What’s that for?”

Lowell: “Just glad is all.”

Me: “So why did you ask me if I knew what Teenbaby meant?”

Lowell: “Because I am one!”

Me: “Really?”

Lowell: “Yep!”

Me: “But you’re not a teen yet.”

Lowell: “That don’t matter really! Okay, if you want to get technical I guess I’m a Pre-Teenbaby!”

Me: “But why?”

Lowell: “Because I am!”

Me: “Do your parents know?”

Lowell: “Yep!”

Me: “REALLY?”

Lowell: “Yes really!”

Me: “And they are cool with it?”

Lowell: “It was my Mom that first told me that I wasn’t the only boy my age that wears diapers. There are lots of kids that wear them!”

Me: “How do you know?”

Lowell: “I’ve met lots of them online in chat rooms and on websites and stuff like that.”

Me: “No way!”

Lowell: “Yes way! I’m telling the truth! I have lots of Teenbaby friends online and even a couple Adult baby friends too.”

Me: “I’ve never met a real Teenbaby or Adult Baby before. I guess I’ve been too scared to try to online. All I have ever done was read some stories I found online about Teen babies.”

Lowell: “Do you like to read Teenbaby stories?”

Me: “Sometimes, but not the way-hokey ones!”

Lowell: “What’s hokey mean?”

Me: “Fake.”

Lowell: “Oh yeah! I know what you mean then. Can I ask you another question then?”

Knowing what Lowell was about to ask I decided to beat him to the punch.

Me: “I don’t know if I am one or not!”

Lowell: “How’d you know I was going to ask that?”

Me: “I got Super Powers!”

Lowell: “LOL”

Me: “My turn to ask a question. Do you only wear diapers because you like them?”

Lowell: “Not only ‘cause I like them but ‘cause I need them too.”

Me: “Just for night?”

Lowell: “All the time.”

Me: “Before Peter beat me up, I only wore Goodnites to bed for wetting.”

Lowell: “I wear Goodnites all the time and really only wear regular diapers on special occasions. I LUV Goodnites!”

Me: “So what’s the deal with Jasper then?”

I thought that I might as well try to get some information about Jasper if I could, but I wasn’t sure if Lowell would say or not, or even if he knew.

Lowell: “What do you mean?”

Me: “Is Jasper a Teenbaby?”

Lowell: “Yep! Diapers, bottles, the works!”

Me: “You’re joking!”

Lowell: “If I’m lieing, I’m dieing!”

Me: “Where should I send the flowers?”

Lowell: “What are you talking about? What flowers?”

Me: “The flowers for your funeral!”

Lowell: “I didn’t know you were a funny man!”

Me: “Evidently not!”

There was a brief pause, and then I sent another message to Lowell.

Me: “Are you really a Teenbaby?”

Lowell: “I wouldn’t lie about that Simon!”

Me: “Promise?”

Lowell: “Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye!”

Me: “Funny! Seriously! You are not just messing with me are you?”

Lowell: “Want proof?”

Me: “Proof? How?”

Lowell: “Give me two minutes and then check your email again!”

Me: “What for?”

Lowell: “You will see! But you best keep this Super Top-Secret!”

Me: “I don’t even know what IT is that I’m supposed to keep Top-Secret.”

Lowell: “You will, just wait!”

I opened my email again and waited impatiently. It seemed to take ages before an email popped up from Lowell.

Lowell: “It’s sent!”

Me: “Got it!”

Lowell: “Wow that was fast! Open it, there is a picture of me attached to it!”

I opened the email and clicked on the ‘Open Attachment’ button on my screen. I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the picture of Lowell sitting in a playpen surrounded by baby toys and wearing absolutely nothing but a diaper and sucking on a pacifier. It was perfectly obvious that it was him in the picture too! It was clear as could be!

Me: “WOW!”

Lowell: “LOL!”

Me: “Your parents let you send pictures like that?”

Lowell: “They don’t know I got them! LOL!”

Me: “I’m looking at this and I still can’t believe it!”

Lowell: “Well you can believe it, ‘cause that’s me! And don’t let your parents see that!”

Me: “No way I’d never let that happen!”

Lowell: “You said you like to read Teenbaby stories right?”

Me: “Yeah sometimes!”

Lowell: I started writing my own a couple months ago.

Me: “REALLY?”

Lowell: “Yeppers!”

Me: “Is it about you?”

Lowell: “No, it’s not a real story. I just made it up!”

Me: “What’s it about?”

As I sent that last message, my best friend-BJ’s screen name, ‘Green_Lantern’ popped up in my contact list alerting me that he was online. I’m sure it’s plain to see that BJ’s favorite super hero is the Green Lantern. A second later he sent a message to me.

Green_Lantern: “Hi Simon! What ya doing?”

At the same time, I got another message from Lowell.

Lowell: “It’s about this boy that has a problem with wetting his pants all the time. And he is the son of a world famous Archeologist.”

Me to BJ: “Hi Greeny.”

Green_Lantern: “Why do you insist on calling me that? You know I hate it!”

Me to Lowell: “Hey Lowell, can you give me a second? I got another friend that just came online and he’s sending me messages too. I’m getting confused. Let me see what he wants and then I’ll get right back to you! I want to hear more about this story of yours!”

Lowell: “Sure! I need to change for bed anyway. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Me to Lowell: “Okay!”

Me to BJ: Sorry BJ, I’ll never do it again……………… Greeny!”

Green_Lantern: “Just wait until I see you again! You think you’re a mess now?”

Me to BJ: “Oh I’m so scared!”

Green_Lantern: “So you doing okay? How’s the ribs?”

Me to BJ: I’m doing good! Can you come over tomorrow after school?”

Green_Lantern: “That’s why I messaged you! I wanted to know if you wanted me to bring you your homework.”

Me to BJ: “Heck no! Then I’d have to do it!”

Green Lantern: “Ha Ha Ha! Well I won’t do it then. Just thought I would ask.”

Me to BJ: “Thanks for thinking about me!”

Green_Lantern: “My Dad’s picking me up from school tomorrow. I’ll see if I can get him to let me stop by. If not, I’ll send you an email!”

Me to BJ: “Thanks BJ.”

Green_Lantern: “I got to go, I’m still doing my homework! I just wanted to see if you were online and check that you were still okay!”

Me to B J: “Okay! Have fun! Thanks for checking up on me!”

Green_Lantern: “Somebody’s got too! Good night and hope to see you tomorrow!”

Me to BJ: “Good night Greeny!”

Green_Lantern: “Grrrrrrrr!”

BJ growled at me just before his screen name vanished off my contact list. I sent Lowell a message right away.

Me: “Sorry about that Lowell! That was my friend BJ and he was just checking up on me! I’m all yours again!”

There was not a reply from Lowell right away and I figured he was still changing into his pajamas or something similarly appropriate for him. Then I had a thought and wondered to myself if he wore pajamas to bed or if he went to bed wearing just his Goodnites like in his photo he’d sent me.

Lowell: “Hi Simon, I’m back too! Sorry that took so long, I also had to get my books and things ready for school tomorrow.”

Me: “That’s okay, I wasn’t waiting long. Can I ask you something?”

Lowell: “Fire away!”

Me: “Do you wear Pajama’s to bed or just a diaper?”

Lowell: “That depends.”

Me: “On what?”

Lowell: “How about you come sleep over next weekend? Then you can see for yourself!”

Me: “Are you teasing?”

Lowell: “No Way!”

I didn’t reply right away. I needed a second or two think. For some reason, even though I knew he wore diapers too, and that I had nothing to fear if I wet in my sleep while over at his house, I still got scared and all worked up over the idea.

Me: “Um, I don’t know if my Mom and Dad will let me.”

Lowell: “Come on! It will be fun!”

Still feeling somewhat panicy, I gave into his request and sent the following message.

Me: “Okay, I’ll ask them, but don’t be surprised if they say no!”

Lowell: “YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!”

Me: “Alright, enhance your calm!”

Lowell: “LOL! I like that! Enhance your calm!”

Me: “Hey, tell me more about your story!”

Lowell: “If you want, I can do better than tell you! If you really want, I’ll let you read it!

I didn’t know how to reply back to him and before I could think of anything he sent another message.

Lowell: “You will be only the third person I ever let read it too!”

Me: “Wow Lowell! I would love to read it! So do your parent’s know about the story?”

Lowell: “Oh Yeah! They both read what I have written so far. I meant, only the third friend that I have let read it.”

I was about to ask Lowell how he was going to send it to me when he sent me a message answering that very question.

Lowell: “I will send you the first chapter in an email. When you are done with it let me know and I will send you the next chapter.”

Me: “That sounds like a plan!”

Lowell: “If you don’t like it, you can tell me. I won’t be offended! I know that not everyone is going to like it. My Mom and Dad both tell me that it is a really good story and my two friends that have let read it say the same thing but I’m not sure they mean it. They might be trying to keep from hurting my feelings.”

Me: “You don’t strike me as the kind of person that would think like that.”

Lowell: “I just wish I could get someone that’s not a friend to read it; someone that would tell me if it sucks rocks!”

Me: “Sounds like you are looking for a bad review.”

Lowell: “No, I just want a real opinion.”

Me: “Tell ya what, I will shoot it too you straight, as long as you promise not to be offended if I tell you that it is pure rubbish! But also, if I tell you that it’s good, you have to believe me when I do say so!”

Lowell: “Deal!”

Me: “Uh, what’s your story called anyway? Does it have a title?”

There was a short pause before I got Lowell’s reply.

Lowell: “It’s called, ‘Simon wets his bed!’”

Me: “WHAT?”

Lowell: “LOL! Enhance your calm! I’m only kidding!!!”

Me: “Enhance your own calm! Don’t do that to me! You scared the Bajeebers out of me!”

Lowell: “Oh well, sorry about your Bajeebers!

Me: “Keep it up and you are going to have to tell all of your friends that you got your butt kicked by an invalid!”

Lowell: “Okay, Okay! Don’t blow a gasket! It’s not really called that! I just couldn’t resist teasing you just a bit!”

Me: “Well never do that again! You nearly made me crap myself!”

Lowell: “LOL! Okay, the real title is called, ‘Hamunaptra’ and is set in time just after the war with the Nazis.”

Me: “I’ve heard of that name before.”

Lowell: “It used to be a real place. Have you ever seen the movie, ‘The Mummy’ with Brendan Frasier?”

Me: “Oh Yeah! I love that movie! The ‘City of the Dead’!”

Lowell: “You got it!”

Me: “Wow! That sounds way interesting!”

Lowell: “I hope you think so after I email this first chapter to you!”

Me: “You sending it right now?”

Lowell: “I’m pasting it into an email and you should have it in less than a minute.”

Me: “Woohoo!”

Lowell: “It is sent! See if you got it!”

I still had my email open, as well as his picture he’d sent me. I closed his picture and checked my email. Sure enough, there was a new email from Lowell with the Subject Line: Simon wets his bed! by BL.

Me: “You are not even funny!”

Lowell: “HA HA HA HA HA HA! You must have seen what I put in the subject.”

Me: “Yes I did and you are going to die a very slow and painful death!”

Lowell: “I’ll start getting my affairs in order then!”

Me: “You had better!”

Lowell: “LOL!”

Me: “Okay, I got it but I have a question already.”

Lowell: “What’s that?”

Me: “What does ‘BL’ stand for? Is Lowell not your first name?”

Lowell: “Can’t you guess?”

Me: “Um, no idea!”

Lowell: “Baby Lowell!”

Me: “Really?”

Lowell: “That is what everyone online knows me as.”

Me: “I just thought of something funny!”

Lowell: “What?”

Me: “If I used that for me I’d be Baby Simon, and then my initials would be B.S.”

Lowell: “LOL! You are right, that is funny! I can think of a few other things that could stand for too.”

Me: “I’m not sure I want to know!”

Lowell: “You are too funny Simon!”

Me: “Sorry, I don’t mean to be!”

Lowell: “Okay, I’ll let you read that first chapter. I need to finish my math homework anyway.”

Me: “I’m going to start reading it right now!”

Lowell: “Be sure to let me know, honestly, what you think!”

Me: “I promise!”

Lowell: “Signing off from parts unknown! Over and Out!”

Me: “Thanks Lowell! I’m really glad we got to talk!”

However, my last message never went through. Lowell had dropped off-line right after sending me his last message.

I reached over and pressed the power button on my printer, and it started making its start-up noises. While waiting for the email with his story to print, I started reading the first few lines from my computer screen.

The title was massive and nearly filled my entire computer screen . . .

Hamunaptra

City of the Dead

By B.L.

~ Chapter One ~

what was lost shall be found

We had just landed in Jerusalem. My father and I have traveled most of this world together since I was five years old. Back then, I was more of a tagalong, but I’m twelve now and I carry my own, As much as I am allowed anyway. Father likes to flatter himself that he knows his way around most every city, town, or village on this planet, but I know better. I have been with him on more than one occasion when we’ve spent literally days lost in some god-forsaken country or desert. We spent two and a half months traveling with a group of Antarctic nomads, because Dad thought they were guiding us to one of the lost pyramids, only to find out that they thought we were evil spirits sent to torment and test them. I still remind Father of that every time he gets one of his great inspirational breakthroughs and threatens to drag me off to somewhere cold.

As I finished reading the first paragraph of Lowell’s story he’d sent to me via email, my printer spat out the last page of his email before slipping back into techno-slumber until such time that it is called into service again. I quickly shut everything down, stowed my E-Journal away in my desk, and headed for my closet with my handy little flashlight. However, when I stood up, I realized that sometime during my chat with Lowell online I’d absolutely flooded my Goodnites and I had not even had the slightest notion that I’d had to go or that I’d wet myself. I was so excited about reading Lowell’s story that I didn’t let it bother me. I just tossed the pages, along with my flashlight, into the bottom of my closet, closed the door after pulling out my bathrobe, and went in search of Mom to put me into a diaper for the night.

Next Installment:

Chapter 2 – Part 5 – Traveling to points unknown without actually going anywhere.

I want to make it clear that the original story of Hamunaptra was begun by my dear friend Leolo Prime. However, early on in the story he got bored with writing it (he has a very short attention span) and asked if I would be willing to help him finish it. It quickly became apparent to me that he was more focused on college (as he should be) and eventually turned full ownership of this story to me.

I re-titled the story from his original title ‘City on the Edge of Forever’ to ‘Hamunaptra – City of the Dead’, which I personally like better. I have also rewritten the story since Leolo tended to bounce between the third and first person and now it reads as if told entirely from the perspective of the young boy in the story. I’ve also changed several of the names as I didn’t like the ones Leolo chose. And since he had no idea how he was going to end the story, I came up with an ending that I think honors his original idea for the story, yet puts a spin on the spirit of the story at the end, which you will get to read in the later chapters of Thirteen Nights.

** For the latest news on how each installment of how ‘Thirteen Nights’ is coming along as well as answers to questions asked by other readers, and much more, visit me at www.talkhard.5u.com. As always, your thoughts matter to me, so please send any comments, questions, suggestions, or even criticism, if you must to: The Great and Powerful Oz . . . oops! I mean to me at: [email protected] and all that email me, will either receive a check for One-Million Dollars, or a reply email from me! **