Plausible Deniability

PART ONE 

There had been a commotion at the Big Dipper. Nobody knew for sure what had happened. The queue and surrounding area had been evacuated suddenly, and roped off for over two hours now. Rumors were swirling, as they do when the public are left in the dark. Sensible, level-headed folk talked of water pump issues and bodily wastes in the pool. The more outlandish, and louder, folk claimed a young boy had gone down the slide and met an untimely end. He'd been launched off the water coaster by the powerful jets, and crashed into the nearby tanning spot. Or a crocodile had gotten loose and chomped him up as he came off the slide. Or even some dangerous chemical spilled into the water and liquified him to a fine paste. Why else would there be people in bio-hazard suits prowling the site? Whatever had happened, it was not a good day for Splashdown Adventure Park.

But as with all tragedies, the hype eventually died down as guests moved on with their vacation. Only half a dozen people still watched the action from the ice cream shop balcony, the only vantage point not closed off. "They're still testing the water," a guy said aloud as one of the suited men took another sample from the pool. "I wonder what they're trying to learn."

"Apparently, some experimental fertilizer got dumped into the pool, and the boy that went down the slide was exposed to it. Turned him into this huge, hairy adult with bulging muscles. Kinda like me. That's what I heard, anyway."

The guy cocked his head as he stared at the bald, brawny man a good decade older than him, before breaking out into a harsh cackle. "That's gotta be the stupidest thing I've heard this morning!" He brayed as he whacked the dismayed man on the back. "Oh thanks, pal. I needed a laugh like that. Literal magical bullshit turning a kid into a man, ha HAH!"

Miles frowned as the guy turned away, still chuckling to himself. "It's not stupid..." He mumbled under his breath. "Now being melted by chemicals, that's stupid..."

A Few Updates

So I was planning to have a story out for Halloween. But after a busy month, including a vacation where I didn't have any proper WiFi, I didn't get the chance to finish it 😔 Instead, I'm going to share a few updates for now.

First of all, I'm sure you're aware that Aardvark's Tumblr was nuked, along with most of his stories. He has plans to make them accessible again, so keep an eye on that via his Bluesky or Patreon. As for now, I took some time to find the stories we previously collaborated on, and I've added them here instead. Give them a read if you haven't already!

The Wonder Realms (Teen to Middle Age)
The Romans & The Greeks (Teen to Young Adult; Teen to Middle Age)
Old Man Cravitz (Teen to Old; Halloween)
The North Pole Experience (Teen To Old; Young Adult to Older Adult; Young Adult to Middle Age; Young Adult to Old; Christmas)

Now I know that people don't always like to leave comments, myself included 😅 But I'm also well aware that Blogger's comment section is... Not the greatest or most reliable... I also know I'm not the best person to get in touch with, I'm a bit social media averse. But I do like to hear thoughts and comments, so I know what's working, and what you want more of. I've attempted to add some form of ratings system to posts recently. Alas, I am not tech savvy enough to figure it out! Until then, maybe leave a comment on this post if Blogger finds it in its heart to allow it.

Case in point, I appreciate the love for Splashdown. Rest assured, I already have a sequel planned. I wanted to wait until after the spooky season but, well, you know how that turned out. The problem now is that I can't decide on an end result, so to speak. So I thought that I'd put it to a vote with a twist. Here's a link to a poll (CLOSED) with varying characteristics. Choose how you want Chase to become, and I'll do my best to match things up to the most popular choices. No AI, I promise!

On the topic of sequels, I was thinking maybe next year, I'll focus entirely on follow-ups to some stories. There are plenty I always write with an intention to follow up with, and many more I've been asked to continue. So I'll try to stick to my guns and actually write some conclusions!

I'm also toying with the idea maybe a few stories without images (gasp!), or even a pick your own path sort of thing, though I'll see how this Chase poll goes before making any commitments on that front. It could be messy without any plan or interest... If any of that's something you're into, let me know! Thanks again for reading, and with any luck, I'll have something new within the next few weeks 😊

Splashdown!

It felt like it would never come, but today was finally the day... Splashdown Adventure Park day! Chase and Miles had been hyping up the visit to the water park for weeks. It had become like an annual pilgrimage for the best friends, with Miles' parents even splashing out for a private cabana to relax as the boys were set free on the water slides. The two of them could practically track their growth spurts as they evolved from toddler splash pools to family raft rides to solo body slides. And now they had their eyes on the real big kid slides they'd previously been too short to ride, with the thrills and spills that came with them.

As soon as they arrived and dumped their belongings in the cabana, they ran straight for the newest, coolest ride of all - The Big Dipper. It was the fastest, tallest, longest, and coincidentally, the only water-coaster slide in the state. It was still under construction when they visited last year, so it was kind of a big deal. It also had the tallest height restriction in the park. The air was tense as Miles stepped up first. The park employee measured him against the height chart, but it wasn't even needed. He passed the 48 inch requirement and then some. No surprises there.

Next up was Chase, his heart beating hard. His head just about grazed the bottom of the bar. He almost jumped for joy, until the employee looked down. "No footwear allowed," he said a little too cheerfully. Chase gulped as he removed his sandals, along with a half-inch of his height, and any hope of riding the Big Dipper that year.

"I don't have to go on without you," Miles said, obvious disappointment in his voice. "I bet it's dumb anyway. You're supposed to go down slides, not up them."

"No, no," Chase sighed. "It wouldn't be fair of me to stop you, it's all you talked about in the car up here... Go ride it, and I'll meet you back at the wave pool."

So Chase left his best friend to join the twenty minute queue alone, deciding instead to pull up a rubber tube and unwind on the lazy river for a couple of loops before it got too busy. Then he hopped in line for the Orca Run speed chutes, at least he was tall enough to do those, before walking back past the Big Dipper. The line had shortened considerably. In fact, it was practically non-existent. It must have been the early lunch lull. He was tempted to try his luck again, but that same employee was posted outside the entrance. He sighed, and walked back to the cabana where Miles' parents were waiting for the duo to return.

Except they weren't there... It was a good thing Chase turned up. All of their belongings were left unattended. Even one of their phones was abandoned on a lounge chair. It was like they'd left in a hurry. They didn't have to worry about beating the lunch rush since they could order directly to the cabana. So where did they go? Something weird was going on... 

Take Your Pick

This was supposed to be a weekend of fun for the Cohen family. Little Rafael was supposed to be at home with his chill babysitter while his parents went on a romantic getaway to a special hotel for adults only. He was going to order takeout, and stay up all night watching the R rated films he wasn't allowed to. That is, until the babysitter got some severe food poisoning, and there wasn't anyone who could care for the young boy at the last minute. It was also too late to cancel the trip to get a refund. So here he was, bored out of his wits while his parents stood at the front desk doing everything they could to convince the hotel to let him stay.

After what felt like forever, they finally convinced the employee manning the front desk to take it up to the manager, who took one look at Rafael playing on his Switch Lite, and smirked. "Don't worry," he told his parents. "You're not the first couple to end up in this predicament here. We have a special procedure for moments like this." 

He then nodded to the concierge, who nodded back and left her post. The woman held a hand out to Rafael with a warm smile. "Come on," she said. "I'll take you to a super special room while your parents work out all the boring stuff."

Rafael followed her as she led them through an unmarked door. As they left, he heard the manager say, "how would you like an upgrade for your troubles? A cute couple like you should love our hon-" before the door closed on him.

A few twisty corridors later, and Rafael found himself inside a sterile room with dark walls, and modern furniture. Off to the side, he could see a small bathroom that was just as bland. It looked more like a doctor's office than a playroom. Why they thought this was a good place to wait was beyond him. At least the lobby had that cool water fountain and a few plants to brighten up the room.

The woman hadn't followed him inside, so he made himself uncomfortable on one of the dull chairs until she burst through the door carrying a cumbersome cardboard box. She stopped in the center and carefully tipped its contents out onto the floor. Rafael's eyes widened, it was a bunch of toys! A very weird selection of toys. Cuddly toys, action figures, board games, trading cards, even a few game consoles. He could feel his hands twitching as he wanted to rummage through himself, but the concierge lady stopped him.

"Ah-ah-ah," she chided. "You're only allowed to choose one toy. Then we'll begin the process."

Only one toy!? Rafael frowned. That was hardly fair when there were dozens to choose from. And he had to be the only kid at the resort, it wasn't like he had to share! Still, there was a sense that this was an important decision. He quickly discarded the girls toys like the plushies and the dolls from the equation, not wanting to even touch them. Then he reluctantly discarded the video game consoles, since there was no TV to connect them to. In the end, from the meager selection left, he reached out and grabbed a colorful 9x9 square cube. 

The woman nodded her head in approval. "Ah, the Rubik's Cube. An interesting choice. The most popular Christmas gift in 1980, if you didn't know. Not too old, but still a little retro." She ruffled his hair with a smile, and pointed back to the chairs. "Now go and sit down while the grown ups work out this little mess you've managed to put us in."

Vignettes - I'm Back

Yes, I'm back. I've had a major case of writer's block. So to shake it off, I've written a few shorter stories. I can't say it's majorly helped, but I'd like to think (and hope!) that you'll hear from me again much sooner than this last gap!

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Resolution Change Initiative

Asher kicked his legs impatiently as he stared at his book. This was the fourth time he'd read the same sentence over, not even taking it in. This was so boring, how much more did he even have to read? He flipped to the end of the book. 217 pages. He flipped back to where he was. Page 14. He groaned and tossed the book aside. He could finish it later. And if not, there was always the film adaptation. Or he could even ask ChatGPT for a concise summary. Instead, he turned on his computer, opening Steam in the process.

"That doesn't sound like reading to me." As if by magic, his dad entered the room clutching a bundle of dirty laundry. "Come on, you said you were going to get a kickstart on your homework without leaving it to the last minute as usual."

"No, you said that," Asher grumbled. "And I basically read a whole chapter. They're not expecting us to do it all at once."

"What about your new year resolution? Abandoning your work for tomfoolery isn't exactly responsible."

Asher rolled his eyes. Big words coming from a man who's been divorced twice... But he wasn't wrong. There was a new year's resolution website that was trending in the weeks leading up to the new year, New You Resolution, and he wanted to join in. But he didn't want to do the usual lose weight, learn a language, daily assertions crap that all the adults did. In fact, he didn't want to commit to anything, he just wanted the clout from participating. So he chose a very simple goal - to be more responsible. It was an empty gesture, really. Something that sounded meaningful while also being easy to fulfil. He led such a slothful life that by cleaning his room every other week or washing the dishes every now and then, he'd already be on the road to success. If only he hadn't told his dad about the site...

"The year's barely started," Asher whined. "Cut me some slack! Or should I chastise you for not constantly following your resolution. What was it again, to be more chill and laid-back?"

"It was to relax. Stop and smell the roses, thank you very much. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a load of your dirty washing to put in the machine." He turned on his heel and left, muttering to himself.

Hungover

Samson stirred as he felt his eyes flutter awake. His vision was blurry. His ears were ringing. His head was throbbing. "Ugh, Whazzuh?" he grumbled. "Where am I? What day is it?" He rolled over slightly, his gut flipping as he almost fell to the floor, the motion fully jolting him awake. He realised he was laying on the sofa in his uncle's living room. He vaguely recalled going to visit for his annual Christmas Eve soirée. But he would have normally left by the end of the night. Did something happen?

"Ugh, my head..." Samson rubbed the top of his head, only mildly concerned to feel a vast expanse of skin in place of his hair. Did someone shave his head, and then stick the hairs to his face, he wondered as he scratched his fuzzy cheeks. His attention was then drawn to his clothes, a familiar red costume to some. But why was he dressed as Santa? The myriad of empty bottles littered on the ground maybe answered several of his questions, except he wasn't much of a drinker. He pulled himself upwards, groaning as it only exacerbated the aching in his head. "Ugh," he groaned. "What the hell happened last night?"

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Wish You Were Here?

Black Friday... Cyber Monday... Now there was Travel Tuesday? The capitalistic desire to invent commodified faux holidays to get people to buy junk was abysmal. And nevertheless, Eric's distaste didn't stop him from browsing the latest travel deals that kept cropping up in his feed. It wasn't like he could afford a vacation at the moment, nor did he have any strong desire to go anywhere. It'd be nice to have something to look forward to, aside from the annual family visit to the great lakes about 9 months away. Maybe he could find something amazing for Spring Break. Something more than the typical booze-laden trip to Vegas or Miami.

It was getting late, and nothing had caught his eye, when a bright ad interrupted his scrolling. "WISH YOU WERE HERE??" It declared in bold colours. It showed a woman in a dull grey home tapping on beachfront property on her phone, and now she was relaxing in the summer sun with a cocktail in hand. Nothing too groundbreaking. "TRAVEL TUESDAY EXCLUSIVE TRIAL!" Now that caught his eye. What would a trial entail? Curiousity got the better of him. 

The trial, it turned out, was a free "ticket" to be used on a limited selection of vacation properties around the world. "This is your ticket to far-flung destinations worldwide! You can really go places!" Yeah right, thought Eric as he scrolled through the website, which was more like a home listings site than a vacation rental destination. There were rentals in San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, Brisbane, Johannesburg, Lisbon. None of which were included in the introductory offer. Figures there'd be a catch. Even a free stay in Vegas seemed out of the question.

Eric barely flicked through what was included before deciding it was a dud. Except for one. A homely cabin in the middle of a forest, overlooking the Innvikfjorden in Norway. Unlike the other listings, it promised total immersion in the country, whatever that meant. Maybe it had to do with the owner of the property, a lonesome captain who guided tours around the nearby fjords and glaciers. Staying with a local certainly added a flair of authenticity to the affair, after all.

Eric had always fancied visiting Scandinavia one day, he had Viking blood according to an ancestry test his mom had done a few years prior. And spending the winter holidays surrounded by beautiful scenery and actual snow was tempting. It sure beat the eighty-odd degrees he was still experiencing in Arizona. But the price of travelling to Europe was a deterrant in itself. Wasn't Norway supposed to be one of the most expensive countries in the world? One the happiest too, apparently...

WISH YOU WERE HERE? The website silently declared next to the listing. He hovered his mouse over the YES button. Something about it made him hesitate. Did he really wish he was there? In the snow-capped mountain fjords? Well, it couldn't hurt to see where it led him. The second it asked for passport details or a credit card number, he could easily exit the page. Eric tapped that glowing button, and the screen was replaced by a cool toned loading screen. A whirring cog span in the center, while a progress bar slowly crept upwards. "LOADING - RECALIBRATING"

Road Trip

  

Where the hell was Jason? He'd left me alone in this overnight homestay right as I was packed and ready to move onto the next leg of our journey. Of course, he was probably out "working on his gains" or whatever... It didn't help that I'd woken up early after yet another restless night, thoughts of my current predicament plaguing my mind. My stomach growled, desperate for chicken and waffles from the diner I spotted last night.

Finally, I heard the front door open and shut, followed by heavy panting. I peeked around the corner to see my half-brother leant up against the wall. He was wearing just gym shorts and a pair of sneakers. Flaunting his buff, hairy body, almost like he was taunting me. His chest hair was matted to his sweaty skin, more sweat dripping down his unshaven cheeks and that dumb mustache of his.

"Whew, the gym in this place is ace!" Jason praised through intermittent breaths. "I was expecting an afterthought like in the last joint, but they have the whole she-bang! I haven't pushed myself that hard in a while." I grumbled in response, not wanting the whole story. He walked towards the kitchen, empty bottle in hand. "I came back from some much needed hydration, then I'm going to take a quick run to cool down, and we can head out to get some breakfast. Sound good?"

I stared daggers at him. Who did he think he was, trying to take control of the road trip? I was the one who got us here, I was the one who wrote up the itinerary, I planned it all! I oughtta... "Hold on," I piped up, reaching for my own sneakers. "I want to go with you."

"You want to go on a run with me?" He asked, almost surprised. "Are you sure? It's not the flattest terrain. I mean, no offense, but you're a novice when it comes to physical activity. Maybe we could start smaller, get on a treadmill or-"

"No, I want to go with you now!" I growled. There he goes again, trying to coddle me. Treating me like a child. It was nerve grating! "The whole point of this trip was to spend time together, right? And you keep doing your own stuff. It's not fair."

Jason tugged on that dumb mustache of his, clearly conflicted, before shrugging his shoulders in defeat. "Alright," he sighed. "I suppose I should take it slow for a cool down."

And there he goes, guilt-tripping me. Like it's my fault I want to spend time with him. I don't care what he looks like now, he's still my baby brother. I'll show him what I'm capable of. Even if everything was different now, I can prove I'm still big brother material. I have to. I can't let him take it from me...

Cock-Up

The first mistake Richard made was drinking with his roommate, Johnny. He had moved in with the guy about 5 months ago, and they hadn't really bonded with each other until this moment. Richard was a very solitary man who kept to himself, while Johnny was an outgoing party animal who was out most nights. But he had wanted to get closer to him, if just to stave off the awkwardness whenever they were in the same room together. So when Johnny's plans fell through one night, he pushed himself to suggest binging a reality dating show together.

It started off casual. They chatted about their work, Richard worked in a deliveries warehouse, while Johnny worked in entertainment, shadowing an illustionist. He called himself a sorcerer's apprentice, but that was just the schmaltzy way of saying he did magic tricks. He even performed an impromptu show, making the dining room chairs and table hover and spin, which impressed Richard entirely. Although, he was a bit of a lightweight when it came to alcohol. He was already highly inebriated after his first beer. 

That was his second mistake. As his roommate moved on from the magic show, his focus drawn by a cheating scandal on TV, the conversation moved to sexual exploits. Johnny was quite boastful about his many soirées. Whereas, Richard was less than experienced. In fact, he couldn't stop himself from blurting out that he was still a virgin. The energy in the room changed as Johnny zoned in on his confession, asking how? Why? Why not? But Richard stayed evasive. Thankfully, all was forgotten as the fake tension of break-ups happened on the TV, but not entirely...

Over the next few days, Richard did his best to avoid Johnny, who seemed overly interested in him. Yeah, he was a virgin, but he didn't want to throw it away with just anyone. It's not like Johnny wasn't a hunk. He was a poster boy for good looks. But he was loud, abrasive, and far too into himself. Not to mention the laundry list of previous endeavours. No, he wanted his first time to be meaningful to both parties.

Finally, things came to a head one morning while Richard was mulling over Halloween costume ideas. Did he want to go as Joe Locke in Heartstoppers or Joe Locke in Agatha? As he shifted between his web browser tabs, Johnny stepped into his room with a confident rap on the door. "Dicky boy!" He declared with gusto. "I was thinking about your little V-card ish, and I have a proposition for ya."

It was the moment Richard had been dreading. He just had to rip off the band-aid. He cleared his throat and stumbled over his words as he tried to put him down gently. "Uhm, I'm flattered, but you're not exactly my type..."

Johnny broke into a broad grin. "Back atcha. I like a man with meat on his bones, and you're barely 120 pounds soaking wet." The lug broke into a boisterous laugh that Richard didn't join. He may not have wanted the attention, but could it have killed the guy to be less honest? Johnny wiped away a tear before continuing, "No, no. It sounds to me that you're not confident in your sexual prowess. So I figured we could practice a little."

"Meaning?"

"Well, if you had a better idea of how to do the do, then when it comes around, you'll know what to do."

It sounded ridiculous to Richard at first, although when he thought on it, it sort of made sense. He had the know-how, but it was all from watching porn. Without applying it practically, he might always psych up his first time into an impossibility. And he definitely didn't want that. So with a quiet sigh, he agreed to the peculiar idea. That was his final mistake.