Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:20:15 -0500 From: carl_mason@comcast.net Subject: JAMIE WRESTON - 7 JAMIE WRESTON - 7 Copyright 2008 by Carl Mason All rights reserved. Other than downloading one copy for strictly personal enjoyment, no part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for reviews, without the written permission of the author. However based on real events and places, "Jamie Wreston" is strictly fictional. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. As in real life, sexual themes unfold gradually. Comments on the story are appreciated and may be addressed to the author at carl_mason@comcast.net If you would like to read additional stories by this author, please turn to the "Authors/Prolific Authors" link at the beginning of the Nifty Archive. This story contains descriptions of sexual contact between males, both adults and teenagers. As such, it is homoerotic fiction designed for the personal enjoyment of legal, hopefully mature, adults. If you are not of legal age to read such material, if those in power and/or those whom you trust treat it as illegal, or if it would create unresolvable moral dilemmas in your life, please leave. Finally, remember that maturity generally demands safe sex. CHAPTER 7 (AUTHOR'S NOTE: Chapter 7 contains more "hard sex" than any of my other stories. After much reflection, I decided that I could not remove it and provide the background for the points I wish to make in "Jamie Wreston". Readers who find this unpalatable might skim the chapter...or even skip it and pick up the storyline in Chapter 8.) (Revisiting Chapter 6) So there you have it: Increasingly, Jamie could neither escape the conclusion that he was homosexual nor the implications of that conclusion. Even though he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, he felt guilty about both his gay feelings and his incipient gay activity. In turn, the guilt brought on a deepening depression. (Continuing Our Story: Armageddon) Preparations for the "final battle" began to take shape suddenly in early November. Matt had to be in St. Louis for a week-long historians' meeting and then at the Department of Education in Washington for a three-day meeting of new department chairpersons. He would also spend one day in the New York City area, consulting with the editor of his new book about the French & Indian War. Consequently, he had arranged for a mature house sitter...both to keep Grunt out of a kennel and to provide a contact point for Jamie. At the last minute, his carefully laid plans fell apart and he had no luck whatsoever in finding a replacement. He asked Jamie what he thought of asking Dylan if he might stay with the Smiths, but the redheaded one discouraged that idea. They were still friends, he asserted, but they simply didn't pal around as they had in middle school. Nor did he think that checking with Clive or Pete would work out. Their home situations were such that he didn't even want to raise the possibility. Finally, in desperation, Matt suggested contacting Craig Bristol. After all, they had contact almost every day and they seemed to enjoy each other's company. Furthermore, nothing Jamie had ever said had lessened his trust in the Director of the Bayside Fitness Club. Although there was something in Jamie's reaction that gave him pause - something fleeting, subtle, and obviously highly complicated - their joint decision was emphatically to see what could be worked out. When Matt spoke frankly with Craig about the problem and the difficulties potential in a two-week stay with a fourteen year old and a Great Dane, his concerns miraculously disappeared. Craig had no sooner heard the full story when he asked if Matt had forgotten that they were working together for Jamie's well being. Putting a hand on Matt's shoulder, Craig asked if they weren't friends themselves. Hell, he'd even take Grunt as long as Jamie would take care of him! Inasmuch as he only had a bachelor pad, he'd actually enjoy moving into a big, comfortable place (with a pool!) for a couple of weeks. There was only one hitch. He would be forced to refuse the request rather than take one penny in return, beyond food expenses, of course. After the social niceties had been observed, they threw their arms around each other. The best brandy in the house flowed. The die was cast. >From everyone's vantage point, including good old Grunt's, the transition went famously. Craig received a long desired opportunity to serve as "pater familiis" and have an even closer relationship with Jamie. Jamie's fears were lessened by having Craig in his own home. Further, he enjoyed the program innovations stirred up by the change. For instance, he never realized how far a jump rope could push him and he delighted in the hours that he and his idol spent together in the pool. At the Club, Craig finally introduced him to weights. While his work was carefully limited and supervised, he enjoyed every minute of it as he grunted and groaned next to dedicated bodybuilders! He also gloried in the fact that the most serious gym members now saw him as far more than a kid fooling around. He was "one of the boys" and, given his age, he received an outpouring of affection and exercise tips. Given the cornucopia of sights, sounds, and smells, he kinda wished clothing were as optional at the Club as at home - but, hey, a guy can't have everything! Believe it or not, Jamie actually forgot that it wasn't Matt sleeping in his big bed. Thus, the first night provided quite a shock! Finishing his shower, he walked into the bedroom still vigorously toweling his red locks. As the towel fell from his eyes, he suddenly realized that Craig's eyes were following him hungrily as he approached. "Oh g-g-gosh, C-C-Craig!" he stuttered. "I'm s-s-sorry. I sack out with Matt a lot 'cause I don't like sleeping alone. We go right to sleep, but I can sleep in my own bedroom if you prefer." By way of answer, Craig suddenly sat up and pulled the sheet back. "Will it bother you that I sleep in the raw?" he asked. Jamie's reply, accompanied by a golden smile, was simply to slip between the covers and cuddle closely. After a few tugs, Jamie stirred as he realized that Craig's lips were pulling on several long red curls on the back of his neck. Nervously, he sensed that Craig was sniffing his flesh and moaning so softly as to be barely audible. Feeling the tip of Craig's tongue tapping on the skin of his neck, he erected so suddenly and with such force that he wasn't able to stifle a long, low groan. "You ok, hoss?" Craig inquired in a concerned voice. When assured that he was, Bristol whispered, "I'm pretty tight tonight. Any chance that you would work on my back?" Realizing full well that he was approaching a line over which he had never stepped, the boy turned towards the man and then hesitated. Catching his breath as he realized that close to 10-inches of hard flesh were suddenly poking into the side of his thigh, Craig whispered breathlessly, "Oh, yeah, Jamie. Oh, yeah... You're really something. You're everything to me." These words overcoming the lad's last barriers, he consciously stepped over the line and began tapping and tickling Craig's back with the very tips of his fingers followed by his triceps, his shoulders, and his heavily muscled back. When Craig threw the covers back, he continued without hesitation to work on his buttocks and the backs of his thighs and calves. Completing the task, he sat back on the sheets in something of a daze, highly aroused...even nervously jacking his mammoth cock...but confused as to what he should do next. Seeing this, the man moved with lightning speed. Turning over and sitting up in one fluid motion, he reached down with both arms and pulled the youth's naked body up over his own. As Jamie felt his own cock digging into the hot, pulsing genitals of the man below him, Craig leaned down and whispered into his ear. "I want to show you how much you mean to me, Big Red...how much I love you...how much I will always love you. Will you tell me if I do anything that you don't like or if there's something that would make you feel even better? I'm always going to be here at your command, my one and true love." Jamie's lips brushing against his was answer enough. Tears filling his eyes, his body so overheated that he was seconds from passing out, totally unable to breathe or swallow, the redhead locked his lips onto his idol's. Feeling himself losing consciousness, he sensed that he had been heaved onto his back Only when Craig removed his lips, imprisoned him in his arms, and began kissing his way down his sculpted torso, was he able to gasp for air. When those lips reached his dripping cock, however, the air rushed from his lungs like water from a burst dam. As Craig's tongue flicked out, circling Jamie's large, mushroom-shaped glans and digging into his urethra, Jamie sensed his steel-hard body beginning to arch off the bed. In amazement, the redhead felt his full ten inches sucked into a blazing furnace, never stopping until it was being squeezed by the muscles of his lover's throat. In a blinding flash of light, he exploded. They finally slept cradled in each other's arms. Craig was standing in front of the wash basin when Jamie came up from behind him in the morning. The man almost sobbed with joy when he felt the lad's warm, muscled arms encircle him and draw him back into his body. Last night had not been a dream. "I love you, I love you, I love you," the young voice whispered into his ear. "Grab a shirt and a pair of pants and come with me. No questions!" Entering the Smith estate through an almost never used gate, Craig followed the redhead's directions and drove for some distance before he parked in a heavily wooded area. Shedding their scanty clothing, they ran for what seemed hours. Bathed in sweat, they finally threw themselves down on a thick bed of moss where Jamie practiced what he had learned the night before. The owner of the Bayside Fitness Club decided that his pupil was a very fast learner. After they had enjoyed breakfast at a little place out on the U.S. highway that led to the Annapolis bridge, they returned home to shower and dress. The only problem they had encountered involved having to sit so still in the little roadhouse. Every time they moved too abruptly, a shower of little sticks and bits of moss rained down on their coffee and eggs! The wonderful day continued on into the afternoon. When they reached the Club, Jamie was so stoked that he moved immediately to the bikes and the treadmills. He worked at a solid, but not extreme pace for a good two hours. They came back together in the shower, tired but exuberant. As Craig turned the water off, he said, "I'd like to teach you something new tonight...if you're up to it." Jamie gave him a royal raspberry and mumbled something about being "up for it" when the boss was six feet under. "Ho, ho, ho! Here's a brave, but foolhardy young man!" Craig chortled. "The only trouble is that it's going to take me a while to get you prepared. Would you be willing for me to begin the preparation now?" "Y-e-a-h..." the boy replied with some hesitation, wondering just a bit what he was getting himself into. "Do you really think we dare to do anything here at the Club?" he continued. "I think so," his mentor replied. "It's not an activity that will cause the kicking and screaming that you usually do. Get yourself good and dry and come out to my desk." "I'M the one who kicks and screams?" Jamie snickered with disbelief. "Ok, boss, get ready. I'm on my way!" Directing the redhead to lie on his back on his desk, Craig moved over to him, affectionately ruffling his hair. "Ok, love," he said, "I'm going to push your legs back towards your chest. I want you pull them back a little and hold them there...whatever happens. Got it?" "Got it!" (Pause.) Jamie giggled, grabbing his legs under his knees and rolling slightly onto his lower back. His powerful thighs remained well spread and elevated. Smirking lecherously, Craig rolled his chair up to the edge of the desk, grasped Jamie firmly at the hips, and pulled his gorgeous body several inches towards him. "Whatever happens, young man!" "Yes, sir! Absolutely, sir!" Jamie said, the slightest trace of taunting in his voice. All he could see above his cock and balls was the top of Bristol's head. Suddenly, he was electrified as a very wet tongue tickled its way from the bottom of his balls down over the perineum and, thence, straight down his baby-smooth asscrack until it almost reached the desk. On the way back up, it stopped at his anus and began working on it in concert with his lips. Hell, his lips and tongue were almost GUMMING it, slurping and sucking like a pig at a trough! Jamie moaned loudly as the sensations reached all the way up to his cock and balls. It felt like little charges of electricity! "Shush!" Craig growled. Jamie actually began drooling as the attack continued on his nether parts! Within seconds his cock which had been only been the size of a (very) large wet noodle snapped to attention and continued to swell, harden, and darken as it pulsed. It was becoming impossible to keep from writhing on the desk as the sensations spread into his guts. The youngster's forehead was wreathed in sweat and his head began involuntarily jerking from side to side. He felt like letting go of his knees and pounding the desk with his fists! Suddenly, the tip of a wet, warm, fleshy something popped into his body. "AAGRH-H-H!" he yelled in shock. Hearing a noise over towards the door into the locker room, Craig again growled, "Shut up, Red! The walls aren't all THAT thick!" "Aagrh!" the lad moaned...more softly...as the invading object tunneled a bit further into his guts. And suddenly it began to feel SO GOOD! He felt as if he were on fire from his cock all the way through his lower body Maybe he could get whatever it was to go in a little deeper. To his great displeasure, Craig abruptly stopped...everything. Raising his head, he looked straight into the boy's wide eyes and frantic expression. "Want a little more of that - and something even better - tonight, hummmm?" "Oh, God," the redhead groaned. "Let's go home...now!" It would have been a perfect cap on the afternoon if a rough looking man alone in the locker room hadn't been attracted to the office door by familiar sounds. Unfortunately, he found a thin crack between the old door and the jamb that allowed him to see...far too much. At home, dinner was almost an afterthought. Jamie wanted to find out ALL that was on Craig's mind - and, indeed, the redhead got "the works". His mentor resumed the process by giving him a thorough enema. The lad didn't really enjoy that event, though he had to admit that the feeling of Craig's hand rubbing his stomach as he sat on the pot wasn't all bad. It wasn't so much that it made him hot as it was that it brought back emotions of years ago when his every need was taken care of by loving parents. Following the enema and a quick shower, Craig again rimmed him. Within minutes, he was a panting, dripping mess and his anus was as open for a virgin as Craig had ever seen. Gently, Craig inserted a well lubricated finger into the opening. He might as well have acted more precipitously, for his boy's passions were already so engaged that it literally swallowed the finger! "A hungry ass," Craig chortled gleefully. "Oh, man," the youth moaned as the finger began fucking his anal canal and opening it further as it hooked and pressed slightly in every direction. Two fingers were welcomed with the same enthusiasm. The only problem Craig faced was keeping Jamie from cumming when he touched his prostate gland! Three fingers found his boy sweating, moaning loudly, occasionally giving a little yelp, and beginning to writhe on the bed as his hips pumped, pressing against the fingers and demanding more. Craig had a long, fat prong, but his careful preparation of the virgin youth minimized the problems. Slowly, he sank deep into his love. For his part, Jamie was transfixed by the journey. His eyes were wide open, his face was laced with sweat, his mouth open in ecstasy. "Oh, boss," he moaned, "I love you so!" When Craig began moving slowly in and out, he let out a cry, snapped his legs shut behind the thighs of the man, and opened his mouth to his mentor's probing tongue. His thick athlete's neck was flung back in rapture as the fucking lifted him higher and higher, finally slamming into him as if to drive him through the bottom of the bed. With a scream that had to have begun in his toes, his cock pumped what seemed to be oceans of cum between their bodies. Within seconds, Craig's rigid body was wracked by waves of spasms that Jamie swore he felt deep in his stomach and even in his balls! The redhead wasn't worth much for some time after that all-consuming moment. He knew that he would never forget it. Oh, yes, Craig did gently clean him up; they had a little food; his mentor made skillful use of a thick, heavily lubricated dildo; and Jamie actually fucked a man for the first time in his young life. Sometime later, as he turned his head and softly kissed his lover, the redhead wondered if he would ever again experience such glory. Completely satisfied, at one with each other and their world, they slept peacefully in each other's arms. Jamie awoke the next morning, feeling that every aspect of his life glowed with love. How could it be any better? How could his body feel more alive? In the shower, he began the day as he hoped he would begin every day - by asking his lover to take him, thus reminding him that someone was finally there for him...and always would be. He left the shower filled with sensations for which not even his dreams had prepared him. When Craig went to work, the redhead stayed around for a bit. He wanted to spend some serious time in the pool. Of all the aerobic exercise possibilities, swimming was probably his favorite, followed closely, of course, by running under full control, in the nude, for hours in the quiet, soft countryside of the Eastern Shore. Unfortunately, it was getting rather cold for that. When he finally came out of the pool on this wonderful day, he actually did something that he hadn't done for ages. Breathing the air in great gulps, feeling the muscles that were his to command, his chest thrust forward with pride in all he had accomplished since his life fell apart in Portland, the redhead stood in front of the long mirror in Matt's bedroom. Damn! He had made it! He shuddered as he saw the reflection of his body. Man, it was as spectacular as he had always dreamt it would be: tanned, hard, defined...sexy as all hell! Instinctively, his hand wandered down his body, playing with his nipples, allowing his fingertips to trace the raised veins in his taut lower stomach, sensually fondling his classic bubble butt, finally settling on the long, thick tube of flesh that had given him so much pleasure. His hand made love to it as he turned his body to the right...then to the left, finally facing the mirror and inundating his gasping reflection in the second heavy load of the day. Punching his fist into the air, he gave a great yell, got himself together, and headed for the Club. After spending a few minutes chatting with staffers, he checked the schedule and found that this was a day scheduled for building strength in his lower body. He moved to one of the stationary bikes for about fifteen minutes and stretched the muscles of his thighs and calves before moving over to the "leg press" machine and completing a good workout. His program then called for him to ask Jack Smithers to show him how the "dumbbell squat" worked. Jack was free almost immediately, demonstrated the exercise, and then supervised his first set of reps. Jamie didn't work on the lower body exercises for much more than an hour, but Craig's views on strength training for teens were very conservative. Besides, why complain? Look at the results they were getting! After a good shower (using the Club facilities this time, for he had seen several people entering the office), he returned to the snack bar where he sipped one of the drinks that the Club carried. Finally, he noticed four men leaving the office. He thought he might have recognized one or two of them, but, then, Bayside Fitness was probably the most popular club in the area. Many people passed through its doors from morning until mid evening. Jack Smithers wandered over, first asking what he thought of the new exercise and reminding Jamie that he wanted to show him the "dumbbell lunge" before the day was out. When the redhead first knocked on the office door, there was no answer. After a minutes, he knocked again and heard Clyde say to come in a voice that struck him as quite strained. Jamie wondered if he felt ok. When Jamie got a good look at his face, he became even more alarmed. His mentor was as white as a sheet. His right hand seemed to be trembling slightly. Further, when he went to stand, he almost fell back into the desk chair. No, nothing was wrong, he insisted. Maybe something had disagreed with him at breakfast. With a wry grin, he added that it might simply be a matter of his stomach having to digest too damned much cum! He did agree, however, that after completing a little more paper work that he couldn't put off, it might be a good idea to go home and take it easy for the rest of the day. In answer to the redhead's questioning leer, he growled, "No, not THAT easy!" Sam (Samantha) could run the reception area, and Jim was entirely capable of supervising the floor area. As soon as he walked in the door, Bristol said he didn't want any lunch. He thought he would lie down for a couple of hours - and then they could get ready for tonight! Jamie felt a little more secure...although he was still concerned. His mentor had fallen asleep when Jamie entered the room after making himself a sandwich. The lad quickly stripped and stretched out beside him. When they awoke and showered, Craig had Jamie's favorite pizza delivered. (It was a special treat, for he generally kept a pretty tight rein on the boy's diet.) Jamie was thankful that he seemed to feel better. Not long after supper, Craig smiled wanly at the boy and said that they had better get started on their preparations, for they were going to take a while. According to the redhead, the sooner they started the better! Besides, he wondered what was on for tonight! Bristol was correct in that it WAS a thorough preparation. Jamie was cleaned out, fully shaved, and heavily lubed. After gently opening him up, Craig continued to stretch his canal by using several large dildos of varying sizes, all of which the boy tolerated well. (He did grumble that none of them felt as good as Craig!) "All in good time, Red," came the answer. At about 7:00 p.m., just after lightly oiling the youngster's magnificent physique, Matt casually handed him a couple of pills and a small paper cup of water. The redheaded one gulped them down without question. Craig then complained of being a little tired and asked Jamie if he would sit with him in his dad's big chair and let him catch his breath. They sat with arms and legs intertwined, stroking the other's body and exchanging little kisses. Craig wasn't really firing him up at the moment, but Jamie hoped that would be coming! He felt on top of the world! At the same time that he was deeply relaxed, ever-increasing waves of exhilaration began to sweep through his body. Beginning to sweat as his passions kicked in, he even felt a few pangs of nausea. Damn! Maybe he shouldn't have eaten so much pizza! They departed fast enough as Craig softly kissed his body and told him of his love. He did wonder how Jamie could love someone like himself. "What?" Jamie asked, his feathers ruffling a little. Increasingly unable to keep his mouth shut, he gushed, "Craig, you are the kindest man in the world; you make me so happy. You have to know that I am yours. Everything I have is yours, I love the very sight of you. You've even made it possible for me to accept that I'm gay - and that's torn me apart for a long time. I see - so very clearly - that it's a good thing, a beautiful thing, and something about which I can be proud rather than sad and disgusted," he babbled on. "I'm sorry, my love, that I'm saying this so badly. I don't want to be 'just a kid'. I want to be your lover and everything that means." He paused, barely able to slow down the verbal deluge. "Craig, would you mind if I put some music on? I'm so happy that I can't stay still." "Go ahead, my love. Just come back to me quickly." As the music spread through out the room, tears seemed to come into the boy's eyes. "May I ask you a big favor?" he asked bashfully. "You know you can, Red!" Craig replied, nearly in tears himself. "Ask away." "Love, my skin feels like it's just about ready to jump off! Please...please...just touch me - all over." Bristol slowly placed his fingertips on the lad's eyelids, on his hair, on his nipples. He played with his emerging abs and stroked his glassy-smooth pubic mound before sweeping down to his inner thighs. Holding the bottom of Jamie's beautiful sack in his cupped hand, his thumb gently played with the heavy, cum-filled balls. One finger sensually explored the little triangular area on the bottom of his quivering penis. The boy lay against him with closed eyes, softly moaning in apparent ecstasy. Abruptly, all this was interrupted by several heavy knocks on the front door. "Go to the door and see who's there, will you, love?" Craig asked. Control of his mind and body no longer his, oblivious to both his nakedness and his arousal, the dazed youngster struggled to his feet in order to do his lover's bidding. Four men were at the door, men who introduced themselves as good friends. Jamie had a fleeting impression that he'd seen several of them before, but it really didn't matter. They were friends; it excited him to greet them. His body at fever heat as the leader took his hard cock in hand and led him into the living room, Jamie following obediently, albeit as if in a fog. They greeted Craig enthusiastically and gave him one of their large bottles of whiskey. Their leader turned to the redhead, saying excitedly, "Do I hear some dance music? Oh, man, that beat!" Increasing the volume, he shouted that he couldn't help it and began to sway to the beat. As his feet took up the dance, he yelled to Jamie, "Do yuh feel the beat, Red? Do yuh feel it?" FEEL IT? The redhead could feel it in the pit of his fuckin' stomach! Totally enslaved by the music, his head snapped back in ecstasy! It was party time! Perhaps an hour later, Craig - who by this time was well on his way to being smashed - looked back from his chair on the scene. As the sweat literally poured down his powerful body, Jamie was wildly dancing with one of the biker-types. The scene was straight out of a rave...the lights shining off naked flesh - sweaty bodies, arms raised, clapping, swinging, swinging to the beat. The scent of sweat, alcohol...and male arousal lay heavy in the air. Craig gestured wildly for the redheaded one to come over to him. As he approached, not missing a step, he grabbed the whiskey bottle and stole a long swallow. "Get these clothes off me!" Bristol slurred as he rose from the chair. Minutes later, the boy and he were dancing in the middle of the room to the wild applause and clapping of the others. The music was louder...more demanding. "More! More! More!" they shouted. Jamie's eyes were closed; his body was undulating on pure instinct. "Craig," he moaned. "My heart's pounding out of my fuckin' chest. Get me out of here, love...gotta rest...gotta rest! His sight blurred as he reached out for lover to catch him. He came to on a bed, his body on fire, being touched everywhere. Hands sensually stroked his heavily swollen genitals; lips sucked on his nipples and his dripping cock. "YES!" he cried desperately..."OH, YES...PLEASE!" The lad was immediately flipped over and helped to get up on his knees with his head buried in his forearms on the bed. His head swirled with the music; his body quaked with indescribable sensations as a massive phallus entered him from behind, sinking deep into his bowels. The fucking continued as he was twisted onto his back, the man's cock still inside him. Someone else pressed a thick tool to his lips which he opened wide in eager invitation. Over and over and over...cum everywhere...his body blazing with white heat as he fought to accept flesh pressing in from both ends...over and over and over. He couldn't begin to count the times he had cum! Even before he recovered, it always started again... From the side...on his back...riding the bucking bronco...on his stomach...on his knees...dancing around the room, his arms holding on to his partner's neck, his legs gripping his hips, a red-hot poker stabbing into his guts to the beat of the music...over and over and over. An occasional deep snort from a small bottle only intensified his frenzy. He actually egged them on when two of the men bet they could bring him off by simultaneously fucking him anally. (They won their bet as the others - including Craig and the youth - cheered them on!) The truth was he wanted MORE...and NOW! He didn't know how much time had passed. As if through a haze, Craig sensed that the redhead, 'his one and true love', was screaming at the top of his lungs. He could hear it over the music! He opened his eyes to see Jamie's face with his eyes screwed shut and his features distorted...twisted in fear and pain! One of the men quickly stuffed the boy's mouth with a piece of cloth torn from the bedspread...and the "party" continued. Over and over and over for what seemed an eternity... A little while after he had heard Jamie's screams, Craig staggered back into the living room clad only in his briefs. Strange, did he hear sirens over the music? When he heard a knock on the door, he unlocked and opened it. There were two policemen... What was happening? "Sir," one of them said, "we've had several complaints about loud music and one report of violent screams. Can you clear this up?" As the vomit rose in his throat, Craig simply pointed towards the bedroom. Finding a naked young man lying in his own blood - and four rough types whose naked bodies were smeared with blood and dripping cum - they immediately called for backup and an ambulance. (To Be Continued)