Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2023 21:34:27 -0600
From: Julien Gregg <greggjulien6@gmail.com>
Subject: Grey Baker Chapter 6

A Year In the Life of Grey Baker
The Saguaro University Chronicles
by Julien Gregg

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I'm looking for my original editor, Mike. If you are out there and you read
this contact me at greggjulien6@gmail.com I'd like to talk with you. For
all others the email address above will get to me just put the name of the
story in your subject so I don't delete it as spam. I love to hear from
readers so drop me a line to let me know what you think of the story.

It has been brought to my attention that this story is not realistic. Well
that's because it is a story.  This section of the story is more about the
characters than the actual work they did. I know it isn't possible to erect
a shelter as fast as they did in the story but it's a story. It shouuld be
read in fun.

Chapter 6

Grey opened his eyes and looked around the shelter. If he was right they
had one week before the plane would land at the landing strip. They had to
trek through the woods to the landing strip on the second of July to get to
the plane. He sighed. That was a good trek. In the mean time there were
snares and traps to check and fishing lines to inspect. Life would go on as
it had for the time being.

He climbed out of the hammock and got a stick from the fire. He marked the
wall with the number twenty-six. Then he threw the stick into the fire and
added more firewood to it to keep it going. He was amazed that the fire had
not gone out more than twice.

"Is it really June twenty-sixth?" Tommy said as he climbed out of his own
hammock.

"I think so," Grey said. "We'll have to start moving toward the landing
strip soon."

"I'm not looking forward to that," said Tommy. "Why can't they just land on
the beach?"

"They probably could," Grey said. "If they came in helicopters."

"Couldn't they fit us all on a copter?" Tommy asked.

"I'm sure they could on some copters," Grey replied. "I don't know enough
about helicopters to say. I just know that on previous seasons of this show
the contestants had to move to the landing strip to be picked up."

"Well we've got traps and stuff to check," Tommy sighed. "There ain't no
point in moving today."

"Not there isn't," Grey agreed. Then had a thought. "One thing that's
different this season is the map of the island. It's smaller and has no
landing strip on it at all."

"What does that mean?" Tommy asked.

"I don't know, but with no landing strip on the map we'll be lost," Grey
said. "Maybe they are picking us up here on the beach."

They went to check their snares, traps, and lines in silence. Grey couldn't
figure out why they wouldn't put the landing strip on the map. He wasn't
taking five people on a blind trek through the woods where anything could
happen to them.

By the time they came back to camp with four rabbits and two squirrels, a
box had been dropped on the beach. Lacy and Mike had dragged it back and
were waiting for Grey and Tommy before they opened it.

"We got a box," Mike said. "Lacy and I dragged it back here but we were
waiting for you guys to open it. Its for all of us anyway."

He said this with a pointed look at Mark, and Grey sighed. So Mark had not
wanted to wait for Grey and Tommy. That was evident by the defiant look on
his face. Grey really did not like that boy. He couldn't wait for whatever
was coming for them to come and get him away from him.

Inside the box were more flints, letters for each of them, and a box of
cookies. That made no sense. Grey wondered why they'd sent cookies to the
island. He supposed it was a sweet treat for all of them. He sat that aside
and read his letter. This one wasn't from his mother and friends. This was
from the producers, telling him not to trek to a landing sight as there was
none. A Sikorsky S-92 helicopter would land on the beach and there would be
plenty of room on the helicopter to sit all six of them. Grey had no idea
what that was other than that it was a helicopter and apparently could seat
all six of them. He was happy to know that they wouldn't have to trek
through the woods.

He skinned and gutted his and Tommy's catch for the day and buried the
spoils. Then he had the animals on spits all over the camp. They passed out
the cookies but decided to eat them after the meal. This time Mark didn't
have anything in his snares, but had a squirrel in his trap. He didn't pick
fruit or down any coconuts, so when the plates were handed out he just had
squirrel. He had a fit about this and Grey decided to let him have it.

"You didn't pick any fruit or down any coconuts," he said. "You are the
reason that we all stopped sharing to begin with. You weren't pulling your
weight and we got tired of carrying you. It's a good thing that you paid
enough attention to make a shelter, because if you hadn't you'd be sleeping
in the sand and dirt. Make no mistake, Mark, we're not sharing with you
because you have nothing to share with us. You can have your share of the
cookies because they were sent to all of us, but shut the hell up and eat
your damned squirrel or we'll drown you in the ocean."

He got "Here, here," and "That's right" from the others. Having had his
say, he sat down and ate his fruit and rabbit. He'd given Tommy his
squirrel because Tommy liked the squirrel meat better than the rabbit
meat. All of those hides from the rabbits were drying in the sun. Grey
didn't need them, but he'd make another blanket. In truth he was making
this blanket for Nico. He'd take all of his blankets back with him when
they left.

"Grey, why are you still saving rabbit hides?" Tommy asked him when they
were alone.

"I'm making a blanket for Nico," Grey admitted. "I know its stupid, but I
want him to have one."

"You really love that guy, huh?" Tommy asked. There was no malice in his
voice, so Grey answered him.

"I do," he said. "I know you don't like it, but I really do love him and he
loves me."

"Grey, I don't have a problem with your sexuality," Tommy said, flooring
him. "I said those things out of anger, not because I'm a homophobic
jerk. I had gay brothers in the fraternity, too. It was why they kicked me
out. They were all upset about what I'd said."

"Well I'm happy to hear that you don't have a problem with it, but when we
get off this island things might change," he said.

"Things are gonna change, Grey," Tommy said. "We're finally going to be the
brothers we're supposed to be. I like this close relationship we've got
going, and I want it to continue. I'll try not to be so jealous when things
happen for you and not me. I was a real jerk, and I'm so sorry for all of
it."

* * *

Mary cried as she listened to the conversation between Grey and Tommy about
what things would be like when they finally got off that damned island and
came home. She'd prayed for this and hoped, but now that it was happening
she was reduced to tears of happiness. She hated her brother in law for
doing this to her boys, but she had him to thank for this relationship that
was growing between them on the island.

Of course she'd never speak to Thomas again no matter what happened with
her boys. They could turn out to be the best of friends and she'd not budge
on her decision. He'd put them in danger, and she would never forget it.

"I hope that Tommy's serious and can be the brother to both of us that he
should have been all along," Sierra said as she watched her mother cry.

"They'll be home in one week," Nico said. "I'm just happy to hear that
Tommy doesn't really have a problem with me and Grey being together."

"I really thought he was just a homophobic jerk," Sierra said.

"So did I," said Mary. "I'm so happy to hear that he isn't. I've wanted
Tommy to straighten out for so long. And to think, your uncle is the
reason."

"He's not the reason, Mom," said Sierra. "Grey is the reason. He saved
Tommy's life on that island because if he hadn't shown him what to do,
Tommy would have died. He knows that, Mom. That's what's at work
here. Thomas may have put them there, but Grey did all of the rest."

That got Mary to dry her eyes. Grey was responsible for this new
relationship between him and his brother, and hopefully Tommy would be a
better brother to Sierra as well. They didn't have to get along all of the
time. She knew that siblings had their differences, but they didn't have to
try to kill each other all of the time either.

* * *

"There it is," said Harvey as he watched the brothers huddled together in
their shelter talking about homophobia and their relationship. "It's nice
to see when this show works to better the relationship between feuding
siblings."

"It sure is," said Tom Blassing, a producer for the show. He was a
sixty-year-old man with white hair and watery blue eyes made huge by his
spectacles. "The show is working out far better than we'd hoped with the
Baker brothers. There's still animosity between Mike and Mark Fitz,
though."

"I don't think the show will fix what's going on between those two," Harvey
said. "There's drug use involved in that feud. The island can do so much
but it can't work miracles."

"If we can get Grey to sign on for All Stars this will have been worth it,"
Tom said. "We're gearing up for some great things for that show."

"That we are," Harvey agreed. "We think Grey will join us. We hope."

"We don't have to have him," Tom said. "We have our six, but we'll bump
someone if he decides to participate. The hefty paycheck might sway him."

"Our sources say that Grey isn't motivated by money," Harvey warned. "It
would have to be the prestige of winning a season like All Stars to bring
him back."

"Well, we'll sell it to him that way then," Tom said. The man was adamant
that Grey would say yes to another season. But Harvey wasn't so sure.

Research had found that Grey had only watched the first disastrous season
where more than half the survivors died in week three. He'd denounced the
show after that and said he'd like to see it come to an end. They said that
Grey was shocked and dismayed when Season 2 was announced.

No, Grey Baker would not be returning for All Stars. He'd probably spit in
their faces when he was asked. He wouldn't be surprised if Grey didn't even
turn up for the reunion show a week after the end of the season.

* * *

If Grey was right they had five more days on the island. He knew from
previous seasons that the survivors were quarantined for a week after the
season ended to deal with bug bites, starvation, and other
ailments. However his survivors were healthy and had few bug bites to tend
to. Other than Dillon Long and Casey Killmore, they were alive and
thriving. He knew that this was his work at play. He'd taught them all to
survive. Sure a poisonous snake could bite any of them as they trekked
through the woods to check snares, traps, and fishing lines, but he didn't
think that would happen. He'd taught them to treat all things that he
didn't pick or mess with as poisonous and dangerous.

He'd had his say with Mark, but he didn't regret it. He'd been trying to
keep his mouth shut and just ride it out. Mark had seen to it that he
couldn't do that. It took a lot for Grey to start yelling, but Mark had
driven him to it. He was sure that scene had made the show, too. He wasn't
stupid. This show thrived on sibling rivalry, but when they couldn't get
that they'd settle for any problem that showed up. Mark was a problem for
all of them. He'd been a drain on resources, a drain on the work the others
did, and he was belligerent to everyone on the island.

Those five days moved faster than Grey had anticipated. A helicopter landed
on the beach and all six of them climbed aboard. Grey was happy to see that
each of them were carrying the blankets that he'd made for them. Grey had a
few other things from the island with him as well.

They were flown to a landing site on top of what looked like a hospital,
but turned out to be the quarantine site. They were checked by doctors, and
treated for certain bug bites, but otherwise were told that they were the
healthiest contestants the show had ever had. Quarantine lasted for five
days. Then they were gearing up for the reunion show. All of them would be
there, and the winner would be declared on that show.

They had the reunion show on the ground floor of the medical building. Grey
was shocked to find that they had the shelters he'd made all lined up on
the stage behind the chairs. He didn't like that so many chairs were lined
up there, but they took the seats that were assigned to them. Then the
people that signed them up for the show were seated behind them. Grey's
blood boiled when he saw his uncle.

Harvey Walls, the commentator for the show was the host. He sat in the
middle of the six of them with a smile on his face. The man was shorter
than Grey had realized, and his salt-and-pepper hair was thinner. His
watery brown eyes were wide and cheerful tonight as he looked at all of the
survivors.

"Grey, we'll be having a word with a few of you when this is over," he
said.

Grey nodded but said nothing. In truth he despised everyone involved with
the show. He wanted to get this reunion over with. It was good to see
Lacey, Kevin, and Mike. It was not good to see Mark. They'd been separated
during quarantine and this was the first time they'd seen each other
since. Tommy was smiling at Lacey, and Grey was talking quietly with Kevin
who was seated to his left.

Harvey announced the show and took them through every week on the
island. The show lasted for two hours, and got quite heated. First it was
five against one when Mark tried to lie about one thing or another. Then it
was a heated exchange between those who had signed them up and the
survivors who hated them for it. There was little said about the two who
died on the island, and by the end of the two hours, Grey was ready to
start screaming.

"Folks, the winner of this season of Projects Survivor is easy to crown,"
Harvey said. "From the very beginning, this person got to work making the
island his personal home for the duration of the show. He carried five
people on his back for most of the show. The winner of this season of
Project Survivor is Grey Baker."

Grey was handed a trophy that was huge and an envelope with the check for
ten million inside. They each shook Harvey's hand, though Grey wanted to do
anything but that, and they were marched off the stage.

"Boys," Harvey said when he had Tommy and Grey alone. "We're gearing up for
an all star season of the show next season and we'd like to invite the two
of you to participate."

"You want us to do this again?" Tommy asked. Grey was keeping silent for
now.

"Yes," said Harvey. "But this time you'd be accepting an offer instead of
being signed up by a relative. The show will take place next May, and we're
gearing up for quite a show with contests and prizes. The winner will
receive another trophy and twenty million dollars."

"I wouldn't have anything to do with the show for any amount of money,"
Tommy said. Harvey looked at Grey expectantly.

"I have wanted nothing more than to get off that island," Grey said. "If
you think I'm going to sign myself up for another stint, you're crazier
than I thought originally. The Baker brothers say no to your all star
season."

In the end Harvey left them alone. Grey noticed that he had a conversation
with Mike and then shook his hand. Mike had said yes to Project Survivor:
All Stars. Grey couldn't understand why Mike would say yes, but he
suspected it was the twenty million dollars in prize money. Whatever the
reason, Grey was just happy that he wasn't going to be subjected to another
island.

"Harvey said you guys turned him down," Mike said when they were in the
green room.

"We did," said Tommy. "Neither of us want to be on another island."

"I said yes," Mike said. "Twenty million and the fact that I had a choice
was what swayed me. They didn't ask Kevin or Lacey."

"You were the other survivor they talked about all season," Grey said. "You
had at least a minimum of survivor training, you didn't need a lot of
instruction, and you thrived where Kevin and Lacey didn't. Sure you were
all taking care of yourselves the last month of the show, but that wasn't
so much my doing on your part. You knew what to do. You just needed a bit
of redirection at times."

"Thanks, Grey," he said. "From you that means a lot. Will you guys at least
watch the show?"

"We'll watch," Tommy said for both of them. "But we're having nothing to do
with it."

After that they were flown from Hawaii to Phoenix and driven to Harris
where they reunited with their mother, sister, and most of Grey's
fraternity. Grey was happy to see his house, and he was happy to see his
family. He counted them all as family now.

"Oh, boys," Mary said as she hugged them both. "I'm so happy to have you
home where you belong."

"We're happy to be home, Mom," said Grey. "I need to run to the bank with
Tommy, though."

"The bank?" she asked confused.

"The prize money, Mom," Grey said. "I'm giving it to Tommy."

"That's right," she said. "But can't that wait? I mean you just got home."

"I don't want to wait," he said. "I want this done so I can enjoy my
homecoming in peace."

"I'm not pushing you, Grey," Tommy said, looking concerned.

"No," Grey said, shaking his head. "That's not at all what I meant. I just
want this over and done with so I can put that damned island and show
behind me for good."

"I hear ya," Tommy said with a grin.

Tommy rode with Grey to the bank where Grey endorsed the check and handed
it over. Tommy smiled as he deposited the check and was issued a card to
access it right on the spot. When they got home both boys were
smiling. Grey kissed Nico in front of everyone and then handed him a
handmade rabbit fur blanket. Nico hugged him again when he gave him the
blanket.

Grey and Nico went to the grocery store to buy a ton of meat. Mary and
Sierra went to get the stuff they needed for the sides. When they all got
back they fired up Grey's gas grill and started to cook meat. Mary made a
potato salad and Sierra made a macaroni salad. They had steaks, hamburgers,
and hot dogs on the grill. Grey was cooking for an army and it took all
morning to get all of the meat cooked and in the oven to stay warm. All of
the frat brothers came from the hotels and they had themselves a barbecue
like no other. Grey and Tommy pulled tables out of the basement and Grey
had bought folding chairs. They were lined up all over the back yard.

Grey took this or that brother on a trek through the woods to see the
shelter that had made the cover of Survivor Magazine. They all loved it. It
looked more like a cabin with four walls and a roof. It had a porch and was
on stilts. There was a cot and a cooler in there. Grey explained that he
had stayed in it a time to two after he built it.

"That's some trophy," Cam said when Grey brought it outside to show
everyone. "What came with it?"

"Ten million dollars," Grey said. "I gave that to Tommy. They wanted us
back for next season's all stars but we said no."

"I'm sure you did," said Pete. "You didn't even know you were going to be
contestants this season."

"They're gearing up for contests and prizes and all sorts of stuff for next
season. It won't be the norm, but I'm guessing they'll be after us to do an
all star season every fourth season," said Grey, ignoring the fact that
they hadn't known they were going to be on the show for the season that had
just ended.

"What's the prize money from that season?" Cam asked.

"Twenty million," Tommy said. "We told them that we weren't going back for
any amount of money. There are things on that island that could kill us. It
did kill two of us."

"Anyway, we said no," Grey said. "Mike will be returning for next season so
we've agreed to watch it on the net. He's going to get his mom to give us
the link so we can watch him twenty-four-seven."

"Why did he agree to it?" Pete asked with wide eyed shock.

"The prize money," Tommy said. "Mike was the only other person on the
island with any survival training. Grey just had to help him out here and
there to put him on the right track. He's was good after that."

"What I saw was that you were carrying five people on your back for most of
the season," Pete said to Grey. "Tommy included."

"Yeah," Grey said. "But Tommy really stepped up. He paid attention and did
what I told him to do. He learned."

"Yes, he did," said Mary as she came and sat at the table with them with
her plate. "Tommy did very well on the island."

"Thanks, Mom," said Tommy with a grin. "But it was all Grey. If Grey hadn't
told me how to do things, I'd be dead."

"We know that, too," said Pete with a lopsided grin. He slapped Tommy on
the back with a smile.

Grey steered the conversation in a different direction after that. He
talked about his birthday which was coming in a couple of days. Most of the
brothers would be gone by then. Pete and Cam said they'd stay, and a few
others said they might be able to stay. Grey had already got tickets for
Mike, Lacey, and Kevin. He didn't want anything to do with Mark, though.

That night, Mary and Sierra went back to Mary's house. The brothers all
went to their hotels. Grey learned that Nico and Pete were both staying in
the house, but Pete went to stay at the hotel to allow Tommy to have a room
to stay in.

Grey stood in the shower for a long time. He loved the feel of the hot
water cascading over his body. Showers were a blessing after his time on
the island. Grey liked to be clean, and he'd been filthy most of the time
on the island. So many things he'd taken for granted before were treasures
to discover now that he'd been on the island.

"You gonna stay in there all night?" Nico asked from the doorway.

"I'm coming out," Grey said as he shut off the water. He grabbed a towel
and dried his body but stayed naked.

"God I missed you so much, Grey," Nico said as he took him into his arms.

"I thought about you almost non stop on that island," Grey replied.

"I read the messages in the sand, Grey," Nico said. "And I love you, too."

"Let's get in bed so I can show you how much I love you," Grey said.

The next morning, Grey slept in as Nico watched him. It was so good to have
him back that Nico didn't know what to do. Watching him sleep in peace was
like gold to him, and the fact that he wasn't all that different since the
island was amazing. Grey had been himself with the brothers of the
fraternity, and he'd had such a peace about him all day the day
before. Nico was happy that Grey wasn't so affected by the island and his
time there.

"Morning," he said when Grey's eyes opened.

"Morning to you," Grey said as he stretched. "My God I'm in a bed. I love
beds."

He stretched some more and ran his hands over the fitted sheet over the
mattress. He looked at Nico and smiled. He'd missed him so much while he
was on the island, and now he had him there with him. He grabbed him in his
arms and held tight.

"I love you, Grey," Nico said.

"Not half as much as I love you," Grey said and they were at each other
again.

Nico was a bit sore from the night before but he wanted him anyway. He
moaned a bit loudly as Grey entered him but remembered that the house
wasn't empty and quieted down as Grey brought them together over and over
again. Grey kissed him to silence him and just to feel the feeling of his
lips and tongue. This was the boy he loved and he loved him so much.

"That was amazing," Nico said when they were panting and lying beside each
other.

"It was," Grey agreed. "I love to feel of you, Nico. I love all of you."

"You showed it," Nico said with a sigh. "But if we don't get up and get
going, Tommy will be in here."

"He might be, but he probably won't come in," Grey said as there was a
knock at his door.  "We're getting up," he called to whoever was at the
door.

They spent the day in the pool laughing and carrying on. Mary and Sierra
showed up around noon, and the boys got out of the pool to dry off. Mary
made them bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches with chips for lunch. Grey
hugged her and Sierra. He was so happy to be home and among his people.

"What are you doing for your birthday?" Mary asked.

"Mike, Lacey, and Kevin are flying in," Grey said. "I'll hire cars for them
to drive here. They want to spend my birthday with me. We're just going to
grill and use the pool like always. This time Tommy will be with us. That's
the only difference. I've not invited old friends. A bunch from the
fraternity might show up and I don't want a sea of people."

"Sounds good so far," she said. "I'll bake your cake."

It was tradition that Mary bake the cake for each of her children's
birthdays. This year would be no different. Mary was baking the cake to
celebrate his birthday and the fact that he was alive and well and with her
again. She'd be devastated when they all went back to Osage for school in
September.

The days until his birthday were filled with fun in the sun for both Nico
and Tommy. Grey enjoyed seeing Tommy accept Nico like part of the
family. They played pranks on each other but they were funny and not
dangerous.

Mary did bake the cake, and Lacey, Mike, and Kevin showed up. Kevin was a
lot more talkative off the island. He talked about his sister's funeral and
how sad it had been and the fact that his parents were getting a divorce
now that he was off the island and safe.

"My mother thinks you walk on water," he said. "She goes on and on about
how it was you that kept me alive and safe."

"Tell your mother that I appreciate her praise, but you kept yourself alive
once I showed you how to do it."

Cam, Pete, Adam, and Jesse came to the party. That was all from the
fraternity that came. Grey was happy to see them. This time he wasn't
allowed to cook anything or prepare anything. Mary and Sierra did all of
the work.

They swam in the pool and Grey saw the sparks fly between Lacey and
Tommy. Those two would be a couple soon enough. Mike had already told him
that he'd be transferring to Saguaro Osage this coming semester. Lacey
wasn't in college, but had said she'd move to Osage for the school year to
be near Tommy. Grey was happy for Tommy. It seemed the Baker boys had their
loved ones.

They sang him Happy Birthday in off-key voices, making him laugh. They had
Mary's cake and ice cream along with steaks and potato salad, cole slaw,
and baked beans. The day was a hit for Grey. He got so many gifts, which he
was used to. This time Tommy had one for him, too. This was a departure
from his breaking Grey's gifts the same day he'd received them.

He was sad to see everyone go after the party the next day. He'd see Mike
at school, Lacey was apparently moving into an apartment in Osage with
Tommy, and Kevin was trying to get his transfer in order, what was even
more shocking was that Kevin was an Aboo brother. That meant that he'd not
only have to transfer to Osage but he'd have to transfer to the Aboo
chapter as well.

He'd see Cam, Pete, and Jesse at school, too. Adam had graduated and was
not doing graduate work at the Osage campus. He was still going to be at a
Saguaro school, but it was in Nevada. Grey liked Adam and would be sad to
see him go. He'd already learned that Steven Fry was going to be fraternity
president in the coming year. He barely knew Steven, though.

He spent his days with Tommy and Nico. Tommy practically lived with them,
and Grey was fine with that. Their close relationship had survived the
island, and Tommy seemed much more relaxed in Grey's company. Several times
reporters called to do stories about the Baker Boys and Project Survivor
but they turned all of that down.

They talked about opening a business together where they would teach people
survival tactics for a price. Tommy said they'd have to buy land or
something. Grey told him he'd track down all of the incidentals and get
back to him. Tommy was happy with that. But Grey already had a business to
run. Sure he'd wanted one of his own, but Chris had left him a business
that he was supposed to be learning to operate. He could sit on the board,
he supposed. He didn't really know what he was going to do, but he was
going to track down all of the license fees and incidentals for the
business that Tommy wanted to open. It was right up his alley so to speak.

Nico told him he wanted to learn to survive in a situation like the
island. Tommy was all for them teaching him, and Grey pointed out that they
could do it in the woods behind the house. So for five days they lived off
the land behind Grey's house. They didn't touch the shelter he'd made. They
had Nico build his shelter which was a lot harder without bamboo. Chris had
shipped in bamboo for Grey's shelter, but there hadn't been time and no one
had thought about it. Nico made a rudimentary shelter with wood from the
trees. It was serviceable and that was all that counted. He made fire,
found fresh water and did really well with snares and traps. Grey
disassembled them as soon as they were made as they needed hunting licenses
to hunt in the woods, he believed. In the end they gave Nico a small taste
of what it had been like on the island.

Grey had planted fruit trees in these woods with Chris's help when he was a
boy, so they were flourishing and ready to be picked any time. There were
even more of them from fallen fruit. Sure it was just apples, oranges, and
cherries, but Nico got the idea.

Every week, Mary and Sierra came for dinner or lunch. Several times they
woke up to the smell of bacon in the kitchen and found Mary at work on
breakfast. It seemed that their mother couldn't get enough of them. She
told Grey that it was such a happy environment that she loved being around
them.

Time marched on and it was almost time for them to leave for school
again. Mary was sad to know that in two weeks they'd all be gone back to
school and she would be alone for the semester. Sure they'd come home for
Christmas and Spring Break, but it wouldn't be the same.

Grey was looking forward to heading back to Osage for the year. He and Nico
wouldn't change much. They'd just have a different room to live together in
with lots of brothers to contend with. The trials would happen again just
after they all returned, but Grey and Nico were only sophomores and
wouldn't have much to do with them. Grey didn't want to hold an office in
the fraternity, so there wasn't anything to worry about on that end.

Grey was happier than he'd been in a long time. The island was responsible
for most of that happiness where his brother was concerned. Tommy was a
completely different person. It was sad that he had been kicked out of his
fraternity, but he said that was his old life and he was ready to start his
new life. Grey thought about it in a different way. There was life before
the island, and life after. One thing was for sure, though. Grey was going
to tackle life with all that he had. He'd have his happy ending if it was
the last thing he did.

THE END

Notes on this story:

This story was written as a request of a friend. He gave me an outline to
follow and I did that. I know that this story has upset a few people. They
find it completely unbelievable. The university, Alpha Beta Omega, and the
trials came from a conversation with another friend about how things could
be better at university. I know that people know that the trials are not
what pledges go through. One person said it sounded more like secret
society and it does. We discussed what it would be like to have pledges go
through a much milder experience than normal. If you don't like it I'm
sorry but there are plenty of other stories on Nifty to read.

You may or may no look forward to the Saguaro University Chronicles of
which this one may be one of them. I'm writing stories based on the
university and frat that we came up with and the trials. It will be posting
on Nifty as soon as I finished one of them.

Julien Gregg