Reviewer: Battlemaster-3d Signed
Date: March 13 2019
Title: Chapter 1: Chapter 1 - Reunion
Think every one is hurting, Jill started out as a bit of brat and grew (in more ways then one) into a caring person.
Sam is hurting, don't know if he will ever forgive himself, it will always a be a what if. I am sure he would of traded his life for Jill's in a heartbeat, that's just the man he is. I also believe at some level Julie knows this as well...
Julie, just as she is dealing with her own self-inflected wounds from her treatment of Sam this hits. She's likely angry at Billy, maybe angry with Sam, could be angry with the police, but I think she is if she's being truthful with herself most angry with herself. She has trained with Sam, she knew what he could do before he shrunk, she has likely heard from the Cops what a "hero" he is (and likely some parts of her know that as well), maybe even seen the tape and knows it beyond a doubt. The for lack of a shoe sieries of events have to play in her mind. If she hadn't of done what she did to Sam, Billy might of never been an issue, if he was Sam even at 4'9" would of easily dealt with him and kept Jill safe, if she hadn't of 'assulted' Sam he might of gathered his confience earlier and dealt with Billy, for everything Sam can blame on himself, she can blame at least two of her own actions for why Jill died.
As stated Julie knows at least on some level Sam would of died to save his sister, in an ironic sense Julie may of wished for that to happen. Not cause she wants Sam to die, but if he had to go it was THE WAY to go and he would be free of her and what she did to him. The only person Julie would likely want to die more is herself, maybe she could do right by Sam as he had done right by her.
It may take her some time, and she is going to be angry, with Sam blaming himself she may find comfort in blaming him for a while and let him continue to be her 'sin eater' but I think she has matured enough that over time knowing the man Sam is as she gets over her grief she will try to heal Sam. In fact it maybe easier for her to get over her grief then Sam as Sam always takes the littlest of things to heart.
Hope they heal and are their for the other, hope the crew heals and is there for both of them. Thank you.
Author's Response: Jill was growing into a caring person like you say, partly because she felt at least some responsibility for what happened to Sam. After learning how great a person Sam was she was at first volunteering and then later actually working to help people who had caught the disease. It is because of her transformation from a brat to a caring person that makes her passing so tragic.
Everyone needs time to heal from this. Julie of course is devastated from the events in her life. I think she wants to get back with Sam. She had a moment years ago where jealousy or just plain revenge took over her good senses and now she's paying for it. In fact, everyone is paying for it and she has to deal with it. Before things can get better she has to forgive herself. Can she?
Sam wants to get back with Julie, but does he have the patience? The other girls in his life want to help, even if that means convincing Sam not to go back with her. Sam has doubts about whether he should keep persuing Julie. And then there's the fact that Sam survived the incident and in his mind blames himself for what happened to Jill. He has to get over that. The incident with Billy could have turned out several different ways with either nobody, one or even all of them getting hurt. It just so happened that it turned out the way it did -- call it luck of the draw.
The rest of the story is how Sam, Julie and the others handle this tragedy and if they grow from this. How can the two get back together. Should they? Will someone else be better for Sam?
I had in mind to take the story one way but it moved a little from the original intent. There were some things in my life that happened that changed the course of the story too. But let's see how the characters fare because I think you'll like it. I've already finished writing this so I know how it goes, but of course there's all the editing and stuff that has to be done. Inevitably little details will change when this happens. The key thing is to not change the story as a whole when these little things change. There are still a few twists and turns but they are there to force the characters to ... well you'll find out.
Thanks for the comments, Battlemaster. I appreciate you all taking the time to do this and it does make a difference when I edit before pushing new chapters up.