DISCLAIMER: The following story is a fictional account of teenage boys who are in love. There are references and graphic descriptions of gay sex involving minors, and anyone who is uncomfortable with this should obviously not be reading it. All characters are fictional and any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental. Although the story takes place in actual locations and establishments, the author takes full responsibility for all events described and these are not in any way meant to reflect the activities of real individuals or institutions. The author retains full copyright of this story.
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L'isola del rifugio
Introduction
Just like a musician will sometimes take a melody composed by another composer and elaborate and expand upon it, sometimes an author is inspired by an unfinished work of another and it happens that the author is inspired by an unfinished story and this work is just that.
I discovered ' Isle of Refuge ' in 2002 and read it all in one go, without first checking if it was over and unfortunately it wasn't. Since then I have been more cautious and rarely began reading a novel on Nifty, without first make sure that it was completed. This story however had me captivated.
The author is American, Phaedrus57, and the story was published on Nifty between 1999 and early 2000 and is still there (http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/young-friends/isle-of-refuge/).
It tells the story of a group of boys who, after the sinking of the schooner on which they are embarked, find themselves on a deserted Pacific island. At first the story reminded me of ' Lord of the Flies ', but only in the background, because it departs soon, following a course somewhere less articulate, but more romantic and immediate.
When I read it, I liked it so much and decided to translate it in Italian that is my language. While I reread it in Italian, however, certain characters began to take my hand and asking for some change. Therefore, not being bound by the literal translation, nor the obligation to give someone a version accurate to the original, I began to imagine some change and finally a sort of rewrite.
The first and most important change is the shift in time oh the history since the year 1999, contemporary writing, in 1950. The reasons become clear by reading.
The second change, even more substantial, is in the age of the characters. In my version they are a few years older. And here the reason is personal, as well as functional to the carrying out of the story, in the sense that I don't like imagining sex scenes between people aren't intellectually mature. And the placement in the archive ' young-friends ' clarifies quite a few 'Nifty' features of the original tale.
I also changed some names, I invented the surnames, when this was necessary. I have also completed or created the background of the characters.
Finally, on the basis of some notes from the author of the original tale, I made-up a development and a conclusion.
In 2002 I exchanged emails with Phaedrus57, hoping to convince him to complete the story, but from his polite replies, I realized that he hadn't any more interest.
"On my own, I never gave up the idea to conclude ' Isle of Refuge '. My life is much changed since I started and I can't make promises about when I will be able to resume writing. I started writing it after I quit my job as a teacher, when I suddenly found myself with a lot of time on my hands. Then I sold my house in Boston and returned to the country of Maine town where I grew up. My mother was increasingly ill and my stepfather could no longer care for her alone. She is now in a nursing home, but I am always very busy... and I don't have much time to write."
"The first part of the eleventh chapter of ' Isle of Refuge ' followed me in my movements and from a hard disk to another. Every now and then I get to read it.
Unfortunately I am not an organized writer and maybe I should be, meaning I should sort my thoughts in notes and then transcribe them into shape.
However I've also some plans for the end of the story ... "
Then he confided me his intentions about how he thought that the story should close and it is to those few notes that I was inspired.
In conclusion, 'L'Isola del Rifugio' is a story conceived in Boston by a man of culture, born in Maine, translated and rewritten by a true amateur born in Italy.
All pretentiousness and excesses are mine, the good ideas belong to Phaedrus57.
Lenny Bruce
P.S. If there was someone out there eager to re-translate in English this story, come forward... I'd be really happy!