1 - There dwells a spirit, waiting to be released

“It’s quite wonderful,” Alton murmured as he walked slowly around the sculpture standing in the center of Merlyn’s studio. “Done from life?”

Merlyn chuckled softly. “One could only wish. No, it’s just dream, an unattainable dream. No man could be like that, so perfect, so erotic and yet so pure.” He studied the sculpture wistfully and then put the cover back over it.  

“I think I resent that comment.” Alton laughed, looking at his long-time friend and client.

“Alt, you haven’t been pure since the day you turned sixteen.”

“My dear man you under exaggerate, I was fourteen when I lost my virginity and it would have been sooner if mother hadn’t kept me on such a tight leash.”

Merlyn laughed. “And you’ve been trying to increase your list of conquests exponentially since then.”

“Are you saying I’m a slut?” Alton tried to look offended and failed miserably.

“Let’s just say that you’ve never met a man you didn’t want to bed at least once and leave it at that.”

“While you on the other hand haven’t met one you do want to bed even once.”

“That’s not true and you know it, Alt. Up until three years ago…” Merlyn sighed deeply earning him a hug from Alton.

“He did a number on you sweetie. If I had anything to say about it he’d be castrated, de-cocked and sent to work in an all male strip club as a waiter for the rest of his unnatural life.”

Merlyn snorted. “You’d do that wouldn’t you?”

“Damned right I would!” He stepped back to look at his friend. “Merl, it’s about time you forgot about him and started living life again instead of hiding out here making sculptures of ‘perfect’ men. They don’t exist. sweetie. Trust me if one did I’d have found him and grabbed him up in a heartbeat.”

“So what do you want me to do, start trolling the clubs with you? I’m not ready to do that Alt.”

“I know but how about we go out to dinner, somewhere nice like the Harborside. You can relax, unwind and get away from all this.” Alton swept his hand around.

“Perhaps.” Merlyn smiled. “Alright, sure, why not. When?”

“In an hour if I can get us a reservation, so go change.”