Close-at-hand star bringing life-granting light.

Warm rays soaked up by the Earth – growing plants.

Mysterious sights to deep sea creatures.

Wondrous phenomenon: total eclipse.

Both helpful and harmful; cancer bringer.

Protection a must on hot summer days.

Ceaselessly marking time’s gradual march.

Turning seasons: forever constant friend....

“We shouldn’t be here…” She mutters, shaking her head. Row upon row of bunkbeds stare back at her, their only occupants layers of dust and dead-eyed dolls. The metal bars groan in protest as she presses against them, testing their weight. The sound sends a shiver down her spine, like nails on a chalkboard.

_You couldn’t pay me to stay here_, she decides. No amount of money could quell the crawli...

_Scritch. Scritch. Scritch._

Under sand, cool and fresh.

Over sand, burning many feet.

Scurry fast – night is best.

Daytime heat beats down.

Cool nighttime air brings relief.

But with the night comes danger:

predators out hunting.

_Hop. Hop. Hop._

A shadow looms over.

Kangaroo mouse seeks its dinner.

Scurry fast – night is frightening.

Endless chase over darkened sand.

To lose is to become f...

They do not understand how it is in my nature to consume. Humans, animals. Mortals! They are all alike. Passionless, uncreative being the lot of them! And yet they scream and scamper when I crawl from my watery tomb. I have been trapped for millennia, and it feels wonderful to stretch my wings and wrap my tentacles around prey. Their buildings and cars are mere playthings; a rough exoskeleton hidi...

Loved at once, then forgotten

abandoned to roam the streets.

Caring parents and stroking hands

Became angry shouts and striking blows.

Furever home they coo and claim,

but one accident changes their mind.

“He’s grown too big!” They with shock.

Then throw me out to live alone.

Humans are all the same.

I bark.

I growl.

I fight.

They cannot be trusted.

I slink away from hands and nets.

The stre...

I’m done. I’m finished.

I cannot continue any more.

My brain is mush;

my thoughts scatter on the floor.

I try to focus. I try to think.

Any thought to complete my prose.

When it comes to words,

nothing, absolutely nothing, goes.

I crumble the paper. I throw it away.

My creativity is completely blind.

What utterly useless crap

has come from my mind....

Standing on the precipice, it was easy to sense the oncoming storm. Electricity frizzled through the air, almost touchable, almost audible. Darkness enveloped the land like a warm blanket, casting everything in shadow. High humidity caused hair to poof, as though each person was in permanent contact with an electric current. What was most unnerving was the quiet.

Each animal seemed to have gone ...

Nobody moved. Soft whimpers rippled through the crowd. One hundred heads bowed; their eyes downcast, for to make eye contact was certain death. Thin arms wrapped around loved ones, holding them close to prevent them from being selected. Once a day for the past three months, this was their hell. Their numbers slowly dwindled, and none of the workers expected to make it out of the camp alive.

“No ...

You are the light that brings me joy.

One look from you and my world is brightened.

My fears and woes cower before your gaze.

The looks of unrestricted love

lead me through my darkest days.

In your eyes, I found my strength.

Your lips carry the kindest words to my ears.

Exclamations of love elate my heart.

You are the anchor that keeps me grounded,

for without you, I would be adrift,

lost in the...

“We now call to order the Great Council and proceed with the reading of today’s agenda.” The commanding voice boomed through the stone room. Each one of the thirteen gathered people at the table sat at rigid attention. No shuffling nor sniffling broke the quiet that followed the authoritative voice.

“Yes, sir.” A meek voice to the man’s left replied. Though small, the voice didn’t stutter as it ...