Tag Archives: nature

ALEX MARKOVICH: Nature Boy

Amusing, Submissions, , , , , ,

He revels in his mystic communion with wildlife.

Birds perch on his wrist and peck birdseed from his palm. A skunk visits his porch nightly to be petted. He hand-feeds squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, even deer.

Their trust in him is a blessing. He’s having rabbit stew tonight and venison tomorrow.

Alex Markovich lives in a suburb of New York with Jackie, his wife of 57 years and his toughest literary critic. His stories have appeared in 50-Word Stories, Blue Lake Review, Halfway Down the Stairs, Still Crazy, and other lit mags.

BRANDON MAGRUDER: Unnatural War

Adventure, Submissions, , , , ,

Quiet ceased as the storm began. The rainfall drowned out the sounds of his footfalls as he rushed forward to his foe, knife in hand.

He slashed and tore. Wires dangled and lines leaked their fluids.

His job was done. This mechanical monster would not fell another tree.

For now.

Brandon Magruder wrote this story.

 

ADAM B RANDALL: The Wasteland

Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

Where cars once drove there is now wilderness, overrun with animals who never used to call this place their home.

The buildings now serve as monuments for a great society forgotten in time.

He stares across the city and listens to it speak, with the realization he is truly alone.

Adam Randall has previously been featured on 50-word stories, and hopes to one day complete some great masterpiece. He just needs to figure out just what that might be.

JOANNA M. WESTON: Who Knows Best?

Artistic, Submissions, ,

They cut down every tree around the swamp and left them to rot.

The experts said the downed trees would make good habitat for wild animals, that it was good for the environment.

Next summer the water got too hot. Ducks and geese left. Herons left.

The swamp dried out.

Joanna M. Weston is married and has two cats, multiple spiders, a herd of deer, and two derelict hen-houses. Her middle-reader, “Those Blue Shoes”, has been published by Clarity House Press. Her poetry, “A Summer Father”, was published by Frontenac House of Calgary. Her eBook, “The Willow Tree Girl”, is available through her blog.

CONNELL WAYNE REGNER: A Horror Story

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

The night came, bringing icy cold air to the battlefield, and the moans once heard fell silent as the first snowflakes drifted down.

A shroud of snow covered everything, and in the morning a more beautiful landscape was unimaginable anywhere else, except for the knowledge of the grotesque shapes beneath.

Connell Wayne Regner had successfully avoided writing creatively since he wrote spontaneous lyrics to music some years ago. Although from a linguistic background, he has serendipitously succumbed to fiction. His other dabblings can be found at paragraphplanet and wtdmagazine.wordpress.com.

DJH WOODWARD: Inaction

Artistic, Submissions, , , , , , ,

I cast a concerned eye at the juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, assessing his intentions toward our shared focus, my favorites: chickadees, black, white, light Purbeck-marble tan.
“Don’t you dare,” I say.

He doesn’t honor my plea.

Ashamed of my fascination, I let my camera capture him as he swoops to kill.

D.J.H. Woodward has played with words since she was a child, her first work being a collection of poetry and drawings for her maternal grandmother. Now an administrative maven who enjoys life most when her non-work hours are spent in learning and creativity, D.J. especially enjoys pursuits that are the opposite of what she gets paid to do.