By [mousepoet]
Genre: Poetry
Mod's Comment: Vivid classical imagery, mixed with quick action, give this poem enough strength and passion to make the reader forget all caution. But when we finally see from beyond the boy's newfound pride, we then realize his mistake.


A staff that rests upon a graven stone.
A boy that sits upon these hills, alone.
The shepherd child resolves himself to fight
To prove himself a man so newly grown.

Within the shepherd’s chest, a heart of gold.
Within the wall of stone, his rightful fold.
Beside the stream of green, the lion’s eye,
And in the shepherd’s eye, a gleam so bold.

The hand, it grasps! He thrusts it to the wood.
The staff, it swings! He hardens to the blood.
In tawny flight, the lion swift retreats
And leaves behind the greatest thing it could.

The boy has won! He laughs in triumph clear
And does not see the danger creeping near,
For when a lion lone is in defeat,
Beware, a wounded pride will soon appear.

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By [kumquat]
Genre: Poetry
Mod's Comment: When you are loathesome, miserable, shattered... have you a solace?


A bottle smashed against a wall,
Screams vibrating through stone.
Lights flash through closed eyelids-
They have left me here alone.

Gravel engravings upon my cheek,
Persecution ringing clear.
Emptiness eating away at me,
Eyes well up with Fear.

Cold night gnawing at my bones,
Saturated in blood.
This chill eats into my soul-
I’d run from myself, if I could.

Warm arms suddenly surround me,
Renewing bitter-sweet faith.
If I could speak, then I would beg;
Please. Let Me Feel Safe.

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By [Nell]
Genre: Short Story

What has happened to Matthew Warden's father? Perhaps he has taken part in one dirty dealing too many. Now, Matthew has begun to look for him, though the job doesn't quite match with his sensibility. But will Matthew himself align with shady characters in order to carry out his search?

With vivid descriptions and a sometimes satirical tone, this piece is worth a taste...

Matthew Warden was a straightforward young man, twenty-two years of age, tall and well built, while still managing to have a wraith-like appearance about him. He had a shock of blond hair and brooding green eyes. He was engaged in his father's fishing business, which for some reason included a number of vague dealings with some very vague people. Matthew had kept to the fish rather than the fishy side of the trade, and would have been happy to keep it that way except for a small problem; his father had gone missing, and it was a mystery as to where he was.

Matthew hated mysteries.

Read more at 226.Stories.The Queen Marie.

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By: [Kiddalee]
Genre: Modern Fantasy

Once, there was an evil hat. The only problem is that no one thought it was evil because it was just a hat. So no one thought to take the necessary precautions. This allowed the hat to be as evil as it wanted.


 There was also a good, but misunderstood, hat. If anybody put it on, it would chomp down on their head affectionately. This really hurt the wearer, but the hat couldn't think of any better way to express its love for the wearer, so it was declared rather dangerous and locked up in some hiding place.
 But that was a long time ago.
 Now, there are lots of people stupid enough to practically destroy their skulls and get metal plates stuck on their heads through things like drunk driving and sports without helmets and getting really frustrated with office work (they used to just destroy their skulls and not get metal plates in their heads).
 There was one guy who'd had to replace most of his skull (this was in a time or maybe place of higher medical technology than now) due to being an idiot in a mosh pit, and could now survive his head being bitten more than lots of people. This is very convenient to the story, but the hat had been forgotten about since very long ago, and the place where it had been locked up was now an historic site with lots of locked things that archaeologists hadn't been able to open yet, so it's not like anyone was really seeking the hat out.
 The hat was pretty lonely, though, and sometimes it wailed from its dark, scary corner. You would, too, if you'd been locked up from a time when people didn't even psychoanalyse to a time when almost whole heads could be replaced. Luckily, wailing was enough to keep the hat from going completely insane. It wouldn't be for you.....


Read the rest of this story at: 225.Writing Exercises.Sleep Deprivation.The Hat!

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Comment from the Mod:
I love it! Very good humoured and wonderfully descriptive of the hat's feelings. The whole idea of a story about a hat with feelings and that fact he only desires love which cannot be given, is just spectacular! I very highly suggest this piece to someone in search of humourous tales.

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