He listened as the midwife crooned words of encouragement. It was as if she was calming him instead, while his darling, moaning and shuffling about in gentle motions, braved on.
She was in pain, he could tell, but she’d given birth before. And she was managing far better than he had the previous four times put together.
About ten heavy breathing and a couple more shrieky minutes later, out plopped his new baby. With buttery legs, a mild mane, and eyes battling against the afternoon sun, his fifth treasure—the one that completed his farm—the jet black calf lay on the warm hay.
Tag: short story
Survival of the fittest
Two-by-two, the students of Jasper High lined one after the other, following their creative arts teacher Ms. Richards who, in turn, followed the museum guide. It wasn’t the first time that eight graders took a field trip to the Museum of Ancient and Modern Art. It was part of the annual curriculum, and there was always something new each time.
This year, it was a pining mother lamenting her stillborn child. Visitors queued all along the hallway, awaiting their turn to see the well-guarded portrait. World renowned artist, Huge, had replicated humankind’s most primitive emotion—love—in its unadulterated form. The enthralling special exhibit was on loan the art museum in New York. To all this information, Ms. Richards nodded with polite curiosity.
“Love like I’ve never seen before,” read the placard. Students oohed and aahed when it was their turn to ogle at the art. Ms. Richards couldn’t help agree with the artist—she had never seen love so pure.
“I apologise for the delay,” the guide was saying. “We had to increase security ever since someone tried to steal the portrait two weeks ago.”
Back at the police station, the policeman’s eye gleamed with joy. He’d apprehended the culprit—a twenty-two year old unemployed art graduate.
He admitted to the crime, “I don’t care about love. I’m trying to survive.”
Hasty
The girl squirmed as she replied to the hooded man. She wasn’t impressed with whatever he was selling either. His hung his head low, spoke as in a whisper, and looked straight into the eyes of the girl who was now regretting taking the bus to work that day.
Across the bus stop, the policeman observed everything. He wanted to intervene, to nab the vermin that injected evil drugs into his society. But it was neither his place nor right to disturb unless the woman called for help.
After about ten minutes, it was becoming clear that the shady salesman wouldn’t accept no for an answer.
Jeff threw caution to the winds. So what if he was under suspension for wrong accusations? He knew a drug dealer when he saw one. Inspired from super cop movies, Jeff jumped in on the scene, “Hey, mister. You’re coming with me for drug trafficking.”
He pulled at the man’s hood.
An old beggar woman stared back at him. Not a drug dealer, but instead a gypsy selling beads.
—
Prompt: Today’s Author
A way out
No matter how much he tried, Jey, the milkman’s youngest son, couldn’t persuade the elders to clean the path out of the isolated village.
He sighed walking back home, alone and dejected yet again. His villagers were golden at heart, compassionate and ever understanding. However, when it came to sensible matters, they wouldn’t budge from traditional muck and let progress come into their process. Jey decided to give up.
As he packed his bag that night, he knew he couldn’t save his village. Their only passage to development was blocked by decades of mindless dirt and debris.
And a flood was coming.
—
Inspiration: Today’s Author.
It was war
“Do you have all the bullets? We can’t afford to lose again. We have to make this our best effort yet.”
Mark was pacing as he always did before the final face off.
And as always, Karl was there to assure him. “Don’t worry, I’ve got them all.”
“Good,” Mark replied, punching his right fist into his left palm, “those imbeciles won’t know what hit them!”
Mark had always been too competitive for his own good. But even his partner, Karl, knew this was a pivotal point in their lives. If they win, they’d become the senior school debating champions.
The Chaos Within 