Ratagast was an unfortunate name for a dog, but when you looked him in the eye, it was clear that it was the only name that could fit. He would never be a Snoopy or a Clive, or Skipper or any other inane moniker humans seem to bestow upon their pets. Ratagast had his name and his eyes told you that if you ever called him something other than what he truly was, he would remember…and one day…he would hurt you for it.
Drew stepped out into fresh air with his high tech gaming remote and was ready to take on the world.
He prepared for this moment his whole life. Since he was very young, he had vanquished zombie hordes, saved kingdoms in peril, slew dragons and orcs and performed countless other deeds of daring do. But out here…in the real world, it didn’t take long to realize those skills did not translate well. He learned that no matter how fast his reflexes or how clever his strategy, life didn’t seem to respond the same as a game console. There were no bonus rounds, no power ups, no cheat codes or hidden clues. Life was much harder.
Carter seemed hypnotized as Motts shared his sagely prognostications of the boy’s future.
Motts spoke of trials and tribulations, joys and frustrations. He spoke of love and heartache, friends and family and finally he gave a glimpse of what was to be Carter’s eventual end. Then Motts fell silent.
After a moment he whispered, “Please, put me back in the water.”
Carter shook himself from his daze. Unhooked the fish and dropped it back into the pond. As he gathered his stuff to leave, Carter turned back and shouted, “DUH! SPOILER ART!” And he stomped off, never to go fishing again.
This was a pickle.
Philly’s finger hovered over the ‘ENTER’ key as if it were hanging over the button that would trigger armageddon. His carefully crafted response was curt and direct, cutting but true, and clear beyond a shadow of a doubt regarding the matter Juniper raised – and that so many others felt free to join in on. It was true, and this time he had right on his side. Juniper had gone too far. She deserved this. And yet, his finger…hovered, suspended in time and space as his mind whirred.
Candy sat next the Billy a thousand, maybe a million times over the course of their…friendship? No, not friendship. They grew up together. To Candy, Billy was not so much a friend, but more an ‘accessory.’ Much like that familiar key ring, or that comfortable sweatshirt that just always seemed to be there.
But today, for no reason at all, when he nudged her with his elbow as he had done a thousand, maybe a million times, she grabbed his face and kissed him.
As the reality of the situation began to sink in, Bertrum realized two things almost immediately. One, there would be no time for all the witty retorts he had so carefully prepared for this moment. And two, there would be no good explanation for the lederhosen.
The far too distant sun rose to reveal a bleak and barren landscape. Marcus squinted into the icy wind, dreading another day in the cold, where he seemed to do nothing but work to live. Yes, he supposed, in the grand scheme of things, there was reason for his existence, but he couldn’t grasp it. And being a penguin, the options to make meaningful changes to his life and the way he lived it were few and fleeting.
The JEFFWORKS - It's all in the mind 