A Collection of Short Stories

From Wilderness and Nature: The Trapper The trapper stood on the shore of Great Slave Lake in the North West Territories watching the float plane that had dropped him off. As it banked sharply and headed away, it left him in silent awe of the great north woods. With his dog at his side as his only companion for the next six months, the enormity of his situation overwhelmed him. His fifteen hundred pounds of supplies lay beside him, ready to be packed away in his cabin and his skinning shed. His dog, which he had named Wolf, was restless; ready to start his routine helping the trapper move his supplies with their homemade cart to his cabin one hundred yards away. However, his priority was checking on his cabin first. The trapper and Wolf walked the short distance up the path to their cabin. Everything looked in order as the trapper had bear-proofed the building before he had left last April. There were new claw marks and damaged wood where a bear had tried to enter without success. The trapper took his prybar, and upon removing the protection on the door the pair entered the cabin. Flowers Flowers, brilliant in colour and character, dominate our planet. If plants and trees did not flower, the Earth would be devoid of any living, natural, bright colour, changing our perception of life on Earth as we know it. Through evolution, the bright colours of flowers attract insects that pollinate the blooms causing them, after death, to produce seeds that drop to the ground and germinate into new life, guaranteeing the survival of this species. From Fiction: Cabin Creek The old cowboy sat alone, the campfire his only friend. He had just worked a cattle drive and was returning to Phoenix, stopping in the desert for the night. Tomorrow he hoped to reach Cabin Creek, a waystation where he could get a hot meal and a warm bed to sleep in. He laid down beside the fire, the night quiet, the howl of the coyotes the only sound to break the silence. His sleep was restless as his thoughts turned to the uncertain future he was facing. He was a drifter, going where the jobs would take him. His hope was, that he could get a job as a cowhand when he arrived in the Phoenix area. Where Evil Lurks The burning of the church and the desecration of the cemetery behind it, deeply saddened the residents of the small town. The church, which was built in the late 1800’s, was a landmark in the community, and was still being used as a gathering place and a house of worship. Now it was gone, leaving only disbelief and shock that evil had invaded their quiet community. From Science Fiction and Horror: The Hunter Brian’s urge to go hunting again gnawed like an addiction at his soul, the notion of making his third kill overpowering all his thoughts, driving him to launch a plan for his next hunting trip. He would take Julie with him so he could watch her admire his great skills as a hunter. He would teach her to stalk the victim through the forest, shooting at the most opportune time, making sure the first shot was the only one needed. The Harvest The aliens were sitting in the confines of space just outside Earth’s atmosphere, watching the human civilization brought to a standstill by the virus they had released. The virus was doing its job, killing the old and the sick, leaving the young and healthy to be harvested for high quality food to fulfill its contracts with other planets. This planet was seeded, like a garden, thousands of years ago with a low-level intelligence with a high rate of reproduction. Now it was harvest time From Family: Memories The sound of the outboard motor dad was trying to repair sprang to life, interrupting the silence as the old motor shook the forty-five gallon drum of water to which it was attached. The sweet smile of victory replaced an earlier frown of frustration at the old motor’s reluctance to run. Dad returned to his work bench to retrieve his hot tea, listening to the outboard idling in harmony, all the parts in the motor working as they should. A commotion from above caught his attention; a barn swallow’s nest full of hungry babies were about to be fed by their busy parents. This was a summertime ritual, and a shared accommodation that worked out well for both parties involved. The Ice Rink The early March weather had been warm, creating large expanses of water from the melting snow in the low areas, forming ponds. Usually this happens in early spring, guaranteeing another freeze, which creates superb habitat for young hockey players wanting to play shinny, a game typically played on an outside surface among friends making up their own teams. These gatherings are a sacred ritual for kids, who never miss this opportunity to congregate with their peers to show off their latest skills. A chance to compete in an open atmosphere free from parental oversight, allows this young culture to take care of their own problems when they arise.