Now that’s what I call one hell of a family.

From left to right: Scrugs, Slinky, Dominic, Malaika, Lu, Rosemary, Carmen, Regan, Lilith, and Mike.

#sinsofthefather #bookcover #art

Little Regan rushed to her sister’s room as fast as she could. A large bag dragged along the floor as she hauled it with her small arms. She opened the door as the older sibling made the final preparations around the ominous red-painted pentagram that lay in the center of the bedroom.

“Did you bring it?” Rosemary asked.

“Right here,” Regan peeped. She then dropped the bag by the bedside. “Will this work?”

“It’s the only way,” Rosemary confirmed. “All we have to do now is say the incantation.”

Rosemary pulled out an ancient book and skimmed through each page. The hardcover resembled a decaying corpse and each page she flipped felt like layers of skin and tissue. At last, she found the page and read its dark inscription aloud. A cold air filled the room with each word she spoke. A violent gust swung around the sisters as her voice grew louder:

"Arise, O Fallen One,

Spill the blood and blacken the sun.

I call upon you from darken rest

for you to perform a simple request.

Arise from the pit you dwell!

Rise, Satan, Lord of Hell!"

Black fire sprouted from the pentagram’s heart like a deadly geyser. Sulfuric smoke engulfed the room. Rosemary and Regan clung to each other like helpless birds in a savage, fiery hurricane. They both peaked their eyes out and saw a large pair of red eyes staring back at them from the abyss they conjured.

“You have summoned me, mortals,” The shadowy beast bellowed greedily. His hollow eyes gleamed like a hungry predator. “What are you willing give? What is your dark request?”

Courage filled Rosemary’s soul as she stood against the devil. She then raised the bag before the Beast and furiously declared. “Mom said stop hiding in your office and take out the trash already.”

The smoke cleared the bedroom in a bright flash. Out of the fading abyss was the devil’s human form, who dropped down to his knees and pleaded. “Come on. Can’t it wait until after dinner? It’s spaghetti night!”

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #demons #devil #hell #repost

The great debate has begun. Blood from both parties has been spilled. Now the time has come for peaceful negotiations to take place. On opposite ends of the dining table, Rosemary and Regan Gravely eye their mother and stepfather carefully. Rosemary spoke first. “We think the time has come that we had a pet of our own.”

“Is that so?” their mother asked. Her tone balanced between calm and concern.

“Yes. Owning a pet will help us prove we are responsible.” Regan cheered in.

“I’d agree with you if you knew what responsibility meant.” the devil sarcastically chimed. “Then again, who am I judge?”

Carmen then continued. “It means that the two of you must equally take care of the pet, which means feeding it, bathing it, and cleaning up after it.”

The Gravely sisters looked at each other with big smiles. “We can do it.”

“Then let’s make a deal.” Lu sneered. A swift snap from his pale fingers popped a small spark of fire. The fire then transformed into a long sheet of paper with numerous of scribbled words. “If you two can agree on a pet, we’ll buy said pet. But only if both of you like the animal and agree to take care of it.”

“Not bad,” Carmen whispered to her devilish husband. “They don’t have to sell their souls, do they?”

“Only if they signed in blood. Anyone got something sharp?”

“No signatures necessary,” The eldest daughter remarked. “We agree.”

“Very well.” The devil smiled. Another snap of his fingers and the contract incinerated. “It just so happens you girls are in luck. One of our Hellhounds, Big Momma Jam, just had a litter of puppies. Why don’t we look?” the Lord of Pride snapped his fingers a third time as a fiery portal opened in their kitchen. The family migrated to the hellish gateway to the realm of nightmares.

The Gravely family stood behind a large glass window, watching the small black, cindered creatures at play. The pups barked, wrestled, and ran all around the large enclosure. “Aww, they’re so cute,” Regan said, jumping up and down in excitement.

“What do you think, hon?” Lu nudged.

“I don’t know,” Carmen said. “I don’t like the idea of cleaning sulfur stains out of the carpets.”

At the other end of the pen, a door opened wide. Out flew the small bat-like demon Scrugs, personal assistant to the Fallen One, hauling a large slab of meat. His small bat wings fluttered rapidly as they tried so hard to carry his little body while dragging a boulder-sized meat slab.

“Lunch is here!” Scrugs huffed and puffed. “Come and get it!”

The pups then paused their playtime and ran towards the tired demon. They all pounced on the meat at once. The impact knocked little Scrugs down to the open floor as the pups began tearing chunks apart with their carnivorous teeth. The family watched in horror as the monstrous infants munched on their caregiver.

“NO, NOT ME!” Scrugs hollered frantically as the feeding frenzy started chewing at his feet. “I’M NOT ON THE MENU. OH GAAAAAWWWWDDD!”

“Maybe we should go to an actual pet store now.” Carmen nervously gagged.

“Good idea,” Lucifer replied as he snapped open another portal.

The family rushed their way into the portal just as the speakers made their announcement. “Clean up in the dog pen!”

When the family arrived at the pet store, the Gravely sisters were free to look around as their mother and stepfather waited by the register. They wandered into the encased wilderness of the large pet store, gazing at each animal both exotic and strange alike. They both liked each animal, but one could not agree with the other. Regan presented a family of mice but her older sister insisted on a parrot. Rosemary bargained for a tarantula while her younger sister requested for a tank of fish. As they kept searching and disagreeing, a large box toppled to the floor. Cautiously, they crept to the box for further investigation. Both girls stared at the unusual creature that nested inside.

Carmen and Lu waited patiently at the front desk for their daughters to return. “Hey!” A voice cried behind the duo. “We found a pet.”

“Find someth- OH MY FATHER! WHAT IS THAT?” Lucifer shrieked.

In the Gravely sister’s arms were a large seven-foot python with cream-colored scales and small, soulless, pink eyes. The massive snake calmly greeted the surprised parents with a quick flicker of its forked tongue.

“Ew, it’s a snake.” Carmen Gravely squirmed at its sight.

“Geyaw, that’s a snake!” The devil cringed.

“Wait. The Serpent is afraid of a serpent.” Rosemary chuckled as she carried the python’s upper half.

“Afraid? No. Terrified? Yes!” Her stepfather corrected as he teleported behind his wife. His pale hands clung to her like a narrow shield.

The pierced faced cashier looked over the counter and witnessed the two girls holding the elongated creature. “Oh hey, you found our albino python. We’ve been looking all over for him. So, you guys want to buy him or what?”

“Look how cool he is,” Regan praised. “He’s all long and slinky.”

“Hey, that’s a good name for him.” Rosemary joined in. “We’ll call him Slinky!”

“I like Slinky. Can we have him? Please, please, please?!” The youngest begged jumping up and down.

“Oh yeah right.” The devil begrudged. “Like we’d ever-”

“Um, honey.” His wife interrupted. She signaled her deceptive husband to look at the puppy-eyed girls as they hugged their new friend.

Lu was confused. He remembered the deal. If they could find a pet they both agreed upon, it was their pet. But they wanted that? He never liked snakes, nor could understand why mortals associated him with snakes. He wanted to say something, but words never came out. He stared at their sad eyes. Normally he had no problem turning down a pitiful bargain or a tearful plea, but this time felt different. For some reason, he couldn’t find the urge to say no to these two girls.

As he continued to ponder on his next move, the snake slithered away from the girls and looped around Lu’s legs. It coiled around his body until resting around the devil’s neck. Lu stared into the serpent’s eyes, begging to be brought home too. With a small sigh, Lu finally said. “Welcome to the family, Slinky.”

The girls cheered loudly as their mother pulled out her checkbook. They danced around their stepfather, and even Slinky thanked his new master by giving him a strong, loving squeeze.

“Look!” Regan said. “He likes you too. He’s hugging your neck.”

“That’s...not...hug-gin’...” Lu gasped desperately.

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #snake #devil #hell #demons #hellhounds #repost

Carmen Gravely and her husband Lu made their way towards the entrance door. Their daughters, Rosemary and Regan, followed close behind as they watched them prepare to leave.

“Now remember, girls,” Mrs. Gravely said. “Be sure to behave and be nice to the babysitter.”

“Why do we even need a babysitter?” Rosemary groaned. “Can’t I just look after Regan myself?”

“Sorry, Hon,” her mother said. “You’re not quite old enough yet.”

“Besides you, three are going to have a great time,” Lu exclaimed as he straightened his tie. “You guys already know her anyway.”

A knock at the door catches the family off guard. Lu opened the door and is greeted by a tall purple-skinned woman wearing a lavender dress. The moonlight gleamed off her silky dark purple hair and her lustrous lavender eyes beamed from the shadows. A small flirty smile curled on her face as she meets face to face with the family. The family was already familiar with the stranger. was Lilith, Lucifer’s personal secretary of the Inferno, and one of the many Succubi of the demon realm.

“Evening, boss,” the purple woman greeted with a small curtsy. “And to you, missus.”

“Thanks again for watching the girls, Lilith,” Lu said, eyeing his secretary.

“You’re sure your secretary is up for this?” his wife whispered into his pale ear.

“Don’t worry about a thing, you two,” the sexy succubus said with a sneer. “We’re going to the best of friends.”

“Alright everyone we are off to the movies,” the devil chimed. “See you in three hours.”

“Number’s on the fridge if you need to call us, help yourself to any food we have, and no seances.” Carmen Gravely said as she rushed out the door. “Love you, girls. Be good.”

The Gravely sisters quietly watched as their parents ran from the door and drove off into the night. Their babysitter gave the adults a wave and slammed the entrance door shut. Finally, alone at last with the helpless girls. The demonic secretary’s head rotated around. Her neck snapped as it made a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree spin. Her lavender eyes turned savagely yellow as her warm smile became a beastly maw.

“Alrighty then,” she hissed. “Now that the adults are away. We can finally play.”

Lu and Carmen arrived later that night after their date. They had their red car parked out into the driveway and made their way to the front door.

“Honestly, it wasn’t that bad.” Carmen conversed with her husband, her hand softly grasping his. “The acting could have been better.”

“At least the special effects were good.” Lu agreed. “I wonder how our girls are getting along.”

The pair jumped when they heard a loud pitched scream come from inside the house. They’ve heard that same scream come from the youngest before. The couple burst through the door and witnessed the unbelievable horror.

“This game stinks!” Regan complained, tossing her game controller onto the living room floor. “I can’t do anything.”

“It’s not the game’s fault you suck at it.” Her older sister groaned as she focused on the large TV screen. Their favorite video game Major Rager flashed on the monitor. A series of laser fire and bloody violence filled the screen as she and the babysitter mowed down hordes of monstrous enemies.

“Cheer up, love,” Lilith said, moving her arms back and forth as her avatar dodged endless attacks from monsters. “You’ve gotten further than you were last time.”

(DING)

A loud bell alerted the gaming trio.

“Brownies are done!” The babysitter exclaimed, pausing their video game. “Who wants one?”

The Gravely sisters cheered and jumped from their seats. The trio made their way to the kitchen and noticed the frozen couple standing by the door. Awkward silence deafened the whole household as everyone stared at each other with surprised expressions. Mrs. Gravely then finally broke the silence. “Lilith, would you by any chance be available again next Saturday?”

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #demons #repost

Trapped.

Defenseless.

Helpless.

Regan failed to hide from them, and now they’ve locked her inside a small room. The two assailants grabbed her and tried to remove from her clothes. Regan kicked, screamed, and bit into the violators as they each peeled away every ounce of clothing. First were her socks. Her shirt and pants followed. Then finally her underpants.

Regan laid on the floor stripped and exposed like a lifeless doll. One of the assailants then lifted her small body up and dropped her into a porcelain tub.

(SPLASH)

Regan emerged from the bath and pouted. The beautiful stink that she had been working on was soaked away by the warm water and comforting bubbles. She angrily stared at her mother and stepfather. The pair laid on the bathroom floor exhausted and beaten.

“Do we...” her mother Carmen huffed. “have to go through this every time it’s bath night?!”

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #repost

Part 1

Alone, Rosemary sat in her living room with only the glare of the staticky TV to give her light— unaware of the encroaching shadow that drew itself from the dark depths of the hallway. The shadow crept along the ceiling like a spider after a fly. Burning, soulless eyes pierced through the darkness, locked onto Rosie.

Through the television’s beaming light, the shadow morphed into the form of a red-skinned demonic child with pointy ears, a messy patch of spiky, black hair, and a long, pointy serpentine tail. He also wore clothing that was in every way human from his blue jeans and his red-orange shirt.

The demonic figure dropped from the ceiling he pounced on the couch behind the girl. Rosemary turned and locked eyes with the ominous, smiling creature. She did not flinch nor jump, but she smiled and greeted. “Hey, Dominic. You bring your stuff?”

“Yup,” the little demon boy responded. He pulled out a couple items out of his pockets, “I got my wireless controller, headset, and a bag of chips right here.”

“Awesome. Let’s get started.”

The kids plopped on the couch and activated Rosie’s Versus System. A text then appeared on the screen:

Warning: This game contains graphic violence, blood and gore, adult language, gratuitous nudity, sexual content, alcohol and tobacco use, inappropriate references, mayhem, explosions, genocide, blasphemy, kitten kicking, and t-bagging!

The television then spoke in a gravelly voice, “In the future, scientists tried to speed travel times by inventing teleportation devices. But then things go to hell when they opened a portal to a nightmarish realm, the Inter-DEAD-Mension, home to the most volatile mutant monsters imaginable. They break through to our world, killing everyone except one. Amidst the chaos, these mutant freaks made one mistake: they woke him from his nap. Now’s ticked and out for blood. Lock and load, soldier, because some poor suckers about to feel the rage! He is a mutant’s worst nightmare. He is the original lean, mean, ultimate killing machine. He is….” The game’s title flashed on the screen in a colorful aura of blood and explosions. Rosie and Dominic ecstatically joined the announcer, screaming aloud, “MAJOR RAGER!”

Part 2

Their gamer tags—DarkDawter11 and HLboy966—appeared inside the hub screen. Two other tags—BigBillionz and Eziekel2517—were already waiting for the duo. 

“Hey bestie!” BigBillionz’s voice called from her mic. “I see you brought Dominic with you. So cool!”

“Sup Krystal,” Rosie answered. “How goes it, Josh?”

“Hey guys!” Eziekel2517 (Joshua) called out. “Just to clarify, my mom thinks I’m at Krystal’s doing homework. So don’t tell her about this.”

The imp Dominic replied, “Secret’s safe with us.” 

Then a fifth gamer tag appeared onscreen. This one was named MLPwny1123. Another girl’s voice echoed through the headphones, “Hey everyone.”

“Hey Kayleigh. You made it.” Dominic said.

“Wouldn’t miss this for the world!” everyone heard Kayleigh cheer.

Finally a sixth tag popped into the party. Recognizing the gamer’s tag Boomstick92, Rosemary gleefully said. “Hey, Ashley’s here too. Hold on a sec!” Rosemary attached a small keyboard to her controller and typed out a message to her friend.

HEY ASH! she typed, READY?

After waiting a few seconds, a message popped in the chat room. RED-E 2 GO!

“Alright everyone,” Rosemary announced, “This is it. We are about to enter the Major Rager Shoot ’Em Up Tournament. If we win, we’re gonna receive the best armor, the best weapons, and the best loot that will carry on into the next Major Rager game. We are gonna kick both inter-dimensional monster and noob ass.”

“YEAH!” Her friends all cheered. Without hesitation the pressed start on their controllers. The next screen that appeared was the class selection, where the players could choose and customize their avatars that best represents them.

To start out, Rosemary selected the Combat Commando, a soldier class specializing in machine guns, shotguns, and dual wielding weapons. Kayleigh chose the Boom Blaster. This tank class was an expert in heavy weapons and explosives, a feat that Kayleigh always enjoyed in these games. Joshua chose the Engin-Fear, which specialized in hacking computer consoles and enemy robotic units. Ashley picked the class everyone agree suited her the most, the Silencer. Feats in stealth, sniper, and swordsman made this one of the deadliest of the classes. Dominic selected the Psycko, a spellbinder class, as his avatar. Dominic liked this one because of how much he and the game character had in common with dark magic and spells. And for Krystal, the Chem Fatale, specializing in chemical weapons such as acid bombs, poison gas, and napalm mines.

“Wait!” Dominic’s voice echoed through the headphones, “How can you pick the Chem Fatale? That’s not one of the class choices?”

“Hellooooo,” Krystal sassed back. “It’s available if you pre-order it from the deluxe edition, which I did.” she listened to all her friends groaning through their microphones. “Well, it’s not my fault I have enough money to purchase all the game expansions.”

Part 3

Level 1.

The tournament began.

Six armored avatars appeared at the center of a small empty room. They cocked their weapons as the metal door opened wide. The fireteam rushed inside to find themselves against a horde of horrendous, pixelated monsters awaiting them. The game’s graphics detailed these beasts with green scaly skin, piercing red eyes, rotten yellow teeth, and large spikes protruding from their heads, spines, and arms. 

The monsters shot fireballs from their mouths. The six players moved their avatars all around the room, dodging their attacks while shooting back. A hailstorm of bullets riddled the monsters, decorating the walls with animated blood and organs. Sometimes the glorious graphics generated the monster deaths to have their blood splatter over the television screens in divine detail. 

Rosie and Dominic twitched their fingers on the game controllers as their video game characters assaulted the creatures. Their eyes focused on the T.V. set. They didn’t blink or flinch when some monsters popped out of hidden corridors only to be gunned down without mercy. Their scores on the upper right corner multiplied with every kill they rallied.

The last monster was then executed by the young gamers. The stage was cleared and then the six friends moved onto Level 2. A similar firefight ensued in their progression, only with more hording monsters than before. The kids gunned them down when suddenly Rosemary and Dominic heard Mrs. Gravely call out, “Rosie, I need you to empty out all the garbage cans in the house.”

“But mom, I’m busy!” Rosemary complained, “My friends and I are playing Major Rager right now. There’s a the big online tournament going on, and the player or team that succeeds in the end gets a treasure trove of prizes.”

“It’ll take less than five minutes.” Her mother hollered back, “Then you can play afterward.”

“I can do it later.”

“No, not later. Now!”

“But mom-”

“ROSEMARY LEE GRAVELY!”

Rosie flinched at the sound of her full name. She knew if she didn’t comply she would be in for it. Dominic swiped her controller with his long, pointed tail and began operating it. “Go ahead.” the demon smiled and said, “I got you covered.” Rosemary thanked him and hurried off to her chores so the tournament can continue.

Part 4

Level 5.

The six gamers made their way down a long corridor, where giant cyclopian glob guarded the entrance to Level 6. The animated monstrosity puked a pool of acid at them, but they managed to dodge out of the way. Their weapons fired rapidly with little affect against the horrid blob. 

Dominic’s Psycko casted a spell, which emitted a screeching sonic sound. The powerful vibrations were too much for the blob as it died in a grotesque explosion of goo all around the corridor. His friends cheered his accomplishment.

“Awesome!” Rosemary said, high-fiving the imp.

“Nice one!” Joshua’s voice called over the microphone.

A message from Ashley appeared in the text box depicting a thumbs up and a smiley face. The team then ventured to the next level, continuously gunning down more monsters that were in their path.

“You know, Dominic,” Kayleigh spoke over her headset, “I’m surprised you play this game. I mean we’re basically killing demons.”

“Technically whether they are demons or other nefarious creatures is up for debate,” the young demon corrected, “Besides this game is like a national sport down below. Everyone plays it.”

Then Krystal’s voice cried, “Incoming!” A rocket fired in their direction. They dodged in time but the impact knocked their avatars off their feet. Another player loaded his weapon up and readied to fire. 

With quick thinking, Ashley commanded her Silencer to pull out her giant sniper rifle, aiming it at the opposing opponent. Taking a deep breath, she fired. The 50 caliber bullet hit directly between the eyes.

Deep in the depths of the Inferno, inside the comforts of a dirty apartment, Ghuul dropped his controller. His jaw hit the floor at the same time.

“How did I die?” he whined, taunted by the “Game Over” text on his TV screen.

“You suck, dude,” his friend Balthazar commented, snatching the game controller away as the level starts again.

Part 5

After much progression, after battling reptilian monsters, killer robots, mutated experiments, and other online players, they made it to the final round of the tournament, Level 10. It was going to be their greatest challenge yet, but the grand prize that at the end was going to be worth all the hours spent sitting around a television set during the daylight over the weekend.

“This is it, everyone,” Rosemary radioed all her friends, “This is what we’ve been building up to.” Her avatar guided the others toward the doorway. “We’ve won many battles together, and now that grand prize is ours.”

Her friends all agreed as their armored avatars raced down the dark hallway to the locked door. They listened to the mechanized whirly sounds as the gears started unlocking. The door opened its metallic maw and the six entered inside. 

There inside was their greatest challenge. There it stood at the center of a lava chamber: a monster, half demon and half machine. Its muscles fused with tubes and wires, flames blazed from its maddening eyes like ritualistic torches. The lower half of its legs were not normal but a centaurian appearance complete with eight robotic legs that resembled spider limbs. Its hands were replaced by a pair of gatling guns that fired rapidly at the players.

The avatars ducked behind cover from the barrage of animated lasers. They fired their weapons back that the behemoth but it laughed as their feeble attacks took small pieces of its health. A carnage of rockets shot from its guns that hit around the players, dealing some damage to their avatar’s health. All six friends frantically tapped the buttons on their controllers, trying desperately to stay alive and damage the final boss. Their eyes locked heavily on their screens. Their teeth ground tightly with each counterattack and quick dodging. 

“Any ideas, anyone?” Joseph called out.

Ashley had her avatar scan the battlefield. There on the rafters was a glowing orb with an image of a mushroom cloud inside. Her avatar pointed at the distant object and her friends took notice.

“Ash found an F-Bomb!” Rosemary said. “Cover me! I’m making a break for it.”

Her friends continued their assault on the final boss as Rosemary’s avatar ran for the orb. The beast’s guns were now aimed at Rosemary. Dominic’s avatar protected Rosemary with an absorbent shield while the other focused on its head. Their hearts pounded sporadically as they moved closer to the orb. Rosemary made her avatar dive at the shining object. A single touch then made it evaporate into thin air. Suddenly, her avatar pulled out a gigantic bazooka and shot a single pellet, no bigger than a golf ball at the mechanized brute. The small object poke the final boss’ sternum and exploded in a blinding flash. When the light ended a massive mushroom cloud formed. The sole sound it made was an offensive term the kids dared not repeat. The smoke cleared and the flash faded. All that remained of the final boss was a pile of ash, scrap metal, and bloody organs. But hovering above the remains was a golden chest that shined brighter than the gates of Paradise. All six friends gazed at the object with great awe. The vast prizes was just in their reach.

Rosemary and Dominic smiled the largest. But they both felt something odd. Looking down they noticed that their hands were gently clinging together. They flinched away, embarrassed by the compassionate act. Both the human girl and the demon boy tried to keep their eyes on the television, neither one noticing their faces blushing red and small smiles curve their lips after they touched. The six players slowly approached the chest. Their minds raced with all the treasures they would earn. The new armor and armor upgrades, the best weapons, unlimited ammo, and thousands of credits—the game’s currency—was about to belong to them.

Suddenly, they heard a gunshot. Blood and brain bits splattered out of Rosemary’s avatar and it dropped dead. Soon Dominic’s followed beyond with a similar fashion. And then Joshua, then Krystal, then Kayleigh, then Ashley. All avatars were dead. Their prize just short from their reach.

Rosie and Dominic dropped their controllers. Their jaws followed too. “WHAT THE HELL?!?” Rosie angrily screamed.

“THAT’S BULLCRAP!” Dominic also ranted. “WHO KILLED US?!?”

A single armored avatar, with the gamer tag MOTHERMERCY, stepped onscreen, claiming their prize. Inside the privacy of her office at Brimestone Elementary, Mrs. Wordworth, Joshua’s fundamentalist Christian mother and principal of the school, laughed as the in-game riches now belonged to her. “Oh, bless you, Lord,” she gave a fiendish cackle, “Bless you for giving me the strength to pwn these noob suckers! Ahahahaha!”

#sinsofthefather #fiction #fantasy #comedy #horror #videogame #demons #repost #artwork

A young boy scribbled away on a piece of paper. A furious passion burned with every crayon he picked up and every marking he drew. He used a yellow for a bright sun and blue for the sky it shared. Some shades of various red colors for the backgrounds. Even a brand-new color created from a mixture of different colors to help his work stand out. His deep concentration forced his tongue out briefly. Once he finally finished, the young Michelangelo smiled as he gazed into his perfected masterpiece.

The bells rang all around the elementary school and all the children scurried out for the weekend. The boy walked outside, still smiling and staring at the beautiful artwork he made. Pride filled his heart as both eyes inspected every perfect detail of the drawing. This was meant for two special people in very young life and he couldn’t wait to show it to them. His pride corrupted into a panic when the drawing was snatched out of his hands.

Two other boys dangled his drawing before him. They mocked and harassed him before, but their intentions were much crueler this time. One of the bothersome bullies waved the drawing around like a ragged flag then started tearing it in half. Rage finally engulfed the boy as he tackled his harassers, slamming his fists in a blind fury against the bully’s face. He felt a firm grasp pinch his shoulder when a nearby teacher yanked them apart.

Over the next half hour, the boy sat alone in a chair just outside the principal’s office. His red knuckles and the bully’s bloodied nose earned him the principal’s generosity of a week’s worth of detention. Forced apologies from both parties weren’t enough to ease his crushed heart and stop his principal from calling someone familiar to him. The door opened, and a police officer stepped out. It was a woman with short blond hair, dressed in a typical black police uniform, exited out of the principal’s office and shook his hand after their conversation. She escorted the boy out of the school and into the back of her police car.

Not one word was uttered during the ride. The boy averted his eyes down. The officer focused her scowl at the street. It wasn’t the first time she was called into the school from a similar incident, after all the conversations they had about never using violence to solve a problem. She sensed that she would have to remind him of this lesson yet again, only to likely be ignored next time. When she investigated the rear-view mirror, her anger eased into sympathy. As she continued to stare into the mirror, her heart ached when she saw her son gazing down at the torn halves of his once beautiful drawing. Tears rolled down from his eyes when his hard, creative work was merely shattered due to another example of life’s cruelties.

The police car halted at the curb of the sidewalk, and the officer exited her vehicle, slowly marching around to the door where her son sat. The boy stared up at his mother when the car door opened. His heart became heavier, the thoughts of another harsh scolding felt unbearable. Not this time. There was no scolding, no yelling, or any harsh words at all. All he received was a large hug that reminded him that the world wasn’t all bad. The boy wrapped his small arms around his mother’s neck and squeezed back, and the tears poured even faster. All those hurtful words and those bullies had said to him, and all what they had done to his drawing expelled away from his thoughts the longer him and his mother hugged.

Another ride down the street led the pair to a local ice cream parlor. They walked inside only to be surprised by the sight of a girl, who was a dear friend of the boy, and her mother standing in line for treats. The girl and her mother waved to the boy and his mother, asking them to share a table. All four laughed and talked and enjoyed their delicious frozen treats. When it was time for them to depart, the girl gave the boy a gift; it was his drawing now taped back together. She presented the drawing back to him and planted a small kiss on the boy’s cheek, much to the boy’s delight as he smiled and blushed bright red. Both moms smiled at the cute little couple then reminded them that they had to go home. After saying their goodbyes, both families walked back to the cars and departed for home.

Dinner was fast approaching as the sun was setting on a small house. Inside was a woman with long red hair, dressed in a light green sweater, and wore a brown, hand-stitched beret, who was setting a series of porcelain plates on the dining table. She looked up and smiled at her decorated wall of photographs of her family. A skilled photographer, she captured every moment of their lives from cookouts with their friends and families to birthday parties and holiday events, all preserved in small, square, wooden time capsules.

She heard the front door open and the announcement of the arrival of her wife and son.

The officer and the boy to walk into the dining room where the second woman waited patiently. The two women greeted each other with a light hug and a quick kiss on their lips. The boy gave his second mom a large hug to which she gave the same response to her young son. He then raised his precious drawing before their faces, excited to show off what he drew.

Both mothers smiled and teared up when they happily examined their child’s masterpiece: the three of them holding hands and smiling together with large words in the background that stated:

I LOVE MY AWESOME MOMS

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”

-Desmond Tutu

#lgbt #lesbians #family #feels #repost

I would not dare to travel far from home, and never beyond to the forest where the trees consume the sun. It is the home of their people. An unusual, unnatural civilization that takes the form of both man and goat. Our village has told nightmarish stories of how these creatures would be proud warriors, defending their home and nature, raiding the strongest of strongholds and becoming victorious.

I would not dare enter their territory; but if the stories of how they are not just warriors but skilled medicine people, it is their aid I seek to heal the sick in my village. My presence could end in death, but it is worth the risk.

Their enclosure is not far now. As I walk down the pathway of this dark forest, I feel their presence around me, watching the trees. I reach the wooden walls of their home where they wait for me. Their spears at the ready, body and face armored, it is time to see if they will act as friend or foe.

#fiction #fantasy #flashfiction #repost

Twin brother and sister, Ralph and Rachel Vasquez, trekked deeper into the heavily wooded forest. It was their family’s annual camping trip, and their parents finally allowed them to hike by themselves. They both wanted to explore the old abandoned mine that was stationed at the heart of the Wendigo Woods.

“Are we there yet?” Rachel groaned.

“It’s gotta be up ahead,” Ralph reassured his sister.

“Let’s hurry it up,” Rachel ordered, staggering a couple of feet behind her twin. “I don’t want to get lost out here, especially near an abandoned mine.”

“You remember the stories about these woods, right?” Ralph teased. “They said that over a hundred years ago miners started disappearing into the night.”

“Ralph, no!” Rachel scowled. “Don’t you dare try to scare me again.”

The kids then separated themselves among the wide oak trees as they ventured deeper and deeper. Ralph continued with his story. “They said that the miners were getting picked off one by one in their tents by a monster. They didn’t have the means to kill it, so they had to lure it deep into the mines and trap it down there. Since then they’ve named these woods Wendigo Woods after the monster that was trapped there. They even said that you can hear it from inside the mine howling for human flesh.”

“RAWR!” Rachel jumped out and grabbed her brother by the sides, forcing him to jump and scream.

“Not fair!” Ralph whined. “I was supposed to scare you!”

Rachel laughed and lightly tapped her twin’s shoulder, inviting a game of tag. Ralph chased after her and the duo ran through the forest. Their laughter and playing brought them to the outskirts of the abandoned mine. The land was dull and barren, many of the old trees stripped away long ago. Chunks of granite littered the ground and rusted metal carts laid broken and immobile. They then walked up to the boarded-up mouth of the mine. The old wooden boards looked greatly weathered and rotted. Marked onto the boards was a series of untranslatable scribes and small animal skulls were hanged above the doorway.

“Ok, we’re here. Now let’s get back to camp!” Rachel pleaded nervously. Cold chills flowed through her body as she looked on into the darkness through the rotted holes in the planks.

“HEY, MONSTER!” Her brother cried out, kicking at the old boards. “ARE YOU IN THERE?”

“Ralph, don’t do that!” Rachel barked, but Ralph kept kicking. Suddenly unstable boulders the size of basketballs rolled down the mountainside and aimed for the siblings. Both Ralph and Rachel jumped away from the rolling rocks just before they landed at the entrance. The boards were reduced to splinter piles underneath the granite stones.

“Alright, now we’re going back,” Ralph said and the two ran back to where their family was stationed.

A brown, furry squirrel hopped around on the stones and bounced toward the damaged mine entrance. Something drew its attention to this spot. Perhaps it heard the commotion and wanted to investigate, or maybe the sound of an impending mate lured it like a siren call. The small critter climbed to the top of the boulder pile and peered into the new large hole that was created after the landslide. Its nose twitched at the smell of something rotten creeping up to the entrance.

Before it could react, a large, gnarled hand with elongated fingers launched from the mine’s abyss and snatched up the helpless squirrel. The hand brought the squirrel into the mouth of a predator that was cloaked in darkness. It violently chomped away at its fur, bones, and guts until nothing remained. It hadn’t had a meaty meal for a long time and the whole rodent quenched its ongoing hunger. Yet the predator felt that it wasn’t enough. It wanted more flesh, more blood, more meals.

The creature then looked at the entrance. It felt something was off. The scribes and ruins that once forced the beast to flee many times before were no longer there. The entrance was also damaged, only piles of rocks were in place instead of wood. The creature crawled from the cold darkness into the warm light. Its leathery hide was dry and dead. It looked like a seven-foot tall, walking human corpse but with a pair of crooked antlers crowned above its brows. The eyes were as lifeless as the rest of it, black as coal and inhuman. Its distorted jaws bared rows of broken, sharp teeth.

The creature felt freedom for the first time since its imprisonment. It let out a deathly howl, signaling the forest and all those that inhabited it that the legend of the Wendigo Woods had finally returned to its hunting ground.

#horror #wendigo #monster #woods #repost #remake

If I could be any critter on the animal tree

A dinosaur is just right for me

But what kind dinosaur of the east and west

Would fit absolutely fit me best

I could be vicious as Tyrannosaurus

Or peaceful like Apatosaurus

How about a fast Velociraptor?

or maybe a small Microraptor

Carnotaurus, Stegosaurus, Iguanodon

Yutyrannus, Edmontosaurus, Troodon

Utahraptor, Gallimimus, Triceratops

Nothronychus, Minmi, Protoceratops

So many dinosaurs so much fun

One too many to pick, I can’t choose one

#poetry #dinosaurs #paleontology #artwork #art