To Double-check Your Work

1. So that you don't leave an embarrassing typo in your writing.
2. Because you might have forgotten something.
3. Because you might have a new idea form while you're reviewing the previous one.
4. So that it will be the best you can make it.
5. So you can feel confident that it is ready for someone else to see.
6. Because it can be a lot of fun.
7. It could help prepare you for sharing your work with others.
8. Because it could save you from a later headache.
9. You might think of something you should have added to it.
10. Because not everything can be perfect on the first try.

Door Hinge

I'm sure you've heard this story a thousand times.
Boy meets girl.
Girl turns out to be an enchantress whose many-greats-aunt was scorned by your many-greats-grandfather.
And so girl turns you into a door hinge.
What? That's not the story you remember?
Well, it's what happened to me.
Now, life as a door hinge isn't too bad. I got to see some sights on the way to the market, and when some little old lady picked me out of the pile of junk on the table, I wasn't actually feeling too bad.
Of course, as a door hinge, I can't actually feel anything at all.
When I finally got to the old lady's house, she surprised me with her talent at installation.
How many little out lady's do you know who can swap out a door hinge in just ten minutes?
But after that, my life got pretty dull.
There isn't much to see inside a door frame, and the old lady wasn't the type to keep her door open.
Then came the day I started to squeak.
The strange thing was, my squeaking actually sounded like words!
Somehow, I could talk whenever I squeaked.
But the old lady wasn't the tyoe to let a door hinge squeak for very long.
Before my squeak could get load enough for her to understand the words I cried, she greased the hinges.
And the squeaks stopped.

Stocking Stuffers

1. Their favorite snack, such as pretzels, oranges, or chocolate.
2. A pair of headphones.
3. A letter telling how much they mean to you.
4. Socks.
5. Some bandages, in case they get a papercut while unwrapping presents later.
6. A bottle of water, so they won't have to get up for a drink later.
7. A notebook and pen, so they can write down who gave them what (so thank you cards will be easier to write later on).
8. A lump of coal (because they didn't quite make it all the way onto the nice list.)
9. Soap, preferably in their favorite scent.
10. A comb, because in their excitement, they forgot to brush their hair.

Tacos

"So, I heard you like tacos. Have you tried some from the place down the street?"
That was not what the dragon expected to hear, especially not from a little old lady in fuzzy green slippers. Screams of terror, perhaps a gasp before she fainted from the mere sight of him.
But not a polite inquiry as to what culinary establishments he'd pillaged.
The dragon decided to give a low growl, warning the old lady not to act so casual around something that was about to eat her. No matter how polite the old lady chose to act, the dragon was planning to eat her.
It wasn't anything personal, for she did seem to be a fairly nice human.
The dragon was simply hungry.
"Oh, dear!" The lady covered her mouth as she gasped, her cloudy eyes widening for a moment. The dragon gave another growl as the human finally seemed to be acting like a proper meal. "You must be famished, with how loud your stomach is growling!"
The dragon recoiled a bit as the old lady gently tapped his leg, then turned and started hobbling down the sidewalk. "Come along, dear. We mustn't wait to fill you up. Jorge makes the best tacos, and I insist that you let me pay this time."
Had this human no sense? No one took a dragon out for lunch! Still, he found himself following the strange old lady. He could always eat her after seeing what tacos were, after all. And a side of Jorge could prove quite tasty indeed.

Misleading Pet Names

1. Fluffy the snake.
2. Squishy the turtle.
3. Fido the cat.
4. Tabby the dog.
5. Leg'o'less the lizard.
6. Hairy the goldfish.
7. Tiny the Saint Bernard.
8. Goliath the chihuahua.
9. Spot the parakeet.
10. Foeslayer the rabbit.

A Dragon's Birthday

How does one celebrate a dragon's birthday?
Do you offer up princesses with hair as fine as gold? Or perhaps a brave knight for it to battle?
A chest of gold, or a village to pillage?
How do you celebrate a dragon's birthday?
Would the wyrm enjoy party hats, or an ice cream cake? Would wrapped presents be added to its hoard, or simply burned outside the cave?
When you want to celebrate a dragon's birthday, take some time to think.
For dragons are irritable creatures, and do not like any interruption to their beauty sleep.

To Eat Soup

1. Because it will warm you up from the inside.
2. When you are feeling ill.
3. As comfort food when you are sad.
4. When you aren't allowed to eat solid foods.
5. Because it tastes good.
6. During a best soup competition. Someone has to be the judge, after all.
7. When your grilled cheese sandwiches are feeling lonely.
8. When you've been snowed in.
9. Because it can feed a lot of people.
10. Because sometimes you don't want cereal for breakfast.

The Old Shoe

A long time ago there was an old shoe who belonged to a giant.
The shoe went everywhere with the giant and his best friend Lefty. One day when the three of them were on a stroll through the clouded hills, the giant tripped.
As the giant tripped, the old shoe got tangled in a roc's wing and slipped off the giant's foot.
The roc shrieked in frustration as it and the old shoe tumbled down through the clouds into open sky. With a fierce peck of its beak, the roc managed to tear the old shoe free of its wing, and tossed the old shoe away.
With a hole in its toe, the old shoe fell down, down, down.
Then the old shoe hit the ground with a thump.
Dazed by the fall, the old shoe couldn't focus enough to figure out what to do.
But once it could, the old shoe realized that it had a problem.
Besides being in a strange land with hard green and brown clouds for the ground, along with tiny twigs pretending to be trees, the old shoe couldn't move.
His laces wouldn't twitch, his tongue refused to wobble, and his sole felt awfully cold.
Without the giant, the old shoe was stuck.
But surely Lefty would let the giant know that the old shoe was missing, and then they would come find it.
Until the came, the old shoe decided to wait.
(Decided to, because making the decision to wait felt better than admitting that it couldn't do anything at all.)
And so the old shoe waited.
And waited.
Then waited some more.
One day, a teeny tiny giant with even tinier baby giants wandered by. The old shoe couldn't believe how small they were. Why, it was bigger than the tiny giants!
The tiny giants looked at the old shoe, and it felt hopeful that they might have been sent by its giant.
"It may smell of rotten cabbages and boiled beets, but we can make this into our home," said the tiny giant to the tiny giant babies. "Now go play on the laces, while I get the inside settled."
The old shoe couldn't believe what was happening to it. The tiny giant had gone inside through the hole in its toe, while a tiny giant babies were swinging on its laces!
That was no way to treat an old shoe!
But now matter how it tried to call out that it wasn't a house, the tiny giants didn't seem able to hear the old shoe.
And so the time passed, and the old shoe withered away bit by bit as the tiny giant and her brood tore its leather apart to make windows and doors, poked a chimney through its tongue, and put a cellar in its sole.
Whenever the old shoe would see clouds cover the sky, it would cry out for Lefty and its giant to come.
But they never heard.

Holiday Crafts

1. Straw hat turkeys.
2. Pinecone trees.
3. Candycane frames.
4. Rock reindeer.
5. Clay snowflakes.
6. Paper stockings.
7. Tin foil wreaths.
8. Cottonball snowmen.
9. Plastic bottle snowglobes.
10. Cardboard cottages.

To the Stars

The stairs led upwards, to the stars.
But can we ever travel so far?
Beyond the moon, out into space.
Will we ever find our place?
When we reach for galaxies.
Sometimes we forget our own realities.
The sun might not be where we start.
But its warmth is like the love in our hearts.

For Hot Water

1. Because boiling water before drinking it can help prevent you from getting sick, should you have any concerns about the water.
2. Cold water isn't always fun to bathe with.
3. If you want to cook some pasta, boiling water takes less time to cook it.
4. For hot cocoa, a sweet treat on a cold day.
5. Because mixing honey into hot water can help soothe a sore throat.
6. Dishes get cleaner if you use both hot water and soap.
7. Breathing in steam can help clear inky gunk from lungs when you're sick.
8. For a foot bath, as sometimes your feet need some extra relief from their aches.
9. Because eggs boil better when the water isn't cold.
10. To sterilize jars when you're making home-made jam.

The Cranky Cranberry

The cranky cranberry didn't want to become sauce. Nor did he care to become juice.
No what the cranky cranberry really wanted to be was the main course.
Not a side dish, or a drink, or a hiking snack.
All he wanted was to be the star, to outshine the turkey and the mashed potatoes.
But he was only one, itty bitty cranberry.
And that was what made him so cranky.
For no one would want a single cranberry to be the main course. They frown, and ask where the turkey was.
Oh, how the cranky cranberry loathed that turkey.
The cranky cranberry could think of a reason to dislike every other food he could possibly be paired with.
Every dismissal he made of them only brought more feelings of frustration to the cranky cranberry.
And the crankier he became, the more tart the cranberry's flavor.
No one wanted to eat the cranky cranberry, for his tartness had become far too bitter.
In the end though, the cranky cranberry did become the main course.
For a flavor-blind turkey.

What to do When it Snows

1. Build a snowman.
2. Throw snowballs for the dog to chase.
3. Drink hot cocoa.
4. Snuggle into a blanket by the fire.
5. Read a book.
6. Watch White Christmas.
7. Catch up on chores around the house.
8. Take a nap.
9. Eat grilled cheese sandwiches and soup.
10. Watch the snow fall.

Welcome to the Wilderness

Welcome to the wilderness, where the winters are bitter and cold. Where bears and deer roam, and where some animals never grow old.
Welcome to the wilderness, where people rarely roam. Where those who wander risk becoming lost, and never seeing home.
Welcome to the wilderness, where all may have a say. Of where to go, what to do, and where the kids may play.
Welcome to the wilderness, welcome one and all! Stay awhile, and you might see why people come to call.

Why Dogs Bark

1. Because another dog barked.
2. They see a stranger, and that means danger!
3. How else will you know that their ready for a treat?
4. The cat was in trouble, and the dog wanted to make sure you knew.
5. The dog saw that the person they love best has come to visit, and is so excited to see them.
6. You forgot the dog inside, and now the dog wants to remind you that they too want to got outside.
7. Your food smells so good, that it would drive the dog insane not to say something about it.
8. You have a toy, and the dog wants it.
9. There is a turtle! Why is the turtle (known as the moving rock to the dog) moving? Somebody stop it!
10. Because that plastic bag looks like a shady character, and to not bark and scare it off would be a crime the dog cannot afford to commit.

The Road

The road was straight, a seemingly unending line into the distance. Nothing disrupted its progess, and nothing marred the sides.
Flat, smooth land as far as the eye could see, and then beyond that.
It was so boring!
What fun was it to fly above such a bland landscape? Where were the trees to torch, the hills to rise up from, the tiny towns filled with tiny frightened people?
No, this bleak road was no place for a dragon.
Yet no matter how far the dragon flew, nothing ever changed. The dragon couldn't even remember when he'd last seen a tree.
Still, his wings were strong, and his will even stronger.
He would find the end of this road.
Even if it took centuries.

To Make a List

1. So you know what foods are needed for the chicken surprise recipe you wanted to try.
2. That way you don't have to open every box just to find which one your socks were packed in.
3. Because having a list of what trouble your characters have already gotten into will help you with deciding what new trouble they will find themselves in now.
4. So that you don't forget to send a Christmas card to great-aunt Ethel.
5. Because a list of how and when to do something is very handy.
6. A list can tell you who is going to an activity, so you know how many snacks to take.
7. A record of your cat's funny moments can make you laugh.
8. Because if you don't, how will you remember who has been naughty or nice?
9. If you make a list of what you've already done, then it will provide some time to ignore all that you have left to do.
10. Because lists can help simplify tasks.

Better Late

Better late than never, that's what they always say.
But isn't late still not enough, when the day needed to be saved?
How late is acceptable, when lives are on the line?
There is a reason they call such things deadlines.
When all hope has been lost, what apologies can be said?
"Oh, I so sorry, I overslept," such excuses can fill one with dread.
Better late than never, such timing is never enough.
Being there is far better, though being on time can be rough.

For a Nail

1. So you'll have something to hammer your frustrations out on.
2. To hold up the walls.
3. For holding the roof shingles in place.
4. To build a birdhouse.
5. To pin the carpet to the tack strip.
6. So you have something to pop balloons with.
7. You need something to pin the tail on the donkey with.
8. To secure the lid to a box.
9. So you can hang a picture.
10. So when someone says something really funny, you'll be able to give them one and say that they, "nailed it".

The Park Bench

A lot happens in the park, and all can be seen from the bench.
Ducks swimming atop the pond, with eager quacks at the sight of breadcrumbs.
Little kids swinging and racing about the playground, releasing shrieks of joy as they race down the slide.
Elderly ladies feed the birds, cooing with the flock in the early morning light.
Young couples whisper sweet nothings beneath the trees, while joggers trot along gravel paths.
All this and more can be seen from the park bench, to those with eyes open to see.

Things to Keep in the Freezer

1. Ice. A lot of people love cold drinks, and ice is something they enjoy.
2. Chicken. It is a versatile meat that can be used in a lot of dishes.
3. Breakfast sandwiches. That way you have something quick to eat when you need to get-up-and-go.
4. Ground meat. It is another meat that can be used for many meals, and is easy to cook from frozen.
5. Vegetables. They are good for you, and many of them freeze well.
6. Ice cream. Because what freezer would be complete without a tasty treat?
7. Nuts. They taste good in desserts, and last quite a while when frozen.
8. An ice pack. Because a bit of cold on an injury helps relieve the pain.
9. Hot dogs. They are tasty, don't take too long to cook from frozen, and go with a lot of other foods.
10. Leftover pizza. Because then you can grab a slice whenever you want one.

Free

Free.
Like the wild winter wind.
Free.
Like sparks from a raging flame.
Free.
Like a smile from one you love.
Free.
Like the last thought before you fall asleep.
Free.
Like a heart that has finally healed after a break.
How free will you be?

For a Window

1. To provide light to a room.
2. To protect you from the weather.
3. So you have a breeze during hot summer days.
4. So you have something to look out during long car rides.
5. Because some help keep your house well insulated.
6. Because a door isn't always easy to look through.
7. Because sometimes art looks best when light shine through it.
8. It helps you keep an eye on the kinds when they go out to play, without you needing to go out into the snow.
9. It lets you see all the interesting things that happen to food while it is in the oven.
10. Because a wall would be so bland without one.

Leave Behind

Leave behind all you know, to get lost within the winter snow.
Let your heart be frozen by the weather, and then be thawed through time spent together,
Together with those you love, watch as the sun rises above,
Above the distant mountains, oh, what a sight.
Will this journey bring delight?

How to Beat a Boss

1. Sneak up on him from behind.

2. Take away his energy source.

3. Attack quickly while running for your life.

4. Copy his abilities.

5. Overwhelm him with sheer numbers.

6. Toss him out of the ring.

7. Beat him at a tennis match.

8. Destroy whatever je is standing on.

9. Go for the giant eye.

10. Jump on his head.

Simple Cut

It started out as a simple cut.
You couldn't even remember where you got it, only that it itched.
Oh, how it itched. For such a little thing, it became impossible to ignore after you discovered it.
A little cut, just below your elbow. How had you gotten it?
You couldn't remember, but the itching was getting worse, and nothing seemed to help.
And was it looking a bit redder now?
Should such a little cut have been gone by now? You could remember other cuts around that size being mostly healed by this time, yet this cut hadn't gotten any better.
But other then the unending itch and the ever brightening color, nothing seemed wrong.
Perhaps the doctor would know what to do...
The doctor was useless.
He couldn't find anything wrong with the cut. Not even after all the tests.
Yet a part of you was certain that something was wrong.
If only you could remember how you got the cut.
It had been almost a month now, and the cut was still there. It hadn't healed at all, and now the itching was everywhere.
What was wrong with you?
You finally got an answer tonight.
The cut burst open when the moonlight hit it tonight, and a monster consumed you.
Even now, as you felt a ravenous hunger in your gut and stared at the pale fur covering your arm, the cut was still there.
Still just a little thing, weeping slightly as it continued to itch.
Would the itchiness ever end?
You howled out the question, then followed the sound of someone's reply.

How to Survive a Road Trip

1. Pack plenty of snacks.
2. Have a playlist with upbeat music for the road.
3. Make sure your phone is charged.
4. Have a map, so you"ll know where you're going.
5. Make sure to have extra cash on you, for those places that don't accept a card.
6. Have a drink on hand.
7. Make sure to pack sunglasses.
8. Wear comfortable clothes.
9. Have a good pair of shoes.
10. If possible, bring a friend.

Winter Storm

White death falls from above, covering all beneath its chill grasp. It lingers in hidden nooks, disguising danger with the appearance of flatness.
When will it leave?
When will the warmth of summer return?
None can tell, for the powdery ice listens not to the whims of men.
All one can do is find someplace safe, warm, and dry; and wait out this winter storm.

Fun Phone Cases

1. The kind with a place for your I.D.
2. One which features your favorite Disney character.
3. The kind which reveals your pride for your Hogwarts house.
4. One that you can accidentally run over and it won't break. Your phone, on the other hand...
5. The kind that has a built in stand.
6. One that looks like an older piece of technology.
7. The kind that is waterproof.
8. One that is customizable.
9. The simple kind that keeps your phone safe without needing to be flashy.
10. One that looks like a book.

Book in a Box

There is a book in that box; though it is tattered and torn.
Once it was well loved, and kept out from the storm.
But now there it lies, with no home of its own.
With no one to read its pages, it might as well be a stone.
For that is how useful the book in the box has become.
With pages waterlogged, and the inked words nearly gone.
The book has no purpose, left alone in a box.
It has no reader, just a moldy old sock.
So when you young novels pass by after the rain blows through.
Remember the book in the box, for the same could happen to you.

Cool Names

1. Therius.
2. Eirlys.
3. Hendryx.
4. Leyva.
5. Echols.
6. Nyquist.
7. Ruzek.
8. Salstrom.
9. Feniuk.
10. Lilavois.

One Threat

The first wave of the invasion was a success.
There had been a few stragglers, a few rebels who refused to give in to the new world order.
But in time, they had unknowingly succumbed like all the rest.
When the main fleet finally arrived and surrounded the planet, there was no resistance left.
All it took to gain the planet's full surrender was one threat.
"We'll take back the Internet."

How to Break a Heart

1. Lie. Lies spread like cracks in a glass, and will eventually shatter.
2. Forget. Forget about a birthday, forget about that promised you made. Forget, and let that forgotten heart wither away in loneliness.
3. Dwell on what you want. Me, me, me. I want, I need, I deserve. Focusing only on yourself leaves nothing left for another's heart.
4. Get mad. Anger fuels the Heart-Breaker 3000, and is often on a hair trigger.
5. Break a promise. What you say matters, and following through on what you say matters even more.
6. Don't listen. Listening is a way to show you care. By not taking time to listen, you show how much you no longer care.
7. Betray their trust. If you are trusted, and then do something which shatters that trust, you can be sure that a heart got shredded with the fragments.
8. Make it worthless. If no one cares about it, if nothing of worth could ever come from it, then of what use is that heart?
9. Let it go. Sometimes the best way to tear a heart in two is to simply release it.
10. Never notice. It's sad when a heart is purposefully broken, but it is even more terrible when someone doesn't even notice the heart they've just broken.

What If

Of what use is a talent, if it is not shared?
What profit does it bring to the heart, if kept hidden away in the dark?
What can it teach you, when left all alone?
Whose life can it brighten, if it is never made known?
It brings a special kind of sorrow, known as "what if".
What if I had done that?
What if I had shared?
What if I had done anything, to show that I cared?
What if your talent had brought joy to their lives?
Happiness does not come from the "what ifs" of life.
It comes from the choices you make each day.
The choices that lead one to act, doing all that you can.
Using your talents to help your fellow man.

Sad Moments

1. When your ice cream melts.
2. When you discover that a page has been ripped out of your book.
3. When the dog eats the craft you were working on.
4. When an event you were looking forward to gets canceled.
5. When your favorite pen runs out of ink.
6. When you miss an opportunity to spend time with family who you haven't seen in a while.
7. When you need to sleep, but can't.
8. When someone forgets about you.
9. When a beloved pet dies.
10. When the computer crashes before you could save your work.

Autumn Leaves

The leaves change slowly from their vibrent green.
Yellows, oranges, and reds creep like flames to consume summer's green life.
Yet as the world grows colder, the fires flickering among the branches begin to dim.
As those flames tremble in the wind, their grip slips.
Down they fall, to the uncaring ground.
Crisp brown creeps like the bugs beneath the hard earth, snuffing out what life was left in those colorful embers.
And as the last bit of life withers, the autumn leaves are left bitter beneath the shade of their evergreen cousins.

To be Excited

1. You got to see an old friend.
2. Someone gave you a present.
3. You beat a hard puzzle in a game.
4. You were invited to a party!
5. You got a new pet.
6. You found something you had lost.
7. Someone complimented you.
8. You learned something new.
9. Someone made you laugh.
10. You were able to spend time with your family.

A Cat's Mind

Isn't it so sad, when the mouse gets away?
A shake, and ruffled fur smooths, providing a mask of ease.
So one mouse got away. The family frets, wondering what trouble it will cause them.
Lift a paw, and lick. Go through the motions of all being right in the world, and it would be.
Pretend. It was too scrawny, and wouldn't have been worth eating.
The family's disappointed muttering made ears twitch.
A lousy hunter? They hadn't even heard it scurrying.
Stand, stretch as if nothing is wrong.
Nothing is ever wrong, when you're a cat.
Stride from the room, head held high.
Never let them see you break, and you never will.
Away from the family, claws were released and tail could lash with his fury.
Doubt cannot be left to fester. That mouse must die.

Problems Cats Have

1. Their food dish is always empty.
2. The mouse gets taken away just as the game was getting interesting.
3. Baths take up so much of the day.
4. There is never enough time to sleep.
5. "The dog gets to go outside; so why can't I?"
6. Fish are a constant torment within their watery fortress.
7. People have this thing about picking up cats. Don't they know cats are allergic to hugs?
8. Cats, for some strange reason, are expected to share the bed with their human. Cats don't share.
9. Attention is not properly given unless all enemies are destroyed. Enemies such as the TV, books, the Internet, and humans not belonging to the cat.
10. Bells on collars.

Nursery-times

The rabbit is quick and nimble,
While the turtle is steady and slow.
The mice are blind to all they'll find,
When the clock strikes one.
The cows moon for greater heights,
While curds and whey are where spiders set their sights.
Jack, so quick to break his crown,
Finds giants above where beans touched the ground.
The goose tries hard to be a mother hen,
But the tales at nursery-time must end.

Things Most Children Have

1. An imaginary friend.
2. Constantly messy hands.
3. Enough energy to power a small town.
4. A sixth sense which alerts them to when you try to eat something without sharing it with them.
5. A highly selective memory; they can remember that you promised to give them two cookies for snack-time, but forget to pick up their toys even after you've told them five times.
6. The ability to sing every word of their favorite show's theme song.
7. Enough curiosity to kill ten cats, and drive the dog into hiding.
8. An irresistible urge to cut their own hair.
9. Confidence to try new things — unless it's vegetables.
10. The ability to make others happy, just by being themselves.

Clayridge Dragons

Clayridge dragons are fierce, feral creatures that strike fear in all who have the misfortune to meet them.
But though their claws are sharper than any sword, and their fangs can pierce the moat well made armor, it is their fire that one must avoid.
Hotter than the flames of the emeraldian dragon, and  with precision that means the first bout is all they need to engulf their target, clayridge dragons are masters of their inner furnace.
But then, they have to be.
For unlike other species of dragons, the clayridge dragon must be cautious in how often they use their inner fire.
For should they use it too often, then their malleable clay flesh bakes from within, making it ever harder for them to move as every joint stiffens, until the strain of their heavy scales causes their baked insides to crumble.
In the end, nothing is left of a clayridge dragon except for dust-coated scales.

Dragon's Don't Wear Hats

1. Their horns get in the way.
2. The wind steals them whenever the dragon flies.
3. Knights laugh when they see a dragon in a ballcap.
4. Hats catch fire too easily around the hatchlings.
5. They don't fit properly, since no one bothers making hats large enough for a dragon's head.
6. Because princesses get frightfully aggressive if you try taking their headwear, and no dragon wants to explain how they lost an eye to a princess' pointy hat.
7. Villagers never notice them. What's the point of wearing your new hat to a raid, if no one pauses in their screams long enough to compliment how well it matches your scales?
8. Because heroes always assume it's a magical hat, and steal it before you get a chance to wear it.
9. They itch, and no dragon likes having an itchy head.
10. The hat smelled tasty, and dragons get hungry.

Crimson Terror

The stone was polished to a glistening shine, though it would never be seen by human eyes.
No, this magnificent gem would sit in a place of pride deep within a labyrinth of caverns, where bats flew and rats scurried to hide from the crimson terror.
A colossal, scaled beastie, the crimson terror was the local dragon of Fardell, known for his delight in pilfering stones from the farms and towns nearby.
Any stone would do, be it the rarest exotic sapphire or a lump of local red clay. Some of the more cunning villagers had taken to leaving a selection a stones on the road a short distance from their homes, so that when the crimson terror came calling, it would take that instead of destroying buildings in his search.
The crimson terror thought well of these humans, and so kept the charring of roofs to a minimum in places that left him an offering.
Some of the not so cunning humans left unacceptable offerings such as golden-haired maidens.
The crimson terror didn't want maidens with false gold locks. He'd rather have real gold, and so ignored such distasteful offerings.
Still, the crimson terror's collection was quite vast, and though none had yet dared enter his labyrinth, the dragon couldn't help worry that some foolish adventurer might one day seek to claim his hoard.
And so when the crimson terror wasn't out gathering more stones, he was digging; striving with each excavation to make his labyrinth more complex, his hoard ever harder to find, and thus safe from thieving human hands.
For with how precious each stone in his collection was, surely some adventurer would one day come calling.

Fun Shaved Ice Flavors

1. Horchata.
2. Coconut cream pie.
3. Tiger's blood.
4. Grape.
5. Dreamsicle.
6. Lychee.
7. Sugar cookie.
8. Super sour lime.
9. Pina colada.
10. Black cherry.

Late

Bring late is what got me on this adventure.
I arrived a few minutes after the party began, and a few minutes after everyone at the party had been turned to stone.
From there, I was got lost on the way to a old sage's hut, and so missed the ambush the bad guy had set to catch any hero types (like me, supposedly).
My throw was late facing the monster, and so my newly found boomerang missed the creature's head, hitting the surprisingly explosive wall behind it.
So the pattern went throughout the journey.
My lateness wound up solving the problem or saving me time and time again.
And at last, I reached the bad guy.
And yet again, I was late.
Only this time, being late didn't save me.
Instead, it doomed everyone else.
Because I was too late.

To Wear a Mask

1. So you can breathe while working with dangerous fumes.
2. To help keep your face warm in the chilly weather.
3. As an aid while swimming underwater.
4. While at a masquerade party.
5. When you are sick.
6. To help you sleep while surrounded by city lights.
7. To provide protection while welding.
8. As part of a uniform while participating in a sport.
9. While performing on stage.
10. If you are a superhero.

Moments of a Mouse

Trapped. Forsaken, left to rot.
Beguiled by an alluring scent, foolishly betrayed by call of hunger.
Steel walls surround on all sides, while a clear ceiling taunts with perfect view of what lies beyond.
The entrance, so easily entered, mocks any attempt at escape. All avenues have been closed, and each cry for help has been ignored.
Forgotten. Condemned by a sweet bait, and sentenced to pay dearly for the meal.
The floor shakes, and the view above shifts as the prison moves.
Frantically searching for escape, nothing is found but bitterness.
Scents change, and sounds offer nothing but despair.
The cluck of the enemy, and the rush of water.
Within moments, steel walls leak.
Liquid death fills every crevice, and lungs ache.
The sweet taste of allurement which had graced the tongue is washed away.
Eyes close, as the final sleep overwhelms.

To Smile

1. Because someone made you laugh.
2. You found something you had lost.
3. Someone complimented you.
4. A friend came to visit.
5. Your ice cream didn't melt all over your hands.
6. The cake you baked was delicious.
7. Your dog didn't get into the trash while you were gone.
8. You were able to spend time with your family.
9. The cat didn't bite you when he was given a bath.
10. Because it was a good day.

Mice

The scraggly old barn cat wasn't looking for a family, nor did he want a friend.
All the barn cat wanted was to be left in peace to hunt some mice.
He didn't care about the young mother and her litter of kittens. In fact, he was quite irritated at how their presence was scaring the mice.
The old barn cat's whiskers twitched in annoyance, not amusement, when the runt of the litter gave a very poor impersonation of walking and managed to scare am entire nest of mice into the old barn cat's paws.
The old barn cat got very good at ignoring when the kittens made a mess of his den during their play. After all, acknowledging them could be taken as acceptance of their presence in his home, and that would mean sharing his mice.
The grumpy old barn cat finally managed to scare the young mother and her nearly grown litter away late one afternoon. All the mice would be his once again.
Well, almost all the mice.
For the runt of the litter was still around. Why the runt thought himself welcome, the old barn cat didn't know.
But the runt kept catching the plumpest mice, and leaving them in the old barn cat's den.
And so, the old barn cat would ignore the runt, and hope he went away soon.
But until then, he'd eat all the mice.