---Oversaturated---
by njsabs

Comment:
She glanced up at him, as he tried to hurry on his way, but the look stopped him.

"Please sir, I've lost my way, can you help me?"

His usual revulsion at these street urchins began to rise, but for some reason he was able to overcome it this time. With a slight scowl, he nodded and asked if where she lived, if anywhere. She mentioned a street, one that he recognized, and so for whatever reason, he decided to lead her there. As they went, she babbled on about this and that. At first, he simply nodded, but as they went her voice seemed to work on him somehow. He found himself answering, in brief at first, but then at length. By the time they arrived at their destination, he had found himself even starting certain small conversations. It astounded him.

As they turned on her street, a woman came running up, crying and grabbing her daughter. She showered her with hugs and kisses, and then turned to the man, thanking him profusely for bringing her home. At an invite for dinner, he found himself unable to say no, and was welcomed into their small and comfortable, if very rag-tag and poor, home.

It was the beginning of a life-long friendship, started because of the momentary decision to turn away from instinct and do what was right.

For all the rest of his life he remembered the face in the rain, and he was never an unkind man again.

frog holiday
by robst

Comment:
Gordon sat near the beach, but wasn't very happy. Yes, he was in the sun, on a vacation he'd looked forward to for so long, but the travel agent had lied to him. His room was on a construction zone, the hotel cheap and falling apart, and the waiter had yet to bring him his Mai Tai!

Gordon huffed and stared out at the sea, the only thing that was still wonderful.

That's when the thunder hit.

Guileless
by scarbrd

Comment:
She gazed warily, with a hint of smile, as if unsure of me and my presence, but giving in to her instincts to be friendly. I smiled back, softly, and lifted the camera with a questioning look. A glance at her mother, sitting nearby gave her the permission she needed to give me a nod.

A slight positioning, a click, and her simple beauty captured. A girl trying to learn the world, and her place in it, the dangers and joys that can conflict in every moment.

I thanked her and walked away, wondering what other wonders of the world I'd find.

Frontman
by Jason_Cross

Comment:
Keith was starting to have second thoughts about the band he'd joined. While they played well, it was very hard to sit around and compose music with them, what with that... affliction they had.

Not to mention the trouble Danny had with trying to play the Trumpet.

That was just embarrassing.

Sly
by trevytrev

Comment:
It had been a hard fought battle. Attack and counter-attack. Bite and counter-bite, claw and ... you get the idea.

Todd glared at his rival as he lay on the ground against the tree, his wounds on fire, but his spirit untouched. With one final growl, he leapt back into battle.

A short time later, limping badly, Todd walked off toward his den, knowing that Vixey and the cubs awaited. This time, he'd won the day. How many others may claim him?

YOU WILL NEVER GET OUR FLEECE!
by ahmadbaara

Comment:
You know, I was going to do this thing about "But they will never get our wool!" and all that, but you had to go and do it in your title, and now I'd look like a copy-cat, and it wasn't very original to begin with.

However, this is a pretty darned proud looking trio of sheep.

Two On A Beach
by SherwinJames

Comment:
Jimmy and Carmine were in trouble. They hadn't meant to make Don Treeone that angry, yet they had. It was only a small amount of green, but they'd been discovered, and here they were.

Buried up to their necks in the desert, their fates were sealed.

For the firemen of Brooklyn Ladder 118
by pineapple

Comment:
As they appeared in the sky, the people looked up in wonder. They'd finally decided to make themselves known. Humanity reacted in all the myriad ways that humanity can act when faced with such a thing. Fear, excitement, paranoia, glee.

As the city simultaneously emptied and prepared, a large group of people gathered under the visitors, calling up to them. Welcome! they cried. Take me with you! said others.

A cheering rang up to the sky when ports began to open...

... and then silence, as hell rained down.


(this nod to Independence Day brought to you by the Number 4, and the Letters I and D).

Mist Morning
by rio78

Comment:
They only realized that trouble was brewing when the tides refused to retreat that day. Then the mists started to rise, hair stood on end, leaves began to point toward the sky. Scientists scrambled to their calculations as the phenomena continued day after day. Small objects began to rise from the ground and float in the air. People began to feel lighter, chaos began to reign.

Then, one day in late October, it was confirmed. The moon had begun to chart a path toward the earth, and its gravitational pull was to blame for all the happenings.

Too late, humanity tried desperately to find a way to counter the moon's approach, and to find a ways to ensure our survival.

We weren't successful.

From Summer to Fall
by essay

Comment:
Jake and Susie pushed aside the last bush, and then abruptly stopped and stared. They glanced behind them, ready to run back the way they'd come, but the path had disappeared. Susie began to sob, and Jake began to repeat to himself, under his breath, "no.. no... no..."

They'd been warned, but they'd laughed it off as impossible. Just silly tales from silly trappers and woodsmen. It wasn't real.

Yet here they were. Somehow they'd stumbled upon it.

The Cartoon Woods.

Susie began screaming, and she never stopped.