Short Stories

The Tin Opener

Veronika Zeal

I am trying to open a tin of dog food. This is normally not my job. Not that we put this down in our marriage contract but there is a definite division of labour even in our household. John feeds the dogs, but he's not here.

The tin opener has crept along the edge of the tin and chewed the rim without penetrating the lid. Now it won't grip at all and I'll have to get the grinder if I was serious. Well - it is dog bikkies tonight.

It seems such a banal household item, the tin opener. It resides in the drawer in the kitchen together with a selection of mysterious utensils. It is crammed in beside the cherry pitter, the Spaetzle maker (Swabian Specialty), garlic press, a number of designer bottle openers, knife sharpening gadgets and the stick a friend whittled to probe the state of a cake I baked years ago. No wonder the tin opener refuses to work!

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The Big Discovery

L.L.Hill

I was about eleven years old when I made a big discovery I thought would bring light and fresh knowledge to the then known world. It did not change my outlook on life though. I'd just learned to ride and was able to stay on a horse at a slow canter.

My Grandfather said to me: "Hop on the old Blue Pony" and bring those cows up from the cultivation to the yard. I've a buyer coming to look at them this afternoon"

I was excited. Here was my Grandfather entrusting me with a small but important job. The cultivation of wheat stubble joined the stockyard. There were only a dozen, docile, manageable cows to bring in. What a breeze!

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Clouds Over Emerald Green Water

Caroline McAllister

As the sun slowly set behind the hills surrounding the lake, the sky turned a deep velvety blue, stars dotted the sky like drops of silver on an ocean of purest beauty. Everything was silent, nothing moved, a light breeze danced over the blades of grass making them sway gracefully. It seemed like the whole world had gone to sleep. But then, quite suddenly animals emerged from the depths of the forest surrounding the lake. As each animal gathered round the lake, they all lowered their beads in unison and began to drink from its dark waters.

All at once an amazing thing happened, the water slowly began to turn from black to green, not the yucky green you get in swimming pools but a beautiful emerald green. The animals all stopped drinking and raised their heads to the milky white moon as if calling softly to it. The few clouds that were scattered in the sky that night seemed to shine brighter than ever before and slowly but surely lowered themselves towards the now emerald water, until they seemed to hover a meter or two above the lake.

This was a very magical time of night; this was the time when the magical creatures of the forest gathered around the lake.

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