Lords of Earth and Sky

A short story/creation myth about the rise and fall of dragons. Let me know what you think, because I would love feedback on the good the bad and the ugly. Confusing parts? Leave a comment! Thanks!

Lords of Earth and Sky

My people were once a noble race, a kindly sort, but were brought to anger and destruction by the acts of man or fate. That is not to say, of course, that there were never so-called bad eggs among our lot– that I shall yet demonstrate–, but it would be folly to suggest that any significant portion of the world’s evil was, at least at first, bottled up within our ‘draconian’ hearts. We dragons were a proud race, and though, as time passed, my brothers grew more and more prone to fits of jealousy and rage, we were, at least to begin with, a peaceful sort. Indeed, perhaps more so than any other creatures to roam this earth, we were a happy people, content with our simple pleasures. I was young and strong, back before the wars. Oh, how my scales gleamed, sapphires against the emerald seas, and my wings beat in powerful strokes that carried me high above the clouds to airy roosts. Indeed, our early days were ones of magic and wonder and peace, but then something changed inside of us. Then the world changed around us. And then we lost the magic.

I, Marak, am the last of my kind, and I alone remain to tell our tale, of dragons, the Lords of Fire and Earth and Sky.

Redemption

Another short short that I've been working on. I'd like to flush it out to about 1200 words, where it's at only 750 now, so let me know what kinds of things/events you think could emphasize the ideas better. I have some ideas, but I'd love to hear your suggestions, comments, etc.

Redemption

          She says to me, “Why don’t you come in for a little bit?” and I say okay because I think she’s just being nice and all. And then she keeps looking at me all sexy-like, and she scooches on over real close to me, and I’m thinking that she’s not really interested in buying a Bible anymore. I mean, she’s pretty and all-- prettier than just about anyone I’ve ever seen. An’ I woulda liked to give her a kiss or something, but I haven’t sold anything today and I need the money, so I tell’er I ought’a go, and manalive she wants me to stay, but I leave anyway.
          Then I get thinkin’ about how Mom used to send Beth off to bed when the sexy parts would come on in movies, and I always thought it was kinda funny how that stuff was bad for Beth but not for Mom or for Gary or me.
          The next door’s tall and red, and when I knock, a raspy, lady’s voice says come in. The house smells like sweat and Mom’s lavender Febreeze, and I kinda tiptoe past piles of junky ol’ antiques til I see this big ol’ lady sitting in a big ol’ scarlet throne or something. She’s got these enormous bosoms that just kinda loll around on her big ol’ gut, like Bacchus in our textbooks at the community college, and she’s got these porkchop legs that kinda dribble out from under this dress of hers. Big ol’ kielbasa fingers tap-tap-tappin’ on her chair, and little chocolate chip eyes look me up and down all hungry-like from behind her marshmallow cheeks. “What’ve you got for me, boy?”

Red Berries

This is a short short that I wrote recently. I'd love to hear your comments, impressions, suggestions!

Red Berries

We’re reading stories, and Philip is growling under the table like a tiger, and Lily is giggling, and I am sitting in my green, dinosaur chair, and Teacher’s face is all red and scrunched up like a balloon with a hole in it, and it’s because Philip won’t sit down and Jacob is talking and Teacher has been baking, because I can smell the cookies. Soon, we’ll go outside and take off our light-up shoes and wiggle our toes in the soft grass, and you can still smell it, because Mr. Teacher cut it while we were doing sharing time, you could hear it. Lily’s hands will be dandelion yellow and sticky from dandelion milk, and Teacher will go out front and then come back and smell like smoke. I will feel the sharp sand on my hands, and Philip will eat it even though we can smell cookies, but it’s because he’s poor and doesn’t have a mommy, that’s what my mommy says. Teacher’s face will still be red because of Philip and because she smells like smoke, and Jacob and me will find swords under the bushes or pull them off of trees, and then I’ll be a knight and Jacob will be a pirate, and I’ll kill him or he’ll kill me and then Teacher will call and we’ll be friends again. And then Philip’s hands will be red, and his lips will be red, and his tongue will be red, and Teacher will scream and Mr. Teacher will have to stay home from work to cut down the berry bush, and Philip had to go to another school.