ArdensRose

Kathy stirred the pot of boiling pasta idly, as she looked out the window at her black cat prowling through the grass. Turning off the burner, she perked up her ears. A faint sound was coming from the glass-enclosed porch outside the back door of her house. A sound of frantic chirping and beating wings.     "Another bird must have flown onto the porch and gotten stuck," Kathy thought to herself. "I told the kids to keep that door closed." She went to the door and opened it. Peering onto the porch, she gasped. A tiny bird was flying against the window, beating his wings so hard they were just a blur of color.     "A ruby-throated hummingbi

"Mommy, can we get the Lucy doll out to look at?" Jessie asked her mother, her blue eyes shining with eagerness. Beth smiled at her daughter. "Well, all right, but remember to be very careful!"  "Oh I will, I will!" Jessie nodded vigorously, causing her curly blond hair to bounce up and down on her shoulders. Going into her bedroom, Beth pulled a weather-beaten old wooden trunk out from the storage closet. Opening the lid and pushing aside some old clothes, she carefully pulled out a cardboard box and opened it. "There she is," breathed Jessie, carefully studying the doll inside the box. The "Lucy doll," as she was named, had been

"Gone? Woman, dead bodies don't just disappear into thin air!" Peter eyed the excited women dubiously. "But Peter, I'm sure of it," Mary protested. "We went to the tomb at dawn this morning to anoint the body with spices. On the way there we discussed how we were going to get into the tomb, since that huge boulder was put in front of the entranceway, and we didn't think we would be able to move it. But when we got there, the stone had been rolled away. Looking inside, we were dismayed to see his body was gone! There was a young man dressed in a white robe sitting inside the tomb. I think he was an angel. He told us not to be alarmed, because

As the newcomer entered the club, the other members looked up, piercing her with a penetrating gaze as they scrutinized her appearance. Her cat-like green eyes fringed by dark lashes flashed defiantly as she returned their stares, tilting her nose ever so slightly in the air. Pushing back a loose strand of her gleaming long blonde hair caught up in a French twist, she permitted the ghost of a coy smile to creep onto her face. The dimple that creased her left cheek served to balance the small mole on her right, directly below her eye. She sauntered across the crowded room, her high-heeled shoes click together in an even rhythm, and lower

A cold, biting wind swirled through the grimy streets of London. The small street waif shivered violently, pulling his threadbare coat tightly over his thin shoulders. Glancing at the ominous clouds above, he hunched over and tugged at his tattered cap, preparing to shield his face from the inevitable torrent of rain.     Weaving his way among puddles and refuse, he joined the bustle of people hurrying to and fro. A fine gentleman and a lady with a small girl in tow stepped out onto the street from a nearby house, waiting for their carriage. The boy watched them longingly, drinking in the sight of their fine apparel and smiling faces.    

On Christmas Santa bringed me the most giantest present ever! I woke up in the darkness and went downstairs trying to be ever so quiet.     Mum and Dad still had their eyes closed in their bed, and I think they were asleep.  I poked 'em with a stick, but they only groaned and rolled over, so I don't think they was ready to get up.     So I runned down the stairs and peeked 'round the tree. An' then I saw it. He'd brunged me my new favoritest toy. A new bicycle! It was red an' shiny an' with li'l beads on the metal sticks on the wheels.     S'funny, I dunno how Santa got it down the chimney. I've heard the other kids talking about how he

"Raise the anchor! Hoist the mainsail," Sean barked to his midshipman as he carefully adjusted his Captain's hat. Brendan saluted sharply, carrying out the Captain's orders.     Peering out to sea, he called out, "Looks like a squall is coming up, Captain."     "Well, batten down the hatches!" Sean clambered down the deck to join the solitary member of his crew.     Brendan eyed the storm clouds nervously, as the ship began to pitch and sway. "Are you sure about this, Captain?" he asked, gripping the sides tightly.     Sean nodded, setting his jaw in determination. "We'll make it through this alive, mate."     As the ship rocked bac

Stepping onto the path, I begin my walk into the forest. The tall, dry grass rubs against my legs. My skin will itch like crazy that evening. It always does after contact with the grass and weeds along the trail.     Catching my first glimpse of the tall, dark trees, I breathe deeply. The smell of pine needles, dirt, and dampness fills my nostrils. The ground is soft and springy under my feet, padded with a blanket of dried needles interspersed with moss.     The call of a bird breaks through the silence, carried on the breeze. Chick-a-dee-dee-dee… the unmistakable cry of the chickadee is answered by twits and chirps from other unseen tre

The grass beneath my feet is green, damp, and freshly cut. The grass clippings are sticking to my bare feet, getting stuck between my toes. It feels soothing and cool.     A tree is to my right, covered with moss and lichen. The leaves are gone, except for a few stubborn survivors. From far off the branches look like lace, weaving new and intricate patterns. There is a thicket, framing the tree with a background of gray and brown.     Next door the geese settle into the pond, sending ripples across the water, distorting the reflection of the landscape. The field next to me is brown, full of tall grass and weeds waiting to be cut down. The