Dragon

By the Waters Edge

It was dusk when he first saw her on the other side of the lake, or baray as the locals called it. It may have been the solstice but days trickled through his fingers like sand no matter how he tried to clutch at them. He thought there was a way to chart the days by the stars but he considered this a mariner’s trick and he was in no way nautical.
He’d been sketching a temple from a classic empire resting on an island in the center of the baray. It was like an oasis, he thought, despite having water all around it. There she was, crouching at the waters edge, her beauty captured him; he couldn’t look away until she slipped back into the jungle as silently as she’d arrived.
He returned there often, watching her wandering the waters edge. The locals told him to stay away. “She’ll rip your heart out for sport,” they warned him to no avail. Often he’d see nothing more than the evening light doing a moondance on the rippling water and hear the palm fronds shiver at the slightest breeze. He never heard her silent feet in the leaf litter but he heard her roar as she leapt onto him from jungle and he had time, as her massive paws tore his heart out of his chest, to wonder if she’d been stalking him all along.

midnightpoet

Oh wow, I really thought it was a woman you were talking about. I thought it was going to be a tale of unrequited love, so I love the twist in it.

"He'd been sketching a temple from a classic empire resting on an island in the center of the baray." ...I'm a little confused...is the temple he's drawing on the island, or is he? I mean, I assume it's him, but the way the sentence is written confuses me a bit.

kmkagle

Quite surprise by the twist. It could be a woman, crazy for him! He probably cheated on her or she was rejected. She lay in wait, and, gottem!
Good story!

kmkagle

Yes, she could have had "big paws", the woman.

Dragon

Hee hee, km you make me laugh.
midnightpoet, this story was largely inspired by a Nat. Geographic story I just read about the ancient civilization of Angkor. They had large man made lakes called baray's that often had an island in the centre with a temple on it. The baray's were used to symbolize the Hindu faith and were also used a catch basins in the monsoon season so they could irrigate during the dry season. So my very long winded answer to your question is, He's on the bank, the temple's on the island.

Dragon

that should read 'used as catch basins'

midnightpoet

oh, nice, Dragon! I like the history basis there...that's really interesting.

anotherronism

“Independence Day” by Ron

His name was Mahl. Yesterday had been his twelfth birthday. And tonight was the Moondance Festival. And he wasn’t going.

“I’m not going!” he stressed to his mother.

“Father will make you little boy!” said his fifteen-year-old sister stressing the word “little”.

“Sush.” His mother said. “Talk to your father Mahl. Then decide.”

His father, Mahul, captained a longboat – his life was a nautical life, always fighting the empire. But he always returned for the summer solstice and the festival. Mahl had been upset when his father missed his birthday. He was a man now. Mahl envisioned his father visiting a tropical oasis and intentionally ignoring his own son’s becoming a man.

Mahl was a small boy. He looked ten, not twelve. His father had never shown great pride. But what was there to show pride for? Mahl failed at every sport and every game.

Mahul made his grand entrance an hour before sundown. Mahl saw his mother whispering and looking in his direction.

Briskly his father led him outdoors.

“Why boy? Why do you fret your mother so?”

“I’m not going tonight father.”

“You will go. But why do you say this?”

“Father,” said Mahl, ‘you know why.”

“What is this son? Tell me.”

“The Moondance? Taking off the robes? Dancing with the girls? You know don’t you?”

His father was suddenly amused.

“What’s so funny?” challenged Mahl!

“You’re afraid it will be hard and the girls will see it.”

Mahl was astonished at his father’s blunt assessment. “Errr… Yes sir.”

“Son. You are a man now. What do you think Moondance is about anyway? You will join us there tonight. Now go ready yourself.”

The fire raged. The little family arrived.

Mahl looked at all the people wandering about.

His sister leaned down to him: “I told you little one.” And she giggled. Mahl watched her gaze wander to a group of older boys gathered near the woods.

“You’re not dancing with them are you?” he pleaded, realizing he actually knew some of those boys.

“Oh yes little one. And you will dance with them.” She indicated a group of young girls laughing and pointing.

“Oh no I won’t.”

“We’ll see. We’ll see.” She moved off towards the older boys.

“Mahl.” His mother called, “Did you bathe?”

“Yes mother.”

“Good boy.” She turned and embraced Mahul who looked sideways at his son and then laughed long and loud.

A priest and priestess emerged from somewhere behind the fire. They cast their hands to the sky and all eyes looked upward: The moon was tinged with brown: an eclipse – on this night? Mahl felt chills on his arms.

The priestess threw off her cloak and danced. Somewhere a drummer followed her rhythm. The festival had begun.

Mahl watched her – hypnotized by her flesh and movement. The priest also disrobed and joined her by the fire.

Mahl did not care to see this shriveled old man naked but he could not tear his gaze from them as a couple – the way their limbs intertwined without touching – the way she looked into his eyes – the way they moved together.

Slowly at first but quickly gathering pace the entire group disrobed.

Mahl was transfixed at the bodies before him – their beauty, their ugliness, their splendor and their fluid motion. He turned away to find his father’s gaze. Mahul simply smiled, dropped his robe and turned back to his mother.

Mahl turned back to the spectacle. This was a thing of beauty. Who would not want to be a part of this?

He pushed his shy awkwardness aside. And he cast off his robe.

The cold breeze made him shiver. And in the clutch of both hands his privates were hidden. But he ventured towards the fire.

And he saw her. She was his age. She was awkwardly dancing all the classic moves but was obviously frightened.

He approached slowly, letting her round the fire, and timed his movements to arrive next to her.

They circled the fires several times, both hiding their nakedness.

But she finally looked at him and smiled.

And he raised his hands and danced. And it was hard. And he was proud.

He cast his gaze across the fire. His eyes met his father’s. And Mahl knew then that his father was proud too.

anotherronism

Okay. Couple things...

This story is one-hundred percent inspired by the word list.

I am way, way, way, way over the word count.

But my stuff usually is. But there was no way to edit this down. No way at all.

It should NOT be read as pornographic. (God. I hope not anyway!)

My grammar teacher would've just freakin loved all the sentences that begin with "and" and "but".

But...

Anyways - I am inspired by this list. I just have nothing so far that will fit in the wordcount. But I wanted to share this.

BTW: Until I realized the date the title was "Druid Man".

Gotta play catch-up again this week. I haven't read diddly so far. But I will. I promise.

Later,
Ron

anotherronism

“Dang” by Ron

When I heard on the vids that Earth was destroyed I thought ‘Dang.’

I was rooting for them in the galactic cup.

The earth wasn’t so well-respected anymore. I was the only fan in my class. All the other kids kept pointing out that the final definition of “Earth” in the Galactic Dictionary was a single word: “Dirt”.

But to me it was an oasis… We all started there. I didn’t think it should be so disrespected.

I pulled up the file. A shiver ran down my spine as I watched it implode.

Its sun, I think it’s called “Sol” was at “solstice” and rising right over the centerline.

I clutch the controller and rewind wandering through the 32-second piece. They show the nautical history we’ve all seen many times; the classic shots of the great navy empire establishing itself.

I swear I can smell the sea-salt and feel the distant breeze of our home-world.

I watch the vids and see it implode. The moon wanders off in its own strange Moondance.

I realize where my heritage is. I am a child of Earth. And we all came from there.

But the Earth is gone now. And no one is sad. Except me.

For a kid. For a kid of the stars… I am sad – sad for what was lost.

Not just a Galactic Cup team. But something more.

I am sad.

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I'm sad too, Ron, and I miss Earth terribly.

This is brilliant ... not that I expect anything else from you. Your whole idea of Think Write is brilliant and it has brought out so much talent from the contributors ... the threads are always a joy to read.

Dragon

Ooo, I liked both your stories Ron. I didn't find your first one pornographic at all. More a coming of age story and becoming comfortable with one own body and self. I did suspect it was slightly over the word count though, as it took up about 3 times more space than anyone elses . I'm glad you posted it as is though, it was good.
Your second story, so aptly named 'Dang' was an interesting take on what happens when we go off into the universe. It reminded me strongly of a bit out of a Red Dwarf book. In that story basically, as humans started inhabiting the other planets in the solar system they were accumulating so much garbage they had to elect one planet to be an intergalactic garbage scow. All the planets had their arguments why it shouldn't be them and the only thing Earth could come up with was 'This is where humanity began'. Apperantly that just wasn't as convincing as the other planets arguments so it got the job. At some point a giant pocket of gas accumulated on one side of the planet and when it ignited Earth pretty much farted itself right out of the solar system and became a wandering, garbage covered hunk of ice in the galaxy.
Anyway, after all that, I enjoyed 'Dang' especially that he was missing his Galactic Cup team.

Keep writing folks, you've got 'til Wed.

midnightpoet

I know you want better feedback Ron, but I've got nothing to say except I loved both of those. Although "Dang" did give me a feeling of sadness...the idea of people losing respect for earth just got me.

kmkagle

Going to give this another try. I'm over the word limit, but, what the heck! Right?

The Embrace

I remember, it was the day of the solstice, June 21. I was wandering along the shore, stopping occasionally to do my little “moondance”. Step here, step there. Getting better with each try I am. In my head the melody “midnight at the oasis” kept pounding through my head. Wouldn’t stop!

I felt a wonderful breeze as I gazed over at a man sitting on the stump of driftwood along the water. He was a big man. I became concerned that he might topple over from his weight on such a skimpy seat. Approaching him, I recognized his face. He was a resident of the island. A very wealthy man and I supposed he was surveying his empire as he owned most of the island and the boat he appeared to be glimpsing. He was quite handsome. He stood and approached me, he in his classic, nautical attire. His nearness caused me to shiver as I attempted to clutch my sweater around me for warmth.

Stepping closer, he spoke with a deep, wonderful voice. He questioned my presence in that particular place at the same moment that I noticed the “no trespassing” sign. I looked up at him, telling myself to be careful of my emotions. It was a scene out of a romance novel…my eyes pierced his, his breath was fiery. Oh he was wonderful to be near. My common sense flew away as I threw myself into his arms. We embraced while sharing a passionate kiss. The smell of his cologne was driving me wild. In the heat of this moment he uttered his name, Rol, I uttered mine, Cara. Such a man!

While in my rapture, I heard a voice in the distance, “time to get up”! Quickly, I opened my eyes to the sight of the unshaven, sleepy headed, beer-bellied man that I loved! Oh well, maybe tonight I’ll meet him again!

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A clever ending, KM. I Liked it.

midnightpoet

Great story, km. I loved the line "It was a scene out of a romance novel...my eyes pierced his, his breath was fiery" It really got me caught up in the story. And the ending was excellent, too.

kmkagle

I could've gotten more descriptive, however. It would not have been a good idea! Thank you.

Dragon

Ooo, we don't get romance very often in our stories. Loved the imagery!

charityb98

"Moondance Eggroll"

Studying my reflection in my full-length mirror I questioned the empire waist on my dress, but decided to go with it. I had nabbed a date with this super cute nautical type I met at the beach. I say nautical, more like “surfer-dude”, with his bleached hair and ripped body. I heard the doorbell ring.

We were in the car heading down the road, and he had never once stopped talking.

“This ride is shotty, the clutch sticks, I had to borrow it cause my Solstice is in the shop...”

I attempted an interjection, “Funny, I had a Sol...”

“Yeah? I love mine, wish you could have seen it, blueberry with chrome trim...” he continued on about nothing.

I rolled the window down to feel the night breeze and set my mind to wandering as I realized this guy’s favorite thing was hearing himself talk.

I sighed, knowing this date would be a classic.

He drove, talking incessantly, to this place. A restaurant would be too nice. A bar would be too indescriptive.

It was called Moondance Eggroll. It was a Chinese buffet and bar. With strippers.

I heard him say, “This place is a true oasis after a crashing day, you know man?”

A shiver went down my back. But I went inside, maybe the buffet was worth it if I could make sure the strippers weren’t anywhere near it.

He led us to a table, made sure I had a drink and a full-plate and he disappeared. The next time I saw him he was chatting it up with a stripper at the bar. That’s when I noticed the TV hanging above the bar. The pictures were all I could get, there was not a sound coming from it, but I knew two things, it was a special report and my life as I knew it would never be the same.

charityb98

I too couldn't fit my story into the word count, but I felt I should post it anyway

KM, CRACKED ME UP, NO JOKE the first thing I started to write with this list was about a woman on a beach meeting a mysterious man & them hookin' up! LOL I think we're reading too many romance novels

I really liked the word list, I just couldn't come up with anything that fit the count. I have to go back and read all the other posts before KM's...I've been out-of-touch lately, I finally picked up Twilight and can't put it down