Done By: Newton Tanskul
Of predators, prey and family.
Their vision narrowly limited to three groups.
They stalk the world and its inhabitants,
Feasting upon their victories, lamenting in their losses.
Carrying the sinister grin of a vulture,
And the soft smile of a pelican.
Such is the life of these animals.
But ‘animal’ is such a crude term.
As one of nature’s natural born killers,
They pride themselves as skilled hunters,
Going at great lengths to reach their prey.
Some pose a threat. Others, are of innocence.
Some will disturb others. Others, left alone.
Some belong to a pack. Others, lone wolves.
A great variety, an abundance of influence:
The fuel to their self-proclaimed dominance.
A sinful pride, but by day’s end they refuse redemption.
And yet, in their arrogant perfection,
Their greatest fault is that of any other.
The murder of their own kind.
It’s a morbid life cycle.
But I refuse redemption.
Death of a Doe
Done By: Anand Khorana
Life is a beautiful thing. It starts, and it ends. However, as one life ends, another begins. That is the beauty of it…
It was a warm day in the forest. A doe and her fawn were galloping around, playing with one another. The flowers were blooming, and the wind was cool. It seemed as if nothing could go wrong… yet.
As the fawn rubs its neck against it’s mother’s stomach, something horrifying happened. A roar burst out from the woods. Birds scattered everywhere and the insects stopped making noises. The doe raised her ears, alert and started to gallop away. The fawn, confused, galloped after its mother.
As the fawn tried to catch up with its mother, however, something huge had jumped over it’s head and landed in front of it. It was a huge cougar, and a very old one too. The cougar wasn’t looking at the fawn though. It was starring at the doe, which froze in fear. The fawn tried to move closer to its mother, but it was too scared to get around the cougar. Things were still for a while…
Suddenly, the cougar jumped on top of the doe and bit it’s neck, blood splattering everywhere. The fawn, terrorized by the image, turned around and galloped away. It went as fast as it could, trying to escape the situation it hoped was nothing, but a mere nightmare.
The fawn soon stopped as it got tired. Turning around, the fawn looked back to see if the cougar had been chasing it. There wasn’t a sight of the cougar, however. It was safe, but its mother was dead. Lying down on the ground, it tried not to think about the terrorizing image that had occurred. All the fawn wanted to do, was close it’s eyes, and fall into a deep, long sleep.
As it closed its eyes, however, something weird happened. A light emitted from the tree in front of the fawn. Opening its eyes, the fawn stood up as it looked at the blinding light. There, standing where the tree was, is an ape-like creature. The fawn was about to run away again, but something stopped it this time. A voice. A voice was ringing in its head.
“Do not fear… I am not going to harm you.”
The fawn’s ears shot up and looked around, but nothing else was around.
“It is me who is talking to you.”
“How is this possible?”
“I’m using telepathy, it’s the way of communicating through the mind.”
“What are you?”
“I am the creator of all. Parent to all living organism on this planet.”
“God?”
“I do not like being referred to as that, but it is what I am.”
“Why are you here?”
“To help you understand, little fawn.”
“Understand what?”
“Understand that this is life. You will grief over it, but you have to move on and do something greater than this.”
“Like what? I’m not one of those ape-like animals that covers themselves up with silk and fabrics.”
“You mean humans. Ah yes, my most wonderful, yet disappointing piece of work. What about them?”
“Aren’t they the ones who are destined to do something great?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re just animals. We live in the forest. We find food, we eat, and we sleep. That’s all there is to our life.”
“Little fawn, do not misunderstand things. The humans have their own world to attend to. You and the other members on the other hand, are my creations too. You all have a purpose in life. To live and to be happy. Have offspring.”
“And let your offspring watch you get slaughtered by other animals?”
“It’s the way of life, little fawn. Nature is a cruel, cruel thing. You’re never safe. No one is always safe. There are dangers everywhere. But you still try to live life to the fullest so it doesn’t go to waste, that’s what life is about. Having offspring to carry on your genes so your race does not die out.”
“Why would you create such a rule?”
“I am like every other thing in this universe. I am flawed. It is true that I have no beginning and no end, but that does not mean I am not flawed. I am flawed in my own ways. When I created this world, I gave a part of me into it. I named it Gaia. Gaia is a part of me, my offspring. Despite having created it, I could not control what it decides to do because I do not have the right. It’s like you and your mother. She gave birth to you, but she can’t make you sleep where you’re not comfortable.”
“How come you don’t even try to help us? It’s almost as if you abandoned us here to destroy one another!”
“I have not left anyone, little fawn. They have rather, left me. No being in this world has as much faith in me as they did when I first created them. Without the faith, I cannot simply just appear. It isn’t the way. The way is to have faith. By having faith, you’re allowing me to have effect on your life. Those who don’t have faith are like children who do not talk to their parents and decide their own future with their own decisions. I cannot interfere because that would be wrong.”
“But you’re God! What you do is always right!”
“Like I said once before, little fawn, even I am flawed. If I decided to play tricks with someone’s life because I think it would save it from pain, but it resulted the total opposite, then it isn’t right. I only help those who have faith in me.”
“But why? Why is it that when I call for help, you never come!?”
“I help those who help themselves. Begging me to help save your mother without putting in any effort in trying to distract the cougar so it wouldn’t kill your mom, isn’t what I'd do.”
“But I’m just a baby! I’m barely a year old!”
“But you do have intelligence. I created you with enough intelligence to use, even if you aren’t even a year old.”
“But I was afraid! How could I distract it if I was afraid!?”
“You shouldn’t even be afraid, had you put faith in me, little fawn.”
“I did put faith in you!”
“Only in times of crisis.”
“So you’re demanding we pay you respect or else you won’t help us?”
“That’s not what I’m implying. I’m merely saying that if you have had faith and confidence in me, your mother would not have been dead. But because you did not believe I would have helped in the first place, you were horrified with the thought of being alone and not being able to do anything and that’s not true. I’m always by your side, whether you know it or not. I’m always by everyone’s side, trying to give them as much comfort as I can, even if they don’t see me. I am your parent after all, it would be irresponsible for me to comfort you when you need it.”
“You were there all this time…?”
“Yes. Always have been.”
“…I’m sorry I didn’t have faith in you…”
“You shouldn’t be. My heart is full of forgiveness. Not having faith in me is not a sin, it’s an option anyone’s entitled to.”
“It took my mother’s death to make me realize this…”
“Actually, little fawn, I came here to give you your mother back.”
“What?”
“I didn’t allow that cougar to eat your mother because I thought it was amusing. I allowed so it would give me an opportunity to help you understand what you’ve been missing all this time; hope.”
Another light emitted around the fawn. It formed into a shape of a huge deer and soon, the light faded. The fawn’s mother had emerged from the light, healthy and strong. However, no one else was around anymore. The fawn looked around to try and find Him, but He wasn’t here anymore…
“Thank you…”
The doe and its fawn then galloped away, disappearing into the forest…
The End
Life is a beautiful thing. It starts, and it ends. However, as one life ends, another begins. That is the beauty of it…
It was a warm day in the forest. A doe and her fawn were galloping around, playing with one another. The flowers were blooming, and the wind was cool. It seemed as if nothing could go wrong… yet.
As the fawn rubs its neck against it’s mother’s stomach, something horrifying happened. A roar burst out from the woods. Birds scattered everywhere and the insects stopped making noises. The doe raised her ears, alert and started to gallop away. The fawn, confused, galloped after its mother.
As the fawn tried to catch up with its mother, however, something huge had jumped over it’s head and landed in front of it. It was a huge cougar, and a very old one too. The cougar wasn’t looking at the fawn though. It was starring at the doe, which froze in fear. The fawn tried to move closer to its mother, but it was too scared to get around the cougar. Things were still for a while…
Suddenly, the cougar jumped on top of the doe and bit it’s neck, blood splattering everywhere. The fawn, terrorized by the image, turned around and galloped away. It went as fast as it could, trying to escape the situation it hoped was nothing, but a mere nightmare.
The fawn soon stopped as it got tired. Turning around, the fawn looked back to see if the cougar had been chasing it. There wasn’t a sight of the cougar, however. It was safe, but its mother was dead. Lying down on the ground, it tried not to think about the terrorizing image that had occurred. All the fawn wanted to do, was close it’s eyes, and fall into a deep, long sleep.
As it closed its eyes, however, something weird happened. A light emitted from the tree in front of the fawn. Opening its eyes, the fawn stood up as it looked at the blinding light. There, standing where the tree was, is an ape-like creature. The fawn was about to run away again, but something stopped it this time. A voice. A voice was ringing in its head.
“Do not fear… I am not going to harm you.”
The fawn’s ears shot up and looked around, but nothing else was around.
“It is me who is talking to you.”
“How is this possible?”
“I’m using telepathy, it’s the way of communicating through the mind.”
“What are you?”
“I am the creator of all. Parent to all living organism on this planet.”
“God?”
“I do not like being referred to as that, but it is what I am.”
“Why are you here?”
“To help you understand, little fawn.”
“Understand what?”
“Understand that this is life. You will grief over it, but you have to move on and do something greater than this.”
“Like what? I’m not one of those ape-like animals that covers themselves up with silk and fabrics.”
“You mean humans. Ah yes, my most wonderful, yet disappointing piece of work. What about them?”
“Aren’t they the ones who are destined to do something great?”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re just animals. We live in the forest. We find food, we eat, and we sleep. That’s all there is to our life.”
“Little fawn, do not misunderstand things. The humans have their own world to attend to. You and the other members on the other hand, are my creations too. You all have a purpose in life. To live and to be happy. Have offspring.”
“And let your offspring watch you get slaughtered by other animals?”
“It’s the way of life, little fawn. Nature is a cruel, cruel thing. You’re never safe. No one is always safe. There are dangers everywhere. But you still try to live life to the fullest so it doesn’t go to waste, that’s what life is about. Having offspring to carry on your genes so your race does not die out.”
“Why would you create such a rule?”
“I am like every other thing in this universe. I am flawed. It is true that I have no beginning and no end, but that does not mean I am not flawed. I am flawed in my own ways. When I created this world, I gave a part of me into it. I named it Gaia. Gaia is a part of me, my offspring. Despite having created it, I could not control what it decides to do because I do not have the right. It’s like you and your mother. She gave birth to you, but she can’t make you sleep where you’re not comfortable.”
“How come you don’t even try to help us? It’s almost as if you abandoned us here to destroy one another!”
“I have not left anyone, little fawn. They have rather, left me. No being in this world has as much faith in me as they did when I first created them. Without the faith, I cannot simply just appear. It isn’t the way. The way is to have faith. By having faith, you’re allowing me to have effect on your life. Those who don’t have faith are like children who do not talk to their parents and decide their own future with their own decisions. I cannot interfere because that would be wrong.”
“But you’re God! What you do is always right!”
“Like I said once before, little fawn, even I am flawed. If I decided to play tricks with someone’s life because I think it would save it from pain, but it resulted the total opposite, then it isn’t right. I only help those who have faith in me.”
“But why? Why is it that when I call for help, you never come!?”
“I help those who help themselves. Begging me to help save your mother without putting in any effort in trying to distract the cougar so it wouldn’t kill your mom, isn’t what I'd do.”
“But I’m just a baby! I’m barely a year old!”
“But you do have intelligence. I created you with enough intelligence to use, even if you aren’t even a year old.”
“But I was afraid! How could I distract it if I was afraid!?”
“You shouldn’t even be afraid, had you put faith in me, little fawn.”
“I did put faith in you!”
“Only in times of crisis.”
“So you’re demanding we pay you respect or else you won’t help us?”
“That’s not what I’m implying. I’m merely saying that if you have had faith and confidence in me, your mother would not have been dead. But because you did not believe I would have helped in the first place, you were horrified with the thought of being alone and not being able to do anything and that’s not true. I’m always by your side, whether you know it or not. I’m always by everyone’s side, trying to give them as much comfort as I can, even if they don’t see me. I am your parent after all, it would be irresponsible for me to comfort you when you need it.”
“You were there all this time…?”
“Yes. Always have been.”
“…I’m sorry I didn’t have faith in you…”
“You shouldn’t be. My heart is full of forgiveness. Not having faith in me is not a sin, it’s an option anyone’s entitled to.”
“It took my mother’s death to make me realize this…”
“Actually, little fawn, I came here to give you your mother back.”
“What?”
“I didn’t allow that cougar to eat your mother because I thought it was amusing. I allowed so it would give me an opportunity to help you understand what you’ve been missing all this time; hope.”
Another light emitted around the fawn. It formed into a shape of a huge deer and soon, the light faded. The fawn’s mother had emerged from the light, healthy and strong. However, no one else was around anymore. The fawn looked around to try and find Him, but He wasn’t here anymore…
“Thank you…”
The doe and its fawn then galloped away, disappearing into the forest…
The End
To Jasmine, From Cat
Done By: Augustine Lesiuk
Alan never felt this miserable since he was born. After 2 tormenting years of high school, he finally found love and now he’s too cowardly to confess it to her. Jasmine is the name of that girl, one of the prettiest girls in his grade. With her long brownish hair, big bluish eyes, and beautiful face, she attracts most of the guys in high school.
“So far you’re lucky that she’s not into anyone yet, but time’s running out,” said Alan, talking to himself as he walks his way home.
“But what can I do? She’s refused the popular guys in my grade, why would she choose a loser like me?” Alan continued to talk to himself.
“That’s because you’re smarter and nicer than those jerks.”
“I’m not smart, my physics is failing and my math teachers are starting to hate me.”
“Well, at least you’re nicer. Just try to talk to her and everything will be fine.”
“What makes you think it’ll be that easy?”
“What makes you think that it’ll be that hard?”
While distracted, Alan trips from a crack on the sidewalk and falls on the trash next to him. Dirt and leftover food covered his hair and clothes.
“Because I can’t do anything right…”said Alan to finish his self argument.
Once he got out of the trash, the people on the same sidewalk stay away from him due to the smell. When he reaches his home, Alan noticed that a cat has been following him. The smell of his cloths must’ve attracted it. The brown tabby has a collar on, so it belonged to somebody. The tabby cat began meowing at Alan, obviously begging for food. Alan, having a soft spot for cats, pulled out his leftover lunch from his bag and gave the cat some pork and rice. The car happily ate the pork and purrs when Alan scratches behind its ears.
“If only I could be as carefree as you,” said Alan.
Looking up, he saw Jasmine’s white colored house, which was really close to his. He always imagined himself to walk up to her green door with some flowers, wearing a suit and ask her on a date. But he knew if he tried that, he’ll be shivering as if he’s naked in winter. The cat left Alan once it’s done eating and Alan entered his house after it left.
The next day, Alan saw the posters that are set up all over the school. Prom is coming in less than a week, and everyone is trying to get a date. While walking down the hallway, Alan saw Jasmine being followed by at least 10 boys, all asking her out.
“It won’t be long until she gets a date for prom. And after she gets a date, all hope of asking her out will be gone,” Alan said.
When everyone left school to go back home, Alan met the tabby cat again, in front of Jasmine’s house. He fed it some leftover chicken this time. Once its finish, the cat walked right through Jasmine’s gate and waited in front of Jasmine’s green door. When the door opened, Alan quickly hides and saw that Jasmine picked up the cat.
“That cat belongs to her? She must’ve like cats too,” Alan said.
Suddenly, a thought came up in Alan’s head. He came up with a solution to his problems and a chance for him to ask her out. When he returned home, he searched for the love letters he wrote for Jasmine that he never sent. Jasmine always has piles and piles of love letters by the other boys in high school both by mail and email. Before, Alan thought that sending his letters would just be ignored like the other boys, so he never tried to.
“But now I have a messenger, I hope it works,” Alan said.
The next day after school, Alan found Jasmine’s cat waiting for him to feed it more leftovers. So Alan gave it fish and while it happily ate the fish, he folded one of his love letters into the cat’s collar. When it was done, it walked back to Jasmine’s house. While hiding, Alan saw Jasmine pick up her cat and notice his letter.
Alan couldn’t tell if Jasmine hated or like the letter, but he saw her walking towards her gate. In panic, Alan quickly ran back to his house, hoping she didn’t see him. Before he reaches his door, a voice called to him “You’re Alan right?”
Alan turned and saw Jasmine in a white dress. She looked like an angel Alan thought.
“Umm….Yeah…” Alan said while shaking.
“Are you feeding my cat?” she said.
“Y-yeah… I-I fed him with m-my leftover lunches.”
“Well, would you please not do that? My cat will get fat,” She said.
Alan’s heart sank. I messed up! He thought. I made her mad, now she’ll never go out with me! Forcing himself to say something, he said,” Y-yeah, S-sorry…I won’t do that a-again.”
“Alright, and this is your letter?” she said while holding out his letter.
“Y-yes,” he said.
“It’s a nice letter. Not like all of the other letters I’ve been reading. You’re really honest aren’t you?” she said.
“I-I try to be,” he said.
“Good. Well, I have to go, see you tomorrow, Alan,” she said.
As Jasmine began walking away, a growing feeling inside Alan gave him the courage to shout out”, Wait!”
Jasmine turned back and looked at him. Alan shook even more, but he managed to say, “W-will y-you g-g-go out with m-me?”
Jasmine pause for a moment then said, “Sure, you seem to be quite a nice guy. See you at prom night.”
After Jasmine left, Alan cheered in happiness. His cheering got interrupted by Jasmine’s cat that came up to him. Alan picked the cat up and kissed it in the back.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” he said happily.
This is the dawn of a new life for Alan and it’s all thanks to this brown tabby cat.
Alan never felt this miserable since he was born. After 2 tormenting years of high school, he finally found love and now he’s too cowardly to confess it to her. Jasmine is the name of that girl, one of the prettiest girls in his grade. With her long brownish hair, big bluish eyes, and beautiful face, she attracts most of the guys in high school.
“So far you’re lucky that she’s not into anyone yet, but time’s running out,” said Alan, talking to himself as he walks his way home.
“But what can I do? She’s refused the popular guys in my grade, why would she choose a loser like me?” Alan continued to talk to himself.
“That’s because you’re smarter and nicer than those jerks.”
“I’m not smart, my physics is failing and my math teachers are starting to hate me.”
“Well, at least you’re nicer. Just try to talk to her and everything will be fine.”
“What makes you think it’ll be that easy?”
“What makes you think that it’ll be that hard?”
While distracted, Alan trips from a crack on the sidewalk and falls on the trash next to him. Dirt and leftover food covered his hair and clothes.
“Because I can’t do anything right…”said Alan to finish his self argument.
Once he got out of the trash, the people on the same sidewalk stay away from him due to the smell. When he reaches his home, Alan noticed that a cat has been following him. The smell of his cloths must’ve attracted it. The brown tabby has a collar on, so it belonged to somebody. The tabby cat began meowing at Alan, obviously begging for food. Alan, having a soft spot for cats, pulled out his leftover lunch from his bag and gave the cat some pork and rice. The car happily ate the pork and purrs when Alan scratches behind its ears.
“If only I could be as carefree as you,” said Alan.
Looking up, he saw Jasmine’s white colored house, which was really close to his. He always imagined himself to walk up to her green door with some flowers, wearing a suit and ask her on a date. But he knew if he tried that, he’ll be shivering as if he’s naked in winter. The cat left Alan once it’s done eating and Alan entered his house after it left.
The next day, Alan saw the posters that are set up all over the school. Prom is coming in less than a week, and everyone is trying to get a date. While walking down the hallway, Alan saw Jasmine being followed by at least 10 boys, all asking her out.
“It won’t be long until she gets a date for prom. And after she gets a date, all hope of asking her out will be gone,” Alan said.
When everyone left school to go back home, Alan met the tabby cat again, in front of Jasmine’s house. He fed it some leftover chicken this time. Once its finish, the cat walked right through Jasmine’s gate and waited in front of Jasmine’s green door. When the door opened, Alan quickly hides and saw that Jasmine picked up the cat.
“That cat belongs to her? She must’ve like cats too,” Alan said.
Suddenly, a thought came up in Alan’s head. He came up with a solution to his problems and a chance for him to ask her out. When he returned home, he searched for the love letters he wrote for Jasmine that he never sent. Jasmine always has piles and piles of love letters by the other boys in high school both by mail and email. Before, Alan thought that sending his letters would just be ignored like the other boys, so he never tried to.
“But now I have a messenger, I hope it works,” Alan said.
The next day after school, Alan found Jasmine’s cat waiting for him to feed it more leftovers. So Alan gave it fish and while it happily ate the fish, he folded one of his love letters into the cat’s collar. When it was done, it walked back to Jasmine’s house. While hiding, Alan saw Jasmine pick up her cat and notice his letter.
Alan couldn’t tell if Jasmine hated or like the letter, but he saw her walking towards her gate. In panic, Alan quickly ran back to his house, hoping she didn’t see him. Before he reaches his door, a voice called to him “You’re Alan right?”
Alan turned and saw Jasmine in a white dress. She looked like an angel Alan thought.
“Umm….Yeah…” Alan said while shaking.
“Are you feeding my cat?” she said.
“Y-yeah… I-I fed him with m-my leftover lunches.”
“Well, would you please not do that? My cat will get fat,” She said.
Alan’s heart sank. I messed up! He thought. I made her mad, now she’ll never go out with me! Forcing himself to say something, he said,” Y-yeah, S-sorry…I won’t do that a-again.”
“Alright, and this is your letter?” she said while holding out his letter.
“Y-yes,” he said.
“It’s a nice letter. Not like all of the other letters I’ve been reading. You’re really honest aren’t you?” she said.
“I-I try to be,” he said.
“Good. Well, I have to go, see you tomorrow, Alan,” she said.
As Jasmine began walking away, a growing feeling inside Alan gave him the courage to shout out”, Wait!”
Jasmine turned back and looked at him. Alan shook even more, but he managed to say, “W-will y-you g-g-go out with m-me?”
Jasmine pause for a moment then said, “Sure, you seem to be quite a nice guy. See you at prom night.”
After Jasmine left, Alan cheered in happiness. His cheering got interrupted by Jasmine’s cat that came up to him. Alan picked the cat up and kissed it in the back.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” he said happily.
This is the dawn of a new life for Alan and it’s all thanks to this brown tabby cat.
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