Christopher Tjaart McLea

Soaring through the air, the magnificent dragon came banking down above the village. The inhabitants ran for cover, screaming as they feared for their lives. The magnificent beast gave out a tremendous cry as it unleashed it's breath over the village leaving behind chaos in its wake. It lifted its tremendous wings and turned to launch another strike. Its bright orange and black scales glistened in the sun as it came charging in again. Then out of the blue a large boot dropped onto this great impressive beast and pinned it to the ground. It lay crushed and oozing mushy liquid out of its interior, fluttering its colorful wings for a last time before it became motionless. "Mirae, how dare you? I was playing with it. Why did you do that?" Mirae just laughed and ran off nonchalantly towards the back of the line. "Common, Arum. Everyone is going. Don't make us wait for you." he called back as he left her staring at the object of her fantasy. It was unrecoverable b...

What is she wailing about this time? The old coot. Always sitting on the porch rocking in her old chair. Her hair all twisted and mangled like the weeds in her overgrown vegetable patch. Suffering from severe neglect. It needs the touch of a sane mind, I'm afraid. What grows now in that once oasis of nourishment? Just the remnants of a life once lived well. Every time I come to drop off her mail, she starts her sorrowful lament. It is almost too much for me to handle, this senile old gal. She starts calling out to her husband, "Henry, why did you leave me. You left me here all alone." She keeps repeating the same things like a mantra. "Why did you leave me, Henry? Was I not enough for you? I gave you the best years of my life. You just tossed it all away to be with her, your little mistress, your little whore. But I have forgiven you Henry. Just come back to me, I miss you so" I must confess I feel really sorry for the old gal. I remember when Henry and her wou...

Daddy, can we go to the zoo today? Ag, please daddy. Ag, please. You always say you will take me but you're always busy with work. In the week I'm back with mom and Steve. It's back to school and she always says no. Ag, please daddy. I know you work very hard but I come here every weekend and we just stay at home and watch T.V. together. I get bored. I want to see an African elephant. So big and majestic. It's huge gray ears flapping. It's stomping feet as it runs on the plains. It's trunk spraying water on it's back as it plays in the river. Ag, please daddy can we go. Otherwise, I have to ask Steve to take me. No, I'll take you. I mean I have a lot of work to finish off but you are right. We have to get out of the house a bit. Besides it's a Wednesday. I have the day off. Not that many people at the zoo today. I'll finish my work this evening when you are watching cartoons. After lunch we take the subway to the zoo, okay son. It's only a fe...

A dark sack emerges from the mother gazelle and drops to the ground. The mother gazelle consumes the placenta sack and exposes the frail little calf, still soaked and shivering in the calm African breeze. The calf tries to get to its feet. There are predators waiting all around you for an easy kill, an easy meal. The mother is now staring out watching the world around. Eyes fixed on the swaying grass ahead. It doesn't even notice the stumbling calf trying to get to its feet. The little calf tumbles this way and that way like a it's trying to walk on stilts. Eventually it manages to get up and with some support from the mother it is ready to suckle for the first time. It is a rare comfort. Almost in no time at all the little calf is off on its way, shadowing its mother, hiding in the grasses. Sometimes playing with the other calves. Life is fun among the young calves, and then a rustle in the distance. All the adult gazelles stretch their necks, stare upwards, trying to captur...