The Story Room – The writings of author Daniel George

Free stories, prose, and poetry from author Daniel George.

These stories, prose, and poetry are offered here, and sometimes on the Facebook page for this author, freely. However, they are all ©copyright Daniel George and permission must be obtained to reprint or use in any way. I, the author, give open permission to share via social media any of the stories, prose, or poetry on the “Story Room” page of this website if proper attribution is given; a simple note of “copyright: Daniel George” and the url to this page will suffice.

The Hierarchy of Needing God

When I have nothing, I need God to give me the strength to survive, and to guide me to greener pastures.

When I’m afraid or in danger, I need God to protect me and guide me to safety, or to guide people to intervene on my behalf.

When I am well fed and safe, I need God because good times can be fleeting.

When I have everything and complete security in finances, I need God because this life is fleeting, and I must care for the afterlife.

When I am immortal, I need God because God is the mystery of the Universe, the source of all love, the source of all growth, the source of all being. I need God because God Is, and I wish to become what God designed me to be.

Daniel George

2018

If Clouds Are Alive

If clouds are alive, do we mourn a rainstorm?
The essence of the cloud is water.
Though in falling to Earth the cloud may seem to die,

It nourishes life.
Did the cloud really die?
Flowing across the Earth,
It returns finally to the ocean,
From where all clouds begin,
What better fate could one ask than to return to the Source?

When Bianca Finally Had Enough

Bianca was a black cow with a huge white spot on her chest. As a calf, she was exceedingly proud of her white spot, as none of the other calves had one. However, when she grew up, things changed. The other cows shunned her, and one cow in particularly became a pain in her leather. That troublesome cow was Bossy.

Cows in the same herd generally liked each other, but Bossy got it in her head from day one that she didn’t like Bianca. That awful white spot on Bianca’s chest made Bossy shudder. How could any cow bear to look so different than the rest of the herd?

In the winter time, the cows would huddle together for warmth. Bossy made sure Bianca was on the outside of the pile, if she was allowed in the pile at all. Many cold winter nights, Bianca found herself away from most of the herd, cuddling with a couple of younger cows who felt sorry for her.

When it was springtime, Bianca particularly had a fondness for the purple flowers which would bloom in the east field. Bossy knew that, and would shoulder Bianca away from the favorited blossoms. Bossy didn’t even care one way or the other about the purple flowers, and rather preferred the orange ones herself, but she couldn’t stand the thought of Bianca getting what she wanted. Besides, there were so few of the purple flowers; they must be something too precious for a cow with a white spot on her chest.

During the hot summers, there was one large oak tree under which most of the herd would congregate for shade. The water trough there was the coolest in the field because of the expansive canopy of the great oak. Bossy used to just ignore Bianca when it was hot, and wouldn’t mind if she was under the tree. However, lately she decided that Bianca didn’t deserve to be in the shade with the normal cows; normal in her mind was cows who look just like her.

If cows could read thermometers, Bianca would have known that it was 117 degrees outside on the day she finally had enough. She had put up with Bossy for far too long. All she knew was that it was too hot to stay in the direct sun, and she needed to be under that tree, drinking that water, and napping. She had always been a gentle cow, but she just couldn’t take it anymore!

Bianca steeled herself and ran fiercely towards the great oak. Her hot breath pouring out, her eyes set and piercing. She saw the herd under the tree ahead of her, and tried to set her eyes on Bossy. Cows don’t see too well while running, but she was sure she could find that smug good for nothing cow and charge right into her.

As she drew closer to the herd, she couldn’t see Bossy anywhere. She slowed down, and came to a complete stop just in front of Martha, a cow who had mostly just ignored her previously. She looked around, but there was no Bossy.

Rather than feeling cheated of her vengeance, Bianca felt relieved. If the other cows could talk, one of them might have told her that Bossy went on the truck of no return early that morning. Bianca might have even experienced a bit of schadenfreude at the thought of Bossy being chopped up into steaks and roasts, but, really, she didn’t care. It would eventually be her turn on the truck, but for now she just wanted to enjoy the cool water and the shade of the great oak.

Queen Spider’s Ride

She was queen of her domain, no other spider dared cross her territory. She hunted where she wanted, not like those pathetic web spinners. Insects feared her approach, but it was usually too late for them. She would pounce, her meal paralyzed before it knew she was even there.

One day she was hunting in the places where the birds don’t go, the realm of the giants, when she stopped for a rest. She had found her breakfast earlier, and just wanted to sit in the relative safety of the giants’ dwelling to digest her meal.

Suddenly, a giant stick descended from the sky and poked at her. She reared up defensively, but the stick continued to prod. She moved off of the metal grate, where she had rested, and was plunged into darkness.

Trapped, she tried for several minutes to push at the walls of the prison which had descended upon her, but they would not budge. She couldn’t slip under, and she couldn’t move her prison.

After sitting helpless for what seemed like forever, the walls of her prison began to vibrate, and the ground under her feet shuddered. She had to wiggle her legs to keep her footing as an object slid under her feet.

She was tossed too and fro within her cell, as the whole thing seemed to be lifted in the air. What new horror was this? She gripped as firmly as she could to the artificial ground on which she was now perched, and barely held in her breakfast.

Just as suddenly as she was abducted, her prison came crashing to the ground and opened! Seeing the sky and grass once again, she was grateful her captor’s plans were foiled.

She scurried away to safety, and decided that no one would believe her bizarre tale. Besides, who would she tell? She was queen of her domain, and no other spider would dare cross her territory.

(spider trapped in a plastic cup and taken outside.)