Seasons turned into years, years into decades. Mary-Anne and Zack married, and had a daughter, Niamh. She lived in Australia with her husband, a marine biologist, and two children. They cared about nature too. Though in their seventies, Mary-Anne and Zack still loved to walk in the forest, though cataracts gave Mary-Anne’s vision a misty, […]

“Yes,” cried Mary-Anne and threw herself into Zack’s arms. Jax ran around them in excited circles and nudged in between them. Suddenly he saw it again, the strange, ethereal light emanating from the forest floor. He took off, racing across the forest floor, barking in welcome. Mary-Anne and Zack sprang apart and a smile spread […]

Summer had come to Sherwood and the forest burst with colourful life. The hedgerows filled with blush pink dog roses, swaying scarlet poppies, brambles covered in white blossoms, promising an abundance of fruit in autumn, intertwined by honeysuckle that smelled divine in the early evening air. Zack smiled as he watched Mary-Anne laughing at the […]

On the opening day of testimony, Eva arrived at the courthouse dressed in a white trench coat; it was only buttoned halfway. The undone silvery buttons reflected every ounce of light as she stepped out of the car—underneath was a white pearled silk blouse.    This wasn’t what made the papers though. I was one […]

Aretha was confronted by her nemesis, Maximilian, in an all-too-familiar setting. They’d been in the same predicament more times than she cared to recall. ‘Maximilian’s skills have increased,’ Aretha thought as his first shot barely missed. She smiled. ‘Let him think he caught me off guard. He is in for a surprise.‘ She snorted. “Slowly […]

Mary-Anne stood in sunlight, dappled by the branches of an oak tree, the bright green leaves only just breaking through their russet brown buds. She breathed in a lungful of spring air, a gentle smile on her lips. She was putting down some seed for a nest of field mice and examining the new growth […]

Carina swirled her silken scarves of powder blue, mint green, peach and the very palest golden cream. She moved slowly, lazily, as if in conversation with a breeze that whispered sweet nothings in her ears. She crouched low, then gradually, almost imperceptibly, straightened and grew tall, swaying in the imagined wind. When she reached her […]

Frank pulled the silver chicken wire trap from the stream, and his heart thumped when he felt the weight. Inside, a long grey–black eel curled, unable to find its way out after slithering down the funnel after the pink bait. Frank brought the trap through the burnt orange woods to the field where his father […]

“My creator! I finally found you! I’m Georgios.”“Georgios! What a nice surprise!”“Thank you for creating me and for taking me to this wonderful world of light, colors and three dimensions. I’m so grateful!”“Well, I invented you to serve as example in my little allegory. I hope you didn’t mind.” “I loved it! At first, when […]

We leisurely walked hand in hand through the golden light, enjoying the spectacular yellows and coppers and crimsons. “It’s just like Mary Oliver said!” “Look, the treesare turningtheir own bodiesinto pillars of light,are giving off the richfragrance of cinnamonand fulfillment” I loved quoting my favorite autumn poem. You stopped and pulled me into your arms. […]

The waiter brings menus. I’m not interested in food; I just like watching you. A lock of hair escapes its silver clasp. You dreamily twirl it around one finger. You get ten points for sheer elegance. “You haven’t changed a bit, Laura,” I tell you. Terrible opening. I deduct five points from my score for […]

After breakfast at Hotel Fibonacci, he circled the block before heading towards the beach. Amazed by the foreign environment, his mind expanded to take in the island’s exotic, colorful details. By the seaside, a magnificent picture opened up: a vast, turquoise-blue sky over warm, vanilla-colored sand. In the background, the mighty, azure-blue sea and in […]