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Continue reading →: Night Shivers“I swear I saw him faint at the drop of her name,” said Old Bill. “She’d give any man the night shivers with her soulless eyes,” added Nick McCuallha. Roundabout Tentacle Bay fishermen and landlubbers fear full moon nights when the sea is calm and the wind is light. “Damn…
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Continue reading →: Magic May Return“Young people today don’t care about the old ways,” said the wizard. Haazel had been a seller of magic paraphernalia for eighty years, so he knew his business well. “Matilda, let’s head south early this year,” Haazel told his pet Throng. When he was younger, the wizard was sought out…
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Continue reading →: Excuse Me Sir“Excuse me, sir,” said a small voice. Malac leaned over the counter to see who was speaking. “Who might you be, my little friend?” said the wizard. “I’m Bartlet, sir. My Grandma sent me to buy dragon weed for her tea,” the tiny figure said. “Dragon Weed? Hmm, you must…
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Continue reading →: Visit from a Friend“Greetings, Maloc. What brings an old moth-eaten traveler like yourself out to the Seven Wood?” asked the troll. As council leader, Maloc often checked members who lived outside the village. “I’m out making sure you haven’t fallen into one of your books, you old worm,” he teased his friend. Wiltergim…
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Continue reading →: T’was a Good LifePeter sat thinking of all the things he needed to finish. “I didn’t get the chicken coup wire replaced,” said the farmer. His life had always been busy. In Spring, there was planting. Summer meant hoeing and pulling out weeds. Fall brought the harvest, and Winter meant planning for Spring.…
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Continue reading →: Prayer for the Dying“It’s been hard, Nana. The crops have failed, and rot has gotten to the orchards. I bought the best apples I could find. I know you and Papa loved them,” said Absinthe. The Neese brought her daughter to the Ancients’ Shrine so her mother could see the baby and for…
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Continue reading →: The Locked Door“Welcome, we weren’t expecting you so soon, but things do have a way of changing, don’t they?” said the figure. “What’s that? You were expecting something grander,” the Reaper said. I need to review your credentials before I unlock the door and let you in. “Hmm, yes, ah, oh my.…
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Continue reading →: Dr. MethuselahThere is a place where you never want to find yourself. The few who have escaped tell of its horrors. A madman occupies its halls. Stephen Methuselah grew up privileged in a wealthy English family. Stephen shunned tradition after graduation. Using his inheritance, Stephen constructed an institute for advanced research.…
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Continue reading →: Crossing That BridgeNed was always afraid of crossing Stone Creek Bridge before midday sun. It was said it brought bad luck to those who did. He had lived his whole life believing in superstition. One day, occupied with thoughts of the upcoming harvest, Ned crossed the bridge before the midday sun. Nothing…
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Continue reading →: Starlite“They’ll be celebrating Startika by now. The music and dance will be so mesmerizing,” said Vlad as he gazed skyward. “I wonder if they still think of me. Do they remember their promises?” the figure remarked, focusing the telescope optics. Vlad is a vampire; well, that’s what we call him.…
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Continue reading →: Farmer’s MarketEdward never married. He loved his farm and dog. Each day, he would harvest his crops and send them to the farmers’ market in the village. At night, he and Sebastian, his dog, would watch the stars. In the morning, he tended his livestock and garden. Edward was content. Edward…
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Continue reading →: The TowerIt has stood for two hundred years. No one knows who built it, but everyone knows why. The elders built the tower to warn the village during the early years of the Ice Wars. Each Autumn, a small patrol of men occupies the tower with enough food to live until…
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Continue reading →: Tea for TwoWelcome, my friend. It’s always a pleasure to see you. Now sit, and we will talk, but first tea,” said Maximilian. Áskell had lived in the forest for millennia, and the worm had always been a part of his world. “How old are you now, Max?” asked the forest elf.…
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Continue reading →: BamboozledOnce, an Imperial Minister named Lee-Way was offered significant money to solve a complex problem. “I shall endeavor to seek out the truth and provide the Emperor the solution he desires,” said Lee-Way. The minister walked for many days and nights through dense bamboo forests. Finally, he reached a high…
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Continue reading →: Dan DastardlySomething for Fun! Dan Dastardly opens the excellotron to the maximum, causing the Hornet to lurch forward at mind-throttling speed. “You fool, you’ll kill yourself,” cried the professor. Dan had thrown caution to the wind and was out to prove to those laggards at the academy that he was the…
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Continue reading →: The WoodThe Wood is more than trees, streams, and meadows. It’s the village, farms, mills, and the homes of the Shroomies and other forest floor creatures. Two forces keep life in balance in the ancient forest. The first is Hälsa, or The Path. The Wood is a living, breathing, and feeling entity.…
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Continue reading →: A Day’s WalkAlbert hummed a merry tune as he walked along the path. “What delicacies will they have in the next village?” the wolf said. Albert was a connoisseur of sweet meat pies. It was his duty to sample every pie shop in the kingdom. Albert’s appearance upset the locals, making his…
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Continue reading →: A Friendly Chat“You know, Áengus, things have gotten out of hand,” said Owain. The leprechaun visited his old friend twice a month, rain or shine. “I notice the people have turned away from the land lately,” Owain muttered. The two were friends before the battle between witches and wizards. “I miss our…
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Continue reading →: Top of the WorldTo guard the Elder Tree was the most tremendous honor any Evo could hope for. Today, Tegla was taking her place in the Hall of Heroes. Born to a poor rural family, Trgla attends the academy and trains to become a centurion. “Child, you bring honor to your family and…
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Continue reading →: Ruminating“Sassafras, this sapling will make it after all,” said Manax. The dog didn’t care about olive trees or any trees. He wanted to get back to his bed in the barn. Manax’s family had grown olives on the land for thousands of years. He wondered what would happen to the…
Twisted Tales to Delight and Amaze
Christopher Johnson
Christopher is a retired professor of science and medical education and a children’s author living in Taiwan. He has over 30 years of experience working in higher education internationally. Originally from Huron, Ohio, in the United States, he spent his childhood playing in Lake Erie and Sawmill Creek.
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