The drug seekers would come into the emergency room and scream about how much pain

they were in.

When you told them that you would start elevating their pain with Tylenol or Advil instead of a narcotic
they became nasty and combative. They would start telling you what drug and dose they had to have to
make their pain tolerable. After dealing with the same drug seekers several times a month it gets old.
Some of the doctors would give in and give them a dose of morphine and send them away. Sure that
was faster, but ethically she still couldn’t do it. Perhaps that’s why she had longer care times than the
other doctors.

The picket fence had stood for years without any issue. That's all it was. A simple, white, picket fence.
Why it had all of a sudden become a lightning rod within the community was still unbelievable to most.
Yet a community that had once lived in harmony was now divided in bitter hatred and it had everything
to do with the white picket fence.

The trees, therefore, must be such old and primitive techniques that they thought nothing of them,
deeming them so inconsequential that even savages like us would know of them and not be suspicious.
At that, they probably didn't have too much time after they detected us orbiting and intending to land.
And if that were true, there could be only one place where their civilization was hidden.

She nervously peered over the edge. She understood in her mind that the view was supposed to be
beautiful, but all she felt was fear. There had always been something about heights that disturbed her,
and now she could feel the full force of this unease. She reluctantly crept a little closer with the
encouragement of her friends as the fear continued to build. She couldn't help but feel that something
horrible was about to happen.

As she sat watching the world go by, something caught her eye. It wasn't so much its color or shape, but
the way it was moving. She squinted to see if she could better understand what it was and where it was
going, but it didn't help. As she continued to stare into the distance, she didn't understand why this
uneasiness was building inside her body. She felt like she should get up and run. If only she could make
out what it was. At that moment, she comprehended what it was and where it was heading, and she
knew her life would never be the same.

He read about a hike called the incline in the guidebook. It said it was a strenuous hike and to bring
plenty of water. “A beautiful hike to the clouds” described one review. “Not for the faint-hearted,” said
another. “Not too bad of a workout”, bragged a third review. I thought I’d hike it when I fly in from
Maryland on my day off from the senior citizen's wellness conference. I hiked 2 miles a day around the
neighborhood so I could handle a 1.1-mile hike. What a foolish mistake that was for a 70-year-old low-
lander.

The desert wind blew the tumbleweed in front of the car. Alex swerved to avoid the tumbleweed, but he
turned the wheel a bit too strong and the car left the road and skidded onto the dirt median. He
instantly slammed on the brakes and the car stopped in a cloud of dirt. When the dust cloud had settled
and he could see around him again, he realized that he'd somehow crossed over into an entirely new
dimension.

Love isn't always a ray of sunshine. That's what the older girls kept telling her when she said she had
found the perfect man. She had thought this was simply bitter talk on their part since they had been
unable to find true love like hers. But now she had to face the fact that they may have been right. Love
may not always be a ray of sunshine. That is unless they were referring to how the sun can burn.

It all started with a random letter. Several of those were joined forces to create a random word. The
words decided to get together and form a random sentence. They decided not to stop there and it
wasn't long before a random paragraph had been cobbled together. The question was whether or not
they could continue the momentum long enough to create a random short story.

It was a question of which of the two she preferred. On the one hand, the choice seemed simple. The
more expensive one with a brand name would be the choice of most. It was the easy choice. The safe
choice. But she wasn't sure she actually preferred it.

The kids were loud. They were way too loud for Jerry, especially since this was a four-hour flight. The
parents didn't seem to be able, or simply didn't want, to control them. They were yelling and fighting
among themselves and it was impossible for any of the passengers to concentrate or rest. He thought
about politely tapping on the parents' shoulders and asking them to try and get their kids under a bit
more control, but before he did he came up with a better idea. Sure, it was a bit sinister, and he'd
probably end p in a lot of trouble, but he really didn't care at that point.

It was always the Monday mornings. It never seemed to happen on Tuesday morning, Wednesday
morning, or any other morning during the week. But it happened every Monday morning like clockwork.
He mentally prepared himself to once again deal with what was about to happen, but this time he also
placed a knife in his pocket just in case.

She tried to explain that love wasn't like pie. There wasn't a set number of slices to be given out. There
wasn't less to be given to one person if you wanted to give more to another. That after a set amount
was given out it would all disappear. She tried to explain this, but it fell on deaf ears.

He couldn't remember exactly where he had read it, but he was sure that he had. The fact that she
didn't believe him was quite frustrating as he began to search the Internet to find the article. It wasn't as
if it was something that seemed impossible. Yet she insisted on always seeing the source whenever he
stated a fact.

Indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled
her whole being with a vague anguish. It was like a shadow, like a mist passing across her soul's summer
day. It was strange and unfamiliar; it was a mood. She did not sit there inwardly upbraiding her husband,
lamenting at Fate, which had directed her footsteps to the path which they had taken. She was just
having a good cry all to herself. The mosquitoes made merry over her, biting her firm, round arms and
nipping at her bare insteps.

She sat deep in thought. The next word that came out o her mouth would likely be the most important
word of her life. It had to be exact with no possibility of being misinterpreted. She was ready. She looked
deeply into his eyes and said, "Octopus."

The spot was perfect for camouflage. At least that's what she thought when she picked the spot. She
couldn't imagine that anyone would ever be able to see her in these surroundings. So there she sat,
confident that she was hidden from the world and safe from danger. Unfortunately, she had not
anticipated that others may be looking upon her from other angles, and now they were stealthily
descending toward her hiding spot.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't give her a good explanation about what had happened. It
didn't even really make sense to him. All he knew was that he froze at the moment and no matter how
hard he tried to react, nothing in his body allowed him to move. It was as if he had instantly become a
statue and although he could see what was taking place, he couldn't move to intervene. He knew that
wasn't a satisfactory explanation even though it was the truth.

There are different types of secrets. She had held onto plenty of them during her life, but this one was
different. She found herself holding onto the worst type. It was the type of secret that could gnaw away
at your insides if you didn't tell someone about it, but it could end up getting you killed if you did.

Waiting and watching. It was all she had done for the past weeks. When you’re locked in a room with
nothing but food and drink, that’s about all you can do anyway. She watched as birds flew past the
window bolted shut. She couldn’t reach it if she wanted too, with that hole in the floor. She thought she
could escape through it but three stories is a bit far down.

The blinking light caught her attention. She thought about it a bit and couldn't remember ever noticing it
before. That was strange since it was obvious the flashing light had been there for years. Now she
wondered how she missed it for that amount of time and what other things in her small town she had
failed to notice.

Betty decided to write a short story and she was sure it was going to be amazing. She had already
written it in her head and each time she thought about it she grinned from ear to ear knowing how
wonderful it would be. She could imagine the accolades coming in and the praise she would receive for
creating such a wonderful piece. She was therefore extremely frustrated when she actually sat down to
write the short story and the story that was so beautiful inside her head refused to come out that way
on paper.

She was infatuated with color. She didn't have a favorite color per se, but she did have a fondness for
teals and sea greens. You could see it in the clothes she wore that color was an important part of her
overall style. She took great pride that color flowed from her and that color was always all around her.
That is why, she explained to her date sitting across the table, that she could never have a serious
relationship with him due to the fact that he was colorblind.

She didn't like the food. She never did. She made the usual complaints and started the tantrum he knew
was coming. But this time was different. Instead of trying to placate her and her unreasonable demands,
he just stared at her and watched her meltdown without saying a word.

There was a reason for her shyness. Everyone assumed it had always been there but she knew better.
She knew the exact moment that the shyness began. It had been that fateful moment at the lake. There
are just some events that do that to you.

With six children in tow, Catherine raced to the airport departing gate. This wasn't an easy task as the
children had other priorities than to get to the gate. She knew that she was tight on time and the
frustration came out as she yelled at the kids to keep up. They continued to test her, pretending not to
listen and to move in directions that only slowed them down. They had no idea the wrath they were
about to receive when Catherine made it to the gate only to be informed that they had all missed the
plane.

There was something special about this little creature. Donna couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but
she knew with all her heart that it was true. It wasn't a matter of if she was going to try and save it, but a
matter of how she was going to save it. She went back to the car to get a blanket and when she returned
the creature was gone.

She sat down with her notebook in her hand, her mind wandering to faraway places. She paused and
considered all that had happened. It hadn't gone as expected. When the day began she thought it was
going to be a bad one, but as she sat recalling the day's events to write them down, she had to admit, it
had been a rather marvelous day.

It had been her dream for years but Dana had failed to take any action toward making it come true.
There had always been a good excuse to delay or prioritize another project. As she woke, she realized
she was once again at a crossroads. Would it be another excuse or would she finally find the courage to
pursue her dream? Dana rose and took her first step.

It seemed like it should have been so simple. There was nothing inherently difficult with getting the
project done. It was simple and straightforward enough that even a child should have been able to
complete it on time, but that wasn't the case. The deadline had arrived and the project remained
unfinished.

Her mom had warned her. She had been warned time and again, but she had refused to believe her. She
had done everything right and she knew she would be rewarded for doing so with the promotion. So
when the promotion was given to her main rival, it not only stung, it threw her belief system into
disarray. It was her first big lesson in life, but not the last.

Cake or pie? I can tell a lot about you by which one you pick. It may seem silly, but cake people and pie
people are really different. I know which one I hope you are, but that's not for me to decide. So, what is
it? Cake or pie?

"Begin today!" That's all the note said. There was no indication from where it came or who may have
written it. Had it been meant for someone else? Meghan looked around the room, but nobody made
eye contact back. For a brief moment, she thought it might be a message for her to follow her dreams,
but ultimately decided it was easier to ignore it as she crumpled it up and threw it away.

There was a time and a place for Stephanie to use her magic. The problem was that she had a difficult
time determining this. She wished she could simply use it when the desire hit and there wouldn't be any
unforeseen consequences. Unfortunately, that's not how it worked and the consequences could be
devastating if she accidentally used her magic at the wrong time.

Have you ever wondered about toes? Why 10 toes and not 12. Why are some bigger than others? Some
people can use their toes to pick up things while others can barely move them on command. Some toes
are nice to look at while others are definitely not something you want to look at. Toes can be stubbed
and make us scream. Toes help us balance and walk. 10 toes are just something to ponder.

Why do Americans have so many different types of towels? We have beach towels, hand towels, bath
towels, dish towels, camping towels, quick-dry towels, and let’s not forget paper towels. Would 1 type
of towel work for each of these things? Let’s take a beach towel. It can be used to dry your hands and
body with no difficulty. A beach towel could be used to dry dishes. Just think how many dishes you could
dry with one beach towel. I’ve used a beach towel with no adverse effects while camping. If you buy a
thin beach towel it can dry quickly too. I’d probably cut up a beach towel to wipe down counters or for
cleaning other items, but a full beach towel could be used too. Is having so many types of towels an
extravagant luxury that Americans enjoy or is it necessary? I’d say it's overkill and we could cut down on
the many types of towels that manufacturers deem necessary.

It was just a burger. Why couldn't she understand that? She knew he'd completely changed his life
around her eating habits, so why couldn't she give him a break this one time? She wasn't even supposed
to have found out. Yes, he had promised her and yes, he had broken that promise, but still in his mind,
all it had been was just a burger.

Barbara had been waiting at the table for twenty minutes. it had been twenty long and excruciating
minutes. David had promised that he would be on time today. He never was, but he had promised this
one time. She had made him repeat the promise multiple times over the last week until she'd believed
his promise. Now she was paying the price.

His mother had always taught him not to ever think of himself as better than others. He'd tried to live by
this motto. He never looked down on those who were less fortunate or who had less money than him.
But the stupidity of the group of people he was talking to made him change his mind.

He dropped the ball. While most people would think that this was a metaphor of some type, in Joe's
case it was absolutely literal. He had hopes of reaching the Major League and that dream was now it
great jeopardy. All because he had dropped the ball.

Trees. It was something about the trees. The way they swayed with the wind in unison. The way they
shaded the area around them. The sounds of their leaves in the wind and the creaks from the branches
as they sway, The trees were making a statement that I just couldn't understand.

My pincher collar is snapped on. Then comes the electric zapper collar. Finally, my purple at-home collar
is taken off and I know I’m going for a walk to the dog park. I’m so excited to see my friends. I hope Spike
or Thunder are there already. They're the most fun to chase and tumble with. My human is pretty strict
with me. I’m only allowed on the grass and not on the sidewalks. I think she’s afraid I’m going to jump
on the other humans. I don’t understand why everyone else gets to jump on the benches and run wild
on the sidewalks. They don’t listen to their humans. I know I could ignore mine but if I do she may zap
me and it’s just not worth it. She probably wouldn’t let me back at the dog park if I didn’t listen to her. I
just love the dog park.

To the two friends, the treehouse was much more than a treehouse. It was a sanctuary away from the
other kids where they could be themselves without being teased or bullied. It was their secret fortress
hidden high in the branches of a huge oak that only they knew existed. At least that is what they
thought. They were more than a little annoyed when their two younger sisters decided to turn the
treehouse into a princess castle by painting the inside pink and putting glitter everywhere.

Samantha wanted to be famous. The problem was that she had never considered all the downsides to
actually being famous. Had she taken the time to objectively consider these downsides, she would have
never agreed to publically sing that first song.
Breastfeeding is good for babies and moms. Infants that are breastfed get antibodies from their mothers
against common illnesses. Breastfed babies have less chance of being obese as an adult. Breastfeeding a
baby lets the infant-mother pair bond in a very unique way. Mother’s who breastfeed lower their
chances of developing breast cancer. Usually, mothers who breastfeed lose their pregnancy weight
more quickly and easily. The benefits of breastfeeding are numerous.

It was easy to spot her. All you needed to do was look at her socks. They were never a matching pair.
One would be green while the other would be blue. One would reach her knee while the other barely
touched her ankle. Every other part of her was perfect, but never the socks. They were her micro act of
rebellion.

The wave roared towards them with speed and violence they had not anticipated. They both turned to
run but by that time it was too late. The wave crashed into their legs sweeping both of them off of their
feet. They now found themselves in a washing machine of saltwater, getting tumbled and not know
what was up or down. Both were scared, not knowing how this was going to end, but it was by far the
best time of the trip thus far.

The lone lamp post of the one-street town flickered, not quite dead but definitely on its way out.
Suitcase by her side, she paid no heed to the light, the street or the town. A car was coming down the
street and with her arm outstretched and thumb in the air, she had a plan.

He swung back the fishing pole and cast the line which ell 25 feet away into the river. The lure landed in
the perfect spot and he was sure he would soon get a bite. He never expected that the bite would come
from behind in the form of a bear.

She was aware that things could go wrong. In fact, she had trained her entire life in anticipation that
things would go wrong one day. She had quiet confidence as she started to see that this was the day
that all her training would be worthwhile and useful. At this point, she had no idea just how wrong
everything would go that day.