MERRY FREAKIN’ CHRISTMAS, that’s craaaaaaaazy lookin’! Photo by Mikael Kristenson on Unsplash

One day long ago, a horse I was fond of came to me and bit my arm, breaking the skin.

As blood seeped from the wound I asked, “Why did you bite me.”

The stallion shook its proud head, stamped its powerful hooves, and whinnied, “Because I can, small human.”

“That is sad,” I replied.

The horse said incredulously, “For you maybe, but not for me. Now you ride when I choose. If I choose.”

“It is sad because I liked you,” I replied, then sprung onto its neck and ripped out its throat with my own teeth, its raging eyes wide with shock and terror. Before the beast could topple over dead, I dropped from the animals neck and stood in the shower of its hot, arterial spray.

“It’s not size that matters,” I said, wiping viscera from my eyes, “It’s how you use it.”

PS: When I started writing professionally back in 1996 it was with the ultimate goal of writing science fiction. Instead, I ended up working on computer book titles for two decades and dealing with life… like everyone else. I’d been intending to start writing again, but that life thing keeps popping up.

So, this is an exercise in writing I thought I’d share. We’ll see if this prompts me to craft more. When writing large projects, it’s important to have an outline and to work on the smallest complete parts you can. Do that every day, and eventually you have a book.

Don’t despair. Even in the depths of my depression and the darkest days our little family has faced and will face, I still seem to be able to crack a joke and smile on occasion.

That has to be good for something :) -Ed.