The Viking and the Black Sheep

"The boys are back!" Ottar yelled as his drakkar reached the land and he and his friends could finally go to Oslo's finest inns.

They tied up drakkar in the dock and took some souvenirs to show off to the ladies. But it wasn't lonely for them in the sea, how could it be in such a good company of friends? They reached an inn and requested a jug of their finest mead.

"Ottar! Speech before we begin!" Kisping said.

"Alright, men" Ottar stood up. "This was a successful trip, we found many things, we battled many ships and we didn't lose any of our friends. We got drunk in the shores, in the sea and some days the sun was too bright, but we made it back to our loving town which has so much to offer. So while we're here, let's drink, let's make love and have no regrets!"

"Yaaaaaah!" The vikings clinked their cups together and started drinking.

Soon the alcohol hit their heads and men became even more happy, even more talkative and it wasn't too far when they started asking Ottar to sing as it was known he had a glorious voice, used not only for inspiring, but also to please the ears. He sang a tune and then another while Kisping blew his horn. His talent was greeted with applause and attracted attention of one person who was also drinking mead with a group, but sitting more far from the center.

Ottar was surrounded by girls who were whispering in his ear, he laughed and showed off the things he got. One of the things were bagpipes and that also attracted the before mentioned person's attention as well. So it's no surprise that when Ottar stood up and went outside to let the mead out he was followed.

As he was coming back, a figure greeted him in the doorway.

"Do you want to say something?" he asked.

"Yes, I want your bagpipes." the voice said.

"Why would I give you my bagpipes?" Ottar asked.

"I can pay."

"Well, at least step into the light and identify yourself like a real man."

"As you wish, but you're in for a surprise." The figure stepped into the light and Ottar saw a young woman standing in front of him. Her hair in front was braided so that it wouldn't get in her eyes, she was dressed as a man and her look was determinant and confident.

"But you're a girl!"

"Do you have a problem? Will you sell me the bagpipes or will I have to fight you for them?" she had her hands on her waist and had no intention of moving away.

Ottar laughed.

"You have courage, my dear, I like that. I will give you my bagpipes as a present for you."

"Thank you, but that's not necessary. I can pay for them."

"You can pay for them with a kiss." Ottar approached her, but she twisted at the last moment and he ended up kissing the door. The girl laughed. "Ah, I see." Ottar said. "I like a good conquest. Would you like to sit at my table and tell me what a pretty girl like you are doing in Oslo wearing man clothes?"

"Only if I get my bagpipes."

"Yes yes, of course. Do you drink mead?"

"I would not survive without it."

Ottar laughed and they went inside. The girl showed to her friends that she is going with Ottar and he saw five more young women come out, dressed similarly. They sat at Ottar's table and his mates were as shocked as he was. The girl Ottar met spoke:

"My name is Flokia. This is my crew, we sail together from the Baltics in our drakkar. We may not have been blessed by perfect appearance and we don't have the key for obedience, but the gods blessed us with our wits and we have sharp tongues just like our swords, so don't mess with us."

"Mm, I'd like to try her tongue later." Ottar whispered to Kisping.

"So tell me, where did you get the bagpipes or should I wait till you write in your travel book about it?" Flokia asked Ottar as she sat next to him. The groups started talking with each other as it was interesting for Ottar mates to find out how a drakkar is soaring the seas with a team of only women.

"No no, we just came back from Scotland. Have you been there before?"

They talked about their travels for the whole night. Apparently they had quite the similarities between each other. They started growing on each other. They both had the same reasons for not settling down: they wanted to experience the world to its fullest and they couldn't have something tying them down. Ottar and Flokia did not understand it: sometimes they would feel like they lighted up in each other's night like a torch in a dark cave. They felt connected in a way, so it was no surprise that as they were watching the sun come up Ottar asked Flokia a rather interesting question.

"Flokia, I will be setting sail in a few days, and it interests me...would you like to come with me to the Baltics?"

"I can't." Flokia's smile faded and Ottar felt as if somebody hit him with a cane.

"Why not?"

"I can't break a promise. And I can't leave my girls just like that."

"All of your girls can come!"

"We will slow you down, you will go like a huge turtle. And we have our own goals, our destinations. We have just left the Baltics, we are going to Scotland now. Today actually."

"I see." as if Ottar put on a mask, his face expression changed in mere seconds. "Well, if you have to go, I can not stop you."

"You truly can't. But I can give you something from me."

Flokia came closer and braided Ottar's hair in the front left and put a few beads with amber on it.

"There, now you will have something to remember me."

"Sunshine of the dark, I don't need anything to remember you. This night was plenty." Ottar smiled.

"You're so sweet." Flokia laughed.

"I'm not usually sweet. I think it's because of you." Ottar laughed.

As Ottar looked back, Flokia smiled so sweetly at him and he couldn't help himself so he leaned in and kissed her. His arms winded around her waist while he kissed not only her lips but her neck as well. She did the same. After a few quite passionate moments Flokia pushed him away and told that it was time for her to go back to her drakkar. Flokia stroked Ottar's hair and whispered to his ear that she is sure they will meet again one day. Ottar nodded and smiled as he planted another kiss on Flokia's lips. They went back to the inn where Flokia rounded up her girls and took Ottar's bagpipes.

"What's the name of your ship?" Ottar asked before she left.

"Black Sheep."

"Good." Ottar nodded. "I will look out for it on the seas."

"You better." Flokia smiled as she walked away.

As the door closed Kisping leaned to Ottar and asked: "So is her tongue really as sharp as her sword?"

Ottar took a moment to smile before he answered: "Sharper."

It's not a "real" job, just "a nice hobby"

"You're our little star"

"We're so proud of you."

"Another year finished, have fun in summer!"

"Such good grades! Now time to rest and socialize."

Anatha put down the cards from her family and sighed.Every year it's the same.Somehow she pulls through a year of university and people tell her how proud they are. Proud of what? That she is studying the thing they wanted her to study and not following her dream? How can you be proud of that?

"Have fun."

Yeah, she is going to have fun. She opened her sketchbook and started drawing. She wanted to finish a sketch of a couple she started yesterday. After about half an hour she pulled away to look at it from afar. The woman was looking at herself in the mirror while the man was kissing her neck and holding her. His one hand was on her breasts and the other was on her waist, as if pulling her towards himself. One of her hands was holding her hair, to expose more skin for the man and her other hand was on his thigh, relaxed. Anatha thought she should make the drawing bigger and on canvas. Maybe she could even find some people who would want to buy it.

She checked her wallet and went out to buy the canvas. She was walking through her city, breathing in the air. It felt good to get out of home where she felt like an alien. She just felt like a failure that she's just not into what most people think as a normal career. She wanted to an art teacher or just a painter, but her family just dismissed it as "a nice hobby". Painting for her was not a hobby. It was the thing that made her feel alive and true to herself.

Anatha reached the art store, but it was closed. The girl looked at her watch and according to it the shop was still supposed to be open for at least another fifteen minutes. Oh well, maybe the shop keeper decided to take off earlier. Or maybe he just realized that art is not a "real" occupation and followed society's advice and found a "real" job. Who knows. But now it meant she walked here for no reason.

"But c'mon, how can you not like Van Gogh? He's the best painter that ever lived!" a voice came from a cafe nearby.

Anatha turned towards the voice. She saw a group of people sitting and drinking coffee and tea. Some of them had their sketchbooks on the table and she saw some more sketchbooks peeking from their bags.

"Excuse me?" she said when she approached them. "I heard you were talking about art? May I join in to the conversation?"

"Sure." one of them said. "All fellow artists are welcome. Sit down! Are you an enthusiast or do you draw as well?"

"I draw as well." Anatha said while sitting down.

"Excellent! May we see something?"

"I don't have my sketchbook here."

"Well, you can bring it another time."

Stephan, the guy who was talking, explained that they meet every Thursday to feedback each other's work or just talk. Anatha instantly felt like a fish in the water. This was a place for her.

"What are you drawing now, little bug?" Stephan asked her in the next meeting. He called new people in the club as little bugs. He found it adorable.

Anatha took her sketchbook and flipped through pages until she found the last sketch. There was a woman holding an apple with a target drawn on it. She was turned away from the viewer, so she couldn't see her shooter.

"Nice" Stephan said with his distinct manner.

"Yeah, keep up the good work." A girl on her right said.

"Thank you." Anatha smiled.

"Do all of your drawn people always have to be naked?" Marto asked.

"I just enjoy drawing the naked. Feels more raw, more truthful. As if they have nothing to hide but they're also exposed to all world's dangers." Anatha explained.

"You might get a lot of negative comments about that." Marto insisted.

"As long as I get to do things my way, I don't care what people say." Anatha said.

"Well, you shouldn't lock yourself in a tower away from everybody else, my dear. You have to hear the people and continue evolving. You have to be true to yourself, of course, but you simply can't close off." Stephan said.

"Yeah, but if some people want me to completely change my style because it displeases them?"

"Well, then you say, thanks for the comment, NO." Stephan laughed.

They continued on talking. They discussed their works, the nature of art, the nature of drawing, what is happening now. Like a little lost sheep Anatha found her herd. She found the place to grow, to work and to prosper.

She finished her studies, of course. She couldn't just drop it. But her studies were not the thing she became known for.

The club made her discover herself. She became happy by staying true to herself. She didn't find a "real" job. She didn't need one. Her "nice hobby" was all she ever needed.

Deep shadows of the blues

She was never ready for it. She always tried to get ready for it, but she never succeeded. It's this sort of feeling of drowning when there's no water around. And Lila always knew that feeling was somewhere deep inside her and she kept pushing it down, covering it up, but it would get out somehow... One time or another.

You see when this feeling would hit... The eyes get hazy. You start less focusing on what's happening now and your mind just drifts away into forgotten memories and thoughts. You know, the ones you don't want to think about. It's not the blues. The blues are a walk in the park compared to this. You see, from blues you can still create. You can make music, poetry, stories, drawings... You can transform your blues into art. But like Lila said, this was not the blues. This was the deep deep shadows of the blues.

Lila wasn't ready this time as well when it hit her. She was watching a movie and she was glad she was doing it alone because as it hit her, she was trying to fight it, but her tears started running like a fountain. The movie triggered some memories, some connections. But this time was better than the last. She learned how to deal with it, she learned how to hide it. She always said that you can get used to everything.

The first time it hit her, she didn't want to do anything. Her mind kicked and screamed and protested anyway possible when she would try to bring herself to do anything. But she still would jump out of bed like an arrow, because she couldn't allow others to see that something was wrong. Her life was good and she thought she can't complain. So she fought well and pushed the shadows deeper. They kept coming back though.

Sometimes the feeling wouldn't come back for months. But then it would hit again. Like a phone call in the middle of the night completely making you awake. But also filling you with all negative emotions and thoughts. But Lila was a well mannered girl, she couldn't let her anger shine through, she couldn't just lie in bed all day, she couldn't just stop living, couldn't just give up. Her hands would start shaking sometimes, but she brushed it off with a smile, saying, hey, we all have our silly little quirks. Not letting anyone inside. Lila was afraid, that if she ever let anyone inside, they would run away. And she needed her friends. She liked company of people. So she kept looking forward to parties, to get together with others, she would bury herself in work and hobbies because the thing that she hated (and feared) most was being left alone with her thoughts.

Lila was waiting for the up periods. The time when everything would light up like a flashlight and her smile would not leave her face. These were the best of times, and Lila thought the bad times were worth the good times. But the higher her good was, the harder the shadows would hit her next time. She just hoped that there wouldn't be people around because she could just deal with it alone. She couldn't handle other people around her down periods.

Lila had these images in her head which she dared not to do. Tearing up books, shouting on people, breaking glasses... sometimes she just wanted the let all the anger out, but she couldn't find a decent way how. So she just continued making everything numb. She just locked it all up and kept buying more locks and throwing away more keys.

Lila was afraid her emotions would break through the locks sometimes. She was afraid that when people saw her in this state, they would leave. And she couldn't handle people leaving. She needed the human connection, she needed the human warmth, so she needed to stay nice and decent and smiling.

Lila had a good life. But sometimes the deep shadows of blues would take over her. But she kept on smiling when people saw her even though she was screaming and breaking and tearing apart everything inside.

But she kept on being silent.

Because once someone told her

and it got stuck in her mind

that good little girls are like fish

you can see them 

but you shouldn't hear them

Drift off

"Roxanne? Are you crying?" - her roommate Tim knocked on the bathroom door.

"No, I'm trying to make the water boil in my tub."

"Roxanne, is this about that guy?"

"What? No! It's about me."

"Did something else happen?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, I lost my dignity."

"Oh, Roxanne, don't beat yourself up about it. Sometimes people just drift off."

"Tim, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but let me figure out everything myself."

"Well, you've been there for over two hours. And I'd reaaally want to pee."

"Is that why you're being all supportive?" Roxanne laughed.

"No, I'm being supportive for you. See? I even made you laugh." Tim paused. "But I also want to pee."

"Fine, wait five minutes."

Roxanne got out from her bath. Just as she stepped on the mat, the light went out.

"Hey, turn the light back on!"

"I didn't do anything. Maybe the light bulb went out."

"Perfect. Just fantastic." Roxanne shook her head.

"I'll bring a flashlight. I think we're out of light bulbs."

"Of course we are." Roxanne said as she finally grasped her towel and started drying herself off. She moved a few more steps, found her bathrobe and put it on. She staggered to the door and opened it. Immediately she her hand to her eyes and let out a growl as Tim flashed the light into her eyes.

"Sorry." Tim said.

"It's fine." Roxanne said and went to her room.

She collapsed on her bed and considered not moving for a few days and wondered if people would notice. She shook the feeling off (well, just hid it deeper, actually) and turned on her laptop to watch a movie and not think about anything.

Roxanne decided to watch Lord of the Rings. The sight of hobbit feet made her smile for a moment. The smile disappeared when Aragorn and Arwen came to stage. She paused the movie and figured it's about time to eat something. She came back with some sandwiches and started checking Facebook while munching on them. One of her friends had a post that he was planning to jump with a parachute and he was looking for company. Roxanne paused for a bit, then decided "Why not?" and agreed to jump with the guy. She had one day until the jump.

Since she wasn't in the mood for Lord of the Rings anymore, she took out a book examining random elements. No chance for romance in this book. After reading for about twenty minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Roxanne said and didn't even turn, because she knew it was Tim. Who else could it be?

"Roxy, I really think we should talk about it."

"I'm fine, there's nothing to talk about."

"I checked the bath water. You've been in there until it was ice cold. And yesterday I heard you smash things. You're clearly not ok."

"I just need to cool off, you know? I'll be fine, I'm always fine."

"You always say that, but do you seriously believe it?" Tim sat next to her.

Tears gathered to Roxanne's eyes, but she pushed them away.

"I'll tell that until I believe it."

"Listen, you've come a long way since I first met you. You were really a closed person. And especially when you met him, I thought everything's going to be fine."

"But it wasn't."

"Yeah, but the thing that you put yourself in that kind of risk is good. You wouldn't have done that the first time I met you."

"No."

"See? Not all mountains are measured in meters you know. You did a lot, you started trusting people, don't let one little setback get you away from reaching the top."

"I just don't want to feel anything. From now on I am a pyramid and my feelings are buried inside. I'm done."

"Roxy, don't be a pyramid. You're a human being."

"But I can't feel like this."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to!"

"Well, sorry to hear that, but some feelings can't go away just by wishing them away. Are you mad at him?"

"What? No! Well maybe a little. I'm actually mad at myself that I let myself believe that something will come out o this. I told him it wouldn't work! I told him! And what did he don? Made me believe everything's going to be fine and then everything just stopped! I would have been fine if he said something, like "Look, this won't work out", but he just stopped! Like it was nothing! He said he would never forget me, well I guess it was easier than he thought... but you know what? You know what bugs me off most?? It's the fact that he couldn't look in my eyes or even just write a message that's it's done! Why? Am I such a bad person that I didn't deserve at least that? That's low. That's being a wuss."

Tim hugged her.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked.

"Actually...yeah. A little."

"You know, you don't need to be with anyone."

"Yeah, I know. I guess I'm a bit hotheaded that's all. And it's nice to feel connected."

"Well, at least you can't throw lightnings or the guy would be done for."

Roxanne laughed.

"So what are your plans now? Are you going to talk to him?"

"Why? I've already tried. I'm not going to chase him."

"Great. What about some food?"

"Changing the topic? Good idea. um, I'm already eating sandwiches, so I'm good, thanks."

"Yeah, about that. Go make me one."

"You do realize, that in this mood I can squish you like a bug if you don't rephrase your request, right?" Roxanne squinted at him.

"Pleaaaaase?" Tim asked. "You make the best sandwiches."

"Fine, but you'll be making dinner then."

"Fine by me."

"Great." Roxanne stood up and headed towards the door.

"Roxy?"

"Yeah?" she stopped at the door.

"Wait up, I'll make some coffee with the sandwiches." Roxanne smiled as he said that. "And I have to make sure you'll make my sandwich right."

"Frick off." Roxanne laughed as they both headed to the kitchen.

The Parachute

The parachute loved his job. How could he not love it? He'd get to see the sky, he'd get to travel and he saved people's lives. A lot of people prayed that he would do his job well and the parachute couldn't simply just let them down. He was looking eagerly to perform at his best. Sometimes the machine which set him free jammed but he would kick and push and break free in the joy of the person who was flying with him.

But one day in one check up the usually smiling handyman got up from him with a nervous face. He told to his colleague that the parachute was getting old and they should throw him out before he rips.

The parachute was outraged: "Too old?!". He felt he was still strong and could prove it to the man. Suddenly a huge blast of wind swooped through the window. It made the parachute get up from the table. He looked like a flying expression of anger and disappointment. So much time serving these people and they were ready to throw him out like a piece of trash? Outrage!

The handyman tried to stop the parachute, but it was too late. The blast of wind made him fly. The parachute figured if he's not appreciated here, he will fly away and find someone who does. He got through the window into his freedom. He flew over the lands he knew so well - so many times he landed there.

He looked up to the sky and sighed - no more he could see those heights. He had to be close to the ground now. He kept flying, but the wind was not so giving. After a few hours it stopped blowing and the parachute got stuck under a tree. As if that wasn't enough, after a few minutes it started raining as well. Well, at least he was under the tree, so he wasn't getting that wet as he could have been.

Just as those thoughts passed his mind, a blast of wind pushed him from under the tree and into the cold rain. The thing that the parachute was most afraid, happened: as he was pulled away, he tore himself with a branch. The wind twirled him in the rain and the parachute didn't even resist. Why bother? He was old and worthless like the handyman said.

A fence appeared in his path and that's where the wind left him. The parachute stayed there until the night and the until the morning. When the sun dried him off he heard voices next to him. There were two boys examining him with magnifying glasses. He saw them see his tear and figured they will throw him away as they started taking him off the fence.

But the boys ran with him to their mother who after a close examination smiled and sew the parachute up. When she returned it to the boys they were smiling so wide and the parachute was puzzled. Did he find his new purpose? Is he still able to make people happy despite his old age and tears?

The boys ran outside again and the parachute saw an unfinished tree house - it was lacking a roof. The boys stretched the parachute diagonally, so that it would cover them from rain and wind, but also that water wouldn't tear it.

The parachute couldn't believe it. He was making people happy again. The boys trusted him and he could see their most secret project happening and being planned under him. But the thing he was most happy about, he could still see the sky he loved so much.

Detective and the girl in the flowery dress

You could say the Detective was married to her work. There was nothing better for her than a good case. She loved solving crimes and tying loose ends. She had a flawless record and she could probably say more about you after knowing you for five minutes than some of your friends.

But having these qualities, she was never nosy. She didn't use her skills to annoy people (unless they were assholes), just to solve crimes.

She loved puzzles and mysteries and didn't really know fear. So it's no surprise that when she found footprints around her house she felt not scared but excited and eager to solve the new mystery.

The footprints were not big, so at first she thought it's just neighbour children wandering off. But they kept appearing every few days next to her window. So she dismissed the idea of accident or coincidence. Someone was visiting her and she had to find out who.

She didn't let her work slip, but in every break she was examining the footprints. The biggest mystery was how they were only by her window and nowhere else - no trail where they came from. As if somebody landed there and went away. She decided to wait by her window one night. Right when she was about to fall asleep she heard a loud buzz. Moments later a little girl appeared by her window. She held up her hand to knock on the window. She hesitated and put her hand now. Then put it up, then hesitated again. The Detective came out and the girl stood startled. The Detective opened the window and the girl climbed in. She had a little dress which seemed to be made from flowers on. The Detective showed her ID and said she works with the police and if she could help the girl in any way she would gladly do it. The girl stood looking shyly, before looking at the Detective. The girl explained she is the princess of fairy world and her father was missing and that's why she needed a detective.

The little girl took out a picture of her father and gave it to the Detective. While looking at the picture the Detective excused herself and decided to call the psychiatric clinic with her mobile phone and ask maybe they have a little girl who thought she's a fairy missing. The person at the clinic was surprised as a week before they admitted a man who was wandering the streets and telling he's the fairy king, and that he lost a portal key. The Detective furrowed her brows and asked how the man looked. The description matched the picture the girl gave her. She asked if it was possible to see the man and the person replied that only during visiting hours. The Detective told the girl she might have found her father who lost a portal key and that she can see him tomorrow. She felt sad that the crazy man persuaded this little girl that she is a magical creature.

Next day they drove to the clinic. The worker showed them a man, sitting by the window. The little girl screamed "Daddy!" and ran to him. Can you imagine everyone's faces when they disappeared in mid-air as they started hugging?

It got silenced by the clinic workers and the Detective never told anyone about it. She pretended nothing happened and kept silent. But the following night she found a thank you note by her window and below there were little footprints for the last time. She kept the note in her book about Sherlock Holmes. And even though she told no one about it, her mind would sometimes wonder how is the little princess in the flowery dress.

The Man and the Moon

There was once a very sad man. And now when I say sad, I don't mean he was grumpy or skeptic or cynical or nostalgic. He was just sad.

He stopped smiling a long time ago and when he was younger, his family took him to various doctors and healers (they even tried religious healers, like priests) but nothing worked. His face was struck with eternal sadness and that gave him a little dreamy expression. He particularly looked good in the moonlight. That silver light made his eyes glisten and seem bigger.

Little did people know that this man was sad for one simple reason. He was in love and was sad he can't reach his loved one. Now I know what you might want to say: plenty of fish in the sea, right? Well, I don't think there are a lot of fish like this. You see, this man was in fact in love with the Moon. No girl or guy could keep his attention. He had no idea why and how it happened, but the day he realized he can't be together with the Moon, his smile disappeared.

Of course, he could see the Moon every night. But what's the point of seeing your loved one if the distance is still there?

He devoted his life to astronomy, and especially exploring the Moon. He was not an astronaut, as he didn't pass the test. His colleagues tried cheering him up and saying it's no big deal, but failed. He couldn't tell them the reason why he was sad. He himself knew how crazy it sounded, so how could his colleagues understand?

He had a window right next to his bed and when the Moon was shinning he slept without curtains. He kept dreaming that the moonlight will grab him and shoot him like an arrow towards it. He kept dreaming he would meet the personification of the Moon - a girl or a guy with silver hair and a sad smile and glowing eyes.

Can you imagine his joy when he saw that his own hair was turning to silver? He actually smiled that morning. He grew older and in the meantime technology got better. To honour his retirement, his colleagues asked some astronauts to take him to see the Moon. It was the first time his colleagues saw him smile. Finally! He will be connected with his love, finally!

The rocket shot like an arrow towards the Moon and he couldn't contain himself. The astronauts made sure he put on his suit before stepping outside. He ran through the doors as soon as they opened and started jumping and laughing like a child. The astronauts told him not to wander off, but he was already running towards the dark side of the Moon - the only thing he couldn't see through his window.

And that's when he saw him. He had his back to him, but the man knew he was looking at the real Moon. The Moon. Moon person turned to face him and he was everything the formerly sad man had imagined. The Moon walked up to him, opened up his suit and smiled at him. He got out of his suit and was surprised he can breathe with no trouble. The Moon lead him by the hand and the man followed.

The astronauts found the suit as it had a GPS installed. They brought it back to Earth. It was examined that the man inside it died from a heart attack. His former colleagues blamed themselves for letting him go and put so much pressure on his old heart. But when they saw his body, they stopped blaming themselves - he had such a peaceful smile stuck on his face.

The astronauts claimed that the suit was glowing with silver light when they found it. They could have sworn they saw shadow of two people walking away while holding hands. But of course, they didn't tell that to anyone. Who would believe something like that?

The man was buried on a quiet day. People walking by at night tell interesting tales. They say that if the Moon is shining extra bright, it seems that there are two people standing at the grave, holding hands.