What are Ozlandish Writings?

From July 2010 to December 2014 we ran OZLAND PICTURE STORIES as described below. Sadly though the number of writers reduced over the years and we decided to call it a day. We leave these as a record of the good times we had.

Are "You" ready to challenge your writing skills? Then participate in our OZLAND Picture Stories writing series at The Ozland Art Gallery.

Each month a new picture will be picked, from our OZLAND Artist of the Month collection, with different themes. Your goal is to write a 500-1000 word... poem... essay... or story about the picture picked. This is a chance for you to challenge your writing skills each month. Story can be written in ANY genre... sci fi... romance... ghost... fantasy... fiction... non-fiction... biography... mystery... historical... whatever your writing genre... feel free to experiment. Send your writing inworld to Sven Pertelson as a notecard to have it included on the web site. We meet at the The Ozland Art Gallery each Wednesday at Noon and 6pm SLT to read the latest submissions on voice. More Information


Tuesday, December 21, 2010

There's no place like HOME! By Llola Lane

Alone and frightened the little bear sat and wondered WHY on earth he had allowed his brothers and sisters to talk him into playing hide and seek? He thought this little ice cave was a safe hiding place. How did he know the earth would shake from under him and break it off into the cold ocean? NOW... how was he going to get home?


Floating along with the current he saw that he was not alone. Other patches of ice floated along too with other animals. A wolf... a seal... and even another bear. He tried to wave to them... but they were too far off in the distance. He was on his own.

"Humm... I COULD try swimming... but I don't know which way to go," he thought. Oh WHY hadn't he listened to his father when he explained how to find their home? It was his big brother's fault... "He was bothering me when father was explaining," he thought. He sighed... Not much he could do about that now... All he could do was hope he didn't drift to far, so that his father could find him.

As he looked at his surroundings he could see that he was getting closer to land. Off in the distance he could even see a building... He was heading right for it! As he floated closer he could see it was a large cabin. The log cabin had a stone base and lots of windows. There were snowy trees all around the cabin. He could smell fish coming from the house. His tummy rumbled. He was hungry. How long had it been since he'd eaten?

His icy shelter moved closer to the house. Suddenly it stopped and became wedged between two rocks. The water was frozen past the rocks so he decided to explore the cabin further and find that fish he keeps smelling. He slowly crept off the ice block and across the rocks to the cabin. The smell of fish was stronger as he neared the house. Around the yard he searched... past the Christmas decorations on the porch... past the dock with the helicopter... and around to the front door. There was a hole in the bottom of the door. It has a flap on it so he pokes his nose through the flap. "Ahhh yes… there IS fish in here," he says.

He let's his nose lead him through the flap. He's lucky he's small enough to fit. The house is dark... A small fire burns in the fireplace across the room. He is sniffing around the room when suddenly a dog appears. "Who are you and what are you doing in my master's house" the little dog barked? "I'm lost and hungry" said the little bear. "And I smell fish!" The two look at each other.. nose to nose.. The little dog lets the bear sniff around... after all he is only a little dog. To the kitchen the bear runs... toppling over a table and lamp.

Upstairs the master of the house hears the lamp break and wonders "what is that darn dog up to now?" He slips on his housecoat and slippers and makes his way down the stairs. His feet hear a CRUNCH!!!! Glad he's got his slippers on. "Darn dog." "I'll clean that up in the morning." Off to the kitchen he heads... "I may as well get myself a glass of milk since I’m up." He hears noises in the kitchen...a dog barking...more crashing noises. "That darn dog!!!" He fumbles for the light switch.

In the kitchen... the bear has found his meal... IN THE GARBAGE!!! The can falls to the floor as he grabs the fish pieces. He is caught off guard as the light switch comes on... And there he is... Standing in the doorway... The master of the house!!! "I told ya you weren't allowed in here... You're gonna get it now," the dogs voice was almost laughing. The little bear stood for a second (fish in his mouth)... and made a run for it through the master's legs and out through the flap in the door, the little dog chasing after him. The master was still standing there with a WHAT WAS THAT look on his face.

The little bear ran back to his icy patch and pushed it away from the rocks... so happy to be out of that house and a proud look on his face for having captured the fish. He sits inside the cave and eats the fish til he is full.

He doesn't know how long he was asleep... but it was light when he awoke and he should be able to see better where he was. He looks around the ice patch... searching to see if he can find ANYTHING about the shoreline that looks familiar. It isn't long when he sees a familiar face swimming towards him... “It's father!!! He's found me.” His father pushes the block towards the familiar shoreline. Now he can swim to the shore with his father leading the way. The two find their way to the family cave and mother gives him a big kiss. As he cuddles between them both he smiles and thinks to himself... There's no place like home!

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