Why Do All the Animals Come Here to Die?
Fiction
Paul was dumbfounded. What the hell was it about this oak tree at the top of the hill?
First, it was a rabbit. Then a pair of squirrels the following week. Today, a robin. All dead. An impromptu animal burial ground had formed; Paul thought of Stephen King for a moment and shivered.
No matter which way he stacked it, it didn’t add up. All animals were facing westward when he had found them —all toward the river, the valley.
Paul was about to get on the phone and leave a message with the DEC, but instead, he turned and looked.
“Oh,” he murmured. The sun was setting over the mountains. Pinks and purples blended against the azure, cloudless backdrop. It all appeared so limitless, so free. For some reason, he felt a lump in his throat.
“Not a bad place to be, I suppose.”
He leaned against the tree and watched the sun make its descent. When it had finally disappeared behind the mountains, he walked back down the hill.
Thank you so much for being here/reading my work — and for giving me a reason to keep showing up!
This story’s title (“Why Do All of the Animals Come Here to Die?”) randomly popped into my head one day. I wrote it down and eventually wrote this story. Normally I write a short story’s title after I’ve finished it — never before. (If I’m writing a novel, I do typically have a working title.)
How do you come up with your titles? Have you ever had one “pop” into your head, or do you ever write a story’s title first? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Have a great week, everyone!
Great story, Justin. I may have occasionally come up with a title first, but generally the story suggests the title, rather than the other way around.
Loved the story. I usually come up with the story first. But sometimes I come up with a title I like and write the story based on the title. I came up with the title for my first novel before I wrote it.