Don't Go Beyond The Oakline!

There was a contest not too long ago, where they were taking submissions with the theme of The Deep, Dark Woods.  I thought I'd write about my childhood, and my father telling me not to go past the line of oaks beyond the end of our property, where there were deep, dark woods.  He continually told me not to go there, but would not tell me why.*

I like this cover a lot, mostly because I took the silhouette of a human figure and
shrunk it way down for the center of the image . . . and it kind of looks like it belongs.

So, here's a story I ended up renaming "Beyond The Oakline" (assuming others would call their yarns "The Deep, Dark Woods"), where I imagine what would have happened had I, at age nine, defied my old man and gone exploring up there one August afternoon.

Is it a great story?  Well, it certainly lost the contest (though they mentioned it made it to the second round of competition).  Do I continue to write pieces like this because I still have daddy issues and occasionally wonder why if we might have come to some understanding between us had he lived?  Only two ways to find out--one of which is to read the story HERE. 

*My father was big on the "Because I said so" philosophy.