Bill W

The word "xenolith" comes from two Greek words" xenos (ξ𝜉𝜈𝜊𝜍), meaning "foreign" or "strange", and lithos (λίθος) meaning "stone". Therefore, xenolith literally translates to "foreign stone" or "foreign rock". This name accurately describes the geological term for a rock fragment that is foreign to the igneous rock in which it is embedded. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "xenolith" was first used in English in 1894 by the geologist and anthropologist William Sollas. This aligns with information from other dictionaries, such as Merriam Webster, which also notes its first known use in 1894. Examples of "xenolith" used in a sentence: "The geologist found a xenolith of granite within the basalt, a fragment from a deeper layer of the Earth's crust." "The volcanic ash contained chunks of xenoliths, which were pieces of mantle and crust from the eruption." "However, rare xenoliths of sedimentary rocks occur in the granite." "The parental magma for pyroxenite xenoliths could be derived from the partial melting of the asthenosphere with continental crust material involvement and of the upper lithospheric mantle."

Damn, now that's scary for Halloween!

Kudos, @Inkognito. I loved this amazing poem that sums up the anthology "Creature Feature".

The word "ethics" comes from the Greek word ēthikós (ethical) and êthos (character), and the Latin ethice. Its origins relate to custom, habit, and character, meaning the study of morals or character. The term is strongly associated with Aristotle's work, Ta Ethika (The Ethics), which focused on moral philosophy. The noun "ethics" was first used in English during the Middle English period, with the Oxford English Dictionary finding evidence from before 1425. The word traces back to the Middle English term "ethik" and was partly borrowed from the Old French "éthique" and Latin "ethica". The noun "ethics," was specifically used to refer to "the science of morals" around 1600. The singular noun ethic is from before 1387, in a translation by John Trevisa. The English word "moral" also has a related root, coming from the Latin mores, meaning "customs". To be ethical means to act in a way that aligns with moral principles, focusing on what is right, fair, and honest, even when no one is watching. It involves making decisions based on values like integrity, respect, and responsibility, and is guided by both personal beliefs and societal standards. While laws tell you what you must do, ethics guide what you should do. Examples of "ethic" used in a sentence: "But a strong work ethic was instilled in him at an early age." "I loved their work ethic and determination." "I know the determination and work ethic he has always had to make sure he does the job right." "The reality is that democracy prefers to adopt its own ethic." Examples of "ethics" used in a sentence: "We set up the ethics committee with two chambers." "Its members are bound by a rigid code of ethics which includes confidentiality." "Refugee workers said such action was a violation of medical ethics." "It is common to distinguish between personal and social ethics." "He told the police that he had thought honestly about the ethics of what he was doing."

A charming story about a cat and a bird and the formation of an unusual friendship.

A charming tale about the creation of an unusual friendship. It pays to be nice, because Zipi now has a friend and Skee did not die. A lesson we can all learn about kindness.

This is a marvelous short story that sheds a light on how delicate the balance of nature can be. It is wonderfully written with vivid descriptions, and a touching storyline. If you love nature, then I have a strong feeling that you'll fall in love with this enchanting short story, the same way I did!

Beautifully done, Tim. Native Americans and other ancient cultures around the world have always been more in tune with nature than modern mankind. As I finished reading this story, my mind wandered to what is happening in Brazil with the destructions of rain forests due to the commercial interests of cattle farmers, commercial farming (like soy production), logging and mining who are more interested in their own bottom lines. And Brazil is not unique. Unfortunately, we're having to battle with our government in the US to prevent them from chopping down old growth forests for commercial gain. I'm sorry that I got off on a tangent, so now I wish to thank for this truly wonderful and thought provoking story.

The word "predicate" comes from the Latin praedicatum, meaning "that which is said of the subject". It derives from the verb praedicare, meaning "to proclaim" or "declare publicly," which is a combination of prae- ("before" or "forth") and dicare ("to proclaim" or "say"). The meaning of "that which is asserted" or "declared about a subject" was first used in logic before entering grammar. The word passed from Latin into French as predicat. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the noun "predicate" was first used in English in the mid-15th century, while the verb "predicate" first appeared in the mid-1500s. The noun "predicate" was first recorded in the mid-15th century, used as a term in logic to describe "that which is said of a subject" (e.g., went home in John went home ). The verb "predicate," meaning "to declare, assert, or affirm that something is true," is first recorded in the mid-1500s, specifically from 1552 in the writings of Richard Huloet. The grammatical sense of the word "predicate" emerged later, in the 1630s.

A cute and romantic story with likeable characters in a highly unusual situation. If you like the idea of love at first sight, then this short story should be right up your alley. Enjoy!

I'm afraid that @drsawzall beat me to the punch. When I saw the title of the story I thought you were going to have them meet on the dancefloor while doing the Funky Chicken, which would have been so uncool and unromantic. I'm glad it was only the name of his chicken oriented restaurant. Anyway, I loved it, Chris. Very romantic!

Lumberjack moose costume? What does it do, chop wood all day long and then hunt and shoot itself at night?

This is a horrifying and thought provoking tale that might give you nightmares for quite a while, if you're not careful. What would you do if you woke up in a dark, seemingly endless void with no obvious means of escape? Everything you attempt to free yourself from that horrid place fails and nothing seems right or the way it should be, so would you just give up or would you keep trying? If you want to discover what happens to Dave then you'll have to read this captivating short story, but make sure you're in a well lit room as you do so.

What a terribly horrifying fate, first to be trapped in a dark, endless void, and then to attempt an escape that led who knows where. Dave had only been there a short time, Elijah slightly longer, but Mitchell had been trapped there for 54 years. Can you imagine being trapped in a place like that in nearly total darkness, with no companionship or possibly only one other person, for eternity. Even this new and terrifying world they find themselves in now has to be better than where they were. Even that catlike reptilian creature probably couldn't kill them, if they're already dead, and possibly only send them into the next portal in the hereafter. It seems that Dave had been killed in a traffic accident, Elijah in a headfirst fall from his roof, and Mitchell during the Viet Nam war, so if this is the afterlife or what to expect after death, such as entering different dimensions or different realities forever, then I'd prefer that death merely leads to total oblivion.

A tale as old as time. A boy knows he cannot live up to his father's expectations, and even though he has other qualities that would be just valuable to offer, his father will not relent. Therefore, the boy sets out to prove himself, but how will that venture end. If you want to find out, then you'll have to read this enchanting story to find out, and I have a strong suspicion that you will be glad you did,

A truly enchanting story, Aaron. I loved it. Jermyn reached a higher level of humanity and Dremex has found a companion and ended his isolation. A wonderful use of the theme.

Oh, Goodie. More stories to read.

The word "faux" comes from French where it means "false" or "fake". It entered the English language as a borrowing from the French word, which itself ultimately comes from the Latin word "falsus," meaning "deceived" or "misled", the past participle of fallere ("to deceive"). The word "faux" was first used in English in the late 1600s, with the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), citing its earliest known use as 1684, in the writing of Thomas Otway. It was used earlier in hyphenated terms, such as "faux-prude," first appearing in 1676, according to the OED. Its modern use to mean "fake" or "imitation" becoming popular in the 1980s. The expression "faux pas" (an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation) was borrowed earlier, in the second half of the 17th century, in 1676. Examples of "faux" used in a sentence: "And it was served in a faux bird's nest." "This faux outrage wouldn't get first place in an 8th grade talent show." "The black and white boots have a faux fur lining and come to mid-calf." "Stay warm in a faux fur coat and cinch your waist with a black and white belt." "At just $17, this faux leather tote is a steal too good to pass up." "The first item to go in our cart: Spanx's faux leather leggings."

Quote: Her thumbs-up meant the world to Aggie. Having worked in the retail industry since the age of ten... I was waiting for you to explain how a ten-year-old could work in an industry dealing in alcohol since the age of ten and you failed to explain it. I know I read this before, because I gave the story a heart and I gave a heart emoji to each of the comments, but it appears that I never commented myself. I'm not sure what happened, but I'll make up for it now. Maybe I'd lost power or something and forgot to go back later and make up for it later. Anyway, loved the story and it was quite spooky. Having worked jobs where I closed up a store late at night, I could empathize with Aggie. Btw, if his name was Augustus, shouldn't his nickname been Auggie? Just wondering.

Cinderella, I've finally found you!

Probably in more ways than one!

The exact quote is : The road to destruction, or the road to hell, is paved with good intentions. It's a proverb of unknown origins that people often use when warning others about hubris, such as suggesting "the ends justify the means" and stating "they're pursuing a greater good".

I don't remember you missing one in the story, but I noticed it in the comments below the story, as well as in the other review.

The word "ingest" comes from the Latin verb ingerere, meaning "to carry in" or "to put into". It is a combination of the Latin prefix "in-" ("into") and the verb "gerere" ("to carry"). The word first appeared in English around the 1610s to describe the act of taking food into the body. Ingest can also mean to absorb or take in information. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first known use of the verb "ingest" in English was in the early 1600s, with the earliest evidence from 1617 in the writings of Samuel Collins Examples of "ingest" used in a sentence: "The tentacles are pushed into the mouth to ingest food." "Animals, including humans, ingest oxygen from the air." "Then you paused trying to ingest all this new information." "Frugivorous vertebrates ingest fruits and the seeds within, later defecating the seeds." "The woman had ingested a large amount of over-the-counter pills," Garcia said. "People should not ingest water or eat fish from the ponds." "The more air that is removed from above, the more warm, humid air the storm can ingest from below." "Boyd said a toddler who ingests even one tablet can die."

I'm sure we all harbor regrets. It might be a family member or close friend that we've lost contact with or that had possibly died far too young. Or possibly it's due to words that were never spoken and had denied you a sense of closure before your lives followed different paths. Maybe it's a regret about a failed relationship or something we should have done differently. We may even be plagued by thoughts of how those incidents may have altered the course of our lives. Scott (the author obviously changed the main character's name when he revised this story) is a young man who's dealing with issues of his own and he's suddenly forced to confront his demons. Is a a drug induced hallucination or a nightmare conjured up from the deep recesses of his own mind? Whatever it is, it's his to deal with alone and only he can determine how this will eventually end. If you wish to know how this deep, dark dilemma turns out, then read this fascinating, spooky, and thought provoking tale.