Comment from LisaMay

Excellent

Virtual 7 stars. Your story stopped me in my tracks... such a highly charged emotive piece showcasing "humankind's" double standards. Some facts in your story are obviously kept from general knowledge because they would provoke a decline in meat providers' profits with so many more embracing humane vegetarianism.
I liken the carved box to the container for the Ten Commandments: The Ark of the Covenant. We seem to have no respect for those commandments, especially "Thou Shalt Not Kill".

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 28-Dec-2019

Thanks so much for the very kind comments. I'm glad you picked out the main themes with such accuracy and understanding. Most grateful, Craig

Comment from Santiago2

Excellent

I hope that, at best, we would see more vegetarians and stricter regulation of meat processing if hard truths of livestock abuse were widely known. Your choice of narrative is more forceful than one that just hits readers over the head. Congratulations. A well-organized piece with a strong message that is forceful through excellent word choice.

 Comment Written 28-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 28-Dec-2019

Thanks very much for the kind and thoughtful comments. Much appreciated :) Craig

Comment from cupa tea

Excellent

I like this one. Your box is very unique. This would make a really good longer story...perhaps a book...The box could have come from anywhere...I noticed you never gave us, the readers, any clue where it might have come from or who might have sent it...

Good Luck in the contest!

 Comment Written 26-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 26-Dec-2019

Thanks for the kind words and the good wishes. There were suggestions, from the contents, but you're right, no definitive explanation :) Most grateful, Craig

Comment from humpwhistle

Excellent

A very disturbing Christmas story--but quite well written (in any spelling). I wasn't aware that 'dairy calves' were considered waste. Seems illogical to me, but I'll take your word for it.

The mystery of the origins of the box remains. Clearly, though, Tim was the one being warned--as only he could read the code.

A very Old Testament reckoning.

The nurses' motivation seems more Wall Street Journal than Old Testament to me.

Well done. And best of luck.

Peace, Lee

 Comment Written 25-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 25-Dec-2019

The fate of the majority of the calves born as an undesirable consequence of the need to keep cows lactating is not something the dairy industry is keen to announce, so its hardly surprising most people don't know. It's a bit like the way many egg factories throw 50% of their day-old chicks (produced to keep the laying hen population up) live into meat grinders. Doesn't pay to let that be seen too often by a queasy public.

The nurses, whatever their motivations, are just puppets :)

Thanks, Lee. Much appreciated, Craig

Comment from catch22

Exceptional

Hi Craig, this have me chills and was a brilliant satire and social comment in the vein of Jonathan Swifts Modest Proposal--which satirized social and economic inequality in England in the 18th century. Your "solution" is pragmatic but cruel. It exposes the hypocrisy of many who do not respect all forms of creation and create sustainable and sensitive lifestyles. GREAT story telling that brings home the cruelty and horror a mother must feel seeing her infant killed in its own milk--a Biblical reference from the Kosher laws that is not lost on me. Excellent work and keep spreading the message of compassion for all life.

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 25-Dec-2019

Yes, Pam. We delude ourselves if we think non-human species don't feel pain, fear, joy, despair, loneliness, empathy, love, hate and all the gamut of things that we experience. Some of them, I'm convinced, far more so than we do. And when we choose to treat them so appallingly, we condemn ourselves. Thanks for the wonderful words of encouragement, the very generous rating and for supporting the good fight. I don't think I've read that work by Swift, I'll have to remedy that. Most grateful, Craig.

Comment from Debbie Pope

Exceptional

I'm glad that I chose to read this with my morning coffee. Otherwise, I doubt that I would have slept a wink. I feel as strongly about the subject as you, and this was hard to read. I could never have written it.
I certainly hope you win. Who ever heard of a horror and terror Christmas story? You get lots of points for novelty. And if the judges' rubric evaluates message, you win that for sure.
I hope you have a happy, peaceful Christmas. Thanks for writing this one.

 Comment Written 24-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 24-Dec-2019

I haven't read the other stories yet. I'll do that after entries close in a few hours. It will be interesting to see what other diabolical events people have happening at Christmas :) It's not a site-sponsored contest, so the judges are anyone who cares to vote (as opposed to a "committee"). There's probably as many "rules" as there are judges !

Thanks for the lovely gift of stars (it looks very Christmassy), as well as the terrific comments and kind wishes.

It's already Christmas morning here, and will be for you in a few hours, I guess. Hope you and yours have a wonderful one!

reply by Debbie Pope on 25-Dec-2019

I got confused, again, on the contest that you entered. You are right. There's certainly no rubric for that contest. I used to eagerly check on the ongoing vote in those contests, but I have given that up. Sometimes, though, we voters get it very right. Surely you will win tons of fun money. I'll remember to vote.

reply by the author on 25-Dec-2019

I don't often enter the member-sponsored contests, preferring the site ones. GMan's are an exception -- they are always a fun challenge :) I think it's still Christmas night there, hope you are having a fun one!

reply by Debbie Pope on 26-Dec-2019

We had our neighborhood game night, starting at 5 and ending past midnight. We just couldn't quit playing those silly games. We have a gift exchange with our friends that we didn't even get to. They are coming back for that . . . and more games of course.

Comment from Gloria ....

Excellent

This is a superbly written story, Craig. Not a wasted word and a lot of moving parts to consider from the Bible verses that Tim was able to read to the fact his wife Linda could not. So it would seem Tim is the man who will reap what he has sowed.

I can't really discern any reason for the finely crafted box but perhaps I missed the allusion.

This is a most frightening horror story and all the more important because of the moral imperative.

Really good job on this one and I wish you great luck in the booth.

Gloria

 Comment Written 23-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 23-Dec-2019

Thanks for the very kind words, Gloria. I guess the reason for trying to make the box impressive, for want of a better word, was just to emphasise the importance of the contents. I thought it made more sense than just a wrapped-up piece of paper. That, and I like pretty boxes :)

Thanks for the good wishes, and have a merry Christmas!

Craig

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

I'm sure in Bible times, people did treat their animals much more humanely and allowed the cows to nurse their calves as well. Your story reminded me of a Ray Bradbury story but not quite as gruesome.

 Comment Written 22-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2019

I suspect you're right, Helen. Still, it didn't stop them slitting their throats and offering them as sacrifices to their gods. Strange the gods should get off on that. It's pretty difficult to get past our brutality as species, whether we look at the past or present. I suspect if we could see the future, it would be no different.

reply by lyenochka on 22-Dec-2019

Yep, that made Leviticus always hard to read. It was to make us feel horror just as Christ's sacrifice was horrifying. The past sacrifices were just pointing to His and no longer needed since then.

reply by the author on 22-Dec-2019

Yes, I'm aware of the theological explanation. How anyone believes it is what's beyond my understanding. I'm sure all the other ancient religions that don't include Jesus have equally as plausible (or implausible) explanations for why its good to torture and kill.

I think Pythagoras' observations make a lot more sense, to be honest.

Comment from BeasPeas

Exceptional

Hi Craig. This is excellent and well deserving of a sixer. Unfortunately what you've written about is a true-to-life horror story for cultivated farm animals. Their existence from birth to death is a nightmare. Thank you for writing and calling attention to the plight of food animals. Marilyn

 Comment Written 22-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 22-Dec-2019

Yes, Marilyn. It is indeed a horror story of unimaginable brutality and suffering. One to which most people choose to turn a blind eye. Thanks for the wonderful rating, the excellent comments and for being part of the human voice for the silent victims. Craig

Comment from RShipp

Excellent

"Linda discarded the bow and paper in less time than would seem appropriate for an adult, Even at sixty+ ... I still do that.

" at which time he'll be baked and served up as a main course in the staff cafeteria" Oh, my. I am glad no one can see the look of terror on my face!

Oh .. my ....

This was quite a read.

This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.

 Comment Written 21-Dec-2019

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reply by the author on 21-Dec-2019

Thanks for the fun comments. Much appreciated. Craig