I fought a Juniper, and the Juniper won

I pulled on my gardening gloves, took a large swig of alfalfa juice, and stomped into the cool, wet soil.

It was time for the Juniper bush to go. The garden was choked by it’s spiny, overgrown branches.

I grabbed the twisted branches. It bit me, scratching my arms all over.

Muttering an oath, I grabbed a rake and beat the living heck out of the Juniper…

…and the limp, lifeless body of a toad rolled into view.

A casualty of war.

 Awash with grief, I fell to my knees and shook my fists at the heavens.

How would I overcome my guilt at taking the life of an innocent amphibian?

Perhaps all was not lost. I could administer CPR on the way to the vet’s office.

Wait a minute. Where’d he go?

He needed medical help.

I wasn’t going to let him down.

Perhaps the sun had woken him up,

but I was the one who would nurse him back to health.

Ah, there he is…

I slowly extended my arm.

Just a few more inches, and I could grab him.

My fingers opened, I took a deep breath, and then…

my shirt caught on the Juniper and the toad scrambled under the spiny branches.

That is why there is still an ugly Juniper in my garden.

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This post brought to you by Anything You Ask, my new novella.

Available now for Kindle. Available for Nook and other ebook readers in July.