Old Dogs CAN Learn New Tricks

By Mark Sanders

In Mark Sanders' story collection, OLD DOGS CAN LEARN NEW TRICKS, we are taken through a kaleidoscope of different emotions. Beginning with "From Existing To Living," he takes us through his own personal struggle with a surprise heart surgery. This suspenseful drama showcases the true fear within all of us and how it is up to us to decide whether we are actually living as opposed to merely existing.

"Happy Birthday" is a heartwarming tale of two good ol' boys, Karl (21) and Clyde (29), celebrating Karl's twenty-first birthday. After being battered by ears of corn as Clyde decided that a cornfield was better driving than the road, Karl is brought to an old hunting blind. His true gift lies within the blind, something he never could have expected.

"Rilae" opens the world of sci-fi with the humble beginnings of a laboratory experiment. Subject X-37, Rilae, wakes in a strange room, listening to his instructions from his father figure, or "Handler," Dr. Alan Brightwell. We learn of Rilae's fantastic ability, and Alan's undying love for him and the lengths that a father would go through for their children.

"Ta'Ryn" dives headlong into the world of fantasy. Ta'Ryn is a warchief for an ancient tribe. He doesn’t agree with the teachings of the shaman of the village and finds their blabberings to be nothing more than drug induced nonsense. Visions rack his dreams of an entity which calls to him from a very real place. He makes a pilgrimage to seek out this vision but couldn't have been prepared for what lie at the end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark Sanders
• Release date: Aug 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005739317

Mark Sanders

Mark Sanders is a film writer and novelist with extensive experience in table rop roleplay game writing. He has a BFA in Creative Writing, and has written and produced videos for the Racine County Eye covering Wisconsin’s thriving Esports culture. He has participated actively in online Role Play Flash Fiction for the better part of 25 years and has no intention of stopping. He has always kept his writings to himself, as his upbringing didn’t truly allot for an artists’ monetary struggles nor was being a creative tolerated. Despite this, he kept writing and has finally been brought to a position where he can showcase his talent and skill in public view.

Book preview

Old Dogs CAN Learn New Tricks

By Mark Sanders

Copyright @ Mark Sanders, 2020

All Rights Reserved

First Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Table of Contents

From Existing To Living

Happy Birthday

Rilae

The Punished

Ta'Ryn

About the Author

From Existing to Living

The August fog hadn’t yet lifted when I rolled open the shipping dock doors at Knaack Manufacturing in Crystal Lake, IL. My forklift: a yellow, graffiti tagged Yale propane lift dubbed 48, sat just on the other side of the dust-caked roll door of the dock. This was the best part of my day, every day. The sun rises around 5 A.M. in August and warms the dew-chilled air leaving massive clouds of fog to flood low ground areas. Knaack was seated neatly in one of these, and it would allow me to watch them grow as I performed my daily maintenance check. That morning was no different. Walking up to the lift, I pulled out the maintenance log and began my check. There were no issues reported on the lift in the log from the shift the night prior, so I was good to go after I checked my oil and belts. I hopped in the lifts’ ass-imprinted seat and began to get comfortable. I unclipped my walkie-talkie from my belt and checked in with the warehouse. 48’s ready. Line One running yet? I asked before setting my walkie in the box that I’d taped to the lift for carrying such things. I had tagged it with a giant blue