The Pond by Craig Zimmerman

When I was a boy, the pond was a peaceful oasis where I could dream and marvel at the many creatures that lived in and around the pond.

The pond was located in the remains of a forest not far from the city of Tacoma, Washington. A thick layer of Douglas Fir, Cedar, and Madrona Trees concealed the pond from the outside world. A narrow trail led through the trees to the shore.

The main body of the pond was roughly oval and covered about half an acre. At the north end of the pond a tiny "island" stood a few feet from the shore. Not far from the island, a shallow channel led to a smaller section of the pond that was about a third the size of the larger section.

On warm days, Bullfrogs would sun themselves on the shore. At the first hint of danger, the whole group would leap into the water. The natural camouflage of The Leopard Frog blended perfectly withe the plants that grew in the shallow waters of the pond. Green Tree Frogs, used the suction pads on their feet to cling to the branches of Alder Trees that lined the shore. The Western Newt was the only Salamander species that lived in the pond. 

The Salamanders were one of my favorite creatures of the pond. There were the remnants of prehistoric epochs in the supple way they moved through the water.

A cluster of large rocks near the island was the favorite meeting place for a group of Catfish. A few Trout also shared the pond.

A variety of unusual insects inhabited the pond. The larva of the Caddis Fly dotted the surface of the pond in their floating homes made of bits of wood and grass. The Water Boatman used its' oar-shaped limbs to "row" itself across the water. Diving beetles carried a bubble of air in order  to descend to the depths of the pond. Above the water, colorful Dragonflies darted back and forth hunting Mosquitoes and other pests.

The pond was also home to several bird species including: Robins, Blue Jays, Gold Finches, and occasionally a few Ducks. 


In 1977, the pond was drained and covered with dirt. The forest around the pond was leveled. Eventually, several houses were constructed at the site.



   The single Madrona Tree in the photo below is about the only remaining trace of the pond.

"Music From Below" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

In the beginning, Geology Professor Michael Abrams thought the message was a joke. An old friend sent him an email about a story from Arizona.

Apparently, a worker described hearing music at the bottom of a Copper mine. The mining company did an investigation and could find no logical reason for the sounds in the mine. Abrams did a little investigating himself and found out the story was true, although the cause of the "music" could be any number of things.

After all of his classes were over, Abrams decided to contact the mining company. The mining company agreed to let him look into the mystery.The weekend was coming up and it would be a nice change from the routine.Michael  arrived in Phoenix on Saturday morning and after checking in to his hotel he rented a car and drove the 50 miles to the mine.

The mine administration gave him a tour of the grounds and Michael did not find anything geologically unusual about the site. Abrams then asked if he could go down in the mine to hear the sounds himself. The management was a little reluctant, but after he signed a safety release, they decided to let him go.

Michael, the mine foreman, and a couple of workers entered an  elevator  that slowly descended into the depths of the mine. After the mine stopped, the group traveled along a lighted corridor for about half and hour until they reached their destination.

The mine shaft where the music was first heard ended in a pile of large rocks. For several minutes, Michael heard nothing and then it started. The sounds emanating from beyond the rocks were unlike anything that he had ever heard  before and he hit the button on a tape recorder. Michael once and for all dismissed the idea  that there  might be a natural explanation for the phenomenon. The beauty and complexity of the  music  suggested a composer.

When the group returned to the surface, Michael went to talk to the site manager and tried to convince him to let Michael explore the mine shaft further. The manager was reluctant to allow any more exploring, but relented after Michael suggested that it could bring some favorable publicity to the mining company.

Professor Abrams spent the next several weeks preparing for the exploration of the mine shaft. He recruited several of his best students as helpers and compiled the latest scientific and safety equipment.

Before the group left for Phoenix, Michael received a message from the mining company that the rocks had been cleared away and there was now a visible tunnel at the end of the mine shaft where the music was first heard.

Michael was excited as a little kid when he and his students descended into the mine. Professor Abrams was the first one through the newly uncovered tunnel. The music was louder now and he eagerly followed the sound.

After about half and hour, the tunnel widened into a large cavern. The music was much louder now and Michael could feel that they were getting close to the source.

The cavern ended in another tunnel and Michael and his group cautiously followed the tunnel. Whatever was making the music was right up ahead. 

The tunnel led to another large cavern, but this one was occupied. Michael and the student's lights exposed some kind of musical instrument that occupied half the cavern. Several colorless humanoids were "playing" the huge instrument. The lights from Michael and the others startled the creatures.

They left the instrument and cowered in a corner of the cavern. Michael tried to tell them not to be afraid with gestures and a quiet voice, but it did no good.

 Suddenly, The ceiling of the cave shimmered and cracked. Tiny pieces began to fall. Michael and his group backed away while the cave disintegrated in front of them.  Even while he was watching the destruction, Michael realized that it was the explorer's presence that triggered the catastrophe. The New World was gone. 

"The Drone" a short stotry by Craig Zimmerman

Julie noticed the drone as she was leaving her Political Science class. The machine hovered slightly above an old Oak tree and seemed to be staring at her. She quickly began walking away from campus and tried to forget the  hovering device.

Julie's felt better after she left the campus. Drones were becoming somewhat commonplace, but they still gave her the creeps. One never knew who was guiding the thing and perhaps secretly spying on you.

When Julie was about halfway home, she looked back and saw the same drone from campus quietly hovering behind her. Out of frustration, Julie raised her middle finger at the machine and hurried on. It was probably just some frat jerks from college, but the machine was starting to frighten her.

Julie decided to take a slight detour from her usual route and ducked into a mini-mart. For about twenty minutes, she went up and down every aisle and finally purchased a candy bar that she really didn't want.

As Julie exited the store she immediately looked around her. The drone seemed to be gone.Julie resumed her original route and laughed about the whole thing.

Several minutes later, Julie heard a small sound and turned to see the drone right behind her. In a panic, she began to run. Eventually Julie ran into a small neighborhood park. For a moment, she thought that she had lost the thing, but the drone re-appeared directly in front of her.

Julie began yelling at the device. In answer, a small compartment in the bottom of the drone opened and a box dropped to the ground. For the first time, a human voice came from the drone: "Congratulations, you are the winner of a free pizza from Todd's Pizza Parlor."

Book Review- "Death Be Not Proud" by John Gunther

Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther is the chronicle of the fatal illness of his son Johnny Gunther. The story takes place in the late 1940s when teen-age Johnny is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

At the time little was known about the treatment of cancer and Johnny was subjected to a number of experimental treatments and surgeries.But through it all ,young Johnny showed amazing courage and humor.

At one point, it appeared that the tumor had gone into complete remission, but sadly it came back and Johnny Gunther died at the age of 17.

Death Be Not Proud is well-worth reading in that it shows how far we have come in the treatment of cancer and as a memorial for a remarkable young man who exhibited tremendous grace and bravery in the face of a terrifying disease.