Finding A Safe Place
As writers, we often practice storytelling of safe places. Often, reality intrudes on the world of my magical storytelling, where I envision a safe place for raising farm animals. My friend called me sobbing, something had gotten into her pole barn and killed most of her chickens and ducks. Turkey, her turkey, had done her best to protect everyone, evidenced by the amount of feathers on the ground. However, not every critter died immediately, and she needed help putting them out of their misery. I grabbed a shovel and a live trap and ran to help.
These things happen when you live on the edge of wildlife territory. Rightfully so, they want it back. And they’re hungry. Two ducks, a male and a female, survived along with this chicken, Cora. The ducks went to live in the garage, where a pool and a pen were set up for them. Cora came to our chicken house under a Poultry Witness Protection Program. Immediately, my friend retrofitted the pole barn with security measures to prevent another attack. A mink was caught in the live trap the next day and rehomed many miles away.
Even Chickens Get PTSD And Need To Find Safe Places
Cora joined my chickens in their house, and they accepted her without fuss. My concerns developed at dusk when I went to the barn to put everyone up for the night when I could not find Cora anywhere. I checked all the corners behind the plywood stacked against the wall. I pulled the metal nesting box away from the wall, thinking she might be behind it. Nothing. Next, I searched the outside chicken yard for breaches under the fence. Where could that chicken be? My chicken yard is supposed to be a safe place.
Fear Often Drives Creativity
Finally, I gave up putting my hope in her coming back in the morning. That’s when I reached down to get the feeder to hang it up for the night. I found Cora. Deep in the feeder she had curled up in a ball on the scratch. She had found a place where she felt safe. I left her there, where she slept for two nights, only coming out to join the flock during the day. And thus began more magical storytelling of safe places.https://www.facebook.com/susanminer.twinpine/videos/631597869690493
Characters Show Signs Of Creative Self-Care
As an author of fantasy books with elements of realism, I can’t gloss over the lingering effects of the abuse Angelina and Katie experienced in book one, The Jewels of Kidron. They survived, and their abusers got what was coming to them. But regaining a sense of control and self-confidence takes time. No magic will make that fear and need for caution disappear. In book two, working title – Caves Of The Forbidden Woods, the girls must work through their healing, finding their own safe places, mostly in their minds. These two girls are very courageous. How creative will they be? I can’t wait to see how they do it, and I, once again, get to do more magical storytelling of safe places!
