Tim Law is an author of fantasy, horror, detective and general short story fiction as well as the occasional poem or two. He heralds from a little town in Southern Australia called Murray Bridge. A happily married father of three children (plus four cats and a rabbit), family is very important to him. Currently working at the Murray Bridge Library in the role of Library Manager he has dreamed since his early high school years of becoming a full-time author. Working for a library, surrounded by so many wonderful authors it is difficult not to be inspired to write. Tim finds inspiration from playing board games, family movie night, family time and the world around him. The greatest inspiration of all for him comes from asking the golden question “what if?”

When he is not working he enjoys walks along the river, reading, writing, watching movies and spending quality time with friends and family. Eating dark chocolate and drinking red wine also rates quite highly when he considers a few of his favourite things.

Many of his short stories and general musings can be found on his blog http://somecallmetimmy.blogspot.com.au/ or on Parenting Express website.

Because of a Sandwich

“Because of a sandwich,” the patient did sigh.
Doc asked, “Was that how you got this twig in your eye?”
The doctor twisted the slither free with tweezers.
Said he, “I hope that feeling pleases.”
The patient revealed a head that was lumpy.
“Life with her Doc is thrilling and bumpy.”
“Tell me more.” Doc demanded, slightly confused.
“As you wish,” replied the patient frustratingly bemused.
“The night of our meeting I will never forget;
I was scouting beach locations in exotic Phuket.”
“Go on,” urged the Doctor, suddenly keen.
The patient continued, setting the scene.
“We had just found the perfect location and went for a drink.
The waitress that served us gave me a wink.
As she drew closer I was able to see
It was never a wink, her lash had come free.
I still asked her out as my heart was aflutter.
Her smile and her eyes had turned me to butter.”
“I see,” said the doctor with the faintest smile.
The patient said, “That evening we danced for a while.
From then we were inseparable for a week and a day.
When it was time I took her home to the US A.”
“More I must know of this twig in your eye.
The how, what and when and the reasoning why?”
“Steady on Doc,” said the patient. “I’m soon getting there
Our first date, a picnic I was mauled by a bear.
By the time that we reached our first anniversary
She’d zapped me, burnt me and left me stuck up a tree.”
The doctor just tutted as he looked over the scars.
“A fractured arm and shattered hip from when she hit me with cars.
The cause of each incident is all accidental.
Else sticking with her you would think I was mental.
The latest was the craziest one of all.
She almost lost the picnic basket when she started to fall.
I grabbed her by the hand to prevent her from slipping.
While it was my hand she so tightly was gripping,
Upon a stray stick she unfortunately stood.
Up into the air flew a splinted of wood.
Of all the very places it could possibly fly.
That innocent projectile ended up in my eye.”
“Quite unfortunate indeed,” the doctor did say.
“For an incident such as that to happen this day.
Was there anything more you wish me to do?
Is there any further assistance I can offer you?”
“Why yes, I am hoping,” the patient then said.
There was a moment of quiet as he sat on the bed.
“I need help,” pleaded the patient’s voice, tiny and meek.
“She is my betrothed Doc, I need help, we marry in a week!”

COME TO PERU

“Come to Peru,” said my dear friend’s letter.
“Come in the springtime, we’ll witness together.”
Such a thrilling invitation I could not ignore
There was nothing in life I wished to see more
Then the birth of a creature that just should not be
The creation of legend I just had to see
“I shall arrive in September,” I sent in reply.
Then phoned up the airlines as I needed to fly
Correspondence between us then increased in flow
He keeping me updated over the three months or so
I was initially sent a photograph the locals did take
Evidence of how a rooster had mated with a snake
Following this was a phone call, daily updating
That which had developed since the unusual mating
A magnificent egg had come forth from the cock
Bumped and grey in complexion it resembled a rock
As the rooster retired the serpent took hold
It hissed and it spat at those locals too bold
They drew nearer to view the strange nest
The place where the caring snake took its rest
The serpent wrapped itself around lovingly
The care it had for the egg my friend did see
Finally came the day I was to arrive
A message awaited me, I was to drive
Deep into the darkness of uncharted Peru
Without hesitation drive I did do
The locals they welcomed me with a great feast
Promise they did to next take me East
To the place where my friend waited so patient
Eager to witness something so ancient
A legendary monster, such impossibility
A creature whose glance was dangerous and deadly
Funds from the west were high in demand
Money talks louder in a third world land
Before I could go further there were many to pay
For the blessings of the Gods before I continued on my way
On the thirteenth of September I finally appeared
I was to bear witness just as I had feared
A campsite constructed with utmost care
Was empty of all life, nobody there
All that remained was as oval-like stone
Cracked open, hollow and empty, I felt so alone
A snake’s trail led from the egg away to the brush
Amongst all the locals there came a great hush
We discovered a number of humans so petrified
Gaping mouth opened and eyes so wide
It were as if they had witnessed a mythical glare
The glance of the rooster head, no longer there
With horror I realized what we had done
In our haste for infamy we had doomed everyone
We all heard a rustle and covered our eyes
The unholy creature then took to the skies
With leathery wings the creature did fly
Causing me always to ponder the why?
What did we hope to achieve from this plot?
Such fame and great fortune, that which was not
Instead we had enabled the return of a vice
The reintroduction of something not nice
Instead of destroying this curse when we could
Rather than do what those wiser than us would
We thought only of fortune as we rolled the dice
Our fault, returned to the world, that wicked cockatrice