News From The Weird #2 — Adam Dove Stories

The time has come once again. Another Tuesday already. And while I know you've been so looking forward to your weekly dose of weird, I want to let you know about something cool that I'm really excited about before we dive in.

If you haven't already heard, my brand new short story 'Keep Preserved' has just been published TODAY by Write Out Publishing, as part of their #tuesdayshorts series.

(...so then maybe Tuesdays aren't always the worst day of the week?)

That means that 'Keep Preserved' is now available for purchase through their website for only $1.99! Even better than that, 10 percent of the proceeds from sales of the story will be donated directly to Pittsburgh Action Against Rape. If you don't know about PAAR, go look them up. They're a really great organization full of really caring people doing the important work of advocating for victims of sexual violence in the Pittsburgh area.

But the even more exciting news for you is that everyone who is subscribed to this newsletter can purchase the story for 50% OFF! That's right, because you're such a great supporter of me and my work, Write Out is letting me offer you the story for only $0.99.

All you have to do to claim your copy is click here, add to cart, and proceed to checkout to automatically receive the discount! That's it! You'll receive the story electronically immediately upon purchase. And once you've read it, let me know what you think! You can either respond to this email, or if you REALLY want to do me a favor, you can head over to my latest Instagram post and let me (and everyone else) know if it's worth a read.

Just find my @adamdovestories on Instagram.

Now, WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, on to the Weird.

This week's news comes to you from small-town Missouri, with a little story I like to call: "The White Goat of Inver Grove Heights."

In deep September, the town of Inver Grove Heights was beset upon by what can only be described as an omen of death—at least according to some residents.

For thousands of years, the goat has stood as a powerful symbol. Its unnatural, rectangular pupils, the strong curve of its horns, have evoked the imaginations of humans for generations. But though it’s clear the goat has a deep symbolism, when finally the residents of Inver Grove Heights were forced to come face to face with one, this certainty was joined by a new and unexpected question: A symbol of what?

The goat was first spotted wandering the streets of the small, Minnesota suburb on September 9th. It seemed to have simply appeared out of nowhere. And while the authorities didn’t seem to take it as a serious threat—stating on their Facebook page just two days later that they knew about the goat that was “on the lam,” and that they were going to get this “billy goat gruff off of Inver Grove Heights bluffs”—not everyone in town seemed to think it was a laughing matter.

“It’s a sign,” said some of the darker among them. “From the Church of Satan. It must be. And we have to return it as soon as possible."

These people were undoubtedly unnerved, then, when the goat began to appear at their back doors, standing in front of the glass, just staring.

Staring in.

But others weren’t so sure.

"The goat isn’t Satan," they insisted. "It’s a symbol of health and vitality. It’s a good thing," they said, citing studies saying goats prefer smiles to frowns. “It want us to be happy."

The revelation that goats can recognize our sadness, however, did little to reassure.

In the end, a mere five days later, the White Goat of Inver Grove Heights was apprehended. It sat quietly, in a cage made for dogs, as animal control officers carted it away. It didn’t protest, didn’t bleat, didn’t curse the earth beneath its hooves. It simply left, without pomp or circumstance, relocated to its new home in a more rural area, far outside of town. Half the townsfolk were glad it was treated with respect. The other half were just glad it was gone.

But why the stark divide? And beyond that, who was right? Did those in fear know something that the others didn’t—or were they simply overreacting?

Or does the question run deeper still? Perhaps it wasn’t the goat with something to say, silent as it was in its most stoic exit. Perhaps it was the people of Inver Grove Heights, the people of Minnesota, of the world itself, both present and past. In that way, the goat is a symbol—a metaphor for the things we expect from this life, for love and death and bountiful harvest. For what is a metaphor but the things we cannot say?

And just as it was a sign to us, perhaps to the White Goat of Inver Grove Height, we are just a symbol.

But a symbol of what?

See the full news story: here

Thank you for reading, and I can't wait to hear what you think of 'Keep Preserved.'

And don't forget to CLICK HERE to receive your 50% discount!