Wonderful 'Savages' winners. Thanks to the 64 people who read the story, 23 who left a comment and the 22 who hearted.

I tried and tried to pick just one. They were all so great. Please forgive me, I just could not.

So, I picked two to share first place, two to share second place and one third place with two Honorable 'Beastly' wins for the tamer monsters.

I really felt like doing an Oprah Winfrey and saying, 'everybody gets a car', if I could afford even one car, I would.

BTW, I was really hoping to hear some new initiates lend their voices to the exercise of stepping outside of their comfort zones. But, roads lead to roads, we live and hope.

So, I shall humbly again say...THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH, GUYS, for indulging me and taking the time from your activity filled lives and Vocal game of hopscotch to submit a story to the beastly challenge.

I am extremely grateful. All the entries were wonderful, and I seriously thought of skipping town so I wouldn't have to decide on who wins.

The stories all came from different and extremely interesting, eye-opening perspectives, rendering them all aces in my book.

To you, my gratitude unfurls,

Like petals kissed by morning dew.

For kindness shared and laughter hurled,

I offer thanks, sincere and true.

Your presence brightens every day,

A sunbeam through life's cloudy skies.

In whispered words and deeds, you sway,

And in your warmth, my spirit flies.

So here's my humble verse, my friends,

A token of appreciation's art.

For all the moments that we spend,

Thank you—for bringing joy to my heart.

In gratitude's embrace, I find my voice,

To thank you for the kindness you deploy.

Your presence, like a sunbeam through the mist,

Illuminates my days, and I can't resist.

For every smile you've shared, a star aglow,

And every thoughtful word, a river's flow.

Your friendship, like a shelter from life's storm,

Keeps me warm, safe, and free from harm.

So here's my humble verse, a token small,

To say, "Thank you!"—the sweetest words of all.

May joy and kindness follow you each day,

As you light up the world in your own way.

In shared 1st place

Paul...well, I will let him say it for himself:

pay no respects and weep no more for the fallen among us

the beasts of old, of deceptive disguise and serpent lies

whose greed and desire sought to bring you down so low

beyond the eyes, see their disguise, under blood-red skies

driven by want and lust, fueled by untampered surges

roam they did, through the dirt and the mire, inglorious

bastardized conscience, contemptible duplicitous charmless

stalking without a care, without a thought, without care

I particularly loved the 'Inglorious Bastardized' parts, written with his heart and soul.

................

The challenge specifically asked to let the beast loose, and Kelli did so marvelously with her Bellatrix. She embraced her inner monster and together they understand each other.

~~~~~~~

In shared 2nd place

C. Rommial took this opportunity to face long forgotten monsters, with his Debauchery, reminding himself of the journey and the highly evolved destination. In facing his past demons, he had finally found closure and the freedom to release them. Finding peace is the gift 'epitome'.

Mike's, The Beast in me, not to be outdone, is a rather more, quiet and subdued beast. Though it roars, he is master of himself and for the most part he has kept it caged. Still, it is the quiet ones of whom we should be aware.

~~~~~~

In 3rd place (giving credence to the Kafka cockroach)

Gerard's growing beast burst forth and just kept growing all the way to Heaven and his God-like existence, and maybe even beyond.

The Honorary Beastly prizes

KP awakened to find himself a koala, alarmed at first, he improvises and types-ish a message to work:

Martha, I apoilogize for the lste notice. I will not be in today. I'm nt feeling well. I'm afraid I hve come down with something quote serious and may nwed to take a few days off from work. I can finosh reports at home, but I will be unsble to attend any meetings remotely.

He decides to accept his fate and make the most of it.

~~~~~

Matthew Fromm gives us a parasite wearing insults wrapped in outer monstrous smiles. Don't be fooled by the outer appearance...it hides a shallow beast.

Guys, you all did Kafka proud, and in humility and not to compare myself with the Man...You made me very proud too.

Every story is a winner. Thank you all.