Derek Updegraff’s short story collection titled
The Butcher’s Tale
is a compilation of twelve stories that give a small glimpse into the lives of fictional characters whose stories and personalities are based around adventure, love, wonderment, faith, and life.
Story at Midnight
: “I wish I’d said, Hey, I’ve got this full tank of gas. Let’s drive somewhere. Let’s drive up the coast as far as a tank of gas will take us. Let’s drive until some patch of light lets us know the night is almost over, and then let’s pull aside and find a diner.”
:  “‘You are holding a white bird.’  There were gasps behind the boy, but the boy was unfazed, and he delivered his second question, asking, ‘Is the bird dead or alive?’ And the old man looked at him for a long heartbeat, and he said to him slowly, heavily, ‘The answer to that question is in your hands.’”
Chrysalis
: “When you eat the caterpillar, be careful not to crush it with your teeth. You must be delicate. You must allow the little thing to settle in to your warm, open mouth before you close it.”