Bianca J. Cook 
A Harsh Encounter on the Sidewalk The high heel struck the metal bowl, sending silver coins scattering across the gray concrete pavement. A woman wearing a tailored cream-colored suit stood over an elderly man, her finger pointed directly at his face. She had just stepped out of a black luxury sedan, her eyes scanning the … Read more
A Quiet Walk Toward the Elevator The brown leather handbag swung gently against the woman’s side as she walked directly toward the open elevator doors. Her silver hair was coiffed neatly, and her pressed brown pantsuit moved in perfect rhythm with her steady stride. She did not look left or right, focused entirely on the … Read more
The tension in the room was suffocating. A woman, dressed in designer clothes and dripping with gold jewelry, sat at a table in an upscale seaside restaurant, looking absolutely livid. She couldn’t understand why her order wasn’t on the table yet, and she made sure everyone nearby knew her frustration. She glared at the server, … Read more
A Quiet Morning On The Bench The older man tilted a plastic water bottle over his cupped palms, letting the stream pool in his hands. On the wooden park bench beside him, a scruffy brown dog leaned forward and lapped up the water. Dozens of people walked past the pair, their eyes fixed on their … Read more
A Confrontation At The Pump The metal nozzle clicked against the rim of the olive-drab fuel tank as the elderly man squeezed the trigger. He stood quietly in his worn brown leather jacket, watching the numbers climb on the digital display of the gas pump. The quiet afternoon was suddenly interrupted by the deep, throaty … Read more
A young, disheveled girl with tear-streaked cheeks stands in a grand, marble-floored lobby, looking completely out of place in her worn-out brown jacket. She timidly approaches a well-dressed woman, asking for a chance to play the grand piano, but her request is met with a cold, firm refusal from the elegant woman. A sudden turn … Read more
A Sudden Trap on the Farm Path The young sandhill crane’s legs tangled in the white netting stretched low across the damp dirt path. Its small, golden-brown body struggled against the synthetic fabric, pressing its chest directly into the dark soil between the blueberry rows. With every kick, the mesh wrapped tighter around its slender … Read more
An elderly man in a tattered, hole-ridden sweater walked into an upscale restaurant, looking entirely out of place. He clutched a small cloth pouch, his hands shaking slightly as he tried to count out a few measly dollar bills. The mood in the air shifted instantly as the restaurant’s manager approached him. The cold, harsh … Read more
The Unspoken Standard The lawyer jabbed his index finger inches from the woman’s face as she gripped her yellow mop handle. Her knuckles turned pale against the smooth wooden shaft, but her gaze remained fixed on the man standing before her. He leaned his torso forward, his jaw tight as he spat out his words, … Read more
An elderly woman stands in the middle of a high-end clothing store, her brow furrowed with worry. She pulls a worn, vintage-style purse from her side and counts the cash inside, her fingers trembling slightly. It’s clear she has her heart set on a nice coat, but as she stares at the price tag, the … Read more
A Struggle in the Shallows The white crane’s wings thrashed against the muddy water as it struggled to pull its leg free from the green plastic netting. The thin, green filaments of the agricultural mesh had wrapped around its ankle, anchoring it firmly to the flooded soil. Each frantic movement of its wings only served … Read more
When it comes to cooking, people have strong opinions. Whether it has to do with how you cook something or perhaps the hygiene aspect of it, people believe what they will believe! Whatever you believe about a certain cooking practice, it is always a good idea to take a look at the other side of … Read more