Bianca J. Cook 
A Count On The Conveyor Belt The boy slid a handful of copper coins across the black rubber belt, arranging them in uneven rows of five. His knuckles showed white against the counter as he moved a nickel back and forth, recalculating the total in front of a single square package of instant ramen. “I … Read more
The Dropped Folder On The Executive Desk The cleaning cloth slid across the dark mahogany desk, coming to a halt an inch from a thick manila folder resting near the edge. David picked up the papers to clear the dust beneath them. A corner slipped out, revealing printed spreadsheets dense with highlighted red figures and … Read more
An Unexpected Discovery In The Corridor The rotating buffer wheels whirred against the carpet as Michael guided the heavy cleaning machine down the empty hallway. He stepped around a sharp corner and came to an abrupt halt. Resting upright against the wooden baseboard of a guest door sat an expensive black leather briefcase. Michael released … Read more
Stranded on the Shoulder The spindly brown legs of a baby moose scrambled fruitlessly against the rough grey face of a highway divider. On the asphalt shoulder, the tiny calf pressed its chest flat to the concrete, unable to clear the waist-high barrier. Just inches away on the grassy side stood a towering moose with … Read more
An Anxious Standoff by the Roadside A mother deer stomped her right hoof into the autumn grass, blowing a sharp burst of air through her nostrils. A few feet in front of her, a piece of plywood lay propped over a heavy circular storm grate, wedged at an odd angle. From the narrow triangular opening … Read more
A Sudden Struggle At The Entrance Broad brown wings beat furiously against the concrete as the owl scraped its talons against the metal frame of the heavy commercial door. Its left foot was wedged tightly beneath the narrow rubber sweep at the base of the glass panel. With every thrash, loose downy feathers scattered across … Read more
An Unexpected Guide on the Trail The doe took three quick paces down the gravel path, planted her hooves firmly in front of the ranger, and refused to budge. Her ears rotated back and forth, catching every rustle of the surrounding ferns. She took two steps forward, pivoted sideways, and stared down at the green … Read more
A Desperate Cry on an Empty Road An elderly woman slipped sideways from her wheelchair and struck the rough asphalt, coming to rest motionless against the street curb. Beside her overturned chair, a tan-and-white hound planted all four paws firmly against the pavement. The dog tilted his muzzle straight toward the sky, letting out sharp, … Read more
A Sudden Shadow On The Curb The front tire of a heavy black motorcycle rolled to a stop against the concrete curb, kicking up a faint spray of street grit. Behind it, three more motorcycles rumbled into position along the asphalt, their exhaust pipes trembling as the engines idled. On the sidewalk sat an elderly … Read more
A Sudden Discovery In The Overgrowth The iron blades of the reel mower ground against the tall summer grass, stopping short when a rustle broke through the hedge line. The man in the dirt-stained shirt let go of the wooden handle and stepped toward the dense green shrubs along the fence. He pulled aside the … Read more
Kelly Clarkson’s dispute with a Brooklyn store over a mechanical bird has taken another turn with the release of security footage, while the shop has fired back with “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Kelly Clarkson, 44, found herself at the center of a public dispute after visiting Art of Play, a Brooklyn boutique … Read more
A Texas thief stole almost $2,000 worth of emergency medication from the wheelchair of a terminally ill boy at the State Fair, according to saddening reports. The New York Post claim that a good Samaritan ultimately stepped in to help cover the cost of replacing the life-saving medication, but the child’s family have been understandably … Read more