Bianca J. Cook

A Demand on the Showroom Floor A dealership manager in a dark suit pointed his index finger straight at the chest of an older man standing by the driver’s door of a brand-new pickup truck. “Take his keys,” the manager ordered across the tiled showroom floor. “He’s not driving that car off my lot.” The … Read more

A Stalled Register The manager pinched the dark blue plastic between his thumb and index finger, tapping it flat against the metal edge of register four. He pointed a rigid index finger toward the brown paper grocery sacks sitting in the cart. Every single bag needed to go back onto the display shelves. The teenager … Read more

The Reading of the Will The attorney placed his open palm flat against the manila folder sitting on the polished mahogany desk. He looked across the wood at the daughter sitting quietly in a dark green blazer. Her eyebrows drew together as she leaned forward, her fingers curling tightly over the armrest of her chair. … Read more

A Hard Stand On The Center Line The rider plant his boots firmly into the asphalt right next to his downed motorcycle, staring straight into the eyes of the state trooper. Both vehicles sat crooked across the yellow markings, the patrol car’s front bumper hovering uncomfortably close to the wreckage. The trooper pushed his cruiser … Read more

A Tree Falls Across the Rails Two paws pressed firmly against the pale bark of a slender birch tree, shoving it downward until the trunk snapped and tumbled across the metal rails. The rough collie backed up through the tall grass, shaking its tail while watching a passenger train rumble into view along the mountain … Read more

A Sudden Loss On The Cobblestone Road The officer’s hands gripped the rusted handlebars and hoisted the faded green bicycle straight toward the rim of the tall dumpster. Beside him, his partner reached down to take hold of the rear tire, helping heave the frame over the rusted steel edge. The metal collided inside with … Read more

A Shadow In The Garden A white rabbit nibbled on dried grass beneath the autumn leaves, completely unaware of the red fox stalking just three paces behind it. The fox dropped low, placing one black-tipped paw forward at a time across the sunlit yard. Its ears swiveled toward the rabbit, muscles tightening along its spine … Read more

An Urgent Guide The gray snout broke the surface, bumping firmly against the boat’s white fiberglass hull. The captain bent his knees and leaned over the gunwale, his bearded chin hovering inches above the waterline. The dolphin lifted its head high, whistling into the damp air before turning sharply and flicking its tail flukes. Instead … Read more

An Unwelcome Interruption A young man tapped his gold wristwatch, took off his leather jacket, and tossed it straight into the lap of the elderly gentleman sitting in the barber’s chair. He announced that his appointment was booked for three o’clock sharp. Without pausing to check the room, he declared that the older man could … Read more

A Sudden Interruption at the Wash Bay Water hissed against the metal grille of the vintage blue pickup, pooling in dark ripples across the cracked concrete floor. An older man held the pressure washer wand with both hands, guiding the fan of water along the truck’s front bumper. A modern black lifted pickup sat parked … Read more

A Demand in the Premium Cabin The ferry attendant pointed the edge of her handheld scanner directly toward the paper ticket resting in the passenger’s lap. She stepped forward, planting her feet firmly between the two rows of leather seating inside the observation lounge. “Get up,” she stated, her posture rigid in her dark navy … Read more

A Cold Welcome at the Threshold An older man pushed open the heavy glass door of the dining room, his boots scuffing against the entrance mat. Dust clung to the dark wool of his oversized blazer, and the knees of his gray denim trousers were frayed into wide, gaping tears. A host dressed in a … Read more