Bianca J. Cook 
A Tiny Paw Reaches Through Cracked Asphalt A small brown paw stretched outward from a narrow seam in the roadway, claws scraping against broken tar. Traffic rumbled past just inches away as cars and motorbikes kicked up dust across the centerline. Wedged upright inside the dark fissure, the puppy pushed its snout toward the daylight … Read more
Pinned Against The Cold Iron The fawn’s front right hoof slipped between two parallel iron bars, wedging its slender ankle tight against the slotted metal. Its white-spotted brown flank rested flat on the wet asphalt beside the concrete curb, with snow melting around its folded rear legs. Every time the small deer shifted its weight … Read more
A Heavy Task on the Waterfront Orange rubber gloves pressed against the stone walkway as an elderly park cleaner scooped up scattered yellow fries and crumpled paper wrappers. His knees creaked under the weight of his olive-green work uniform. With one hand bracing a wooden broom handle and the other holding open a heavy black … Read more
A Frantic Struggle by the Highway A mother coyote sank her teeth into the scruff of a small pup wedged deep inside a concrete drain hole. She dug her back paws into the loose road grit, tugging backward with her entire body. The opening beneath the highway barrier was barely wide enough for the young … Read more
A Helpless Fledgling in the Drifts A young owl flapped its speckled wings against the deep snowbanks, crying out as passing cars sprayed slush along the shoulder of Highway 16. Its downy body remained sunk deep in the white powder beneath a barren roadside tree. A large ginger cat walked steadily through the drifts, its … Read more
A Sudden Standoff in the Dust The thick yellow coils of an albino python tightened across the dark feathers of the turkey’s chest. Each muscle contraction pushed deeper into the bird’s torso, yet the turkey kept both feet planted firmly on the dry ground. Below her breast feathers, seven speckled poults huddled together in the … Read more
Lowered Over the Rapids Two men locked their fingers around the climber’s ankles and lowered him headfirst past the wooden railing. Below his dangling shoulders, cold river water churned over dark river stones and slammed into a fallen fir trunk. A tiny orange kitten stood balanced on the mossy bark of the log. Its white … Read more
A Sudden Crash On A Mountain Road A chocolate Labrador scrambled backward across the gray asphalt just as a thick tree trunk splintered and slammed onto the pavement. Crisp orange maple leaves erupted into the air, fluttering across the centerline. A few yards back, a maroon SUV came to a halt. The driver’s door swung … Read more
Alone In The Concrete A pink belly twisted against dark grime as tiny paws paddled helplessly through stagnant gutter water beneath a street grate. The newborn pup had barely opened its eyes, crying out softly while pedestrians walked by along the concrete sidewalk above. Automobile tires hummed along the asphalt, sending vibrations rattling through the … Read more
A Guard On The Road The white goose threw its wings wide, planted its webbed feet on the asphalt, and ran directly toward the front bumper of the moving truck. Its neck stretched forward, letting out sharp, rhythmic honks that echoed against the surrounding pine trees. The vehicle slowed, its tires crunching onto the soft … Read more
A Guardian On The Shoulder The German Shepherd pressed its front paws directly against the soldier’s camouflage jacket, barking toward oncoming traffic. The older man lay flat on the gravel embankment, his cap resting beside his boots while sedans and trucks rushed past. A blue car pulled onto the shoulder just ahead of them. A … Read more
A Cold Afternoon at the Counter A man in a faded denim jacket pushed open the diner door, a golden retriever stepping quietly beside his boots. He walked straight to an empty booth near the window, keeping his hand rested lightly on the dog’s golden neck. Slipping into the red vinyl seat, he pulled a … Read more