Bianca J. Cook

Demands Across the Mirror The bodybuilder angled his phone toward the glass, flexing his bicep while checking the live camera screen. A few yards behind his reflection, a woman in a grey collared uniform pressed a string mop against the dark hardwood floor. Water pooled near the mop head as she dragged it back and … Read more

The Document on the Glass Table Ryan reached his right hand out toward the glass conference table, fingers curling inward before pulling back. Across the sleek reflective surface, a seated executive opened a black leather folio and tapped the top sheet. He peeled back the cover sheet with two fingers and slid the paperwork forward. … Read more

An Unwelcome Shove An older woman in a beige blazer lifts a two-tiered pastel cake from its stand and thrusts it directly into the pregnant woman’s face. Pink and white frosting coats Emma’s forehead, cheeks, and nose before the sponge cake breaks apart and tumbles across her mauve maternity dress. The young man standing directly … Read more

An Unwelcome Interruption On Stage The woman in the cream gown jabbed her chin forward and demanded the older guest step away from the photo backdrop. Her words were sharp and quick as she leaned into the woman’s face. The silver-haired guest blinked, her gentle smile instantly fading into confusion. Before anyone could intervene, the … Read more

A Sudden Fall His palm pressed flat against her chest, shoving her backward over the stone edge of the pool. Claire swung her arms wide in the air before hitting the turquoise water with a heavy smack. A sheet of white spray erupted over the patio tiles where four onlookers stood watching. She sank beneath … Read more

A Pamphlet on the Tablecloth Ethan leaned over the mahogany table and slid a cream-colored folded brochure across the dark wood, stopping it right beside his mother’s water goblet. His mother, sitting upright in a cobalt blue sweater, lowered her gaze to the bold print resting between her silverware and the wine glass. She did … Read more

A Sudden Interruption at the Desk The polished wooden rolltop slammed shut across the old man’s knuckles, sending his pen rolling onto the blotter. He gasped and yanked his hand back, cradling his wrist against his tweed jacket as tears sprang to the corners of his eyes. A woman stepped out from the shadows of … Read more

Tearing Away Decades of Memories An elderly woman pressed her trembling fingers flat against the glossy surface of a family portrait. Her knuckles tightened as the photo album was yanked clean out from under her hands. A younger woman stepped back toward the corner of the dining room with the heavy leather-bound volume gripped firmly … Read more

A Strip of Grey Tape A long strip of duct tape pulled tight against white paper, pressing flat over an ornate gold frame. The woman smoothed down the silver adhesive with a steady hand, turning her head with a faint grin. She stepped back to inspect her work, declaring that nobody would have to look … Read more

The Fall from the Porch The woman gripped the slatted wooden backrest with both hands and shoved it over the white porch railing. The bench tumbled end over end through the golden dusk before landing flat on its side in a trench of wet mud. Brown water splattered outward, staining the manicured grass. She stood … Read more

Dragging the Slats Across the Porch Floor His boots scraped against the weathered deck boards as his thick fingers clamped around the armrests of the rocking chair. He hauled the wooden frame backward, rocking runners bumping roughly over the threshold. With a sharp shove, he forced the chair into the pitch-black storage shed behind the … Read more

The Spill on the Living Room Floor The plastic storage tub tipped sideways, spilling dozens of vintage vinyl sleeves across the dark hardwood floor. Cardboard jackets slid across the grain, fanning out into uneven layers around the edge of the patterned rug. The man in the grey shirt stepped back and extended an arm downward, … Read more