Story

Trapped Against The Wire Metal squares of woven wire pressed against the calf’s ribs as its hooves scrambled uselessly against the frosted grass. A few yards back, the mother elk stood tall in the pasture, her ears pinned forward while white steam puffed from her nostrils. Heavy rubber boots crunched through the white morning frost … Read more

A Plea at the Threshold The young woman grabbed the brass frame of the restaurant door just as the latch began to click shut. Her breath came fast in the chilly air outside. Inside the warm doorway, the owner turned around in his grey waistcoat, resting his hand against the glass panel. She pointed back … Read more

A Red Notice on the Wooden Counter The young man pushed a warm cardboard cup across the worn countertop. Arthur reached out, his weathered fingers curling around the steaming paper cup. The shopkeeper lowered his gaze toward the wooden counter, sliding a bright red document forward. The paper was stamped in bold block letters: Bank … Read more

A Defensive Mother On The Mud The adult mute swan snapped its orange beak forward, hissing sharply as feathers flared wide across its back. A stiff loop of white plastic wire bound tightly around the base of its long neck, cutting into the pale down. Two small grey cygnets huddled low against the damp earth … Read more

An Unexpected Reunion The car key dropped straight into the palm of the parking attendant. The driver paused mid-stride, his eyes widening as he read the employee name tag. Dave stood holding the electronic fob in his fluorescent yellow vest. Ten years had passed since the two men had stood in the same room. Before … Read more

Spilled Bags On Marble Tile A brass cart wobbled over the polished marble before tumbling sideways onto the lobby floor. Suitcases dropped with a heavy thud, popping open and scattering folded shirts and papers across the walkway. The young bellhop dropped to his knees, his hands scrambling across the tiles to gather the loose garments. … Read more

An Unwelcome Visitor On The Showroom Floor The senior salesman slammed a wooden clipboard flat against the desk surface, his knuckles turning pale against the dark wood. He pointed a stiff index finger directly toward the glass entrance doors of the vehicle showroom. Daniel stood near the polished tile entryway wearing faded denim over an … Read more

A Refusal on the Asphalt The young man pushed off the dumpster wall, clutched the weathered notebook against his chest, and sprinted down the alley toward the traffic light. He caught the gray sedan just as the brake lights lit up, rapping his knuckles against the driver’s window. When the driver reached into his leather … Read more

A Sudden Slam Against Formica A thick leather-clad fist slammed hard against the diner tabletop, sending a glass of ice water sliding sideways across the gray laminate surface. Water pooled beneath the red plastic napkin dispenser as the tall man in the biker vest leaned forward, jabbing a thick forefinger toward the nose of the … Read more

A Line In The Dirt The man shook a wooden stick over the porch railing and shouted toward the asphalt. A scruffy hound stood on the curb, shifting its weight backward before retreating a few paces into the street. Across the driveway, an elderly neighbor cut off her lawnmower, pushed her glasses up her nose, … Read more

A Grinding Halt On The Shoulder An elderly man gripped the worn plastic steering wheel of a rusted golf cart, his knuckles whitening as flashing red and blue lights reflected in his side view. On the floorboard beneath his scuffed work boots sat an empty orange pill bottle, rattling against the metal frame with every … Read more

A Quiet Morning Under The Oak An elderly man in a blue windbreaker stepped slowly across the manicured lawn toward a weathered wooden bench. Sitting directly beneath the shade of a massive oak tree, an orange-and-white tabby kept its paws tucked firmly beneath its chest. The man rested his palms on his knees, exhaled softly, … Read more