Story

Waiting On The Park Bench Samuel rested his trembling hands on his lap, watching yellow autumn leaves fall gently onto the wooden slats of the park bench. His heavy brown wool coat was buttoned tight against his chest, but his thin shoulders shuddered slightly with each gust of wind. He kept his chin tilted upward, … Read more

An Unwanted Arrival The scruffy golden dog stepped across the front threshold, sniffing the hardwood floor as the wooden door swung wide. A middle-aged man held the leash, gesturing toward the living room while glancing over at his daughter. The young woman crossed her arms tightly over her beige sweater and shook her head. She … Read more

Confrontation At The Gravesite A military officer thrust his hand forward, pointing his finger toward the cemetery exit. He leaned into the older man’s face, demanding that the civilian leave the restricted area immediately. The older man held a black funeral program against his jacket, keeping his feet planted firmly on the grass. An Unexpected … Read more

An Unexpected Confrontation at the Diner A waitress jammed a bundle of yellow and white daisies headfirst into a black plastic trash liner. Her fingers pressed firmly onto the flower stems, forcing the brown paper package down past the rim of the bin. Across from her, an elderly man in a dark cardigan raised both … Read more

A Confrontation At The Cemetery Gates A man in a green polo shirt lunged forward and shoved a wooden stool, sending a metal bucket spilling white daisies and red carnations across the pavement outside Riverside Memorial Gardens. The young girl kneeling on the sidewalk reached out her hands as the bucket clattered against the stone. … Read more

A Sudden Interruption An older man wearing a faded green field jacket stared up at the leafy canopy of a massive park oak before turning his eyes down toward a couple seated on a nearby wooden bench. He shifted his backpack strap across his shoulder and took a step closer, raising one hand to draw … Read more

Defending The Little One The brown alpaca rose up onto her hind legs and brought both front hooves crashing down toward the asphalt. A low-slung coyote lunged forward with bared teeth, skidding across the gray road surface just inches from a tiny white cria. The mother shifted her weight instantly, placing her entire flank between … Read more

An Unexpected Request An elderly man in torn jeans rested his hands on a diner counter and leaned toward the manager on duty. He asked if any leftover soup or bread was going to be thrown out at the end of the night. The manager looked down at his clipboard and told the man to … Read more

An Unlikely Customer on the Showroom Floor An elderly man in torn denim and a frayed coat lightly ran his fingers over the polished black paint of a luxury SUV. His gray sweater was full of gaping holes, and a canvas sack dangled loosely from his left hand as he moved along the side of … Read more

A Cold Reception An elderly man rested his fingers lightly against the glossy red door of a luxury sports car parked in the middle of a brightly lit showroom. Before he could inspect the side mirror, a young salesman in a sharp black suit and narrow tie moved swiftly across the polished tile floor to … Read more

A Sudden Fall in the Middle of Traffic The delivery truck braked hard on the slick asphalt as a golden retriever darted across the rain-soaked avenue and collapsed onto its side. Puddles splashed across the gray pavement as oncoming vehicles slowed to a crawl around the motionless animal. A black sedan pulled abruptly toward the … Read more

A Deal On The Sidewalk An elderly man dressed in a worn, frayed jacket slowly wheeled a rusty bicycle along the city sidewalk. A cardboard sign hung from the front frame, bearing the hand-lettered text SALE – $20 written in dark ink. A sleek black luxury sedan pulled smoothly up to the curb, and a … Read more