“Hey, idiot!” boomed the voice from the kitchen. It bombarded Mary with disparaging remarks. She felt trapped, insecure. A rotten stench arose with each insult.

Fed up, Mary stormed the kitchen, tore off the lid, and took out the trash. She kept walking, free and refreshed. She didn’t turn back.

Christa Planko, MA, is a professional writer with a passion for creative expression. She has had her poetry and short stories featured in several publications, including River Poets Journal, Tanka and Haiku Journal, Poetry Quarterly, and Every Day Fiction. Recently, her story, “The Olde-Tyme Village,” won the 2021 WordCrafter Short Fiction Contest. Christa resides in South Jersey with her feline muses. For her bio and list of published works, visit the website christascorner.godaddysites.com.