An old man from an Edward Hopper painting woke up one morning drenched in light and blackout blind.

He said: “I remember the darkness right before being dabbed into existence with no notion of myself, only dots for eyes saturated with color. Hug me, please. Hold me until I die.”

Bob Thurber is the author of six books. Regarded as a master of Flash and Micro Fiction, his work has appeared in Esquire and other magazines, been anthologized 60 times, received a long list of awards, and been utilized in schools and colleges throughout the world. He resides in Massachusetts. Visit his website at BobThurber.net.