Rushing straight from my dream to the window, I reminded myself it is seldom safe to trust one’s sleepy-eyes in the dim and desperate hours before dawn. Lazy shadows, like shiftless men, tend to linger. Frequently they’ll amuse themselves by teasing others. Because why not. In a heartbeat they’re gone.

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.