Before the pandemic they’d been incompatible neighbors. Now they were cuddle-buddies. It made no sense. With practice they’d learned to ignore the unreality of their daily ritual. Only by embracing disbelief could one or the other advance like a sleepwalker across the hall. It felt so good to be held.

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.