0.2 diopters away from happiness

sunglasses on the table

I was sitting by the window on the train when the door suddenly slid open. A woman came in and took the window seat across from me, pressing her wheeled suitcase against my knees. “Hope that’s not in your way,”…

Hooves in Zen

British Shorthair blue-point cat reaching a paw toward a foot in a white sock.

There was supposed to be a metre and a half of space between yoga participants, just enough so no one smacked the person next to them or kicked someone in the head. In practice, so many people turned up that…

Unauthorised

Digital illustration of a military commander shouting while holding a tablet

The alarm buzzed in the pocket of the Polish commander in the mobile command post, displaying: HIMARS not responding. “What the hell!” he shouted. “Billions on F-35s, Patriots… and now this?” Red dots on the map crawled toward the border…

Blood, Urine, and CBA Agents

Cotton swab with a spot of blood on a white surface

At 7:00 a.m. I showed up at the diagnostics clinic door. I was third in line. I printed out my ticket, went to pay for the tests, but I was still half asleep. Standing in front of the receptionist, I…