Pocketed Stones

Though Amelia couldn’t tell if the bird was buzzing like a drone, she’d never heard it chirp or sing either. She’d stop and look up into its eyes, counting to herself as she tried to break her staring contest record. Though the bird always won, she found comfort in the thought that, as long as it was watching her, it wasn’t watching anyone else.

Pocketed Stones came out on April 1, 2026, in Flash Fiction Magazine. The outlet publishes a piece of short fiction daily! You can check out the full story here.