Micro Monday - February 10, 2025

The City

Happy Monday! Here’s your weekly 100-word story.

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Image: Giuseppe Milo - CC BY 3.0

The City

James had the city to himself.

There were no people. No cats, dogs, or pigeons. Cars still clogged the streets; trains hugged their usual platforms. Music played in bars and cafes. The lights stayed on (or off), and no hand but his ever touched a switch.

During the day, he searched for supplies and lined them up at the register for old times’ sake. He read books on motionless trains bound for empty offices. He cried, sometimes, and felt relieved that no one saw.

And at night, when the windows went dark, he told himself there were people behind them.

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