Night Shift

by Keith Keffer

Eric sprinted through the pouring rain as the wind ripped at the slender box clenched in both hands. Several bolts of lightning flashed overhead so quickly that the crack of thunder blended into a constant roar, lasting for the thirty seconds it took Eric to reach the warehouse. The side door was propped open an inch by a crushed can of soda wedged beneath it. Shifting his package to one hand, Eric pulled on the handle, but the can held it fast. The door didn’t budge.

“Rob!” shouted Eric as water dribbled down his neck. Where is that guy? Eric kicked the can twice before he knocked it loose. The blockage free, he jerked the door open and jumped into a dimly lit hallway and slid another six inches, as his shoes hydroplaned on water puddling atop the faded linoleum. He caught his balance without losing his one-handed grip on the soggy box.

Behind him, wind snatched the door and banged it against the wall, and then, just as quickly, it reversed direction and slammed shut with a bang rivaling the thunder. When Eric jumped at the sudden noise, this time his feet went out from under him. For an instant, he felt like a cartoon character who just noticed he’d walked off a cliff, but then his butt hit the floor, splashing water in all directions. He kept both arms stretched out before him, cradling the box that he had braved the storm to retrieve.

To read the rest, purchase a copy of Writer Here, Write Now from Amazon.  Almost 40 authors from the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group contributed to the anthology.  There are short stores, poems and essays. As they say, “Something for everyone.”

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Click on the Preview below to read the introduction and first four stories.

• Introduction by Christopher D. Ochs
• The Rickety Cabin  by Peggy Adamczyk
• Life by Eric Ahrweiler
• The Golden Glow  by Laurel Bruce
• Sundays by Jocelynn Cordes