Cat’s Cradle

Cat’s Cradle

“He was supposed to be our commencement speaker,” said Sandra. “Who was?” I asked. “Dr. Hoenikker—the old man.” “What did he say?” “He didn’t show up.” “So you didn’t get a commencement address?” “Oh, we got one. Dr. Breed, the one you’re gonna see tomorrow, he showed...
The Sense of An Ending

The Sense of An Ending

That afternoon, he handed out a poem with no title, date or author’s name, gave us ten minutes to study it, then asked for our responses. ‘Shall we start with you, Finn? Put simply, what would you say this poem is about?’ Adrian looked up from his desk. ‘Eros and...
Cat’s Cradle

Cat’s Cradle

“Well …,” rumbled Dr. Breed expansively, “how do you like us, now that you’ve been with us— how long? Almost a year?” “You scientists think too much,” blurted Miss Pefko. She laughed idiotically. Dr. Breed’s friendliness had blown every fuse in her nervous...
Vigil

Vigil

When the room was entirely full, the newcomers overflowed into the hallway, then into the stairwell, then down onto the ground floor and, when the whole house was full, into the yard, and even into the yard next door, where, as they stood unseen among the wedding...
Hamnet

Hamnet

Agnes’s head is pressed against the smooth flank of the cow as she milks. Joan hears the psht-psht-u-psht of milk jetting into the pail. At the sound of Joan’s cry, the cow shifts and Agnes lifts her cheek and turns to look at her stepmother, a wary expression on her...
The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here...