Story Therapy

Image by AI A mother’s suffering, a son’s bravery, and a choice no family should face. A Contemporary Short Story by S A Spencer  Author of Popular Fictions : The Pink Mutiny , The Black Waters , Dream In Shackles The shouting reached Rohan before he reached the lane. He had been walking home from school, backpack slung over one shoulder, when he heard neighbours murmuring, slippers scraping against the cement courtyard, and a familiar voice rising above all others — harsh, slurred, and furious. He broke into a run. By the time he turned the corner, he saw his mother — Lata — being dragged out of their government quarter by her husband, Prakash. Her dupatta was twisted around her arm, her hair half‑loose, her face pale with shock. Prakash’s fingers were clamped around her wrist like a vice. “Tell them!” Prakash shouted, spit flying. “Tell everyone you’ve been meeting your old boyfriend!” Neighbours stood in clusters — women with half‑cut vegetables in their hands, men ...

  Image by AI Freedom has a price. So does comfort. Gratitude lives in between. Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions : The Pink Mutiny , The Black Waters , Dream In Shackles Mimi bolted through the half‑open front door the moment the vacuum roared to life. “Mrrrow—enough! I’m done with this joint!” she hissed, tail puffed like a bottlebrush as she darted down the steps. Behind her, the humans kept yelling over the noise, completely unaware their cat had just quit the household. She didn’t stop running until she reached the end of the street, heart thumping, whiskers twitching. “I swear,” she muttered, “if they pick me up like a baby one more time, I’ll—” A shadow moved behind the bins. Mimi froze. And a low voice said, “Rough day, princess?”    ***   A scruffy ginger tomcat stepped out, ribs showing beneath his fur, one ear torn clean in half. He smelled like rainwater and old fish bones. Mimi wrinkled her nose. “Who are you?” she asked. “Name’s Rufus,” h...

 Image by AI A Tender Tale Of Abandonment, Misunderstanding, And Unexpected Redemption Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions : The Pink Mutiny , The Black Waters , Dream In Shackles I didn’t understand why the humans were shouting. All I knew was that the gate had slammed behind me, and the world suddenly smelled different — sharp, metallic, full of fear. I pressed my nose against the bars, waiting for my human to come back. He always came back. He wouldn’t leave me here. Not in this strange place with barking that sounded like crying. A man in a blue shirt walked towards me. The sun was behind him, turning him into a glowing shape. He bent down, lifted me gently, and whispered, “You’re safe now, mate.” Safe. Now. The words wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I didn’t know who he was, but something in his voice felt bigger than him. Like the sky had spoken through him. Like he wasn’t just a man — he was something more. Maybe this was God. Maybe God had final...