Story Therapy

  Image by AI One Delivery. One Mistake. One House Full Of Secrets Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions : The Pink Mutiny , The Black Waters , Dream In Shackles The knock came just as Liam was sliding the delivery bag into the insulated pouch on his bike. He frowned at the address on the screen — a quiet cul‑de‑sac in the western suburbs, the kind where every house had the same beige bricks and the same solar panels. He’d been doing this job long enough to know which houses belonged to families, which to students, and which to people who didn’t want to be seen. This one felt like the last kind. He parked his scooter at the kerb and walked up the driveway, the bag swinging lightly in his hand. The instructions on the app were the usual: Leave at door. Don’t knock. Don’t call. He hated those. They always felt like someone was hiding something. He placed the bag on the mat, took a photo for proof, and turned to leave. Then he heard it — a voice inside. A man’s voice. ...

  Image by AI Danger doesn’t always break in — sometimes it knocks. Story: S A Spencer Author of Popular Fictions : The Pink Mutiny , The Black Waters , Dream In Shackles Margaret heard the knock just as she was lowering herself into the armchair with her cup of tea. She paused, listening. The doorbell had stopped working again — she really needed to get that fixed once she felt better. She’d been waiting for the plumber to call before arriving, but perhaps he’d decided to drop by early. Tradies did that sometimes. She glanced at her phone on the coffee table. No missed calls. Maybe he forgot. Maybe she didn’t hear it ring. Her hearing wasn’t what it used to be. Poppy trotted to the door, tail wagging, ears perked. Margaret followed slowly, steadying herself on the hallway wall. She still felt a little light‑headed, but the thought of finally having hot water again lifted her spirits. She wouldn’t have to heat water in the kettle for bathing anymore. The thought alone made her sm...

  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,” he said...