Author Archives: Xiaoyu Zheng

Tim’s Mom

By | November 16, 2020

“Timothy, come back inside! What on earth are you doing in the rain?” That was mom calling. He can still recall that image and her voice. Tim was playing with rocks. He was completely soaked and shaking. Mom dried him up and gave him some warm lemon water. It was a fall weekend. Tim remembered… Read More »

Apple Genius

By | November 13, 2020

I confess. I didn’t use Google for research. There are no facts to be checked here. It is a story. Is Google a reliable source for facts? Again. This is not a philosophical discussion, not a game to trick you, not an op-ed for the New York Times. It is a story. There was an… Read More »

Cure

By | November 12, 2020

“Scan for danger. Scan.” The minute she opens her eyes, this command comes online. She calls it the source of evil. She believes that all of her problems stem from this single line of code and she is determined to find a power-off button. The search party has gone on for forty-five years. What did… Read More »

Billy and Hell

By | November 11, 2020

Billy runs a restaurant in hell. It is a tricky job, as you can imagine. His fine diners are often angry and confused, not because of the food or the service, but because, well, they are in hell. They are not well-suited to handle anger or confusion. The restaurant ends up being a psychologist’s office,… Read More »

Conversation Between A Couple

By | November 10, 2020

Wife: I am bored with me. Help! Husband: Okay. Do you want to learn French? That might be fun. W: Any other ideas besides language learning? H: Read a novel. W: That’s less like a project. A warmer idea. Anything else? H: Write a song. That’s on your to finish list. W: I am bored… Read More »

Stewart, the Spider

By | November 9, 2020

There is a giant spider named Stewart. So giant that he occupies a tiny island. Stewart is not a good swimmer. He has a dream of leaving the island to travel. He dreams of finding another spider just like him, giant and curious. Stewart’s best friend is a turtle, named Johnny. Johnny comes to visit… Read More »

Ghost Train

By | November 8, 2020

A ghost town is hidden in between the busy streets of London. When the sun sets, there will be a train with no lights, promptly showing up to board willing passengers. Nate and Samuel didn’t remember stepping onto the ghost train; alas, they are going to a place of no return. The inside of the… Read More »