"Are you scared?" I ask Dad over the phone. "What do I have to be scared about?" he says. "We're locked in our rooms." He's always been tough like that, stoic, but I wish I could see his face, hug ... [+]
Susan lives in London. She recently gained a creative writing degree and has published her first book of short stories "A Jumble of Good Intentions." "Short-sighted" is in Short Circuit #11, Short Édition's quarterly review.
One of the children believesthat wasps can be short-sighted.She's frightened of them,so we hung a fake nest at the door—said they wouldn't come in.An errant stinger zigzagged pastand we told herit must have been becausehe needed better spectacles.She relaxedas we ushered him out.The ability of grown-upsto tell all sorts of slanted truths to trusting youngstersis not news.Other awfulnesses have includedthe tooth fairy(well, any fairy really),that crusts make your hair curl,and that kisses make it better.In every lie, a grain of truthespeciallyabout the kissing.