Short Stories

By

Puchi Ann

· Arch de Triomphe

A vignette in exactly 100 words

· Be My Valentine?

For twelve-year old Joseph Cartwright, things go from bad to worse as he struggles with the most “mushy-gushy” school assignment he’s ever been given. When all his efforts to solve his dilemma fail, there’s only one person who can stand between him and the painful consequences he’s destined to reap – Adam.

· Never Alone

The first few weeks after the death of Inger Cartwright, as seen through the eyes of seven-year-old Adam.

· Solitary Witness

When twelve-year-old Joseph Cartwright plays hooky one wintry day, he learns that having Pa find out is the least of his worries.

· The Daring Deeds of the Deadeye Kid

When bandits invade the Ponderosa, a fourteen-year-old boy with an overactive imagination fed on dime novels decides that he and he alone can save his family.

· We’ll Be Home For Christmas

Having promised Pa that they will be home for Christmas, the three Cartwright brothers are ahead of schedule as they return from a late-season shopping trip in San Francisco. A sudden snowstorm in the Sierras, however, may make keeping that promise – or even staying alive – impossible.

· Santa’s Little Helper

With eighteen-year-old Little Joe the only Cartwright not confined to bed, the prospects for a merry Christmas appear bleak. Ben has even ordered the cancellation of the annual Christmas Eve party, but in a burst of Yultide enthusiasm, Joe decides to host the party by himself. After all, how hard could it be? And then his carefully laid plans begin to unravel.

· The Final Bequest

In this retrospective on two episodes of Bonanza, Adam and Joe reflect on the loss of their best friends.