© Claire Fuller

Building Bridges

by Miles H. Rost

A bell jingled flatly.

Gerald the storekeeper looked up, noticing the teenage girl spying different products on the shelves. He opened the window to let the sea air fill the tiny shop.

The girl kept looking around, and when Gerald got a good look at her, he smiled.

“Ophelia Krain! What are you doing here?”

She looked up and crinkled her eyes.

“Tryin’ to find a special lure.”

Gerald stopped for a second. Why would a pretty girl need a lure?

“Any reason?”

“Dad’s coming to visit”, she beamed.

Gerald frowned at her.

“I hope he’s not going to stay long…”, he said, grabbing the brass knuckles under his cabinet.