On the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, there is a lodge.  And in the lodge is a giant sitting room with an even gianter picture window, trying to capture the infinite in a finite frame, behind glass.  To my left, open double doors lead outside onto a patio, doors as big and wide as that pane of glass.  I watch moths trapped inside the viewing room.  Dozens of them, trying to make it through to the other side of the big picture window.  By instinct, they fly toward the light outside, but keep bouncing against that glass.  About as many lie dead or dying on the cold stone floor.

The way out isn’t hard.  It’s easy.  They could do it.  Those moths don’t know that if they journey just a little bit farther, just a tiny bit out of their way, there’s these real big double doors.  Most of them will probably die, trying to do the apparent thing, trying to move through a deception, trying to do what every other moth does.

© 2022 by Michael C. Just

Mike’s novel, The Dirt: The Journey of a Mystic Cowboy, is available in softcover or eBook formats through Amazon.

You can purchase the book through this website. Or go straight to amazon at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+dirt+journey+of+a+mystic+cowboy&crid=1S40Q4BXSUWJ6&sprefix=the+dirt%3A+journey+of+a+m%2Caps%2C180&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_23

Mike’s other titles, including The Crippy, The Mind Altar, and Canyon Calls, are available through this website or through Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002

Four of his short stories have recently been published online:

Lies, Ltd. has been published by The Mystery Tribune @ Lies, Ltd.: Literary Short Fiction by Michael C. Just (mysterytribune.com)

The Obligate Carnivore has been published by the Scarlet Leaf Review @ Category: MICHAEL JUST – SCARLET LEAF REVIEW

I See You, Too has been published by the 96th of October @ I See You, Too – 96th of October

Offload, a short story about a man who can heal any disease, is now live and can be read at The Worlds Within at Offload – The Worlds Within