Hello, can I speak to Mister—
Yes, I understand you’re busy, but—
Hello, I’m calling to let you know about—
The script’s coffee stained.
Thirty seconds per call.
Performance monitored.
Athena bites her cheek lining.
Until it bleeds.
She wants to tell them
about real battles,
real victories.
She wants to tell them
to sharpen their tongues,
sharpen their minds,
reclaim their lives.
Instead, she smiles into the headset
and offers them another worthless deal.
Steven Bruce is a multiple award-winning author. His poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous international anthologies and magazines. In 2018, he graduated from Teesside University with a Master of Arts in Creative Writing. His work often explores themes of trauma and resilience. Born in England, Steven now resides and writes full-time in Poland.