Pocketbook Novels & Stories

Two down, one to go… The handsome passenger is tricky. Kate focuses all her world-building skills on him. He’s typing on his smartphone, which she imagines is a blue Galaxy A10; released just four months ago. He looks like he’s texting his girlfriend. Earlier, he took out his wallet, which was a Velcro trifold in denim color. It had one clear ID holder outside, on the right fold… “I know!” Kate suddenly cries out, snapping her eyes open and scaring Ms. Perfect.

I muttered under my breath, glancing toward the hallway. Still no Damon. I chewed the inside of my cheek. The sound wasn’t just annoying anymore, it was drawing glances. The couple across from us looked over, the man’s frown deepening. Beep. I reached forward and touched the bag. Hesitated. My fingers hovered over the zipper. It’s not my business. Beep. Except it was. I unzipped it with a flick. Inside: his wallet, keys, a crumpled receipt for petrol, a book titled Startups and Sharks, and nestled in the middle… a second phone.

I walked up to a lady looking 28 years old. "Ms.? I've never bought a phone before... What phone should I get. She looked back at me, and said. "You should get the XMZ for your first phone. It has a lot of memory space, and you can fit it in your pocket. It's a decent size when you open it, but it folds in half. It has a touch screen too, so you can play games on it."

The weight of our situation pressed down, heavy and suffocating. It was then, amidst the debris of a collapsed building, that Kelly unearthed it – a small, tarnished silver locket. It lay half-buried in the dust, its surface scratched and worn, yet somehow managing to retain a faint, almost ethereal glow. We gathered around it, the faint glimmer a stark contrast to the surrounding darkness. Inside, nestled amongst the faded velvet lining, was a single, faded photograph.

And the waterproof pouch. The amulet rests inside it, the wolf’s eye gleaming even in the dim light. I don't touch it. Not yet. Below it, the note that was left with me as a baby. Faded and creased from how many times I’ve read it. And the cash—still a little over $3,400 left. It feels like so much and not nearly enough at the same time. I press my palm over the pouch and zip the bag shut. There’s still plenty of room left. Enough for some lightweight food. Protein bars, crackers, peanut butter, bottled water. And maybe a thing of muscle rub if I can find it. Something to help when the ache in my legs and shoulders refuses to quiet.

Kai had his own medical patents, and his account had more than enough money to last them several lifetimes. On the other hand, Zach titled his head and ignored Madelyn's rant. His gaze softened as he unboxed the phone and handed her the sleek pink device. He said, "This color really suits you. I've downloaded lots of apps for you, all the information about drawing and design you might need, and the books in e-book format you usually read. So now you don't have to go looking for books whenever you want to read something."

When she sat down, she noticed Jason holding a wallet. The young man opened the wallet he was holding and then took a small prayer book from there. Jenny smiled. She also has that in her wallet. "Oh, why are you smiling?" She did not notice that Jason is looking at her. "Ah, nothing!" she said. "Oh really huh?" Jason's unconvinced response. Embarrassed Jenny laughed softly. "It's the prayer book, I also have something like that in my wallet," she said truthfully.

I was at Roger’s tavern to observe, listen and make an ally or two. A scrawny man walked up to my table, balancing an empty wooden tray on his waist. “I’ve never seen you around here before,” he observed, packing the dirty plates into the tray. “I’ve never been,” I replied, tossing a pouch of golden coins on the table. “Sit,” The man eyed the pouch for a few seconds, looked around and then took a seat in front of me, placing his loaded tray on the table. “What do you wish to know?” “I here you’re the gossip monger in here,” I stated, sipping my beer while keeping my blue eyes on him.

Kyle rushed through his morning meetings and tidied up some stuff so that he wouldn't have to be back for a long time. He couldn't wait to get back to his little pain in the ass, princess. He touched his inside jacket pocket to make sure the box from Harry Winston was there and patted the packages on the seat next to him.

My laptop rests on a cardboard box I dragged in from the curb, and my phone charges on the windowsill where the signal is strongest. I open my banking app, and the balance stares back with unblinking cruelty: fourteen dollars and twenty-seven cents. In the side pocket of my bag, I have three dollars in quarters for laundry. I control billions in voting rights and a two-billion-dollar merger proxy, yet I can't afford a coffee maker.