Hope and Wild Panic: Short

This story was originally published in Day One, a weekly literary journal dedicated to short fiction and poetry from emerging writers.

Making friends in adulthood isn't easy. Everything is about work, kids, home improvements, all the responsibilities that come with the desire for stability.

So when Jill and Peter, a charismatic and artsy pair, invite Lydia and her husband home after a long night at the bar, it's unexpected, but also exciting.

Peter is a sculptor who wears necklaces; Jill is a video artist. Sometimes Jill films Peter sculpting, sometimes Peter sculpts Jill filming, and their apartment has no lights.

As more drinks are poured, what started as a mundane date night for a husband and wife who don't go out much turns strange—and opens the door to some uncomfortable questions.

A story about an unsettling encounter, Hope and Wild Panic suggests that even something as innocent as drinks with new friends could turn sinister at any moment.