A FAMILIAR FACE
ALM No.94, October 2026
SHORT STORIES
He took a wheezy breath.
It felt like razor blades shredding his throat as he swallowed, and he could barely lift his head from the pillow. Then, the doorbell rang…
First, he rolled over onto his back and swung his legs over the edge of the couch. He took another wheezy, shallow breath. He then pushed himself into a seated position, shaking his head to fight off dizziness.
The doorbell rang again.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” He tried to yell, but it came out as barely a whisper.
He shoved with his hands off the couch, into a standing position. Tenderly taking a few wobbly steps, the doorbell rang again, this time more urgent.
Cripes, he thought. What could be so important?
Putting his right hand out, he grasped the doorframe to the living room, barely catching himself to keep from falling.
“Just a few more steps,” he told himself.
As the doorbell started to ring more frantically, he finally reached the front door. Reaching to grab and turn the handle, he pulled it open and heard a familiar voice.
“Well, well, well, it’s about time you got to the door…”
He glanced up and saw a face he hadn’t seen in years.
Lauren Cawley is a creative writing student at FullSail University, she is a single Mother of 3 children. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She now lives just outside of Lousiville, Kentucky, with her oldest and youngest children. When not writing, she is often found at church, reading, drawing, doing puzzles, spending time with her kids, or time with her 1 year old puppy, Jade.
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