Novelette by Joseph Conrad. A young seaman on his first voyage as second mate demonstrates leadership ability in temporarily taking command of the crew’s evacuation from his sinking ship, followed by recklessness bordering on dereliction of duty when piloting his “first command” (one of its lifeboats) to shore.
Short Story by Mohamed El-Bisatie. A woman tries to visit her husband in an Egyptian prison. She is allowed to leave a package but not to see him. As she stands on the street below, he has a brief but superficial conversation with her from his third floor cell window.
Short Story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Two recently married women living in the same house are grieving over news of the deaths of their husbands. At different times during the night, a messenger wakes each with news that their husband has survived. Was either of the messages real?
Novelette by Italo Calvino. A young couple with a baby move to a peaceful seaside village in hope of finding work, only to discover that the whole place is crawling with ants. After they find the baby covered in ants and their food is destroyed, Calvino takes a playful turn.
Grade 5-6 Story by Isaac Singer. An anthropomorphic goat no longer produces enough milk to justify her keep. Like many unproductive farm animals, she faces a final trip to the town butcher. Fortunately, a freak snowstorm interrupts the journey and gives her a chance to redeem herself.