Short Story by Lim Beng Hap. When a Malaysian father offers his beautiful daughter to a young man in marriage, he initially declines. The belief among his people is that the refusal makes him “Poonek” (likely to suffer a disaster), and he soon has a warning encounter with a crocodile.
Novelette by Rebecca Harding Davis. A mild-mannered furnace attendant with an artistic leaning lives in squalid conditions with his father and a mildly disfigured female cousin. The cousin, whose love for the man is not reciprocated, destroys both of their lives by stealing money to try to help him.
Short Story by Anita Desai. A young boy playing ‘tag’ with his siblings courageously hides in a dark and threatening shed. He loses track of time and is shattered when he emerges to claim the glory and finds the other children have forgotten about him and moved on.
Short Stories by Kate Chopin. As a wild storm rages outside, a farmer’s wife and wealthy plantation-owner who had stopped for shelter engage in wild, stormy sex inside. Although both are married, neither feels guilty about the tryst. Afterwards, the woman continues family life as normal, though seemingly more contented.
Novelette by Harlan Ellison. A boy retains the body and mind of a five-year-old as those around him age and the world changes. He also “lives” in the past, channeling new episodes of long discontinued radio shows and movie series, and receiving products from mail-order companies that no longer exist.