The Glass Bridge

The Glass Bridge: Short Story by Robert ArthurIn this “locked room” mystery by Robert Arthur, a woman walks from her car into a snow-bound house and disappears. Her footsteps are visible going in, but there are none coming out. A search of the house shows no sign of the woman. The old man living in the house jokes with the attending policeman that if he had killed her, he would have had to “whisk her over a glass bridge in a flying saucer”. We learn at the end of the story that this is essentially true. Themes include isolation, past sins, deception, deductive reasoning, the “impossible” crime.

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Postpaid to Paradise

Postpaid to Paradise: Short story by Robert ArthurIn this light-hearted fantasy by Robert Arthur, a man inherits a set of postage stamps with magical powers. Issued by the Federated States of El Dorado, a seemingly utopian country in what proves to be a parallel world, they provide for almost instant delivery. When an experiment with an aging cat proves that posting oneself to El Dorado is not only safe but may be medically rejuvenating, a close friend of the man makes the journey in search of a beautiful native girl pictured on one of the stamps. Themes include friendship, mystery, infatuation, escapism, daring vs. caution, magic/the supernatural.

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Footsteps Invisible

Footsteps Invisible: Short story by Robert ArthurThis story by Robert Arthur is an early stalking fantasy. The blind owner of a newspaper kiosk has hearing so acute that he can tell his customers by the sound of their footsteps. One stormy evening, a famous archaeologist asks him to listen and provide a warning if he hears the distinctive scraping tread of a vengeful Egyptian spirit that has been hunting him for three years. Tension builds towards an inevitable conclusion when the blind man tells him that he has already heard the described footsteps. Themes include scientific hubris, despair, perpetual punishment (for defying other-worldly laws), the supernatural.

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Midnight Visitor

Midnight Visitor: Short story by Robert ArthurThis short spy story by Robert Arthur highlights the importance of not judging people by appearances. After spending a fact-finding evening out with a man he believes to be a secret agent, a young writer is disappointed by his host’s mundane appearance and lifestyle. Things change when, upon returning to spy’s apartment, they are confronted at gunpoint by a rival agent. The writer learns that not only can looks be deceiving, but wit and presence of mind can often turn the tables in threatening situations. Themes include appearance vs. reality, deception, intelligence vs. physical power.

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