Excerpt:

My heart is pounding. I know what I have to do. I have to free the mouse. I have to feed the mouse. Uta stares blankly at me. Can two seconds possibly be enough time for her to assess my situation? Are two seconds enough to comprehend the passionate fiasco of hundreds of uneaten cartons spanning the sticky rice seasons of five years? Can the sweet and glutinous liberation rising in my chest, a thick, fermented, bubbly sensation, possibly travel from my side of the table to hers in just two seconds?

The fiction short story “Caught” originally appeared in Illuminations, Volume 12 (2011), edited by Kimberly Fangman.  Illuminations  is the award-winning artistic publication of Southeast Community College, where Kara taught English from 2008-2013.