Flushed Stratagems

Short Fiction by Abram Dress

Ethan had meticulously chosen the venue: an unassuming gallery tucked away on a quiet side street. His date, whose profile hinted at a shared appreciation for obscure watercolors, seemed like the perfect candidate for a low-stakes, potentially enjoyable, first encounter. His strategy was simple: arrive a few minutes late, engage in polite, art-centric c…