An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

by Ambrose Bierce

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce is a short story published in 1890. It follows Peyton Farquhar, a Confederate sympathizer, as he faces execution by hanging from a railroad bridge during the American Civil War. When the rope breaks and he plunges into the creek below, Farquhar begins a desperate escape toward home. The story abandons linear narration to explore the protagonist's mind, creating an early example of stream-of-consciousness technique that leads to a shocking revelation.