Above a naked corpse, an odor of death hangs like a dark cloud as decay advances and finds expression in the desert air. As curious vultures dive down and dig in, a piece of paper is released from the corpse's shirt pocket, its destiny unknown.

In his debut collection of twenty-five short stories, seasoned Australian writer Robert Halsey transports others on a journey through vivid settings and the eyes of eclectic characters as they face a variety of challenges. As a man stands in a barn and contemplates a decision that will bring the final curtain down on a tragic story, he returns to his memories to find solace as a curious observer watches. Eliab struggles to remember a time when happiness prevailed as he cautiously explores his old family home. Two Himalayan trekkers must make an agonizing choice on the bleak slopes of Kinchengunja. A priest is left to question his faith in God after an earthquake devastates the Dominican Republic.

Canticle for Calyute is a collection of diverse short stories that leads others down a creative path intended to raise self-consciousness and encourage introspection.