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“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge'' is a short story by Ambrose Bierce that was first published in 1890
. The events take place in Alabama toward the end of the American Civil War. Peyton Farquhar, a Southern plantation owner, is about to be hanged by Union troops for attempted sabotage. In a twist of time and perception, the story explores Farquhar's fantasy of escape. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” was adapted into a 1961 French film that three years later was broadcast in edited form as an episode of the American television series The Twilight Zone.