Author: Chelsea Utecht Today is the day our masters treat us to sweet snacks of expensive corn and sing a song to celebrate their love for us – “Happy Earth Day to you! Happy Earth Day to you! Happy Earth day, our humans!” – because today the orbit aligns so that we can see ...

Author: Kelleigh Cram I told my daughter I didn’t want the dang thing but you know kids; they understand technology and we are just senile. The robot folds my clothes, which I must admit is nice. The shirts are stacked so precisely I just take whichever one is on top, ...

Author: R. J. Erbacher He turned the corner at a run and slammed his shoulder into the white partition leaving a smear of sweat and blood but kept going. His bare feet slapped franticly on the tile-like floor as he sprinted down the hall. He wished he could wake, but he ...

Author: David C. Nutt My team assembled on the roof of factory near Prahova, Romania. Our objective was the next building over. Non-descript, a gray cube with the latest security measures at all entrance points, to include the heavily tinted sky lights. That’s why we were ...

Author: Nicholas Johnson “But what if you didn’t have to experience that pain now? What if you already did?” The doctor leaned forward, placing his elbows on the shiny glass desk, smiling with predatory teeth. I tapped my knee and tried to avoid eye contact, angry at my ...

Author: David Margolin Maggie and Trent were a self-sufficient young couple, both remarkably dexterous and tech savvy.  They did all their home repairs, serviced their own cars, and every few weeks Maggie cut Trent’s hair. “Home haircuts are great-- think about how much ...

Author: Majoki One cannot speak of the Universe. One can only speak of rocking chairs, carnations and a pen. This is the path to understanding. Take it on good authority. Travel writers speak of ordeals as the ideal. I would not say that losing my tablature in Genra was ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Linda looks about as she blows into cupped hands. It’s been a brutal November, and the forecast is that it’ll be a white Christmas from everything freezing over instead of snow. She glances at Will. “So what’s a polinismum again?” He ...

Author: Colin Jeffrey "I didn't say it was your fault," Aldren Kleep moaned, rolling all seven of his eyes at the human standing before him. "I said I was blaming you; It is a completely different concept." The human began to protest again, citing ridiculous notions like ...

Author: Robert Duffy I was bored, so I cranked up an AI-generated version of the 17th Earl of Sussex. Just to chat. It didn’t go so well. I am shocked, sir, at your lack of propriety! Well, we’re just more relaxed about things these days than you are. Are you ...

Author: R. J. Erbacher I came out of the ship carrying equipment and my sightline went up to the base of the hill we had landed next to. The preacher was standing there, looking down at the captain. Captain Lane was crushed under a boulder the size of a compact car. The ...

Author: Paul Burgess My first two wishes have gone exactly as intended. The debilitating vertigo and dryland seasickness have cleared up instantly. I've escaped the month-long perceptual funhouse, not the least bit fun, of the appropriately named labyrinthitis, and as far ...

Author: Sukanya Basu Mallik Every evening, Mira and Arun huddled in the glow of their holo-tablet to devour 'Extended Reality', the hottest sci-fi novel on the Net. As pages flicked by in midair, lush digital fauna and neon-lit spires looped through their cramped flat. ...

Author: Robert Gilchrist The door snicked shut behind the Dauphin. Metallic locks hammered with a decisive thud. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe. Jogging into the room was the Invader. Wearing a red holo-mask to obscure distinguishing features, the figure came up ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Flickering light is the only illumination in the empty laboratory. A faint humming the only noise. At the centre of a mass of equipment sits an old, metal-framed specimen tank, edges spotted with rust. Inside whirls a multi-coloured cloud, ...

Author: David Barber Teachers make the worst students, thought Mrs Adebeyo. They drifted in, chattering, and filling up tables according to subject. At the front sat four English teachers. One of the women was busy knitting. Mrs Adebeyo was already frowning at the click ...

Author: Marshall Bradshaw “You’re going to remember this next part,” said Dr. Adams. The fluorescent lights of exam room 8 hummed in beautiful harmony. I counted off the flashes. 120 per second. That was 7,200 per minute, or 432,000 per hour. The numbers felt pleasantly ...

Author: Fawkes Defries ‘Shit!’ Russ collapsed against his chrome tent, cursing as the acid tore through his clothes. Usually he made it back inside before the rain fell, but his payments to Numeral for the metal arms had just defaulted, and without the gravity-suspenders ...