Author: David Sydney It was a Friday night poker game, with only three left in the hand—Mel, Otto, and Ralph. Ralph, losing all night, was down to his last few pathetic chips. He couldn't believe it. Mel had dealt him four aces. His problems were over. Finally, he was about ...

Author: David Dumouriez “Good afternoon, Zak,” the voice said. “Alright?” Zak replied. “Had a good day?” “Ah, you know. The usual. Bor-ing!” There was a tinkly laugh. “Got any homework?” “Homework? Just a minute … Yeah. Some crap on the digestive ...

Author: Larson Holm He splashed the cold water up into his face and looked at himself in the mirror. It would have to do. Why did she want to talk now? It had been five years, and she’d been the one to break it off. It hadn’t made sense then, what could’ve changed? Did she ...

Author: Brian Ball She wouldn’t look him in the eye. He rattled off questions, but she ignored his ridiculous whimpering. She punctured the vitamin drip, tightened the chest straps and locked his neck in place. Too bad she couldn’t be bothered. She was the last person he’d ...

Author: Susan A. Anthony The poorly fitting standard builder issue door had a gap under it, all the better to let things escape. Inside, a small white washing machine drained into a hole in the concrete, shielded with a perforated plastic vent, to keep things out, she ...

Author: Majoki ofcourse ofcourse His eyes wide, the district attorney stared at the machine near the witness stand rather than at the witness. It was a moment before he asked his next question. “May I call you Towser?” myname “Thank you.” The DA responded, his eyes ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Rolla takes a swig from his mug and smiles. “Gather round, my children, and listen well. Heed not the screams of the monshaga as they roam. Within these walls, we are safe. Behind the great door, we will thrive.” Gesty spits into the ...

Author: Gordon Pinckheard Stray from the shoal, and you risk your life. Dave would like to have moved in towards the center of his row of marchers, but his arm was locked with his neighbor's. At least, they were well back from the protest's front lines. The day ...

Author: Richard Simonds Harriet, age fourteen, looked forward to freshman English, although she wasn’t exactly sure why. Maybe there was poetry in her soul, or maybe she was just intellectually interested. If asked about her excitement, she would say, “I don’t know, I hear ...

Author: Hillary Lyon “I heard that.” “What?” Clive looked over his shoulder. “You’re not supposed to be listening to my conversations. Besides, it’s true—it is hard to get good help.” “That’s not what your wife told me.” Andra stood in the doorway to Clive’s home ...

Author: Timothy Goss There is no tyme, no tick tock not no more. Sunny has face an hands, but no tick tock, only slip slop like me own guts. We been waiting an watching, meself an Sunny, waiting days and nites, watching light an dark, waiting for grub from under wood. Sunny ...

Author: Nathan Matthew Edmunds The spacecraft ascended the purpose of its creators’ intention like most of their labors before it. On November 5, 2018, the Voyager 2 probe broke through the heliosphere of its home system and hummed through the blind and deaf cosmos. By the ...

Author: Majoki Somewhere in the staggering structure there had to be a drip. Thorndyke sensed it before he actually heard it late that first night as he sat in the empty chamber. A metallic plinking. It seemed inconceivable that a structure as monolithic as the Presidium ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer There's a lot to be said for the glory of a star field. A million points of light in every direction, in an array of colours you'd never believe possible, and a silence that seems to make the vista even more intense. "You're stargazing ...

Author: Chris Lihou The parking lot was empty. Its single light projected a cone of semi-darkness, beyond which shadows could stealthily move. As instructed, I deposited the package at the base of the light and quickly retreated. In the light’s glow, I knew I’d make for an ...

Author: Colin Jeffrey Nicole Celoni settled into a loungeroom chair, wireless earbuds in, ready to read and listen to music. She flipped open her book, pressed play on her MP3 player. Nothing. Confused, she checked the screen. Every file was gone. Panic rising, she ...

Author: Jason McGraw “Electrical ozone, hold the smoke,“ Kia says as straps tighten at the hook-ups of the space suit and the mask descends. The mask covers eyes, ears, and nose, leaving the mouth open to the air in case the nasal feed gets too strong. The scent Kia ...

Author: Susan Anthony From her white enameled tub, chipped on the rim, worn down by countless bottoms sliding across its base, a frosting of bubbles, Tanya heard knocking. Through the pane of glass separating her from winter there it was again; more scratch than tap. She ...