Author: Jared S Moya A sharp pain pierced Darya’s side. His knees buckled as he drew his hand to the wound and toppled to the ground. His shoulder slammed into the packed dirt of the dry riverbed, his teeth clacking against each other. Rolling onto his back, he noticed a ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer …And so the seas rose again, while volcanos and storms brought even more devastation and starvation. Those godly ones who led us looked within themselves and made a decision: in their image was the world, and in their image it would be ...

Author: Neille Williams “Gramps, a star just fell out of the sky!” Billie hollered out to her Grandpa, who had just poured his second whiskey and was reclining against the kitchen bench. “Sweetie,” he began, ambling over as she pressed her eager face against the window ...

Author: R. J. Erbacher Admiring what lay outside the glass, the vastness of space overwhelmed him. The window on the spacious observation deck was a circular aluminosilicate pane, a meter in circumference, the handles on both sides allowed him to effortlessly hold his prone ...

Author: Dart Humeston “Two popular restaurants were closed yesterday while the city health department warned four others.” Tisha, the television news anchor said, her luscious blonde hair framing her stunning face. “This despite the city cutting the health department’s ...

Author: Tamiko Bronson “How will they find us, Grandma?” She smiled, pulling her paintbrush across each rice paper lantern. Velvet black ink seeped into the fibers, revealing names: Tsuneo. Kazuko. Satoshi. Our ancestors. “Come, Kana-chan.” We carried the ...

Author: Alastair Millar “It’s quite impressive, really,” said Annika, leaning back in her chair. As General Overseer at Europe’s busiest spaceport, she’d worked hard to get where she was, and could afford to be relaxed. “It’s bloody annoying, is what it is,” retorted Hans. ...

Author: Majoki Cantor waited until Hazzez finished checking the airlock before asking about the Frumies. Hazzez flashed a crooked grin revealing the eclectic range of micro-implants in his teeth. “Why do you want to know about the Frumies?” Cantor shrugged. “Sarge ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer “Does it ever end?” Bruce rises slightly and turns to stare at Lilimya. “If you don’t pay attention, it’ll end sooner than y-” He explodes from the waist up, a wave of heat momentarily turning snowflakes to steam. Lilimya is blown ...

Author: Diego Lama, Translated: Rose Facchini Lucio has smelled of piss and shit for more than twenty years, ever since his mother died suddenly and he started sleeping in the park. That night, however, he couldn’t fall asleep. It was the stars’ fault. Lucio didn’t wonder ...

Author: Michelle Wilson It wasn’t their fault. My parents were good and kind, with the best intentions; their only “flaws” were an inability to conceive and the wish for a family of their own. When the technology came, and they saw the digital models of how I would appear ...

Author: David Barber Shantytowns sprang up around every Jirt hiveship, infamous marketplaces of greed and filth. This must be the opinion of the Jirt, because without warning they sometimes reduced them to sterile white ash. Surely no one would risk living in the ...

Author: Mark Renney Tanner was a loner. Even prior to the System, during his childhood and throughout adolescence, he hadn’t managed to form any long-term relationships. He had kept his head down, listened intently, and worked hard and he had been an above average student ...

Author: Douglas Mulford It didn’t take long for everything to become boring. The past was a kaleidoscope of excitement - both joyous and tragic. The future, in contrast, was suffocatingly dull. Problems that once consumed humanity were relics of history. War, hunger, and ...

Author: Majoki When you’ve seen what flashbeams can do to infantry, even with shielding, it’s easy to lose your faith in humanity. When your commander outfits one of your few remaining tactical boostsuits with a golden cape and wings, and then orders you to fly among your ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The afternoon is chill, clear, and sunny. The quiet is unearthly. The smell isn’t too bad - yet. I tap another ‘play’ icon. “I’ve got moments to dictate this, so I best keep to essential- Damn. I’m wasting time telling- Fuck, this isn’t ...

Author: Sophia Collender If you rest your hand on a mossy rock and down beside it, you have the option to stay there forever. The moss will accept the invitation to crawl into the new space. It will grow to encompass your fingers and your arms. It will seize whatever space ...

Author: Rick Tobin 32 turned to robo engineer 14 Jerry Wilson’s screams echoed across the large Martian dome, stark in its steel majesty under the bluish-black sky. “He was bound to be upset. It’s been six months since his last awakening. It’s too bad we exhausted our ...