Saving the drowning girl

Author : Ian Rennie I was out for a walk last night when I heard a cry for help. There was a girl in the river. I don't know how she got there, she didn't say at the time, and I haven't asked her yet. All she said then was "help!", in a voice that got sharper and higher as ...

Lone Wolf

Author : Liz Lafferty Jonathan Wolf had grown old in space. His craft chugged across the Milky Way on its return journey to Earth. As the first solo explorer and the first man who’d left the galaxy, he was anxious to return home. Potential candidates had been selected ...

The Bird-Watcher

Author : Jeff Phillips Grace took her hat off, wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead with the back of her aged hand. She hated the angle of the sun at this time of day, but this was the only place on the grounds where she felt alive. Butterflies lit on the hummingbird ...

Beleuchtung

Author : L. Mellancorps Allis coughed. Jard pulled his knife out of its sheath. Jard carries a hunting knife he found in a museum, so it’s probably even older than the video cassettes he likes to collect. It has a blade as long as my forearm with a thick, leather-wrapped ...

Visit To A World Called Dirt

Author : Michael Varian Daly ~About a million miles out from the planet, space began to quiver and distort. After a few seconds, the Susapan scoutship Illaun dropped into normal space. It was small by Susapan standards, twenty six miles on its axis, a bit over seven ...

Ancient History

Author : Subsplot Alex carefully swung his arms back, making sure he kept his posture right and his hips level. The head of the gold club reached past its apex, and then smoothly but with some force he brought it back in a graceful arc that lifted the ball cleanly of it it's ...

The Jump

Author : Apollyn So here we are. You and I on the verge of time. Ready to bungee jump right off the scariest edge my eyes have seen. I’ve done this and yet I am this close to turning my back on you and walking away. I can feel my heart all over my body – various pulses here ...

Cartographer

Author : Debbie Mac Rory “This ship represents the cutting edge of our technologies. It’s fitted with both near-light and dark-light engines. It even has solar sails installed, if you ever wanted to cruise on silent. The ship is designed for a skeleton crew of 6, though it ...

The Alnitakians

Author : Patricia Stewart, Staff Writer Approximately 800 light-years from Earth, the DSX-13 “dropped” out of hyperspace, and reentered conventional space-time. This was Earth’s first sojourn beyond the “local neighborhood” (100 light-year radius). It took fifteen jumps, ...

We All Fall Down

Author : Todd Hammrich On his final day of work the robot A9327R activated with a slight jerk. He was quite pleased that today he would be done with his projects. Long ago he had been created to serve as the monument upkeep specialist and had quite a job set before him. They ...

Prison

Author : Duncan Shields, Staff Writer It was the physical changes that were the hardest to get used to. I’m not just talking about the year of physiotherapy. I’m talking about the grey hairs. I’m talking about the soft skin. That and the gradual discovery that life had ...

Her

Author : David Richey “She’s amazing!” exclaimed General Perkins. “Thank you very much, General.” Dr. Springmayer said as they looked through the observation window. “We’ve worked very hard to make her so. Having sixty years worth of classified government research and a ...

Rally MMCIX

Author : Ken McGrath My body goes limp and it’s like floating, like there’s no gravity. Then I feel the zoom, my shoulders jerk back and I’m off. Blood rushes to my head, fingertips scuttling like tiny crabs dancing over the keyboard, a whoosh by my eyes as the corners flash ...

1+1=5

Author : Richard Watt Isaac blinks and tries it again. There is an apple on the table in front of him, and another on the shelf to his left. He reaches out with his left hand and picks the fruit up. It has the texture and heft of an ordinary green apple. Isaac lays it ...

The Future's Promise

Author : Garrick Sherman Sarah settled back into her seat on the time skipper. She picked up a magazine and tried to read, but found she couldn’t focus. “Are you alright, dear?” the old woman in the next seat asked her. Sarah realized that she was bouncing her leg ...

Short Order

Author : H. Chaskin Above the clouds, it still rains. No pitter-patter. More like split-pea mist. Floating highway roars outside. Looks like Jetsons. Smells like Jersey. Naked Lady Calendar: July. Never used to rain in July. Electric eye jingles an 8-bit interlude above ...

Cybtech Disconnect

Author : Joseph Patrick Pascale An imposing man with the makings of a beard splotched across his face, Garrard skulked down the grimy Philadelphia streets slouched forward as if his muscles were barely contained within his hoodie. He crunched the plastic coffee cups that ...

Third Person

Author : Steven Saus She is within two hexes before my character notices her perfume. She is approaching from behind. I left-toggle the camera angle back to third person, floating above his head. Minicams hover and spin, filling in the the peripheral things a 120 degree ...

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