Questioning
What a cliché. There I was, handcuffed to a chair and telling them that I knew my rights. Yelling at them about what an outrage this was. Straight out of a movie. I couldn’t help it. You have to remember I thought I was above the law at this stage, a ...
Third Strike
Perfect Mates, Inc.
James Stevens sheepishly peeked around the doorjamb. “E-e-excuse me m-m-mister, can you help m-me?â€
Robert Boyer looked up from his desk, and smiled. “Of course, sir. Come in, and take a seat. What can I do for you?â€
“I’d-d-d ...
Alternatively
Dr. Emmett Black stumbled home, tears still streaming down his face. Katie was there, as always, with dinner. Wonderful, beautiful, sweet Katie. She rushed to his side. "Darling, what's wrong?" She helped him to the couch where he choked back ...
Proctoring the Exam
Everything was prepared. My satchel carried all the tools. They could not be too advanced; I would not have access to gas or electricity, and batteries would only backfire my intentions. I checked my watch, which said it had plenty of life left for the ...
The City
Alissandra lay sideways on her balcony bed in a camisole and skirt, wings folded to the side. Twin tracks of pointless tears traced through the freckles dotting her face. Her eyes were closed now; she, engulfed in a final, hopeless dream.
All she could ...
The Enemy of My Enemy
The Flag Ship of United Earth docked with the Flag Ship of the Volk Empire (The home planet of the Empire orbits Barnard’s Star, the sun’s second closest neighbor). Three decades ago, these two “civilizations†fought each other in a titanic ...
Prometheus
The smell is glorious. The simple cornmeal, oil and fish form an elusive synthesis in the air. I reach for a paper plate, inhaling and closing my eyes. Pulling at the biggest piece by the corner, I burn my fingers a little, but I tear it off, releasing steam ...
Two Muffins, a Wrench, and an Oil Can
In the years following the cyborg wars, humankind toiled to return the world to the order before the chaos. “Rose, are you done with your lessons?†her mother asked from the den. Rose blew her bangs off her forehead, said, “Not ...
Love Lucy
Lucy's hand shook as she traced the stylus over the text of the contract. Her agent had assured her that this was a good deal, but she had to make sure there were no surprises.
The house paid very well, much better than temping, and even offered an ...
Phyx
Invisible
I wasn’t always this way, you know. It happened a long time ago, yeah, but I wasn’t always invisible.
I don’t know exactly when it happened. I just know that one day I realized that there were no more calls on my phone, no more voicemails or ...
Four Minutes
With her eye pressed to the inside of the window and his eye pressed to the out, their lashes navigate the viscous silicate surface of the glass. Somewhere inside, they twine.
The same happens at each of their fingertips -- ten hers and ten his ...
Station
I wake up from a dream about bookshelves and the answers to life. The sheets are damp with sweat and tangled around me. I sit up and look around at my dark room, allowing my eyes to adjust. The stars twinkle outside my living quarters ...
Interface
“Synaptic couplers disengaged.†Andrei Milosovic sat up in the recliner, gingerly rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at the control room window; his colleague there beckoned him up. The Institute had paid for the nanosurgery and training- all so that one of ...
Cargo
"Excuse me, umm..."
"Can I help?" Roisin responded pleasantly, turning to see who had addressed her.
"My name's Gillian...I'm looking for someone who could courier something for me...do you know...?" Gillian's question tailed off. She ...
Twitch
I’m a human channel changer for reality. I invented the device. I’m testing it on myself. I had my medibot install the absurdly simple wave generator in my cortex. If I concentrate in a certain way and jump at just at the right time, ...
Heat
It was hot. It was always hot. There was no escaping it and there hadn't been for hundreds of years. There was only the unyielding, unbearable sun and the empty horizon wavering like seasickness before her. Not that seasickness was really an issue anymore. Where ...
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