Author: Sean Nelson Taylor “Christ, these Danishes are hard as rocks!” Damien’s heart rate jumped. The lab assistants were chatting as they returned from their coffee break, ready to begin the afternoon session. Strapped down to a cold metal seat, he was ...

Author: J.D. Rice The cracks on the planet's surface grow slowly at first, and silently. From the safety of my spacecraft, I suppose even the most violent of eruptions would be silent. It doesn't take long before the magma begins to appear, bubbling up from the surface, ...

Author: Majoki “You are suffering from all the hallmarks of pycnodysostosis: fragile bones, short stature, large head, weak chin. Were you never examined for this as a child, Mr. Monfa?” “No, Doctor Durand. Medical resources were few in my youth. I was always unwell. A ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer “Good morning, Orac.” The screen displays the image of a goldfish. “Good morning. Please say what you see.” “A joke played by ORACL2676 that became a security feature because it once stopped an intrusion attempt.” The goldfish ...

Author: Barry Yedvobnick The jury stares at me like they don't believe any of it, and how can I blame them? A year ago, I felt confused too. I knew nothing about olfactory receptors underlying the prowess of a dog's nose. My husband, Jack, was sold by the surgeon’s pitch, ...

Author: J.B. Draper The clanking of the elephantine chain binding Eru to Atria didn’t startle Gorman. But as Eru passed through a rough bit of sea, causing it to sway, and in turn, making Gorman’s door thump, he bolted upright from his slumber. His chest heaved. “There’s ...

Author: Hillary Lyon Jorge looked at himself in he mirror. His mother was right. He was badly in need of a haircut. He set up an appointment with Shelby’s Salon. Upon arriving Shelby’s, Jorge selected two services: A trim and a scalp massage. The reception kiosk ...

Author: David Barber An agency employed Morgan as an instructor for the alien tourists. They wanted to visit, but not encased in space suits or lumbering robots. They wanted the genuine experience, blending in without the screaming and gunfire of the first time, so now ...

Author: Alastair Millar Driven out of Selene Station by the furious outbursts typical of the frustrated but truly powerless, Sheila and I went looking for space to reflect; we ended up making a mostly silent, three-hour crawler ride to one of the old prospector shelters ...

Author: Majoki “Think thinly, my daughter,” the mother counseled as they approached the verge. A few steps ahead, her daughter did not look back, did not break stride. “The boundary may be abrupt,” the mother cautioned, then warned, “You don’t want to slip ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer It stands there, black branches against a steel-grey sky, lord of all it surveys from on top of the escarpment above where I’m digging what could be my own grave. The snow is piled deep here. With a last effort, I hope to make a capsule ...

Author: Bill Cox Standing on the deck of the ship, he watched the dead planet hanging in the void in front of him. It’s lustre had gone, its greens and blues replaced by a uniform dull brown. The automated systems confirmed it. There was no life on the world in front of ...

Author: Richard Loudermilk My child, never worry about how you would endure a catastrophe. You will find it amazing what a person can do when there is no alternative. Look to the graves in our backyard, and yes, you are old enough to hear this. I took no pride in ...

Author: Brynn Herndon The man next to me on the bench wears a crisp suit, creased where it should be, and smooth where it’s meant. My shorts have long ridden up. A splinter digs into my thigh. The world ended yesterday, and the bus is late. You might assume that’d be ...

Author: Evan MacKay I loved a man. I can’t say much more than that. What does it mean to love? A parent loves their child unconditionally. A spouse love’s with nature’s own fierce determination. A friend loves in a way which sometimes makes no sense. I was neither parent ...

Author: J.D. Rice "Will it hurt?" The boy looks up at us with tears in its little eyes. We understand that this could mean fear, sadness, confusion, or a myriad of other emotions at this stage of its development. We use the eyes of the father unit to examine the boy's ...

Author: Majoki Every galaxy has its Dismal Nitch. Every member of the Expeditionary Force knows that, yet Wuten, even with her many cycles of service, had never seen a planet quite like this. It was literally raining vermin. Shiskovny had christened the gliding spider-like ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer I hold the bottle up and watch the faint shadows cast by the rising sun through it. There are still sirens in the distance. That always made us laugh. There’s never enough traffic to delay anything. We joked the sirens were to make sure ...