Author: Rick Tobin “Sandman, I'm so alone Don't have nobody to call my own Please turn on your magic beam Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream.” “Here come those irritating anal-probe bastards in their black helicopters.” Theodore pointed his bison-penis walking cane at the ...

Author: Jakob Angerer The blank landscape of pale dust and rocks, contrasting against the encompassing expanse of darkness above, was almost dreamlike. She felt like a god surveying her living canvas. The potential within the nothingness laid out before her was so ...

Author: Brian Etta “Time travel is real I tell ya...I just took the long way ‘round” Frank intoned. He’d been talking with a group of 12 to 15 year olds physically located in Mumbai, San Francisco and New Zealand, who combined, formed this cloud based classroom. Things had ...

Author: David Barber This wasn't Frankie's usual catch-up with his shrink, this was his annual review. If he could convince them he'd learned his lesson, they'd remove his conscience. Turned out it wasn’t the usual guy, but a woman in her mid-thirties, good-looking, but ...

Author: Alzo David-West A vacuum sound like a whirlwind was booming through the shattered corridor of the third level of an orbital satellite. Sparks and debris shards were suspended in its artificial magnetic field. The single occupant, Morioka, was missing. Commander ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Flickering light fills the clearing, reflecting in the wide eyes of five people in restraint sleeves laid out next to a pair of freight containers. I wait until they turn their attentions to me. “Good morning. Welcome to Dantalius Nine. ...

Author: Rachel Sievers The baby wailed in the woman’s embrace. Despite the infant’s slight weight, it felt heavy in her arms. It was born weak and cried constantly. It had to be one of them. She would have to take it back. Everyone knew if she raised it, it would only bring ...

Author: David P Rogers They met in the coffee shop by accident, which in itself was odd. Neither of them ever did anything unplanned. Or so Fayt thought. But even Mort had to take an occasional break, and neither of them was omniscient. They got coffee and sat by the ...

Author: Alzo David-West “I'm outta the surveyor, Sungod.” “Wazzit like down there, Starman?” “The place's green, all 'round, like a forest a' leaf towers. There's this noise, too. It ain't animals. Zero showed up on my scans. It's jus' plants everywhere. The noise's ...

Author: Steve Smith, Staff Writer He woke from a deep sleep, the room still dark. Had there been a noise? It was quiet now. He reached in the darkness and lifted his phone, the display coming to life just as the alarm sounded, the unexpected noise startling him fully ...

Author: Michael Cavalli The coffee was already on. They could hear the pot gurgling, could smell the process. His lips were curled slightly inward, hers were pursed as they waited. A dismal stillness emanated from them both. White sheet pulled up nearly to his chest, he ...

Author: Gus Doiron I lift a shovelful from the conveyor belt and heave it into the furnace. Same as the one before, and will be after. I spill nothing on the dirt floor. There, it is much harder to scoop and my burden has time to build up. The belt, loose and drooping on ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer They’re sitting in the middle of the road, a bearded older gentleman facing a young girl in a saffron tutu. He’s sitting cross-legged, she’s kneeling. His hands move as he talks, face a picture of concern. She’s gazing at the ground, head ...

Author: Josie Gowler “Snip, snip,” mutters Clarke. “That makes a change from ‘guidance system deployed’”, I mutter, gazing down my microscope. “Sarcasm, Matt? From you?” he replies. “Breaks the tedium,” I shoot back. “How can you get bored? We’re doing ...

Author: Kevin Criscione We built fires for warmth, shelter from the elements, crude wooden tools to continue building, among other necessities, more crude wooden tools. We found our rhythm, working in simple motions out in the open air. Eventually, we had huts, fire pits, ...

Author: Rick Tobin “Not one of your better ideas Inky.” My yelling echoed against the reinforced beams and lines of ready ships stored in launch five. I shook my head as Enrique Chacon selected and boarded a starcraft alone from the space station’s shuttle bay, or should ...

Author: Alzo David-West Ubn Kal-Zar, sovereign prince of Neo Ara, was extremely pleased with his family's accomplishments and his kingdom—a vast, atmospherically controlled, self-sustaining network city encircling the equator of Mars. That Ubn's line and nation would be the ...

Author: Kathryn Smith I see them at night the most, the cogs turning in her head. She thinks I don’t know that she’s awake, going over thoughts again and again and again. She’s always been too open, maybe that’s what drew me to her in the first place. I tried to persuade ...