Author: Sabrina E. Robinette The choice was obvious for most, but I struggled. Should I die freely on Earth, or live in debt on Mars? “In debt”– that’s what they called it, but everyone knew better. There were rumors of labor camps and brutal mining colonies, none confirmed ...

Author: Hillary Lyon “On a sloping hill, see the field of varicolored flowers? Blossoms of geometric shapes, slowly spinning in the gentle breeze.” Commander Oswald closed his eyes and tapped his own temple with his manicured finger. Private First Class Ichor, who was ...

Author: Warren Woodrich Pettine Mother, We replaced our eyes with machines. The impact of perceiving the full spectrum - from viciously fast gamma rays to the yawning gaps of AM radio - was profound. Our ears were next. Augmenting the perception of substance compression, ...

Author: David Barber Peter had noticed the hippy girl earlier, as he loitered near a tour party, eavesdropping on the French tour guide. The chap was enthusing about Marie de France, mediaeval author of tales of chivalry, who was born in this castle, but Peter’s French ...

Author: Jeremy Marks Left its seeds while I was sleeping -Simon & Garfunkel I am a plastic sac picker; I scour the streets collecting loose grocery sacs in the employ of my city. I live in a former metropolis whose every limb is now coated in disposable ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer Midnight, the witching hour. I could do with a flying broom, come to think of it. On that topic, I suspect I’ve more chance of getting to know a broom than any witch that might flit about on one. Right, all geared up – or am I? Phone, ...

Author: Adrianna Voss A series of flashes. An orange marmalade disc cut into her forehead and wrists as she witnessed herself unfold. Her sugar eyes poured as Saskia reached into the surreal. Danced to music no one could hear, with someone who wasn’t there. The ...

Author: Alexandru Lamba Do you enjoy our broadcast? You watch it narrowly, so we are entitled to believe you do. But do you still know who we are? Unfair of us to ask. For we no longer know who you are. Once, your great-grandparents called us the wayfarers, the pioneers, ...

Author: Barry Boone "We're not going to make it." This from Damian. Always worrying. Which is what humans do best. Unfortunately, in this case, he was right: our ship couldn't outrun the aliens. "How long til entry?" he asked, his voice tight. "Fifty-two seconds," ...

Author: Tripp Watson Lucy sat on her bedside and stared at the tiny gap between two of the many grey, plastic panels that composed her bedroom wall. The entirety of Station Bravo’s interior was built of these plastic panels, but only these two with the tiny gap between held ...

Author: Andrew Dunn Tijani queued with other girls alongside a block wall, its once brightly painted designs sun-bleached and flaking. It was September, dry and hot. Sweat jeweled like dewdrops on her face, moistening on her skin. The clatter of an air conditioner teased ...

Author: David Henson When a buzzing sound distracts Cage Edward Fox, he stumbles at the top step and cartwheels to the bottom. He lies motionless a moment then gets to his feet and continues to the garage. # Cage parks his car and takes his fishing tackle from the ...

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The mist-shrouded marsh is spotted with steaming pools of purple liquid, which, unlike the mud, won’t grip you like glue. It’ll either wash the blue-black slime from your boots, or you’ll disappear into it, never to be seen again. Some say ...

Author: M. M. Kaufman “What is the color of seashell?” I made a loud hmm noise and scanned the paint swatches spread across the rug. If Tea Olive kept this up, she would have the entire apartment covered in no time. That’s if I could find more colors. I picked up a few ...

Author: Zannier Alejandra There is comfort in routine. Wake up, pray, shower, and get dressed. Regulation boots, black cargo pants, black shirt, and, lastly, the hood. Mollifying inertia, the only thing that keeps me going. One hundred and thirty-eight. That’s my number. ...

Author: Nilgin Yusuf I had so much more to do. Physically, I’d almost reached the seventh milestone and according to the Decree of Zenith, that was it. Show over. But mentally, no. There were planets I still wanted to visit: Copernicus, Vellium, Quadus; men I wanted to ...

Author: Andrea Goyan In the stark examination room, I cradled Maxine. When I kissed her forehead, her bitty fingers grabbed my nose, and she giggled. My six-month-old miracle baby. “There are worse things,” the doctor said. I kissed her again. “I don’t think so.” Penner ...

Author: Jeremy Marks No safety or surprise, the end -The Doors Our city was built to live with water, water and ice. Our city was an engineering marvel, a hydraulic metropolis. It managed the drainage of two rivers, two giant serpents slithering ...