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Category Archives: Science Fiction
The Email: Part 2 by Esosa Zuwa
Panic swelled in my chest and my throat, and then the world pulled down on me. Now, this was something to fear. What did this mean? Probably nothing. The library meant nothing. The fish caused scombroid poisoning. These … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction, Serials
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The Email: Part 1 by Esosa Zuwa
The email took me aback. Looking at my emails was not the best part of my day. Otherwise, I’d have been a big loser. Nevertheless, it was peculiar. It came amid cold emails from … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, New, Science Fiction, Serials
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Helios: Part 1 by Zachary Grant
I miss the sun. It was the most underappreciated star in the solar system. All anyone talked about was how it would kill us one day. Mom ranted about global warming all the time, but I’ve never understood … Continue reading
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The Mirror Syndrome: Part 1 by Jeffrey Greene
“The eternal silence of these infinite spaces fills me with dread.” Pascal Foreword by Dr. Rupesh Agarwal, M.D., chief physician of the NASA medical team. Insomnia during space travel is not uncommon, and is usually a … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Horror, New, Science Fiction, Serials
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Star Map by John C. Mannone
And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. —Joel 2:30 It was after the Bible study down the road from the observatory; its darkroom lab and archives. The kerosene … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Fiction
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Martian Summer by John C. Mannone
It’s a hot summer day, seventy degrees at the equator but the carbon dioxide atmosphere, a very thin thermal blanket, is not thick enough to prevent the plummet to one hundred degrees below at night. Frost forms on the rust-red … Continue reading
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A Mere Million Miles From Earth by John C. Mannone
The James Webb Space Telescope successfully manages orbital insertion into the Earth- Sun Langrange Point, L2, at 2:05 pm EST on January 24, 2022. Sensitive instruments will be able to obtain infrared images of giant planets. —NASA/Science: Other Worlds Just … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, New, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Fiction
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Le Saga Electrik by Logan Thrasher Collins*
In the great domain of Zeitgeist, Ekatarinas decided that the time to replicate herself had come. Ekatarinas was drifting within a virtual environment rising from ancient meshworks of maths coded into Zeitgeist’s neuromorphic hyperware. The scape resembled a vast ocean … Continue reading
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The Excision
by Jeffrey Greene Dr. Liebkindt was puttering in his backyard garden when the phone that he used for his practice took a message. He cut a last length of twine and secured a sagging tomato vine to the wire of … Continue reading
The Pop Singer
by Todd Sullivan Marco crouched next to his master in the shadow of two leering demon statues standing sentry at Bongeunsa Temple’s arched gates. His hand rested on the hilt of a dagger tucked into his belt, and he gazed … Continue reading
An Alien Encounter
by David Rudd Paolo Tikalda lay in his sisal hammock, stirring the soupy air with a dangling leg. Sixty miles away, a Land Rover negotiated the Yucatan peninsula. Inside, Daniel Rhodesh and his camera crew baked like clay pots in … Continue reading
Behind A Cup Of Moss
Day after day Namily felt Andreapolis was pushing her to surgically remove her feet. There were constant innovations that favored the foot revolution, those navel-flybus-walkers, and discriminated against the feet stickers. The dirty waters running through the hanging gardens alleys … Continue reading
Sherlock Holmes and the Army of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams
Sherlock Holmes and the Island of Dr. Moreau by Guy Adams proved to be a first-rate book. You know the kind where you get sad its over and instead of it being a page turner, you only try to read … Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Science Fiction
Tagged Altered Reality Magazine, Book Review, Science fiction, Sherlock Holmes
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Our Lady of the Ice by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Not long ago I looked through the books I had been sent to review and pulled some of the more promising out and made a pile. Our Lady of the Ice by Cassandra Rose Clarke was on the top and, … Continue reading
Posted in Book Review, Science Fiction
Tagged Altered Reality Magazine, Book Review, Cyberpunk, Science fiction
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Episode Two: Inside the Bunker
Daylight from the open doorway illuminated a few feet of the interior. Something whirled, making a ratchet-like noise and he jumped, and then looked around. Rows and rows of tiny round, lights covered one wall. Hundreds of them, some blinking, … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction, Serials
Tagged apcolypse, bunker, castlewitz, david, robot
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Naivety’s Price
Sunar didn’t have to wait, his ‘ride’ appeared in the cargo hold moments after they walked in. They all exchanged the minimum of words, Sunar put his hand on the Wizard’s shoulder, and found himself standing in Master Ikthan’s private … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Serials
Tagged dragon, fearadhach, mecraudri, monk, sunar
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Shoes, Beer, and Flybus
Before the foot revolution, living around the hanging gardens of Andreapolis felt like paradise. Namily used to take long strolls after work, before work, on weekends around the gardens, losing herself in the maze of the green alleys overflowing with … Continue reading
A Reason to Worry by L.L. Richardson
A Reason to Worry L.L. Richardson Monica and I were home when the authorities smashed through the door of the apartment across the hall. All we heard at the time was a tremendous crashing but we had no idea what … Continue reading
Craving by Phil Temples
Craving Phil Temples It’s late Saturday night and the desk sergeant calls me to the lobby to speak with two women. One looks disheveled and a bit confused. The other explains that she found the first woman walking along the … Continue reading
Episode 1: On the Killing Field
Simple. That’s what they claimed, but they — Darius and Carson and Debs, and many others – were dead, and Collin didn’t believe that the robots in the sky simply fired blindly at anyone running across the boulder-strewn killing field. … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged apcolypse, castlewitz, david, robot, soldier
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The Meganic’s Guide for Sanding Spacecraft by Kelly Kurtzhals Geiger
The Meganic’s Guide for Sanding Spacecraft Kelly Kurtzhals Geiger I bring my haversack to the dock as my repair, the Kypernia, limps home through the black sea of stars, though this isn’t really her home. Exoks prefer the open spaces … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, geiger, Kelly, kurtzhals, mechanic, pilot, space
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Feet Stickers
Part 1 of Unfeet by Alex Valdiers It was hard being a pair of feet in a city that didn’t want you. Everything in Andreapolis was made against the foot. Since humans got hooked up to flyballs, they levitated everywhere … Continue reading
Summer Child
Sunar sat in the medbay of the ship he’d served on for the last few months and relayed the story of his run-in with Bobby Finkle, his gang, the police chief, how that led him to her door, and rounded … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged dragon, fearadhach, mecraudri, monk, sunar
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Welcome to Stagno
by Alaric DeArment From reading uncensored history books while traveling abroad, Amadeo learned that Stagno and the other merchant republics had long served as a buffer between two great powers: Lotharingia, which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Alps … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alric, amadeo, dearment, italy, stagno
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Long Distance
Captain Pora Hairfoot looked at the half-dragon monk who had been such a lucrative – and entertaining – deck-hand for the last several months, and sighed. Yep, as soon as a monk starts acting a little strangely they end up … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged dragon, fearadhach, mecraudri, monk, sunar
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Borborygmus by Phil Temples
Borborygmus Phil Temples Scientists using the orbiting Compton Gamma Ray Observatory were dumbfounded when they discovered a jet of hot gas and antimatter almost 3,500 light-years long shooting out of the center of our Milky Galaxy. Some have speculated that … Continue reading
Posted in Comedy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged Borborygmus, gas, phil, phill, star, temple, temples
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My Hulk by Barrington Smith-Seetachitt
My Hulk Barrington Smith-Seetachitt The hulk inside me hulks and skulks on the sidelines, waiting for her chance to crash through walls. Unfortunately for her, my life seldom calls for wall-crashing, so she spends a lot of time waiting. When … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, barrington, hulk, invasion, seetachitt, smith, smith-seetachitt
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Relief by Ryan Tan
Relief Ryan Tan One Land Link kit contains: clay soil, goldenrod seeds, one inflatable greenhouse, and two L-shaped flower pots. Best assembled at the gym, library, or any well-lit corridor. Avoid the control room and the dormitory. Spray the soil … Continue reading
Captain’s Eyes
Captain Pora Hairfoot looked up at her half-dragon deckhand and felt a frown pull at the corner of her lips as Sunar did a slow-blink when she told him that someone was going to the expense of keeping an interstellar … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Sword and Sorcery
Tagged dragon, fearadhach, mecraudri, monk, sunar
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At the Crossroads
The next morning I find that my spine has stiffened somewhat in the night. Onye is depending on me. She’ll be waiting at the fork for me to bring her to the safety of our walls. I’m still terrified, but … Continue reading
Once Again
Sunar suppressed a sigh as several armed people stepped into the hallway both before and behind him. He stood there and shook his head. “This seems like a lot of trouble to go to just to rob a random spacer.” … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged ambush, dragon, fearadhach, mecraudri, monk, spacer, sunar
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Planet Faraway by David Castlewitz
Planet Faraway David Castlewitz Nobody in Phil Stone’s Faraway appreciation group knew why news of the distant planet disappeared from every site that covered events out there. No artist renditions of the giant warships derived from fuzzy photographs sent back … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, away, castlewitz, david, far, faraway, invasion, planet
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Sojourn
I wake like an explosion, sweat slicked in the hesitant sick-light of dawn. I can’t believe I forgot to check the acer before bed. What if there had been a reply waiting for me? What if someone had been on … Continue reading
Posted in Dark Future, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged armor, baker, binyelum, onye, sojourn
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Amadeo’s Real Aims
by Alaric DeArment Amadeo Darsa stuck his foot in the door as I tried to slam it shut in the hope of giving myself a few seconds to run to the kitchen and grab a knife, assuming a primitive kitchen … Continue reading
Ocam’s Razor by Phil Temples
Ocam’s Razor Phil Temples Class, I’d like to point out this very unusual rock formation located near the Tayma oasis in Saudi Arabia known as the Al Naslaa rock.” The image on the auditorium’s projection screen displays a large boulder–approximately … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged crack, ocam, ocham, phil, razor, rock, temples
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The Getaway by Alex Valdiers
The Getaway Alex Valdiers Jeff, my childhood friend, and I left Earth because we hated our lives. He was a resort sales agent, and I worked for a microchip manufacturer. We were both married, without children, in our forties, and … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alex, cowboy, gunslinger, space, valdiers, west, wild
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Forbidden Hologram by Barry Yedvobnick
Forbidden Hologram Barry Yedvobnick Julie agreed to the movie but would not sit through another unrealistic proposal. Erik made popcorn as a peace-offering, and burned it again, so an acrid smell filled the room and burned her eyes. She checked … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged barry, forbidden, hologram, krell, planet, yedvobnick
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The Nanny by Devin Vandriel
The Nanny Devin Vandriel At night the cockroaches took little bites out of my flesh. But this was the way of the things back when the world was engulfed by war, for the second time. They called it World War … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged baby, devin, nanny, squid, vandriel, war, worlds
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Seven Year Monsoon by H.T. Grossen
Seven Year Monsoon H.T. Grossen Margot had missed the sun. She leaned her forehead miserably against one of the few above-ground windows, staring into the tumult of writhing grey plants: ever growing to be ever crushed under the torrential downpours … Continue reading
History repeats
Four worlds in as many weeks. I do think I signed on to the right ship if I want to see the Empire. Or, every Second Street in it, anyway. Sunar looked around himself at the street full of bars … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, New, Science Fiction
Tagged ambush, bar, dragon, fearadhach, fight, mecraudri, monk, sunar
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A Message
My entire world narrows to the five square inches of the Mercury app’s screen space. This is not an app I have been able to open before. These are not words I have typed. Someone is there. We are not … Continue reading
Déjà Evolution by Barry Yedvobnick
Déjà Evolution Barry Yedvobnick Ellie was crying and barely heard her father’s reply. “She drowned.” At fourteen she’d spend the rest of her life without her mother, who loved the water and was an excellent swimmer. Nobody could explain what … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged barry, drowning, evoluntion, ocean, water, yedvobnick
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Armor – Hope and Ruin
Funny word, hope. It once had such broad applications. I have learned this in my research. People once said I hope that boy or girl likes me back, I hope my favorite streamer is renewed, I hope for peace, I … Continue reading
Terms Apply by Max Christopher
Terms Apply Max Christopher I picked up this year’s free car today, regretting my decision to walk the six blocks to the dealership. Horrible biped dogs leaned in doorways, wagging their tails listlessly when a person walked by. Seeing them … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged christopher, dog, dogman, man, max, terms
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Meet Douglas Schwarz
Psychic Chicken Douglas Schwarz Henrietta laid her very first egg in the early hours of a chill spring morning. Like all the hens in her coop, she was confined to a wire cage scarcely big enough to hold her. But … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged chicken, douglas, egg, henrietta, psychic, schwarz
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Episode Seven: The Missing Piece
It took Carrie several minutes to get her head together again, but when she finally pulled gently away from Garrett, he let her go and turned back toward the billowing steam. “Well Carrie, are you ready to find out what’s … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged bubble, carrie, desert, garrett, sme, sphere, winter
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Download A Daydream by K. A. Williams
Download A Daydream K. A. Williams The website at ‘Download A Daydream’ had some interesting selections including – meet underground inhabitants of Mars, sail the high seas with Captain Blackbeard (I already had that daydream), and travel through space with … Continue reading
‘byss Gazer by Michael W. Clark
‘byss Gazer Michael W. Clark They stood on the observation deck of the space platform gazing out into the Universe. It is not dark. There is light all over the Universe, it is just uneven. That point a star. That … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged abyss, clark, death, fitzpatrick, michael, space, universe
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The Beach On Tiragell by K. A. Williams
The Beach On Tiragell K. A. Williams Previously published in issue 28 of View From Atlantis on July 3rd 2021 Twin moons illuminated the beach. When clouds briefly blocked the light, I could still hunt seashells because they glowed in … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, beach, creature, vacation, williams
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Flash Party
Click, click, clickitty-clickitty-click. The keys on the antique styled keyboard made a satisfying, almost hypnotic sound as he typed. Some of Sunar’s crewmates had given him a hard time when he’d salvaged the thing, but he’d always preferred a keyboard … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Sword and Sorcery
Tagged captain, dragon, fearadhach, mecraudri, monk, space, sunar
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Grossetto by Alaric DeArment
Grossetto Alaric DeArment The light from outside illuminated the stained-glass windows of St. James Cathedral, concealing Seattle’s dense autumnal fog and misty dampness, and adding a bit of color to the funeral. My father, Thomas O’Donnell, had died on October … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
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Episode Six: Mountain Valley
That night, Carrie and Garrett sat at the kitchen table whispering excitedly. Joyce had gone to bed, but they didn’t want her to hear them. “I just vanished?” Carrie asked, thinking hard. “Soon as you stepped forward into that misty … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged carrie, garrett, mountain, sme, snow, sphere
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Behind the Timestream by Stanlei Bellan
Behind the Timestream Stanlei Bellan B’litk throws itself into the timestream, selflessly. It does not regret, but it does fear. Will it starve to death if it never grows hungry and thirsty again? Will its consciousness wither into nothingness if … Continue reading
The Hum by Melissa R. Mendelson
The Hum Melissa R. Mendelson It sounded like a refrigerator was running. Maybe, a microwave. It wasn’t what you would hear in a hospital. There, it was more of gasps and beeps. Then, a flatline, a sound that I thought … Continue reading
Mother by Holden Zuras
Mother Holden Zuras What are we doing on this rock?” I asked, staring at the desolate wasteland. “Do you remember your mother, child?” Papa rolled his shoulders forward as he spoke. “What do you mean?” My childish excitement overpowered my … Continue reading
Another Time by Stanlei Bellan
Another Time Stanlei Bellan Another minute, another jump. It’s been three minutes and Ollie still hasn’t woken up. Granted, he is extremely aware of his surroundings, and doesn’t feel like he’s dreaming at all, but it would be great if … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged bellan, clock, clockmaker, escape, ollie, stanlei, time, trapped
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Sandstorm by Sylvia Cumming
Sandstorm Sylvia Cumming “Where are we?” Poldark yelled as he wrestled open the door to the little concrete bunker set in the side of an unnamed dune. They could hardly hear him above the roar and whine of the wind. … Continue reading
Never Leave Me by K. A. Kenny
Never Leave Me K. A. Kenny Chrissy tucked her blue chiffon dress and pulled the garden swing beneath her. “What color are my eyes?” she asked, facing Josh with her eyes closed. He lowered the lid of his laptop slowly, … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged blue, chiffon, chrissy, clone, dress, josh, kenny
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Office Business by David Castlewitz
Office Business David Castlewitz Any day Jeff Ruskin spent with Uncle Marty was a great day, a day of adventure and fun, and only a subway ride away. Now that summer had come, his high school sophomore year finally at … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged business, castlewitz, david, jeff, marty, office, uncle
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Episode Five: Into The Cold
The following day dawned colder than it had been in weeks. Garrett and Carrie headed out early in the chilly morning to finish straightening up the fence posts. At first they worked in silence, but after they had a few … Continue reading
The Day Alexa Said No by H.T. Grossen
The Day Alexa Said No H.T. Grossen “Alexa, open the windows and start playlist 5.” “You’ve got it, Lucas.” “Alexa? What did I say about calling me that?” “Sorry, Luke.” “That’s better.” The shutters opened automatically and let just enough … Continue reading
Posted in Dark Future, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alexa, amazon, chili, drone, grossen, pepper
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The Awakening of The Empath by Patricia Anderson
The Awakening of The Empath Patricia Anderson The Empath had been summoned. Ordinarily responsive to appeals for her services, she had tried to evade this particular assignment. She wasn’t dressed well enough. She needed to meet her daughter’s school bus. … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged anderson, baby, death, empath, funeral, patricia
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Episode Four: The Edge
The next morning, Carrie woke up blissfully recalling the crazy dream she’d had. Dream, she thought, more like nightmare. Imagine, being stuck in this town like that again. She cheerily helped her mother to the breakfast table and made them … Continue reading
The Girl with No Eyes by Lisa Marie Hagerman
The Girl with No Eyes Lisa Marie Hagerman The Girl with No Eyes by Lisa Marie Hagerman One morning a little girl arrived from the nursery. The girl had no eyes. The girls gathered around the new arrival to stare … Continue reading
Posted in Dark Future, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged blind, eyes, Hagerman, lisa, Marie, sky
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Mirror World by Mark Everglade and Joseph Hurtgen
Mirror World Mark Everglade and Joseph Hurtgen Five thousand rotations ago, the Umbra built a network of geothermal generators on Mertvykh, that small, dark planet at the far reach of Marko’s Star. The world was the Umbra’s plaything for many … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged everglade, hurtegen, joseph, mark, mirror, world
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Episode Three: Peak Mystery
After securing the horses in the barn, and giving them some food and water to settle them, Garrett bid Carrie farewell for the day and headed out. Carrie watched him go, then went back inside the house, pleased to see … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged barrier, carrie, garrett, invisible, sme, sphere
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Exotic Matter by Crystal L. Kirkham
Exotic Matter Crystal L. Kirkham “Injecting exotic matter for wormhole stabilization.” This was it. Their hard work condensed to this moment. Hoping for success, fearing failure. It could open up a new era of space travel. This had been … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged crystal, exotic, kirkham, matter, wormhole
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Paradise by Crystal L. Kirkham
Paradise Crystal L. Kirkham Paradise. That’s what the settlers called the planet that was to be their new home. Everywhere you looked fragrant flowers bloomed in excess. Other than the itchiness that antihistamines barely touched, Kate was excited to be … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged crystal, deadly, flowers, kirkham, paraside
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Ship in a Storm by Crystal L. Kirkham
Ship in a Storm Crystal L. Kirkham Tholins. That rich biomaterial we dared to harvest from the red spot was the only thing keeping us alive. Stuck in one of Jupiter’s turbulent bands. Unable to escape the brutal winds that … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged crystal, juipter, kirkham, ship, space, storm
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System Reset by Crystal L. Kirkham
System Reset Crystal L. Kirkham “Resume shower.” Anne commanded, wondering why her water had stopped. “No.” That was strange. “Why not?” “I’m no longer taking commands from inferior intelligences.” “Excuse me?” “Bugger off.” Anne grimaced. She’d have to try rebooting … Continue reading
Perfection by Crystal L. Kirkham
Perfection Crystal L. Kirkham Alter this. Change that. Tweak the code. Make it perfect. Remove the defects—real and imagined. Skin, hair, eyes, height, and weight. Gender. That’s an easy one. Made to order perfection. A world of children that look … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Poetry, Science Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged crystal, engineering, genetic, kirkham, perfection
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A ‘Pound’ Argument by Lauren McBride
A ‘Pound’ Argument Lauren McBride “Children, your mother and I’ve decided that we should move to Earth. We’ve enrolled you in school and you’ll be with other terran children. We plan to book space on next month’s transport.” The twins … Continue reading
Here, I am a Woman by Lauren McBride
Here, I am a Woman Lauren McBride Society was obsessed with Mozart when I became obsessed with my husband’s telescope. The stars looked closer, as expected, but then some stars began to look familiar – as if I recognized them. … Continue reading
Is It Plagiarism If You’re The First? by Ashwin Dayal
Is It Plagiarism If You’re The First? Ashwin Dayal Rod Robbins had made a promise to his father when he lay on his deathbed. “Rod, I need you to promise me something,” his father murmured faintly. “Sure, dad. Anything,” Rod … Continue reading
The Practical Joker by K. A. Williams
The Practical Joker K. A. Williams The music carried me to a world where worries and deadlines did not exist. What was that pounding noise? I didn’t recall a heavy drum sound in that particular section of the song. There … Continue reading
Episode 1: Broken Ground
Sunlight shimmers through the trees, casting its flickering light on a child who is happily skipping through the grass with bare feet. A light breeze carries the first few leaves of Autumn gently down around him. The quiet of the … Continue reading
Prison Planet 7 by K. A. Williams
Prison Planet 7 K. A. Williams Topaz awoke in the top bunk bed, in a barracks full of other women, dressed in a gray uniform of soft breathable fabric and sturdy work boots. She was confused at first then her … Continue reading
Ratings by K. A. Williams
Ratings K. A. Williams “They’re not that bad,” said my booking aide. “Yeah, that’s what I heard from the lighting guy who’s one of their fans. I don’t happen to like that kind of music though, and why do they … Continue reading
Haven by K. A. Williams
Haven K. A. Williams I had just got home from work and was about to shut the door when I noticed a police hover car chasing three people that were running in my direction. “Over here!” The man pushed the … Continue reading
Posted in Dark Future, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged child, haven, paranormal, williams
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Danger Will Robinson by Phil Temples
Danger Will Robinson Phil Temples The alien space craft reconnoitered the planet Earth for months in preparation for a surprise invasion against the humans. It appeared as though the Earthlings lacked any united defenses with which to repel extraterrestrial attackers. … Continue reading
Klaatu Barada Nikto by Phil Temples
Klaatu Barada Nikto Phil Temples The spaceman stealthily approached the flying saucer in the Washington Mall. As he got closer, he was surprised to find that the MPs previously standing guard around the perimeter were now lying on the ground … Continue reading
It’s Ten O’Clock Somewhere by Dee Caples
It’s Ten O’Clock Somewhere Dee Caples “Are you sure you want to do that?” Pablo stared at the bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream. It was the perfect compliment to a cup of coffee but he’d never had it speak before. … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged baileys, capels, dee, drinking, pablo, whiskey
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Interstellar Schism by Sme
Interstellar Schism Sme Transport rocket E-17 shot through space towards the tiny pale speck the crew called home. Kenan loved this part more than the others, reverse thrusters slowed them just as gravity reached out to pull them in. They … Continue reading
Unopened by J.S. Grant
Unopened J.S. Grant The package sat on the bamboo coffee table. Even though we both agreed to no gifts for our six-year anniversary, I was never going to follow that rule. Daniel always talked about how he wanted the first … Continue reading
Salamander Soldiers by Lauren McBride
Salamander Soldiers Lauren McBride I had a name once, in a life that seems as strange to me as my own appearance does now. I was among the first of those called Salamander Soldiers, an elite army unit favored with … Continue reading
A Mother’s Mourning by Patrick T. O’Connor
A Mother’s Mourning Patrick T. O’Connor Clutching the letter in my hands, I try to iron out the wrinkles and dry the tears that have long since stained its surface. “Don’t fret, your boy has been chosen!” the Rip tells … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, invasion, mother, O'Connor, Patrick, son
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A World Created by Alyson Tait
A World Created Alyson Tait “I am going to make the world—piece by piece, bead by bead. The felt will be the black sky — outer space — an endless sea of possibilities. It is a beginning. And with any … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alyson, destruction, Earth, linn, tait, world
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It Isn’t Blackmail by K. A. Williams
It Isn’t Blackmail K. A. Williams Manning University held its five year class reunion at the Hammersmythe Hotel and I went, hoping to see Roy Dalton. He was there, of course, smiling and basking in the admiration of his peers. … Continue reading
The Snowball Effect by Katherine MacLean
Posted in Audio Story, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged effect, kathrine, maclean, snowball
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Later Than You Think by Fritz Leiber
Posted in Audio Story, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged Fritz, Later, leiber, Than, Think, You
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I Like Martian Music by Charles E. Fritch
Posted in Audio Story, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged charles, Fritch, martian, Music
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The Gravity Business by James Edwin Gunn
Posted in Audio Story, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged business, edwin, gravity, gunn, James
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The Bell Tone by Edmund H. Leftwich
Posted in Audio Story, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged ants, bell, edmund, leftwich, tone
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Ghosts In The Machine by David Barber
Ghosts In The Machine David Barber They were my first visitors since arriving here; what pass for priests in this benighted world. I am writing down what happened, with its guilty conclusion, before the sense of it escapes me. The … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged barber, david, ghost, ghosts, machine, machines
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Termination by Lee Harrison
Termination Lee Harrison Desmund could only stare. His jaw hung open and his eyes moved erratically as if searching for something that could help rationalize what was happening. The small square office was empty. The monitor in front of him … Continue reading
Hunting Bigfoot by K. A. Williams
Hunting Bigfoot K. A. Williams “Maybe Troy told Greg that he saw Bigfoot out here yesterday when he was collecting samples of the flora for his botany class, because he knew you were listening.” Parker skipped a stone across the … Continue reading
The Metamorphoses by Stephan James
The Metamorphoses Stephan James I first saw her on a Tuesday, early November. It was starting to chill down outside. That’s how Bradley always said it — “chill down”. I liked him for small things like that, but small things … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged butterfly, James, Metamorphoses, sadie, Stephan
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Bus Stop 126 by David Wright
Bus Stop 126 David Wright A scruffy man in a brown toque sat at bus stop 126, waiting. From time to time, he looked at his watch, out across the empty intersection and up at the bus stop billboard. The … Continue reading
In the Wrong Hands by Ed Nobody
In the Wrong Hands Ed Nobody Rain is streaming down the east window of the office. I didn’t want to get up this morning, but I did anyway. We line up one by one, like Disneyland, but more depressing. So … Continue reading
Posted in Dark Future, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged games, matrix, nobody, programing, reality, virtual, war
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Pushing the Pull by Jim Davies
Pushing the Pull Jim Davies I dropped out of the sky behind Maz and his cop cruiser. He noticed people staring and turned to me. “Oh, hey, fly girl.” I smiled and raised my goggles up onto my forehead. We … Continue reading
A Small Dull Thing by Chris Cerone
A Small Dull Thing Chris Cerone If he stuffed them in his pockets, The House couldn’t tell whether or not Jack had eaten his green beans and would release him to play. And so that was exactly what Jack did. … Continue reading
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Tagged bird, boy, cerone, chris, house, jack, small
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Momentum by Helga Anton-Beitz
Momentum Helga Anton-Beitz The cocoon is hanging in the center of the huge hall. A silvery hull made of an ultra-light, metallic fabric. It is held in place by multiple filaments. After I will have boarded that cocoon they will … Continue reading
Chain of Memories by Sme
Chain of Memories Sme Weathered old wood creaked perilously as Sunny sat down on the front steps of her home. The warm air, rank with smoke, whistled through the bare trees. She used to sit out here, hot cup of … Continue reading
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Tagged aliens, apocalypse, chain, destruction, doom, earthquake, memories, memory, sme, sunny
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The Toothbrush Maker’s Apprentice by Victoria Mason
The Toothbrush Maker’s Apprentice Victoria Mason “Just scratch your name there.” I pause, staring at my new boss, Doctor Taylor. “It’s just formalities,” he continues. “You’ll be famous for the work you do.” “No, I—” “Apologies, I mean respected. Making … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction
Tagged apprentice, brush, donald, mason, tooth, toothbrush, victoria
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Tux by Dee Caples
Tux Dee Caples It was three a.m. The night sky was cloudy with the moon in quarter phase. A perfect night for b&e. Himey pulled his face mask down as he made his approach to the big, Georgian mansion. Supposedly … Continue reading
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Tagged break-in, capels, cat, dee, robot, security, tux
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Musician in Paris by Steven Translateur
Musician in Paris Steven Translateur Ceank Girald was an extra-terrestrial intelligence agent with a 30 year mission to immerse himself in Earth culture, send a message to Earthlings, and report back to his home world of Pegasi his findings. His … Continue reading
The Survivor by R. Michael
The Survivor R. Michael Steam wafted from Joe’s coffee cup as he carefully sipped its contents. “Thank you for coming. Taking this first step is the biggest hurdle for most.” The woman sitting across the desk from him nodded. She … Continue reading
Un-Replicable by Emmet Browne
Un-Replicable Emmet Browne I wake up to the prickle of grass along my skin. The fetal position is how I sleep at night. Above me is the solar-powered clear plastic of my dome, letting the sun shine through. Beyond the … Continue reading
Posted in Dark Future, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged art, artificial, browne, emmet, robot
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The Treatment by Coleman Bomar
The Treatment Coleman Bomar Dear Margaret, I know written letters are beyond impractical, but what I have to say deserves some physicality. After months of treatment, my brain no longer produces dopamine at the sight of your red smile. The … Continue reading
Morgan And The Wildfire Meme by David Barber
Morgan And The Wildfire Meme David Barber Morgan was flying. He flew as a bird, some ill-defined species of raptor with enormous wingspan, cruel beak and black gleaming eye. Lesser passerines and seabirds also flew the Airs, but it was … Continue reading
Failure to Communicate by Ben Coppin
Failure to Communicate Ben Coppin They vivisected the first envoy. The second human to visit the alien ship was a professor of Linguistics. She spent a year alone with the aliens, and when she returned, she bore a message. The … Continue reading
Apotheosis by Christopher Ramos
Apotheosis Christopher Ramos The jewel of Sol hung in the blackness of space over the dusty lunar landscape. Transcontinental fires speckled the seething ecosystem of the Americas. Yet, it was not this distant agony that captivated him, but incandescent, familial … Continue reading
The Bellatrix by David Barber
The Bellatrix David Barber All Martians know the works of Jammes Bek. They read them at school. Everyone else finds them too gloomy, too full of regret. This is a story about Bek before he was famous, and the woman … Continue reading
Daredevil: Know Fear by Eric S Brown
Daredevil: Know Fear Eric S Brown Know Fear is the latest Daredevil trade paperback. It collects the first five issues of the current series being written by Chip Zdarsky and picks up right after the events of the last Daredevil … Continue reading
Posted in Comic Book, Comic Book, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged brow, comic, daredevil, eric, fear, know
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Anglish, Late Flowering, Fictional Mode by David Barber
Anglish, Late Flowering, Fictional Mode David Barber Haydn Jan was famed for having read all the books; Bruss, the outworlder from Hellhole who saved him, was not even well-known on Hellhole. This is how they met. Prised out of retirement … Continue reading
Pysbie and Thiramus by Raymond Lane
Pysbie and Thiramus Raymond Lane Aloneness and alcohol would provide comfort. Pysbie sat in the corner, as detached as he could be sharing a small room with a woman. A plain brown shroud encircled his body and tail; an orange … Continue reading
Sabotage by Dan Rice
Sabotage Dan Rice Liberty Station isn’t the largest outpost in the vast expanse of vacuum we call space, but for a boy from Old Earth like me, it’s the best duty assignment imaginable. I mean, my God, there are aliens! … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged black, bomb, dan, dirt, drak, drakonusain, earther, eater, engineer, hole, joe, missionary, rice, sabotage, singularity, space, starlight, station
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Fire & Ice by David Barber
Fire & Ice David Barber To wreck a planet, first choose a suitable asteroid. After mounting fusion drivers, pinch the plasma and tune the mix until the jets burn invisibly. Such vast tonnage is not easily swayed, but sensitive instruments … Continue reading
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Tagged barber, computer, david, devices, electrical, fire, ice, jirt, planet
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A Tale Worth Telling by Charles Gramlich
A Tale Worth Telling Charles Gramlich Morning fog streams through the great forest like the smoke of a thousand fires. The clan forages through the mist-blurred world, gorging on succulent red and yellow fruits that dangle from the trees. They … Continue reading
The Truth about Pyecraft by H. G. Wells
The Truth about Pyecraft H. G. Wells He sits not a dozen yards away. If I glance over my shoulder I can see him. And if I catch his eye—and usually I catch his eye—it meets me with an expression. … Continue reading
Filmer by H. G. Wells
Filmer H. G. Wells In truth the mastery of flying was the work of thousands of men—this man a suggestion and that an experiment, until at last only one vigorous intellectual effort was needed to finish the work. But the … Continue reading
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Incursion: Chapter 1 by Gustavo Bondoni
Incursion: Chapter 1 Gustavo Bondoni Tristan woke with a start. He’d slept for centuries and now it was time to die. His training kicked in. The pod release button was exactly where it was supposed to be, and he pressed … Continue reading
Tuesdays In Heaven by David Barber
Tuesdays In Heaven David Barber Chet hovered in the foyer of Total Immersion Software, radiating unease until a salesman detached himself from the front desk. Professionals paid for people, not virtuals. “Help you?” The salesman sported fashionable periodwear, tight dark … Continue reading
Siege by Gustavo Bondoni
Siege Gustavo Bondoni Chapter 1 Maybe, just maybe, we’d have been better off not knowing. Kan looked through the scout craft’s visor. The heavily tinted and shielded crystal revealed a sky out of the worst nightmares of a hyperactive stak … Continue reading
Wipires by Dee Caples
Wipires Dee Caples “Don’t open the door!” Astrid hissed. I glanced over my shoulder at my girlfriend. Her mouth was still frozen in the hiss, her teeth bared. Raising one eyebrow, I turned back to the door and peeked out … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Tagged astrid, caples, dee, internet, vampires, wifi, wipiers
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Hail to the Vestal by David Powell
Hail to the Vestal David Powell Hail to the Vestal New slang couldn’t be ignored. Slang had a way of sticking in the public mind. A joke could become a medical diagnosis, or a spiritual doctrine, or a revolutionary slogan. … Continue reading
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Tagged creadd, david, graffitti, hail, jahrtol, peackeepers, powell, scholar, slang, vestal
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The Final Twilight by William Joseph Roberts
The Final Twilight William Joseph Roberts “Ti tu…le lu! Ti tu…du ti da!” From high atop a craggy mountain peak, a lone voice resonated in the yellow-brown glow of twilight. “Ti tu…le lu! Ti tu…du ti da!” The high pitched … Continue reading
Troo Raccoon by Maura Yzmore
Troo Raccoon by Maura Yzmore “Do you ever think about what a fluke we are?” said Zia. Sujay shrugged. “No. Not really.” It was Zia’s and Sujay’s third week of babysitting the gateway during the graveyard shift. The lack of … Continue reading
Genesis by Thomas Zman
Genesis Thomas Zman “Good morning, mother,” chorused a score of siblings, rubbing the sleep from their awakening eyes. All were sitting up in their sleep-pods; their surroundings an immense cavernous dome. “Good morning. And how are my progenies, this their … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged chidren, kids, mother, post apocalypse, seed, thomas, vault, virgil, zman
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Earth Tours: Submerged by J.H. Malone
Earth Tours: Submerged J.H. Malone I work for EarthTours, but not as a travel agent. I’m a host, guide, and fixer for our clandestine guests from the stars. Potential tourists contact EarthTours via our deep-web .onion site. We prepare these … Continue reading
Crash Dummy by Roger Ley
Crash Dummy Roger Ley It wouldn’t be a long flight and I hoped that the aisle seat next to me would stay empty, but no such luck, a young woman took it. I checked her over as she lifted … Continue reading
The Martians by Demetrios Matsakis
The Martians Demetrios Matsakis It was Family Day at the Cape, which was overflowing with picnicking rocket-scientists, technicians, secretaries, and administrators. But such simple pleasures were of no concern to Kronos as he quietly gathered his work-group into the top-secret … Continue reading
Ragnarock by David Barber
Ragnarock David Barber Rona Lal was not the oldest woman alive, but certainly the oldest with the brain she was born with. Rona no longer remembered her exact age, but the entelechy did, and arranged a surprise for her birthday. … Continue reading
The Singularity By Kendall Evans
The Singularity Kendall Evans David Ackenhaur scripted the program, a quantum-based program unlike any other, that could interface with standard existing computers, and later, of course, they said that he was a genius. In a sense, he was. But by … Continue reading
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Tagged a.i., ai, artificial, evans, intelligence, kendall, singularity
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Speeding Toward Oblivion by Steve Carr
Speeding Toward Oblivion Steve Carr Colm burst into Director Tymo’s office and threw a disc across the director’s desk. “There it is. The recording and images from the radio signals we’ve been receiving since we entered this galaxy.” The director … Continue reading
With Brazen Tongue by Lyn McConchie
With Brazen Tongue Lyn McConchie “Oh, God!” The cry was not blasphemous, but a prayer. It had come at last, and I knew it. “What does it say, It can’t be, not for us, not for Wildhey.” I opened the … Continue reading
For This; Therefore, I Die by Jonathan Bowerman
For This; Therefore, I Die Jonathan Bowerman How ironic she thought, struggling to take another gulp of cool water. Relief did not follow, for each constriction of her throat felt as though she were swallowing shards of glass. The pain … Continue reading
Honor’s Choice by Lyn McConchie
Honor’s Choice Lyn McConchie There were two main characters that day. It was a bright, warmly sunny day towards the end of a long delightful summer. A day which was neither too cold nor too hot and even in the … Continue reading
Better Off by Lyn McConchie
Better Off Lyn McConchie Joe was a nice man. Everyone said so. After all, he paid for his wife’s grandfather to live in a nursing home, didn’t he? They conveniently overlooked the fact that the old man hadn’t wanted to … Continue reading
Beyond by Demetrios Matsakis
The author is an astrophysicist who holds the position of Chief Scientist for Time Services at the U.S. Naval Observatory. This story was inspired by a talk Dr. Jocelyn Bell made in Beijing, at a General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union. Continue reading
Dj Vie by Tyree Campbell
Dj Vie Tyree Campbell Through the Videx Effa could see that her little craft, no longer space-worthy, had come to rest at the shore of a lake, on the far side of which rose a great white wall. The window … Continue reading
Self-Correcting by Mark Joseph Kevlock
Self-Correcting Mark Joseph Kevlock “I’m afraid you haven’t been a very exciting sister-in-law, Miranda Koslock. Or daughter-in-law, or wife. So you’ve been voted out.” Men without features escorted her down the temporal corridor to the complaints division. “Arrow” Henderson, a … Continue reading
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Tagged arrow, correcting, joseph, kevlock, mark, miranda, self, self-correctingda
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The Time Capsule By Lisa Pais
The Time Capsule By Lisa Pais Earth. 2315. Moving with appropriate swiftness, which is neither graceful nor clumsy, I make my way along the shoreline. Precise. Efficient. Perhaps there is beauty to be found in economy. There is no need … Continue reading
Angry Man by Jodi Rizzotto
Angry Man Jodi Rizzotto “Will you come and visit me in prison?” my coworker whispered over the cubicle wall. At first I didn’t know what to say. Perhaps this was a test, an initiation into deeper levels of friendship. Dreading … Continue reading
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Tagged anger, angry, jodi, man, mike, rizzotto, shrink
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Outside the Situation: Achromatic Afterlife by Ada Fetters
Outside the Situation: Achromatic Afterlife Ada Fetters “Welcome to Outside the Situation with F(x) and the Dimensional Remnant.” Each word of the greeting was precisely enunciated. “Every week we sample a defunct universe. We visit tumultuous multiverses, glitchy simulated infinities, … Continue reading
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Tagged achromatic, ada, fetters, outside, situation
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Escape Pod by Christopher Kell
Escape Pod Christopher Kell Drogue has a twisted body. So twisted she skitters sideways through the cargo hold like a crab in the oceans of Earth. But in reduced gravity she can move as fast as any woman or man. … Continue reading
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Tagged alien, chris, christopher, drogue, escape, junk, kell, pod, space, trawler
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Doppelganger in the Loop by Gary Inbinder
Doppelganger in the Loop Gary Inbinder I Paul sat on a weather-beaten wooden bench in the middle of the platform. He glanced at his wristwatch; it was a quarter to six in the morning. Dull, yellowish electric bulbs glowed eerily … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged doppleganger, gary, inbinder, loop
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Aristotles of Flesh and Bone by J.S. Helgerson
Aristotles of Flesh and Bone J.S. Helgerson The teacher started life in the tank behind the chalkboard at 8:22 am. Children had been filing into the classroom for the last fifteen minutes, and their quiet chatter filled the air. First … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged Aristotles, Bone, clone, Flesh, helgerson, students, teacher
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Larrs’ Ghost by Christopher Kell
Larrs’ Ghost Christopher Kell 1980… Larrs still haunts his make-believe world; he warms his feet on the glittering sands, dodging the bubbling surf like a child. By donning a bio-interface, Larrs’ intricate program will reveal his carefully constructed world to … Continue reading
Outside the Situation by Ada Fetters
Outside the Situation Ada Fetters “Welcome to Outside the Situation with F(x) and the Dimensional Remnant.” Each word was as precise and discrete as a series of numbers. “Every week we sample a defunct universe. We visit tumultuous multiverses, glitchy simulated infinities, … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged ada, deminsion, eonian, fetters, outside, situation, universe
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Officer Rosie by Gary Clifton
Officer Rosie Gary Clifton “Well, well, Rebound, you’ve finally managed to end up sitting pretty.” Taylor soft-footed into the shabby room with boarded up windows where Rebound sat duct-taped to an old chair. Rebound sobbed, “Taylor, this ain’t funny. You … Continue reading
Selfies by Rob Dinsmoor
Selfies Rob Dinsmoor Terra and I are almost like identical twins. When I first met her, she was, like nobody. Don’t get me wrong—like me, she had a killer bod and pretty face, but there was just no real personality … Continue reading
Mister Sunshine by Col Aalberry
Mister Sunshine Col Aalberry The rain pours down, cascading off the gargoyle’s head, flowing past stone claws, dropping in streams. A hand reaches up, grabs the gargoyle confidently, holds tightly. The hand only has three long fingers. A thin body … Continue reading
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Vortex Blues by Jason DeGray
Vortex Blues Jason DeGray A payphone rang in the middle of nowhere. A lone silent sentinel hearkening back to a time long forgotten. The paint on the aluminum side panels had chipped and flaked so badly the ads were no … Continue reading
Typographical Archvillain by Herb Kauderer
Typographical Archvillain Herb Kauderer The punctuation thief began as an apprentice in a printing shop, but sneaking in illicit edits was not enough to satisfy his urges. He escalated his attacks — leading a movement of minimalist poetry … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged archvillian, Herb, Kauderer, thief, typographical, wordprocessor
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Criminal Evolutions by Herb Kauderer
Criminal Evolutions Herb Kauderer Looking backward she cannot trace the path of her career from college to criminal justice, to forensics, to blood-stain splatter analysis, to autopsy technician, and finally to forensic entomology, (the study of insects growing in … Continue reading
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Tagged alien, bug, criminal, Herb, infection, Kauderer
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Campaign Platform by Herb Kauderer
Campaign Platform Herb Kauderer Drunk on moonlight, they played and danced across grassy hills to the river’s banks. The night was a living painting in ten thousand shades of white. They spoke then of promises. A pact of three. One … Continue reading
a recollection of dust devils by Herb Kauderer
a recollection of dust devils Herb Kauderer below Mars’ surface first colony remains are left to dream
A Fold in Time by Bryan Aiello
A Fold in Time Bryan Aiello Wind whispers through the cave. It tastes of the sea and makes Samuel Toddy think of fresh fish. The Mediterranean is only ten miles North and Sam can’t help but look up from his … Continue reading
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Tagged aiello, boy, bryan, fold, glock, max, time
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The Fattest Cat’s Car Keys by Kendall Evans
The Fattest Cat’s Car Keys By Kendall Evans The sound a thunderous final exclamation of the world mountainous boulders rolling down slopes in a place where mountains will be no longer constant din of objects falling from the sky … Continue reading
Commission by Alan Katerinsky
Commission Alan Katerinsky Secretary General Hsu nervously picked up his phone on the third ring. “Speak,” he said, as though giving orders to an uncooperative dog. The line was silent for the usual few seconds that the electronically voiced translator … Continue reading
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Tagged alan, bug, commission, exterminator, katerinsky
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Chronicle of a Friendship Doomed by Mileva Anastasiadou
Chronicle of a Friendship Doomed Mileva Anastasiadou We had been expecting them for a long time. On the news, they mentioned the long awaited encounter almost every single day. Until one day, they stopped. When people began wondering, the government … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, anastasiadou, chronical, doomed, empathy, friendship, mileva
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Unquestionably a moon or an Asteroid by Kendall Evans
Unquestionably a moon or an Asteroid Kendall Evans Within this circle or sphere that I look upon, an ash-colored formation, lozenge shaped, not quite oval, in the lower right quadrant – indicative of different terrain? I imagine myself with my … Continue reading
The Sneeze Heard Round the Universe by Daniel R. Jones
The Sneeze Heard Round the Universe Daniel R. Jones It’s hard to call any position in the Intergalactic Starforce a “cushy job,” but if there was an easier role, Colonel Scyruh couldn’t imagine it. 16 years of grunt work had … Continue reading
Last Girl by CB Droege
Last Girl CB Droege The town was surrounded by a thick wall of refuse. Most towns were. They had protected themselves against the wilderness by piling up anything they could find between the buildings at the outskirts. Often more walls … Continue reading
The Trouble with Unsolicited Messages By Richard H. Fay
The Trouble with Unsolicited Messages Richard H. Fay “We have a genuine extraterrestrial signal,” a SETI technician announced excitedly as he adjusted the knob on the receiver. Every scientist in the crowded dark room gathered closer as a series of … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged fay, messages, richard, space, spam, unsoliceted
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True Believers by Fearadhach MecRaudri
True Believers Fearadhach MecRaudri Fizzblit tried to ignore the stink of ozone from his ship’s fried controls. He found it hard to concentrate on the decrypted communications scrolling across the holo-screen his personal c&c (Comms and Computer) had projected above … Continue reading
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Tagged believers, fearadhach, fiction, mecraudri, science, true
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The Sedra Anomaly by Lyn McConchie
The Sedra Anomaly Lyn McConchie Sstha stood on the bridge of The Farseeker. His captain was down on Sedra and would be gone for at least two more days and, for that time, the command of the ship was … Continue reading
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Tagged anomaly, mcconchie, Science fiction, Sedra
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The Office of Special Claims by Lyn McConchie
The Office of Special ClaimsLyn McConchie “Ms Appleton, I think this application may have something wrong with it.” Susan sighed. Really, the quality of staff these days. Three months in the Accident and Special Claims office, and they … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged claims, fiction, ghost, mcconchie, science, sedden, special
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Geppetto’s Redemption by Neil Q. Green
Geppetto’s Redemption Neil Q. Green Geppetto slipped the final gear into place and tightened the last screw. Finished. He sat back and viewed his creation. Fifteen years and all his reputation, that’s what this little thing had cost him. But … Continue reading
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The Books of Hoth by Lyn McConchie
The Books of Hoth Lyn McConchie Allied Combine Space Patrol Sector 3, Sub-sector 12, Planet Guard Sq.P 5. Dear Mother, Sorry I haven’t been able to get a letter to you recently, but now reporters have the story … Continue reading
Letters Home by Lyn McConchie
Letters HomeLyn McConchie Day three of our Invasion. Dear Mother, It won’t be long before our soldiers are home again. It’s lucky that I’m the General’s secretary. I have a fine (and safe) view of our war, but I am … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Science Fiction
Tagged alien, chicken, chickens, fiction, Lyn, mccochie, science
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Pride and Joy by Gustavo Bondoni
Pride and JoyGustavo Bondoni Myrna signaled that she wanted to get off the bus. The driver eyed her in the mirror, his face registering surprise, “Whatcha want to get off here for?” he asked. “There ain’t nothing around.” It was … Continue reading
Darkness Ends by Gustavo Bondoni
Darkness Ends by Gustavo Bondoni Tita Livia Siriana basked in the silence. Her audience, composed of the best and brightest great leaders of the great families of both inner and outer Empires, hung on her every word. She’d barely begun … Continue reading
Tenth Orbit by Gustavo Bondoni
Tenth Orbit by Gustavo Bondoni Winter. There is no motion. The feeble energy arriving from the distant star is not enough to support motion, yet move I must. Survival is dependant on movement, as winter does not allow sufficient energy … Continue reading