There were so many lawn sign pop-ups around the front door of Brit’s apartment that they could be seen from the elevator, shimmering holograms layered so thick that they distorted the air around them like a mirage. They jumped to life one by one as Lensey approached, pressing as close to her as they could…Continue Reading “An Advocate for Nearly Any Situation”
Every morning, his assigned caretaker would open Timothy’s box at the far end of the roller rink and flip the numerous switches that would boot his systems, preparing the silver and black robot to step out onto the varnished floor and complete his regular number of laps. Timothy could tell you every last detail of…Continue Reading “The Circuit Approach”
“My Dad. He was the one who inspired me. Back when we lived in Arizona, he drove home from work every night along Indian Route 42, barely keeping his eyes open. Well, in the Fall of ’77, he saw something in the sky. A UFO. When he told me, I saw a change in him….Continue Reading “Deliver the Message”
I’ve had it with Eric. He’s pushed my last button. Twisted my last lock. Slammed my last door. His praise overflowed when he first bought me. “Look at my beautiful condo!” he tweeted, posting photos on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr while I held a steady internet connection so he wouldn’t have to repost later. I…Continue Reading “Home Sweet Home”
All my senses are heightened today. Every sensation seems to be multiplied by a factor of ten. The warmth of the sun seeps into every inch of exposed skin. I cradle the puppy in my arms. The smell of its warm, humid breath lingers in my nostrils. I laugh at its seemingly infinite supply of…Continue Reading “Flight 0036”
The main artery of Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility had been deserted long before I arrived, but the silence surprised me. I’d expected some mind-numbing, blaring alarm system at the very least. Instead, only the light buzzing of the fluorescents punctured the thick stillness. My heart settled into my throat somewhere along the drive up to…Continue Reading “The Trolley Problem”
Digital Disability Allowance – Assessment Interview Assessor: Driffield, Tina Client: Wludzik, Piotr Appointment Time: 09:00 Description of Digital Disability: Client’s skin is ‘glitched’ and intermittently transparent. During an episode this reveals skull, musculature, organs, eyeballs, etc. Notes: Client is a waiter at a restaurant, currently on sick leave due to his ‘glitch’. He became irate…Continue Reading “The Administration of Disability Benefits in a Simulated Universe”
If you listened closely, you might have been able to hear the sing-song cadence of the Aurans conversation, or the clackety-clack of the Hyatas footsteps – but generally you wouldn’t notice much of anything beyond the cacophony of the space station as a whole. The sound of the station was like a roar made up…Continue Reading “Joyful Accidents”
The boy stares at the white page in front of him. On it is a single question, “Why have you come to Earth?” His eyes roll over the words, savouring each letter. There was a time when he and the other kids used to think that writing was hilarious. Talking and singing was another one…Continue Reading “Nine Hundred and Twelve Days”
I am sorry for everything. I was chosen, you see, to be a new voice, a guide, a successor. I was there with them, in that place that was not a place. I have been in the Beyond. From the Beyond, I saw everything. Every atom, every molecule, every mot of dust. Every universe. As…Continue Reading “Sorry for Everything”