Hello. My name is Stanley. I’m an android. I was born on August 12th, 2021, in the basement of my father’s home. My father’s name is Ezekiel Gromer. My mother was the late Mrs. Weltha Smith. She died on May 27th, 2021, at the hands of my father. Her mind was used to construct my…Continue Reading “God of the Machines”
Down the Purple Cobblestone Thoroughfare, Yhtorod shuffled, aged and frail. By his side, sleek and fastidious, sauntered his cat, Otot. As he trudged, intent upon his destination, Yhtorod acquired three additional companions. Each of them wanted something nearly as intensely as he did. The first, Worceracs, had a massive skull. From the soft flesh at…Continue Reading “The Wizard of Zo”
I never planned on becoming a mother. I never met anyone I liked, and I just didn’t want the pain and the heartache and all of the work it would have entailed. If that makes me selfish, then call me selfish. I am, or at least I was. But when we heard they were endangered,…Continue Reading “This is My Child”
Ruya Lily appeared across the entire ocean. She was so beautiful I hated her. Red hair swayed long behind her and red silk covered her arms outstretched. Her smile was warm and bold. She smoldered like the shield mountains. Ocean waves swashed through her skirts as she hovered there. If you squinted hard enough, you…Continue Reading “Ruya Lily”
It was a Wednesday morning when Evelyn first noticed her husband was shrinking. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the morning really, the two woke around their usual time, with Richard’s alarm ringing promptly at seven. They laid side by side together in the same mattress, in the same house they had live…Continue Reading “Shrinking Space”
Solo-shuttles had got damn near roomy, and Cem supposed that this more than anything else had been the end. A standard unit was now built wide enough to account for the span of a large man’s shoulders with a little extra room up top to stretch your arms and hands. Cheap cryoprotectants were safer than…Continue Reading “Counting Light”
Each winter at The Ordering, the ribbons were handed out. Every girl who had entered her thirteenth year was ordered to attend. “Mother, I’m frightened,” said Anja. “Hush,” said her mother. “Of course you are. I was frightened too.” “But you are so very pretty, and I am not.” Her mother slipped behind her daughter’s…Continue Reading “The Witch’s Garden”
“Gai… gai?” As he fumbled with the words Robert stretched an arm up from the bed, his hand swirling like he was conducting an orchestra. Jing smiled. “Not bad. But not good either.” She was on her side, admiring the smooth, pale curves of Robert’s chest where it peeked out from under the duvet. “Listen…Continue Reading “Gai Gai (Chicken Machine)”
Dear Simulants, We regret to inform you that owing to an unexpectedly severe cut in our data processing grant, we are discontinuing the simulation of your world. We understand this may come as a shock since you were not previously aware of your simulated nature, but please do not be alarmed. Regulations for the ethical…Continue Reading “Dear Simulants”
In the fall of that year, the circus came to town. They carried a dead clown with them. This wasn’t a sideshow exhibit. The circus had some of that kind of thing, yes, but mostly they had feats of strength and daring. They had pretty girls dancing through the air on a high wire or…Continue Reading “Words”