Authentic “So, no cruise then?” “Ugh, they’re just so artificial. Now, this medieval experience. That’s authentic.” “Like, how authentic?” “Oh, the whole deal. Straw mattresses, pigs and chickens staying in the same room, even real fleas and lice!” “Real? Not robots?” “Nope. They breed them specially. Plus, there are daily excursions out to the fields…
Tag: flash fiction
The Horror of Knowing
The Horror of Knowing We found the object sticking out of the beach after the hurricane, exposed by the storm. It looked like obsidian. * * * “We did tests. It’s bone.” “Bone? But it’s black. And 6 feet tall.” “At least.” “So it’s from a whale?” “No. Based on the DNA, it’s human-ish.” “Ish?”…
Ad Astra…bucks
Ad Astra…bucks Sara hadn’t had a customer in two months, which was a-okay. Her cafe on the Harmonie asteroid was the only one within a million miles, so she could afford to charge $1000 for a coffee and pastry if anyone came. If not, she had time to read. * * * Sara watched the…
The Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion I had just moved in. My books were finally unpacked. The next morning, they were back in boxes. Ghosts, I assumed. That night, I sat in darkness to see what would happen. The window creaked, then opened. I flipped the lights. A boy stood there, frozen. “Hey,” I said. Nothing. “Did you…?”…
Honk vs Honk
Honk vs Honk “We could just fly over to the other side.” “And not disrupt traffic? No way. They built their road on our land, and we’re going to make them suffer for it.” “They could just run us over.” “They could, but they won’t. Humans would never admit it, but they secretly fear us….
Eldritch Cutie
Eldritch Cutie Why did people automatically associate a writhing mass of tentacles with the word “horror”? Jesse thought. It was cute. She pushed a scrap of sausage towards a questing pseudopod. It disappeared with a slurp. She wasn’t sure if it would grow legs, but she wanted to bring it to school. She’d been having…
In the Beginning of the Semester
In the Beginning of the Semester In the beginning of the semester, Tod created Cyberworld. Tod saw that Cyberworld was fine and could get him a B in his capstone course. Tod made a garden. In the middle he placed the Lending Library of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then Tod created Mike and…
Movie Night in Kowloon
Movie Night in Kowloon “Looking forward to having you guys over.” “We’ll be there about 7:00. What’s the address?” “Well . . . first you go to Junction and Carpenter Road and go in the 8th entrance of the walled city, heading east. By the noodle shop.” “Noodle shop . . .” “Go in 120…
Sibyl Park
Sibyl Park Everyone knew you could find the know-chicks in Sibyl Park, usually after midnight. “What do you want?” a voice said from a bench. Hoodie, pink hair, pale face illuminated by her phone screen. “I need to know something.” She made a well, duh gesture but still didn’t look up. “What job would make…
Florera
Florera “Go, Florera!” The vase leaps off my arm and flies away. “How does it do that?” my friend asks. “I’ve trained Florera since she was a shot glass.” I shrug. I’m not about to explain the whole history of vasery now. “What if she breaks?” “Florera’s tempered. Sure, there are predatory florists out there,…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 