Category: Short Stories
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Love v1.99b73
JHN-483912 finished his current task. He acknowledged the ten minute break that arrived next on his schedule with a certain thrill. As he neared the room where other workers would gather for break time and friendly discussion, he noticed that his coolant system was experiencing decreased efficiency. As this was the third break in a…
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The Heir
The teacher looked around her classroom. Young sons and daughters of noblemen crowded together close to the right wall and its open windows, painting on small canvases leaning on desktop easels. They were copying a brightly lit photograph of the royal gardens. She noted the time and exhaled. We have nearly reached another midday together, she…
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May the 4th
John keyed in the final coordinates for their current destination and let the autopilot take over. He could use the break, since his copilot had excused himself and disappeared over an hour ago. The kid liked to skip out on the technical, boring stuff, but at least he was useful in difficult landing conditions and…
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The Rabbit
“Okay, we are rolling.” I squinted to my right as her crew member and his clipboard backed into the shadows. Greg, I want to say? The halo of bright lights were intense, but I could just make out the camera lenses. The woman sitting across from me shuffled through the index cards in her hands…
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Undo
“This is real life! There’s no control Z for you to press!” Right when she said that, I clicked the invisible buttons and went back once again. My eyes refocused. I was sitting at my home desk, 14 months ago. Good. I looked down at my belt, where the readout now registered 561 in block…
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Paddy’s Day
If Duncan could open his eyes right now, his bedside clock would have not been much help. It was blinking 1:14. Their building was ancient, and the power must have blinked out again, after he and his roommate got home after last call and passed out. It had been excessively windy for over a week…
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President’s Day
Rodolfo tapped the brakes again and brought the SUV to the softest halt that he could. He was now at the end of a short vehicle line, cars his size and the occasional camper waiting for the parking lot just downhill. He shaded his eyes with his left hand and stared through the windshield at…
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The Orint of Maguman
Heffod the Blort shifted his lower torso forward again awkwardly and heaved himself upward. These blocky steps in bipedal constructions were so annoying, but the treasures were so often worth a little extra effort. Still, there was no denying it. This planet’s gravity was not friendly to the Blort. Heffod beheld the open and undefended…
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Another Year Gone
The cult leader wore purple velvet, distinguishing his status from the other 11 men and women in red. His place in front of the 12 pointed star was primary, inlaid in silver versus their simple maple ornamentation on the large dark table that dominated the center of the room, though they gathered as equals tonight.…
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Day of the Turkeys
“Hey, Evan, have you seen Charlie? I can’t find him anywhere. Did he have sentry duty downstairs again today?” Evan shifted in his chair next to the East stairwell. He nodded to the calendar hung on a corkboard next to the stairs. The 23rd had been crossed out in marbled gray by a dying black…