Abbot Johannes gazed at the twenty-four professed gathered before him, the bitter chill of early February penetrating the bare stone chapel. The taking of vows, the final irrevocable admission of a brother to the community was solemn, a time of thanks. This one was unique, a loss-tinged joy. Having remained prostrated, naked in penitential reverence … Continue reading Vocation
Category: Flash Science Fiction
Darkstar
It was a typical departure lounge, exceedingly cold, bare, entirely antiseptic. Two chairs, two doors, two beings. An appropriate point to leave one life for another. He looked up. “Even so we must go through the formalities. You are aware of the choice?” “Yes. Pain, misunderstanding, isolation and struggle for the chance of genius, creativity, … Continue reading Darkstar
Under Their Nose
T – 00:00:05:00 P.A. “Five.” 696e:6f77::616d. 01000111.01001111.01001111.01000100 MisOpSys. “System’s good.” Consul01. 01001111.01001011.01000111.01001111 T – 00:00:04:00 P.A. “Four.” 696e:6f77::616d. 01010111 01001000 01000001 01010100 01010100 01001000 01000101 01000110 01010101 01000011 01001011 01010111 01001000 41 01010100 01010100 01001000 01000101 01000110 55 01000011 01001011 01010111 01001000 A 54 01010100 01001000 01000101 46 U 01000011 01001011 01010111 48 A T … Continue reading Under Their Nose
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Three a.m. and I’m going, stuffing clothes haphazardly in my duffel bag, cash in my back pocket, fear in my heart. A few more hours, a few more miles will buy me some time, just a little. I grab my wrist, re-set my id randomizer. I’m now Konrad Abernnor, MD. It’ll do. * * * … Continue reading Jesus Just Left Chicago
The Old Man, The Cat And The Tesseract
Daniel McWhirter was strange. He wasn’t like other guys. He didn’t go out, shoot pool, shoot hoops, watch Netflix, like porn or drink beer. Daniel McWhirter liked to read, real books, paper and ink books, books he could write in and on, dog-ear, spill coffee, read in the toilet, place face down open on the … Continue reading The Old Man, The Cat And The Tesseract
Mars, Hence
The desert sleeps, afternoon shadows reaching from low dunes to embrace a russet red landscape of sand and stone that stretches to infinity. Can’t see anything moving out there, roos, birds, nothing from horizon to horizon. If it doesn’t rain soon Dad will have to truck water in, more trouble and money poured down this … Continue reading Mars, Hence
Roof o Green
I’m drunk. Hell, I’m worse than drunk and way beyond, even the Miley Cyrus floating through the smoke sounds good, damn white bitch muzac, damn. Cyril’s laughin’ at me across the pile of empties, I know he is even as he’s layin’ face down I can see his back shake, fingers twitchin’ round the neck … Continue reading Roof o Green
Love Lost’s Price
'No stop, please! You can’t do this!’ she screamed, struggling futilely against the chains that held her fast, ‘Please!’ I leant closer to her, to that face once a thing of beauty now repulsed, to the body once cherished now hated, to her, my only, my beloved now polluted, never to be. My tears scorching … Continue reading Love Lost’s Price
Yesterday and Tomorrow are Today
I had a strange and wonderful relationship with my girlfriend. She had precognition myopia, the only person who will have it she said. She couldn’t remember the past, only the future. She only knew the future the way I remember the past. Vaguely and obtusely, except for those things only a handful of years away. … Continue reading Yesterday and Tomorrow are Today
Journeyman
He had travelled a long way in space and time, searching for answers to questions which remained for the most part elusive; to those which he had found some reply the passage of both time and distance had long since swept their meaning from him. His humanity had been subsumed and sustained by the technology … Continue reading Journeyman
