It was a good landing, smooth and boring. Gordon released the hatch and stepped out, getting his first real view of the surface. Just as advertised, featureless and barren, an unbroken series of low mounds and shallow valleys carved in yellow-brown sand and rock. No buildings, no sign of any human habitation save the fused […]
She was stone, with none of the histrionics, tears or emotion that marked the other fault lines of a crumbling marriage. The earth had split asunder soundlessly, deliberately, and nothing would heal the breach. After making sure their son was safely buckled in Pat turned, wound down the window. “Its taken years but you’ve convinced […]
Errol Hasking held the clear plastic sleeve up to the lighting self-satisfied, feet on desk. A near flawless nineteenth century one-pound note nestled inside its plastic sarcophagus, a token of one more chip in the walls of the black economy from a thankful counterpart. Errol moved to the electrostatic wall and surveyed his team’s brag […]
The tiles, in unmarked uniform antiseptic whiteness covering the floors and walls, added to the cold of the eyes behind the monitor. Alicia Sanz stepped to the floor, rapidly pulling on her dress and blouse partly to ward off the chill, partly to cover threadbare underwear. Hands guided her into a chair opposite those eyes, […]
Furniture of memory latex and plasteel; ceramics decorating walls and floors; windows of smart glass. A clean, harsh, efficiently depressing air bringing the silence of the tomb to the hospital. Emily and Tasha were with the specialist. The door opened and Dr. Heres motioned James inside, pointing to a solitary chair on the far side […]
I lifted a forkful of scrambled egg to my mouth. Just as I liked them. Firm, rich, a hint of salt and parmesan. I looked across at my wife. “Not bad, eight out of ten.” She feigned hurt. “What’s wrong, no serenade or silver service?” “Can’t leave you with nowhere to go, that’s what it […]
The café was nearly deserted, resting between early morning workers and the lunch time blitz of tired shoppers. It was my time, those few hours where a quiet table could be had and I could linger over a cup or two, watching the world float by without the waitresses shuffling me along for better paying […]
