Author: Aubrey Williams “Look, we understand that this is a strange request, Mr. Human… but we repeat again: our planet’s security… even galactic security, may depend on us acquiring one of these devices. Please, we implore you— surrender your microwave to us!” So spoke the little alien being, its four hands wrung in pleading, its […]

Author: David Barber “You’re not old enough to remember Patty Blue, the singer,” the salesman said. He still wore his hair in a spacer crop, though he hadn’t been out in the dark for years. “Spacers broadcast her songs when coms traffic was slow and that voice would haunt you.” He rotated the hologram of […]

Author: Alastair Millar Brad was at his workstation when his supposedly locked office door dilated unexpectedly, and a casually dressed young woman stepped through; he looked up in annoyance. “Well?” “Doctor Mendelsson?” “Yes. You’re not one of my students. Who are you?” “My name’s Smith. I’m with Section Seven.” “Am I supposed to be impressed? […]

Author: Marijean Oldham The Mississippi only ran backwards, south to north, twice that we know of. First time was during the earthquakes of 1812. And the second was the day the meteor fell. In the months that followed, we felt a drop in our stomachs any time we crested the hill to reach what used […]

Author: David C. Nutt All of us on this mission were eager to explore, chosen from among thousands of applicants as being restless beyond restless to know what was next as we traversed the void. When we landed on this new planet, we could not believe our eyes. An entire continent developed- farms, industry, homes […]

Author: Christopher DePree Kate and I trudged up the hill on our evening walk, heading west of the house to get to the clearing. It was cold, and a thin layer of icy snow crunched beneath each step. The snow was not deep. A buzzard glided slowly across the sky above us, looking for a […]

Author: Aubrey Williams “Look, I’m not apologising, and that’s that!” The man glared up at the smoke alarm, its smug viewfinder glinting annoyingly in the evening’s neon haze. “Oh really? You just had say *that* to Catherine?” “Hey, I felt she ought to know you’re having doubts about that part of your relationship,” it replied […]

Author: Hillary Lyon Kaz tumbled through the centrifugal force of the prismatic vortex, finally landing on the planet’s surface with a cruel thud. Medical nanobots lining the interior of his suit immediately went to work, infusing themselves through the pores of his skin, worming their way into his bloodstream. From there, the minuscule bots traveled […]

Author: Dave Ludford Had he been walking at a faster pace or with any real sense of purpose Ryan Jennings would have missed it completely. Scuffing the forest floor aimlessly however with first one foot then the other, his meanderings revealed something that he at first thought was some kind of weird seed or pod […]

Author: Majoki “Thirty-four thousand one hundred twenty-six…thirty-four thousand one hundred twenty-seven…thirty-four thousand one hundred twenty-eight…thirty-four thousand one hundred twenty-nine…” Clarisse counted. And counted. Her mother watched from across the room. Her nine-year-old daughter was spending another entire twenty-four hour day counting, and Rochelle felt helpless. It was the end of July and usually Clarisse would […]

Author: Rachel Sievers They stood under the overhang as the rain poured down around them. The dark sky filled with angry black low-hanging clouds had an ominous feel to it. “Do you think it will quit soon?” The girl asked, her damp white hair falling over her eyes. “Do I look like god to you?” […]

Author: Patrick Hueller Published 3:34 PM, Wednesday, July 31, 2030 Associated Press NEW AI A THREAT TO HUMANITY? Today was supposed to be a big day for technology fans. Instead, software engineer Miranda Cartwright issued a dire warning for humankind. At a press conference, ostensibly to launch TECHtonic Shift’s latest AI software, Ms. Cartwright gave […]

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer “John?” “Yes?” “Got another one. Big cable channel. Going out past Bindenhouse into the wilds.” “Okay, pop my contacts open and scroll to ‘D’.” “Got it.” “You’re looking for ‘Department Q’.” “Found it.” “Open it. Click on ‘action request’ and fill what details you’ve got, then forward it to my […]

Author: Vruti Naik Captivated by the ancient tales of Atlantis and its enigmatic creatures, Dr Alan was determined to unravel the mystery and locate the fabled city. He had developed a ground-breaking technology – a program capable of holographic reconstruction, tapping into something known as elemental and environmental memory. Gathering a skilled crew for his […]

Author: W.F. Peate “No regrets using the hydrogen bomb General?” asked the reporter. “We saved lives. Their surrender stopped further bloodshed.” “Why didn’t you use the less destructive atomic bomb? Ninety percent fewer deaths.” General Liana crossed her arms over the silk leashes of her medals. “The Americans needed two atomic bombs to convince the […]

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer We’d all seen the predictions, and everyone had seen at least one post-apocalyptic movie or series. Some of us were foolish enough to think we were ready. No matter which flavour of apocalypse story preferred, we’d all missed one critical point. Hatred. The two decades leading up to the final […]

Author: Steve Smith, Staff Writer Abby woke with a start, a conversation with someone vaguely familiar against a kaleidoscope oceanview suddenly vanishing, dulcet tones replaced with a hockey organ ringtone her ex had programmed that couldn’t seem to be exorcised from her phone. “Good morning, you’ll want to get a robe on, our package is […]

Author: Maria Brekke Myrna zipped toward the city. A ten-ton mosquito pursued her, wings drumming annihilation. Colony security was rudimentary, but her kidnapping had raised insectile alarms. She leaned hard across her hoverboard, praying her cargo was secure as she banked. The mosquito’s three-meter proboscis stabbed the air to her side. Myrna straightened, ready to […]

Author: Majoki Summer’s long legs, the daylight stretching late in almost eternal dusk. They sat on the back stoop, the three friends fixed on the glow of the horizon, city and sky, a widening maw ready to devour them. They were not a poetic group. Hyperbole and metaphor did not register in their gazes, though […]

Author: Sean MacKendrick Ava touched the seam where Ethan’s robotic foot joined his shin. She stared up at her grandfather in awe. “Can you feel anything with it?” Ethan forced a smile on his face. “Some basic sensory input. It helps me walk better when I can feel the ground.” “You’ve had it for a […]

Author: David Dumouriez THIS IS NOT A DRILL! REPEAT: THIS IS NOT A DRILL! Lieutenant-Commander Rane had received the warning minutes before the alarm sounded. The destiny that nobody wanted was hers. It was happening on her watch. Eight distinct generations of ‘peacekeepers’ had been trained and deployed at Station 48 without any sign of […]

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The clearing lies deserted in the last light of the moon. Amidst the silver glow, two indistinct figures flicker into view, sat on the weathered altar stone at the centre. Of the two, the smaller is clearer, appearing as a pale woman with translucent butterfly wings. The larger is greener […]

Author: Philip G Hostetler Maggie’s been gone for a while now. But not into a black hole this time. Normally she’d discorporate into the metaphysical unknown but this time, she’s just been… …happily traveling. I miss her, like a solar system misses it’s rogue planetoid, flung out beyond and returning every 4,000 years as a […]

Author: Daniel Aceituna The new AI phone app used the latest research in non-linear regression to predict the future. Local data combined with GPS and relevant global data was all it took to give a remarkably accurate prediction of what would happen within the next minute. One billion downloads occurred in the first week alone. […]

Author: Mina ALENA’S ADOPTED MOTHER, CAROL: We consider ourselves blessed with our adopted daughter. It hasn’t always been easy – we had to teach her not to stand out. It’s hard to dim your light, but she understood by the age of three that she would be taken away from us if her gifts were […]

Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer The little lights bob and weave, but they’re definitely getting closer. I check behind me – the remains are unidentifiable: just more victims of this horrific incident. How close should I let them get? No, wait. I sit down, putting my back against an upturned desk. Oh, yes: I take […]

Author: David C. Nutt Dear Alive, To begin with, I absolutely hate the word zombie. I also hate the terms walking dead, animate corpse, and un-dead. I prefer the more PC term altalive. Look, I don’t know who is tapping into this- a researcher, psychic, or hacker, just get the word out. We ain’t dead. […]

Author: Janaya Young In space, hyper lanes operate like traffic lanes but with one important difference: you aren’t entirely in one place or another while traveling through them. Most people can’t tell. Maybe you feel a slight shudder of the ship, or for a moment you look down and your hand is not where you […]

Author: Andrew N. McCue I was 15 when I left home. Replacing schoolbooks from my pack with clothes and food, I steal my mother’s favorite can opener, some flatware and a small stash of cash. I walk mostly or hitch. Standing on the side of a road I read stapled, tacked and nailed sheets of […]

Author: David Barber “This is a rare photograph of Christ, taken before time tourism was banned,” said the Director of the Temporal Institute. The Senator stopped to examine it, and his entourage jostled and bumped awkwardly behind him. A picture-lined corridor led to the gallery overlooking the wormhole, and though each picture was an actual […]