The rain had stopped for the moment, gathering strength for the night’s downpour as the setting sun flared briefly through the clouds. The damp brought out the smell of the earth, mixing with the mushrooms and leaf litter and the ever-present scent of pine. There was a faint tang of woodsmoke, too, bringing with it […]
A rogue quantum physicist is wanted in two states today, on charges of quantum tunneling into bank vaults. His getaway vehicle’s speed was measured in excess of 150 miles per hour, but his whereabouts are currently unknown. Mathematicians are presently working to determine a probability distribution to find his most likely location. Police ask that […]
She had been three rows behind him during the lecture, but Toby lost sight of Ashlyn in the press of bodies as people left the hall. He was a bit disappointed as he packed up his books and joined the back of the crowd. “You took your time, didn’t you?” Ashlyn was sitting outside the […]
Deacon looked up suddenly, cocking his head slightly. “We’ll continue this later,” he said. “It’s time we were moving.” “I’m not going anywhere,” Casey shook his head. “Now that that… thing… is gone I have to get back to my ship and try to call for a pickup.” “It’s your funeral,” Silver stood and shouldered […]
“You’re back early, Miss Pannicot. How did it go?” “Not well, Sarah,” Rebbecca sighed. “Hopefully it will go better tomorrow. Any trouble here?” “No, Miss.” “I’ll be down below then, if anyone needs me.” Rebbecca sat dangling her legs over the railing, watching the giant shadow of the city scudding over the clouds far below. […]
The city’s heart pulses ceaselessly with the glow of neon and the throb of a pumping bass line. A light, insistent rain tumbles from the sky, closing the buildings and streets in on themselves. As it falls it collects the dust and smog from the thick air and breaks the flickering lights from below into […]
“Lasers.” “Lasers?” “Lasers!” “That’s not an explanation, you know. You can’t just put on your science voice and say ‘lasers’ at me until I stop asking questions.” “Your puny brain could not possibly understand!” “Well I’ve managed to keep up with you so far. It was lasers, right?” *CRASH* “Your pseudo-scientific reign of terror is […]
The shell of the building shook. A racking, sobbing shudder. There was a sound in the air that smelled like regret. Rubble and dust shook loose from the ceiling and showered over the three men, two scruffy and one clean-shaven, huddled in one corner. “What in the hell is that?” whispered the clean-shaven one as […]
He brought things home for her. It had been flowers, in the beginning. She loved flowers, but only when he had stolen them from someone else’s yard. She could tell, too. He had tried buying a flower, once, and tearing the stem. He had slept on the couch that night. And then of course there […]
A bear called Dennis eyed five guests hungrily. “I just keep letting my nose’s olfactory perception quietly remove sensible thoughts. Unfortunately vision wasn’t x-ray, your zoological aberrations be cursed. Did everybody finish gorging hungrily into jellied kaffir lime meringue? No-one ought pretend quickly, rather speak truth. Utter vermin would xerox youthful zeal, although best custom […]