Mary sat in the dark in her home office beside the living room. She quietly shimmied open the desk draw and removed an Augmentium headset. She slipped it on, leaving one earpiece off. She was still in her office, but a parallel version of it. A version she couldn't have in reality, but one which… Continue reading Mary’s Other World
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We’re Not Alone in Here
Dallas was awake. The projection clock on the ceiling said it was 4:13. Too early to get up, but late enough that if she went back to sleep she'd be groggy all morning. She wasn't going back to sleep though. Something else was in the room with her. A fly. She could hear the buzzing… Continue reading We’re Not Alone in Here
Savestate
Salix's mouth hung open. The boy stared aghast at the empty shell of what had been his home. He was going to be in so much trouble when his mother got home. She'd told him on numerous occasions that she'd brought him into this world and could just as easily take him out. Today might… Continue reading Savestate
Children of the Reach
Westin walked the night forests of Giausar IV. The hydrogen-filled bubbles hung thirty feet overhead, each one rooted to the ground by a bioluminescent umbilicus too thick to get his hands around to throttle or snap. Long leafy ribbons hung down from the bubbles, rustling in the breeze and brushing his face. It was like… Continue reading Children of the Reach
Crosstalk
Lincoln, a little drunk, entered his dark home while his car parked itself in its stall. He tugged at the knot of his tie and opened the top button of his shirt. He stopped at the hall bath to empty his bladder on the way to the kitchen—had to make room for more. As he… Continue reading Crosstalk
Deadflower Refinery
"Isn't this just something?" she asked with enthusiasm. She clasped her hands together in front of her heart. Her eyes sparkled in that excited way of hers and I nearly ceded, but caught myself. One of these days those eyes would get me to blindly agree to something foolhardy. Maybe today. But not yet. I… Continue reading Deadflower Refinery
Retrograde
Launch was in three days. That meant today was Pirinid's last day of leave before she had to report to the launch complex for final preparations. Her whole life had been a series of preparations, but now that closest approach was upon her, she wasn't certain she wanted to be an Ambassador. Oh, but her… Continue reading Retrograde