Marla has new rivets in her and she isn’t sure why. Something itches inside — something like an electric bug. Her eyes are closed. She is afraid to open them. Behind them, visions flicker. The Earth floats below her. It… Continue Reading
The world would end at 6:09 p.m., but Meg’s final batch of chocolate chip cookies would be done in three minutes. She had kept the dough in the fridge all night, chilling it to perfection, and began to bake before… Continue Reading
“So what do we do now?” she asked after they had been sitting silently in front of the TV for a long time, trying to process what they had just heard. On the screen, the president’s speech kept running in… Continue Reading
Koggie, the 10,034th descendant of the original bio-engineered cat-dog prototype, sat on an ornate garden bench in the upstairs arboretum of the autonomous house and yawned as she watched the robs scurrying about like a plague of mice on their… Continue Reading
All around Foster are ash trees slipped through by a cold and unexpected wind that has hit Washington and turned the State Department grounds prematurely orange with a litter of ash leaves. The old building looms above the tree line… Continue Reading
The nose on my face is rare, perhaps historical. It’s a little fleshy and has a bit of a hook. It’s from my mother’s side although she hasn’t worn it since she was four. The last one to wear it,… Continue Reading
Bill Hobinson stomped his feet against the cold, then grabbed a couple of milk pails and headed into the barn. “Good morning, my lovely belles,” he said. One of the cows mooed. He set an old wooden stool beside Sadie… Continue Reading
The MedService van squealed to a halt in front of 2113 Rosebud Court five minutes after receiving the call. Two men climbed out, both wearing the company coveralls in navy blue — third shift navy blue. Name tags were stitched… Continue Reading
“Thief! Entertainment pirate!” Emma blinked, bewildered not only by the accusation, but by its maker. She had come out to the roof of the law firm’s tall office building for a breath of fresh-ish city air since she intended to… Continue Reading
Roger staggered out of the transfer chamber and collapsed in a heap. I slumped beside him on the rough granite, heart hammering. My head throbbed. A few minutes later I got up and tapped a hidden switch. The door at… Continue Reading