by R. Wayne Gray Strobing lights blinked red to green on the Arctic SuperDeep Tunnel: incoming. The gathered scientists cheered in relief. The train had set a record two days earlier—15 miles deep—when communications with it had suddenly ceased. “Just a glitch!” cried one, as champagne popped. Cold air crept from the tunnel at […]
by Maxwell Marais I think the most shocking thing about the change was that it wasn’t painful. Strange, certainly. A shift in perspective. Not painful. No, what I felt was something more like wonder—like an ant crawling across a circuit board, briefly comprehending all of computer history. For a few seconds, I knew everything. […]
by Vijayaraj Mahendraraj “A recurring nightmare,” said Billa, trembling. “It’s perfectly reasonable to experience fear and panic,” consoled the therapist. “Even awake, something feels latched onto my back. Draining me. I’ve got pale, sickly. I’m losing my mind. Help me!” he blurted, flustered. “Now, now. Remember what we said about getting worked up,” replied […]
by Victor Nandi The stray stared at the caretaker’s meal, its tail wagging. The old man stroked the animal’s neck. Tossing it a crumb from his modest sandwich, he strolled into the cemetery and plonked himself on the grass. The dog followed him. Slowly, shrivelled corpses started digging their way up and crawling to […]
by Kimberly Rei The ancestors knew. They paid homage to moons, full or new. They left yearling calves and walked away, chins high as the beasts screamed in fear. They never dared look back. As generations shifted, manners were forgotten. Worship ceased. Great smears of blood across barn doors, always on a black moon, […]
by Andrew Kurtz I have existed undetectable since the beginning of time and will remain so for all eternity. A meteor didn’t eradicate the dinosaurs as is believed, but the venomous breath emanating from my hundred mouths suffocated the worthless beasts to extinction. My thousand tentacles dragging the Titanic to its watery grave were […]
by Andreas Flögel When he woke up, his chest hurt. As usual, she had immobilised him with handcuffs and ropes. But something was new. “Have a look.” She helped him lift his head. A zipper was sewn into the flesh of his breast. She grinned. “When I open it, I can see your heart […]
by Nicole Little Unable to wipe away the sweat or tears, hampered by restraints, the woman suppressed the urge to push, instead taking quick breaths. “It’s time,” the doctor snapped. White coats hovered in her limited field of vision. She felt the tug, the vibration, as her belly was opened up; heard the cry […]
by Taryn George From underneath my desk, I watched through the slit in the wood as the body on the embalming table shifted. My eyes focused on the corpse’s head, where I’d found it. The sound of a zip slowly being undone echoed through the quiet room and I watched as the dead woman’s […]
by Chad Miller Unzip. Zip. The sound made me nauseous. His leather pouch was displayed in the middle of the table like a prize. My whole body shook. I was going to vomit. Unzip. Zip. He smiled, displaying his yellow, tobacco-stained teeth. “Are you ready to talk?” It took courage. I know what my […]