By John Lane For the past fifty years, NASA led a secret government project, called The Spoken Word, to determine the existence of life inside black holes. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, after the first two probes self-destructed, the agency successfully sent out a third probe, nicknamed Alpha 3, equipped with faster-than-light technology. … Continue reading Echoes of a Distant Future
Face to Face
By Uday Mukerji Face to Face I threw off the comforter and ran to the bathroom. I was perspiring, and my heart was pounding inside my chest. I sat down at the edge of the bathtub to put the whole incident into perspective, although I feared the harm had already been done. The words had … Continue reading Face to Face
Swish
By Matthew Ulmer I was invisible until the day I got superpowers. Not literally invisible, of course. Just your average high school kid: a small group of equally irrelevant friends, a crush on a girl who didn’t know I existed, an out-of-reach dream college as I entered sophomore year. And I really sucked at sports. … Continue reading Swish
By the Clock
By Barry Kritzberg He said he would meet her under Marshall Field’s clock. Everyone knew the clock, he said, it was a Chicago landmark, even though Marshall Field’s had become Macy’s. He said all of this quickly, for he was hoping to conceal that he was without wheels and would arrive by public transportation. He … Continue reading By the Clock
Excisions
By Kim Charles Younkin January 22 Dear Dad, I’m scared. Don’t worry, though. It’s different this time. It’s Maisie. She has this infection in her glands, the vet says. I didn’t even know dogs had these glands until Maisie started scooting on her bottom all over the yard in the snow a few weeks ago. … Continue reading Excisions
Mashed Potato
By Henry Tydeman The other children had already finished their tea and left the table. Michael sat with his short legs hanging over the edge of the chair, eating quietly, whilst his mother was leaning against the wall and speaking to her friend. Michael was concentrating on his mashed potato, and only heard snippets of … Continue reading Mashed Potato
Merchandise
By Chuck Teixeira “Yes, Alvaro, you should get as close as possible to the entrance of the Sanctuary,” Armando told his brother-in-law. “But that’s only part of the guidance I gave you. You have to get a good spot without causing trouble with other vendors. Understood? Or Jaclyn and I are not taking you with … Continue reading Merchandise
What’s the Damage?
By James Sisk “Base to C-16, over.” Stacy Murphy’s voice came across the radio’s speaker more with the high pitch of a small girl rather than one of a young woman who would be enrolling for her senior year of college in another month. The cabbie lifted the microphone out of its dashboard cradle and … Continue reading What’s the Damage?
Dawn-delion
By Susan Cleveland At daybreak, Momma flower gently rubbed the part of her midsection where her baby was beginning to grow. It wasn't a full bud yet: more like a small green nub. "Here comes the dawn, little one. I think that's a good name for you: a dandelion named Dawn. You'll be my Dawn-delion. … Continue reading Dawn-delion
Blueberry Bushes
By Dan Morrison On Sundays we’d drive across town to my grandpa’s house. He’d built it himself after some great war. There was still care there, but ever since my grandma had died things were slipping. Paint chipped, gutters leaked, and he had decided to use a broken TV as a TV stand because it … Continue reading Blueberry Bushes
Academy of the Heart And Mind 