Tamsy runs through the dark pasture, chased by his father’s screams. The drunken man casts his voice like a fishing net, but nothing he says will ensnare Tamsy; his bare feet know the way to the woods. Once there, he falls in front of his favorite tree and hugs its roots as he sobs. …
Through the window, the servants watched the two older Ms. Sleerlys comfort Rose by the pool. One would have assumed Abitha Sleerly, 60, Marta Sleerly, 45, and Rose Sleerly, 22, grandmother, mother, and daughter. The buxom blondes had the same high cheekbones, small noses, and ample breasts. They were related. As of this Friday, they were all …
“Big news today. Scientists at LEADRA Institute have found definitive proof that God… does not exist.” The anchor swallows. His eyes flutter. He clears his throat and exposes his pearly smile. “Next up, Miley Cyrus talks dating at 158.” Faith turns off her VR set. Across the worlds billions do the same; this is not …
Darla had always avoided passing the terrarium. She vividly recalled how Bryce’s Diamondback had rattled its tail her first time over— how it had lunged. “You’re safe,” Bryce had said as the venom slid down the glass. The snake’s cold eyes said otherwise: I will get you one day. One day Darla awoke …
It’s been eons since my death. I’ve witnessed my own funeral and then those of my loved ones. My children… grandchildren… great grandchildren. I’ve watched humankind itself grow old and die. Earth turns alien. New life is born, evolves, then dies. Nothing joins me in my ghostly watching. Maybe I’m a glitch in the program. …