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EMPTY VESSELS David O’Donoghue Gary listened to the orchestra of the checkout line- the steady beep of the scanner, the insect chatter of unfurling bags, the percussion of wine bottles thudding down on the conveyor belt- and he had a decision to make. It wasn’t quite the life-or-death choice he had faced a few minutes…
TIME AS A BRAID OF OUR LIVES Robert R. Chase My wife used to explain to her friends that I have always been adrift in time. This is less dramatic than it sounds. Like everyone, I live in the present and look forward to the future. However, my memories are usually no more precise than…
SHADES OF UNREALITY Cynthia Sally Haggard Lady Cecylee Neville (1415-1495) was born a few months before King Henry V’s glorious victory at Agincourt. When she was nine years old, she was betrothed to Richard, Duke of York, a cousin to King Henry VI. Eventually, Cecylee became the mother of thirteen children, including Edward IV and…
THE MARMALADE CONTINUUM Treesong It was the body of a young woman, possibly in her twenties, though the exact age was difficult to determine given her current state. She was completely naked and covered from head to toe in a viscous orange substance that left a sweet citrus scent lingering in the air. Her strawberry…
EN SOLEIL Arlan Andrews, Sr. I wash the dusty feet of Jesus; I wipe His Mother’s furrowed brow. Under the bright lights of the museum’s mobile maintenance cart, my careful inspection of the statue reveals that Michaelango’s Pieta is none the worse for wear. I think, Miraculously, they’ve even repaired the hammer damage, almost out…
FERMI-BOT FRONTIER Chris Phillips A static voice in Curt’s ear said, “A light’s busted on level seventy-two. Get it sorted.” It might have been Peggy, but he wasn’t sure anymore. The further out the ship traveled, the more its voices blended. “It’s Thursday,” Curt said, at least he thought it was. Without night and day…
PERMUTATIONS OF THE SOUL Melanie Rees Yesterday the number of millionaires peaked across the nation. The chance of the average person achieving everything they ever dreamed of was… well, it was very high. No doubt, the Fortune Teller knew the exact probability. But the man about to interview me wasn’t a millionaire. His fortune was…
BREAD AND SALT Mark Silcox As the stimulants entered his bloodstream, Klaus saw a human figure moving behind tracings of frost on a glass panel. It was his wife Claire, who had obviously already been released from dormancy. But this was wrong, he remembered: they had always made sure in the past that their two…