The five surly policemen were practiced at being intimidating. They walked like lions, padding through the plains, unafraid of any…
The Update
The tall hallway in my house seemed unreasonably quiet, as if spectres were lurking and judging me from the corners.…
The Cookie Monster
I was normally more careful about idle chatter or looking at things I wanted. When I saw the broad-shouldered guy…
Monsters of Mars
“That…That is a monster.” He was right. He did what anyone would do when faced with a monster. He took…
Countdown to Zero
Like most people, the best part of the day for Harrison was the preparation in the morning. From his pillow…
Boiling Point
When a kettle boils, it’s like a small scream. But in a long day those small screams need to happen.…
Little Feathering
The village hall was as cold as a mountain lair when the local folk edged in to fill its cavernous…
Love and War
I was on the shuttle to the city centre when Bill, my ‘life coach AI’ decided to request a session.…
Lily’s Truth
“There is no such thing as human rights. If you are lucky enough to live in a country that nurtures…
Bay 3
The morning drizzle was gentle and quivering. Thankfully, after much swaying and churning in the waves, the brutal gale had…
Factory Settings
The production line never really stopped. For maintenance and inspections there were brief pauses but the conveyer rolled its parts…
The Agreement
There are no laws on Mars, just agreements. I say this because when the extraction ship comes in 126 sols,…
Stays Inn
Jack Seymour frowned, so deep furrows formed on his brow, staring at the PDF receipt on the screen of his…
Saviour Squad
I was asleep when the alert sounded in my earpiece. It was 10:05pm on a Tuesday. I had retreated to…
Reap
“You reap what you sow.” When he said it, initially, I felt at a loss. I had nothing to say…
Herb
It was a beautiful bright, crisp September morning, and although it felt chilly to step out, the sky was blue…
Into the Foodchain
I had wandered into the shell of a hotel in the town’s central square, stepping over the twisted, looping vines…
Testing for Signs of Life
“She was smiling when they put her in the capsule.” General Wright did not respond straight away, quite deliberately. He…
Cultured
It had been an uncomfortable journey, reaching the old hunter’s shack. I had taken the bumpy, pitted backroads in the…
The Hate Room
It struck me, every movie I enjoyed celebrated the victors who were most violent, who dominated, who won through slaughter.…
Dystopian Days 