Category: Excerpts

“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…” Pilligan sang to himself as he wound the anchor’s rope into a neat coil on the ship’s deck. The white wood shone in the warm tropical sunshine. He’d done a fabulous job of scrubbing it, if he did say so himself. In fact, the S.S. Mini…

Kassandra sighed. Another math problem, and not a particularly pretty one at all, it reflected browns and grays. She glanced at the blank canvas on her easel with longing. Not now, her mother had said; finish the assignment and then you can paint. A twinge of pain stabbed between her eyebrows. Planting her elbows on…

Two Halloween Men paused in front of our shop. Crouched in the dark window display, I froze, hoping they wouldn’t notice me among the merchandise. My navy blue merchant’s robe blended in with the black velvet mannequin heads, my simple mask was unremarkable in the midst of the elegant and colorful masks on display. Despite…

…Excitement built as Eunice reported to deck twelve, barrel two to meet her pilot. First impression-his gray skin exactly matched the color of his unruly hair. He’s ancient for a lieutenant. Remembering her basic training, she snapped to attention. “Private Eunice Daniels, reporting for–“ “Relax, Private. I don’t do the whole salute and shout routine. Name’s…

Monday Evelyn’s brain cells had declared war inside her skull. The right side of her brain attacked the left with mortars and heavy artillery, while the left responded with bombs and gunfire. Why did she order that third Long Island Ice Tea? Because she had already drunk two and logic and reason had left her to photocopy…

They watched us. And we watched each other. Searching for the telltale signs-a raised voice, clenched jaw, fisted hands, muscles as tight as security, and the serk gaze-we watched and waited. Anyone of us could be next. Every night before lights out, I stared at my own reflection, seeking the rage that might lurk behind…

I’m the new girl. Always am. Don’t worry, it doesn’t bother me anymore. I’m a pro. It’s so easy to ignore the stares of the other students as I stand on the steps leading into the main entrance of another Dead President High School. I’m in some town in Wisconsin. Or is it Minnesota? All…

Val’s comm link buzzed in her ear, waking her. Not another problem with the simulator, she thought. Damn thing breaks more than the mining trolls on Mars Seven. She toggled it on with a little more force than required, hurting herself which just added to her annoyance. “Harris here, this better be important.” “Sergeant Harris, report to…

I’m jolted from my memories by two men who block my view. One look at their black suits, fedoras, and dour faces and I know they’re from the government. Problem is, which one. Germany’s or Poland’s? The thin-faced man on the left says in German, “Miss Zosia Nowak, we’d like a word with you.” The…

The screech of a small child being tortured woke Lexa. At least, that was what her alarm sounded like at four in morning. I feel your pain, girlfriend, she muttered under her breath as she swatted the clock before her roommate could growl. Why? Why did I ever volunteer for the five a.m. shift? Lexa asked herself this…