An e-zine about spaceships, aliens, science, memory, motherhood, magic, and cats.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Last week, we gave you a treat — two Shreddy the cat stories. Today, we have the corresponding trick — a trio of bite-sized stories that add up to a mouthful of nightmare:
by Mary E. Lowd
Originally published in Theme of Absence, April 2016
Exhausted, Junie watched her five-year-old daughter and two toddler sons play with Gorvall. They stacked up colored blocks and knocked them down. Gorvall’s long gray fingers helped pry apart the building blocks that stuck together. The colorful towers reflected in his large, teardrop-shaped black eyes.
by Mary E. Lowd
Originally published in Theme of Absence, June 2016
Standing in the hospital lobby, Daniel spread his hands over the shirt covering his flat belly. He tried to imagine the alien life growing inside him, but it didn’t seem real. He didn’t feel any different than he had a week ago.
A couple women walked by Daniel, chatting with each other. The base’s hospital was otherwise quiet at this time of evening. Daniel turned back toward the row of glass doors that led out to the dry, desert air of Eridani Mu, wanting to leave the hospital. The buildings of the human base were under the shadow of twilight now, but the majestic spires of the alien city in the distance were still lit by the pink-and-orange tinged sunset. In only five years since the humans had crashed here, those spires had grown and stretched until they dwarfed the human base. Continue reading “Birthing Class”
by Mary E. Lowd
Originally published in Daily Science Fiction, February 2015
Chloe lay on the table in the doctor’s office, wearing a paper sheet over her legs and one of those weird gowns that opened in the back. She didn’t want to be pregnant, but she didn’t want to need an abortion. She couldn’t help thinking about David — it had to be David — and what amazing genes he must have. He’d talked like a character out of a fast-paced TV show, everything clever, insightful, and… much too articulate. Continue reading “FemCloud Inc.”
The four-year-old, pointing to a picture of himself: “I never did that.”
Me: “You did. That’s you doing that.”
The four-year-old: “But I never saw me doing it!”
D.A.R.Y.L. (1985) is still a beautiful movie about AI. Imagine Star Trek’s Data as a ten-year-old on Earth in the 80s — that’s pretty much D.A.R.Y.L.
After watching D.A.R.Y.L., the four-year-old announced that he’s H.A.R.Y.L. the robot. And, no, he doesn’t understand how acronyms work. Continue reading “H.A.R.Y.L.”
The damaged shuttle craft has been delivered to the salvage yard. Time to fly the newer version home.
Alien Covenant was way better than I expected, though kind of like watching one of my nightmares on a screen.
Today has been filled with Halloween and Star Trek. I can think of no better things to fill a day with.
So much happy squealing and dancing — the ten-year-old got her first really big role in a play.
To the tune of Gaston, whilst prancing all around the house: “No one acts like Elaine! No one sings like Elaine!”