'rThe space between stars is best described as-' "Bullshit" Ida finished for the paper as she wiped cat boogers off her tablet screen. She held eye contact with her cat as she cleaned her hands on the top of her bedspread. Bolo deadpanned her back his look made it clear the sneeze had been very intentional. A direct result of his dinner being less than a handful of dry pellets bc the shops were out and with the first winter storm set to hit a few days from now the panic buying had stripped the isles bare of any basic essentials. Nevermind that any winter percipitation they did get would probably only last a day, they lived just west of Satan's asshole, so sweater weather today more than likely meant shorts tomorrow. "I will go first thing in the morning." She told Bolo, tossing the disgruntled feline a bit of bacon from her own spars dinner. Honestly, she thought in the back of her mind, unless this storm turned out to be anything like the one they had in '93 there was no need to hoard supplies. " now that was a bad one." She said outloud to no one but in the direction of her disgruntled tabby. Ida looked back at the paper she was reading circling the misplaced 'r' at the start of the opener that was undoubtably a typo the gradstudent either didn't notice or was too busy to go back and edit. Definitely not because they were too lazy to go back and fix the mistake themselves. no one was in a gradutate program and half assing their work. She scoffed, and re-read the opening line again, stopping in the same place once more. The space between stars was bullshit, and making her living off rewriting nepo babies' grad work so little . Johnny could take over Daddy's company and play Fisher Price My First Fortune 500 Company was making Ida bitter. "If you hate it so much quit." The voice in her head told her. She stared down at Bolo contened now and fake sleeping against her knee, definitely not drooling and making air biscuits just above Ida's foot she had tucked under her on the daybed. If she quit she would have to leave and if she left she would fail. She didn't think she could take that kind of failure. It wouldn't be so bad right? Another voice said in her mind, it not like it would be the end of the world. "Yes it would" Ida said outloud scratching her precious Bolo'shead. Not only the end of this world but the end of Ida's career. Command would never give her a mission again after the stunts she pulled on this one, that and they didn't have cats on her planet.
I love routine. Every morning, I follow the same steps, making sure it’s the same outcome each time. I wake up, and make my bed. Making your bed in the morning is the first step to achieving success. I’ve already surpassed most of Earth’s population by simply making my bed in the morning. I check that off my list, and immediately brush my teeth. I cannot live with the awful taste in my mouth after waking up. I scrub and scrub, fifteen seconds per tooth. I rinse and repeat. Afterwards, I feel quite refreshed and take a walk outside. I like the get some activity in before I fill up my stomach. I feel too heavy if I eat right away, making my stomach upset. I strap on my velcro boots — I hate the texture of laces — and plan my day in my head. In approximately two hours, I leave for work. At nine o’clock, every morning, I clock in to my office job. Not many people like office jobs, but I think it’s the most efficient form of income one can have. It’s relatively the same each day, and I have an effective income for a man living alone. I can provide for myself quite well. All I have to do is produce ink for printers. I create every shade of white, grey, and black imaginable. Well, that is to say every existing color now. There used to be a wide array of them with exotic names such as lavender and periwinkle. Believe it or not, those were only examples from one base shade —purple! That would’ve been my favorite if I had ever seen them. I can just tell by the name, and how each letter perfectly rolls off the tongue. It would be elegant and easy on the eyes. I would like that. The world leaders, all the big guys in society, decided it would be more efficient for our world to be black and white. I mean it follows their usual goal of barricading self expression and anything out of societal normals. “No more bullying,” they claimed, and “less complications to society.” Effective immediately, everyone would be required to have monochromatic eye transplants. Many people supported. If they didn’t, they would be ridiculed for doubting our government. Obviously, the world leaders should know what’s best for us. Well, I must get going on my walk, rather than wasting time recounting history. I wasn’t even alive then; today marks year 4008. Well, it’s a nice morning for a walk. The air is cool and the sky is the perfect shade of grey, as usual. Every tree is in the same place, the typical neighborhood dog walkers are on time, and each car passes by as if on a schedule. I made sure my neighbors enjoy routine. The sun has been covered this morning by the looming oak trees. Past this bend, it should be hovering directly over my neighbor Susie’s old magnolia tree. My anticipation truly builds up with each step, as usual per my routine. Although it’s hard to tell through the white and grey tones, the sun truly does alter in color every day. I should be able to see it peeking through the branches at this point, but something else interrupts me. A faint hue of some odd shade of white is in its place. I finish around the corner, and the sun isn’t there anymore. Instead, a large blob, painful to my eye, is there. I have to look away, and a large splotch leaves a scar on my eyelid. Why isn’t it going away? This isn’t how my routine goes. This is not normal. Why, it looks like an unearthly occurrence. “Susie, dear? What happened to the sun?“ She shoots me an odd look through her gardening. “What do you mean, Tim?” My mind is running. “It’s right there,” she says, rolling her eyes. I’ve picked up the feeling she doesn’t particularly like me much. “You don’t see that odd light?” Susie gives me a pathetic look, as if I’m her toddler, bothering her with my whining. “Tim, why don’t you take a day off today? Are you feeling well?” This can’t be. I’m not going crazy. This isn’t right. The sun is right there, why does it look like that? I didn’t place my electronic contacts in already, right? Maybe they’re malfunctioning? Well, no I only brushed my teeth. Just like every morning, I’ve followed the same routine. Why is the sun different today? Why did it break routine?
Marcos woke up to the sun setting around him, people milling around, seemingly not paying him any attention. He looked up to a passing couple, “Excuse me?” No answer. Not even a glance in his direction. The bustling city around him full of people. Stores, marquees, and restaurants lined the sandy streets.
He rubbed his face, only to be met with sand and grit scraping into his skin and eyes, making him feel even worse than before. He looked down, seeing himself in only a pair of shorts and a dusty wife beater. He didn’t even have shoes. He got up, stumbling a bit. He couldn’t remember anything from before, like he was a blanked mind, new and naive, he was lucky he knew his own name.
He looked around confused once the surroundings came into focus. A desert town. He tried hard to think. Getting a headache, fighting the fog in his brain. He wanted to scream in pain, but he didn’t want to seem insane, not like anyone was paying him any mind. The hustle and bustle of cars and people was even more confusing.
Suddenly it hit him, he lived in Arizona. Yet, he knew where he lived wasn’t heavily populated. In fact, it was barely a town, just a place people passed through. It used to be a rich town, heavy with tourism as people passed through towards California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Mexico, but that all stopped when the fires broke out. It destroyed several communities and raged for days in the wild brush.
The communities were devastated, united in trying to rebuild, but without the tourism, the money ran out, the government didn’t see fit to help restore the city. Eventually, they gave up. Moved out, forced out, passed on. It was emotionally hard on who was left in the community.
It became a ghost town, Marcos was so young, he only remembered the barren landscapes, the half burnt reminders of industrialism, of wealth, of an illusion of eternity.
People were persuaded by the idea that the place could still be attractive enough to bring in a niche market, but it never happened. He spent his childhood biking around what was once a stunning town, but was now just a wasteland. A sad reminder of the dreams people had to leave behind.
He began to walk, the sand under his feet felt odd, hard? He looked down, it wasn’t just sand, but concrete, as well. They didn’t have concrete in this condition in his area? But the terrain was the same.
He felt odd as well, as if he was going to be sick, but not due to heat or hunger, as if he had chugged a bottle of alcohol, but without the intoxicating effects, just the dizziness and distorted mindset. What happened to Marcos?
A man on a bike was passing through, “excuse me! Sir! Excuse me?” Marcos begged out.
The young man stopped, got off his bike, while unstrapping his helmet. “Can I help you sir? Do you need me to get you someone?” He looked at Marcos with concern. “Is everything alright?” He handed him an extra water bottle from the side pack on his bike. Marcos drank it greedily, hoping it would help something in his brain.
He stumbled on his words. “What town is this?” He was scared. For some reason he couldn’t understand, his fear felt primal, like he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.
“Well, you’re in Mineshaft Creek. Do you remember how you got here?” The man asked him. “I’m Andrew, by the way, it’s nice to meet you, what’s your name?” Andrew felt something towards this man, not an attraction, but a feeling he knew him.
“Uhm… I’m Marcos. Wait, Mineshaft Creek? That can’t be possible, it burned down in ‘88?” Marcos replied incredulously.
Andrew, Mineshaft Creek, the Bridge Town. His brain began to hurt again, like it was fast forwarding and rewinding at once. Memories flooded his mind, so much to a point it nearly brought him to his knees. He knew that name, but how? He gritted his teeth and looked past the pain, confusion being at the forefront of his mind, he needed answers.
“Like 1888? It’s only 1979, sir. Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Can you tell me what year you think it is?” Andrew began to feel uneasy. Like something was happening that wasn’t meant to be.
“No, that can’t be possible. it’s 2011, this place is a ghost town. Wait. Andrew? May I ask your last name? If it’s not a bother to you. Of course.” Marcos racked his brain. Who was Andrew to him, why did he….
“Baxter, I’m Andrew Baxter. I was actually on my way to pick up dinner for my girlfriend, Diana, how bout I stop and grab you a pair of flip flops and we can walk to the shop together, please let me get you something to eat, maybe I can phone Diana at the restaurant and see if she can bring the car round.” He said quickly, trying to make sure the man didn’t leave yet. He had questions himself.
Marcos almost let his mask slip. Diana. Andrew Baxter. It couldn’t be real. This had to be a dream.
“Uhm, yeah that sounds very generous, I really appreciate it, sir- Andrew, I mean. I’m lucky to have met you on these streets.”
“No worries, I would do it for anyone.” As Andrew spoke, Marcos’ heartstrings tugged, a part of him knowing there was so much truth behind his words. So much.
They began to walk together, shoes on Marcos’ feet. He knew for some reason the time would be short together, Andrew delicately trying to probe into Marcos’ life, but finding answers in a man who could barely recall his own name was rather difficult. At the restaurant, Andrew phoned his girlfriend, Diana, who was a complete sweetheart to the world around her, who happily agreed to pick them up. She was excited at the prospect of dinner with a guest, as she spent most of her time studying alone.
She pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later, Andrew still not getting much out of the now much more nervous Marcos. They all piled into the car, the smell of diner food filling the car, the silence, as Marcos sat in the backseat, thinking.
It couldn’t be possible, Andrew and Diana Baxter, Marcos Baxter’s parents, were dead, they died in the fires. Based on photos though, his belief was now contradicted, unless this wasn’t a sick joke, and he had somehow come back to 1979. How? How was this possible?
Then it hit him like a lightening bolt. The explosion, the experiment, Amber. He suddenly recalled everything. He sat in complete silence, but his mind was screaming. Wailing as time caught up with itself, with the consequences of his actions, with every memory from his childhood to 2011, he remembered. Now he was sitting in the backseat of a car, with parents he only knew for three years.
Why had he sent himself here? Realizing he woke up with nothing in his pockets, dread filled him to the core.
He was stuck here. In 1979, nine years before the fire that would take his parents life. He realized his Uncle, who he was named after, was himself, the person who took care of him, _was himself. _
This was it, the best headline for the virgin voyage of the town newspaper Dairy could have ever asked for 'bouncy castle of doom sweeps the spring fair as horror stuck on lookers watch in terror-''
Diary sighed to themselves, pulling their arm from between sinking folds of thick plastic, if only they could have the time to write it. But, they looked around themselves as the ever deflating castle came slowly down around them, while also managing to sickingly see the roof tops of the city they had called home for the last year. It looked like Diary might be too dead to do much of anything. The winds coming off the ocean had been too strong, the mayo knew that but he has been a pushover his whole life and had zero intention of stopping now especially when his wife was the town events quardinator. The hurricane would be here in two days they wanted to get the fair squeezed in before the crouds left for the season. But that left Dairy waist deep and sinking while simultaneously 3 stories high as the bouncey castle took flight for a scenic view of Wendy Bay. Diary's hand finally found the kids arm, wrapping around it tightly they pulled as hard as they could. It felt like the kid was stuck under a pile of mattresses. His head emerged from the folds of the castletaking a breath and beginning his screaming again. Dairy couldn't blame him but it was loud. Diary wanted to scream their self but was more concerned about what would happen now that the castle was deflating enough to desend the sky in an alarming speed towards the waters edge of Wendy Pier. There were people running both towards them and away, Diary could hear the waves crashing against the wood pillars under them on the piers but the forward motion of the castle hadn't slowed, the dark sun bleached color of the pier Dairy could see through the mesh window suddenly gave way to the dark blue of the already freezing waters. People began to scream and suddenly they were jerked to a stop. The castle was stuck around the light post at the end of the pier and instead of moving forward the castle quickly started moving down Diary couldn't see it but they knew part of it was already in the water. They were momentarily in shock floating for a moment, them not the castle moving. Then the swaying started, with every back and forth motion of the waves the castle began to be pulled into the depths. ''Shit" Dairy said out loud as people screamed from the top of the pier. ''climb!" Diary pushed the kid upwards he went from clinging to Diary to clinging the taunt fabric that was already darkening with sea water. Diary climbed but felt like they were going no where, with every tug of fabric upward the more. water they felt at their feet. Someone yelled from the pier ''its slipping'' confirming Dairy's fear. Finally Dairy felt wood under their hands but no place to grab. ''Over here!" They shouted, followed momentarily by the sounds of a large knife usually saved for the large boat lines comimg through the fabric perilously close to Diary's hand. Sunlight hit Diary the face they closed their eyes at the brightness but gripped the boy with one hand pushing him forward. Someone in the crowd near him shouted they had him. Diary let out a breath they hadn't known they were holding as the last of the boy's shoe left Dairy's grasp and the first air from the outside brushed Daiy's knuckles. The castle was swaying more than every as the icy waters pulled it into it's depths making it extremely difficult for Dairy to stay latched to the side especially since with there was zero footing below them now and when they looked down it was a straight and watery slide into darkness. Dairy was sure they had never know true fear until then. '' HELP '' left their lips without provocation and they began kicking their feet as if they could run up the side of the sinking castle. Hands reached inside the makeshift exit, more than Dairy could feel but they griped and pulled their way down Dairy's arm to Dsiy's shoulder nails burning across Daiy's skin. Sea salt burned Daiy's lungs as they finally felt their feet break free of the bouncey castle restraints. The fabric was taunt and heavy as it slapped the side of the pier. People began the cheer in the back of the crowd as less people held onto Dairy and Dairy was more able to wrap themselves around the railing of the pier. Dairy was starting to shake and their tongue felt too big for their mouth as fear from what had just occurred started to grip them. A snap that sounded like lightning rang out too closely beside Dairy at the same time a few people in the crowd shouted the alarm that the light post the castle had caught on was now breaking under the wait of the ocean's pull. Dairy's heart popped into their throat at the sound and Dairy had just looked up only to see the pole and fabric plummeting directly towards where they currently clung to the outside of the pier.
Dairy woke to the sound thunder roaring in their ears as more lightning began the break across the sky. Their lungs seized and clinched like they were trying to expell water from their lungs. In that flash the memory of what happened, the break of the light pole, it hitting Dairy in the middle of the bac k before its decent into the water taking the last of the castle and Dairy with it. The extreme pain and sudden loss of all the air in their lungs followed almost immediately by ice and water then nothing. Lighting crackled across the sky as Dairy tried to rise in their hospital bed. ''Might want to rethink that'' the outline of a person against the window said. Dairy froze looking towards darkness, lighting cut through the sky illuminating a narrow face and narrow features. 'Your spine is bruised.'' Dairygulped stairing at the person before them. Unable to speak the room felt deafly silent even the rain pelting the window outside couldn't break it, you could only feel the rythmic slamming of it against the window but that is all. Dairy couldn't see the visitors face but knew their eyes were locked on Dairy. ''Are you afraid'' the figure asked, Dairy shook their head yes. The figure chuckled, ''so much for that old saying" the figure moved closer 'fear not for i am-" "Death" Dairy thought at the same time the stranger spoke the words. Death paused as if Dairy had said it out loud bemused a smile broke his face that Dairy felt very reminiscent of the weather outside. ''And I have a deal for you.'' Death finished and clasped his hands infrontnof him waiting expectantly for Dairy.
I guess it was bittersweet. I had always imagined that I’d feel relief. My fight would be over. It is over. But I worshipped the sun. I loved feeling it on my skin, the life it gave. I had loved being on planet earth even though it came at such a high cost. I had loved the things man hadn’t destroyed, zipping through trees, hearing birds sing, the calm of resting with nature. But even nature can be vicious, animals amoral. We all kill to survive. Death is the ying of life, so all sunrises have to set.
Like a blanket pierced, with the moon at it centre. The gravity was coerced, with the moon as its mentor.
Strewn across the sky, bright dots of light. Comets are a little shy, as the planets hide out of sight.
As you guide me in this dark, such beauty and grace. Igniting this spark, from high in space.
Bringing me home, to our port in any weather. In the cosmos you roam, our love as light as a feather.
...
I love you Baby
Being the Key Bearer was a difficult job, but it came with its benefits. Felix was quite literally in it for the benefits only. He didn't go through all of that training because he thought it would be a fun, easy gig.
The thing about Felix Donovan was that he always found himself in the middle of the most awkward situations known to man. It was like his superpower, but so much worse. Being the Key Bearer for the region was his way of gaining some control over his occasional misfortunes.
Key Bearing came with a great deal of responsibility which Felix took seriously, of course. He was in charge of all of the comings and goings throughout the region. There were thousands a day, including the confidential visits that only a select few knew about.
Felix's benefit, though - the only reason that made this whole thing worth it - was the fact that he had total control over the keys and all ensuing travel. When he found himself in a situation that he wished he could get out of, he had the control to do so. All he had to do was think of where he wanted to go, pull the key out of his pocket, and find a door. It saved him from a myriad of awkward situations and uncomfortable conversations. Despite the endless secrecy and bureaucracy he was forced to suffer, he decided that his one perk made the whole thing more than well worth it.
The soldiers are preparing, for a new clean up at this time. The natural lights of nature have dimmed to leave behind a mere illusion of the sky. Yet, the cold white snow, freezes those right now, squeezing onto their arms as their yellowing teeth clattered to make a chilling sound. It was unknown how long these peopel have been in this warp hole for, where the conditions of the natural law of humans were disobeyed and twisted in this heretical location. The men in red suits screamed above the sound of the piercing wind, they gave out orders and instructions in the hope that they will be able to remove this dangerous object. It seemed to tower over all the small ‘humans’ and the ever growing wind slammed into it and bursted the ear drums of the soldiers. She stood over the array of men, looking down at the large object they had scattered on, pondering what their intentions were with her belongings. A solider looked up, and locked eyes with the floating monster, a muffled sound was made, but was blocked out from the wind, his life ended briefly and no one else had noticed him give in. “organisation of warp cleaning…” She read the badge, as her claws crushed it into millions of frgaments, her home was to be destroyed, and they were going to end her life too. In a sense, what they wanted to do wasnt wrong, as this floating monster was destined to destroy the world. “Kill them, you evil monster, do you not see what the impudent lower beings will do to your cherished home?” A voice rang out, she placed a hand to her ear in pain, wincing her eyes as she screamed out a name, “]>!.¥]>]” the language couldn’t couldn’t be distinguished, yet every soldier below could hear the incomprehensible music. “A MONSTER! She’s here… MEN DRAW YOUR WEAPONS AND COME HERE.” In an instant they surrounded the evil monster, as she floated above the clouds with small wings, her face was young but her body was big. She never imagined she would be caught, she had no backup plan as she was still only a young ‘child’. The clock ticked, a loud boom rang, her home exploded as her tears soon came. She shouted in rage, yet she didn’t want to hurt hundreds humans, the race she envied, yet she was ever so stupidly curious about them. Her body in ashes, though her spur remained, she had killed many humans and this karma was expected and it came. Her ashes scattered through the cold winds, she was carried to a place without her desire. In the end she could’ve destroyed the humans, but she hesitated and still died, with the name of the evil monster.
The city had just recovered from an earthquake that wiped out millions of people.
It’s been 5 days since the earthquake happened. And the government had set up a refugee camp trying to connect survivors and families back while the military and police continued to work hard in searching for anyone who’s still alive or trapped.
Mia a 6 years old girl is trapped in a 12 story building, a Tech company previously focused in building robots before the earthquake had happened.
Tired from screaming and crying, hungry, she gets up trying to push the stone that had fallen on the doorway -still calling out to her mom who had brought her to her workplace before the disaster.
After series of failed trying, she walked into the factory where they had completed projects, and uncompleted projects. Some totally destroyed, and others with missing parts.
She puts her bag by the side and drags off a table that had fallen on one of the robots. Pulls the robot out to an open space and turns it to the back.
The robot had a tag “Sony”.
But for some reason wouldn’t come on when she tries to turn it on.
Seeing that the robot had broken some part of it’s body, Mia thinks of how to couple it up and make it work.
She looks up to her left and notices a pink flower attached to a rope, grabs it and used it to tie the robot, making the right arm and body stick back together.
Best to her knowledge, it was the only way to make the right arms stick back and not fall out when she makes it stand.
Thinking of how best to bring it on, she goes to the telecommunications department where her mom previously worked and picks up an iPad from the floor among the ones scattered on the floor and returns back to the robot.
The iPads are usually used to configure the robots for seamless operations and configurations.
She then configured the iPad on the chest side of the robot and turned it on. To her surprise, it worked!
She was happy she did it.
The robot stood up on its feet…
“Hi! I’m Sony, what’s your name ?”
With her faint tired voice, she says “Mia”.
“How can I help you today Mia?”
Mia then narrates what had happened to the best of her knowledge to Sony.
“Okay Mia, I’ll watch over you but for the main time, I’ll send an 🆘 emergency message to get help”.
After two hours, the Police gets to the building took Mia and Sony out.
Everyone was amazed when the robot narrated what Mia had done.
“Hey Mia, grab the hands of your bot” one of the cops says. We’re going to make this go viral!.
I woke up, dazed and breaking down in sweats. I dreamed that I was falling through a tunnel and it was taking me to the middle of nowhere. Good thing it was just a dream, I sighed a breath of relief. I got up from my bed and checked my phone. It was Friday, there is just one more day of school until I am free, I can do this! I thought to myself. I did my morning routine of washing my face and brushing my teeth to eating breakfast. Everything was going smoothly and within an hour, I am outside of my school.
“What the heck?!” I shouted. I can not believe what happened to my school. It seems familiar and strange to me at the same time. The school was vertical and skinny looking and had a big sign saying 164 on the front. I cautiously and slowly walked to the school. I went in and to my shock, the inside was huge and there were overlapping staircases and a number of floors. I tried to find my classroom in this maze like place but to no avail. I decided to go ask the principal for directions. I ran to the principal’s office and knocked on the door. The principal told me to come in and I immediately asked him if he knew where my classroom was. He smiled and said, “you just be new.” I paused and refuted, “No I am not, the school seems different.” The principal smiled and said, “it has always been like this.” I felt so confused but I didn’t question further. The principal introduced a girl to me and told me that she will show me where my classroom was. He said that each building was a different classroom and each building has 9 floors. This was completely new information to me, I was beyond shocked. The girl lead me outside of the school and we got into her car. She said she will drive me to my classroom.
I got into her car and noticed that it was a race car which seemed so weird to me. We drove along a road with many buildings, all of them were identical except for the big sign, some read 150, some were 122 or 134. These must be the different classrooms, I thought. We kept on driving until we reached a building called 190, I was very excited, I finally found my class! I called to the girl that that was my class, I was desperate to get out of the car, I was already 20 minutes late to class. The girl laughed and said, “Wait for a minute, I need to get a drink, I am so thirsty.” She then put her hand back on the handle and started the engine and started driving again. I was shocked, I can’t believe she didn’t let me get out. I was also angry that she only cared about herself. She got her drink but then she said she also needed to go to the library. I had enough! I jumped out of the car and made my way to my classroom….
Recently featured