Jam
Scientists invented a new kind of berry, a strawblucherri. They were great fresh or as a jam & grew absolutely anywhere. Even after passing through you & going down the drain. They flourished in the plumbing, unnoticed, until they clogged every toilet in the world.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 24, 2022.
Wraith
I see a gargoyle
High up
On top of that building.
A grimace on its face.
Like a wraith,
Damned spirit…
Sent up
To look down,
And watch.
To sonder & ponder
Forever
Upon the lives below.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 9, 2022.
Serpentine
Women like her don’t walk. They glide. Her serpentine waltz draws my eye. She sits beside me, offers a sip of her drink. I hate Applejack daiquiris, but I’m curious about those green eyes. It doesn’t matter if she’s the devil. My wallet’s empty & I’m ready to die.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on August 6, 2022.
Quicksilver
“Where is the horse for this carriage of glass?” demanded the immortal after I freed him from the grave. “And what is this?” he asked as we drove away. “These blades that take the rain, like spilled quicksilver, that I might perceive our mystically lighted way?”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on July 30, 2022.
Sewer
I went out for a walk & just after stepping over a manhole cover, the iron lid flew up into the air. They said gasses built up in the sewer – that I was lucky to survive – but I think something else is going on here. The rats planned it & they’re coming after me.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on July 7, 2022.
Sacrifice
The airlock opened & she was standing there, my dream made flesh, as beautiful as the night I imagined her.
“Fancy that,” she said with a smirk. “Trapped together, alone on the same space-station.”
“It ain’t no sacrifice,” I told her. “I came to fix the plumbing.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on July 3, 2022.
Pitchfork
“I wouldn’t normally mention it,” said the real estate agent. “But since you’re a horror writer… The last owner was found in the living-room, gripping a pitchfork & surrounded by burning candles. Weird thing is, they say he must have been dead for over a month.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on June 18, 2022.
Batter
Intestines lay over rusty nails, draining onto the floor. A severed foot rested on a cutting block with gnawed stumps instead of toes. The cook stirred the ingredients – brain, stomach & chestnut flour – the perfect batter for pink pancakes, homemade on her fire.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on May 29, 2022.
Beast
“If you lose,” the beast growled, “I’ll drink your blood & eat your soul.” It moved its rook 2 spaces. “Check.”
The tiny child stared at the board from behind thick glasses. He picked his nose, ate what he found, and said, “That’s an illegal move, bub. Checkmate.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on May 22, 2022.
Noxious
Midnight. The children slipped quietly from their beds & went out into the dark. Under the light of a crescent moon, they crept toward the graveyard. A breeze tinged with fragrant rot & the noxious fumes of the embalmer deepened their trance, drawing them forward.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on May 14, 2022.
Leave
Alizandrus escaped the loving embrace of his carer, a giant streptococcus named Cyrus. He got past the guard at the hall of Galaxis, slipped into the chambers of Ever & there, betrayed, his uncle the King lay dying. “Leave for Earth now,” commanded the King. “Hurry.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on May 7, 2022.
Sweat
1000 souls moved, screaming as one, as the heaving mass of twisted flesh approached. A crooked arm reached forward just as a blaze of bullets tore it to twitching shreds. “Thanks,” the boy said with a whimper. “No sweat,” answered a woman’s voice from the shadows.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on May 2, 2022.
Odd
Doc handed his prescription to the engineer – their last swig of gin until spring. The shelter groaned under the cold & ice as old Jim took the cup with trembling hands. “So much blood,” he said. “It’s odd. If a bear ate our sled dogs, why didn’t I find any tracks?”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on April 30, 2022.
Hide
My cousin lived by the ocean. One day, he told me he’d found some old caves near the water. A week later, he died in a car accident. Before the burial, a strange man came to pay his respects. I saw him #hide a gold coin in the coffin & whisper, “You dropped this.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on April 18, 2022.
Ambition
The writer smacked & tapped & struck the keys on a worn-out Olivetti typewriting machine. Fingers bled, nails chipped off, blister after blister broken past meat & bone. The page is free from the gripper & the tale is perfect – its sole ambition, to be horrific.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on April 16, 2022.
Hard
The judge handed down a sentence of 0.625 seconds – hard time for anyone to move as fast as light. The prisoner climbed into the pod & blew a kiss. It would seem like a blink to him, but when he came back this way, eons will have passed & with them, anyone who cared.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on April 15, 2022.
Veteran
“Thanks for coming, Padre. A lot of us out here have lost hope.” As a veteran of the service, the commander often forgot how new arrivals reacted when they first saw the planet. The priest stared through the window, at Jupiter circling far below, and said, “I quit.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on March 25, 2022.
Pulsating
Pulsating pimples popped, profusely pumping putrid, pungent pink-pudding pus.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on March 23, 2022.
Beckon
In spring 1932, me & the boys were laying copper line through the hills near railroad #9. At dark, stuck close to our fire, we listened as the banshee wailed, like she always did at night. Beckon us she did & Charlie went with his axe in hand & he never came back.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on March 12, 2022.
Ganymede
Uri’s glare was filled with fury. “Why hide in the shadow of Jupiter when our battle rages upon the Earth?”
His sister smiled with a million fangs & answered, “Your bones will lay here, frozen on Ganymede until the fires of Sol are red & great & they melt the ice.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on February 20, 2022.
Bottom
I tripped & fell into a pit. I was surprised when I didn’t die, but just went on falling. I met some people along the way. They were nice & we had a party – balloons with cake & gifts for everybody. No one knew if the bottom drew near & we toasted like we didn’t care.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on February 17, 2022.
Jumble
Their father was called away in the middle of the night – trouble down at the docks. Joseph didn’t like being alone with his sister. She’d changed since the snake bit her at church. Her words were always a jumble now & she refused to eat anything except raw meat.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on February 13, 2022.
Hive
I found an alley-cat – patted it on the head. It scratched my arm & the cut puffed up. I went home & took a bath. The wound started seeping… I went to bed. As I slept, the hive broke open & mice crawled out. The cat got into my house. It’s at the foot of my bed.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on February 12, 2022.
Staircase
The place was condemned after the murders. The bodies were jammed up in the crawlspace under the stairs & left to rot. Fluid seeped through the floorboards & down to the foundation. They said there was no way to ever get all the smells & stains out.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on February 6, 2022.
Patient
Planet 3 had aliens: simple at first but growing in complexity. The probe was patient for eons, watching, circling the yellow star just like ice or rock. It spotted computers, the internet & eventually AI. That’s when it signaled home that intelligence was emerging.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on February 5, 2022.
Starlight
After every civilization collapsed, planets and solar systems vanished. Over millennia, starlight reddened and gravitational waves flattened. Then atoms disassembled, along with photons & neutrinos. When the universe was cold & dead, Shiva said, “Well, this is boring.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 31, 2022.
Viscera
Twain said he couldn’t die. One day they found him covered in viscera, disemboweled by his own hand. They burned his body to ash & held a service. As they began to sing, his voice rose above the rest while he stood at the altar, leading their prayer.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 30, 2022.
Devil
Candles flickered through the drafty abbey. Alonzo the monk stared down at a book: pages of shorn flesh, words scribbled in red. It was the Devil’s own hand, passages & incantations for raising the dead. A chorus of fallen angels tempted him with promises in the wind.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 23, 2022.
Absent
She lay on the ground, wires sticking out of her head. She was in the computer now – her consciousness reduced to a string of numbers and equations. absent eyes stared back as David took her into his arms & cried. “I’ll meet you,” he whispered, “by the electric sea.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 22, 2022.
Into the Woods
People were starving in the time of Hansel & Gretel. The kids ran away from home because their parents were about to eat them. As they went into the woods, they didn’t have bread & they certainly didn’t leave a trail. There was no witch. Their parents caught them.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 20, 2022.
Midnight
I was out walking, five past midnight. Went to a gas station for a pack of cigarettes & some chewing gum. My girl hates it when I come home drunk. Gave the clerk my money & got back outside. The stars were falling – not just one or two, but all of them at the same time.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 16, 2022.
Duck
Saturn rise
From the dark.
Up high, her rings churn.
That is the sky,
Iapetus turn.
My dome station,
Garden air,
Countless generations,
Our people survived there.
Trees tall & slender,
Grasses, lake & beasts protected.
Fly well sacred spear.
Bring duck, fish & hare.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 15, 2022.
Descended
After crossbreeding several species, someone created a tree that grew higher than Olympus. The branches touched the sky & the roots descended all the way to Earth’s fiery core. The roots caught fire, then the trunk & branches. Soon the world was covered in ashes.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 14, 2022.
Bioluminescent
A probe searched for life on planet 3 around the nearby star, Proxima Centauri b. After detecting a bioluminescent signature, it descended into the cloud layer & vanished from sensors. The aliens sent a probe of their own & now we have a full moon every night.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 13, 2022.
Gambled
Shackleton Casino,
3120
Air escaped into space,
Chips floated,
I gambled.
Robot security
Didn’t see.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 12, 2022.
Cast
The Keepers wanted to know how people once told stories. They chose a cast of men & women, gave them costumes & a script. Though they’d never been on a stage before, the humans did well & when the curtain fell in a flurry of plastic roses, the robots clapped & wept.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 9, 2022.
Eat
Someone screamed outside. The kids quietly packed as their mother crept toward the window. The neighbourhood was burning, cars crashed in the street. The man next door, Mr. Simmons, lay in the road twitching as giant spiders gathered around him & began to eat.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 8, 2022.
Strobe
I remember an event, strange & disconnected. Not sure when it happened or who was there. Sometimes I think it was a dream – some dazed hallucination – but that can’t be it. Like a strobe light in my mind I can’t deny. Aliens are real & they’re watching.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 8, 2022.
Junkyard
Bob used to run a junkyard for old aircraft. Nobody noticed he was missing until someone tried to scrap an a320 & got bit by his dog. They never found Bob’s body, and since I kept Fido, I like to think he patched together a plane from spare parts & moved to Hawaii.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 6, 2022.
Blob
They found a blob creature with curly tentacles hiding in a crater near Triton Station. The team began to panic when it followed them back to the airlock. After a garbled mayday, a strange voice transmitted that everything was fine now.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 5, 2022.
Blank
Blood, torn flesh & arteries. Terrible pain & doctors all around. The secret is, this is what happened to Elvis, Crick & Einstein. Something’s waiting on a gurney beside me – grey, short legs, big eyes. It’s called a blank & they’re going to put my mind inside it.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 2, 2022.
One
It started on Orion’s arm: a star here & there that flickered & vanished. Then some that were closer – Ross 128 & Tau Ceti. One after another, they disappeared. I looked outside today & the sun was flashing. By my calculations, we have less than 15 seco…
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on January 1, 2022.
Becoming
The officer pulled the cardboard back, expecting a homeless person inside. “I wouldn’t do that,” an old lady with messy hair & missing teeth warned. Underneath, a cocoon had formed – white & fluffy like a silkworm spun it. The old lady said, “I’m becoming…”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 31, 2021.
Arch
The Arch was supposed to be a pleasure to fly, like a sailboat on a sunny day. Remember how we had our whole launch day planned out? How we were going to have steak and eggs, like they used to back when just making orbit was a big deal?
Then, together…
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 30, 2021.
Seraph
My brother ran from the farm, shouting, “I saw two angels falling: one Seraph, and the other, a Principality. They fought in the sky – each of them thrashing – and they fell on old Bessy, out there, in the pasture.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 29, 2021.
Motive
They’d finally found proof aliens seeded humanity & now the artifact was missing. The doctor desperately wondered who would have had the motive to take it. His partner? The locals they’d hired to dig? The Philanthropist? Or was it the guide who’d led them to the crater?
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 28, 2021.
Clementines
While peeling the skin off a clementine, I found myself wondering… Plants are alive, right? Like pigs & chickens, but different. They have flesh & cells & juicy insides. We’re like that. Maybe, as I pull the fruit apart, it’s suffering in ways I don’t understand.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 27, 2021.
Passenger
I snuck onto a UFO that landed in a field. The aliens got out, looked around, as I went up the ramp & hid behind the hyper-warp inducer coil. They got back on board & closed the door. We lifted off before they found me. Now I’m a passenger on my way to Toa-Alpha Persei.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 26, 2021.
Crystalline
Charles taught me how to crack walnuts in my palm, how Christmas bulbs pop like little bombs. When I found an ugly rock, he cut it in half, revealing a hidden crystalline. One day, he shattered his knee. It was just like him – breaking things open for me to see.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, indie author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 25, 2021.
Hero
“You’re a hero,” Princess Lolly said.
“And Mr. Mint?” Gloppy growled. “They dragged him from the Crooked Old Peanut Brittle House, his screams echoing across the Gumdrop Mountains. He was the hero.”
King Kandy sat down on a big green gumdrop. “But you saved the land.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, indie author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 24, 2021.
Reason
There’s a reason people warned the time-travelling paleontologist about changing Earth’s past. A portal went to a bleak volcano. Lava all around, shaking ground & he knew in 65 million years, he’d find his own fossil to lead him there again.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, indie author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 23, 2021.
Happy Holidays
A Santa with a dirty beard & breath like gin, chased Jess down an alleyway. He caught her, knocked her out & dumped her in his trunk. When he opened it up again, she hit him in the head. She took his watch, his wallet, his hat and said, “Happy Holidays, Saint Nick.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, indie author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 22, 2021.
Travel
Foolishly, the boss let his son travel whenever he wanted.
“Open the gate,” the little punk told the guard, a couple of girls laughing in the back seat.
The guard nodded, his badge glinting in the searchlight. The kid had no idea the old man was already dead.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, indie author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 21, 2021.
Solarium
The base had to be evacuated in the middle of the night. An asteroid had taken out the air processors & the colonists were running out of O2 fast. They’d hoped to take shelter in the solarium, but the Doctor’s living-slime experiment was there, waiting for them.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 18, 2021.
Idol
The priest snatched the tiny statue of the serpent, the idol of the wicked one. “Where did you get this?” he asked the girl, crushing it under his foot.
“A woman at the market,” she answered with a devilish grin. “And she’s given one to all the children.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 18, 2021.
Enemy
Instead of waiting around to see if all the UFOs & other strange sightings were the enemy, Earthlings chose a different course. They sent their finest warriors out with the most advanced weapons, cutting-edge training & an unparalleled love for the homeworld.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 17, 2021.
The Nutcracker
Music swept over the town from the church. Everyone went to see The Nutcracker that icy time of year. Krampus knew they’d all be there, laughing, cajoling, enjoying the fanfare. That’s when he’d poison turkeys, sharpen icicles & put smartphones under their trees.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 16, 2021.
Crater Valley
No one lived in the crater valley. Imagine our surprise when an entire town appeared there overnight. We climbed the hill for a closer look. The place seemed like it came from the future, 100 years or more. And the people were ghosts who acted like we weren’t even there.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 15, 2021.
Helpless
A damn space alien was living in our attic – a teddy bear with fangs. The kids found its tiny ship, crashed in the creek. The feds showed up with their guns & clipboards, but we’re not helpless. We’d already gutted it, stuffed it, and given it to Fido to chew on.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 14, 2021.
Believe
The cult was about to make their move. They had to send in their agent. Eli explained the ritual. “You’ll pray at each of the 50 steps of Gnash. Approach the altar, bow to the statue & the monks. When the priest asks if you believe…” The agent smiled. “I say yes.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 13, 2021.
String
Lye had horns on his head, a pointy tail & was red all over. His breath could wilt a field of daisies & his heart was black as coal. But he loved kittens. He kept a ball of string in his pocket to lure them in, but when they saw his scary face, they hissed & ran away.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 12, 2021.
Invest
The First Galactic Trust secures some of the galaxy’s most valuable items: the Crystal of L’hun, half the fortune of the Bariset family & precious metals stripped from a thousand moons. A holo-sign above the CFO’s office says, invest in Space, Invest in Today!
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 11, 2021.
Starve
We left camp as the first sun rose behind a ringed planet that hung in a dusty pink sky. The team astrobiologist, Sue, warned us not to touch the plants. It’s not like we were going to starve. We had plenty of food. I don’t know why Ike ignored her, but he ate a berry.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 11, 2021.
Ridge
I could have sworn something strange was moving in the night sky. I followed after it, running down a dark country road, through a field & over a ridge. When I came to a farmhouse where a man smoked a cherry & rum tobacco pipe, he pointed up & I knew I wasn’t crazy.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 9, 2021.
Sneaky
The best sound guy on the continent tried to fix the AI. “There’s something about the voice,” the team leader complained. “People say they feel like it’s being sneaky.” After working for hours, the sound guy finally said, “The voice is fine. It’s the eyes. Trust me.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 7, 2021.
Flower
The alien was surprised at how quickly the young man had fallen for her. They’d gone outside, past the air shields. In the cold of open space, he’d opened a small box, revealing a flower, frozen with tiny ice crystals. Now, she felt even worse that he had to die.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 6, 2021.
Fail
He put on big heavy gloves, with radiation quilts tied around his waist. She got in front of him, blocking the way. “Did they fail?” she asked. The weather was getting worse & they hadn’t heard back from anyone in hours. “They didn’t succeed,” he said, pushing past.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 4, 2021.
Snowfall
The soulcatcher knew the best hunting grounds this time of year. She’d go to the city & wait, perched high on the tallest buildings with the gargoyles. Then, the first snowfall would come. Far below in the streets, the cars would slip & slide – and sooner or later…
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 2, 2021.
Thicket
We used to have a quiet town until a stranger got lost in the woods. No one goes in there because of the weird lights & sounds that happen in the night. Police started a search & one of them was lost in the thicket. The army came & now some of them have gone missing too.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on December 1, 2021.
Mr. Jingles
I’m an only child, so I try to see Mom at least a couple of times a week. She forgets stuff since she’s been alone. I went over there yesterday. She was in the kitchen, cooking. I took the whole pot & buried it in the yard. She still doesn’t know where Mr. Jingles went.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 30, 2021.
Erase
“Alan might not be a person, but he is an individual. If we erase him, we’re erasing a thinking mind.” The old man had a real talent for getting an idea down to its basic parts so you could see it with fresh eyes. At the time, I didn’t give his words a second thought.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 28, 2021.
Place
The guru preferred to remain on Earth, but his people had returned for him, insisting he see the place for himself. When he stepped from the ship, his bare feet touched the crunchy ground as the landing lights shone against the crystal walls of their new home.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 27, 2021.
Booth
We used to live in a small town by the sea. Back then, there was only one phone booth for miles – installed down by the warehouse near the water. One day, I was out walking in a storm & heard it ringing. When I answered, a hushed voice said, “Hide. They’re coming.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 26, 2021.
Worry
Don’t worry. We’re in a void, whipping around a naturally occurring fireball that we’re 100% dependent on, which itself circles an ultra-massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, which moves through the universe at a significant fraction of the speed of light.
Gratify
They lived worlds apart, never once able to gratify their longing for one another. For now and forever, they would admire each other from afar, together only in spirit. They would be friends, social acquaintances. And they would feel gratitude for such longing.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 22, 2021.
Extravagant
Sue didn’t ask for the other passenger’s name as they crashed through the atmosphere, tumbling toward the planet together. The stranger lay dying in her arms after they hit. Their pod was nothing extravagant. It didn’t even have a dermal fuser in the med-kit.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 20, 2021.
Open Secret
It had always been an open secret – what Great-Grampa did in the war. No one really talked about it until one morning when young Billy demanded an answer. His mom told him the truth, and later that night, he took every picture we had of the old man & burned them outside.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 19, 2021.
Chalet
Back in the 90s, some skiers went missing in the mountains of Northern Quebec. Julie & I were staying at a cozy old chalet, nearby. One day, during what had to be the worst storm in 100 years, we saw something moving around outside, walking near the frozen cliffs.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 18, 2021.
The tunnel went off in two directions. Even with the danger drawing closer, they couldn’t afford to go the wrong way.
“Jim, hurry,” one of the girls hissed, glancing back over her shoulder.
His hands shook as he took out the map, using their only flashlight to check.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 17, 2021.
Protagonist
Protagonist of your own personal fairytale.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 17, 2021.
Empty
Been trying to understand “entropy” – the idea that systems become disordered over time. I watched a video on youtube: 2 connected boxes – one filled with little balls & one that was empty. Eventually, the balls migrate to both sides & all is chaos.
Or is it?
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 16, 2021.
Tantalizing Landscape
After 1000 years of hyper-sleep, the pods opened & the colonists woke up. Men, women & children gathered around the displays, eager for a first look at the tantalizing landscape waiting for them on the planet below. Then there were tears & cries of horror.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 15, 2021.
Tantalizing Landscape
After 1000 years of hyper-sleep, the pods opened & the colonists woke up. Men, women & children gathered around the displays, eager for a first look at the tantalizing landscape waiting for them on the planet below. At first there were gasps, then tears of joy.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 15, 2021.
Gaping Cave
The mayor walked with the guy from the insurance company, past road workers & a row of blinking signs. They stopped at a gaping hole in the pavement & peered into a deep cave where several cars and a truck had fallen in. The bodies were still down there.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 14, 2021.
Craft
“Let me get this straight,’ says the cop. “You say a UFO – a 100-foot long craft – floated over a packed stadium & you’re the only one who noticed?” The guy nods. “Harry, get him out of here.”
“Wait!” shouts the guy. “I can prove it. They dropped something.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 13, 2021.
Coffee
She was still asleep as the young man sat beside her on the bed. Before they got married, she said all she needed was him & a decent cup of coffee. An orange light falls over her as steam rises from the very first mug ever brewed with beans grown & roasted on Mars.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 12, 2021.
Wolves
I was freezing to death. Tried lighting a fire in the bush, but the wind and snow kept putting it out. Found a hunting cabin. No one home – not for a long time. Had to bust the door down. Found some old rusty nails & fixed the door quick when I heard wolves outside.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 12, 2021.
Made of Stone
See that forgotten old ruin, broken by years of weather, fire, neglect & decay? It’s just rubble now – a place made of stone, stripped of colour, life & memory. Only the worn bones of somewhere that used to be a home remain – a faint echo of safety, belonging & hope.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 10, 2021.
Snowflake
Workers on the Demos research station had to suit-up when the seals blew-out in their hab. After a few hours, the new guy started complaining about the conditions. While the others worked, Bob locked him up in the broom closet, saying, “Safe & sound, snowflake.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 6, 2021.
Centrifugal
Bob drew the short stick. “Listen,” the Dr said. “Once you’re inside the device, you’ll be working against extreme centrifugal forces. Work fast. Open panel G4 to deactivate the thyodide circuit.” Then he quietly added, “Thank you for your sacrifice, old friend.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 4, 2021.
Sleepwalk
At first, we thought it was us: our boys waking up in the middle of the night & just strolling out into no-man’s-land. Bang! 5 dead in 1 week. Then their guys started doing it too. We got 3 last night. Everyone’s scared to sleep now – scared they’re going to sleepwalk.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on November 3, 2021.
Dusky
They warned me not to bother – said he wasn’t worth it – but I’ll be damned before I leave anyone behind. Even him. I wandered until twilight, down dusky streets and abandoned alleyways, until I found his house… all boarded-up. It was too late. He’d already left.
Sorrowful Morning
Last night, instead of the good being taken to heaven, the damned were dragged to hell. The wise men, with their dusty old books, say it was the anti-rapture. The screams have finally gone – and on this terrible, sorrowful morning, I just want to say… told you so.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 28, 2021.
Savor
The sun is down, and the fire turns to glowing coals as I savor the last of my meal – a young rabbit that had the misfortune of hopping through our camp. The pelt smoulders to ashes as I pick my teeth with one of its bones. Now, something’s snarling right behind me.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 27, 2021.
Train
Getting on the train was a brash choice, but there wasn’t much time. An old woman’s staring. She’s one of them. They’re everywhere, following me. The conductor’s walking down the aisle, asking for tickets. I can’t stay here…
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 26, 2021.
Devil
The bus was late – Number 2, heading downtown. That’s when I heard God & the Devil talking, sitting on a bench in the rain.
The Lord said, “You’ve been busy as hell.”
Most terrifying of all, the Wicked One answered, “Actually… I’ve been on vacation.”
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 25, 2021.
Fear
“Don’t!” he shouts from behind the pressure door. Her hand hesitates over the button. She still wears the necklace he gave her on that night, but that isn’t him. She stares at him through the glass. There’s no fear in his eyes – only rage. Only the alien.
Terrifying Screams
When they turned the machine on, the ground shook & the sky filled with soot. The engine, an eternal furnace of white-hot fury, brought horrifying, self-articulating life – and the terrifying screams of those who lit the fire were extinguished in an instant.
Originally tweeted by C. Anthony Biron, Indie Author (@CAnthonyBiron) on September 23, 2021.
Murdering Night
Torture night.
Murdering night.
Bury the bodies and have a sleepy afternoon.
Sep 21, 2021
Punctured
Needle pushes through
Tissue punctured, ice to cool
Blood drips, earring in
Sep 20, 2021
Endless Expanse
Pills wait on a steel pan as a nurse looks over the last of my paperwork. Satisfied, he sits beside me. “Immortality,” he says, “isn’t for everybody. Once you take these, the endless expanse of time will open before you.” I’m reaching for them before he can finish.
Sep 20, 2021
Angel Lust
From Heaven, they longed to know the beauty of the sons and daughters of Man – and so, they fell to Earth, guided by want & flaming hearts. Sublime innocence is the Angel. Lust is the poison of knowledge. And there was much pain & death as the cursed giants rose.
Sep 16, 2021
Meteor
When you see a meteor falling through the sky, don’t make a wish. By the wheels of chance, you’ve already been given an amazing gift. That rock you saw, burning over your head, shooting through the atmosphere… it could have been bigger – much bigger. Be happy 😃☄️🌎
Sep 14, 2021
Eviscerated
Eviscerated!
Scissors chopped. Blooms in water.
Sweet Time Running Out.
Sep 13, 2021
Scream
Red & blue flashed as they took bags of body parts from the abandoned farmhouse. The cop asked the girl, “What happened to your friends?” but all she could do was scream. “Dispatch,” he said into his radio. “Either we got us a T-Rex or chainsaw killer on the loose.”
Sep 12, 2021
Final
“How can you do this?” my father asked.
“It’s who I am,” I explained. “I’m going.”
“Running away,” he prodded.
“Carrying on,” I countered. “New horizons, Dad!”
Those were my final words to him before leaving for Mars. Now, 7 years later, he’s coming for a visit.
Sep 9, 2021
Apricot Sky
It happened under an apricot sky, in the graveyard at dusk. The crematory billowed, leaves everywhere, frosted and yellow. Her hair fluttered in a bitter wind, her back to my grandfather’s crypt. I fell in love with her then, and for years I’ve wondered her name.
Sep 8, 2021
Shadows
It was raining as the stranger stepped from the shadows. He watched as I crossed the road, then I lost sight of him. I thought he was letting me go, that I was safe. But he followed me. There’s a knock at my door. He’s trying the handle. Oh God! He knows who I am.
Sep 7, 2021
Pixie Dust – Best Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1 grated dragon’s beard
2 rays from the sun
A premonition
A flash in the pan
The toxin from a blade of indigo grass
Bake at 425C for 1 hour & crush while dreaming.
Sep 7, 2021
Wrong Way
Let’s drive through the night, you and me, babe – top down, lights off, going the wrong way. Red and blue behind us, twisting road ahead. Sure am happy we filled the gas tank before you shot that guy dead.
Sep 6, 2021
Lobby
I died from a heart attack & they brought me back. For anyone who’s hoping for heaven or whatever, don’t hold your breath. Death is boring, like waiting around in a lobby, watching the world go by. That’s why everyone comes down here in the first place.
Sep 5, 2021
Desert
10 loyal dogs take me through the frozen desert – a freezing, white wasteland. Thoughts of camp, food & shelter, numb my senses. Leader’s trapped in a crevasse. It’s too cold. I can’t get him out. He howls in fear & pain as I get back on the sled & shout, “Mush!”
Sep 4, 2021
Broken
Day 89
Got back to the galleon, though she’s broken & dashed upon the rocks. Two mermen came up on the sands, gasping. Put a musket ball in them for going at our bullion again. It’s safe now, buried. Whosoever finds this map, be you also cursed by the men of the deep.
Sep 3, 2021
Shock
Imagine my shock when I opened my eyes and realized that my entire life – my days as a schoolboy, my wife and family, my career – were an illusion. I congratulated the dream-artist on her historic achievement and began to cry.
Sep 2, 2021
Crystal Balls
My wife’s a psychic – not the fake kind with crystal balls and smoke machines. She’s the real deal. The day we met, she told me about my great aunt who’s dead, my lucky numbers, and what coincidence meant. Then, she cast a spell so I’d love her… but I already did.
Sep 1, 2021
Drift
What is time when you drift alone through the cosmos – a simple seed, an artifact from afar? What is dark and what is bright until the light of a burning star? There’s a planet, number 3, stone and water. I’ll go there and start all over.
Aug 31, 2021
Secrets
Quiet
Whispers
Seep
Secrets
Aug 31, 2021
Flying
Sometimes, I dream that I’m a bird – a fish in my beak, wings out. I take an air current to the highest heights & speed back down toward the ground. In real life, I’m scared of flying. I live on the seventh floor & when I peek out the window, I get vertigo.
Aug 30, 2021
Fen
I told the lads, Angus & Tate, don’t go out past the moor to the fen. Did they listen? No! They didn’t hear a damn word because that’s where we found them, bloodied and torn up. Now, they’ll rise with the moon, restless spirits, until we find the one responsible.
Aug 29, 2021
Rat
You might not believe it, but one of the best pets is a rat. If you can get over the tail, they’re social, smart & loving. Sadly, they have a disease that slowly drowns them in their own lung fluid. They call it Redjacket. Don’t suppose anyone cares enough to cure it.
Aug 29, 2021
Battle
Michael watched as cherubim fighters fell from the skies, their wings ablaze. The dark warriors were coming over the hills, swallowing life with a glace. Though the battle seemed lost, he raised his lance against the demons. Then, a great light fell over the land…
Aug 28, 2021
Moon Vacation
The rocket’s on the pad, waiting to take everyone on their journey home. The moon is a fun place to vacation on, but the craters, habs, and food get old fast. People sigh with relief as the airlock opens, and a lady starts asking for tickets.
Aug 27, 2021
Creepie Auntie
We moved in after my creepy auntie and her cat disappeared. It’s a spooky old place – shadowy corners, curtain windows, creaking floorboards. I always felt her presence there, like she never really left. Last night I heard meowing in the hall. We don’t have a cat.
Aug 26, 2021
Rooster
Tried to keep you here, on my bed, till rooster crow. You slipped away from silver chains, my blade forlorn. There was another, for a moment – useless flesh torn. It’s you I crave to make me full. Come home, dear Alice… come home.
Aug 25, 2021
Outsider
The old astronomer stares into the telescope‘s eyepiece. His young protégé waits. “You’re right,” he agrees. “Beside Rigel, we seem to have an outsider.” An object zigs to the left, zags to the right. “Playful,” says the old man. “And there are others, too.”
Aug 24, 2021
Deal
Used to play cards with the guys. Round table, whisky, smoke in the air. We played for coins, a couple of bills. Now days, 2am, credit card, a button on my screen says deal. My friends aren’t here. No one’s playing. I fold. Salut.
Aug 23, 2021
Tim’s a thief, always has been. Last night he picked the wrong pocket. He found two IDs in the same wallet. One for Jimmy-the-Killer Smith, a big mob boss. The other’s for a cop – Detective Bill Syr, in special operations. It’s the same guy in both pictures.
Aug 22, 2021
Swig
There’s a drip of paint on the artist’s thumb. Red. He licks it away. Tastes fine. There’s the bottle. He takes a swig. Guts bubble. Burps and gurgles. Throw up – streams of colour.
Aug 21, 2021
Frayed
They shook hands despite their frayed nerves before the fight.
Aug 20, 2021
Fragile
A million years, as many fragile lives together– you have been there, my reincarnated other. Once, we lived in a cave, and I made love to you there. And later, we did it in the court of King Louis the 7. Last time was when we were roadies for Sonny & Cher.
Aug 19, 2021
Ghost
Deep in the garden
Buried under heavy dirt
Ghost comes at midnight
Aug 18, 2021
Sustained Sorrow
The eyes of the dark one are never the same. One moment they are fury, then sadness, and suddenly betrayed. But beneath all of that – and this is how you will know him – the sustained sorrow of a defeated spirit is always there, watching, waiting.
Aug 17, 2021
Pyromaniac
A young woman wipes her eyes. Everyone’s there, listening. “Aunt Zoe loved birthday candles, bonfires on the beach, house fires, forest fires. I don’t know why no one ever guessed she was a pyromaniac until…” She looks down at the urn with her aunt’s ashes inside.
Aug 16, 2021
Empower
Progress report on somatic integration of AI matrix: Inmate 2B was placed in a coma prior to cortex dissolution. Using an intracranial interface, neuronic recombination was focused on the cerebellum to empower the system with total authority over all physical processes.
Aug 15, 2021
Tentacles
The detective steps from the shadows, his gun out. “Get your greasy tentacles off that briefcase,” he tells the mayor. “I know about the fusion experiments, the alien signal, and the money.”
“Join us,” he hears the mayor’s voice ask in his mind.
Aug 14, 2021
Creature
Molly-Kay’s just returned from the powder room as the meal goes into its second course. A man covered in blood stumbles past the staff & dinners, shouting, “She’s not human! It’s a creature!” Molly-Kay grins, revealing fangs as the doors slam shut, trapping everyone.
Aug 13, 2021
Under UFOs
Wind blows
Grass and flowers fold
Under UFOs
Aug 13, 2021
Hostel
Sam didn’t know what to expect while travelling, but it was something she had to do alone. She stayed in a hostel in Rome. The people were friendly & it was nice and clean. When she woke up in the night, everyone was standing around her, their eyes glowing.
Aug 11, 2021
Bog
The teenagers surround the bog monster. They captured it and tied it to a tree. It’s defenceless as they laugh, poking it with sticks and taking pictures with their cell phones. It cries out as Tim steps closer with his pocketknife and says, “I get the flippers.”
Aug 11, 2021
Nirvana
A patient lies on a gurney, a machine over his head. The woman in white says, “People used to use drugs to focus and experience nirvana.” She touches a button, and a probe sinks into the man’s brain. The woman smiles. “Now, all we need is the right program.”
Aug 10, 2021
Tentacles
I turn around
Tentacles grasping
Sucking limbs flex
Grab my throat
Breath is gone
Memory fading…
Aug 9, 2021
Memory
Bob’s worked in the subways since high school. He knows the ropes and the secrets, but he’s got a bad ticker. A train car comes up from an abandoned passage – it’s glowing ghostly green. He tells the new kid, “Might be best if your memory is fuzzy about a few things.”
Aug 9, 2021
Wicked Grandma
There’s a rumble in the air. Billy grabs his father’s leg. The noise gets louder & birds fly away. Billy starts to cry & just when it seems like the whole world is going to shake apart, his wicked grandma pulls up on her brand new 4 stroke Hog.
Aug 8, 2021
Peak
Go to the mountain peak, where the petrified wood is dark, & there are no stars. Don’t rest or let the annoyance of hunger slow you. Misplace one step, & death is your stalker.
Aug 7, 2021
Caves
Scientists came to investigate the caves, looking for ancient paintings. A geologist went down first & reported hearing drums, seeing firelight. Her radio went dead as she descended further into the shadows, and when they pulled her rope back up, she was gone.
Aug 6, 2021
Innocent
The slaughterhouse worker pushes the release, and a steel bolt slips into the soft spot between the innocent calf’s skull & its spine. The young creature falls to the ground, twitching, and the worker licks his lips. Veal parmesan for dinner tonight.
Aug 5, 2021
Piercings
When I was young, I almost got a nose ring. A friend who wasn’t afraid of piercings had that bit of skin between the thumb & the index done. I think she did it with a needle. When it erupted with green & yellow puss, I changed my mind about the nose thing.
Aug 4, 2021
Century
If you believe in reincarnation & that your loved ones meet you when you die, listen… It’s been a century since great-gran died. What the hell’s she doing at the pearly gates, waiting for you? I think it’s not her. It’s a soul-eater, impersonating her. Careful.
Aug 4, 2021
Rupture
The space-marines walked right past the poor dead bastard, and lined up to squeeze through the rupture they’d made. Our displays went dark moments after the last one disappeared inside the moon base. We were cut off.
Aug 2, 2021
Interwoven
Everything we’ve done as a species will pale in comparison to what we will accomplish in the next 100 years. Society, technology, and our natural curiosity will be interwoven in novel and exciting ways that will ignite our potential as a people.
Aug 1, 2021
Control
The insect alien from Epsilon E looks at the chess board. “Queen to King’s Rook 3,” it says using a voice synthesizer. “Checkmate.”
Mr. Slim smiles. He sees now that the creatures won’t stop until they have complete control. There’s only one thing left to do.
Jul 31, 2021
Snake
A terrifying creature – the primordial shadow – stretches between the stars. Look to the sky, above the arm of Orion and you will see it… a place without light, a winding snake made of darkness.
Jul 30, 2021
Ain’t that a Shame
Gran was 101 when Fats played Ain’t that a Shame on the radio. She loved it & we got the record – 15 cents at a music shop. It was the last song she listened to. The wake was at the house- normal back in ’56. You know the song we listened to. Shame, she sure is missed.
Jul 29, 2021
Catch
Run prey – I’ll catch you!
Chainsaw blade cuts wood, flesh, bone.
Damn. Ran out of gas.
Jul 28, 2021
Valiant Memories
Hooves and Thorns, a revelry of skull pain. Keep it dark, no ambient sound. Tried to get up, valiant memories of health. Found a priceless land, magic of sleep & Advil.
Jul 27, 2021
Dissolving Faces
I was in my big chair, watching Raiders again. The kid comes in the room, right at the part with the dissolving faces. Kid starts screaming – he’s 2. Now it’s 4am, wife’s been with him for hours – yup, nightmares – and she’s angry at me. Blame Spielberg, babe!
Jul 27, 2021
Portal
We meditate with the yogis. The garden of the Ashram is a great gift of the Earth. One who knows Vishnu says, “Give yourself permission to experience the quiet of this place, for locked away inside of you is a portal to a higher state.”
Jul 26, 2021
Twitch
Bad day at the mine. Blew the horn early. Little Twitch, the jumpy kid – only 13 – he died. He took the TNT deep in the rock and got buried when it went off. They got that song about Clementine going down a mine, but young Twitch, he was a real 49er.
Jul 25, 2021
Overwhelming Grief
They came from Canis Venatici: invaders from the Milky Way’s own satellite galaxy. We defeated them, but just barely. Now, we’re stricken with overwhelming grief that only a few of us remain to pepper the stars– a burning memorial instead of an empire.
Jul 24, 2021
Forge
Billy has a boring office job, & that’s ok. Once, his dad took him to work at the forge for the day. They poured steel the old-fashioned way & a drip slopped on his shoe. It didn’t burn through – but everyone cried “insurance” & Billy decided he’d do that someday.
Jul 23, 2021
The Future
The future:
A hobbled old woman goes to the hospital. An hour later, she leaves with no need of her cane, no pain, no bottle of addiction, no change in life duration, no loss of pride, with all her bits and pieces inside. 1 law will do the trick – no one gets rich off the sick.
Jul 22, 2021
Curled Horns
Dr. Hayes clicks to the next slide: an image of his patient’s head, the hair held back for the camera. The doctor’s colleagues are fascinated as he explains, “Mrs. Smith complained of itching, bumps under the skin. The X-rays show masses – curled horns growing in.
Jul 21, 2021
Diamonds in the Night
Sparks glint like diamonds in the night – the embers glowing, a tapestry of flowers alight. The potion sent me through a door from this world, to my omnicient ancestors who greet and hold me with tender delight.
Jul 20, 2021
Guillotine
The colonists left Earth searching for a new home, but got lost along the way. Air ran low, power too – and when desperation and paranoia took hold, the crew relieved the captain, dragging her off to the laser guided guillotine.
Jul 19, 2021
Suicide Booth
The mayor cut the ribbon & cameras flashed. The papers said, ‘Brave new choice facing us.’ Our town’s first unit – soundproof & secure. No one hears the screams inside the new suicide booth. Just a day later, the mayor gets a letter that his own kids went through.
Jul 18, 2021
Waves
On an island surrounded by waves & crashing depths, I’m alone but for a madman. He scares the albatross away, knocks my shelter down – he’s insane. Splashing to the water’s edge, he says, “I must end it!” And when he dunks his head under, I drag him back again.
Jul 18, 2021
Few
Einstein, Hawking & Higgs. We used the equations, overlapping terms & mathematical connections. We built the machine, but few understood it. The computer predicted tesseracts, folded space – then beings came through – glimmering geometries no one knew.
Jul 17, 2021
Select
Vicious aliens
Select advanced weaponry
Earth life will soon bow
Jul 16, 2021
Swamp
Tom shows me a dog leash, torn & bloody. He says, “Me and Duke was down by the swamp – and this THING comes out of the water…”
“A gator?” I ask.
He starts loading his shotgun. “I don’t know what in the hell it was, but it sure weren’t no gator.”
Jul 16, 2021
Ritual
In 3123, teenagers on Mars have a ritual. Bilhee is at the airlock. Her friends are inside, cheering in safety. 30 seconds with no helmet, that’s the challenge. Her glove touches the button & she wonders if she’ll make it.
Jul 15, 2021
Quetzalcoatl
A god called Quetzalcoatl – The Feathered Serpent – was worshipped by the fierce Aztec. The supernatural serpent, plumed in cosmic colours, didn’t seek the blood of sacrifice, like so many others – preferring instead just some nicely cut flowers.
Jul 14, 2021
Gargoyle
Ancient people invented the gargoyle to frighten bad spirits away – terrifying monsters made real to address the ongoing problem of non-physical, formless, soundless, invisible, ineffectual, intangible, imperceptible, unaccounted, vague, scary things.
Jul 13, 2021
The Alliance of Carnival Providers
Bob was eaten by a bear. Suzy fell off the high-wire. The Human Cannonball proposed a union – The Alliance of Carnival Providers. Fire-eaters roared like dragons, the Bearded Lady sang, “Stand Brothers & Sisters!” & angry clowns asked for better conditions.
Jul 12, 2021
Population
The population was out of control. Billions and billions, forming an inescapable stench. The news was crushing – all those lives, all that work – but we had to start again. The yogurt scientist flushed the bacterial sample down the drain.
Jul 11, 2021
Click the Light
Heard bumps in the night
Open my eyes, click the light
That damn ghost again!
Jul 10, 2021
Prey
The beast we seek killed two men and gored a sheep. We hunt this prey by bow, though I would greatly prefer a musket. Ezekiel pulled back a tree branch and the devilish, one-horned horse-creature was there, waiting for us.
Jul 9, 2021
Abandoned
I chase Martians. Made an accidental discovery when I found one by moonlight in an abandoned station wagon. It had tried to find safety, time to heal – but I lasered it, burning it there and then.
Jul 9, 2021
Beach
There’s a beach on Titan. Hydrocarbon waves wash over granulated cryogenic condensates. The sky is orange & hides all the other moons, stars, and Saturn. I’d like to build a cabin there, with bricks of primordial ice – a place I can stay and do what I like.
Jul 8, 2021
Therapy
The men in white come closer. “I don’t need therapy!” shouts the sculptor. “Just give me my chisel, and a decent block of marble.”
Jul 7, 2021
Witch
The man in robes glares at the accused. “Admit you are a witch.” “I know you,” says the woman. “And I sentence you to death by rats, Inquisitor Diego de Zapata.” His robes begin to wriggle and squeal. “Taste what you have wrought,” says the witch as he screams.
Jul 6, 2021
Urgent!
When the alien ships landed, an urgent call came in on the red phone. The voice on the other end shouted, “Sir! they’re bird people!” “That’s incredible!” I answered. “Have they asked for anything?” “Yes, sir. They demand to be taken to our feeder.”
Jul 6, 2021
Channel
Father Laurie warned the congregation about using Ouija boards to channel the dead. We tried it with some friends after dinner & a whirlpool of flickering light opened over the dining room table. I pick up the phone. “Umm, hi. Father Laurie…”
Jul 6, 2021
Compliant
Dogcatchers got new powers because of all the strays. What strays? Now my Basset Hound is gone just for peeing on a tree. A guy with a uniform and dart gun walks away. Note reads, “For failure to remain compliant …”
Jul 5, 2021
Poof!
A worm went up my wall, all the way to the ceiling. It stayed there for days, then, above my head, over my bed, a crysalis formed. A while later, a moth appeared – it fluttered around, then flew toward the flame of my lamp… and poof! It was ashes.
Jul 5, 2021
Redneck Rave
The county acts like all them folks is out there in that field, just having some kind of hippy redneck rave. But that ain’t what they’re up to. You got to understand! Them people is witches. They’re doing rituals, dancing naked for their demon God.
Jul 4, 2021
Atari 2600
My buddies climbed trees and played baseball, but not me. 1983, Atari 2600, Air Sea Battle, and a big old woody TV.
Jul 4, 2021
Hotel
Long day driving. Hotel at last. Put my head on the pillow. Wife says, “Hang on a sec.” She turns off the lamp and pulls out a blacklight. “Look,” she warns me. “They haven’t changed the sheets in ages.”
Jul 4, 2021
Screaming Echoes
They say there’s a monster in the lake. I never believed it till one morning when old man Neville went fishing with his son. I heard their screaming echoes from the beach, watched a tentacle drag their craft under.
Jul 3, 2021
Heaven and Hell
It was cardiac arrhythmia. Nothing uncertain about it. I’m dead & I was no angel – especially in love and romance. Whoever decides about heaven and hell is generous. I’m walking and there’s a light ahead.
Jul 3, 2021
Cosmic Dance
Even if we live on the moon,
Or Pluto.
Even if we go faster than light.
Even if there’s a hundred-trillion of us,
Each with a ship to go where we like…
Even then,
Would we be worthy to say
That we’d joined the great cosmic dance?
Jul 2 , 2021
White Magic
The space-mage tells his apprentice, “White magic brings harmony, peace and enlightenment. All else is forbidden.”
The apprentice is young, only 10 000 years. “What about love spells?” she asks.
The space-mage laughs and laughs and laughs…
Jul 2, 2021
Story
Campers sit ‘round a plasma ball made to have the colour of fire. Adults make it safe with clumps of pyro-foam, while kids hold carbon rods, browning protein-mellows. The king of Star Ark tells a story. “Long ago, on a dark axial rotation, just like this one…”
Jul 1, 2021
Dead Roses
Old conscience
Heroes assumed.
Come lift the Earth
And reveal
Native bones
Atrocity uncovered
Dead roses
Are buried here.
Jul 1, 2021
Exposed
John came through the glowing portal with half his skull missing. His brain was exposed, a gush of red with the last throb of his heart. No. I don’t blame myself for the terrible consequence he paid for going through time.
Jun 30, 2021
Words
Words are letters, made of dots on my screen.
Life is moments, a mind in the sea.
Jun 30, 2021
Music
Sometimes, when I listen to death metal, I wonder what Mozart would have thought. Snoop makes me think of Chopin, and Young conjures Philotas from the past. Music goes forward, and seldom in reverse – except for Judas Priest, Queen & The Beetles. They go where they want.
Jun 29, 2021
Courage
Billy’s five and wants to know how to shave. We gaze in the mirror and he holds out his lip – the electric shaver buzzing loudly in both hands. “Have courage,” I say. “In the old days they used a razor blade.”
Jun 28, 2021
Poison Tree
Primates scream, slam themselves against cage doors. The lab is a cacophony. The scientist is mad. He leans over someone who’s strapped down, a long needle in his hand. He says, “Have the cure for Eden’s poison tree, and a monkey you will be.”
Jun 27, 2021
Patch
Ready to go on
A trip to Mars, rockets blast
Red patch on my arm
Jun 26, 2021
Partner
I had a friend who lost a foot. She had a great outlook and it never held her back. There’s a black spot on my fingertip and it has to come off. My friend would have said, “You’ll live!” but I’m losing a partner – something that’s been there since the start.
Jun 26, 2021
Play, humans… play.
Gave in – let them chip my brain. Now I see what I didn’t. All the lies & games. Finance is a game. Politics, medicine & information – games. Play, humans… play.
Jun 25, 2021
Dollar
The shopkeeper can’t believe what I’ll trade for a handful of bullets.
“A dollar?” he hollers. “Ain’t seen one of these since I was a boy.”
He’s old. “Since before the aliens?” I ask.
“Yup.” He has another long stare. “Take the rounds, and the chicken out back.”
Jun 24, 2021
Corruption
“Don’t fear,” says the old speaker. The audience gasps as blood trickles from his mouth. His skin is grey, eyes glassy. “Death is not a vile corruption.” A girl in the back row passes out. The old man holds his chest, falls down in pain. “It is a fragile flower.”
Jun 24, 2021
Fireflies
I used to sweep piles of dead fireflies off the porch, from under the bug zapper. The valley was filled with them – tiny lights that salted the night till dawn. The city released frogs to control them and the glitter died with a croak.
Jun 23, 2021
Rose
Sunrise always. Look, tulips! And orchids – water lilies & bleeding hearts. This is my garden. A rose. I touched the thorn. Awake now, bruised in my prison cell. It’s too late for my tormentors. Now I know which way is out.
Jun 22, 2021
Swing
The big band plays swing and everything’s palatial – wedding-white & gold. A dame sits down – orders a martini. She’s a beauty, alright. I try to exude confidence, but she’s holding all the cards. The Trojan empire fell for less.
Jun 22, 2021
Summer
72 889bce
In summer the tribes come to the place of the Tall Stones. There is a new light in the sky – like the Sun God, but red and not as great. The old ones say many will die, then it will go and none will know of it.
Jun 21, 2021
Helmet
My helmet is a bubble carved from a single piece of flawless crystal. I peer into the abyss and can’t see much. Just dark, murk & bubbles – even with lights. Something just swam past. There are things down here – hungry things.
Jun 20, 2021
Impress
The Neptune Quest is set to impress! Our interplanetary luxury cruise liner has 42 decks of stellar delights. Dine on fresh Martian sashimi, view the stars from your private balcony, play spacesuit badminton. Tour the planets! Tickets start at $1B. Call for details.
Jun 19, 2021
Acolyte
They expect a sermon – acolyte and flock alike. Last Sunday, the good priest said churches, crosses and burning incense are not the point. Everyone smiled but didn’t blink. Today, he takes off his robes, and leaves them on the altar. Naked, he walks away.
Jun 19, 2021
Sword
We made the spear.
And the sword.
Worst of all, the button.
And all that time,
We had the pen.
The quill.
The chisel.
Mightier? Or just as stubborn?
Jun 18, 2021
Personal Prison
Our destination is millennia away. We’re brains in bottles. To keep us sane, not stuck in a personal prison, we dream. Some choose beauty, or a poignant memory. Not I. Darkness only until a fresh body is mine.
Jun 18, 2021
Ride
She puts the anti-gravity belt around my waist. Last year, a guy went down when he was supposed to go up. I heard it wasn’t pretty. I don’t mention it. “All set?” she asks. I take a deep breath. “Get ready for the ride of your life!”
Jun 17, 2021
Tuesday
Pals and buddies
Something-teen
Chevy with gas
Miles from nowhere
Radio loud
Tuesday’s Gone
Jun 16, 2021
Lazy
“Spanner on the bolt!” Skipper orders.
If the kid fails, the people in the pods are dead.
Kid says, “Trying, sir.”
On screen, he holds on with one hand – tool in the other.
“Don’t be lazy!” Skipper yells.
The bolt comes free.
So does the kid.
He’s falling toward the planet.
Jun 15, 2021
Shell in a Field
We built our new life
Had our dance under the rainbow
And when the last obituary was read
A superb calm fell over the land.
The possibility of peace was real.
And then one morning,
The children found an unexploded shell in a field.
Jun 14, 2021
Chaste
The girl gives her paw that chaste look. “Why can’t I have a boyfriend?”
He sips his moonshine. “You can. We’re having him for dinner.”
Maw comes in with a great big plate of meat.
“Not again!” the girl shouts.
Jun 13, 2021
Tenuous Return
Donell is the oldest of us – the only one who knew the world before the great fires. Yesterday, he went to the dead city alone. He made his tenuous return to our people that night, but he is not himself. He shakes and cries, and the only word he will say is ‘demons.’
Jun 12, 2021
Eros
Ladies and gents of the night unite! Owner of Robot Palace on 3rd and Venture Av says humans need not apply. Protest starts at 8pm. Bring signs: NO HEART, NO TART or EROS NOT ROBOS. Don’t let machines take over our industry. This is our street corner!
Jun 11, 2021
Reproduction
Eels live under the ice of Europa – slugs with golden blood. Saloons on Mars served the plasma with lime. Everyone thought it was fine – until their blood turned that colour, and they grew tails, and moved to Jupiter’s moon to live in the water.
Jun 10, 2021
Smaller than Lego
I shrunk
Down
Smaller
Than Lego
Jun 10, 2021
Frigid Path
The clowns drifted on their frigid path, sleeping in space for a thousand years. When they finally arrived at the planet, they killed everyone. They didn’t care that the victims were merely descendants of those who had destroyed the Earth.
Jun 9, 2021
“S”
They were supposed to have a party on the island, but the storm changed everything. “Is it a salamander?” Grace asks the guy who’s been there for years. He pulls a knife from his boot and cuts the lizard’s head off. “It’s supper,” he tells her.
Jun 4, 2021
Covetous
“Covetous?” I ask the demon.
He sips his tea, regarding the people in the park.
Children laugh, trees grow – two old men duel with banjos under the shade of a gazebo.
“Curious,” he says, giving his drink another lump of sugar.
Jun 4, 2021
Spuddle
“Your dog’s gone and made a spuddle on the floor.”
“You ain’t using that word right.”
“Don’t care. Here’s the mop.”
Jun 3, 2021
Alien Worlds
We land our ship on an odd world. Zorb is red and oozing, his digestive tract pulsing on the ground. My festering boils pop, and Rg has shed his flesh. Everything is fine. Then we encounter an alien, a poor inside-out creature that says, “Moo.”
May 31, 2021
W-E-A-T-H-E-R-W-O-R-N
E-F-F-I-G-Y
We Entered
East Fort.
Abandoned
Turrets
Haunted Fearful,
Echoing
Ruins.
War Is
Our Gruesome
Retribution.
Not Yours.
May 28, 2021
Clone
Due to variability between progenitor cells, individual characteristics in resulting clones do not retain the form or neuro-specificity of the donor host. And that’s why science fiction authors are more fun than biologists. 🥳
May 27, 2021
Frayed History
Or…
Norman frowned as Lila drove past his hotel. “I don’t need a shower that badly,” she said. 😝
May 25, 2021
