by Mike Stone A short story taken from my third sci-fi novel, “Whirlpool.” The old man shuffled down the long white hallway in his pale blue paper slippers. Underneath his thin blue institutional bathrobe, he wore the brown striped pajamas that were his hospital uniform. Had he tried to escape by shuffling out of the hospital, they would certainly have caught him because they moved so quickly and he shuffled so slowly. He...

It is the year 3065. The world as our ancestors knew it will never be the same because of the last three World Wars, spanning from 2993 to 3025. The greed of resources was the catalyst of these malicious acts that resulted in an all out nuclear war, stripping the planet from its abundant life and replacing it with a toxic, barren, wasteland. Very few life forms were left, and if they survived, it’s because they lived in t...

“Oh, what the hell? What the freak just happened and why does it feel like I just got ran over by a bus?” saying out loud and holding my head trying hard to open my eyes and sit up. After what seemed like several minutes but was only seconds, my eyes opened and adjusted to the light. Not quite able to sit up yet, I lay on my back holding my head and try to look around. Something didn’t seem quite right about the light, an...

Part 1Dear Mr. Emmet Cartwright,My name is Trevor Miller and I’m writing to you from a mental health institution in St. Augustine. The story I’m about to tell you is the very story that landed me in here, so my expectation is that you will not believe me. It was because of this expectation that I initially decided to leave you to suffer the coming ordeal without warning. On the off chance that you do believe me, I feel it...

Sive watched as Fido and his co mutineers were lead off the bridge.She was hoping she could slip away and take a shower. The past few hours had left her feeling dirty and slightly sick to her stomach! She was hot sweaty and could still taste Fido in her mouth. It would feel so good to get all traces of the vile man washed off her. She sighed knowing she had lost her chance when she heard Murdock's next orders, “Darla come...

                                                          SHOTS FIRED James Connolly never wanted to be a police officer. However, after receiving the final results of his G.O.A.T. evaluation the powers that be had made the decision for him, much to his dismay. The police sergeant had always found it funny that the government would at least wait a couple of days until after what was supposed to be a celebration of life be...

Robbie punched the button for a bottle of orange juice with his right ring finger, a checking account, and tapped his watch. The watch blinked red and flashed ISF. He did it again and again with the same result. I can’t believe I’m out of cred. He pulled his screen from his backpack and opened the work page for the vend store he was in. “Dust mop floor,” was the task at the top of the list. He tapped it. The screen lets h...

u·to·pi·ayooˈtōpēə/NounAn imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect   Lines. Entry 1)  I should not be writing, or feeling. They tell me that numbness is normal. They imagined the signs, they envisioned the nightmares, and they feared the potential credibility that lay within the pages. More important than their future, they feared their imagination. What beasts, what society, what ideas could they...

Smithe fell to the floor, suddenly going limp. Darla's breathing started to slow. Blinking in puzzelment, she stared at his still form. "After all that time wanting me, is that all there is?" She thought to herself as she bent over the unconscious man. She frowned feeling cheated. “Hey we aren't finished,” she cried out as she shook him.Sive stuck her head out of the open panel, with a stun gun in hand and shot Darla befo...

Don’t talk to me about love. I wrote the book on it. Literally.And for that sin, I alone am escaped to tell you the tale of the Battle of the Sexes and the End of Man.Okay, that’s not quite accurate. The book wasn’t really about love. But it was about dating, and lust, and sex, and how to facilitate all of that. And there was enough sin to go around - if that girl hadn’t broke my heart, I’d never have written it.See, the...

Sive leaned against the wall while listening to Murdock’s plan. She knew he had his own agenda, but for now, she needed him, and his plan needed her. “So that's pretty much it. Any questions or do you have anything to add?” he asked. Sive bit her lip thinking what to say. “Doctor?” Murdock asked raising his eyebrow at her.Trying to keep her temper in check she replied, "First off call me Sive, I don’t need my real name be...

The HeroA thin hand shook him fiercely by the shoulder. Sleep dropped away as his blanket was torn from him and the high, panicked voice pierced into his ears. “Prince Phillip! Awaken at once! It's the princess! You must awaken! Prince Phillip!” His eyes sprang open. The light dripping in from the hole in the thick stone wall was that of dawn, gray and new. He sat up, taking in the wild-eyed face of the Lady Isabelle as s...

THREE DAYS LATER    October 13th, 2040 – 10:15 Sam stood in front of his best friend, Doug, and Selena. They looked at him with worried eyes. “You want us to do WHAT?” “Look, Sam,” said Selena, “Doug’s right. That sounds crazy. I know you feel bad and all with you being the one to awaken Sommer. But I just don’t think that risking your life is the best answer.” “Guys, I have to do this,” said Sam. “With or without your he...

The cave lit up at first sight of the sun. Sommer had already been outside the cave and back So when Eduardo woke up to find Sommer now fully clothed, he was surprised. “Where did the clothes come from?” “You forget. This is a war-ridden time. Dead bodies aren’t that hard to find. I got the clothes from the first one I found.” Eduardo made the symbol of the Cross out of respect for the dead, then kissed his small golden r...

In the Captain's quarters, Sive continued to poke around the Captain's things thinking, “Yes, very nice quarters Captain. Too bad I can't hide here until we docked at some planet where I could slip away.” Sive ordered herself a cup of java with lots of cream from the food dispenser and sipped it slowly while she considered her next move. Hiding as a crew member was one option, but she was pushing her luck. As much as she...