Sci Fi
The Magic Arrow
The wide cargo bay of dirtship rode so high that the trees seemed half as tall on either side of the Old 40. Gathered around EJ, and scattered across the top of the canvas-covered cargo, were three types of faces—the drained, the bored, and the unconscious. He held up a jug of shortwater and deck of cards. “The game’s three jack,” he shouted. “Who’s in?”
The Page CollectivePublished 3 years ago in FictionCarry On
I felt the dirt and pebbles bouncing off my face, and sand running through my hair as the ground reverberated. That woke me up sweating, damp and disoriented. The floors continued rumbling, with dirt now falling from the cracking walls and lines running across the deteriorating ceiling. I could smell and taste the caustic ash in the air. My first large inhale brought with it a mouth full of that ash, forcing me to lunge forward off the floor, coughing forcefully spitting out that rancid taste before it completely overtook my air passages. Snorting with my nostrils flaring then blowing it out, I could taste the iron of my blood. I grappled around in the darkness, my eyes still adjusting to me waking. Searching for my mask to turn on Hi Flow Oxygen. I strapped it onto my face, with my eyes darting about the room slowly I started to focus. I could see my tank’s red alert blinking off and on.
Olivia
Startled by the flashing image of what looked like an enormous white, yellow, orange, and black mushroom filling the sky eight-year-old Olivia jumped to her feet in search of her mother to tell her of the horrible dream she had. Olivia was shocked to find nothing, but dark ash filled skies and sporadic fires. She continued the search for her mother. What seemed like hours had went by, the skies fell darker. Olivia was exhausted and desperate to find water to quench her thirst and hopefully remove the awful taste in her mouth she familiarized with that evening she hid a coin in her mouth she had taken from her father’s coat to buy an ice cream. Just as her knees began to fall limp like the Fettuccine noodles mama made for supper what Olivia believed to be the night before there was a loud boom. Frightened Olivia regained her strength and began sprinting away from the sound. Not getting far Olivia tripped over a rock or piece of wood; she did not know which and was not concerned her concentration was on the burning pain she felt on her knee. In tears Olivia rocked back and forth while clutching her scraped knee. Olivia wiped away her tears and rose slowly when she noticed a shine in the darkness that was not emitted from one of the fires. Afraid, but curious nonetheless she walked to the shining object. Olivia kneeled and picked up the most beautiful heart-shaped locket she had ever seen. Olivia was fascinated by finding such a beautiful, untarnished locket amidst such destruction. But what was most intriguing finding a picture of her mother and father in the opened locket she had never seen before. Tears cascading down her cheeks she smiled as she whispered mama. Using the preposterous amount of light, the heart-shaped locket gave off and thinking her parents must be near Olivia decided to continue her search. Somewhere down the line her exhaustion must have gotten the best of her. Olivia’s eyelids began to separate as she gazed around in confusion. Mama? Papa? OLIVIA, her mother, and father shouted. Slipping the locket into the pocket of her night dress Olivia jumped up. MAMA! PAPA! She yelled running in the direction of their screams. Cracking sounds, arms flailing Olivia let out a fearful scream as she began falling through the ground. Squeezing her eyes shut just before she hit the ground; her eyes popped open as she fell into his arms. Bursting into tears PAPA! She cries. I was lost in the dark with fire looking for you and mama. I was so scared, all alone, please do not ever leave me like that again. Calm down Olivia it was just a dream her mother said while taking her into her arms. No mama it was real, I know it was real! Her mother laid Olivia’s head on her shoulder, as she stroked her hair. Olivia, sweetheart what happened to your knee the dad questioned? I fell when I was running to find you and mama. And when I was holding my knee, I found this; Olivia pulled the untarnished locket out of her night dress. Her parents gave one another a puzzling look. That is beautiful dear but where did you get it? The mother asked. I told you I found it when I was looking for you. Maybe you lost it when you were looking for me. Olivia honey you have been in bed, none of us have left this house and I never seen that locket before! Sweetheart have you seen this locket before, the mother asked while looking at her husband. No, never! Olivia this is not funny just tell us the truth dear. Mama I told you I found in when I was--A thunderous BOOM, a wave of fire in the form of an enormous white, yellow, orange, and black mushroom, dark smoke filled the skies. The ground was heaps of grey ash, no buildings, no sign of life anywhere. Nothing. Complete destruction of mankind.
Carmila PlayerPublished 3 years ago in FictionA diary that will never be read
A diary that will never be read Is there to be life after life? I am writing this down more in hope than expectation. The chance that anyone left alive will even bother to look for my records are so very remote. Today, the first day of my diary, is 16 June in the year 2091. I am now alone, my companions have left their physical bodies here and gone in search of a better place. They have no knowledge that such a place exists but they think anywhere has to be better than here.
Peter RosePublished 3 years ago in FictionLocket
I pulled the grate closed behind me. I knew id be safe if I moved further in to the tunnels, but it is unfamiliar territory. Id never even thought about coming down here, not before, not during, and certainly not now... After the war, all crime is punishable by death. I still had to move.
Colin BryantPublished 3 years ago in FictionThe lonely drifter
20.03.2032 Another boring Saturday. Today is cold. Colder than before. It has been a while since I last wrote I couldn’t find a pen that would work. I don’t know why I bother really. If I had just gave up when I was kicked out, life would have been easier. No one warns you that living on the streets is so… cold. In all ways. People stopped looking at me, instead they look through me. I used to have things. Not just somewhere to live, but interests, hobbies, things. Now it’s just me, my change of clothes, whatever change I find for food and this damn diary.
Leigh WilliamsPublished 3 years ago in FictionheARTless
hello. welcome to HRT. i’m gabriel. your cupID for today. can i scan your heART. please? Hello. Well. That’s actually the reason I’m here. My heART is broken.
Anton KutselykPublished 3 years ago in FictionEllie
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” the rooster bellowed from under the tall Oak tree. Ellie moaned and rolled over in bed, “Just ten more minutes please Jasper…” Ellie muttered. Jasper was a fine rooster, Ellie’s father had raised him from a chick. Jasper was likely the strongest bird in father’s flock, in fact he had won duels against 27 other roosters and established himself as the top bird on the farm. He loved to burrow under that Oak tree. The juiciest worms on the farm would crawl out from the root systems under the mighty Oak; in summer cicadas the size of your thumb would crawl up. Jasper enjoyed many fine feasts that was for sure. Ellie would have to fight him off when she wanted to collect some bait for going down to the fishing hole.
Seamus GreenPublished 3 years ago in FictionA Mother's Smile
I remember the sound of the bombs dropping. Then a bright light. Then darkness. I was playing in the living room of our Family Co-habitation Facility in the Northeast Quadrant of the Federation of North American States (FedNAS, as the news anchors liked to call it) with my two brothers. My little sister was in her crib. I was only six years old when the lockdowns started—FedNAS soldiers would go house-to-house handing out flyers in the poor areas with residents who couldn’t afford internet service telling us to “shelter in place” in case of an attack.
Craig C MackeyPublished 3 years ago in FictionA World Alone
The red flashing lights slowly started to wake the man strapped to the chair who had just been having a rather pleasant dream. Deep within his mind something was screaming for him to wake up but it was a quiet scream and he squinted trying to fall back into his dream. Then the sound started to register, much like a wrench across corrugated steel, it was an alarm that he knew well and it was deeply ingrained in his training.
Claire PerryPublished 3 years ago in FictionThe miner and the medic
The miner and the medic He had told her his name was Devo. Most miners died before their 20th birthday. Devo was in bad shape; red oil flowed freely from his arm implant. Lena reached into her bag and extracted a fat little jar with a screw top. She pulled her patient under the leaf of giant bamboo. It would have to do. Hopefully, the drones wouldn’t spot them.
Veronique AglatPublished 3 years ago in FictionThe Fiery Heart
The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. And Luna assumed she knew all too well the hateful world she now thrived in. She knew there was no escape, but she had to try. Had to do anything she could to get back to him ...
Issie AmeliaPublished 3 years ago in Fiction