The Future Is Short
Step over the border of reality and into the imaginations of 31 science fiction authors—savoring 57 exciting capsules of speculative fiction.
Wonders and horrors of science thrill and amuse in this sparkling collection.
Discover tales of alien love and hate, inspiration and revenge. Visit with ghosts on Mars; wake to unseen new dimensions. Observe other worlds and civilizations far in the future, and wonder with aliens about human lifestyles, reproduction, and actions.
Explore a universe of heaven and hell redefined.
The Future Is Short
Science Fiction in a Flash
An Anthology by 3
1 Authors
With an Introduction by Jot Russell
Editors
Jot Russell
Paula Friedman
Carrol Fix
Published by Lillicat Publishers
http://www.lillicatpublishers.com
The Future Is Short: Science Fiction in a Flash Copyright 2014 by Paula Friedman, Jot Russell, and Carrol Fix
“Becoming Again” Copyright 2013 by J.J. Alleson; “Here Be Dragons” Copyright 2013 by J.J. Alleson; “What’s Past Is Past” Copyright 2012 by Sam Bellotto Jr.; “Contact of the Unfortunate Kind” Copyright 2013 by Mike Boggia; “Everyman Dies, But Not Everyman Lives” Copyright 2013 by Mike Boggia; “Meek Survive” Copyright 2013 by Richard Bunning; “The 2000 Parade” Copyright 2012 by Richard Bunning; “Martian Horde” Copyright 2013 by Lars Carlson; “Reprisal Lucre” Copyright 2013 by Lars Carlson; “Arctic Freeze” Copyright 2013 by Kalifer Deil; “Ordmak” Copyright 2013 by Kalifer Deil; “Rebirth” Copyright 2013 by Carrol Fix; “Time of the Phoenix” Copyright 2013 by Carrol Fix; “Moments to Remember” Copyright 2013 by W.A. Fix; “Yood Must Find Itch” Copyright 2013 by W.A. Fix; “Sentience” Copyright 2013 by Paula Friedman; “There Is a Silent Secret in the Woods of Ar-Cortiex” Copyright 2013 by Paula Friedman; “Collateral Damage” Copyright 2013 by Andrew Gurcak; “Escape” Copyright 2013 by Andrew Gurcak; “Snap and Crackle” Copyright 2013 by Ami L. Hart; “Unwanted Gift” Copyright 2012 by Ami L. Hart; “The Bold and Parenthetic—Dr. Emma Dash” Copyright 2013 by Gene Hilgreen; “Psychopomp” Copyright 2013 by Thaddeus Howze; “Unnatural Gas” Copyright 2013 by Thaddeus Howze; “The Sound of Time” Copyright 2013 by S.M. Kraftchak; “Alecre and Shanno” Copyright 2013 by S.M. Kraftchak; “Escape from Amoluz” Copyright 2013 by Helmuth Kump; “Lucy” Copyright 2013 by Helmuth Kump; “The End of the Story” Copyright 2013 by Andy Lake; “Did Curiosity Kill the Cat?” Copyright 2013 by Andy Lake; “Back to Basics” Copyright 2013 by Joanna Lamprey; “The Recruiters” Copyright 2013 by Joanna Lamprey; “Apsis in Ephis with Samir” Copyright 2013 by Jeremy Lichtman; “Fox, Cat, Fireworks” Copyright 2013 by Jeremy Lichtman; “Boyhood’s End” Copyright 2013 by Andy McKell; “Conservation” Copyright 2013 by Andy McKell; “The Question” Copyright 2013 by D C Mills; “New Chinatown” Copyright 2013 by Jeffrey David Mitchell; “The Exo Dust” Copyright 2013 by Jeffrey David Mitchell; “Arrival” Copyright 2013 by Karl J. Morgan; “Unnatural Harmonics” Copyright 2013 by Karl J. Morgan; “The Life of Joi-ne” Copyright 2013 by J.R. O’Neill; “Connections” Copyright 2013 by Amos Parker; “Ownership” Copyright 2013 by Amos Parker; “Sighting” Copyright 2013 by Marianne G. Petrino-Schaad; “Sting” Copyright 2013 by Marianne G. Petrino-Schaad; “The Duplicate Goodbye” Copyright 2013 by Jon Ricson; “Under the Slaveways” Copyright 2013 by Jon Ricson; “Town Line Road” Copyright 2013 by Jot Russell; “The Earth Is Dying” Copyright 2013 by Jot Russell; “Beta Test” Copyright 2013 by Tom Tinney; “The Horde” Copyright 2012 by Tom Tinney; “Hank and Rosa” Copyright 2012 by Nōnen Títi; “So, There” Copyright 2013 by Allen Quintana; “The Ghosts of Gale” Copyright 2013 by Allen Quintana; “The Daughter” Copyright 2013 by J.F. Williams; “Summer Bites” Copyright 2013 by J.F. Williams
Cover Image “Reach Out and Touch Face (detail)” Copyright 2014 by Chris Leib,
an internationally shown oil painter.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocop
ied, recorded or other, without the prior permission of the copyright owners.
This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places
, and incidents are the product of the authors’ imaginations, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The publisher and the copyright holders for
The Future Is Short
are not responsible for author websites and their content.
ISBN-10: 0991642686
ISBN-13: 978-0-9916426-8-7
INTRODUCTION
by Jot Russell
1.
Town Line Road
by Jot Russell
2.
Rebirth
by Carrol Fix
3.
Here Be Dragons
by J.J. Alleson
4.
There Is a Silent Secret in the Woods of Ar-Cortiex
by Paula Friedman
5.
The Daughter
by J.F. Williams
6.
Collateral Damage
by Andrew Gurcak
7.
Snap and Crackle
by Ami L. Hart
8.
The Exo Dust
by JD Mitchell
9.
Psychopomp
by Thaddeus Howze
10.
Sighting
by Marianne G. Petrino
11.
Lucy
by Helmuth Kump
12.
The Life of Joi-ne
by J.R. O’Neil
13.
The End of the Story
by Andy Lake
14.
Apsis in Ephis with Samir
by Jeremy Lichtman
15.
Unwanted Gift
by Ami L. Hart
16.
Sentience
by Paula Friedman
17.
Everyman Dies, But Not Everyman Lives
by Mike Boggia
18.
The Sound of Time
by S.M. Kraftchak
19.
Escape from Amoluz
by Helmuth Kump
20.
Connections
by Amos Parker
21.
Summer Bites
by J.F. Williams
2
2.
Boyhood’s End
by Andy McKell
2
3.
Sting
by Marianne G. Petrino
2
4.
Moments to Remember
by W.A. Fix
2
5.
Becoming Again
by J.J. Alleson
2
6.
Unnatural Gas
by Thaddeus Howze
27.
Time of the Phoenix
by Carrol Fix
2
8.
Meek Survive
by Richard Bunning
29
.
The Horde
by Tom Tinney
3
0.
The Earth Is Dying
by Jot Russell
3
1.
Arrival
by Karl J. Morgan
3
2.
So, There
by Allen Quintana
33.
The Question
by D C Mills
3
4.
Alecre and Shanno
by S.M. Kraftchak
3
5.
The Bold and Parenthetic—Dr. Emma Dash
by Gene Hilgreen
3
6.
Arctic Freeze
by Kalifer Deil
3
7.
The Duplicate Goodbye
by Jon Ricson
3
8.
Hank and Rosa
by Nōnen Títi
39.
Did Curiosity Kill the Cat?
by Andy Lake
4
0.
Back to Basics
by Joanna Lamprey
4
1.
Escape
by Andrew Gurcak
4
2.
New Chinatown
by JD Mitchell
4
3.
Under the Slaveways
by Jon Ricson
4
4.
Martian Horde
by Lars Carlson
4
5.
The Ghosts of Gale
by Allen Quintana
4
6.
Unnatural Harmonics
by Karl J. Morgan
4
7.
Fox, Cat, Fireworks
by Jeremy Lichtman
4
8.
Ordmak
by Kalifer Deil
49
.
Conservation
by Andy McKell
50.
Yood Must Find Itch
by W.A. Fix
5
1.
The Recruiters
by Joanna Lamprey
5
2.
Reprisal Lucre
by Lars Carlson
5
3.
Beta Test
by Tom Tinney
5
4.
The 2000 Parade
by Richard Bunning
5
5.
What’s Past Is Past
by Sam Bellotto Jr.
5
6.
Contact of the Unfortunate Kind
by Mike Boggia
57.
Ownership
by Amos Parker
AFTERWORD
by Paula Friedman
