Saint N.I.C.

“Good afternoon, dear,” my mom said as her head appeared in the mirror above my kitchen sink. “How are you liking the new AI home assistant? Is your Network Interface Companion working well?” “Your head floating in my mirror is a bit disturbing,” I said, “but so far, I love Read more

A picture of a void.

A Void

We came for glory.We came for love.We came for adventure. We landed on a tiny island not marked on any map. Small enough to see the opposite shore if you squinted. Barren. No birds. No trees. Only a single stone outcrop with a cave carved into it. Six of us Read more

A picture of a person made of neon light

The Neon God

Kaching rang the bells of the slot machines. “Having any luck, friend?” a stranger asked as he pulled the lever for another spin. “Oh, I’m not playing,” I said. “Simply—observing.” “Who comes to a casino and doesn’t gamble?” he asked. “I suppose I do. Then again, the thrill of watching Read more

A dark photo of people around a campfire

The Doppelganger

“Connor, tell us one of your famous stories.” “Fine. But only if Jim puts more wood on the fire.” Jim sighed and tossed another log into the flames. Connor nodded. “Good.” “Why?” Greg asked. Connor glanced toward the dark tree line. “Don’t want the thing in the woods bothering us.” Read more