Sunday, January 31, 2010

Twit-Fic!

Frank noticed that the Google ads at seeyourfuture.com always promoted DIY will kits and Final Exit by Derek Humphrey.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Eric's Drabble

Eric was disappointed when the Drablecast once again overlooked his writing. It was impossible that the editorial staff failed to recognize his talent. That meant the exclusion of his work was something more sinister.

There had long been rumors that Norm Sherman mumbles while he reads. Seeking to use this to his advantage, Eric cleverly embedded an invocation into a drabble.

ENU SHUB
GAR S'HAG Norman Sherman DA SISTIE ARMARADA YA!
KUTULU GA Eric Marsh KISH EGIGGA
ABSU "Eric's Drabble"
GA SHU SHAGMUKU TU NYARLATHOTEP!

Yes, there would be a price to pay, but one must suffer for one's art.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Habitroll

While Don waited in line, Patrick tugged at his sleeve.

"Daddy, daddy, can I play in the habitrail?" he asked.

The McDonald's playscape was surrounded by a red and yellow safety fence. "Sure son," Don said. "just watch out for the Habitroll."

"The Habitroll?" The boy stared at his father.

"Just kidding. Go on son, I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Five minutes passed before Don called out the restaurant door, "Patrick, let's eat."

The silence was interrupted by brief, furious scrambling, like claws seeking purchase on slick plastic.

Don hesitated, then started into the playscape. "Patrick?" he called. "Son?"

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Civic Duty

Sammy checked his weapons and body armor. Perhaps tonight would be his night.

Democracy had died when the courts removed limits on campaign donations. Corporate advertising sold the American people on a philosophy beyond laissez-faire Republican libertarianism. This wasn't the phony fascism people so often refer to but Mussolini's true fascism. Not that it was all bad. Privatizing government services had slashed taxes and solved other social problems.

For example the homeless, unable to afford police protection, had virtually disappeared.

"Just doing my civic duty." Sammy thought. Stepping into the darkness he scanned the horizon through his new infrared scope.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

House

Tina stood before the webcam on her dresser. Turning slowly she presented herself to it's glass eye.

A soft voice spoke from the ceiling. "Tina, " it said, "the blouse you're wearing is almost three months old. Permit me to show you something nicer than that old thing."

"Not now," Tina said. She knew she couldn't afford a new blouse. "I'm late for work. Override!"

House transmitted an incident report to the Department of Economic Development. Tina's spending patterns were analyzed and a termination order was generated.

"Not today dear." House said.

Tina heard clicking as House's doors bolted shut.

Twit-Fic!

Berkas became popular attire after the fashion police piggybacked their code on London's facial recognition system.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Destiny

The viruses are not intelligent but they do contain algorithms. Upon detecting certain proteins they link into a cell's DNA and begin reprogramming that species' development.

To manipulate a genome for their purpose takes many millennia, but the viruses don't care. They have no sense of time. Their internal instructions guide the target species to become more intelligent.

Viral directed evolution created the species named Homo Sapient. We conquered our world and then we learned to travel through space. It's when humanity colonized another star system that we finally achieved the biological destiny created for us by our viral masters.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Twit-Fic!

The Flight 9 "Asshole Bomber" didn't bring the plane down, but the subsequent security checks almost killed aviation.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Twit-Fic!

The modified spiders spun carbon nano-tubes, invisible threads that easily cut steel. A worker stole one for his kids.

Gone Missing

While a billion people watched, singer Nancy Stillman disappeared. One moment she was performing and then she was gone.

There had been rumors of such things before but now the disappearances were on everybody's lips. Speculation was rampant.

Tom was exploring Titan's lakes when the world vanished. He found himself in an immense room. People hung in rows of transparent tubes.

Dirty man-like creatures pulled him roughly from his tube. Tom saw several of the creatures crouched around a small fire, eating what appeared to be human limbs. He didn't see the blow coming that sent him spinning into darkness.

Friday, January 1, 2010

The New Year

The solar flares took out the power grid. Most computers died even if they had power, having been fused into chunks of plastic.

Howard awoke from death. The world had gone dark but then he felt new sensations. He was in a box, choking on stale air. Desperately he flailed about until he felt a lever near his left hand. With atrophied muscles Howard pushed open the lid of the VR coffin.

Dull thuds emanated from nearby coffins. In darkness Howard began pulling out the tubes that fed him.

It was the beginning of a new year, a new era.