Here are six more of my very short stories! These are mostly scifi, with some dark stories that are more horror. I wrote them for the hashtags #vss365, #scififri, and #satsplat.
Safe Harbor
Kenda fired up her ship's safe harbor beacon. A bright flash of light indicated a nearby SOS--injuries, low on fuel, no food. The distressed ship was cheap--a hardscrabble freighter like settler families used. No money for her troubles. She clicked "ignore."
Glory
They told him about bravery, loyalty, and patriotism. They told stories of glory and courage. But the end came in a muddy field, shivering, guts trembling. The pale horse that felled thousands of soldiers with the most ignoble death. He cried for his mother.
Doppelganger
She leaned forward, as if she stared into a dark mirror. The other woman was identical, but not. A web of scars on one cheek, lips curled in a brutal scowl. A hand reached up and yanked her hair. She couldn't tell if the scream came from her, or the other.
Mutation
It was a small mutation in an ordinary flu virus. Under an electron microscope they looked identical and early symptoms were the same. But the patients--after a week, their eyes bled, their skin erupted in weeping sores. They died choking on their own blood.
Haven
The suit could feel like a haven. Away from everyone else, floating in the dark, the soft glow of distant corals the only light. Jethon couldn't reach her. But it was an illusion. A layer of graphene and insulation wouldn't protect her from sharp spines or teeth.
They’re Coming
She slammed the door and slid the bolt into place. The front window shattered.
"You'll answer for what you've done, Witch!" her neighbor screamed, tearing at her curtains, his eyes bulging.
"I didn't," she said. No one heard her. Or if they did, no one cared.
Mirrors
If you enjoyed my very short stories, check out my books, Sapience and Saints & Curses! And don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter!