All Stories, General Fiction, Short Fiction

What would Breslin have thought? by Adam Kluger

 

Breslin was dead now.  Undeniably so. All you had to do was go back and read some of the old columns to see the talent and anger and originality. He was just another one who had made his mark and moved on.

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All Stories, General Fiction, Short Fiction

The Beguiling (1972) by Stephen Tuffin

One sunny morning, Pete Adcock and his seven year old son Nicky came out of the side door to their house and climbed in to Pete’s old Ford Popular. It was a rare sight to see – a car on a council estate – but if you wanted to split hairs you might point out that Pete’s house wasn’t actually on the estate, it was right next door to it and Pete owned his house – unlike many of his neighbours.

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All Stories, General Fiction

The Days of Heroes by Melodie Corrigall

Until a week ago Christopher thought it was all coming together. After the incident with Melina and his boss’ reaction to it, he knew it was all coming apart. What to do? His brother-in-law, an addict forever in search of a quick cure, presently touted the “The Stages of Change” system, as a guide to better health. Christopher couldn’t remember the fancy names they used but put simply they were phases describing your state as you advanced from an unhealthy (or in his case unprincipled) behavior to a healthier one.

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All Stories, General Fiction

In Through the Wow-Signal Emoji By Leila Allison

 

Renfield and Ethan Stoker-Belle are the proud owners of a “Spirit-enhanced house.” This used to mean “haunted house,” and the bump-in-the-night types within were known as “ghosts.” Whether you think it political correctness run amok, or simply a verbal showing of respect for the departed, a plurality of the individuals on the Otherside have a strong antipathy for the word “ghost.” You must call them Spirits. Nearly all Spirits find the G-word offensive, for it implies a state of existence inferior to that of the original item. This hoary old stereotype is going to be hard to dislodge from the human psyche; and not helping matters that much is the haughty attitude of some Spirits, who seem to deny that the only thing they had to do to become what they are is die. Still, the dead outnumber the quick by a ratio of nearly thirty to one. Nowadays this vast once silent majority refuses to rest in peace.

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All Stories, Science Fiction

The Spectacularly Unspectacular Life of Alton J. Sputnitter by Jonathan DeCoteau

1st Leap Year

“Happy 10th birthday, Alton,” Aloise Sputnitter said as she sat at Alton’s kitchen table.   “It must be fun to be born on Leap Year.”

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