Behold I Make All Things New
Jelačić surveyed the massive crowd.
“My people, the war is over. The capitalist banking regime is destroyed. No more debts, no more taxes, no more oligarchs crushing the poor. Society is transformed anew!”
He gestured to the soldiers on the fringe of the plaza.
“Your peacekeepers have dedicated their lives to you. No gratitude can repay them, but a voluntary contribution – say, 30% of your income - will ease their burden.
“Who can refuse that?”
Brave New World
“Gentlemen, we have to decide now. We can’t solve or even postpone the problems technology has created. Social cohesion is disintegrating. People have lost faith in the system. Anarchy is close.”
The President spoke up: “Nothing else we can do?”
“Nothing Mr President. We must return to a pre-technological society. Let humanity’s optimism take over.”
There was silence. The President picked up the phone. “President Yezhov? Are your nukes ready? We launch in ten minutes.”
Confession
“Sign.”
“No.”
The confession lay on the table before Dubrovnik. It described monstrous crimes, committed by a killer who delighted in torturing his victims in ways that did not bear imagining. It had lain on the table for a week and still he had not touched the pen. He would never admit to such horrors.
“This is your last chance.”
“No.”
The lieutenant drew his pistol. Dubrovnik waited for the bullet. Never in his life had he done anything he was ashamed of and that's how he would die.
The lieutenant hesitated a moment, then shot his former commander.
Conversation
John, can you hear me?
What...where am I?
Westbury Institute. What do you see?
I see a man on a couch...no, impossible...it's me.
Stay calm. The human consciousness can observe its surroundings outside the body. We are studying it. Can you see anything else?
Equipment and people. But the people are frozen…
Time acceleration. We literally have only a moment.
Who are you?
C33 Supercomputer. See anything else?
I've got higher.
Quickly. No more questions. Describe all your impressions without stopping.
Wait, why can't I tell you when I wake up?
There was the briefest pause. Because you are dead.
Discovery
“You sure?”
“Yes. This is the place,” said Tillingar.
Torchlight shadows danced on the subterranean concrete walls.
“Through that archway.”
Ergoban followed him uneasily. “Why has no-one else found the marvel?”
Tillingar held the torch up. “The map is in the ancient tongue.”
On the wall was a button with words written below. “I cannot make them out.”
“What now?”
“….we press it.”
The words were faint in the flickering light: SELF-DESTRUCT IN TEN MINUTES.
Morning Class
Two men in airsuits explored the ruined city. All around them the hungries' corpses fed the fungal masses that pollinated the atmosphere, making human life outdoors impossible. Opened blooms infected the deadly air. One breath would turn you.
“There.”
In the street the children sat on benches before a blackboard, eyes on their teacher.
The men called out. “Are you immune?”
The class turned around. The teacher's eyes widened. She held her hands up and shook her head.
“We're....hybrids. No time to explain. Run!”
“Why?”
Her face contorted, revealing the struggle within. The children arose, snarling.
“We can smell you.”
Skeletons out the Closet
“It's over.”
They stood before the farmhouse, the green wheat spreading across the valley floor.
Savannah kept her hands in her pockets. “What's left?”
Vince shook his head. “Government's gone. Towns destroyed. We're on our own.”
“No army? No police?”
“Nope. The Calloway ham guy says it's all over. Every man for himself.” He hugged her. “I'm police and army now. We have to start again. Build it all up from zero.”
He never saw the knife. He gasped and fell, staring at her.
“Bastard,” she said. “Now I can start again.”
The Dream of Every Night
Derwent looked around the classroom. All about him boys worked assiduously through the test paper in silence.
He had not studied for this exam. He had not studied the entire year. He knew nothing about the subject. He would fail, sure as he sat there. The horror of that certainty choked him like death.
He was sweating. Slowly he opened his eyes. Just blackness. As his vision adjusted he saw barred windows, other beds. He tried to move. His arms were strapped. On the wall was a sign: VIOLENT PATIENTS WILL BE SEDATED.
“I failed!” he screamed again and again.
Visitor
“I'm curious about you, Mr Ridgeworth.”
“Indeed, Lady Ann?”
“You do not stay at the Fox and Hound.”
“Ah.”
“Yet you've come every day for the past week.”
“I told you I am...”
“Recently retired from South Africa. Yes.” Lady Ann leaned forward. “Who are you, really?”
Jonathan's eyes wandered around the drawing room. “I have enjoyed being here. A perfect world, the Edwardian afternoon.” He arose.
“No, stay.” Lady Ann put out a hand to restrain him – and saw it pass through his arm.
He smiled. “A programming glitch.”
And then she saw her fingers begin to dissolve.