Eager to start, I scanned the trail through the trees and up the mountain. The weather was cool, but clear. Over years, I learned to plan my hikes meticulously. Somehow, I forget the single, essential item. Everyone insists I should never travel solo. Too many things can go wrong. A…

“Not bad, Cindy… Actually, pretty good.” Cinderella hummed while admiring her reflection in the mirror. Preparing for the ball, she turned to see the dress from every angle. She’d filched it, piecemeal, from her step-sisters, and Eve, her step-mother. The outfit came together like something from a catalogue. …

“As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.” ― Albert Einstein Artie Fischer began his day convinced he was on the cusp of something big. The theoretical physicist had focused on…

They looked like mugshots. And those were the best. Others looked like morgue post-mortems. June Tandy pointed to her first-grade daughter’s school portrait. In it, the girl looked like a refugee from a carnival freak show. “She’s six. What were you thinking? How do you do that to a six-year-old?”…

Between gigs, I found myself in a foreign country, free to discover what I’d never seen. Enjoying the sounds and smells of an urban market place, I sampled exotic food at different stalls. The people were friendly. They smiled while describing their wares. But I didn’t know the language. …

Flipping a coin in zero gravity is useless. Floating, it will spin until stopped. Classic indecision. The Commander knew that. No time to waste. Protocols demanded he bring his crew to safety. No time to think or debate. Sounding alarms roused us and all hands jumped to. Redundant systems were…

Marcus smiled down at Destiny. “May I buy you a drink?” “I have one, thank you. But we can talk.” She held a glass filled with icy clear liquid and a wedge of lime. “Great.” Marcus sat next to her. Each table stood in its own intimate alcove, perfect for…

*Please scroll to the very bottom at the end of this story. Thank you! “I remember my prom. What a night… Changed my life… Never forget it.” Lisa’s mother fussed over Lisa’s hair and reminisced. Tonight was Lisa’s prom. Expecting another pointless story, Lisa tuned her mother out. Recent conversations…

*Please scroll to the very bottom at the end of this story. Thank you! “Hey, Ryan.” “Foley! What’s up?” “You hear ‘bout the lotto?” “Of course! Bought a ticket.” “You? I thought you didn’t believe in that…” “I don’t. But with a prize of almost a billion, I figured… can’t…