The Flesh is Weak
By Brian Middleton Jr.
The door to the saloon flies open, and a dry wind kicks through the joint, booting up dust from underneath the tables and into the open air. It takes a moment for the particles to settle, but when they do, the eyes of men, and the mechanical photo-receptors of rusted androids are able to see the cause. It is a woman. She is tall and broad, beautiful and rough. Her fingers sit atop the ivory handle of her six shooter, which rests comfortably on her broad hip. Anger and a desire for revenge decorate her face like the war paint of some savage Indian war chief. "Mestaar 7, I've come to end you" she says evenly. Her voice covers well that which her eyes have already betrayed.
"The best 'bots a man can build have tried and failed," the android responds. He is known throughout neo-Texas as the deadliest and the fastest of all gun hands. "Better men too. And since y'aint neither, I suggest you take to movin' on," he says. Several of his friends laugh and pat him on the back.
"You killed my pa" she says evenly. Her voice is like a mighty redwood, steady and strong. "And I'll shoot you down where you sit if you don't get up on your feet and give me my shot at vengeance," she informs him.
"Fine," he says, his electronic voice filling the room with his anger. "Aint like I've never killed a woman before." He takes another shot of synthetic liquor and gets to his feet. He grins and moves his metal hand into position, just above his six-shooter. "Time for you to die, wh--," he starts to say, but the bullets interrupt him, ripping through his heart like a child opens a present on Christmas day. "H-how?" he asks, looking up at the woman who had sent him to his maker. He is as shocked as anyone else in the bar as she removes the latex mask from her face. The clean metallic gleam of an android's face shines upon him.
"You just weren't fast enough," she tells him. She holsters her gun and walks out of the bar, knowing her father's soul is at peace.
- - -
Brian Middleton is a Husband, a musician and a storyteller. His story, "Maddie and the Strange Train" was featured in Down in the Dirt Magazine. He has also self-published the fantasy novella, "The Clockwork War".
By Brian Middleton Jr.
The door to the saloon flies open, and a dry wind kicks through the joint, booting up dust from underneath the tables and into the open air. It takes a moment for the particles to settle, but when they do, the eyes of men, and the mechanical photo-receptors of rusted androids are able to see the cause. It is a woman. She is tall and broad, beautiful and rough. Her fingers sit atop the ivory handle of her six shooter, which rests comfortably on her broad hip. Anger and a desire for revenge decorate her face like the war paint of some savage Indian war chief. "Mestaar 7, I've come to end you" she says evenly. Her voice covers well that which her eyes have already betrayed.
"The best 'bots a man can build have tried and failed," the android responds. He is known throughout neo-Texas as the deadliest and the fastest of all gun hands. "Better men too. And since y'aint neither, I suggest you take to movin' on," he says. Several of his friends laugh and pat him on the back.
"You killed my pa" she says evenly. Her voice is like a mighty redwood, steady and strong. "And I'll shoot you down where you sit if you don't get up on your feet and give me my shot at vengeance," she informs him.
"Fine," he says, his electronic voice filling the room with his anger. "Aint like I've never killed a woman before." He takes another shot of synthetic liquor and gets to his feet. He grins and moves his metal hand into position, just above his six-shooter. "Time for you to die, wh--," he starts to say, but the bullets interrupt him, ripping through his heart like a child opens a present on Christmas day. "H-how?" he asks, looking up at the woman who had sent him to his maker. He is as shocked as anyone else in the bar as she removes the latex mask from her face. The clean metallic gleam of an android's face shines upon him.
"You just weren't fast enough," she tells him. She holsters her gun and walks out of the bar, knowing her father's soul is at peace.
- - -
Brian Middleton is a Husband, a musician and a storyteller. His story, "Maddie and the Strange Train" was featured in Down in the Dirt Magazine. He has also self-published the fantasy novella, "The Clockwork War".
Perfect Harmony
By David Ledeboer
I Feel ragged, I feel torn. These pills inside of me, want to be unborn.
Seasick, Seasick, without the boat.Toss me over, I won't float.
Reverse the pain, reach down and in, slide them back out.
Tear me from within.
I'm empty, without a soul, Broken with no heart.
Emotions are withdrawn. It's just my part, the way I am.
How do I stand, the way I am.
Yet, I love this part of me. My only insane harmony, My only true sense inside of me.
I am broken, I am sick.
See me crawling in my ditch.
On my knees, on my hands.
Just bury that, that is me.
Yet, here I am, unwilling and damned
Silent, yet I won't go down, without a sound.
So walk away, I don't need your help.
Just placate me and walk away.
Leave me with my insane harmony.
the only true part of me.
Why I do it, I don't know.
Seasick, Seasick, without the boat. Toss me over, I won't float.
The waves are crashing over me, Yet there's no sea.
Just me standing in a room, standing in my perfect harmony.
- - -
By David Ledeboer
I Feel ragged, I feel torn. These pills inside of me, want to be unborn.
Seasick, Seasick, without the boat.Toss me over, I won't float.
Reverse the pain, reach down and in, slide them back out.
Tear me from within.
I'm empty, without a soul, Broken with no heart.
Emotions are withdrawn. It's just my part, the way I am.
How do I stand, the way I am.
Yet, I love this part of me. My only insane harmony, My only true sense inside of me.
I am broken, I am sick.
See me crawling in my ditch.
On my knees, on my hands.
Just bury that, that is me.
Yet, here I am, unwilling and damned
Silent, yet I won't go down, without a sound.
So walk away, I don't need your help.
Just placate me and walk away.
Leave me with my insane harmony.
the only true part of me.
Why I do it, I don't know.
Seasick, Seasick, without the boat. Toss me over, I won't float.
The waves are crashing over me, Yet there's no sea.
Just me standing in a room, standing in my perfect harmony.
- - -
A Mistaken Identity
By Lord Dunsany
Fame as she walked at evening in a city saw the painted face of Notoriety flaunting beneath a gas-lamp, and many kneeled unto her in the dirt of the road.
"Who are you?" Fame said to her.
"I am Fame," said Notoriety.
Then Fame stole softly away so that no one knew she had gone.
And Notoriety presently went forth and all her worshippers rose and followed after, and she led them, as was most meet, to her native Pit.
- - -
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (24 July 1878 – 25 October 1957) was an Anglo-Irish writer and dramatist, notable for his work, mostly in fantasy, published under the name Lord Dunsany. More than eighty books of his work were published, and his oeuvre includes many hundreds of published short stories, as well as successful plays, novels and essays.
By Lord Dunsany
Fame as she walked at evening in a city saw the painted face of Notoriety flaunting beneath a gas-lamp, and many kneeled unto her in the dirt of the road.
"Who are you?" Fame said to her.
"I am Fame," said Notoriety.
Then Fame stole softly away so that no one knew she had gone.
And Notoriety presently went forth and all her worshippers rose and followed after, and she led them, as was most meet, to her native Pit.
- - -
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (24 July 1878 – 25 October 1957) was an Anglo-Irish writer and dramatist, notable for his work, mostly in fantasy, published under the name Lord Dunsany. More than eighty books of his work were published, and his oeuvre includes many hundreds of published short stories, as well as successful plays, novels and essays.
Horus Fleet
And the Genetically Altered Cyborg Rat-Race
By Brian Middleton Jr.
Dinah Peril was dangling a good ten feet above the acid filled fish tank. In reality, at this particular moment, she was in no real danger of being burned. The rope that held her above the acid had been selected for it's strength, so there was no real chance of it giving out. Despite this fact, she screamed, and screamed, her panicked noise adding an interesting sonic backdrop to Baron Rolfstein's obligatory monologue.
"As you can see," the baron said, "his legs are robotic." He was speaking to a lanky man who was standing at the front of a giant glass maze that the baron had built. The baron was using his two rubber glove covered hands to guide the man's eyes toward a Saint Bernard-sized rat that stood in a separate maze that run parallel to the one that the lanky man was standing in. "This may have been enough to make him faster than you, Horus, but of course, I couldn't take that risk," he continued. Baron Rolfstein knew that Horus Fleet was the fastest man to ever set foot to ground. It had been a goal of the baron's to humiliate Horus ever since the speedster had exited the time-stream. "I've also re-engineered him genetically," the mad baron explained, "splicing cheetah DNA into his body. Together with the robotic legs, it's a one-two punch of speed that should prove to everyone that you are not the fastest," Rolfstein said, shaking his head in that strange way he did when he was drunk with a possible victory.
"I don't want to sound proud," Horus said defiantly, "but I'm pretty sure that I am." When the world was much younger, Horus had run in front of a moving train, laying the track in front of it so that the locomotive wouldn't wreck. He had been successful in rescuing the train and it's passengers, but had gone so fast that he broke the barriers of time, and was launched into the future.
"Even still, you may have remained the fastest, had I not invented a new type of chronal anomaly," the baron crooned. "One so powerful, it will actually allow Robocheetarat to bend the rules of physics and travel faster than the speed of light without any of those pesky paradoxes!" The baron laughed while pulling a tiny pistol from his lab coat. "Remember, if you win the race, and reach Dinah before she burns up in the acid, you two walk away scot-free. If Robocheetarat wins the race, you both die. So, I suggest you run for your life, Horus!" the mad man exclaimed. Then he laughed his horrible laugh and fired the pistol into the air, signaling the start of the race.
Robocheetarat got off to an amazingly good start. The cheetah DNA, the robotic legs, and the paradox-blocking chronal anamoly all worked like a charm. But Horus Fleet was made by God to be the fastest man that ever walked the Earth. Evil Mad Science gets trumped by Divine Mastercraftsmanship every time. Horus ran the six point five mile maze in just under ten seconds, untied Dinah three seconds later, and sucker punched Baron Rolfstein in the stomach not two seconds after that. Robocheetarat was making great time, and would likely finish the maze in another twenty four seconds.
"Well Baron, you've failed again," Horus said. "And this'll be the last time," he continued.
"What do you mean?!" the baron exclaimed. His face was a strange mix of angry eyes and poutyface.
"It's time that I get moving on," the speedster explained. "I only stopped in this timezone to see if anyone had discovered a way to go backwards in time. I've only been able to go forward, and each time I do, I'm that much further from the woman I love." Dinah looked away, hiding the tears that had flooded her eyes. Horus knew that she was crying, and did the only thing he could think of. He ran, faster than any man had ever dreamed of, and entered the time-stream again.
The Baron stood still for a moment and then picked up a clipboard. He started to scratch some newly thought of equations on to the sheet of paper. "This won't be the last you see of me, Horus Fleet!"
- - -
Brian Middleton is a husband, a musician and a storyteller. His story, 'Maddie and the Strange Train' was featured in Down in the Dirt Magazine. His flash fiction will soon be featured in Yesteryear and Weirdyear magazines. His self-published fantasy novella, 'The Clockwork War' is being released, one chapter at a time at www.freewebs.com/octoberisfine.
And the Genetically Altered Cyborg Rat-Race
By Brian Middleton Jr.
Dinah Peril was dangling a good ten feet above the acid filled fish tank. In reality, at this particular moment, she was in no real danger of being burned. The rope that held her above the acid had been selected for it's strength, so there was no real chance of it giving out. Despite this fact, she screamed, and screamed, her panicked noise adding an interesting sonic backdrop to Baron Rolfstein's obligatory monologue.
"As you can see," the baron said, "his legs are robotic." He was speaking to a lanky man who was standing at the front of a giant glass maze that the baron had built. The baron was using his two rubber glove covered hands to guide the man's eyes toward a Saint Bernard-sized rat that stood in a separate maze that run parallel to the one that the lanky man was standing in. "This may have been enough to make him faster than you, Horus, but of course, I couldn't take that risk," he continued. Baron Rolfstein knew that Horus Fleet was the fastest man to ever set foot to ground. It had been a goal of the baron's to humiliate Horus ever since the speedster had exited the time-stream. "I've also re-engineered him genetically," the mad baron explained, "splicing cheetah DNA into his body. Together with the robotic legs, it's a one-two punch of speed that should prove to everyone that you are not the fastest," Rolfstein said, shaking his head in that strange way he did when he was drunk with a possible victory.
"I don't want to sound proud," Horus said defiantly, "but I'm pretty sure that I am." When the world was much younger, Horus had run in front of a moving train, laying the track in front of it so that the locomotive wouldn't wreck. He had been successful in rescuing the train and it's passengers, but had gone so fast that he broke the barriers of time, and was launched into the future.
"Even still, you may have remained the fastest, had I not invented a new type of chronal anomaly," the baron crooned. "One so powerful, it will actually allow Robocheetarat to bend the rules of physics and travel faster than the speed of light without any of those pesky paradoxes!" The baron laughed while pulling a tiny pistol from his lab coat. "Remember, if you win the race, and reach Dinah before she burns up in the acid, you two walk away scot-free. If Robocheetarat wins the race, you both die. So, I suggest you run for your life, Horus!" the mad man exclaimed. Then he laughed his horrible laugh and fired the pistol into the air, signaling the start of the race.
Robocheetarat got off to an amazingly good start. The cheetah DNA, the robotic legs, and the paradox-blocking chronal anamoly all worked like a charm. But Horus Fleet was made by God to be the fastest man that ever walked the Earth. Evil Mad Science gets trumped by Divine Mastercraftsmanship every time. Horus ran the six point five mile maze in just under ten seconds, untied Dinah three seconds later, and sucker punched Baron Rolfstein in the stomach not two seconds after that. Robocheetarat was making great time, and would likely finish the maze in another twenty four seconds.
"Well Baron, you've failed again," Horus said. "And this'll be the last time," he continued.
"What do you mean?!" the baron exclaimed. His face was a strange mix of angry eyes and poutyface.
"It's time that I get moving on," the speedster explained. "I only stopped in this timezone to see if anyone had discovered a way to go backwards in time. I've only been able to go forward, and each time I do, I'm that much further from the woman I love." Dinah looked away, hiding the tears that had flooded her eyes. Horus knew that she was crying, and did the only thing he could think of. He ran, faster than any man had ever dreamed of, and entered the time-stream again.
The Baron stood still for a moment and then picked up a clipboard. He started to scratch some newly thought of equations on to the sheet of paper. "This won't be the last you see of me, Horus Fleet!"
- - -
Brian Middleton is a husband, a musician and a storyteller. His story, 'Maddie and the Strange Train' was featured in Down in the Dirt Magazine. His flash fiction will soon be featured in Yesteryear and Weirdyear magazines. His self-published fantasy novella, 'The Clockwork War' is being released, one chapter at a time at www.freewebs.com/octoberisfine.
The Story of Horus Fleet
By Brian Middleton Jr.
When the world was young, and in great need of heroes, one man stood tall above all others. He could lay track faster, and hit nails harder than any man or automaton. His name was Horus Fleet, and it was whispered in homes and saloons the world over that he could lay track faster than a train could ride it. Many men, women and children were unable to believe this. Fortunately, fate provided a chance that the world might see it with their own eyes.
Men and women from all walks of life had gathered at the train station at Berlingate to watch Tomorrow's Dream, the first conductor-less train, make it's initial run. An hour after the train had departed, a young man ran out from the station with panic in his eyes. "The program's all wrong!" he cried, causing a murmur to run through the crowd. Mr. Hardy Thomas, president of the Berlingate Train line, looked over the program that he had created and announced that the boy was correct. The train had been programmed to run onto a track that had not yet been built!
Fortunately for all, Horus Fleet was a locomotive enthusiast, and he was in the crowd. He kissed his fiance on the cheek, said a quiet prayer in his heart, and volunteered his services. "Mr. Thomas, I'll lay that track for you, but you gotta do just as I say," he announced. Mr. Hardy stammered his agreement politely and sent word that everyone should do exactly as Horus commanded. Horus waved to the crowd and then began to run alongside the railroad tracks. In mere seconds he could no longer be seen.
It only took Horus a quarter of an hour to catch up to the train. The passengers could not believe what they saw as the man overtook the lightning quick locomotive. He continued to run on past them until he reached the end of the track. Just as he had requested, men and women from all over the country had spread out the pieces of track that he would need to lay. All he need do now was do the job. And so he did, as quick as could be. He could barely be seen by the people who stood by and watched in wonder as the track seemingly laid itself. It seemed all would be well, and that Horus would have no trouble completing the line long before the train caught him, when a cyclone kicked up out of nowhere and lifted the young man into the air. The cyclone was monster big, and it blew Horus halfway across the country! He didn't allow it to stop his quest though, he knew that the passengers on that train were depending on him. The young man ran as fast as he could across the country and reached the train just as it was about to run out of track. Hurriedly he began to fit pieces together, working faster than he had ever worked before.
Forty-five minutes later the train reached its destination. No one had been hurt, and all was well. But Horus was nowhere to be found. Some say that he went into hiding, knowing that he could never top such an amazing feat. Others say that he went so fast that he broke the barriers of time and was flung into the far future. The only one that knows for sure is Horus, and no one knows where to find him to ask.
- - -
Brian Middleton is a Husband, a musician and a storyteller. His story, "Maddie and the Strange Train was featured in Down in the Dirt Magazine. He has also self-published the fantasy novella, "The Clockwork War.
By Brian Middleton Jr.
When the world was young, and in great need of heroes, one man stood tall above all others. He could lay track faster, and hit nails harder than any man or automaton. His name was Horus Fleet, and it was whispered in homes and saloons the world over that he could lay track faster than a train could ride it. Many men, women and children were unable to believe this. Fortunately, fate provided a chance that the world might see it with their own eyes.
Men and women from all walks of life had gathered at the train station at Berlingate to watch Tomorrow's Dream, the first conductor-less train, make it's initial run. An hour after the train had departed, a young man ran out from the station with panic in his eyes. "The program's all wrong!" he cried, causing a murmur to run through the crowd. Mr. Hardy Thomas, president of the Berlingate Train line, looked over the program that he had created and announced that the boy was correct. The train had been programmed to run onto a track that had not yet been built!
Fortunately for all, Horus Fleet was a locomotive enthusiast, and he was in the crowd. He kissed his fiance on the cheek, said a quiet prayer in his heart, and volunteered his services. "Mr. Thomas, I'll lay that track for you, but you gotta do just as I say," he announced. Mr. Hardy stammered his agreement politely and sent word that everyone should do exactly as Horus commanded. Horus waved to the crowd and then began to run alongside the railroad tracks. In mere seconds he could no longer be seen.
It only took Horus a quarter of an hour to catch up to the train. The passengers could not believe what they saw as the man overtook the lightning quick locomotive. He continued to run on past them until he reached the end of the track. Just as he had requested, men and women from all over the country had spread out the pieces of track that he would need to lay. All he need do now was do the job. And so he did, as quick as could be. He could barely be seen by the people who stood by and watched in wonder as the track seemingly laid itself. It seemed all would be well, and that Horus would have no trouble completing the line long before the train caught him, when a cyclone kicked up out of nowhere and lifted the young man into the air. The cyclone was monster big, and it blew Horus halfway across the country! He didn't allow it to stop his quest though, he knew that the passengers on that train were depending on him. The young man ran as fast as he could across the country and reached the train just as it was about to run out of track. Hurriedly he began to fit pieces together, working faster than he had ever worked before.
Forty-five minutes later the train reached its destination. No one had been hurt, and all was well. But Horus was nowhere to be found. Some say that he went into hiding, knowing that he could never top such an amazing feat. Others say that he went so fast that he broke the barriers of time and was flung into the far future. The only one that knows for sure is Horus, and no one knows where to find him to ask.
- - -
Brian Middleton is a Husband, a musician and a storyteller. His story, "Maddie and the Strange Train was featured in Down in the Dirt Magazine. He has also self-published the fantasy novella, "The Clockwork War.
Hats for Everyone
By John Sheirer
Lately his mind had been consumed by thoughts of hats.
What marvelous things hats are! he thought.
He wanted to invent a new kind of hat--the perfect hat--one that could be surgically attached to the wearer's head.
First the hair, scalp, and skullcap would be removed. In their place, the hat itself--made of very strong, malleable, waterproof, dust-proof, heat resistant, transparent plastic--would be attached. This hat would fit in such a way that it could never be removed. This hat would fit so snugly that it would take on the shapes, colors, and textures of the wearer's brain.
Every time the wearer would have an original idea, a pleasant memory, or a sexual experience, the hat would wrinkle and move and glow in a strange and very beautiful way so that everyone nearby could watch the wearer's hat and share the joy of the experience.
Everyone would be happy for each other--wives and husbands, children and parents, friends and enemies. Wars would end.
How wonderful these hats would be! he thought, and what a beautiful thought it was, a thought we all could share, if only he knew how to invent his new hat.
- - -
John Sheirer lives in Northampton, MA, and teaches at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT. His most recent book is the memoir Loop Year: 365 Days on the Trail, winner of the Connecticut Green Circle Award.
By John Sheirer
Lately his mind had been consumed by thoughts of hats.
What marvelous things hats are! he thought.
He wanted to invent a new kind of hat--the perfect hat--one that could be surgically attached to the wearer's head.
First the hair, scalp, and skullcap would be removed. In their place, the hat itself--made of very strong, malleable, waterproof, dust-proof, heat resistant, transparent plastic--would be attached. This hat would fit in such a way that it could never be removed. This hat would fit so snugly that it would take on the shapes, colors, and textures of the wearer's brain.
Every time the wearer would have an original idea, a pleasant memory, or a sexual experience, the hat would wrinkle and move and glow in a strange and very beautiful way so that everyone nearby could watch the wearer's hat and share the joy of the experience.
Everyone would be happy for each other--wives and husbands, children and parents, friends and enemies. Wars would end.
How wonderful these hats would be! he thought, and what a beautiful thought it was, a thought we all could share, if only he knew how to invent his new hat.
- - -
John Sheirer lives in Northampton, MA, and teaches at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, CT. His most recent book is the memoir Loop Year: 365 Days on the Trail, winner of the Connecticut Green Circle Award.
