Category Archives: Short Story or Scene

The light was still blaring down above me when I woke. I strained to hear any sounds over the ambient buzzing that I assumed was from the light. I heard a sigh from the cage. The Vr’ak’l was still there. I rolled my head toward the sound and was surprised to find that I could move.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 28”

A bright white light shown down on me when I awoke. I stared at it for a while. I was on a bed, that much I could tell. I tried to turn my head, but something held it in place. I could move my fingers. At least, I thought I could move my fingers. My arms and legs felt leaden, and I couldn’t lift them at all.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 27”

For a fleeting moment, I thought I could flap my arms and fly. Everything moved slowly and I seemed to hover in space. The white rock face drifted past at first, then gained speed. It startled me and I wheeled my arms to gain lift. It didn’t work. Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 26”

The backpack must have weighed 100 pounds by the time I had it full of all the things I thought I’d need or want. Medicines, snacks, clothes, a pillow and blanket. And then the tools, and the night-vision goggles, and lastly, the rifle.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 25”

I was almost to my cube when Melodie caught me in the hall. “Roger’s pissed. What did you do?” When I said nothing, she went on, “How’d the presentation go?” She giggled. “Nate?”

“I really need night vision goggles.” I turned and walked out the front door.

“Nate?” I heard as the door closed. I kept going.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 24”

It was weird to be home. The study looked just the same as it did when I left. The computer was still on, the screen saver bouncing fascinating geometric shapes across the monitor. The reference book I had used to try to kill the stink bug sat on the floor beside my chair. The stench still hung in the room.

A heard a familiar buzzing and watched the stink bug land on the top of my monitor. It waved its antennae at me.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 23”

I paced around the bare ground, not sure what I was looking for. V’x and K’eel stood to the side. V’x looked about nervously, twittering quietly. K’eel fluffed in irritation, but remained still silently observing.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 22”

Though I tried more than once to strike up conversation, V’x did not speak again until K’eel returned about an hour later. K’eel carried a bundle that she dropped in the middle of the platform. She wordlessly paced the edge of the platform, twittering to herself. V’x appeared to be dozing, but twitched nervously each time K’eel came near.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 21”

V’x began:

“When we were first here, we were lost. We saw the Keepers, their flying machines and wheeled carts. They marched around the open spaces surrounding the trees. We would try to approach them and they would shoot fire at us and we would run back to cover.Continue reading “Stink Bug – Chapter 20”