James Pyles's Blog, page 172

Resolution by Time Travel

“We cannot start over, but we can begin now and make a new ending.” -Zig Ziglar Operation Tic-Toc physicist Dr. Anthony Newman couldn’t let Senator Leroy Clark shut down the Time Tunnel project. He’d devoted five years of his life working with an elite team of scientists and engineers to perfect time travel, but that […]

A Quiet Evening’s Conversation

“So you often find yourself on this galloping horse.” “Every time I’m asleep, Doctor. It’s terrifying.” The Psychiatrist’s office was what you would expect. His desk was near the window. It and the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to the right were crafted from pink ivory. The desktop was immaculate. The calendar, clock, pen set all precisely and […]

Spectacular in Flaming Gold

Mila’s gown sparkled in effervescent gold as she entered the ballroom that was hosting the midnight gala. She held a glass of champagne in her hand as if she were royalty. From somewhere to her left, a flautist and guitarist were playing Schubert’s Ständchen. It was one of her favorites so he must have arranged it. She watched […]

The Chimera Problem

The first settlement on Hansen’s Planet was zealous about shifting totally from nuclear energy to renewable, sustainable, “green” energy within the first twenty-five years after arrival. The problem was no matter what they tried, the indigenous bird-like creatures they called “Chimera” seemed just as zealous about committing mass suicide using their “green” technology. “Various solar panel […]

The Outside-In World

“Dani?” Eight-year-old Landon’s brain figuratively froze at the thought that his two-and-a-half-year-old sister could wake up over ten years older than she went to sleep. Further, she was dressed in animal skins like what Grandpa might call a “refugee from an old Tarzan movie,” whoever “Tarzan” was. “I know this is a shock Landon, but […]

Incendiary

“…I’m living in an empty room, with all the windows smashed…” The Sixth Chapter in the Undead Life of Sean Becker It was still an hour before dawn. There would have been a time when he’d already be on his way into work from the East Bay. The population of San Francisco increases by nearly […]

Sheltering Night

“Anton Vladimirescu Naga. I haven’t seen you since I was a little boy. Why are you here in Talnakh?” “I am called Antonie now. It was kind of you to invite me into your home, Gennadi. Your generosity is like your father’s.” “So is my stupidity for staying in this frozen hell, but the pay […]

Extravagance, Thy Name Is Humanity

The plans were extravagant in the extreme. For centuries, the thought of creating a Dyson Sphere, that is, manufacturing an immense hollow ball around the Sun with the inner edge of the shell positioned at One AU or the exact distance of Earth’s orbit from its star was thought to be the absolute cure-all for […]

My Semi-Controlled Nightmare

“Can you tell me why you did that, Latisha?” Ron Fielding was sitting in the Elementary School Principal’s office in a chair opposite the six-year-old girl. She had wanted the Principal to sit with them during the interview which was fine, but he hated the idea that his partner Lauri Marin and two uniformed police […]

The Woman in Blue

Obe was tending the fire on the shore by the bay. The sun had set to his right hours ago and most of the clan slept. Their tiny settlement was young and night predators hunted nearby so he kept watch, though the fire and the scent of the men should keep them away. The moon […]