Thaddeus Howze's Blog, page 12

Apotheosis (2)

When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.  –Tecumseh  [...]

Harbinger

Every day is the same. No sense of time. Same white walls, same white clothes, same white shoes. Every day at six o’clock, an orderly comes to my room. He wakes me. “Time for your meds, Mr. Meltzer.” He tries to affect a caring tone, but I know better. He doesn’t care. “Yeah, okay.” Is [...]

Apotheosis (1)

In theology, the term apotheosis refers to the idea that an individual has been raised to godlike stature. In art, the term refers to the treatment of any subject (a figure, group, locale, motif, convention or melody) in a particularly grand or exalted manner. My name is Mark Marris and I used to be a [...]

Chrysalis

I had never seen a sunrise in my life until today. There are crystals everywhere, mountains ridges of pure glass in the distance, up close, spires towering over me in every direction. And directly in front of me three beautiful snowflakes of immense size blotting out what I know to be the sun. Fractal images, [...]

Star Light, Star Bright

Waking from cold-sleep is still one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced. When I signed up for deep space exploration, I was told we would be on the fastest ships ever created, and would travel distances few could even imagine. This boggled my young and impressionable mind. Then they told me the [...]

Elementary, A Love Story

“She is made of wood! Are you mad?” Emir’s voice echoed in the glade. “I knew you wouldn’t understand, Emir. You can’t see her the way I do.” Joka turned away from his friend as he flickered in and out of sight in the morning mist. “You’re an efreet, made of fire, how do you [...]

Things in Mirrors

Cold. Extend tension wire. Run fast, wind blowing. Second tension wire. Third. Spokes complete. Move around, first loop, second, third. So tired. Sun coming up. Around again. Hurry. So tired. So heavy. Breathe. Touch the glass. It has been a good home. For years, it sat quietly. I have seen many come and go, but [...]

More Tales of Tech Support (3)

Forget Me Not “Hello ma’am, Farnsworth’s Monster Emporium and Death-ray Dealership, how can I help you this morning? Excuse me? You don’t know who you are? Do you know where you are? There is a coffee shop on the corner of Fifth and Main, two blocks from where you’re standing. Go there. Up two blocks, [...]

House of Oak: Red Star, White Sun (9)

Cancelled Contracts a tale of the house of oak A shot rang out. Followed by a second. To a normal human, there is barely more than an instant between the two. To a Sherak, there is plenty of time for regret. She faced this strange man she was told to kill and found herself conflicted. He [...]

Cryptic (2)

Cryptic (Part 2) “Mr. Walter Abrams, I am placing you under arrest for the illegal and immoral use of malefic magic which has led to the death of at least one individual, the zombification of at least four others, kidnapping, torture and extortion. And anything else I can find after you’re in a cell block [...]