The Future Is Short

Step over the border of reality and into the imaginations of 31 science fiction authors—savoring 57 exciting capsules of speculative fiction.

Wonders and horrors of science thrill and amuse in this sparkling collection.
Discover tales of alien love and hate, inspiration and revenge. Visit with ghosts on Mars; wake to unseen new dimensions. Observe other worlds and civilizations far in the future, and wonder with aliens about human lifestyles, reproduction, and actions.

Explore a universe of heaven and hell redefined.

The Future Is Short

Science Fiction in a Flash

An Anthology by 3
1 Authors

With an Introduction by Jot Russell

Editors

Jot Russell

Paula Friedman

Carrol Fix

Published by Lillicat Publishers

http://www.lillicatpublishers.com

“Becoming Again” Copyright 2013 by J.J. Alleson; “Here Be Dragons” Copyright 2013 by J.J. Alleson; “What’s Past Is Past” Copyright 2012 by Sam Bellotto Jr.; “Contact of the Unfortunate Kind” Copyright 2013 by Mike Boggia; “Everyman Dies, But Not Everyman Lives” Copyright 2013 by Mike Boggia; “Meek Survive” Copyright 2013 by Richard Bunning; “The 2000 Parade” Copyright 2012 by Richard Bunning; “Martian Horde” Copyright 2013 by Lars Carlson; “Reprisal Lucre” Copyright 2013 by Lars Carlson; “Arctic Freeze” Copyright 2013 by Kalifer Deil; “Ordmak” Copyright 2013 by Kalifer Deil; “Rebirth” Copyright 2013 by Carrol Fix; “Time of the Phoenix” Copyright 2013 by Carrol Fix; “Moments to Remember” Copyright 2013 by W.A. Fix; “Yood Must Find Itch” Copyright 2013 by W.A. Fix; “Sentience” Copyright 2013 by Paula Friedman; “There Is a Silent Secret in the Woods of Ar-Cortiex” Copyright 2013 by Paula Friedman; “Collateral Damage” Copyright 2013 by Andrew Gurcak; “Escape” Copyright 2013 by Andrew Gurcak; “Snap and Crackle” Copyright 2013 by Ami L. Hart; “Unwanted Gift” Copyright 2012 by Ami L. Hart; “The Bold and Parenthetic—Dr. Emma Dash” Copyright 2013 by Gene Hilgreen; “Psychopomp” Copyright 2013 by Thaddeus Howze; “Unnatural Gas” Copyright 2013 by Thaddeus Howze; “The Sound of Time” Copyright 2013 by S.M. Kraftchak; “Alecre and Shanno” Copyright 2013 by S.M. Kraftchak; “Escape from Amoluz” Copyright 2013 by Helmuth Kump; “Lucy” Copyright 2013 by Helmuth Kump; “The End of the Story” Copyright 2013 by Andy Lake; “Did Curiosity Kill the Cat?” Copyright 2013 by Andy Lake; “Back to Basics” Copyright 2013 by Joanna Lamprey; “The Recruiters” Copyright 2013 by Joanna Lamprey; “Apsis in Ephis with Samir” Copyright 2013 by Jeremy Lichtman; “Fox, Cat, Fireworks” Copyright 2013 by Jeremy Lichtman; “Boyhood’s End” Copyright 2013 by Andy McKell; “Conservation” Copyright 2013 by Andy McKell; “The Question” Copyright 2013 by D C Mills; “New Chinatown” Copyright 2013 by Jeffrey David Mitchell; “The Exo Dust” Copyright 2013 by Jeffrey David Mitchell; “Arrival” Copyright 2013 by Karl J. Morgan; “Unnatural Harmonics” Copyright 2013 by Karl J. Morgan; “The Life of Joi-ne” Copyright 2013 by J.R. O’Neill; “Connections” Copyright 2013 by Amos Parker; “Ownership” Copyright 2013 by Amos Parker; “Sighting” Copyright 2013 by Marianne G. Petrino-Schaad; “Sting” Copyright 2013 by Marianne G. Petrino-Schaad; “The Duplicate Goodbye” Copyright 2013 by Jon Ricson; “Under the Slaveways” Copyright 2013 by Jon Ricson; “Town Line Road” Copyright 2013 by Jot Russell; “The Earth Is Dying” Copyright 2013 by Jot Russell; “Beta Test” Copyright 2013 by Tom Tinney; “The Horde” Copyright 2012 by Tom Tinney; “Hank and Rosa” Copyright 2012 by Nōnen Títi; “So, There” Copyright 2013 by Allen Quintana; “The Ghosts of Gale” Copyright 2013 by Allen Quintana; “The Daughter” Copyright 2013 by J.F. Williams; “Summer Bites” Copyright 2013 by J.F. Williams

Cover Image “Reach Out and Touch Face (detail)” Copyright 2014 by Chris Leib,
an internationally shown oil painter.

http://www.
chrisleib.com

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocop
ied, recorded or other, without the prior permission of the copyright owners.

This is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places
, and incidents are the product of the authors’ imaginations, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The publisher and the copyright holders for
The Future Is Short
are not responsible for author websites and their content.

ISBN-10: 0991642686

ISBN-13: 978-0-9916426-8-7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
by Jot Russell

TIME-SLIP

1.
Town Line Road
by Jot Russell

BEING

2.
Rebirth
by Carrol Fix

3.
Here Be Dragons
by J.J. Alleson

4.
There Is a Silent Secret in the Woods of Ar-Cortiex
by Paula Friedman

5.
The Daughter
by J.F. Williams

6.
Collateral Damage
by Andrew Gurcak