"I yearn to meet a one-legged, one-armed, one-eyed, elderly gypsy woman who spends every waking minute singing show tunes with a voice like a howler monkey undergoing torture...."

Enjoy this mind-bending short story. At a bit over 3,600 words, this fun adventure is the perfect short diversion from your daily grind.

"I couldn't help but think of 'Where Is Everybody?', the first episode ever of the iconic American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. This is a well written, thought provoking, haunting, disturbing tale... it draws real emotion. What more can you ask?" ~ Michael Reviews

Two Anthologies of Contest Winners in One Volume

These 20 great stories by 19 authors feature many genres and many voices, all with one goal: provide the reader with a fun and entertaining journey through the short fiction format.

***SEE THE FULL STORY LIST BELOW***

In the deepest, darkest reaches of space, one must fill the vacuum, the void, the emptiness. Yet do we humans have the psychological stuff for space travel?

When I'm able to set aside the terror and the realization of what a horrible predicament I face, I have so many questions. Why didn't Space Command abort the trip and stop the ship remotely? Couldn't they see that something was wrong? They must have, as telemetry for remote control was one of their precious safeguards. Did that fail too? We have ourselves a regular comedy of errors, it seems, though I find it not even remotely funny. It could be worse, I suppose; I could be dead….

"Think about it, Ted." I might as well talk to myself since there's nothing else to do. "What do you think is going to happen now?"

Enjoy this suspenseful, exciting glance inside the mind of a man utterly alone and lost in space. At about 2,700 words, this quick story is the perfect distraction from your daily grind.

The sad and depressing Chicago ER has worn down Dr. Michael Sheehan. He wants more. He wants to make a difference. He wants to give back.

And what goes around comes around.

Doctors Without Borders has just the spot for Doc Sheehan, and Pablo is glad Doc came. The local historian and storyteller believes in paying it forward, even if no one can understand quite how he pulled it off.

Enjoy this literary short story set in Argentina. At a bit under 4,100 words, this fun adventure is the perfect short diversion from your daily grind.

This prison sentry is unlike any other. You don't want to cross him. Better that you should remain in your cell and follow the rules, and not tempt fate - or his wrath.

...The prison rose out of the cornfields, a concrete and steel monstrosity about as likely in this serene setting as an elephant in an igloo. The sentry couldn't help but smile at the thought. With no one else to amuse him, to distract him, to help push his days contentedly forward, he often amused himself in such ways.

...'I've done my work too well,' he thought. 'Opportunities to spill blood are so rare these days.'

Enjoy this classical horror short story. At a bit over 2,200 words, this fun adventure is the perfect short diversion from your daily grind.