Title: QuarantineThe majority of her crew having perished in a flu outbreak, Captain Kovak desperately needs a friendly port.
She finds a planet on the map with the tags fuel and crew for hire, figuring she’s home safe.
Until she ends up quarantined.
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Title: Let Them Eat CakeBeing the outcast in school is never fun, as Elisabeth knows only too well.
Nobody ever takes your side. Nobody ever defends you.
And nobody hesitates to accuse you when a crime has been committed.
Title: Like Mother Like DaughterSiri returns to her childhood summer house after her mother is found dead in a creek after a solo kayak trip.
What was meant to be a simple closing up of the house turns into an investigation into whatever her mother had been up to before she died.
Siri may take a kayak trip of her own.
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Title: The Art of PretendingI’m an expert at being the New Guy — a side effect of parents who move you to a different city every couple of years. A bonus? I can decide how to portray myself to new classmates and future friends.
For our most recent move, I decided to go with Funny Guy, but it takes more work than anticipated, especially since I'm a fade-into-the-wallpaper natural.
While giving Funny Guy my best go at a party, things get… weird.
And I discover I’m not the only New Guy in town after all.
Title: Mars MeetingCaptain Kovak has a new crew, an empty cargo hold, and a second-in-command who keeps secrets from her.
Secrets putting all of them at risk.
Some questioning is in order, in a setting that is not romantic, during what is not a date.
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Title: Moneyline SecretsHow does a gal prove to her father that her mother is not a witch?
Gaëlle’s mother knows impossible things. Like the dates of natural disasters years before they strike. Or the winners of football games in the US, of all things.
While Gaëlle simply finds this odd, her father demands answers — or else.
A throwaway comment of a long-ago promise gives a clue about the origin of all the weirdness. Seeking answers before it’s too late, Gaëlle travels across the Atlantic to the old mining town of Cave Creek, Nevada — where weird is normal and secrets are a way of life. This story was first published in the Cave Creek anthology Open Ended Threat.
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Title: Morbier ImpossibleWhat risks will you take for the perfect bounty?
Mice have no business jumping in parachutes, you say?
I couldn’t agree more.
And yet, here I am, about to throw myself into the void with nothing but a piece of cloth tied to my back.
But at the other end, if we succeed on this suicidal mission? The mythical Christmas cheese platter with its deliciously creamy Morbier.
Join the adventure as our hero faces his fears in his quest to put his paws on the perfect Christmas dinner.
But here I am, in the rafters above the living room, my tail shaking from fear and my paws clutching nervously into the lines in the wood as Lana is explaining for the hundredth time how to work the parachute. Yes, parachute. On a mouse. Years ago, Bibi, one of our forefathers—I forget how many generations, I’ve never been good with numbers—came across a picture in the living room, one of a human falling slowly from the sky and landing safely on the ground. The man wore a helmet and goggles and a backpack for the parachute and was welcomed by his friends with open arms. Bibi swore he would make the same thing for mice and that it would change their lives drastically. It certainly changed his life; he died when he tested the first prototype. But before moving into the afterlife of infinite cheese, Bibi passed on his passion for flying to several other mice. The crazy ones. The ones who wanted to get the humans’ food from the kitchen table instead of the trash. Who thought mice should have the best parts of the cheese and not just the crust or the moldy bits. The ones who thought baiting and running away from the cat was a game. Unfortunately, having no survival instinct isn’t the same as being stupid and they figured out how to make it work. Only lost two more lives during flight tests. And now, here, today, it’s me who’s supposed to fling myself into the void, with nothing but a flimsy piece of cloth to save me from splattering myself all over the tiled living room floor. See, as it turns out, human napkins are the perfect size for making parachutes for mice. The research department nicked a whole lot of them from the humans, in different sizes and materials. The paper napkins weren’t solid enough, which Huba discovered to his chagrin when he fell to the floor with a splat while the napkin gently flowed down after him, folding in on itself as it did a little dance in the air. The high quality linen napkins were too heavy and didn’t hold the air well enough. Cara was more lucky than Huba in that she survived her slow-motion fall but her right hind leg would never be the same. The cotton everyday napkins were just right. Yuba did a victory dance and was allotted an extra piece of Josephine cheese when he elegantly landed on all four legs after jumping off the old fridge in the basement. The parachute had unfolded itself perfectly, and the strings attached to the four corners of the napkin and Yuba’s four legs held without a problem. The prototype was validated. Which is how it ended up on my back. I’m in the best team of hunters our family has seen in generations. Our team of four has pulled off the most impressive catches, going from an entire loaf of bread to two choice pieces of Roquefort blue cheese. That last one earned us our names in the hall of fame. So it seemed natural—to everyone except me, that is—that our team should use the parachutes to pull off the heist of the decade.
Excerpt:
I hadn’t really thought I was afraid of heights before this moment. The kitchen table never fazed me, the kitchen counter was easy play, and the top cupboards were easy peasy so long as I stayed away from the edge.
Title: The Lucia CrownI don't scare easily. When my friends and classmates freak out, I stay calm, cool, and collected.
But when it comes to the Lucia Crown, I’m terrified. I’ve never wanted anything more than to be Saint Lucia at the concert, leading the choir through the school gym while wearing the coveted crown of candles.
We're going to vote on it. Sounds easy enough, right? But when the voters are unpredictable teens, nothing is easy.
Title: The Magic of SharingIn the freezing Norwegian countryside, a family of nisse watches the humans celebrate Christmas on their farm, with delicious dishes and shiny presents — as human tradition dictates.
The nisse long to join in the festivities, watching quietly from outside as the farm’s occupants celebrate. Without real hope, they wonder if the humans will remember the nisse tradition.
The nisse don't need food to survive or presents to be happy. They need someone to believe in them.
The Magic of Sharing is a tale of hope and sharing — porridge and sleds included! This story was first published in the 2020 Holiday Spectacular, as part of the Fantastic Christmas anthology.
Title: Out of SightIf Christine doesn’t leave the vacuum cleaner out after having vacuumed, her husband won’t realize she did the work.
If there’s no proof, he’ll be completely blind to any householding tasks she’s done.
Among other things.