In This Issue: Suzanne Vincent

Robots, Rosebuds, and Resurrection

Rogue robots and steampunk hearts, together in one issue: Oliver Buckram’s The Running of the Robots, and Nicola Belte’s Gathering Rosebuds of Rust.

Add to that a dash of Classic Flash, a science fiction story from Fantastic Universe in 1957: Robert J. Shea’s “Resurrection.”

Thanks as always. Please read, link, tweet... and enjoy! Read more: HTML

Flash 7/2012, #1: Oliver Buckram

The Running of the Robots

Sergeant Alberto S. Mendoza (U.S. Army, Retired) always stayed indoors during the Running of the Robots. The damned things were dangerous.

In the early years, Homeland Security had advised everyone to stay in their basements until the bots had passed. But now the Running was almost a public holiday in Dallas, just as it was in San Diego and Nagasaki. Downtown, rooftops and bars would be crowded with spectators. Read more: HTML

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Flash 7/2012, #2: Nicola Belte

Gathering Rosebuds of Rust

His reputation preceded him. Each letter of his name was a polished pearl upon a string, the tongue a pink, velvet pad beneath them. Fathers grew nervous, mothers swooned; the hair of young ladies sprung overnight into curls, the eyes of young gentlemen narrowed with suspicion.

My mother rushed around the parlour, spraying herself with icy water as she tried to bleed the blush from her cheeks. She couldn’t look too desperate, we couldn’t, she said, meaning me. Read more: HTML

Classic Flash #59: Robert J. Shea

Resurrection

“You’re a fascinating person,” the girl said. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. Tell me your story again.”

The man was short and stocky, with Asiatic features and a long, stringy mustache. “The whole story?” he asked. “It would take a lifetime to tell you.” He stared out the window at the yellow sun and the red sun. He still hadn’t gotten used to seeing two suns. But that was minor, really, when there were so many other things he had to get used to. Read more: HTML