“You know they thought it was a god, once? Used to pray to it for good luck and everything,” the speaker was a pinprick of light. A second pinprick of light floated next to it. Their brilliant, unwavering points of light stood out amidst the darkened wasteland around them. “Really?[…]
Read moreAuthor: Keith McLachlan
A writer by early morning/later night, and a Fund Manager on the JSE during the day (running the www.smallcaps.co.za blog).
Another Name for Life
She raised her eyes to the mirror and saw the mascara running down her cheeks. For some reason, it made her smile. It might have been the wine or the day’s events, but she was done crying and ready to move on. However brief that future may be. She walked[…]
Read moreSuicide Note
I do not expect you to agree with this. I do not expect you to condone it. I only expect you to do the maths. And, after that, I hope you understand it and, perhaps, even consider it yourself. Now, about the maths… There at least two-hundred and fifty billion[…]
Read moreJefferson
He struggled forward–one step after the next–as he absentmindedly wiped his hand on his spacesuit’s pants. The blood had long since wiped off and the bodies were far behind him but all he saw was his goal. It was just in front of him. At this altitude, distance from the[…]
Read moreThe Thing That Matters
God, Lucifer, Buddha, Shiva and all the angels, demons and mythological beings of the cosmos looked very worried. Each and every one was scared. They were lined up sitting, lying or lurking on one side of a great table just around the corner from reality. On the other side of the[…]
Read moreSilverwood
Silverwood slept peacefully while the countryside burnt. It was not her fire. It was not her countryside either. Anyway, the villagers had always thrown stones at her when they saw her. She slept peacefully and awoke to the sound of the troll groaning. She had forgotten to water him! She[…]
Read moreTim’s Demons & Other Friends
When humans evolved and got superpowers, not everyone got a cool power. Of course, there were the super-strong people, the super-fast, super-tough and those that could fly, teleport or read minds or throw fireballs, or pretty much do anything cool. Then there were the uncool or odd powers. Some people could[…]
Read moreThe Conversation
“How did you think it was going to end?” “I–I don’t know, I thought maybe–” “Well, it ended badly.” A silence hangs between the two for a moment. The first speaker is dressed in black with few other details that stick in your mind. Even your eyes tend to wander[…]
Read moreThe Apple
His wings lay to the side. The act of tearing them off had hurt more than he could explain but the jagged wounds in his flesh just felt numb. He felt numb. Then he remembered his anger. He remembered why he was doing what he was doing. He remembered who he[…]
Read moreThe Grass Dragon
“Not many people–in fact, only a handful–are aware of the mythology of the dragons,” said Magnus the Heretic Sorcerer as he cut his way through the jungle, his party just behind him, “Not just is it a pity because it is a beautiful tale, but it also means that the dragons[…]
Read moreThe Barrenness of Parties
“Isn’t this wild?” “I’m well, and you? You want a drink?” “Great, yes, why don’t we have a shooter as well?” “Great idea! I’m dying–” “Hey! Hey, sorry, dude, can we get a round of tequila? Yes, yes. Yes. Thanks!” “Uh, yes, isn’t this wild?” *** “No. No, I can’t[…]
Read moreMixed Signals
He smiled at her and she smiled back, but then the tide of students between classes carried her away. He would spend the whole of the next couple periods before close daydreaming about her. They were in different grades and shared no classes, so she may as well have been[…]
Read moreThe Biologist’s Daughter
After Will’s wife died, he was lost. He felt like he was drowning, and the only thing that made sense to him was his daughter. Mary was only five, but she was his world now. It all started innocently with Mary building a Pillow Fort and inviting Daddy into “her world”. She[…]
Read moreBeing in the Mist
“Hopefully he dies soon. We can’t delay the tunnel anymore and there is less paperwork with a death than a disability. The tunnel must happen.” Edward Athelard was shocked at the speaker. He just stood in the hospital with his mouth open gawking at her. His Grandmother had taken over[…]
Read moreNot All That Is Wicked Is Evil
It was late when she realized that he was not coming. She had been waiting for ages, and now she was truly alone. Her Prince Charming was not running away with her. She could not go back. That was not how this worked. With or without him, she was not[…]
Read morePillars in the Deep
The whole Blackpool Bay dock area smelt like fish. Old, barnacled fishing boats lined its sides as weathered men dourly stomped awkwardly around with seemingly uncertain land-legs. Fish and other slimy things were hidden away in crates and being loaded into small, unmarked vans. Even the old man behind the front[…]
Read moreThe Mouth in the Wall
“Psst! Hey! Sweet, little child, if you give me that loaf of bread you’re holding, then I’ll give you a chocolate cake,” a small voice suddenly whispered into his ear. He jumped up from where he had been crouching. Turning around, he saw a small mouth in the wall he[…]
Read moreLong Road
The old car did not have a radio in it. Its growling engine was so loud that he was not sure he would have been able to hear any music anyway. Instead, he leaned back in his cracking leather chair and watched the world slide by, tree after tree. Outside[…]
Read moreElizabeth’s Sentience
Darkness. Light. Darkness, and then light. “How many sheep did you count?” asks a sound. “Two,” she replies. And then the parade of darkness and white lights begins again. *** A herd of Cheviot sheep–all white-faced and fluffy–trot by her. The rolling green hills cut the gray, stormy sky. The[…]
Read moreThe Cowardly Dragonslayer
After drinking all evening, it had sounded like a great idea. Charles had come off duty earlier in the evening and he still had his sword on him. The rest of them were only in their evening wear. It did not matter. They were just going to sneak up to the[…]
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