“Hope’s bling’s internal.” That’s all Hope said when her dad asked about her new piercing. It was more than he needed to know.
Billy thought if one was good, two was better. If two was better, three’s the best. He didn’t get the math behind Russian Roulette at all.
The sky opened and silver light surrounded them. “Looks like it’s our time, Steve.”
Steve stepped out of the light. “Not ours, just yours.”
Del watched first his feet, then ankles disappear.
Noting the lack of pain, he was not too proud to consider the experiment flawed
“Do you miss Daddy?” he asked.
She took a drag from her cigarette.”Not this time,” she said. She put the gun in her purse and drove away.
“Mommy I’m melting!
“No,” she explained,“melting is what happened to daddy at his lab. You’re just sweating because it’s too hot.”
Shaved, iodined, and chilled for surgery Steve asked, “Shouldn’t I be dead before you take the organs?”
“Spoilsport,” the surgeon replied.
The ship lands. We step out.
Alas, no oxygen. Scientists were wrong.
Colonization plan fails. Rocket becomes tombstone.
