Stuck to the Truck

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by Juliann Wetz

“Skunk!” Chuck raced into a nearby pond to wash off the stench. The January water was icy. Chuck scrubbed himself vigorously, then emerged from the water to discover that his keys had fallen out of his pocket.

Chuck ran to the edge of the pond, but it was no use; those keys were swallowed by mud. Teeth chattering, Chuck knew he had to get out of his wet clothes. He stripped and climbed into the pickup bed, crouching low against the wind. Two days later, that’s where they found him—as they tore his frozen skin from the metal.

Juliann Wetz

Juliann Wetz has been published in dozens of regional and national magazines and newspapers. This is her first 100-word story submission; hopefully not her last.

Sharp Objects

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by C.L. Sidell

“Mikey! What have I told you about running with sharp objects?”

“Sorry,” Mikey replied.

Jesse swiped the scissors from Mikey’s pudgy fist and turned. “And stop chasing your brother around the house.” Jesse rolled his eyes as he stepped towards the kitchen. “I don’t get paid enough for this gig,” he muttered. “These kids are gonna be the death—”

“WHOAAA-AHH!”

Jesse flailed as one of the toddler’s sippy cups rolled under his foot.

The scissors flew from his grasp.

Jesse toppled backward, wide-eyed gaze locked on the gleaming blades as they sliced the air and skewered him in the chest.

C.L. Sidell

A native Floridian, C.L. Sidell grew up playing with toads in the rain and indulging in speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in The Dread Machine, Factor Four Magazine, F&SF, Martian Magazine, Medusa Tales Magazine, and others.

Website: crystalsidell.wixsite.com/mysite/publications

Oxygen Sceptic

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by Chris McGrane

“Scientists and the lame-stream media don’t want you to know this, but humans can live without oxygen.”

“We’ve been brainwashed into thinking we need it, so Big Pharma can sell us overpriced air purifiers. So the international banking syndicates can deindustrialise the West by destroying the logging industry, the mining industry and any others that threaten our supposedly ‘vital’ oxygen supplies.”

“Today, I’ll prove that man can live without oxygen. When I press this button, the airtight chamber in which I stand will be drained of all oxygen. I now press this button and become an example to the world.”.

Chris McGrane

Chris McGrane is a Canberra author. His works have appeared in a number of publications, including the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild’s anthologies, Next and A Hand of Knaves. In 2020, he sold a short story, “Erasure”, to Daily Science Fiction.

Lawnmower Surfin’, USA

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by Scott O’Neill

The TurfPredator 9000 riding lawnmower stalled out against the trailer park’s lone palm tree, most of a six-pack wedging its accelerator down. A grisly trail of mulched Florida man glistened redly behind the big mower.

Assorted trailer park denizens with deep tans and hyphenated names gawped and gossiped.

“Poor Billy-Bob.”

“What happened?”

“My kid just showed us a video on it. Lawnmower surfing is the new trend.”

“I don’t think Billy-Bob was doin’ it right.”

“He was okay till the wheel hit that gopher hole.”

“What’d he say to you before he started, Bobbie-Jo?”

“He just said ‘Hold my beer’.”

Scott O’Neill

Scott writes reports and memorandums by day and speculative fiction by night, with short works published by various presses. You can find him on Twitter.

Twitter: @wererooster