Tag Archive for: Randall Andrews

The Ruthless Red Pen

by Randall Andrews

In the south of Australia, an editor sits at his desk wielding a magical red pen. The story before him morphs with his every deft touch, the words shifting and shuffling on the page.

After an hour, he flips to the last page of the manuscript, tweaking the author’s bio ever so slightly before moving on to the headshot. With confident strokes, he goes to work, removing an ugly skin blemish, straightening an awkwardly crooked nose, trimming away a little extra flesh from the cheeks.

***

In the northern United States, an author screams in agony as the edits take effect.

Randall Andrews

Randall Andrews is the author of two books, Finding Hour Way and The Last Guardian of Magic, which won the National Indie Excellence Award. His shorter works have appeared in places like Abyss & Apex, Space & Time, Mystery Tribune, and Sci-Fi Shorts. You can find his books at online retailers.

Educational Games

by Randall Andrews

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Chester hooted softly and toggled the windows on his laptop. A moment later, the doctor stepped into the room, accompanied by a stranger.

“Hey, buddy,” the doctor said. “How’s Tetris?”

Chester hooted again and signed a response. Level 5.

“That’s great.” Then, turning to the stranger, the doctor said, “The neural-enhancers are working. He’s learning so fast—faster than any other chimp could.”

Casually, Chester returned his hand to the laptop, hiding the tab for his paused game of Mortal Kombat. He was learning a lot. Soon enough, they’d find out just how much!

Randall Andrews

Randall Andrews is the author of two books, Finding Hour Way and The Last Guardian of Magic, which won the National Indie Excellence Award. His shorter works have appeared in places like Abyss & Apex, Space & Time, Mystery Tribune, and Sci-Fi Lampoon. Check out the books at:

Website: thelastguardianofm.wix.com/author

Forbidden Fruit

by Randall Andrews

From the look of it, the jungle Kai and I are gathering fruit in could be the Amazon back on Earth. But it’s not. Not by twenty light years.

“Have you tried one of these apple-looking things?” he asks as he reaches for a low-hanging branch.

I fail to respond because I’m distracted by a message from base camp. The scientists have finished dissecting the giant snake the soldiers killed. They’re intrigued by the bulbous red tip of the creature’s tongue, and I can see why. In the picture, it looks just like an apple.

“Kai, check this out. Kai…?”

Randall Andrews

Randall Andrews is the author of two books, Finding Hour Way and The Last Guardian of Magic, which won the National Indie Excellence Award. His shorter works have appeared in places like Abyss & Apex, Space & Time, Mystery Tribune, and Sci-Fi Lampoon. Check out the books at:

Website: thelastguardianofm.wix.com/author

YEAR SIX