In first place ($50) was Susan Cook, with her science fiction short story, Beginnings. Second place ($30) went to Joseph T. Wood for his short story, The Simplest Diagnosis. And third place ($ 20) to Warren Walker for the short story, Unwelcome.
The three winning stories are listed after the Honorable mentions below:.
Listing the Honorable mentions in alphabetical order by title:
Cynthia Steutermann, Accomplishment
Shirley Gentry, Beautiful October
David Vance, Death the Illusion
Micky Steutermann, Depression
Jeremy Whitt, Freedom of No Choice
Eddie LeBoeuf , Here I stand
Terry Mongoven, I Broke One Life
Dennis Smith, Jacob's Ergot
Shannon Silversmith, Little Brother
Jake Winship, Trepidation
Robert Brooks III, What They Don't Know
Beginnings
--by Susan Cook
Maya stood before the hospital pod, trembling, and chided herself for succumbing to her emotions. She had always prided herself on her strength-she needed it in the cockpit-but even the combined fear and thrill of interplanetary flight couldn’t compare to the nervousness she felt now. The doctor would open the pod soon, and when he did, Danny-her fiancé, the love of her life-would be revealed. And she didn’t even know what he looked like.
When Danny had contracted the Malefic Virus a few weeks prior, his only chance of survival was Reinvigoration, a new procedure that replaced the DNA affected by the illness with the DNA of a donor. The process had been successful, but Maya had been warned that his body would be different, more closely resembling the donor’s than his own. But he was alive, and Maya was prepared to love him no matter his appearance.
Maya steeled herself as the doctor slid back the hatch.
The first thing she saw was a shock of thick, red hair. Danny had been nearly bald. Then the figure in the bed rolled over to face her, and Maya gasped. Underneath the thin sheet was Danny’s new body, thinner, a bit shorter-and decidedly feminine.
”Maya,” Danny said hoarsely. “It’s me.”
Maya had known there would be changes, but this?
Danny smiled weakly. “I’m different, I know . . . but I still love you, my darling. And need you. Maybe now more than ever.”
She studied his-her-face. The skin was smooth now, and the jaw smaller, but the eyes were definitely Danny’s, full of affection and worry, seeming to plead for her acceptance.
Maya hesitated, then slid onto the bed. She took Danny’s hand and held it tightly, considering the possibilities.
The Simplest Diagnosis
--by Joseph T. Wood
Nathan seemed normal early on. Colicky, certainly fussy, but nothing that drove his parents too crazy.
His second year, however, brought a blaring discrepancy between other toddlers and Nathan. Throwing things without warning or explanation; hours on end making the same droning noise; locating small things for flushing: keys, jewelry, a camera once, any other readily accessible, sizeable objects.
His parents feared autism. The doctor did not. Nathan acted more or less the way any child “with spunk and vigor” would. His affect was consistent with expectations, despite the impudent, dominating effect he had. Thankful but unnervingly curious and with little solace, Nathan’s parents went home with Nathan’s peculiarities.
Eccentricities grew, and a notable aberration to decency developed within Nathan: He made it a point to disturb others, being disruptive in general.
He stayed up late, getting out of bed despite warnings and light spankings on his rump; many nights, his parents would be fast asleep before he would awaken them through whatever means he concocted, either jumping on their bed or knocking this or that lamp down the stairs, or, once, water across their faces. He was very bright, but very abnormal.
Consulting psychologists, parenting counselors, family planners, even dieticians, they were complimented on their parenting, although not rarely was corporal punishment suggested. Otherwise, their techniques were praised.
They spoke to a geneticist once, wondering if nature (and not nurture) should be called into question. Displaying charts and statistics, the geneticist, at a loss, told the perplexed parents that he couldn’t discern what was wrong with the boy.
Nathan was six when a neighbor’s daughter, free of professional restrictions, jargon, and overeducated non-simplifications, told Nathan’s parents what Nathan’s condition was.
”He’s an ass!” she shouted, tears over a broken doll in her eyes.
So that was that.
Unwelcome
--by Warren Walker
Samuel had just settled down for the night in his “nest” between the walls. Nobody had lived here for years, and with the cold coming through the broken windows, it was warmest in this little cavity where the lath and plaster had fallen.
Samuel pulled his coat around him and closed his eyes for a snooze.
A noise. People were in the house? “Set up the next shot right here. This is supposed to be where the Gray Ghost materializes.’’
Samuel froze. There were several people out there. Bright lights from shoulder cameras passed by his hole in the wall.
“Intro in three. . .two. . .’’ said one voice.
Another voice announced “Occasionally people have glimpsed the so-called Gray Ghost in this very room. With any luck, tonight Haunt Hunters will capture the specter on film.”
Damn, thought Samuel, Some TV show, and I’m not supposed to be in here. He squirmed a little so that they wouldn’t see him.
”Did you hear that?” someone said.
”Sounded like movement.”
”Are we in contact with spirits from the beyond?’’ asked the voice. “Can you make that sound again?”
Sure, thought Samuel, But I ‘m not gonna.
Someone knocked: the old ‘shave-and-a-hair-cut’ pattern.
Samuel instinctively rapped: ‘two-bits’. I didn’t mean to do that!
A bright light poked into Samuel’s hideaway. “Oh... oh geez. It’s just some homeless guy sleeping in the wall”
”Didn’t mean anything...’’ mumbled Samuel.
”Look,” sighed a cameraman. “Here’s twenty dollars- go sleep somewhere else tonight.”
”Sorry,” answered Samuel, taking the crumpled bill in his fist. “I’ll leave you be.”
”I guess we start again,” announced the cameraman.
”Probably aren’t any ghosts here anyway,” said another.
Samuel floated out the front door and vanished from view.
He had tried so hard not to bother living people since he died there twenty years before.
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