Richard L. Rubin’s “A Rigelian Affair of Honor” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

I asked fellow The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

And now, Richard L. Rubin’s A Rigelian Affair of Honor:

Professor Wanda Bentley was about to hand the ten-dollar bill to the young fellow, who had arrived with her order of a dozen donuts, when she noticed the ten-spot featured the likeness of Aaron Burr, rather than Alexander Hamilton. She quickly stuffed the bill in her pocket and paid off the delivery guy with a five and a handful of ones, before closing the door and proceeding to study the bill more closely. Yes, it was Aaron Burr. Wanda felt a wave of apprehension, mixed with a tinge of guilt, as it dawned on her the time line had been altered, and she had been responsible. Or, more specifically, she and the two antagonistic Rigelians who had hired her to design and implement their ritual duel to the death.

Continue reading “Richard L. Rubin’s “A Rigelian Affair of Honor” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

GD Deckard’s “HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SOCK IS ON THE WRONG FOOT” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

I asked fellow The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

And now, GD Deckard’s HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SOCK IS ON THE WRONG FOOT:

The home looked like any other on the street. It was a two-story house of white clapboard. The roof was steeply peaked to let the winter snows slide off. Steps in the front led up to a porch that wrapped around to one side. A red brick chimney rose up the other side of the house. And the smell of fresh cut lawn gave it the familiar air of just another midwestern home.
Only, it hadn’t been there yesterday.

Continue reading “GD Deckard’s “HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SOCK IS ON THE WRONG FOOT” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

The Book of the Wounded Healers (A Study in Perception) – Chapter 10 – “Choice versus Obligation”

The Book of the Wounded Healers (A Study in Perception) – Chapter 10 – “Choice versus Obligation”

 
By the time we get to Manhattan Community College, CNN stops following us. The police, escorts, news crews, and curious are more news-worthy than we are. Even the Enquirer‘s and Midnight Sun‘s psychics have forgotten us, more concerned with some women in Toronto having Beriah’s child.

He hasn’t even been here a month.

CNN pays a crew to follow us and keep a directional mike on us at all times. People tire of Beriah’s snoring, even though it sounds more like a cat wheezing at night.

All we ever do is walk. We never challenge anybody and, now that the word is out, nobody challenges us. People have even stopped coming to be healed, although I hear there is a cult in Indianapolis which worships us from afar.

We stop in front of a boarding house on Albany. The manager comes to the door as he sees us walking across the street.

Beriah reads the sign in front. “We can sleep here.”

I scan the sign and, ever articulate, agree. “Huh? Yeah, yes.”

We start up the steps and the manager opens the door towards us. “You looking for a room?” He scans up and down the street then up at the windows on the buildings across the street. He keeps the door between us, him inside and the four of us outside, only his head and chest peering past the edge as if he were some Hollywood Indian gazing from around some tree at a wagon train of settlers crossing the plains. The image is insane. He stands behind a glass door.

“Yes, we are.”

He continues to look up and down the street.

I reach for the door. “May we come in?”

He looks at us hard, as if maybe to figure us out. He licks his lips. The skin just below his nose starts to glisten. “I – ”

The Healers walk away. The man points at their backs. “Guess you won’t be staying.” He steps back inside and closes the door before I can turn around.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you want to go in there?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you? He couldn’t keep you out. It would have been against the law.”

Beriah doesn’t stop, doesn’t ponder, only explains. “A law created by one to create an obligation in another.”

Cetaf doesn’t glance back, keeps moving forward “He didn’t want us there.”

Thinking I was learning, I said, “He was just afraid of you. He doesn’t know you.”

Beriah stops, considers. “Perhaps…Perhaps he resents us.”

“How can he resent you? He doesn’t know you.”

“Knowledge has never been a prerequisite to resentment. Besides, obligation breeds resentment, choice breeds acceptance.”


Previous entries in The Book of the Wounded Healers (A Study in Perception) series

H. Donovan Lyón’s “HAVING A MONOTREME TO TEA” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

I asked fellow The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

And now, H. Donovan Lyón’s HAVING A MONOTREME TO TEA:

Meltwater leaking in through the fuel line connector to the generator had diluted the remaining diesel fuel to the point of rendering it incapable of combustion. That, coupled with week-long overcast skies with dropping temperatures, utterly depleted stores, and a badly mangled foot, meant I had little choice but to hike out without delay if I aimed to survive. The overused creek and paddle metaphor was certainly appropriate under the circumstances, and the infection and fever resulting from my chainsaw mishap made the chances of a favorable outlook particularly bleak. As I took my last bite of salt-pork and pulled my blanket up to my chin, I vowed to begin the twelve-mile journey to Three-Forks Landing at first light — if I could outlast the damp and cold lurking just a few feet away from my bunk on this dreadful night.

Continue reading “H. Donovan Lyón’s “HAVING A MONOTREME TO TEA” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

SJ Townend’s “EVERYONE, MONSTERS” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here

I asked fellow The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

And now, SJ Townend’s EVERYONE, MONSTERS:

There’s a horrendous smell in the chicken shop this evening. The pungent odour—not unlike bin tuna on a hot day—overpowers the MSG-stench of deep-fried poultry and the greasy fug of soiled oil filters and it comes from behind the freezer unit in the back room. There, in a dark, hidden space, sits the bucket in which Jayden’s alien swims.

Continue reading “SJ Townend’s “EVERYONE, MONSTERS” in The Rabbit Hole VII: Not From Here