Short Game

The themes that thread through these nine accomplished stories are drawn from the great tradition of the twentieth-century weird tale, and they are suffused with a distinctly cosmopolitan European feel. Mark Samuels writes about the fundamental fears of modern life, especially the effects of isolation and the dislocation that city dwellers can experience in their inhospitable man-made environment. The Grandmaster's Final Game: The Church of St Ignatius of Loyola appeared to be empty but the Reverend Mooney, S.J., still sat waiting in the confessional, squinting at his watch in the shadows.

Separated from his friends after a college football game in Austin, Texas, Taylor meets a handsome older man named Colin who turns out to be far more dangerous than Taylor could have imagined. After a hook-up in a 6th Street bar bathroom, Taylor agrees to return to Colin’s apartment to continue their sexual exploits, but along the way things don’t exactly go to plan.... This steamy short story by Michael Bracken contains graphic depictions of sexual activity and is therefore strictly for mature adults only.

When a prominent chemist disappears for more than a few days, the family hires Smith Investigations to find her. It is Rob's first official case. The members of the investigation team thinks the chemist may be dead, but Rob thinks otherwise. In the midst of this investigation, Rob has to deal with issues of her team. Is the chemist dead for sure?

This short story is from the anthology Mitigated Futures. Twelve science fiction stories about the oncoming future, each of them representing a possible glimpse of what could be just around the corner... or much further down the corridor. These stories previously appeared in places like Clarkesworld Magazine, The Year's Best SF, Subterranean Magazine, and in various anthologies. They deal with the future of war, our climate, and technology's effect on our lives.

BrainGymJr is a child development platform that teaches children "how" to think, not "what" to think. We orient children to think independently and creatively, and to adopt a solution-oriented approach. This is done through reinforcement of age-appropriate content in the form of puzzles, challenges, and conversational learning in the form of interactive audio stories.

Giselle ventured into the kinky game with an open mind, expecting the party game to be lighthearted, fun, and filled with flirting and innuendos. The last thing she thought she would be doing would be submitting her untouched back-door cherry. And in a pair of handcuffs and blindfolded no less....

Busty, young Jennifer is the perfect girlfriend to a budding writer. The young waitress helps her aspiring boyfriend enacting intimate scenes to reveal the true pleasure and emotions of the characters. And so when Ellis struggles with a face-sitting scene, his enthusiastic girlfriend is all too eager to help. It’s not long before Ellis is strapped down, eagerly waiting to be smothered...experiencing the sensation of face-sitting first-hand at the hands of his girlfriend who slowly is beginning to develop dominant tendencies.

Adjusting to life after the game (football), a player reminisces about his playing career and his achievements on and off the gridiron.

We all think we want 20/20 vision, don't we? But in the metaphysical and psychological realms we often prefer our accustomed blindness. It's far more comfortable. Here are two stories that take a close, 20/20 look at these things.

Thrones doesn't have to be over with season eight! Here are six short stories about the characters you love: How Bronn met Tyrion; Jamie becomes the greatest swordsman; The back story of Varys; Can Arya kill the Hound?; Samwell Tarly's story; and Dragons aren't just for show. A perfect addition to your GOT collection, including Hodor's Autobiography, Thoughts in My Head by Ned Stark, and Things Jon Snow Knows!

When Maine game warden Mike Bowditch discovers a bullet-ridden bald eagle in the Maine woods, he is surprised by the memories it brings back for his mentor, retired warden pilot Charley Stevens. Decades earlier, Charley briefly teamed up with Mike’s father, the notorious poacher Jack Bowditch, on an unsettling case that has haunted Charley for years. The two enemies, both war veterans, found common cause over the senseless shooting of a magnificent eagle. But what started as a tentative alliance over a wildlife crime soon became something bigger and more terrifying.

Rob goes to Smith Investigations to gather her things and resign, but Smith's complaints about his team falling apart get her suspicious. He says that with her leaving and Robert MIA on some video game tournament, Smith has had trouble dealing with the recent wave of new cases.

When a group of men crash on the surface of an alien planet, they are hemmed in on every side by a deadly, impenetrable bog and attacked by an unknown, unseen enemy.

Less than a minute remains in the game; their offense presses - the ball bears down; you're the last defender. What will you do?

Losing your virginity should be epic. But what happens when you're nearing 30 and the right man hasn't come along? Apparently, you sign up for a crazy dating game at a club. Kellan hasn't even thought about dating since he walked in on his fiancée cheating on him two years ago. He's dedicated all his time to his medical practice, afraid to give his heart away. But when his friend drags him to The SX Club, all that's about to change.

Why do you suppose some combat veterans give up the sport of hunting? Is it because they gain empathy with the hunted, or hunting a prey less cunning than they has lost its allure. Richard Connell, in this short story “The Most Dangerous Game” takes us where the hunter becomes the hunted. This hunter is not being hunted by a beast less cunning or calculating than he is, like a lion or a tiger. No, this hunter is a master at his craft, crueler and only slightly better armed than he is.

All you need is a hand mirror, matches, a candle, and complete isolation… You’ve heard rumors this game has mixed results. Option one is to see your future spouse’s face. Option two is a much more sinister outcome. Option two is Bloody Mary. Now that you know your options, will you walk a staircase in the dark?

In this short, renowned author Dre Baldwin describes the challenge many people have with sitting still with no distractions.

"Big Game Hunt" was first published in the October 1956 issue of Adventure. Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

Nadia Moran is an illegal wizard, an expert thief, and an occasional killer. Riordan MacCormac is an assassin of the Family, a legendary band of assassins bonded to Shadowmorph symbionts. And unless Nadia and Riordan work together, the creatures of the Shadowlands will devour them both....