A lone human scavenges an exoplanet for clues about his isolation and a mysterious artifact.

(NYC Midnight 500-Word Short Fiction Challenge: Honorable Mention)

In a serene morning, Ayla reminisces about meeting her husband Theodore, whose familiar ritual with tea biscuits now leads her to a bittersweet moment of shared strength and love.

(NYC Midnight 500-word short fiction challenge)

Four eyes watch as a body falls to the ground. Two of them hover just above it, while the other two are hidden behind a door.

One of them feels the slight brush of a feather in the right palm as the other says, “Done”.