Sneak Peek—Stories from The Expanding Universe Anthology #4: ‘Tuesday’ by Lyn Forester

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There are 20 short stories in the latest volume of Craig Martelle’s The Expanding Universe anthologies. Today, with Craig's permission, we are taking a sneak peek at the start of Lyn Forester’s story, ‘Tuesday’. Here’s how it begins:
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A gambler. A prostitute. An orphan. On a toxic planet where people live in stacked cities, segregated by social status, a lot can happen in one day.


Location: Leton

Season: Winter Cycle: Day 33

Year: 890 PL (Post Landing)


The Hungry Girl

Time: 0145

Like treasure, the crinkled foil wrapper twinkles on the sidewalk. A fallen star that promises to fend off starvation for another night.

Her stomach cramps, a hollow ache just below the ribs. It growls to rush across the street, snatch up the prize, devour whatever contents can be scrounged from inside.

She waits.

The alley snuggles close; narrow, dark and safe. It shields her from passersby. Breath plumes in the air as goose bumps rise on uncovered arms.  One month into Winter Cycle and the Weather Crafters show vicious pride in keeping Ground Zero glacial.

Ice bites at her fingers, nails turning blue as she waits in stillness.   

The hologram starlight can't reach her. The streetlamps look like black spires reaching into darkness. 

Soon, the sky will shut off, too.

Only the desperate or depraved venture out in the space between Star-Light and Quarter-Light. A dangerous time, the black of Lights-Out.
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Would you like to read more? 

TheExpanding Universe #4 is now available on Amazon. You can also find Volume 1, The Expanding Universe: An Exploration of Science Fiction Genre, Volume 2, The Expanding Universe: Exploring the Science Fiction Genre, and Volume 3, The Expanding Universe 3: Space Opera, Military SciFi, Space Adventure, & Alien Contact! on Amazon in paperback.




Location: Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

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