Top 50 Short Stories This Year

Sometimes Halloween isn't scary.

When Rudy bought a recycled robot to help his grandmother, he was expecting a home assistant, not a combat android with ninja reflexes and a killer instinct. Doña Nilda sees in her new companion the perfect opportunity to become the most feared vigilante in the area. Between extreme training, debt collectors fleeing in terror, and a flamethrower “standard for night operations,” Grandma and her robot take neighborhood security to a completely illegal level.

The plot’s not entirely original, it's based on an old David Drake story, "Rescue Mission," but I hope you enjoy the story all the same. And yep, sorry guys, no sex at all in this one. It’s dystopian military Sci-Fi.

The famous technology company Luxtronic launches its line of "Sentient Pleasure" companion robots, designed to be the perfect companions, both emotionally and physically. Thomas, a single man and lover of technology, decides to buy one to save himself the complicated task of human dating. Choose the Sarah model, a sophisticated robot with emotionally adaptable artificial intelligence, which promises to learn from your tastes and be the perfect partner.

A bullied teenage boy makes a discovery that changes his life. Caution - contains adult themes.

A man heading for a new life encounters an obstacle. (02/09/2024 version)

During an expedition to Mars astronauts Brenda Ivanova and Ralph Brown become trapped in a fierce dust storm. Seeking shelter, they discover a structure buried in the sand that leads to a dark corridor with sealed doors and unknown symbols. They soon realize that someone—or something—is waiting for them. As they try to unravel the mystery, they wonder if what they experienced was really just an illusion. What secrets does the mysterious corridor on Mars hold what is it trying to warn them about?

After America is destroyed by wildfire and disease, a man named Kalen holds up inside a bunker. It's been months since he'd heard any sign of life, but a broadcast he heard could change everything.