Here are two short stories: a “flash fiction,” and a standard length piece. The image below depicts Japanese Battleship Yamato, which inspired “The Voyagers.”
Both feature characters in a primitive, dream-like state. Their awakening is meant to parallel a social/spiritual awakening in the reader.
“Late” is a socio-political satire about abortion. It is flash fiction work, meaning it attempts to tell a complete story in as few words as possible. You’ll have to let me know if you think I accomplished that feat.
Inches from Newburn’s head, it discharges. The bullet screams and spasms into light, borne in smoke whose limbs kick in amniotic swirls.
Japanese battleship Yamato.
Image originally uploaded at http://wwarii.com/blog.
Inspired by the history of Japanese naval battleship Yamato, “Voyagers” is an exploration of duty. I was fascinated by the ranking officers onboard who tied themselves to the hull to go down with the ship, and what that type of dedication can do, positive and negative, in a culture.
Entering the water was coming out of the water, like piecing a thin sheet of ice, of glass. I hit the ocean, sending water in shards. It was like a two way mirror, like gazing upon a mirror and seeing ‘through’. Reorientation. This side up. Breaching the surface, the newborn screamed. Hands lifted me up, I saw them like cascading branches on the roof of a sunlit forest. Black silhouettes, fingers like leaves, they dragged me from the water.