A Gift of Flowers: Science Fiction

The flowers were gorgeous and purple and ruffled and quite unlike anything she'd ever seen before. And they were sitting in front of her door. Being the security-conscious type of person that the security chief should be, she disciplined herself and ran a full scan over the flowers to make sure they were clear of any toxins, poisons, explosives, psychedelics, or any other residues that might make it a trap. high level gang ring of rickletons had made her a little wary, since they were known for holding grudges and keeping high level scores of who was ahead and who was behind and sometimes they had the nasty little habit of evening the playing field by killing whoever was at the top. She had a wincing suspicion that doing her job had put her pretty high up on the list, and she was hoping that something else would rise up to capture their interest (and points) very, very soon. She also hoped that it wouldn't be on her station, because she'd had enough trouble for a while and all she wanted to do was relax. That wasn't enough for her caution to make her not pick up the flowers--they were lovely, and real biomass, not one of the scented simulacra!--but it was enough to have her arrange them in a lovely vase and then set them in her fresher. She'd be able to see them regularly, and if they happened to explode or do something else interesting, then the door would add an extra level of shielding.


Inspiration: The gorgeous purple and unidentifiable flowers that I got at the farmer's market. No idea what they are, except purty.
Story potential: High.
Notes: And somehow this is the first step in getting the main character in a dynastic marriage to one of those trouble-making, rule-breaking, score-keeping aliens. Also, not sure yet if the dynamic would be more interesting if it was a male main character (dealing with unusually aggressive females and ending up with the usual female dynamic) or a female (because more fun). I confess, this also made me think of B5 quite a bit.

Horror anthology Eulogies II now out!

(x-posted from cloudscudding)

Eulogies II: Tales From the Cellar includes my short story, "The Miracle Material." Jack Ketchum says about this anthology, "Many of the writers here are new to me, and that’s good. Because they’re so good. These are fresh, diverse, vibrant voices, strong enough to more than contend with the powerful old hands in attendance." This anthology is now available in print on Amazon, with an ebook edition coming soon.

When manufacturers think they've found the perfect material, it soon becomes more common than plastic. That's when the troubles start.



Excerpt:

The landfill is safe. I think. Even tupperware frightens me now. The sight of a discarded teddy bear moves me to tears. I wonder if Meredith's teddy bear still lies abandoned on her bed, held under siege by the ever-glowing blue stars that decorate her bedroom.

I tell myself that Meredith is safe and happy. We came from the sea, the scientists said. When there were scientists. What could be more natural than for us to return to the sea? I tell myself that she is safe and happy within the bosom of the sea.

I know I lie.

Wherever Meredith may be, however she feels, she is not my little girl anymore. And it is all my fault.

Read more in Eulogies II.