Random thoughts

"Bone Lake Part 4" by Craig Zimmerman

2026-10-20T17:47:45.258-07:00

Lori spent most of her weekend placing motion detecting cameras around the perimeter of her house in hopes of getting a look at her quarry and it didn't take long to find out what she was up against.

The beast from another dimension terrified her and she wondered if it was even possible to capture it. For the first time, Lori considered asking for help, but what would happen to her uncle's invention if she let outsiders in?

After a light dinner, Lori turned went to bed unaware that the creature that she feared had already made a decision. It was sometime after midnight, when the eight-legged beast entered the house and began searching for Lori's bedroom. The animal smelled the presence of the human on the second floor and forced its way into the room where it was strongest.

The splintering of the door awakened Lori and she grabbed for her Taser just as the creature lunged at her. She gave the thing a full dose of electricity and it lay twitching on the floor. Lori moved quickly and dragged the animal to her uncle's laboratory and positioned it in the portal.

The animal seemed to recover from the shock of the Taser just as she sent it back to its home. After ridding herself of the threat, Lori felt relieved but there was still the matter of what to do with the portal. In the end, she just couldn't destroy what her Uncle Simon had worked so hard for.

"The Face at the Bottom of the Pond" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-10-13T19:31:08.625-07:00

Steven used a long pole to maneuver his raft around the pond. In some areas he could clearly see through the water, and he was fascinated with all of the bizarre creatures that dwelled in the wetland. As he moved into the center of the pond, Steven looked down into the water and was shocked to see a face looking up at him.

The face was hideous and the red eyes looked up at him with savage fury. A floating log slammed into Steven's raft nearly tossing him into the water. The log retreated a few feet and then crashed into the raft again. Steven could see the face smiling and decided it was a good time to get out of there.

While he was on shore, Steven loaded his raft with several heavy rocks and then headed to the center of the pond once again. The face at the bottom glared at him and Steven dropped one of the rocks in the water hoping to hit the thing. The stone missed by at least a foot and Steven launched another rock.

This time, the rock was flung away and the water around the raft began to erupt. Huge waves caused the raft to break apart, and Steven was thrown into the water. He struggled to swim though the waves and it felt like something was holding him back.

Finally, Steven made it to the beach and immediately collapsed. He must have slept for several hours, but when he awoke the pond was completely still and the only sound was the loud mocking laughter coming from the depths.

"Bone Lake part 3" by Craig Zimmerman

2026-10-06T20:29:46.245-07:00

Lori didn't know what to do with the strange animal she found in the woods which was apparently a victim of her Uncle Simon's experiments with inter-dimensional travel. She offered it water and food, but the creature just kept making the same pitiful bleating sound.

After much searching, Lori found her uncle's journal. In it he described the beginnings of his experiments and the accident that led to the escape of two creatures that he brought forth from other realms. This was the first time she had heard about another creature besides the worm-like animal she had found.

The journal also gave detailed instructions on how the dimensional portal worked and Lori was hopeful that she might be able to send the worm- thing back to its home.

While Lori studied her late uncle's journal, the other escaped beast watched from the woods. Its compound eyes noted every detail and its eight limbs, and sleek muscular body could race through the trees. The forest was so much better than the world it came from. The only threat was the human- creature in the large structure. She would have to be eliminated.

Three days after finding the journal, Lori felt that she was ready to send the giant worm back to its home. She carefully placed the animal in a transparent enclosed platform and keyed in the code left by her uncle. The animal slowly disappeared and Lori prayed that the lost soul had found its way home.

Lori's sense of accomplishment was short-lived as she remembered that there was another fugitive animal that had to be sent back.

"Bone Lake Part 2" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-09-29T20:12:13.728-07:00

Lori Brant felt wonderfully rested as she awoke in her new home. It was so quiet in the country-no traffic-no sirens-no people. After a quick breakfast of bagels and fruit, Lori set out to explore her new surroundings.

Her Uncle's house was huge with eight rooms on two levels. Lori was surprised to find an enormous library on the top floor with hundreds of volumes. One section of the library was devoted entirely to physics. The floor below contained a well-equipped kitchen and several bedrooms.

The biggest surprise of all was found in the basement. Some kind of laboratory filled the entire space. Lori could only guess at the purposes of some of the devices. She made a note to herself to look through her Uncle Simon's papers to figure out what was going on here.

As the sun set, Lori took a seat on the wide deck overlooking the lake and sipped her coffee. A strange rhythmic sound seemed to be coming from the woods on the opposite shore. Lori had no idea what it could be, but she grabbed a flashlight and went outside.

A narrow trail wound around the lake and Lori followed it looking for the origin of the sound. As she came through a tangle of blackberry vines, a creature that couldn't possibly exist stared at her.

The thing was about three feet long and somewhat resembled a caterpillar. It had large eyes the color of violets and the strange crying sound came from an opening in its tail. Instinctively, Lori connected the bizarre creature to her uncle's laboratory.

The animal did not resist when Lori placed it in a blanket and took it back to the house. She offered it food and water, but the bowls remained untouched.

Lori spent the night looking through her uncle's papers and discovered that the devices in the basement were some sort of port to other dimensions. The creature she found in the woods must have come through the port and then escaped.

From another part of the lake, a larger and more dangerous fugitive watched the house and waited.

"Matty" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-09-23T10:29:28.895-07:00

Matty sat on a log and watched a large Heron spear a fish in the shallow waters of Dumas Bay. She regretted ditching school, but a sense of unease threatened to overtake her, and she had to get away.

Matty stayed at the park until the sun began to set and knew that she had to go home. As expected, her mother was angry that she had skipped school and once again Matty had to hear how irresponsible and careless she was.

The next morning, Matty loaded her clothes and other belongings into her old Corolla and headed for the interstate with a vague plan about going to California. As Matty drove through downtown she noticed a girl about her age wearing a skimpy outfit and pacing back and forth on the sidewalk.

The hopelessness in the girl's eyes disturbed her and Matty turned her car around and headed home. Her mother was waiting for her on the porch of their tiny house.

"I'm sorry you missed work because of me" Matty said.

Her mother smiled and held Matty close. "Everybody needs to play hooky once in a while."

"Bone Lake" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-09-08T19:09:14.173-07:00

Lori Brant was resting her feet after a hard day of serving coffee when she heard the doorbell ring. Looking through the peephole, she saw a well-dressed older man. "Can I help you?" she said through the door.

"My name is William Phillips, and I need to speak with Lori Brant." the man said. Lori cautiously opened the door. "I'm Lori Brant. What's this all about?" The older man produced a business card which read: "William Phillips: Attorney at Law."

Mr. Phillips sensed Lori's confusion and began to explain. "I served as your great Uncle Simon Brant's attorney for many years and after he passed it was my duty to find an heir for his estate." Now Lori was really confused. "I have never heard of an Uncle Simon" she told the attorney.

Mr. Phillips shrugged. "Unfortunately, Simon was a little eccentric and had no contact with his family for years. It took me several weeks of research to find you." "Are you saying that I'm the heir to my Uncle Simon's estate?" Lori asked. The attorney nodded.

Lori motioned the lawyer to her tiny kitchen table, and he brought out a sheaf of papers. "To begin with, Simon left approximately $2.5 million dollars in cash and securities, several real estate holdings amounting to about $9 million dollars and his personal estate at Bone Lake which has been appraised at $4.3 million dollars.

Lori's eyes grew wide as Mr. Phillips recounted the amounts. Her family had never had that kind of money. "Are you sure that I'm the person you're looking for?" she asked doubtfully. "I'm positive" he said. "It will take some time to transfer ownership of the various accounts and properties into your name."

"What kind of place is Bone Lake?" Lori asked after Mr. Phillips had finished his presentation. For a moment, Phillips hesitated. "Simon liked his privacy and he built his home deep in the forest. The nearest town is twenty miles away and the roads are very difficult in the winter."

Lori considered her position. She had no close friends in Seattle so why not? A few weeks later, Lori quit her miserable job and packed up everything she had into her ancient Chevy and hit the road.

Finding Bone Lake was a lot more difficult than she imagined. The property was in the northeast corner of Washington and even the GPS on her cell couldn't find it. After much trial and error, her tired old car pulled into the driveway of her new home. The house was more impressive than Lori imagined it would be. The log cabin design seemed to blend in with the forest and Bone Lake could be seen about a quarter mile away.

After taking a nap, Lori walked down to the lake and took a seat on a large boulder. Feeling a weird sensation, she noticed a pair of eyes staring at her from the forest. The eyes seemed to hold a deep hatred of something and then they just vanished.

"Knock Softly" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-08-17T19:39:18.943-07:00

Susan Long sat on her porch with a cup of tea and watched the sun set behind the distant mountains. Her dog Debbie lay beside her quietly watching the desert that surrounded Susan's home. The dog was usually out chasing a rabbit or a lizard but lately she just lay on the porch surveying the wasteland beyond.

The next day, Susan had to be at work early so she watched a little TV and then hit the sack. Sometime, in the middle of the night, she was awakened by a tremendous crash as if someone was trying to break down her door.

Susan grabbed a shotgun that she kept on a rack and raced to the living room. Debbie was barking furiously while the door buckled from hammer blows. Susan aimed her shotgun and whatever came through was going to get a double dose of buckshot.

One final blow and the door gave way. Susan was expecting something massive, but the intruder was a small rat-like creature that stared at her with multiple black eyes. Susan pulled the trigger of her 12 gauge, and the heavy pellets disintegrated the horrible thing.

After the ordeal was over, Susan considered that the creature may have been an alien visitor with no intent to harm, but it wasn't her fault that the beast didn't know how to properly knock on a door.

"Summer of Woodstock" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-07-23T21:03:49.056-07:00

Haley was looking at old photos with her grandma Rachel when they came upon the picture of a young girl with a flower garland in her hair. Who's that grandma?" Hayley asked pointing at the photo.

"That's me at Woodstock" her grandma answered. Hayley's eyes got big. "My history teacher talks about the Woodstock festival all the time." "Now I do feel old" her grandma joked.

Haley was full of questions, but it was getting late and she had to call her mom in the morning. Haley drifted off to sleep almost immediately and then the honking of a car horn woke her up and instead of a bed she was laying in the grass on the side of a busy road.

Dozens of old-fashioned cars formed a line that seemed to stretch for miles. Haley had no idea what was going on, but a truck painted all sorts of strange colors stopped and motioned for her to get in. Haley hesitated and then accepted the ride.

"Are you going to the festival?" a young woman with a toddler on her lap asked. Haley nodded unsure of what was going on. The woman introduced herself as Felicia, her two kids were George and Wendy and her husband who was driving the truck was Larry.

Felicia made silver jewelry and was hoping to sell some at the music festival where everyone seemed to be going. The line of cars moved slowly, and they arrived in early evening. Haley was shocked at how many people were there. Before Felicia left to set up her booth, she gave Haley a small silver and turquoise ring.

Somewhere in the distance, Haley could see a stage and she walked towards it. A band called "The Who" was playing a song and at the end smashed their instruments. Haley watched a couple of other bands and then started to get tired. She moved through the crowd and for a few seconds she shared a glance with a girl who kind of looked like her and had a flower garland in her hair.

Haley found a place under a tree and gradually went to sleep. She was awakened by her grandmother telling her that breakfast was ready. The festival and all the people she met had been some kind of weird dream, but then she noticed the silver and turquoise ring that was still on her finger.

"The New Tenant" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-07-21T16:36:18.492-07:00

Lisa Abbot had to admit that she was a little bit afraid of her new tenant. James Clark was always polite and respectful, but there was something oddly menacing about him.

Before he moved in, Lisa had done a thorough background check on Clark and there wasn't even a hint of trouble. He worked as a remote consultant for a federal agency and spent the rest of his time hiking the Virginia hills that surrounded Lisa's property.

More than once, Lisa thought about asking Mr. Clark to find another place to live, but she really needed the money to pay the mortgage on her ranch. It had been so much different when she was first married. Lisa had been deeply in love with her husband Frank and when they bought the ranch, she thought her happiness would never end.

The changes came gradually; Frank began drinking and became abusive. Lisa tried everything to help him, but the violence became worse and on one terrible night, Frank tried to kill her. The judge sentenced Frank to ten years in prison and Lisa dreaded the thought of him being free.

Over time, Lisa became used to James' somewhat eccentric lifestyle and looked forward to seeing him come back from his excursions into the forest. He smelled of Maple and Pine and there was something of the wilderness in him.

One night while Lisa was at the kitchen table paying bills, she heard a noise outside and assumed it was her dog Plato, but she was shocked to her core when her ex-husband Frank started banging on the door- demanding to be let in.

The door splintered as Lisa reached for her phone and Frank grabbed her by the throat. Lisa tried to fight back but Frank was enormously strong and cruel.

Under the onslaught of blows, Lisa felt herself getting weaker and then it suddenly stopped. From out of nowhere, James stood in front of Lisa-protecting her from Frank's rage. Her ex-husband drew a knife and lunged at James, but her roommate easily evaded the blade and in a blur of motion sent Frank tumbling to the floor.

After the police had taken Frank away, Lisa was curious about something. "How come you came back early from your hike?" she asked James. He looked toward the hills and answered: "I just had a feeling that you needed me."

"The Selection" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-07-07T11:10:40.620-07:00

Matt Pierce stood with his back against the wall of the gym and watched as the two captains appointed by Mr. Tachuk chose their teams. The best athletes were picked first and then the two team leaders grudgingly accepted the remaining screwballs.

Matt was usually chosen last or next to last. He was well aware that his athletic abilities were lacking but he resented being humiliated just because he wasn't good at sports. On this particular day, the two captains argued about who would be stuck with him.

Mr. Tachuk finally intervened and put him on Ed Carson's squad. The activity of the day was dodgeball, and Matt watched the rest of the class form on the gym floor to start the game. "Let's get moving Pierce" Mr. Tachuk said with a look of irritation, but Matt stayed where he was.

The gym teacher walked up to Matt. "Is there something wrong? are you sick?" Matt shook his head. "I just don't want to play" Mr. Tachuk looked confused as if he had never heard such a thing before. "This is a physical education class Mr. Pierce and if you aren't sick then you are required to participate."

At one time, Matt would have been intimidated by the gym teacher's order, but something in him had moved and he no longer gave a shit. "I'm not playing" he said finally. Tachuk glared at Matt "We're going to have a little talk once class is over." he said in a low voice.

For the next hour, Matt watched the weaker kids get pummeled with the ball by the stronger kids and realized that was probably what the rest of his life was going to be like, but for today he wanted no part of it.

"Suburban Rituals" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-06-15T20:10:56.965-07:00

17-year-old Thomas Brooks was well aware that the country club dance was one of the tribal customs that the upper classes had to endure in order to advance to the next level, but he hated it all and in the middle of the present gala, he grabbed his coat and left.

Thomas drove aimlessly and tried to understand his restlessness and anger. His family was very wealthy, and he had never wanted for anything. He should be happy, but he wasn't. Without a particular destination in mind, Thomas headed for the beach.

Somewhere near the waterfront, he spotted a girl in front of a mini mart and picked her up. At the same mini mart, he paid an old man to buy him a bottle of wine. Once that was accomplished, he took the girl and the wine to a secluded place on the beach.

The girl's name was Donna, and she was from Nebraska or some state in the mid-west. The details became a little fuzzy after Thomas consumed some of the fortified wine. After sharing the bottle with Donna, Thomas gradually fell asleep and in the morning the girl and his wallet were gone.

Thomas knew that he didn't have the courage to sustain a long-term rebellion, so he pulled himself up from the sand and tried to figure out what he was going to tell his father.

"Bruno's Pizza" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-06-02T15:34:01.321-07:00

Every Friday night, the order came into Bruno's Pizza for a large pepperoni pizza to be delivered to the old Hazelwood mansion. The assignment always fell to new drivers like Robert because the ancient house was notoriously hard to find- even with the aid of GPS.

All the other drivers laughed at Robert as he put the pizza in his car, and headed out of the parking lot. The GPS signal took him to the outskirts of town and then into the dense forest beyond. About ten miles out of town, Robert's cell phone died and he had to figure out which way to go.

A faded sign pointed the way to the Hazelwood place, but the road soon became impassable with fallen trees. Determined to deliver the pizza, Robert got out of his car and walked down a lonely dark road. Somewhere in the distance, Robert could see a light and he hurried to it.

Robert finally arrived at the mansion around midnight and knocked on a huge oak door. A stunningly beautiful young woman answered. "I'm really sorry it took so long" Robert apologized. The woman smiled. "No need to apologize, you're right on time." Robert looked at his watch and sure enough it had only been twenty minutes since he had left Bruno's, but he was positive that hours had passed.

The young lady whose name was Julia gave him a fifty-dollar tip and her phone number. The other guys were never going to believe this.

"Flaming Springs" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-05-26T15:16:48.606-07:00

The only way to get to "Flaming Springs" was 15 miles up a steep and rocky trail. Some brave souls tried biking it, but Michelle Brinks and her boyfriend Dennis were packing everything on their backs and walking the trail.

The couple started the grueling hike early in the morning and had made it about half-way by noon. Michelle was looking forward to soaking her aching legs in the warm water of the springs.

It was early evening when the pair finally arrived in the meadow that contained several hot pools. Michelle was disappointed to see a tent pitched at the other end of the clearing. She was hoping they had the place to themselves.

After unpacking their gear and setting up a tent, Michelle changed into her swimsuit and stepped into a nearby pool that was lined with smooth rocks. The water was heavenly and she never wanted to leave. Dennis soon joined her and they shared some wine while the sun sank below the horizon.

The next morning, Michelle made breakfast and wondered about the tent across the meadow. She hadn't seen anyone near the campsite since they got there. Of course, it was possible that the owners were on an extended hike, but it still seemed odd.

While gathering water for lunch, Michelle noticed strange lights pulsating from the deserted tent and assumed that the owners had returned. Dennis was out in the woods somewhere so Michelle decided to investigate by herself.

The lights became brighter as she walked across the clearing and bizarre mechanical sounds also issued from the tent. Michelle called out several times, but no one came out of the structure. The lights and sound were more intense than ever and she unzipped the opening.

A vast cavern appeared and Michelle stepped into another world. She began walking without and stopped when she noticed something ahead of her. A large table was occupied by dark and strange creatures. One of the beings stood up. "Please have a seat Michelle-we've been expecting you." it said.

"Five-Mile Lake" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-05-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Kepler was driving though his old hometown on the way to a business conference when he noticed the sign for "Five-Mile Lake." Back in high school, Jonathan and his friends used to hang out at the lake all the time and he decided to stop and take a look.

The parking lot was now covered in graffiti and litter, and a "No Trespassing" blocked the trail that led to the beach. Jonathan walked around the sign and was shocked at how everything had fallen into decay. Empty beer cans and other debris littered the beach. The fishing dock looked like it was about to fall into the water and the tree under which he first kissed Julie had been cut down.

Jonathan angrily kicked one of the beer cans. He couldn't believe that everything was gone. For a few minutes, Jonathan stared out at the dismal water and then walked back to his car. A police officer was waiting for him in the parking lot, and he got a ticket for trespassing. Jonathan had to admit the officer was right: He no longer belonged at the lake.

"Holly" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-05-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

Long-haul truck driver Sam Shelton was trying to get some sleep in the cab of his truck when he heard a faint knocking on his door. Sam opened the door and was surprised to see a teen-age girl standing there. "Can I help you?" Sam asked although he had an idea what she wanted. The girl blushed furiously, "I was wondering if you wanted a date."

"What's your name?" Sam asked gently. "Holly" the girl answered looking down. "Well, Holly, you should be at home and not walking around a truck stop at two in the morning."

"I don't have anywhere to go" the girl said sobbing.

"Look, I have a friend-she's a teacher and you could stay with her for a while." For a second, Sam saw a flicker of hope in the girl's eyes and then it was gone and she turned and ran away.

The next morning, Sam was getting ready to haul a load to Boise, when he heard that same faint knocking. It was Holly, but she had been badly beaten. Sam called 911 and followed the ambulance to the hospital. Fortunately, Holly was going to be ok, and his teacher friend Paula had agreed to let her stay at her home until they could make permanent arrangements.

There was one last piece of business that had to be taken care of. Holly didn't know the name of the man who had attacked her, but she did remember the mural of a green snake on the truck's door. Sam knew the truck and the driver, and he planned to make a visit the next day.

Sam rapped on the door of Ernie Gibb's truck and waited for the man to come out. Gibbs wasn't pleased to see him. "What the hell do you want Shelton?" Sam grabbed a fistful of Gibb's hair and drove his knee into the man's face. Gibbs held onto his broken nose and cursed Sam with everything he had.

"Refugee" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-04-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ariana sat by herself at the lunch table and watched the other kids laughing and having fun. She wished she could join them, but thoughts of her father and war crowded her mind.

Ariana and her mother Parisa were forced to flee their home when the Taliban overran their village. The soldiers took her father into the fields and shot him. After fleeing to Kabul, Ariana's mother was able to get a job at the big American military base.

For a while, life was good and Ariana was even able to go to school, but it wasn't long before the Taliban came down from the hills and the Americans began to leave. During the frenzy of the evacuation, Parisa was able to find a spot for herself and her daughter on one of the departing planes.

After a stop in Germany, Ariana and her mother were granted refugee status in the United States. Their new home was a small village in the state of Kansas. Ariana was in awe of the endless fields of corn and wheat. There was never so much food back in Afghanistan. Parisa found a job in housekeeping at the local hospital and Ariana was enrolled at the local high school.

Ariana was unprepared for the hostile glances and whispered comments from the other students. She tried to be friendly, but it seemed as if everyone hated her. Lunch time was the worst, Ariana sat alone while the other kids chatted and laughed together.

Ariana tried to talk to her mother, but Parisa was usually tired from work and went to bed soon after dinner. After several more weeks of eating lunch alone, a girl with red hair and braces asked if she could join her and Ariana was surprised to learn that she had made a friend.

"The Man in the Snow" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-04-22T00:06:00.000-07:00

Hailey Abbot checked her outdoor gear one last time. The next day she would be going on an overnight solo hike in the Norse Peak wilderness area, and she wanted to be prepared for anything. Hailey left her apartment bright and early and arrived at the Norse Peak trailhead while it was just becoming light.

After gathering her supplies, Hailey set out on the trail eager to get moving. The weather was perfect and she made good progress. It was around noon that Hailey first saw the man. He was a good distance back on the trail, but she could tell that he was huge.

Towards evening, she noticed the same man again, only this time he was much closer. Hailey quickened her pace and tried to tamp down the fear that that emerging in her gut. As darkness approached, she found an isolated campsite and prepared dinner which consisted of a peanut butter sandwich and an apple. Hailey slept fitfully, afraid of what was out there in the dark.

The next morning, the man was nowhere to be found, and Hailey scolded herself for imagining the worst. The trail was now leading to the summit of Norse Peak and snow covered the ground. Struggling to ascend a steep rise, Hailey stopped to catch her breath and glanced behind her. The huge man was only fifty feet behind her!

In a panic, Hailey tried running up the slope but failed to see that the snow was hiding a deep crevasse and she fell through the icy crust and became wedged about twenty feet down in the fissure. Hailey cried out for help unsure if she really wanted to be rescued by the brute who was apparently stalking her.

A rope suddenly appeared and a male voice told her to tie it around her waist. Hailey did as she was told and powerful arms pulled her to the surface. Hailey cried with relief when she was on solid ground again, but her rescuer was gone. A trail of large footprints led into the snowfield and then just stopped.

"Invasive" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-04-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

Russian botanist Georgiy Morozov discovered the new plant species in a remote valley in northern Siberia on a field trip to the east. It was a type of clover with thorns, and he named it "Trifolium Spina." Georgiy brought samples of the plant back to his lab in Moscow and even planted a sprig in his garden to see how well the plant would fare in western Russia.

The new species flourished in the garden, but after two weeks Georgiy noticed that the clover was killing his flowers and spreading over the entire plot. Somewhat worried, Georgiy sprayed a portion of the new species with a common herbicide, but there was no effect. Stronger poisons did not work any better and he became alarmed as the new plant took root across Moscow.

He was astonished that the new species could spread so quickly and reluctantly decided to make a report to the department of agriculture. Georgiy tried to explain the potential danger to the bureaucrat downtown, but it was obvious that the man didn't care in the least.

By the time the Russian government understood the seriousness of the problem, the thorny clover had spread to the agricultural regions in the south. Desperate farmers tried everything to kill the invader, but their efforts amounted to nothing.

The green plague marched on, enveloping India, Europe, and Africa. The Americas were spared for a few months and then they too became a victim of the insatiable plant. 30 years after Georgiy Morozov discovered the new species, Trifolium Spina was the dominant life form on earth.

"The Arcade" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-03-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

While most of his friends were into video games, Max Foster was fascinated by the antique games that were to be found in an arcade located in a dusty basement in north Seattle.

Most of the games took pennies or nickels and he could spend the whole day shooting pellets at metal targets or hitting tiny baseballs into the outfield.

One day Max came into the arcade to find something new. It was a space travel game that would take the player to other worlds. Max fed the machine a nickel and suddenly felt himself being transported away. He eventually landed in a swamp which seemed to extend in all directions. Gnarled trees hung down from a red sky.

Max took a moment to try and understand what was going on and then felt a sharp pain in his back. About a dozen amphibian-type creatures were throwing rocks at him. He tried to escape, but it was hard slogging through the muddy water.

As Max neared exhaustion, the attacks stopped and he soon found out the reason why. A much larger version of the amphibian creatures emerged from the murky water. A snake-like tongue covered with a sticky substance shot from the beast's mouth and began pulling Max towards a mouth filled with jagged teeth. Just as he was about to be eaten, everything changed and Max was back in the arcade.

The old man at the counter looked at him with a crooked smile. "Did you have a good time?" he asked.

"Sam Shelton: mirage in the desert." a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-03-10T22:15:00.000-07:00

Sam Shelton had a delivery of construction materials to make somewhere in southern Arizona, but his GPS kept taking him deeper into the desert. After driving on dirt roads for miles, Sam arrived at a clearing and his destination.

Sam parked his truck and got out of the cab, while a young man emerged from an old RV. Sam looked at the manifest. "Are you Tim Chadwick?" he asked the young man. The man nodded and they shook hands.

Sam used his onboard forklift to remove the pallets of construction supplies and then found a somewhat shady spot to have his lunch. Tim looked over the supplies and then joined him. "What are you building?" Sam asked. "A bowling alley" Tim answered with a grin.

Sam immediately wondered if Tim was a little unhinged. The nearest town was 25 miles away and it was hardly a metropolis, but Tim seemed sure of his plans, and he talked at length about how much money he was going to make. Sam finished his lunch but felt guilty when he drove away. The desert could be a cruel place.

Several months later, Sam had some time off and decided to go check on Tim. When he got to the site, he found the construction supplies scattered around, the RV ransacked and no sign of Tim. He would have to make a report to the county sheriff. Hopefully, Tim just gave up his crazy idea of a bowling alley and went home.

"Sam Shelton" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-03-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

Sam Shelton was trying hard to stay awake and finally decided that he needed some coffee. Sam pulled his rig into a vacant lot next to a mini mart. The store was empty except for the clerk behind the counter.

Sam poured himself a large coffee and sat down on a bench to drink it. The coffee was good and strong and he felt better already. "What are you hauling?" the cashier suddenly asked. "I'm empty" Sam responded automatically. Five years before, his good buddy Jason had been killed in a hijacking and since than Sam had never talked about his load.

Sam finished his coffee and went back to his truck. Something about the cashier bothered him and he wanted to get the hell away. As Sam pulled his truck away from the mini mart, he noticed a car pull out from behind the store and began following him.

Sam stepped on the gas and the following car kept pace. On a deserted stretch of road outside of a small town in southern Idaho the speeding car made its move and tried to overtake Sam's truck in the opposite lane. Sam reached under his seat and pulled out his Mossberg 12 gauge. With his right hand, he positioned the barrel of the gun outside of his open window.

The car was moving up fast and Sam could see the passenger had a rifle. When the car had moved abreast of his driver's side door, Sam put two rounds of buckshot into the car and then watched as it veered off the road and smashed into a tree.

Sam slowly moved away from the wreck and then noticed two trucks blocking the road and men with rifles crouched behind the vehicles. Sam accelerated and blew through the lighter trucks while the men with rifles scattered. Glancing at the clock on his dash. He would have to hurry if he were going to be on time with his delivery.

"Andrea" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-03-02T21:10:00.000-08:00

Andrea Gibson carefully maneuvered her wheelchair onto the ramp and wheeled it down to the beach. After the accident, Andrea's father had constructed the ramp so that his daughter could access the ocean in front of their home without help.

Andrea loved watching the waves come in and it helped her to not think about the future. She knew her parents worried about her, but Andrea didn't know what to do about it. On the horizon, Andrea spotted what looked like a ship and she grabbed her binoculars to get a better look.

The ship appeared to be an old sailing vessel which was strange, but it was possible that there were a few left. The ship came closer and eventually anchored about a mile off the beach. Andrea marveled at the beauty of the ancient ship and wondered what it would be like to sail her.

A small boat was lowered over the side of the galleon and Andrea watched as a tall man in a flamboyant uniform rowed towards the shore. The man arrived on the beach and walked towards Andrea. The tall man bowed with a flourish and Andrea felt herself blush.

My name is Captain John Fleming, and I was wondering if you

would care to accompany me on my journey?" Andrea hesitated for a moment and then nodded and took the captain's hand. Amazingly, her legs were no longer paralyzed, and she walked with the tall man to the dinghy.

Hours later, Andreas's father found the deserted wheelchair and noticed what appeared to be an old-fashioned ship on its way out to sea.

"Dinosaur Love" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-02-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

Student Paleontologist Hayley Kent was so absorbed in looking for fossils in the eastern Montana countryside that she ignored fences and no trespassing signs. Sometime in the late afternoon her persistence paid off, and she found what looked like the fossilized skeleton of a Triceratops.

Hayley then began the laborious task of cataloguing the site. She was taking photos of the outcropping when a rider came up from behind. "Do you know that this is private property? a deep voice said. Haley whirled and was surprised to see a young man about her age, but he did not look happy. "I'm really sorry, I got caught up in looking for fossils" Hayley admitted. "What kind of fossils?" the man asked coming off his horse. Haley showed him the outline of the skeleton and he seemed impressed.

"I'll have to talk to my dad about it. He may or may not approve of letting you work out here. by the way, my name is Mark Olson." Haley took the big hand of the rancher and told him her name. Haley also gave Mark her phone number and he led her back to the main road and her jeep.

Haley could hardly contain her excitement waiting for Mark to call about the project. While she was preparing for a chemistry test, her cell rang and she shouted for joy to hear that the Mark's father had given approval. Of course, there were conditions such as a limited number of workers and a daily clean-up of the site.

Since Haley was the discoverer of the fossil, the professor chose her as one of the workers. Removing the skeleton without damaging it was hard work, but Mark and sometimes his father came to the site to measure their progress. One day, Mark brought a lunch and they ate in the shadow of the great beast. Haley didn't know much about ranching, but Mark was happy to explain how the business worked and the future of the ranch.

Lunches at the dig eventually became dinners at nice restaurants in Billings and the excavation was nearly complete when Mark and Haley got engaged. They were married two years later at the museum in front of the proud new Triceratops exhibit.

"Drive-thru" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-02-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

It was near closing time at the Burger Corral when a customer pulled up to the outside menu board. "Can I help you?" Janey Brooks said into her headset. The customer responded almost immediately: "I would like a mushroom souffle' please." Janey rolled her eyes. The Burger Corral was always being pranked by college frat boys.

"I'm afraid we only have what's on the menu" Janey said wearily. "Look on the counter" the customer answered. Sure enough there was a dish that looked like a mushroom souffle'. "That's impossible" Janey muttered to herself.

"I would also like a bottle of white wine" the stranger said through the speaker and almost immediately a bottle of expensive-looking Chardonnay appeared on the counter. Janey rubbed her forehead with her palm. This was just too weird.

A sleek black car pulled up to the window and Janey handed the wine and mushroom souffle' to a man with an old-fashioned hat that obscured most of his face. "How...how did you do that?" she asked the stranger with terror in her voice. The man shrugged "it's a simple trick really, I hope I didn't frighten you." He then handed Janey $500 and sped away into the night.

"Edwin and the Snowstorm" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

2026-01-23T21:03:00.000-08:00

Edwin the crow perched in a small tree and watched the cold white flakes cover the Walmart parking lot where he lived. From past experience, Edwin knew that the snow would make it harder to find food.

As the hours past, the snow showed no sign of letting up and Edwin decided to take a little trip and see if he could rustle up some treats. He took off in an unexplored direction, and the lights of the city gave way to fields and hills.

Edwin spotted an opening in one of the human buildings and shot through it. The inside was warm and dry and as a plus Edwin found some grub. On the lower level of the building, a large beast was making a "mooing" sound and Edwin told him to be quiet. Apparently, the animal didn't understand crow-speak and kept making a racket.

After stuffing himself with food, Edwin settled down for a nap, but his rest was short-lived when a big orange cat nearly caught him. Edwin flew to the top level of the building and kept an eye on the movements of the cat.

The next morning dawned bright and clear, and Edwin headed back to his favorite tree in the Walmart parking lot.