#74 - The Magician's Assistant

People often say they are struck by Cupid's arrow when they fall in love at first sight. The truth is, much of how our brains process emotions—like love and hate—is still a mystery. For example, what causes us to hate someone whom we were once passionately in love with. Is the line between love and hate so thin? So fragile, that all it takes is a little push to move from one to the other?sf horror

Archeology is the study of past civilizations. But what have they really left behind for us to understand besides crumbling building and monuments? Their garbage. The detritus of an age long since forgotten.But there's a lot we can learn from the debris of ancient peoples, for that's where the real stories are preserved. The tales of love and loss, of roads not taken, the stories we write as we fill the garbage dumps of our time.horror

Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days. From your computer, to your car, to your toaster, it promises to make your life easier.But what is the true cost behind turning over so much of our personal and professional lives to an algorithm we really know nothing about?sf humor ai

Everyone loves magic. A good magician can make you forget it's a trick. Some are so good, one could wonder if they really are magic.Jeff the Magician is happy doing birthday parties, gigs at local restaurants and spending time with his son. He always worked alone and thought he always would. But that and the rest of his life is all about to change.fantasy

There are many things about sleep that are still a mystery. Some people claim they can control their dreams, or even catch glimpses of the future. But what if dreaming is more than a state of mind? What if there's an actual place your consciousness goes to while you're asleep. A place where anything is possible…horror fantasy

Max Fathom is a self-described Simulation Hacker. He has come to the conclusion that our world—in fact, our entire universe—is nothing more than an massively elaborate computer program, and we are all just bits of code in some cosmic video game.Most of his friends pass off his world view as a harmless eccentricity. That is until they find themselves at its mercy.humor sim

What is it about the full moon that inspires so many different things. A romantic evening illuminated by its silvery light can be the setting for a heartwarming love story. But hospital emergency rooms claim it's a time that marks an increase in their business.The full moon can also be a harbinger of things of a more malevolent nature. Creatures you wouldn't want to come upon… By the Light of the Moonhorror monster sf

Some people love Halloween. The costumes, the candy, children parading to your front door begging for treats.Harrison Hardigan is not one of those people.However, he is about to be given a rare gift, a chance to examine the choices and experiences that have made him the man he is, and hopefully learn from them. But will it be enough to make him change?ghost humor

Who doesn’t like a campfire story? Those scary tales told by the dying light of burning logs that leave us lying in our sleeping bags, eyes open, wondering if maybe it wasn’t just a story… Like this tale, about a man, alone in a cabin in the woods, who opens his door to a stranger with a strange legend to share that turns out to be more than just a tall tale.So, lay another log on the fire, put your arm around the person beside you and wrap that blanket tight around you both, for it may not be just the cold air that sends shivers down your spine.horror monster

Leap day comes but once every 1461 days. It is a quirk of our calendar based on the discrepancy between the time it takes the Earth to revolve around the sun versus the number of times it spins on its axis.Most people think it's just one extra ordinary day, but what if instead, it is an extraordinary day. One on which those who have it as a birthday can do something magical.fantasy