Feb 1, 2025
Death to Chickens
They slipped through the forest, glad there was no snow on the ground. It was impossible to be quiet in snow. The target was close – just past the tree line. On the map, the trees looked dangerously far from the building, but they could get close enough to dash across the barely-cleared ground.
As long as the occupants didn’t notice them. This group was notoriously sharp-eyed, but their spies had said that the ones living here didn’t like to go out in the cold.
Now all they needed to do was set the explosives on the coop and get out.
***
Feb 2, 2025
Promises
Rafael bent down, hugging Toby and smiling. “I’ll bring back some of the sweets from Aunty Jone’s place, okay?”
Toby nodded, one hand gripping Rafael’s sleeve, the other clinging to William’s pants.
“I promise”, Rafael said, standing to face William, voice gentle. “I’m coming back this time.” He ran a hand up William’s arm, squeezing his shoulder. “You’ve got Toby, so you know it’s true.”
William clenched his jaw, relaxed. Rafael had only ever broken one promise, though it had been the most important one.
He wondered what it would be like to be someone Rafael would keep promises for.
***
Feb 3, 2025
Closed
Howling cries sounded behind xer, bouncing oddly off the granite walls of the ravine that hid this bit of forest. They were closer, xe could tell. Not close enough, though. Xe could see the glowing light on the transporter and xe spent half a heartbeat pressing the button on the remote control.
Xe slid through the portal and onto the transport pad just as the first of the monsters passed the first trees. As xe slammed xer hand on the right key, xe saw the anger on the lead monster’s face.
Xe knew this planet was closed to the Collective.
***
Feb 4, 2025
Waiting
She hummed along with the endless, weirdly atonal hold music, idly sorting the junk drawer. It had been eighteen minutes, so far. Nothing compared to the four hour wait last month.
Eventually, that was as tidy as she could make it, so she moved on to the dishes. She turned the sound up on the phone to make sure she didn’t miss anything. Soon enough, she’d get to the whole house: laundry, washing the windows, everything.
The monthly call to the doctor’s office was the best time to do the housework.
Too bad she wasn’t allowed to do anything else.
***