Showing results for "Das Syndrom" in Anthologies & Short Stories

When the alien Exlian invade, humanity’s only hope lies with the empowered, those rare few granted supernatural abilities. Mark Fields isn’t one of them. He’s a dishwasher with broken dreams, no powers, and even less luck. Until a dying stranger changes everything. Suddenly, Mark has what he’s always wanted: the power to fight back. To prove himself. To rise. But as he joins the Defense Force and begins to level up, he quickly learns that the System hides secrets of its own—and that monsters aren’t always alien. Some wear human faces.

These stories contain a cross section of narratives, people, and places: an unusual couple requests to be flown to a remote island near Alaska; a series of beached whales vex a US military officer in Vietnam and cause unrest in a local village; an ecoterrorist’s bomb at an upscale ski resort has unintended consequences; and mysterious killings thought to be the work of a monster in Japan turn out to be something much more real. 

Hugh Johnson is nobody’s hero, and the idea of being in the limelight makes him want to growl. He takes care of his brothers, does his job, and enjoys a mellow evening hanging with his hound dog and watching the sports channel. So when sweet and sexy Ellie Smithers from his college chemistry class asks him to save millions of people from a nuclear meltdown, he doggedly steps forward while telling himself that the world hasn’t changed and he can go back to his relaxing life. One look at Ellie and excitement doesn’t seem so bad.

Madams, Monsieurs, call this narrator many things: a bit of a rotter, maybe; a touch pretentious, perhaps; a sharp dresser...but never naive, never complacent. When it comes to steering clear of the universe's threat to his health, he is, unquestionably, wise beyond his years. Journey with him from Egham to Waterloo as he discovers how to outwit fate with its own rules.

The four stories narrate the struggles of the tiny island nation of Buron to resist the onslaught of its much bigger neighbor, Garsia, via any means necessary. “Green Monkey Syndrome” describes the disaster of a pathogenic weapon leaked among indigenous tribespeople; “The Gaoka Case” tracks through case files a pharmaceutical offensive designed to take advantage of the enemy’s patriarchal culture; “I Love Thee Winona” and “The Lost Bird” describe campaigns to manipulate disastrous weather patterns and deliver bioweapons through migrating birds.

Midland City's resident superhero Quickness can fight off his nemesis Doctor Oto all day and night... but his ultimate vulnerability might finally prove to be his all too human human heart.

A short story about my days in high school in the late 1970s with a remarkable teacher who discovered my autistic traits.