“Sins of the Father”

By David M. Fitzpatrick

Jim was watching TV, drinking a beer, when the demon appeared.
“For your father’s sins, I’ll eat your soul!” it roared.
Jim's father had been a bad seed, and Jim had always despised him. “How can I escape this?” Jim squeaked, terrified.
“Serve me!” the demon snarled.
So Jim handed the demon his beer. “There you go.”
“Arrgh!” the demon cried, vanishing in a puff of smoke.
“Suffer for your own sins, Dad,” Jim said.

“The Only Way”

By David M. Fitzpatrick

“You will die!” the hairy alien roared to Darnell. They both had clubs; their blasters were dead.
“I’d rather not,” Darnell said. “I detest killing for any reason.”
The alien roared and charged.
“Please stop!” Darnell cried. “I don’t want this!”
The alien raised the club and swung.
Darnell pulled out his reserve blaster and atomized the alien.
“Sorry,” Darnell said, and he was. A tear streamed down his cheek. “It was the only way.”

“Why the Mage is a Sage”

By David M. Fitzpatrick

The ancient wizard, in deteriorating health, prepared a spell to make himself young.
He cast it, speaking command words and gesturing. Bright lights flashed, and he was transformed into an infant. He could barely move. He was helpless.
But his Undo spell was hung and ready. He spoke its final word and was transformed back.
“Backup is good for those hard-learned lessons,” he said. “Now for a less intense youth spell… with Undo ready again…”

“Retribution”

By David M. Fitzpatrick

Nobody believed the aliens took me. Laughter, scorn, accusation… shrinks, drugs, institutions—I never buckled. I always held firm.
At eighteen I wandered, searching. I was thirty-five when I found them. They owed me more than a job, but the job will do.
I’m good at it, and advise my employer well. Tonight, we'll take my entire family and all my false friends. Let me man the anal probe.

David M. Fitzpatrick is a fiction writer in Brewer, Maine whose nearly 50 short stories have appeared in print magazines and anthologies in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. By day, he writes for the Bangor Daily News. By night, he writes fiction, edits anthologies, and teaches creative writing. Visit him at www.fitz42.net/writer to learn more.