Life On Earth

It took most of his life, but he was finally able to flip the switch of the most powerful sensor apparatus in human history. It needed a fusion reactor to power it, which he had to invent, but it could scan every conceivable measurable aspect of existence, and it would finally prove if humanity was alone in the universe or not.

It took a week to process the data.

It proved, once and for all, that we were alone. No other intelligent life existed in the universe. None. Anywhere.

He'd expected some riots, but the mass suicides had surprised him.

The Hunger

The Hunger had to be contained.

If left unchecked, there was no telling the damage it could cause. What could be destroyed, what could be lost. But likewise, it was easy to overfeed it, which brought with it a whole other set of problems, technically less worse, but in some ways messier.

A balancing act had to be struck, making sure it never rose enough to destroy while never falling into the negative and ruining things.

She’d gotten the balance down to an art, making sure she always had a fresh dip and chips ready if the game went long.

The Forget-Me-Not

It was my preferred place to forget the world. Cheap drinks, cheaper company.

But then one night, I really needed to forget the day. So I was halfway through a bottle of scotch when she say down next to me and drained the bottle.

She'd just broken up with a man who was cheating on her and must have been blind and mad, as I told her. We split another bottle, then headed back to mine. It was an amazing night, and in the morning she was gone.

Thing is, she did tell me her number. But I forgot it.

Hoodlums

The Sheriff pulled himself to his feet, his weapon in his hand, blood on his clothing. After being betrayed by the starstruck noblewoman, he was lucky that the thieves had wanted to see him suffer, so they'd put him against their giant. He managed to kill him, and the zealot, the one in red, the rest running away. Right now, his focus was on the ringleader, the one who spent most of their takings on beer and whores.

"Even if I die, I will be remembered-"

"No-one will remember you, Robin!" said The Sheriff of Nottingham as he killed him.

How We Fell

Considering how powerful it was, it should have looked impressive. There should have been intricate designs engraved into It, you should have been able to look at it and know it was an evil device used for human sacrifice. Instead it was just a simple stone slab with grooves for the blood.

Paradoxically, the longer it was left in the woods, untended, it became more powerful as the laylines beneath it were absorbed with no release. Just one death and all hell would break loose, literally.

It was so far from civilisation though. That couldn't happen.

Until a parachute failed.

The Group Of Concerned Billionaires

Entry into the group required three steps.

One, you needed to pay the entry fee. Fifty million, cash, non-negotiable, lump sum. Naturally for those interested in joining, this was the easiest step.

Two, you needed to prove you were committed to the goals of the group. This wasn’t difficult, but it did usually require a public statement that would alter how society would judge you in future.

And finally, you had to prove you could handle the impact the group wanted to achieve. This was the hardest step.

But only because you’re weren’t allowed to just shoot the poor person.

My Last Everything

On the whole, you don't tend to know when something you're enjoying is the last one you'll have. You probably don't know what your last meal is, unless you have a date with the state. You don't know what the last time you'll laugh is, the last orgasm, the last moment of happiness.

You don't, but I do.

Not yours, don't bother asking. My own. I know exactly when my last laugh, last meal, last breath, will be. And it's not for a long time, so it's a blessing, really.

I do know!

Fine, shoot me!

...

Um, ok, maybe not...