Conundrums
A collection of enigmatic tales
Currently in the publication process; available soon!
The first story, The Guests, centers on a professor named Anthony Pace. Anthony has a secret that's been eating at his soul for years. Liberation from this secret requires telling a tale that takes place on a war-torn planet. A survivor struggles to maintain his sanity while exacting revenge on the extraterrestrials who still occupy his home. Embarking on a desperate quest to find those who formed a rebellion, the survivor befriends an unusual yet insightful companion who aids him in his search. Exposing this story will likely free Anthony from his misery but at what cost?
Our second story, The Convergence, poses an interesting question; what would you do if someone stole your life? Not "stole" as in the facile act of identity theft. "Stole" as in replaced. In this tale, a poor soul faces this seemingly hopeless predicament. But her misfortune doesn't end there. Not only is she being replaced, but the usurper's agenda makes it nearly impossible to be angry with her.
Third, we have The Node; a story of loss. Loss of family, friends, home…loss of life. It's also a story of perseverance during trying times. Times when survival is all that matters. Times when you discover war is hell. Especially when you don't know who you're fighting.
Next; Open Waters focuses on Devin and Gregory, a pair of extraordinary twins. Their relationship is challenged and put to the test when Devin joins the Navy and leaves his special needs brother to fend for himself. Only, as it turns out, Gregory isn't so helpless after all.
The fifth story is Skin Deep. A futuristic prisoner serving a life sentence struggles with existence. As if this weren't enough, the prisoner couldn't die if she wanted to. She lives to serve, nothing more. Skin Deep is a tale of conflict between morality and reparation. Both are equally important, but where do you draw the line?
The sixth story is The Caps. Kat and her best friend, an exosuit artificial intelligence named ORA, sought a purpose. Since losing her mobility at an early age, Kat joined other disabled individuals in an exclusive but undesirable sect of workers known as the Caps—Handi-Caps. The Global Syndicate—the world's governing body which was nothing more than a conglomerate of corporations—used the Caps and the exosuits they conned them into donning as glorified slave labor. Downtrodden and used, Kat's only hope for the future was a meager life of toil and little joy. Then, she met Craig, a norm, at the local bar. Kat liked Craig, but he held more than the key to her heart; Craig was a member of the movement, an organization dedicated to the downfall of the Global Syndicate. Now, Kat had love and a purpose; what could go wrong?
Next is The Doorbell. A short tale that demonstrates just how irritating a doorbell can be. But there's more to this story than a simple annoyance. More than answering the call of a stranger. No, this tale has a paranormal twist to it.
Lastly is Thomas' Folly. Thomas is arrogant, cruel, selfish, and a reluctant werewolf. In an attempt to be rid of the troublesome curse, he consults Zira, a voodoo witch. The two can't seem to agree on whether being a werewolf is a good thing or not, but Zira offers to help regardless. But will things go as smoothly as Thomas hopes?