Science Fiction and Fantasy
Short stories by Rich Wingerter
These stories are from a collection of speculative fiction called Fantastical: A journey through the imagination. Unless otherwise noted, first serial rights are available, but some stories are out for submission at this time.
The Elf Thief
Gyoff, a young elf with time on his hands, enjoys the thrill of stealing trivia from a nearby human village. But a human family captures him. In return for his freedom, the humans make him promise to change his ways. He has no intention of doing so, but events in the elf world force him to reconsider. If he can turn his life around, it will touch us all.
Word count: 8,000
Type: Fairy Tales, Supernatural, Folktales, Magic, Myths, Legends, Past Time, Young Adult, Middle Grade, YA, MG
The Fairy House
Tammy’s parents construct a tiny house for her. They’ve fitted it with dolls and furnishings. But Tammy learns it has occupants her parents didn’t intend.
Word count: 590
Type: Fairy Tales, Supernatural, Magic, Present Time
How Dog Was Made
Before woman, God made a number of creatures to be man's companion. One of them was dog. Dog was a strong contender.
Word count: 500
Type: Spiritual, Myths, Legends, Fairy Tales, Supernatural, Past Time
The Long Good-Bye
A very powerful woman is used to getting whatever she wants. Dreamy wants to keep her personal robot, Arnold. But he's a rental and eventually his company will want him back. They have a good replacement for him, too. A human.
Word count: 2,400
Type: Science Fiction, Romance, Robots, Artificial Intelligence, Future Time
Murder in Strawberry
Senior Detective Marianne McKensie and her partner, Detective Carter Alixhart, investigate a murder in the town of Strawberry. Almost everyone in Strawberry lives in a “glass house”, a home completely covered inside and out by Internet video. So, murder is out of the question, since everyone in the world can see events in Strawberry in real time. Nevertheless, none of the cameras show the murderer, just the murder, and McKensie has to track down the killer.
Word count: 14,700
Type: Science Fiction, Mystery Fiction, Police Procedural, Future Time
Pandora's Sneeze
Do you know the story of Pandora's box? According to Hesiod, a Greek poet who lived around 2700 years ago, Zeus had Pandora crafted to afflict man. According to his Works and Days, after Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man, Zeus said:
I will give men as the price for fire an evil thing, in which they may all be glad of heart while they embrace their own destruction. ... [Zeus] bade famous Hephaestus make haste and mix earth with water and to put in it the voice and strength of human kind, and fashion a sweet, lovely maiden-shape, like to the immortal goddesses in face. ... [Hephaestus] moulded clay in the likeness of a modest maid. [The gods and goddesses gave this creature many gifts.] And [Zeus] called this woman Pandora, because all they who dwelt on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread.
[See this passage from Hesiod's Works and Days.]
This is the ancient Greek myth, passed down for millennia.
But recently, I got in touch with an original source, Calliope, the Muse of epic poetry, and I was able to write down the real story of Pandora, without the distortions of the passage of time.
For one thing, the gods gave Pandora a jar, not a box. ...
Word count: 30,000
Type: Myths, Legends, Supernatural, Folktales, Magic, Past Time
Platée the Plain
Zeus decides he’s had enough temper tantrums from his wife, Hera. She literally causes storms whenever he goes on the hunt. Zeus complains to his friend, Cithéron, who suggests a ruse: Why not pretend he is going to dump Hera and marry the rather plain Platée? They plan to confront Hera with her jealousy, telling her, “Obviously, Zeus would never marry such a homely creature.” But, Platée has another suitor, who isn’t willing to give her up, even for the king of the gods. And, when Hera refuses to play her part, it’s just possible the joke is on Zeus.
Based on a French opera, Platée by Jean-Philippe Rameau, itself based on the writing of an ancient Greek author (Pausanias), this classical story gets a complete face lift.
Word count: 9,750
Type: Fairy Tales, Supernatural, Folktales, Magic, Greek Myths, Legends, Past Time
Pretty Woman
Mandy, a busy but lonely business woman, becomes aware someone is following her. Increasingly irritated, she confronts him. After learning she doesn't want him looking at her, he grants her that wish, teaching her a lesson she never forgets.
Word count: 3,200
Type: Supernatural, Spiritual Transitions, Magic, Fantasy, Present Time
Stay a While With Me
Ishi, a renowned robot scientist, finally has the perfect mate. But his enjoyment is short-lived. Not only does his director want him to move on to a new project, but a more serious problem looms.
Word count: 1,400
Type: Science Fiction, Romance, Spiritual Transitions, Slipstream, Robots, Artificial Intelligence, Future Time
When MYRA Met SAM
Myra and Sam think they might be soul-mates. Myra is a sentient computer at a large retailer; Sam works for the government, which wants to know if he has some all-too-human failings. If they can prove he's committed a crime, they'll dismantle him. How can they get the goods on him when, let's be honest, he's smarter than they are?
Word count: 8,500
Type: Science Fiction, Romance, Espionage, Spy Story, Mystery Fiction, Artificial Intelligence, Future Time
The Wood Carver
Master carver StaCheng is called to a small village next to where the river runs into the bay. The chief, SteTset, asks him to carve a new totem pole for the family. StaCheng readily accepts the challenge, but he runs into a creative block when he tries to create the right design. To find a way through this difficulty, he goes on a vision quest, where he believes he can get help from the spirit world.
Word count: 2,900
Type: Myths, Legends, Supernatural, Folktales, Magic, Past Time
"Word count" indicates approximate number of words.
Contact Rich at writtenbyrich@sonic.ne.
