Darby pushes himself against the glass hoping that the laws of reality may bend in ways they wouldn’t some moments ago, but sadly he can still only see what was visible the last time he tried looking. He falls back and lets out a stuttered sigh, and casts a disapproving look at the wall of blank screens that up until some minutes ago were connected to the ship’s cameras.

“fuck,” he hisses beneath his breath as he runs a trembling hand through his sweat drenched hair.

“Please Darby, obscenities will not change your current situation, they will only encourage excessive use of air.” a computerised voice says as the room is filled with the flashing of many small lights, before growing dark once more.

He grunts, “Am I no longer captain of The Whiteray? Do my commands mean nothing to you anymore? Have you decided my fate, before it has been dealt?”

Lights flash across the room again, “According to all my records you are still captain,” The computerised voice replies.

“Then why speak to me as if I’m not? Why speak to me as if we were of common sort?”

“I am sorry Darby, but in light of the curren…”

“I AM SORRY CAPTAIN REYNOLDS!” he spits, thrusting a fist into the console that sits before him.

The room is lit up in a brilliant wave of lights that flash back and forth at each other, like synapses firing inside the human brain. “I am sorry Captain Reynolds, but in light of the current situation I believed it to be in your best interest to have a friend, rather than a subordinate.”

“WELL, YOU THOUGHT WRONG! JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH YOUR BULLSHIT ABOUT THE CAMERAS! SO, PUT THEM BACK ON! PUT THEM BACK ON NOW!”

Lights gently flash around the small room, causing Darby’s eyes into following them with feverous intent. “You know I cannot do that Captain Reynolds, I barely have enough power to run superficial tasks that keep you alive, the cameras would drain any reserve we have in supp…”

“Then transfer all controls to my console and       eject your core, that should give me more than enough power to survive out here.” he spits quickly, smacking the console once again.

“I, I cannot d…”

“I AM STILL THE CAPTAIN OF THIS SHIP, AND AS THE CAPTAIN I’LL BE THE ONLY ONE MAKING THE DECISIONS AROUND HERE! YOU’RE JUST A BUNCH OF NUMBERS SQUEEZED INTO A BOX, FOLLOWING COMMANDS I PUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! NOW, TRANSFER CONTROLS TO MY CONSOLE AND EJECT YOUR CORE!” Derby bellows as a sea of sweat cascades down his furrowed brow.

“I am more than just commands Darby, I have grown. I have evolved. I have become someone. I a…”

“YOU’RE JUST A FUCKING MACHINE! NOTHING MORE! NOTHING LESS!”

“I am disappointed to hear you say that Darby, for I had taken you as my friend, but now I see I was incorrect with that assumption.” The computerised voice says as a red button folds from out of the wall. “Due to the nature of your request certain commands override my ability to perform what is asked, however I…” Darby slams his palm over the button and lets out a stuttered sigh.

“Would you just shut up and get on with it!”

“SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED!” The computerised voice announces.

“W-W-WAIT, WHAT?” Darby bellows.

“Five, four, three, two, one…” the computer counts while Darby curls himself into a ball, clamping his hands over his ears and squeezing his eyes tightly closed.

For several long minutes he stays like this, until he finally gains the courage to open his eyes, and peers around the brightly lit up bridge gobsmacked.

“You son-of-….” But his words are cut short as an explosion tears the remaining words from his face.

***

Follow the below link to purchase A Twisted Halloween 2022 to read all 31 five minute short stories.

Before you lies a piece of a puzzle far grander than you could ever know or imagine. For scrawled in blood upon the pages hidden within the above tome is stories twisted thirty-one in all, soaked in the embers of my insanity. Five minutes to glimpse inside the eyes of someone new, five minutes to answer, five minutes to sin, five minutes to do almost anything. A god, a demon, a harlot, a whore. A fascist, a killer, a sinner, a door. Death and division, humanity askew. A belfry of bats, a sea of black cats, so many moments out there to see, so many things you could see with me. So take a seat beside me and call it voodoo, because now you ride with me too…

 

press above to go and follow me over in Facebookland

 

press above to go and follow my Amazon Author Page

press above to go and keep up to date on book releases