Approximately 334 days ago according to the Martian Calendar, NASA began to use the *Perseverance* Rover for research of the Red Planet. Thanks to the Rover, we have learned more about our distant neighbor this year than ever before. But not all of it is for...
When Ty moves back to his crumbling childhood home to care for his ailing mother, he hopes to forge a better life for his daughter, Zoe. But the house—and the strained family dynamics inside it—hide more than painful memories. As they navigate a decaying home,...
After the tragic loss of their son, Daniel and Melissa are desperate to reconnect with him—no matter the cost. As they explore near-death experiences and fringe science in hopes of bridging the gap, they discover that some boundaries are crossed at a terrible price. A...
Deep in the Argentine jungle, Surveyor Chief Ales and his team uncover the ruins of a long-lost civilization buried beneath the earth. What begins as an archaeological marvel quickly turns into a fight for survival as eerie discoveries reveal the ruins’ dark purpose. With strange...
My wife Abby and I have a nightly routine at our house that begins around 8:30 or so, starting with putting our son Hunter to bed. We take turns lying him down and reading him a story. He’s just turned seven, but it’s still difficult for...
Chernobog Station was but a hollow reminder of the grim reality of what the Arctic Circle could do in a single night. Hoarfrost and harsh winds tore apart equipment, covering everything in a slick sheet of icy gray and black. It gave the impression of a...
As long as Paula and I have been married, there hasn’t been a chance for us to slow down. Not to say that is a bad thing, of course; it’s just that after seven years of work, school and taking care of aging parents, we really,...
My friends Kev and Nat were about to celebrate their fourteenth anniversary and wanted it to be something special, so after a few months of indecision, I made the suggestion they renew their vows. “We’ve done that before though!” Kev told me. “Hmm, but have you...
My brother Vincent died during Covid. He had choked in his bed, needing a ventilator we couldn’t afford, and I didn’t even know it until it was too late… He died on the top bunk, alone and struggling to breathe while I was out trying to find...
This happened about six years ago, when I was spending some time in the big house for a few misdemeanors. In a way, this pushed me to get on the straight and narrow. I’ve never really given myself permission to talk about it, but my therapist says...
I had just sat down for my ride home on the late charter bus when I felt something odd under my seat. It was like sitting on a lump; it wasn’t too big, but it was definitely uncomfortable. Instinctively I reached under to try and remove...
This isn’t really happening. This feels like some fucking Twilight Zone shit. I think the plane I’m on is going to crash. Maybe it should, though. Maybe it would be better if we all died rather than let whatever the hell is aboard spread elsewhere. Sorry. Let me explain. ...
Our plane cropped over the horizon, the endless woods meandering and covering every inch of land for miles around the forested area, effectively isolating it from the rest of the earth by mountains on almost all sides. Within the bowl-shaped valley of greenery, it was...
My name is David. For as long as I can remember, I couldn’t think of anything to be more ashamed of than my dad. I was a preacher’s son, you see, and my dad always made sure to make me feel awful about something in my...
I first heard the name “Gravity Sphere” uttered at an awards ceremony for my seven-year-old son Joey. The assistant principal, a hefty forty-something woman named Huffner, was rifling through a jar that had small shreds of paper with children’s names on it so she could randomly...
You’ll be told it was an accident. A freak storm that ravaged the Dominican Republic before slamming into us. You might even get to see pictures. Doctored ones showing a menagerie of stragglers being rescued off the coast of the Caymans. That’s if they decide to share anything...
When the pandemic hit, I was sure that I would be out on the street before the end of the first month. I work in a high-profile business, but most of us aren’t in a position to get unemployment. The contracts they make us sign...
When I was a little boy, my fondest summer memories were spending time in the north woods at my Uncle Howard’s. He had this rustic old cabin surrounded by nothing but pure nature. The local hunters called it Howard’s Hideout. Every time my brother John and...
Growing up with asthma was always a little challenging, but having a dad that smoked two packs a day made it even harder. Mom would always chastise him for the bad habit, and he would always claim that he would go cold turkey. It was a...
I am recording this message to sort out my thoughts and provide the most accurate information I can to those on the surface. I apologize if it is not the most cohesive possible. Given the circumstances I am facing, it is the best that I...
