Dimming Down

SCIENCE FICTION FANTASY HORROR ~ FLASH FICTION MICRO FICTION ~		August/September 2009
		Vol. VIII No. 1	ISSN: 1545-3650

AlienSkin Magazine_®
Published Bi-Monthly Online

My, Myself & I ~ by Jeffery A. Sergent, Kentucky

Test tube conceived. Today I inherit the earth, as I am you are. We are me.

That Big Scary Tree Outside My Window ~ by A. Rider, Nevada

That big black tree has it in for me ~ glass shatters. Gnarled branch thrusts to clutch my throat.



	Dimming Down by David Siegel Bernstein ©2009 Fred Albert's eyes grew wide. "Fired?" Ms. Witchel looked up from the manila folder in her hands. "Don't act surprised, you knew this was coming. You're always ahead of your sales quota and you never have the decency to make any mistakes. You're too efficient. People are looking bad. I'm looking bad!" "I've been in counseling." She held up a signed document. "The doctor states you're incurable." "I need this job. I have three kids, all under five." "Does your wife work?" Fred nodded. "That's your silver lining. Stay home, stop the daycare payments. Have them watch as much TV as possible and take them for lunch at McDonalds. Just don't let them be like you." "That's insane." "Not at all. The world loves the mediocre. Look here, if you were a little less educated, I would suggest you fill that new opening for Governor of—" Fred stomped out. ~ David Siegel Bernstein, Pennsylvania ©2009 David lives in Pennsylvania. He supports hiswriting addiction by consulting as a forensic statistician. He has been published in over 50 print and online magazines—including the "Best of 2006" in Apollo's Lyre. His most recent work has, or will, appear in The Storyteller, M-Brane SF, Crossed Genres, Mysterical-E, Afterburn SF, Ray Gun Revival.