Round One: Decibelles

It's late out, cold, and I'm hungry. Though the drunkenness is starting to wear off somewhat, I'm already regretting how much I had to drink in the first place. Maybe if I wasn't insistent on trying to act like a fucking idiot to impress Sarah, I wouldn't be stumbling back in the dark.

Though, the farther out I head towards home and on this path, the more lost I think I'm becoming. Shit. I probably shouldn't have taken this shortcut when I can barely feel my way around. Not like it's the deep woods, though. Worst comes to worst, I can sleep outside. Maybe under a tree or something.

I'm feeling relieved as Hell to find an exit, at least. It's an open field, but I think it's in the general direction of home. Probably another half-hour and I can collapse and watch some news. Though… wait. There's some person up ahead. And holy shit… they're not hanging, are they? They look like they're jerking around like Hell.

"Hey, buddy! Are you alright!? You still alive? Hold on a sec, I'm… I'm gonna come getcha!"

I stumble my way over there, going as fast as I can. I dunno who the poor fuck is, but I gotta get them down. Probably call the police too. I'm really hoping I'm not too late, and I can get them down and call the police.

Something's rushing towards me just when I get halfway there. I can hear it growl. Growling's not good. I don't want to get caught by that. I turn and run as fast as I can, away from that thing growling and snarling and barking. Please God, please, let me live. It was just a dumb mistake to get drunk, I wanna live.

I feel it pouncing on me, and I fall to the grass. It starts to tear at me.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Two: DreamwalkerFae

Ah, such kind children. So sweet of you to help me patch up the old place. Here, why don't you have some food. No, no, no trouble at all. I only need a little anyway, and I know how hungry you get. Yes, yes eat up. We can't have you losing your strength now can we?

Oh, you poor little thing. Here, let me see. Ah, that is quite a nasty cut, but I know what will help it feel better, just come with me to the kitchen and we'll get you a glass of nice, cool milk. That's right, drink it all. There we go. See? Already starting to heal up.

Oh, that must be pest control. Apparently, the neighbors have been hearing some kind buzzing. I'm sure that it's nothing, if we had a bug problem I think I would have noticed by now. Now, you children make sure to be on your best behavior and to stay out of their way. Yes, come in gentlemen, thank you for coming. The attic's right this way…

Wait! No! What are you doing?! GET AWAY FROM THOSE CHILDREN! GET AWAY! STOP! LEAVE MY CHILDREN ALONE! GET AW-

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Three: MrAnakinSpecter

It was maybe seventeen minutes since the rain started. It was cold and wet and poured down hard. There was no warning when it came, so I wasn't ready for what happened.

I had been playing by the churchyard were my parents were wedded before the storm. Pa went into town so he could visit with Mrs. David Planter like he did every Wednesday while Ma was busy having her private prayer sessions with Reverend Bekket. Going into town was fun because I only got to go with Pa on Wednesday and with Pa and Ma on Sunday to church. Pa was always really stressed about his business with Mrs. David Planter and didn't want Ma to worry, so I needed to keep it a secret.

Pa wouldn't be back for another couple hours, so I busied myself picking flowers in the churchyard. Mr. David Planter worked in the churchyard, so I wasn't surprised when I saw him. He called me over, but my clumsy feet slipped and I tumbled right into Mr. David Planter's work. I must've hit my head and blacked out for a long while, because Mr. David Planter was nowhere to be seen when I woke up.

It was maybe seventeen minutes since the rain started and maybe fifty years since I went to sleep. The rain ran down the cheeks of all the stone angels and made them cry. I cried too — until the sun shined through those dark clouds. It was the most beautiful thing I ever had seen.

But the rain stopped.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Four: sirpudding

I stood balanced athwart that high wooden path as the Duke's men came across the gap. By that dark mark across their backs I could see they were all of his house. I unlimbered my pollaxe and rolled my shoulders beneath my maille and tabard as I said, "Fools! If you continue on this course, it is naught but rank treason! You cannot but give strength to the infidel in this rebellion! Know also that I, Sir Bruce, will not let you pass lightly this day. What say you?"

"We are in the right, Sir Bruce. Duke Hugh has given insult that must be answered in blood!" said their leader, and I recognized him as Casper's cousin, Hector.

"So be it then", I answered as I lowered the visor of my bascinet.

With a mighty roar, the Duke's men gave charge. I was true to my word and made them pay dearly. With my pollaxe, and my broad frame I was able to force them to come one at a time. I was the better fighter, and a half dozen of them met their doom there. Alas though, fatigue and wounds sapped me and when Hector came upon me he struck me senseless with a mordhau from "Irontooth", his famous longsword. Dazed, I was no match in the grapple, and he threw me bodily into the abyss.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Five: DreamwalkerFae

Finals week is always such a pain, which is why I'm glad that there's only one day left to go. Still, I'll need an energy boost if I'm going to get through all my last-minute cramming tonight. I quickly stop at the vending machine and punch in a random code, hoping for a soda with a high caffeine content.

Just as I'm about to leave the building, all the lights in the hall go out. They flicker back on after a few moments, but not before I manage to run into the corner of a table. Stupid school, they won't even pay to keep the lights working right.

I have to turn on the heater as soon as I get back to my apartment. It's not exactly unheard of, but it's weird that it's still this cold this late in the year. I sit down to study, but it's harder than usual. I keep getting this feeling that someone's watching me. Probably just me being paranoid again.

After about an hour of studying, I give up on trying to hold back my nasal congestion and reach for a tissue. I had assumed that it was just allergies, but the red stain on the tissue as I pull it away says otherwise. I groan at the distraction as I reach for another tissue to stop the bleeding. Must just be my dry sinuses.

I try to study some more, but it's impossible. I keep catching bits of movement out of the corners of my vision, and the creaking of the structure becomes impossible to tune out. I know that I'm being silly, that I'm just over-tired, but I move to close my bedroom door. As it closes, I see a shadowy figure standing behind me. I scream and turn around, but there's no one there.

I know that I'm not hallucinating at this point. There's someone else in the room with me. I can hear their whispers I can feel their cold hands on my flesh lifting me up they want me to come with them they want me to give them my heart

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Six: Mister Ious

Man, it’s cold outside. I swear I had put on my winter coat, but I’m somehow wearing my old vest. I thought I'd thrown this ugly rag out. Margaret? I’m home! Could you put some soup on? Thank you!

Huh. I thought I'd grabbed the remote, not my keys. Eh, I'm probably just a bit stressed out.

Thanks, Margaret, this smells wonderful. Love you too… Margaret, honey? You gave me a fork. No, it’s alright, I’m sure you were just distracted. I've been a little distracted too, recently. Some new kid at work got the promotion instead of me, and I'm a little irritated by it.

Mmm, much better. Never underestimate the power of soup. Thanks again, Margie.

Uh, Margaret? I think I’m going to turn in early tonight. No, it’s just that it’s been a long day, like nothing has been going well for me. I also think I feel a cold coming on. Yeah, I’ll probably feel better in the morning, but I gotta get a good night's sleep first.

God, I feel like crap. I’m gonna need some help getting to sleep.

Non-drowsy… non-drowsy… non-drowsy… Margaret, do we even have any cold medicine that won’t keep me up all night? Oh. In the- right, okay, thank you… two pills for one night… man, those things hurt to swallow. I should have gotten a glass of water. Oh well, nothing for it now.

Wait. This was a box of cold tablets just a moment ago. What’s… Stree… Strik… Strychnine?

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Seven: Bryx

I broke out of the crowd on the dance floor, sweating in my silk. I hadn't realized that Aunt Myra could still move like that until the bouquet hit the floor. I chuckled at the picture in my mind as I sunk gratefully into the first seat I came to.

"Strawberry, milady?"

I turned and met Michael's eyes. He was holding a chocolate-dipped strawberry on a fork. I pushed it away.

"I'm already sweaty, Mike. The last thing I need is to get sticky."

He raised his eyebrows. "I don't see any sweat. I see a woman brimming with so much happiness that her skin is shining with it. A woman who happens to have been torturing herself for the past six months to fit into that dress."

I batted my eyelashes at him, mock serious. "Are you trying to seduce me, Mike?"

"I can't help it. I'm in love with you."

"I love you too, but I'm a married woman now."

"Where is he? I'll fight him for your hand."

"He's right… here." I'd intended it to be a quick kiss, but our lips had other plans. When we came up for breath, he said, "how about we share the strawberry?"

I nodded, put my hand on the fork, and leaned in slowly and bit. Bliss. I wanted to remember every part of this moment for the rest of my life. I felt the smooth metal in my hand, still warm from where Michael was holding it. I saw his eyes glowing with the same excitement that I was feeling. I tasted fresh strawberry and smooth chocolate making love in my mouth. I smelled his cologne mixing with my perfume, not quite managing to hide the scent of both of our nerve-sweats combined. I heard…

Screaming coming from the buffet table.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Eight: DreamwalkerFae

I wake up strapped to a board, and someone just dumped a bucket of something cold and slick all over me. There's a chorus of shouts in the background. The cold liquid is dumped on me two more times, and each time raises another uproar from the surrounding crowd. Confused, I shout at my captors to tell me where I am and what is going on. I receive no response.

Panic rises in my chest as a man walks up to me and pulls a jagged black knife out of his robes. I scream as he jabs it into my left thigh and pulls it downwards. Next, he moves to my torso, managing to make five even cuts along my ribs on both sides. Next come the fingers on my left hand. He continues in this manner for what seems like an eternity. Each of his cuts seems measured, cold, and precise, in stark contrast to my wild flailing.

Once he is finished, the man picks up a chalice of some foul-smelling drink and takes a long drink from it. He then pours the rest on my chest, burning into my woulds even more. He sets down the cup, stretches his hands over me, and begins to recite a chant. As before, each of his actions seems deliberate and precise, as if he must carry out this twisted ritual in perfect form.

"Mun-ti-ah-ak-met-su-ni-ah-bo-in-tec-nu…" His chant seems to be only beginning, but I cant fight the pain anymore, finally drifting off to my last moments of sleep.

And then I died.

And then I woke up.

What a strange dream. It mostly just seemed to be a dramatization of my life, before that last part. I know it wasn't real, but… something about seeing your whole life, then just seeing it end like that… What do I do with the rest of my life?

This question stays with me for the rest of my years. I'm never able to find an answer.

And so I grow old.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round Nine: Mister Ious

I love running.

The clarity of a starting gun being fired, the anticipation of a long race, the thrill of crossing the finish line…

It almost all ended when the drunk driver nearly killed me in broad daylight.

After the various surgeries were done, I was eager to get back to training, but my doctor told me that I had to wait several months before I could physically exert myself again.

I lasted four weeks before cracking.

I felt the breeze growing stronger as I picked up my pace, bringing with it the scent of new buds opening on the trees. It didn't really smell nice, though. It was weird. I used to love that smell. It was like I could smell it, but I couldn't smell it. Maybe I was going nuts.

Running somehow didn't seem the same. I couldn't feel the freedom, that release of stress I was used to. It wasn't right. It wasn't… anything, really.

I ran faster than I’d ever ran before, but I didn't get tired. I kept up a full sprint for almost the entirety of my run. But how?

My vision started to blur. I blinked quickly, but it only got more blurry. My body seemed to be telling me something, but I couldn't figure out what. I kept running, trying to find the comfort that I had known before, but I couldn't find anything. I couldn't feel anything.

My lungs gave out. I collapsed onto the road.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 10: sirpudding

Soldier of the Revolution! Arise in defense of the Motherland!

I blink the words out of my vision as my armor pumps the stimulants into my body and the memories of readiness drills into my mind. As I wake I hear that music and that stupid chanting, so we are still in combat.

"'Tasha, report."

"Comrade Viki, the battle outside isn't going well. Some kind of enemy pods have attached," she whispers.

"So prepare to repel boarders, huh?"

ATTENTION: All tactical teams, report to your stations and prepare to repel boarders.

She says, "Yes, comrade," without a trace of irony.

The enemy finds me before I make it to my station. Something shreds the bulkhead and this thing glides through. It's big; 3 meters at least, mostly tail, with these three huge arms on the front and one big cyclopean sensor bulge right in the center of the arms. It's wearing an armored spacesuit, or maybe it's a robot. I open up with the rockets and it misses me with some kind of plasma weapon. I hit one of those arms at the base, and it separates, spraying gooey fluid and meat. Not a robot, then.

On the radio, it doesn't sound like we are doing so good, and I try to report in, but I keep getting stepped on by some poor dying bastard.

Comrade Starshina Usov, belay your last. Report to deck 54 section Ж, unseal orders K-03, and carry them out with all due diligence in defense of the Motherland.

'Tasha gives me the map and I get to section Zhe. The walls here look like they are made from the shell of some huge bug and there's this big pulsating mass.

"All right, 'Tasha, give me those orders," and I'm able to remember one of those secret briefings they gave me. They say I'm supposed to cut open that big bag.

I read the graffiti:

The hive presents its finest soldier in order to repel all boarders.

"Huh? I guess the brass thinks it's worth trying," and I start cutting.

What comes out is very fast and I feel something hit me in the stomach. I smash into the wall and black out. When I come to, the music and chanting has finally stopped, but over the radio all I hear are screams. "Tasha, I can't feel my legs."

"That's because you are cut in half, comrade. I'm sorry but I won't be able to keep us alive for long. I don't think opening that thing was a very good idea."

"Heh. And they say you can't understand irony. Can you still work my arm? Does the cutting laser still work?"

"Yes, Viktor Vyacheslavich."

"Well, lets add a warning to this graffiti. Put it in binary, like the others. Maybe somebody in another world will be smarter than us."

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 11: Agent MacLeod

I never understood why all my friends made fun of my boyfriend. I mean, yeah, he was a little chubby and a little weird, but he was also very sweet. Plus, I liked how weird he was. I mean, aren’t we all a little weird? He was nice to me, and we shared a lot of the same interests, so it made sense to me that I dated him. I mean, of the guys I’ve dated and I’ve seen my closest friends date, he had to be one of the nicest ones. No, scratch that, he was the nicest one.

The biggest problems are, he’s a little goofy, and sometimes his romantic gestures end very poorly. I’m going to explain the worst such example of that second one.

He took me to the beach, where we bought ice cream at the boardwalk, when he leaned in to kiss me and accidentally got ice cream all over my shirt. I mean, we were at the beach, so I had a swimsuit top on underneath, but it was a white shirt and he stained it. He kept apologizing, and he tried to wipe it off, but it looked like he was trying to grope me, so he just kept making himself look worse. Or, that’s how it looked in his own eyes, at least. I wasn’t mad at him.

So we were walking along the beach holding hands, me in my swimsuit top and shorts, and him wearing his trunks and a t-shirt, saying sweet nothings and him trying to make up for his screwup at the boardwalk. I wanted him to just shut up and enjoy the beach, so I faced him towards me, closed my eyes, and leaned in for a kiss.

When I opened my eyes, the beach was gone. We were in a cold, moonlit forest. How did we end up in a forest? We were on the beach just seconds ago!!! I started to panic. So did my boyfriend. He kept telling me that I needed to take his hand. I wanted him to take me back. He said he didn’t know what was going on either, but he really needed me to take his hand.

That was when we heard the children laughing. He tried to grab my hand, but he was rough, and I got scared, and I started to run away. The laughter turned into screaming, and there was something chasing me and —

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 12: CondorTalon

I'm sorry.

My knuckles go white as I grip the steering wheel harder, sweat collecting on my forehead as I pick up speed.

I'm so sorry, Jennifer. I'm doing this for you.

My other hand trembles, my phone practically glued to my ear. I can hear the whimpering of my sweet Jennifer over the phone, and my shaky resolve turns into a grim determination. Oh, my sweet Jennifer. Please forgive me.

This is all to keep you safe.

I can see the speedometer inch slowly more and more toward the far side, and I look forward, eyes on the horizon, fixed on one particular point.

I can vaguely hear sirens coming from behind me, and I realize, almost as an afterthought, that I'm breaking several traffic laws. Like I care.

At least Jennifer will be safe.

I see my target approaching fast, hear the voice through the phone.

Here I go. Jennifer… I love you.

The tires squeal and my stomach turns as I pull the steering wheel hard.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 13: ObserverSeptember

I sit down at the table in front of me. Why the hell are they all wearing those weird things over their eyes and I'm not? I don't really feel too good about this, but I don't really have much of a choice. I've lived a long while, and worse things have happened to me.

They put a book in front of me - weirdly enough, I can't even see the title; it's covered up by a bunch of weird tape. I try to turn it over to so I can see the title of the book, but they stop before I can.

"Please open the book to page 344," the woman behind me says.

344, huh? Alright, then. I open up the book, and…

Well, it's just a history book. Looks like I've pulled the page up to 1971. A few photos of the Battle of Brooklyn, along with a couple of the Ascended. I worked with a few of them when we were fighting against the insurgency. Nice guys, all of 'em.

I look back, and the woman seems alarmed. "Where is your arm?"

My arm? The fuck is she talking about? I lost my arm during the Second Battle of Hartle. Was pretty crazy, going through that hole after they expanded it.

"No," she says, "your arm was there a moment ago. It just disppeared."

No way. This lady is fucking crazy. Why the fuck would she say something like that? LIKE HELL it was there! I've had that goddamn stump for decades, and I'll be damned if I let some stuck-up egghead tell me I don't! I stand up and rush toward her, to teach her a lesson for talking down to me -

Then the guard shoots me.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 14: Thekillerax

It had been Nicole who had suggested that we go to the park that day. I had heartily agreed, if only to spend more time with her. We walked outside and settled down on a park bench, a feeling of contentment settling in my chest. We sat in silence, giving me a chance to think. Soon my thoughts were drifting back to a few weeks ago.

When Nicole had approached me, begging for forgiveness and a chance to stay with me, I almost slammed the door in her face. But I'd decided to grant her a second chance. As much as I had hated to admit it, those months without her had been some of the hardest I'd ever had to slog through. There'd been a hole in my chest, and no amount of porn could fill it. And now that she was back my life was more or less back to normal. I was happy, finally.

I was pulled from my reverie by an angry voice to my right. I looked over to see a man at least a foot taller than me towering over Nicole. Oh God, what was going on? Was this a mugging? Surely someone would do something! But all we got were concerned looks from passersby. I struggled to focus on what the man was saying.

"…for this guy? Are you fucking serious?"

Nicole simply stared at him, petrified. Mustering my courage, I opened my mouth, and for a horrible second no sound came out. "L-leave her alone!" I finally managed to squeak out.

"Funny," the man said, chuckling humorlessly. "That's what I oughtta be saying to you." His hand shot out and wrapped around my throat. He leaned in close and growled, "Jasmine is mine. Leave her the fuck alone."

Jasmine? This man was simply mistaken. He flung me back onto the bench and I gasped, desperately attempting to draw in enough breath to speak. Finally I managed to croak out, "Not Jasmine. Nicole."

But the man's expression only darkened. "Don't fucking lie to me, you little shit. I know my girlfriend when I see her." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. Distantly I heard the panicked exclamations of passersby. It all seemed so far away. "I'm tired of your shit. Step away from Jasmine."

Sweat trickled down my face as I swung my gaze from the man to Nicole. Why wasn't she saying anything? I reached out my hand to comfort her, to try to coax some words from her. Too late, I registered the snarl of anger and the glint of the knife blade flashing towards me.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 15: Davsto

I walked through the forest. The red sky of dawn shone through the trees. The forest was lush and green, with moss growing up the trunks and animals everywhere. It was if no human had been here for years. I stopped to admire the reflection of the sky in a shimmering lake.

That lake.

Oh God.

I had to do it. Years ago. I was walking with a friend of mine, an old friend I’d known for years, and her son. I knew what I was going to do. I needed to do it. There was a struggle, a splash, tears, and then nothing but ripples on the surface of the water. I had walked away, alone.

I sat down with my head in my hands and wept as the memories came back to me and guilt overrode all my other emotions.

But I hadn’t done it properly, had I? It hadn’t gone quite right. And there was no-one here to do it with now. I ran and jumped, and felt the cold water stiffen my body and fill my lungs. I reflexively flailed, trying to escape. My throat tightened in the cold, and gradually my struggling slowed to a stop.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 16: sirpudding

He handed me my business card, I read it, and then we all got to talking.

"So, I went to high school in Minnesota."

"Yeah, that's right."

"I had a girlfriend named Stacy."

"Cindy."

"Stacy."

"Cindy was a girl I dated once, but Stacy and I were pretty serious through college."

"Yeah, I remember that."

"I hate bananas."

"Definitely."

"My dad worked at a factory."

"Yeah, a factory."

"Mom taught middle school."

"Kindergarten."

"Middle school."

"Kindergarten."

"She taught kindergarten for a couple of years, but then got a job at the middle school; seventh grade."

"Sure, that's right."

"My first job was a car wash."

"McDonalds."

"No, it was the Wash 'N Go."

"It was definitely McDonalds."

"I agree with me," I said.

"Same here," says another me and that's how it started.

It got pretty ugly there for a while. I vandalized their Facebook. They spread horrible rumors about me at work. I got some of them arrested.

Early one morning I woke up. My hands and feet were duct taped together and my mouth was taped shut. Some of them were there and started talking to me about that first job. Well, after I heard all the details, I remembered I was right and I totally had worked first at the Wash 'N Go.

And then I died.

(Unsolved!)

Round 17: sirpudding

"Well, it's been a pleasure", I typed, pressed enter, and then closed the chat window. Nothing to do now, but wait.

I took out my pill case and shook out a big pink hexagon with an "F" printed on it. As I reached for my glass of water, I changed my mind and tossed the pill in the trash. I'm not going to have to remember for very long, regardless.

I heard the door of the lab open. Somebody was loudly weeping nearby. A long orange furred arm holding a bottle poked in. "Zack, we were going up to the roof to watch. You wanna come? I've been saving this 60 year old single malt. No occasion more special than this", he said.

"Yeah, Jack. I think I will. Sounds better than sitting here and watching this duplicitous mutt."

Up on the roof, as I split the bottle with an orangutan, we watched a couple of people jump. Nearby, somebody was playing a violin and a couple was slow dancing to it. Then Jack pointed up, with a beatific expression full of awe and sorrow and I followed his finger. Up in the sky the stars were winking out as though a shadow were passing over them.

And then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 18: rumetzen

The day had been good to us. Through a crack in the ice, we had been able to ambush a large group of prey, and gorged ourselves for the first time in months. The little ones, always eager to learn, had even managed to catch a few for themselves under our watchful eyes. Now, our bellies full, we drifted through the waters. My mate swam by, her song echoing through the sea.

A noise came from the side. Turning, I saw, in the distance, something large and white cutting across the surface of the water, a stream of bubbles trailing behind it. With a kick of my tail, a surged forward to get a closer look at this strange visitor. My mate called to me, nervous, but I ignored her and swam on.

The creature was like none other I had seen in these waters. Almost as long as I and several times as broad, the only part of it that moved as it swam was a small tail in the back. It swam slowly, and didn’t turn or move away as I approached, as if it didn’t even notice my presence. Curious, I swam up to give it a nudge.

And then I died.

(Unsolved!)

Round 19: djkaktus

After my parents split up, my mom and I moved to Kansas because her parents lived there. I love my nan and pap, but goddamn if it wasn't the most dull experience of my life. School hadn't started yet, I didn't know anyone in town, and my only familial relations were either working all the time or geriatric.

That's why I got the job at the restaurant. It was only a temporary gig, I figured a week or so, while I was waiting for a position to open up at the company my pap used to work at. He had some strings to pull and the job there paid better. My mom was supportive throughout the whole thing, told me I'd make friends pretty easily.

It was one of those old fashioned places, like you see in the movies? I think my mom thought I'd be making friends my own age, but that was a joke. Nobody who frequented that place was under the age of sixty. Pleasant enough people, though. I enjoyed myself there.

On my last day of work, they were doing some work on the front doors and had us closed for a few hours before dinner. I was cleaning the counter and noticed some kind of commotion outside. Didn't understand why anybody would want to make a big deal about it; it was only for a few hours.

I hear a crash from the back and saw that Julio had just collapsed on the floor. As I was running back to help him up, I eyed a container of bleach sitting on the shelf. I was thirsty, I realized, so I took a drink. Took a couple of drinks, actually, then passed it to Amy and she finished the bottle. Helped myself to a brick of soap after that. Can't tell you why.

Anyway, and then I died.

(Solved!)

Round 20: spacecadet

It's early in the day, I think, when the colonel comes in asking my authorization for the latest plan.

I don't really follow the details. And I don't really have to. At this point there's just enough left of my mind that I know how much of it is gone forever. The colonel is really running the show, because I can't. Even as a young woman our mission would have been an intolerable strain, and I haven't been young for many, many years. How old? At least twenty years older than the colonel, who himself would have been ordered to mandatory retirement under the old order.

I let my mind wander again as the colonel talks about Cernekov radiation this and anamolous semicrystalline condensates that. I go back to them. Back to my husband and children. I like best to remember the kids how they were in good health, not so much at the end. We tried to have more, of course.

The colonel interrupts my thoughts by asking for my formal approval. I make a noise that he interprets as assent, and sign the paper he presents. He tells me, as always, that this time he thinks we'll get the bastards.

I go back in my head to my family.

Soon even that becomes impossible.

And then I died.

(Unsolved!)