Duel

(by Richard Matheson, adapted for this article) (A cat and mouse tale in the desert) At 11:32 a.m., Mann passed the truck. He was heading west, en route to San Francisco. It was Thursday and unseasonably hot for April. He had his suit coat off, his tie removed and shirt collar opened, his sleeve cuffs …

Wide O-

(by Elsin Ann Graffam) (Lock your doors) Maybe I'll put my head under the pillow - no, that's no good. I can imagine him, whoever he is, sneaking up on me. Okay, that does it! I'm going to get up and stay up, put the lights on in the living room, turn on the television. …

She Fell Among Thieves

(by Robert Edmond Alter) (Two archaeologists discover the find of a lifetime.) Our six diggers were spading back the hard, cindery earth crusted over a formation of flat stones. I was sitting on a wall just above them, supervising the job. Tanner, my partner, was in his tent suffering from intermittent malaria. Twilight was flowing …

Harrison Bergeron

(by Kurt Vonnegut, adapted for this article) (Equality and its outcome.) The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren't only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody …

For All the Rude People

(by Jack Ritchie) (A serial killer stalks the city, the police hunt for him, but his motive is a known only to him) "How old are you?" I asked! His eyes were on the revolver I was holding. "Look, mister, there’s not much in the cash register, but take it all. I won’t make no …

Royal Jelly

(by Roald Dahl, adapted for this article) (A husband and wife, unable to get their new baby to feed, hit upon a novel and disturbing solution.) Part I It worries me to death, Albert, it really does,’ Mrs. Taylor said. She kept her eyes fixed on the baby who was now lying absolutely motionless in …

The Crooked Road

(by Alex Gaby) (Small-town justice) It was a big, gray car, heavy and expensive, rolling effortlessly along the winding road. The man was driving, and the woman sat quietly in the front seat with him, both dressed conservatively in extremely good clothing. She held in her lap a large, gleaming patent-leather bag, the top of …

Flowers for Algernon

(by Daniel Keyes) (Everything that goes up must come down.) progris riport 1—martch 5, 1965Dr. Strauss says I shud rite down what I think and evrey thing that happins to me from now on. I dont know why but he says its importint so they will see if they will use me. I hope they …

Lemmings

(by Richard Matheson) (Everybody’s doing it) "Where do they all come from?" Reordon asked. "Everywhere," said Carmack. They were standing on the coast highway. As far as they could see there was nothing but cars. Thousands of cars were jammed bumper to bumper and pressed side to side. The highway was solid with them. "Here …

The Fly

(by George Langelaan) (Accidents happen) I. Telephones and telephone bells have always made me uneasy. Years ago, when they were mostly wall fixtures, I disliked them, but nowadays, when they are planted in every nook and corner, they are a downright intrusion. We have a saying in France that a coalman is master in his …