When there wasn’t much else to distract her attention, which of course was always the case at Camp Virtue, it turned out that Eliza could stay angry for longer than Eloy had previously thought humanly possible. First it was little things. Eliza started going to bed early and skipping Eloy’s regular campfire. Eliza’s calisthenics time…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 23
Category: science fiction
The Sympathetic Universe Part 22
“I don’t like my birthday,” Destiny explained one chilly October morning over breakfast, “because it’s too close to Christmas. All my friends get two parties, but I only get one.” “Well,” said Eliza, pulling a sausage out from her green tupperware, “We won’t combine them. We’ll celebrate and give you gifts for both days.” Destiny’s…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 22
The Sympathetic Universe Part 21
Angel watched Eloy chop wood from a few hundred yards away. What could he possibly have planned? There was no way to light anything here. “Hey,” she shouted, “What are you doing?” The small figure of Eloy looked around confused, then shouted back at her from the distance, “chopping firewood!” “How are you going to…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 21
The Sympathetic Universe Part 20
Eliza spent an hour a day helping Gabriel learn English from his little guide. So, generously, Eloy spent two hours a day with him. Generously, he gave up his day to pick what food to eat, offering a bonus day on rotation to each of his campmates. Certainly, Eloy’s generosity could not be questioned. Eliza and Angel had…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 20
The Sympathetic Universe Part 19
Sometimes you feel most alone when you’re surrounded by other people. Eloy’s campmates, for lack of a better term, had all been visited by their gods. Each one of them had made an abrupt transition from desperate to confident coinciding with the appearance of a remarkable new ability or artifact. Now even Angel was looking…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 19
The Sympathetic Universe Part 18
It was after lunch, but that’s all anyone knew. Even the sun was hidden behind the clouds. For Angel, who was used to making the most of every minute, being unable to check the time felt like a strange kind of purgatory. Irrationally, she almost felt like the very nature of time had been wrested…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 18
The Sympathetic Universe Part 16
After coming back half-dead from exhaustion and still without Eliza’s phone, Angel’s mood had darkened. Sitting on the green easy chair with her ankle elevated and wrapped in bandages from a first aid kit she’d found in the kitchen, Angel told Gabriel with no small amount of condescension that his “sacrifice” wasn’t virtuous when it…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 16
The Sympathetic Universe Part 14
Crowded into in the radio room, the group listened with bated breath. Angel stood flagpole-straight, closing her eyes to better hear. “Destiny,” said Eliza, all professionalism, “where are you?” Angel was so glad that Eliza at least seemed interested in being competent. It troubled her deeply that between a sullen man-child with the world’s weirdest…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 14
The Sympathetic Universe Part 13
Destiny calls
The Sympathetic Universe Part 11
“People always ask me,” said Reverend Boden in his characteristic long-short rhythm, “why does the world have suffering if God is all powerful and all good?” Eloy blinked and looked down at his iPod. The display said “Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication.” He rolled his eyes. Knowing his mom, He wouldn’t get to hear…… Continue reading The Sympathetic Universe Part 11
Samuel Munk 