THE WORLD WEARS THIN by David Michael

The World Wears Thin
The World Wears Thin

The World Wears Thin – A collection of eight Sci-Fi and Horror stories by David Michael, with illustrations by Don Michael, Jr.

“A Fine Mess” – Kenneth hunts edible Strings in the Frayed remnants of the vegetation of the world.

“Enamored” – Chick-lit meets cyberpunk as overworked, underappreciated Roxy heads to work.

“Curtain Call” – The White Hot Hemisphere Community Theater Company chose Shakespeare’s Hamlet for their first production after the cataclysm–and possibly their last before the end of the world.

“Insanity” – Corporal Jonathan “Drooz” Andrews wakes up in the middle of a war and wishes he remembered what he spent his re-enlistment bonus on.

“Encounter” – The Traveler tries to help in the aftermath of a riot in the Trog Ghetto.

“Until Death Do Us Part” – Ross and Marjorie grow old together in undead retirement.

“Baptism” – Drunk on mojitos, high on love, and smelling of sex on the beach, Myra Acevedo went swimming and drowned. Then she became the end of the world.

Bonus Story: “Roxy Overload” – Roxy, from “Enamored”, heads home after work on an evening when it seems everyone–her best friend, her mom, her men–even her dog–wants a piece of her.

“Sweet Tooth” by David Michael

Sweet Tooth
“Sweet Tooth”
“Sweet Tooth” – A new horror short story by David Michael!
Ted Millet, divorced and broke and tired of getting up at 2 am, shows up for work anyway at the Jenny-Buns Donut Shop. If he doesn’t make the donuts, no one else will. This morning, though, he has a new customer waiting for him that makes his ex-wife seem almost human. (3100-word short story)

“Evanescent” by David Michael

Evanescent
“Evanescent”

“Evanescent” – A new slipstream short story by David Michael!

She’s the girl you meet every year for the first time. She has red-gold hair, sky-blue eyes, and just a splash of freckles across her cheeks. She’s as young as you are, or as old. She dances in the rain and splashes in the puddles. She jumps in the leaves and spins with the wind. She steps out of the fog to smile at you, then disappears before you can ask her name… (5400-word short story)

“The Perfect Hiding Place” by David Michael

The Perfect Hiding Place
“The Perfect Hiding Place”

“The Perfect Hiding Place” – A new slipstream short story by David Michael!

The house next door has been sold and the new neighbors are moving in. Do you think they’re religious? They seem to have a lot of kids. Do you think they’re hiding something? They look ethnic. Do you think they might be worth robbing? No, obviously, they can’t be *monkeys*… (5500-word short story)

“A Fine Mess” by David Michael

A Fine Mess
A Fine Mess

“A Fine Mess” – A new science fiction short story by David Michael!

Kenneth is the best gatherer among the survivors. Only a few can gather Strings, the floating, Frayed remnants of what was once the edible vegetation of the world. Which is why there are a lot fewer people now than Kenneth remembers when he was younger. He might be only ten, but even Kenneth knows that if you can’t catch Strings, you can’t eat. And if you can’t eat, you starve and you die… (2300-word short story)