Sasan Sedighi

“Destination Vega Grandis” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #136

“Wake up, Karo. You have an important incoming call,” Sida, the voice in his head, said. “Who is it?” Karo asked with a sleeping voice. “It’s from the Planetary Union.” The name of Planetary Union made him fully awake. It was early in the morning, and his bedroom was still dark. He quickly checked the time via his Neuralink. He could have two extra hours of sleep before getting up for work. While annoyed by the untimely call, he accepted it. He was grumpy, but eager to find what the call was about. Instantly, a 3D motion picture formed in fr...

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“The odyssey” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #134

“Sirah, Sirah,” a distant voice called her name.Sirah tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids were not in her command. They were heavy as if they were made of lead.“Sirah.”She heard her name again. Sirah was too exhausted to care and wanted to go back to sleep. She didn’t recall when she retired to bed. She had possibly had a good long sleep, but her weary body was still craving for slumber.“Wake up, Sirah,” the voice called again.“Who is calling my name?” Sirah asked herself. She didn’t recognize the voice. She was too tired to think straig...

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“A life-changing incident” by Sasan Sedighi

‘Do you know Jack Prince is dead?’ Mike said while placing the saddle on his horse’s back. ‘Prince is dead! When did it happen?’ stunned Wyatt asked. ‘He was healthy and strong like a stallion.’ ‘Apparently, a lightning bolt struck the bastard while riding on the prairie. The force of the lightning disintegrated him and his horse into unrecognizable pieces.’ Mike stated happily. ‘The bastard finally met his justice.’ ‘It’s a bad way to die, even for Prince! So when did it happen?’ ‘The night before the last.’ ‘Two nights ago! But the sky was...

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“Grandfather Paradox” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #103

A week after Abigail Whitaker’s funeral, her two children reluctantly began going through their mother’s belongings. To sell the valuables, donate usable items, and discard the rest. But it wasn’t an easy task. Abigail was a hoarder her entire life, and she couldn’t easily throw things away. She kept postcards, some of which belonged to sixty to seventy years ago. And like a zealot, Abigail kept all belongings of her late husband, who was listed as MIA in the Vietnam war decades ago. She loved her husband dearly and waited all her life, expe...

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“The Watchman” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #102

It was the third time in a row Martin saw the man. A stranger that didn’t belong to that small community. First, he saw him at the local news agency, wearing a dark suit and tie, browsing the magazines. Then, he picked up a camping and caravan magazine, The RV Great Escape, and casually flipped through the pages. The man’s dress and demeanor didn’t match with a nature lover. He was a city born and bred person who knew nothing about nature, camping, and so RVs. He looked like a law enforcement agent, an undercover police detective, or FBI age...

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“Time Travel Experiment” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #101

Even though it was long past midnight, Blake was still in the lab. He was anxiously checking their program for the next day’s experiment. It was once a lifetime experiment. If it was successful, it would change the world as we know it today. It could rewrite history. Blake imagined a world that had never experienced a war, a world without world wars one and two, a world that had never seen black death, Spanish flu, or other pandemics. Blake Appleton was an experimental physicist, and the next day’s experiment was his lifelong dream. Tomorrow...

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“A cat in the mirror” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #101

The sound of the mobile phone alarm woke Darren up. It was still dark and the room freezing cold. It was a crime to leave the warm and cozy bed on that cold winter Monday morning. But Darren had a job, and there was no way to stay in bed and continue his sweet sleep. Darren was a graduate civil engineer and had recently secured his first job. And there were many more unemployed graduate civil engineers willing to fill his place if he loses his position. Therefore, he couldn’t afford to stay in bed and call sick and risk losing his job. He re...

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“Redemption” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #99

The antigrav taxi gradually descended and soon landed at the hotel’s arrival zone on its roof. The Golden Shrine Hotel was a tall, sixty-story tower. It initially was a residential building, but because of the large number of pilgrims visiting the planet and the holy shrine of Veron, the mausoleum of the Sora Veron, founder of the Veronist faith, a billionaire bought the tower and converted it to an upmarket hotel. There were a few parked antigrav cars and taxis in the hotel’s arrival zone. The taxi smoothly landed in front of the hotel’s ...

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“The aftermath of the birthday party” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #93

Jemma lifted another disposable plastic cup from the floor and dropped it in the large purple rubbish bag she held. ‘This is the twentieth cup I collected!’ She said. ‘I didn’t count, but I guess I collected the same amount, and the floor is still littered with more cups and….’ Sam stopped and looked at the room’s dirty floor, then added, ‘and too many other things, spoons, forks, plates, food, a slice of pizza, and so on.’ ‘I wonder why they littered the floor and didn’t just put their empty cups on the tables?’ Jamma questioned. ‘And drop ...

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“When Darkness Follows The Light” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #92

After a thorough examination of his eyes, which took a few hours, finally, Doctor Montgomery, a leading ophthalmologist in the country, said, ‘Mr. Carlisle, I have good news for you. After assessing your eyes’ conditions, I believe we have a high chance to restore your sight.’ ‘Is it possible? Doc.’ ‘With the current advancement in medicine, especially gene editing, we can correct your faulty genes and so let your eyes regenerate healthy photosensitive cells in your retina.’ ‘You mean, I can see again? Doc.’ ‘Yes. I should mention that this ...

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“The Life Of Us” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #91

The library was quiet at that time of the morning, but soon patrons and students would arrive and disturb its tranquil atmosphere. Though people are usually quiet in a library, natural human activities such as the flutter of turning pages, the clatter of typing on the keyboard, the footfall of the patrons walking alongside the aisles, and occasional sneezing and coughing were all the noises that would irritate Peter’s sensitive ear. Peter couldn’t tolerate some types of noises. He was diagnosed having hyperacusis when he was just two year...

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“Reverie” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #90

Jack usually finished his work at 8:00 PM and got the 8:20 train at the central station downtown. He lived a walking distance from the last station, in a not well-to-do suburb, at the end of the northern line, over an hour’s ride, a world away from his workplace. That Friday night, the restaurant was unexpectedly busy with its usual customers and two large group bookings. Though he was exhausted, Jack stayed back. He needed the extra money. When finally customers left, and Jack finished his job for the night and left his workplace, Oregan...

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“The mutant virus” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #84

While adjusting the sling of his assault M16 rifle on his shoulder, which once belonged to his late father, David watched his younger sister Aimee, who struggled to use the axe to split the woods for their fireplace. ‘If you grab the axe like this, it works better.’ He explained while showed her the proper use of the axe with both his hands.For Aimee, just ten years of age, the axe was hefty, so she said, ‘David, it is too heavy. You are older and stronger than me. Why don’t you split the woods?’‘Look, I am standing guard. I also want you to...

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“Sea Monster” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #83

Though the weather bureau forecasted a calm and sunny day, dark clouds appeared on the horizon by morning, and sooner than the anglers expected, the sky cover with thick dark clouds. The sea was raving by noon and rained cats and dogs. Waves as tall as a two-story building rocked the small fishing trawler almost to a tipping point. The wind was powerful enough to lift a medium-sized man from the deck and threw him into the dark, angry waters. The four fishers stuck in the cabin and hanged to the frame to keep themselves from hitting the wall...

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“The faulty android ” by Sasan Sedighi

Submitted to Contest #82

‘GC-0128, enter the room.’ The announcement loudly spilled out of the waiting room’s speakers. The call was formal with no pleasantries. Sarah, by hearing her serial number, stood and ambled toward the automatic sliding glass door. It was over thirty minutes that she was waiting there without knowing about the nature of her summon. She was just asked to be there, with no other information provided. The sliding glass door separated the waiting area from the interview room. By approaching the door, it silently slid to the left and opened. Sar...

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