HAIBUN

High Score

by N. C. Whitehead           

Wildfires ravaged the earth as lightning struck its surface. Tendrils of smoke wrapped around every creature, slowly choking the life from bleating sets of lungs. Soot settled over all surfaces, making the ocean writhe as living darkness and poisoning the soil and its last precious seeds of life.

Above the earth, we could hear their laughter ringing out as thunder.

They continuously targeted the earth with their lightning, seeing if they could rack up more points in the currency of life.

the earth

flashing red...

one up

***

                                                     THE OBSERVER by John J. Dunphy

I enjoy studying the Earth beings that call themselves humans.  

Technologically and intellectually, they're quite primitive compared to the inhabitants of other planets in Sector 4, but we can learn so much about our past by scrutinizing them. Disturbing as it is to admit, we ourselves were once at the stage of development now occupied by humans.

For the longest time, though, I dared not move among them.   Humans call non-inhabitants of their planet "aliens" and "extraterrestials" and fear them.   The challenge for me was to interact freely with humans without causing the kind of panic that would skew my research.

Then, I discovered an Earth milieu that allows me to circulate undetected.   My only concern is that the humans I encounter might not be representative of their planet's inhabitants as a whole.

an alien

chatting with costumed participants

at the science fiction convention

***

Scifaikuest is also available as a print zine (which differs from the on-line zine.) To order a copy, or better yet, to order a subscription, go to www.genremall.com/zinesr.htm#scifaikuest

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