"The Throwaway" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

Simon Fitzgerald lived on the fringes of the ultra-modern city to the east. He survived by recycling and selling to other members of his group the items discarded by the city dwellers.

During one of his salvage trips, Simon came upon the damaged remains of one of the new female companion droids. It appeared that the former owner had taken a hammer to the face of the creature.

Simon loaded the droid into his cart and took it back to his shack in the woods. The damage to the droid was extensive but Simon did his best to put her back together and after restoring its fuel cells the companion bot awakened.

"What is your name? " Simon asked the creature.

"Mary" the droid answered.

"Do you remember your owner?" 

"He.... hurt me" was all she would say.

On his rounds the next day, Simon thought about what to do with Mary. If he sold her, she would probably be cut up for parts, and he couldn't bear to have that happen. Upon his arrival home, Simon was surprised to find a home-cooked meal waiting for him courtesy of Mary.

Simon had lived alone for most of his life, but he quickly became accustomed to having Mary with him and soon couldn't imagine life without her. At the end of the day, the couple would sit on the makeshift porch, listen to music, and watch the dazzling lights of the city on the horizon.

"Give me a Light" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

The young woman came out of the gloom of the parking lot and asked Peter if he had a light for the cigarette that dangled from her lips.

He didn't have a light and told her as much. Unfazed, she asked Peter if he wanted to see her pet.

Before he could answer, the woman brought forth a hideous worm-like creature from beneath her coat. Peter tried to think of something positive to say about the animal, but nothing came to mind.

The woman was apparently offended by his silence, and she disappeared back into the gloom of the parking lot.

 

"A Desert View" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

From behind the counter of Tim's Diner, Amber Donaldson stared out at the shimmering desert across the highway. The wasteland was as dry and dead as the dreams she had in high school.

Amber could still recall the excitement of graduation night ten years before and the plans she and her girlfriends had made, but somewhere things had gone wrong and she had never left the small town where she grew up.

Tim, the owner of the diner tapped on the counter and awakened Amber from her reverie. "We have a customer waiting" he reminded her. Amber wearily retrieved a menu and walked over to the new arrival. "Would you like a menu sir?" she asked a dark-haired man who was studying the horizon. The man smiled at Amber and ordered a cheeseburger.

When Amber brought the burger, the man looked up from a map that he was studying. "Do you know any good trails through the desert?" I am writing a book about American wastelands, and I could use someone to show me around." Amber shook her head. "I never had a reason to go out there. It's just rocks and sand." The man seemed disappointed and went back to his map.

Eventually, the man finished his meal and drove away, and Amber spent the rest of the afternoon remembering hopeless dreams.