"Flaming Springs" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

The only way to get to "Flaming Springs" was 15 miles up a steep and rocky trail. Some brave souls tried biking it, but Michelle Brinks and her boyfriend Dennis were packing everything on their backs and walking the trail.

The couple started the grueling hike early in the morning and had made it about half-way by noon. Michelle was looking forward to soaking her aching legs in the warm water of the springs. 

It was early evening when the pair finally arrived in the meadow that contained several hot pools. Michelle was disappointed to see a tent pitched at the other end of the clearing. She was hoping they had the place to themselves.

After unpacking their gear and setting up a tent, Michelle changed into her swimsuit and stepped into a nearby pool that was lined with smooth rocks. The water was heavenly and she never wanted to leave. Dennis soon joined her and they shared some wine while the sun sank below the horizon. 

The next morning, Michelle made breakfast and wondered about the tent across the meadow. She hadn't seen anyone near the campsite since they got there. Of course, it was possible that the owners were on an extended hike, but it still seemed odd. 

While gathering water for lunch, Michelle noticed strange lights pulsating from the deserted tent and assumed that the owners had returned. Dennis was out in the woods somewhere so Michelle decided to investigate by herself.

The lights became brighter as she walked across the clearing and bizarre mechanical sounds also issued from the tent. Michelle called out several times, but no one came out of the structure. The lights and sound were more intense than ever and she unzipped the opening.

A vast cavern appeared and Michelle stepped into another world. She began walking without and stopped when she noticed something ahead of her. A large table was occupied by dark and strange creatures. One of the beings stood up. "Please have a seat Michelle-we've been expecting you." it said.

 

"Five-Mile Lake" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

Jonathan Kepler was driving though his old hometown on the way to a business conference when he noticed the sign for "Five-Mile Lake." Back in high school, Jonathan and his friends used to hang out at the lake all the time and he decided to stop and take a look.

The parking lot was now covered in graffiti and litter, and a "No Trespassing" blocked the trail that led to the beach. Jonathan walked around the sign and was shocked at how everything had fallen into decay. Empty beer cans and other debris littered the beach. The fishing dock looked like it was about to fall into the water and the tree under which he first kissed Julie had been cut down.

Jonathan angrily kicked one of the beer cans. He couldn't believe that everything was gone. For a few minutes, Jonathan stared out at the dismal water and then walked back to his car. A police officer was waiting for him in the parking lot, and he got a ticket for trespassing. Jonathan had to admit the officer was right: He no longer belonged at the lake.

"Holly" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

Long-haul truck driver Sam Shelton was trying to get some sleep in the cab of his truck when he heard a faint knocking on his door. Sam opened the door and was surprised to see a teen-age girl standing there. "Can I help you?" Sam asked although he had an idea what she wanted. The girl blushed furiously, "I was wondering if you wanted a date." 

"What's your name?" Sam asked gently. "Holly" the girl answered looking down. "Well, Holly, you should be at home and not walking around a truck stop at two in the morning."

"I don't have anywhere to go" the girl said sobbing.

"Look, I have a friend-she's a teacher and you could stay with her for a while." For a second, Sam saw a flicker of hope in the girl's eyes and then it was gone and she turned and ran away. 

The next morning, Sam was getting ready to haul a load to Boise, when he heard that same faint knocking. It was Holly, but she had been badly beaten. Sam called 911 and followed the ambulance to the hospital. Fortunately, Holly was going to be ok, and his teacher friend Paula had agreed to let her stay at her home until they could make permanent arrangements.

There was one last piece of business that had to be taken care of. Holly didn't know the name of the man who had attacked her, but she did remember the mural of a green snake on the truck's door. Sam knew the truck and the driver, and he planned to make a visit the next day.

Sam rapped on the door of Ernie Gibb's truck and waited for the man to come out. Gibbs wasn't pleased to see him. "What the hell do you want Shelton?" Sam grabbed a fistful of Gibb's hair and drove his knee into the man's face. Gibbs held onto his broken nose and cursed Sam with everything he had.

"Refugee" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

Ariana sat by herself at the lunch table and watched the other kids laughing and having fun. She wished she could join them, but thoughts of her father and war crowded her mind.

Ariana and her mother Parisa were forced to flee their home when the Taliban overran their village. The soldiers took her father into the fields and shot him. After fleeing to Kabul, Ariana's mother was able to get a job at the big American military base. 

For a while, life was good and Ariana was even able to go to school, but it wasn't long before the Taliban came down from the hills and the Americans began to leave. During the frenzy of the evacuation, Parisa was able to find a spot for herself and her daughter on one of the departing planes.

After a stop in Germany, Ariana and her mother were granted refugee status in the United States. Their new home was a small village in the state of Kansas. Ariana was in awe of the endless fields of corn and wheat. There was never so much food back in Afghanistan. Parisa found a job in housekeeping at the local hospital and Ariana was enrolled at the local high school.

Ariana was unprepared for the hostile glances and whispered comments from the other students. She tried to be friendly, but it seemed as if everyone hated her. Lunch time was the worst, Ariana sat alone while the other kids chatted and laughed together. 

Ariana tried to talk to her mother, but Parisa was usually tired from work and went to bed soon after dinner. After several more weeks of eating lunch alone, a girl with red hair and braces asked if she could join her and Ariana was surprised to learn that she had made a friend.

"The Man in the Snow" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

Hailey Abbot checked her outdoor gear one last time. The next day she would be going on an overnight solo hike in the Norse Peak wilderness area, and she wanted to be prepared for anything. Hailey left her apartment bright and early and arrived at the Norse Peak trailhead while it was just becoming light.

After gathering her supplies, Hailey set out on the trail eager to get moving. The weather was perfect and she made good progress. It was around noon that Hailey first saw the man. He was a good distance back on the trail, but she could tell that he was huge.

Towards evening, she noticed the same man again, only this time he was much closer. Hailey quickened her pace and tried to tamp down the fear that that emerging in her gut. As darkness approached, she found an isolated campsite and prepared dinner which consisted of a peanut butter sandwich and an apple. Hailey slept fitfully, afraid of what was out there in the dark. 

The next morning, the man was nowhere to be found, and Hailey scolded herself for imagining the worst. The trail was now leading to the summit of Norse Peak and snow covered the ground. Struggling to ascend a steep rise, Hailey stopped to catch her breath and glanced behind her. The huge man was only fifty feet behind her! 

In a panic, Hailey tried running up the slope but failed to see that the snow was hiding a deep crevasse and she fell through the icy crust and became wedged about twenty feet down in the fissure. Hailey cried out for help unsure if she really wanted to be rescued by the brute who was apparently stalking her.

A rope suddenly appeared and a male voice told her to tie it around her waist. Hailey did as she was told and powerful arms pulled her to the surface. Hailey cried with relief when she was on solid ground again, but her rescuer was gone. A trail of large footprints led into the snowfield and then just stopped.

"Invasive" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

Russian botanist Georgiy Morozov discovered the new plant species in a remote valley in northern Siberia on a field trip to the east. It was a type of clover with thorns, and he named it "Trifolium Spina." Georgiy brought samples of the plant back to his lab in Moscow and even planted a sprig in his garden to see how well the plant would fare in western Russia.

The new species flourished in the garden, but after two weeks Georgiy noticed that the clover was killing his flowers and spreading over the entire plot. Somewhat worried, Georgiy sprayed a portion of the new species with a common herbicide, but there was no effect. Stronger poisons did not work any better and he became alarmed as the new plant took root across Moscow.

He was astonished that the new species could spread so quickly and reluctantly decided to make a report to the department of agriculture. Georgiy tried to explain the potential danger to the bureaucrat downtown, but it was obvious that the man didn't care in the least.

By the time the Russian government understood the seriousness of the problem, the thorny clover had spread to the agricultural regions in the south. Desperate farmers tried everything to kill the invader, but their efforts amounted to nothing. 

The green plague marched on, enveloping India, Europe, and Africa. The Americas were spared for a few months and then they too became a victim of the insatiable plant. 30 years after Georgiy Morozov discovered the new species, Trifolium Spina was the dominant life form on earth.

"The Arcade" a short story by Craig Zimmerman

 While most of his friends were into video games, Max Foster was fascinated by the antique games that were to be found in an arcade located in a dusty basement in north Seattle.

Most of the games took pennies or nickels and he could spend the whole day shooting pellets at metal targets or hitting tiny baseballs into the outfield.

One day Max came into the arcade to find something new. It was a space travel game that would take the player to other worlds. Max fed the machine a nickel and suddenly felt himself being transported away. He eventually landed in a swamp which seemed to extend in all directions. Gnarled trees hung down from a red sky.

Max took a moment to try and understand what was going on and then felt a sharp pain in his back. About a dozen amphibian-type creatures were throwing rocks at him. He tried to escape, but it was hard slogging through the muddy water. 

As Max neared exhaustion, the attacks stopped and he soon found out the reason why. A much larger version of the amphibian creatures emerged from the murky water. A snake-like tongue covered with a sticky substance shot from the beast's mouth and began pulling Max towards a mouth filled with jagged teeth. Just as he was about to be eaten, everything changed and Max was back in the arcade.

The old man at the counter looked at him with a crooked smile. "Did you have a good time?" he asked.