Fish Head Curry
Author Archives: ssbb-admin
12
Mar
Warmth
Ben wasn’t sure when the last time he spent new year’s with a family – a proper Chinese New Year with a proper family unit – was. He’d been alone since he was sixteen; quasi-adoption into Dhuan’s rowdy loving family was amazing but it wasn’t the same as having uncles telling corny jokes over pork jerky and black melon seeds; nosy aunts asking about girlfriends, wives, children; a pair of mandarin oranges fresh from the refrigerator, perspiring in your hand as you hand them to grandparents who receive them with trembling fingers and a bright red envelope.
Ming asked the question over a dinner of beef and kimchi and metal chopsticks. Ben could only stare as Ming smiled, then yelped as the meat began to sit too long on the charcoal grill. He flicked slices of beef onto Ben’s rice, and Ben swallowed hard. “Why?”
12
Mar
Natural and Artificial Flavorings
“ASP system production has already begun, with systems expected to start appearing in ships and planetside before the end of the year. Pricing has not yet been set, but a spokesperson for Demeter Industries stated that thanks to substantial government support for the project, ASP systems should be within the reach of both restaurateurs and home users.”
A new face replaced the footage of factory production on the vid screen, and Jack sucked in a breath. “Traitor,” he muttered.
“I know we’ll have some detractors for sure in our industry,” the man on screen–who the chyron identified as Oliver Moreau, executive chef of Oceanside–said. “And those who think this sort of technology doesn’t belong outside of space, but I really think this is going to be a remarkable advancement for getting better, healthier food to people everywhere.” He grinned that boyish and crooked smile that had made him famous. “And it doesn’t hurt that it tastes great.”
12
Mar
Table Manners
Lysith woke to a hissed command and a rough shove that knocked him half off the bed. It was Reddis, his trainer, with an unaccustomed lack of calm.
“Up, Lysith, hurry. The lord wants you now. Bathe and dress. You have less than an hour before the seals must be in place.”
“It’s the middle of the night.” Lysith rolled to his feet and stumbled on the edge of his new Dearthian carpet. He could hear the bath running already, and the waft of warm, wet air smelled of the ceremonial herbs that should only be added at the last possible moment, lest they spend themselves on the bath and not on the bather.
12
Mar
Delivery Available
I woke up some place warm and bright, and that was the first wrong thing of the day. Campus housing was notoriously cold and dark, all those little huts stacked side by side on the edge of the island, the wind blasting between them fit to rip your wings right off you. The smell of yeast rose and expanded in my nose. Maybe I crashed in someone’s room. I rolled over and groped blindly for the release on the wind sash. Window open, I stuck my head out into the sunlight. It had that too-hot, too-direct feeling from thin air on a high-float sky island. I knew where I was. And I didn’t like it.
I opened my eyes. The grass under the window rippled as burrow rats ran through it, long bodies green on green, chattering in their little rodent voices. At least that was a familiar sight. Ma said they picked up a nest of them the last time the islet converged with one of the big city islands. I craned my head around to look at the domed roof. Smoke billowed out, streaming away as it got caught in the nearest long current. The ovens were on.
31
Dec
This Thing Of Ours
Thinking back now, I remember it in slow motion, like when the film gets caught in the projector at the pictures and everything spins down until Greta Garbo moves like she’s underwater and sounds like a foghorn speaking Swiss. But at the time, it went so fast that the only real, conscious thought my brain got off was what the hell is Bruno Battaglio smiling about? Then the pistols started shattering the glassware above the bar, and I grabbed Ken’s tie, and we hit the floor hard.
31
Dec
1914
The sound of approaching footsteps made Todd furiously wipe his eyes. It probably did no good, but he still hoped it wouldn’t be too apparent that he’d been crying.
“Hello.” The voice only carried a slight accent, but it was enough for Todd to realize that the man standing behind him wasn’t one of his own.
He whirled around, fear rising into his chest. The German immediately raised his hands in an obvious gesture of peace.
31
Dec
On Learning
Relationships suck.
Nick learned this pretty quickly, dating Jamie. It was like his best friend had turned into a completely different creature. And it wasn’t Jamie’s fault entirely, not with–well, if he was going to tell the story, starting at the beginning was probably a better way to do things. Things always made a lot more sense with back story, right? Right.
It had started, as far as Nick could remember, when he was some-possibly-preteen-years-old and had discovered jacking off. He, being the fabulous and benevolent friend that he was, had decided that he had to demonstrate this remarkable wonder to his best friend in the world: Jamie.
31
Dec
The Golden Man
Bao hid behind a pillar as soldiers, waving scimitars and shouting orders, ran past him. Somehow mercenaries had gotten through the gates. The soldiers of Sartaq Khan, Bao’s father, were the best horsemen in the seven kingdoms. They could shoot arrows while outriding deer. No one could beat them while they were mounted, even if the other force was twice as large and heavily armored. But Sartaq had led most of his men on a raid over the eastern mountains, so very few were left to defend the palace. It had never needed defending before.
Bao slipped to the next pillar. He had no weapon with which to defend himself, not even a knife. If Sartaq’s enemies caught him, a quick death was the best he could hope for.
31
Dec
Rebellion
It was the thrill of not knowing just where, or how, things would end up that kept Justin playing the same dangerous games night after night. He’d been in almost every situation he could think of, and still not been ‘caught’ by those that ‘mattered’ in his mind. The one who ‘mattered’ never looked at him, anyway, so his antics were some poor attempt at displacement. Or at least that’s what the shrink in the county lockup decided for him. He’d tried to shake that off, but something about it made it stick in his head, gnaw at his brain even though he saw the shrink once and had only spent a couple of days in juvy.
His only saving grace was that he was still a minor. That would only help him a month longer, though. Somehow, he always managed leniency, but then, he was rarely caught doing the same thing twice. The judges, his parents, the shrinks all put it down to youthful vigor, except that one who’d said he wanted someone’s attention.
31
Dec
Wishful
“There you go.” I flashed a smile as I handed over the gaily coloured package to the waiting customer. “One present, wrapped and ready for Christmas.”
“Oh! How lovely!” The pretty but frazzled-looking woman placed the box gently on top of her baby buggy, wrapping crinkling under her careful fingers. The infant inside cooed with delight at the twists of ribbon dangling in front of his face, batting one chubby hand towards them. I smiled.
Clink went a handful of coins into the donation box. “Thank you so much,” the lady said, with a smile that took years off her face.
