The Fiji Mermaid Paradox

Hostage

The police negotiator lifts his megaphone. “What are your demands?”

“A prince!” she yells.

“Okay, put the gun down and we’ll—”

“AND he has to RESCUE me from the dragon!” The dragon sweats, eyes on the princess and her pistol against his head. “Rescue you?!”

Oddity in the Parlor

Edes pocketed his wallet in the parlor. “Another escape, another fisherman paid for your recapture.”

Simian countenance gnashing fangs, it slapped its fish tail and clawed the upholstery of his favorite velvet smoking chair.

“Perhaps Barnum wants a Fiji mermaid…”

Crossover Paradox

“Sam, it would take a scholar and a team of expert forgers to reproduce a medieval book that’s identical except for two pages.”

“So—”

“It’s a paradox time-shift change.”

He points to the illuminated manuscript. “Is that a blue box?”

“And a DeLorean.”

“Oh boy.”

Room for Two

“We need to leave!”

Trevor grabs a railing as the container ship lurches, crushed in Jörmungandr’s coils. “No debate about that, but how?”

She gives a two-finger whistle, and a winged, white horse flies down.

“Are you a Valkyrie?” he asks.

“No, that’s Pegasus.”

The Last Stand of the Star Runner

I run aft on the hull. The starliner’s elegant bridge deck where I captained brightens and explodes.

Lifepods launch. The pirate cruiser closes in, raining disaster.

My daughter sets the last robot gun.

Two ships are doomed as they activate.