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2012 Nebula Award Finalists 2013 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award Finalists 2013 WSFA Small Press Award Finalists Nebula Award Finalists Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award Finalists WSFA Small Press Award Finalists

There is no definitive census of all the intelligent species in the universe. Not only are there perennial arguments about what qualifies as intelligence, but each moment and everywhere, civilizations rise and fall, much as the stars are born and die. Time devours all.

In Aug. 2012 (Issue 27)

Fantasy

Give Her Honey When You Hear Her Scream

by Maria Dahvana Headley

2012 Nebula Award Finalists 2013 Million Writers Award Finalists Illustrated by Galen Dara Million Writers Award Finalists Nebula Award Finalists Reprinted in Rich Horton's The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy

In the middle of the maze, there’s always a monster. If there were no monster, people would happily set up house where it’s warm and windowless and comfortable. The monster is required. The monster is a real estate disclosure.

Fantasy

Gordon, the Self-made Cat

by Peter S. Beagle

Once upon a time, to a family of house mice there was born a son named Gordon. He looked very much like his father and mother and all his brothers and sisters, who were gray and had bright, twitchy, black eyes, but what went on inside Gordon was very different from what went on inside the rest of his family.

Science Fiction

Four Short Novels

by Joe Haldeman

Illustrated by Galen Dara

Eventually it came to pass that no one ever had to die, unless they ran out of money. When you started to feel the little aches and twinges that meant your body was running down, you just got in line at Immortality, Incorporated, and handed them your credit card. As long as you had at least a million bucks—and eventually everybody did—they would reset you to whatever age you liked.

Science Fiction

Requiem in the Key of Prose

by Jake Kerr

There is such a thing as an antifuse. This device is used to maintain the ongoing flow of electricity when there is local failure. The antifuse works similarly to a fuse in that it is designed to be sacrificed for a specific goal. But while a fuse is sacrificed to stop electricity from flowing, an antifuse is sacrificed to guarantee that the electricity does not stop.

Science Fiction

The Way of Cross and Dragon

by George R.R. Martin

“Heresy,” he told me. The brackish waters of his pool sloshed gently.

“Another one?” I said wearily. “There are so many these days.”

Fantasy

My Teacher, My Enemy

by Kelsey Ann Barrett

My enemy’s body is still warm when I take my knife to him. Stripped to his skin and lain upon his back, he looks much less frightening than he had when he was alive, armed, and desperate to kill me. But there is still power in the shape of his relaxing muscles and the size of his cooling frame, and, as he is a foot taller than I am, I feel a surge of pride in my accomplishment that is even greater than the hot pleasure of the kill.

Fantasy

Renfrew’s Course

by John Langan

Reprinted in Paula Guran's The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror

Six feet tall, the statue had been carved from wood that retained most of its whiteness, even though the date cut into its base read 2005, seven years ago. Jim thought the color might be due to its not having been finished—splinters stood out from the wood’s uneven surface—but didn’t know enough about carpentry to be certain.

Science Fiction

The Cristóbal Effect

by Simon McCaffery

The wooden detour barricade is barely in place when I spot the car closing fast from the east. Just a glint of light against the desert hills, yet I know it is his car. I ignite the last flare and toss it onto the centerline of the lonely rural two-lane highway.