100-Word Scifi: "Teleprompter" [Short Story]

Every Friday, I write a 100-word story based on a random word. This week's word is "news."

Teleprompter
by Nigel G. Mitchell

Trent Lockman looked at the TV camera. "And this just in, the president of the United States has suffered a fatal heart attack. More after this."

At the commercial break, the director ran up to Trent. "Are you insane?"

Trent frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you announcing the death of the President?"

"I just read it off the teleprompter."

"Well, it's wrong." The director groaned. "We need to--"

The PA ran over with some pages. "This just came in. The president's had a heart attack. He's been pronounced dead."

Trent and the director looked at each other, and then the teleprompter.

Related Posts:
100-Word Scifi: "Fireman"
100-Word Scifi: "Arrow"

Want to get my books for 99-cents? Check out the details of my May 99-Cent Sale.

New Release: "Man Overboard"

While I was working on TOONS, I also found time to edit and put together some of my short stories into one volume: Man Overboard And Other Short Stories. It includes four scifi short stories:

"Man Overboard" - A starship captain races to save his son who's fallen into another dimension.


"Erasing Einstein" - In a future where babies are made to order, a doctor tries to keep a couple from taking the genius out of their unborn child

"Money Doesn't Grow on Trees" - The discovery of a genetically engineered tree that grows money turns a neighborhood against itself

"The Morning After" - A scientist created a weapon that ended the war between humans and alien invaders, but he's forced to face the consequences.

You can also read Man Overboard on-in its own for only 99-cents.

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Flash Friday: "Moneyback Guarantee" [Short Story]

It's Flash Friday, where I present a quick scifi story. This week:

Moneyback Guarantee
By Nigel G. Mitchell

"I want my money back," Nathan Coryell said.

The tour guide held up her hands with the palms out. "I understand your disappointment, Mister Coryell, but I would point that what you're experiencing is normal."

The tour guide clasped her hands together as she glanced over at the other members of the tour group. She faced them to address their murmuring as well. "As we said before the tour, many of our customers have pre-conceived notions about what dinosaurs are going to be like. Most of those notions are based on movies and TV shows that were made before the invention of time travel."

Nathan glared through the branches of the trees at the creature in the clearing before him. "I want my money back."

The tour guide deepened her frown. "And I would also add that many of the dinosaurs we encounter in our time tours have never been observed in detail by biologists, so we often have no idea what behavior they'll exhibit before we visit them. And the release form clearly states that Chrono-Tours does not make any claims nor are we responsible for any confusion or disappointment you may experience."

"I want my money back," Nathan repeated.

He continued to glare at the Tyrannosaurus Rex as it bowed its head. The T-Rex plucked up another mouthful of grass and chewed contentedly.

A chirping bird caused the T-Rex to suddenly jump, change the color of its feathers from brown to red, and scurry off into the bushes while trumpeting with its long trunk.

If you liked this story, check out my other writing at the Amazon Kindle Store.

Related:
Machine of Death: "Alien Abduction" [Short]

The Ultimate List of Rejected "Machine of Death" Stories [Short]

Last year, I wrote a story for the second volume of the sci-fi anthology, Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die. If you're not familiar with it, Machine of Death is a collection of short stories about a machine that takes a drop of blood, and prints out a card with a phrase that tells you exactly how you will die. It doesn't say where or when, and sometimes the card is so vague that you don't even know what it means, but it's never wrong. The title of every story is taken from a machine of death card. You can read the original collection for free on the website.

I wrote a story called "ALIEN ABDUCTION." While they didn't accept it, I thought the story turned out pretty well, so I put it on my blog. Since they said they had over 2000 entries, and only accepted 30, I figured there might be others who put their stories online - I was right. I've decided to dedicate this page to all those writers who put hard work into their stories that deserve to be read. Think of it as an unofficial new anthology of Machine of Death.

Machine of Death: "Alien Abduction" [Short Story]

The following short story was written for the second volume of the sci-fi anthology, Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die. The story was rejected, so I'm presenting it here for free. If you're not familiar with it, Machine of Death is a collection of short stories about a machine that takes a drop of blood, and prints out a card with a phrase that tells you exactly how you will die. It doesn't say where or when, and sometimes the card is so vague that you don't even know what it means, but it's never wrong. The title of every story is taken from a machine of death card. So here's my take on it:

Alien Abduction
by Nigel G. Mitchell

By the time Thomas Wiseman found out his wife was dying, the debate was almost over. At the moment the hospital struggled to keep her alive, Wiseman prepared to give his killing stroke.

Wiseman drew a small, blue, octagonal card out of his coat pocket. He held it up in front of his face so it could be seen. The audience gasped at the distinctive shape and size of the card. Even so, Wiseman still said, "This is my prediction, produced by a death prediction machine at my doctor's office, just twenty-four hours ago. If the camera could zoom in, I think the viewers will find it enlightening."