Hugh J. O'Donnell

A cherry tree appeared overnight, growing to full height in the middle of an intersection while the city slept. It pushed up through asphalt and concrete, reaching for a sky blanketed by smog.
That morning, everyone came out to marvel at the tree shedding pink blossoms and covering the hot garbage smell of the city with its sweet scent.
The city sent out a crew to chop it down. They were met by a sea of angry picnickers.
“It’s just a tree,” The kitsune said.
“And look how they defend it,” the tanuki replied. “Which neighborhood should we do next?”

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

He was working on one of the massive electrical towers south of the city when the northern hills erupted.
He heard the explosion echo across the valley and smelled the sulfur as lava and ash rained on the city.
He got on his radio and got to work.
Everyone has a story from the day of the eruption. The survivors remember the loved ones that they lost. They remember their narrow escapes and rescues. But nobody mentions him.
People take it for granted that the grid never went down during the catastrophe.
But he remembers why, and that is enough.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

She made her daughter promise to be careful and to carry a knife with her in case of monsters.“But they look like us,” her daughter protested. “And they sing such beautiful songs.”“They may look like people, but their song is to lure you in. When you swim near, they will catch you in their nets, pull you out of the water, and drown you. Promise me you will be careful.”The mermaid’s daughter swam in a sulky circle. “I promise, mother.”But the mermaid was always fearful when she saw the shadow of a human boat pass overhead.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

When Harold’s sister had her first child, he quit touring and came to stay with them. She and her husband were glad for an extra pair of hands, but they weren’t sure how the now ex-roadie would do as an uncle.
To their surprise, he was fantastic. He stayed up with the baby, fed her, changed her and sang her to sleep. It was very sweet, as long as she didn’t listen to the lyrics.
The only odd thing was the pacifier he gave her. “Is that an amp dial?” his sister asked.
He grinned. “This baby goes to eleven!”

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

The Elf sat at the back of the subway car, pretending to scroll through her phone. Next to her was a pair of nervous-looking Halflings. Opposite, a grumpy dwarf sat next to a dozing gym rat orc. None of them was her target.
She brought up the camera to take one of those self-photos mortals enjoyed and caught the Goblin leering at her in the screen’s reflection.
She winked at him and exited the train at the next stop. Her mark followed her up to the street, believing he was stealthy.
By morning, she’d bring down the whole kidnapping ring.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

The “Tree of Life” was a mass of red tubing, glass, circuitry, and netting that stood at the center of the Colony Habitation Ring.
None of the residents knew what it did, but Management said it was a vital part of the Life Support System, a part of the computer that kept the compound running and safe. Every so often, a resident would be called to the Tree of Life and disappear.
When they tore it all down, the residents found the Tree of Life was empty, nothing more than another trick played by Management. That just made them angrier.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

He sailed through the sky, gliding from building to building, leaving behind a trail of glittering exhaust from his jetpack assist. His helmet HUD could spot a criminal from twenty stories up.
Something was wrong with the city. That’s why he became a vigilante. It wasn’t enough to be law-abiding in a world sliding into chaos. He learned about the problems from the Vigil_NT app and knew he had to do something to help. He would bring order, both online and from the rooftops.
But he never expected the malware that took him down to come from inside his suit.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

They abandoned the launch ramp long ago. Everyone who could afford to abandon Earth for the Space Colonies left and pulled the ladder up behind them. The rich and powerful promised ‘Resettlement Initiatives’ and ‘Environmental Restoration Projects,’ all the while building sites like this one to get out and leave the rest of us to die.
I dig through the rusting rockets and leftover parts and wonder what they felt as they watched the dying world shrink to nothing on their monitors.
I set to work and wonder what they will say when all of us catch up to them.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

Once a year, the merchant visited the town. She brought strange goods from far-off lands, exotic spices, and treasures beyond compare. She would sit in the town square with her wonderous stock arranged around her and wait for someone to come and make a deal.
When the townsfolk saw her coming, they closed their curtains and locked their doors. Everyone knew the cost of her mysterious and enticing wares.
But every year, she would strike a bargain. There would be a rebellious teenager or a traveler who dismissed the townfolks’ warnings as superstition. The merchant always got what she wanted.

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!

He had only a few moments to send a message into the past. He couldn’t survive the trip through the wormhole, and he didn’t know that anyone would be on the other side to receive what he sent through, but he had one chance to send a short message, for good or ill.
He thought about the impact his message could have. What tragic events could he prevent, and how could he steer the course of history?
He considered his own life and what he would change. In the end, he only sent two words through the portal.
“THANK YOU.”

Thanks for reading! You can support me and find links to all my other work via my Linktree!