WEEK 370
Dr. Finklestein leaned back from the microscope, knowing he'd just discovered...


...

Who cares?, thought DeWitt as he closed the mangled magazine from July 2008. He sat in the waiting area of Dr. Hamden's office wondering how much longer Deb would be. Thank God, we never got married or I might have to pay for this visit, he thought.

He leaned back in the metal folding chair and brushed his hand over his closely shaven scalp. I can't stand this, what's goin on back there? The top of the receptionist's head is visible through the sliding glass window. Why don't this doc have a skinny li'l hottie like every other doc? This chick is closing in on two-fifty and probly has to shave her 'stache.

The side door opens, Deb walks out with her head low and tears trailing down her cheeks. He bowed his head and thought, Damn, she's pregnant.

by Adam Cryer, Beaumont, TX

...an alien life form. A small purple, four legged, glowing single cell organism that seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Where did you find this?" The Dr. asked his assistant.

"On the front steps."

"Any note attached?"

"Nope." Jerry replied.

"Here take a look, Jerry, what is fascinating is this organism can reproduce on its own at a rapid rate."

Jerry pulled up to the microscope, soon turning to Dr. Finklestein, "What are you going to do with it?"

"I don't know. I don't like subjecting lab animals to testing of this nature. I would rather subject a human first."

Dr. Finklestein was brilliant; however, he had been called creepy, spooky, book worm too many times during his childhood that left invisible scars in his very soul.

"I know the perfect test subject," Jerry smiled, "My mother-in-law."

"Why her?"

"Because she is too mean to be affected."

by Ranae Cherry, Shrewsbury, PA

...why his last name was actually his best friend, Nietsel Knif, spelled backward. Nietsel Knif lived in Russia, but that mattered not. Finklestein wiped the sweat from his brow and looked again.

Why is there nothing happening to the blood sample from Area 51? he asked himself.

The doctor removed the glass slide and held it up to the light. The cover slip was not on the slide and the pinkish glue-like substance dripped into Finklestein's eyes. The doctor reached for his face and started clawing at his eyes. He screamed at the feeling of the alien life form moving towards his cerebrum.

The extraterrestrial snake slithered into his brain and started controlling his thoughts. Finklestein fell to the floor and pondered why he and Nietsel Knif enjoyed reading Mary Shelley books so much.

The lab door opened. Nietsel stepped into the room just as Finklestein awoke from his strange dream.

by Donald Stidham, Cleveland, TN

...the proverbial, missing link! That long sought strand of DNA evidence that scientists had been searching for, for decades. He glanced towards the remains on the examining table, and was, at the same time, elated and saddened, that this phenomenal discovery was his to announce. There would be no more conjecture, no more questions about the existence of this wonderous find. As he sat there, staring at the roughly fifty pounds of frozen flesh and fur, the ramifications of his discovery overwhelmed him.

"The world is not ready for this", he said to himself. Upon deciding that the rest of humanity was not yet ready to learn of his discovery, he arose from his chair, tenderly rewrapped the specimen, and returned it to the freezer. As he slowly closed the freezer door, he again spoke softly to nobody but himself, "Rest easy, Bigfoot, your secrets are still safe with me."

by Stewart Lindsay, Buffalo, NY

...he was wearing two different shoes. Not only were they different colors, but they were not even the same type of footwear. On his left foot was his favorite wingtip in the ever rare oxblood color. The right foot was clad in vintage "Chucks". How could he have been so remiss? This project had not only devoured his mind but apparently his eye for coordinating attire.

by Kathleen Ratcliffe, Hatboro, PA