Machete Girl Issue 8.4 Cyberpunk Short Stories
In this special edition we have some great cyberpunk stories from the streets of the future from some very talented writers from Australia and the United States.
In this special edition we have some great cyberpunk stories from the streets of the future from some very talented writers from Australia and the United States.
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an automatic occurrence. Of course,<br />
the crazy shape-shifting alien woman<br />
DATASTREAM 043<br />
lingered in the back of my mind, giving<br />
my session a “fear for my life” sort of<br />
sobs, and made me watch. Fucker<br />
flavor. The worse part was, it turned<br />
wouldn’t even let me look away without<br />
spongy and tasted stale.<br />
me on even more.<br />
socking me in the face and breaking<br />
my jaw. Had to tell Mom it was a slick-<br />
I had to talk to her. It was kill-<br />
The following day after work, I decided<br />
boarding accident. To this day, I’m sure<br />
ing me. I could help her. Maybe I’m the<br />
to treat myself to dinner at Bakci Oxy-<br />
I’d slice his throat if I saw him.<br />
best one available to her now. Maybe<br />
lounge. This was by far my favorite res-<br />
I’m meant to help her.<br />
taurant. Nano-infused cuisine plus pure<br />
The woman still had that<br />
oxygen pumped into the air equals new<br />
same smirk. Does she even remember<br />
This is stupid. I need to get a<br />
life breathed into each dish continu-<br />
that a robot was birthed from her and<br />
grip. I slouched at my table and stared<br />
ously over time. Steaks fresher than<br />
morphed into her just yesterday after-<br />
at the salad.<br />
the moment the cow was slaughtered.<br />
noon?<br />
Glazed, dark walnut tables contrasted<br />
“Can I get you anything, Sir?”<br />
the white leather booth seats and chair<br />
Pay no attention, Jack. This<br />
The large African waiter wearing a<br />
cushions. Thriving green ivy vines,<br />
only leads to trouble. Just chill here,<br />
white suit with black trim and white<br />
so alive they almost spoke, sprawled<br />
eat your fresher than fresh filet, and be<br />
gloves seemed to appear suddenly.<br />
across the ceiling and hung down the<br />
done with it.<br />
sides of the sleek, black onyx columns.<br />
Could he? This nasty lettuce<br />
Maybe she’s suppressed<br />
could use some life. “How about some<br />
They seated me in a corner<br />
the memory herself. She sure as hell<br />
cheese?” I shot a sarcastic grin.<br />
booth with my back along the wall<br />
seemed traumatized yesterday. Man,<br />
sitting opposite an empty chair, next to<br />
she looks even more gorgeous than<br />
She remained in my periph-<br />
two middle-aged men in suits cack-<br />
yesterday. I didn’t even care that she<br />
eral. A blur, nonetheless, but that didn’t<br />
ling about their co-workers. Just as I<br />
wore the same clothes two days in<br />
stop the energy of her form from etch-<br />
placed my white linen napkin on my<br />
a row. She was dirty but had a glow<br />
ing into the side of my skull, piercing<br />
lap, I jumped in my seat.<br />
about her.<br />
through, begging for me to turn my<br />
head. Fuck! I meant to glance for just<br />
To my distant right, it was her.<br />
Probably because she was<br />
one second and look away, but she<br />
Sitting alone at a booth in the corner of<br />
pregnant not even 24 hours ago.<br />
was staring right at me with this gaze.<br />
the adjacent wall like nothing ever hap-<br />
Was she? Yes. She really was. I hadn’t<br />
pened. She even wore the same dress<br />
Jack! Stop! Your addiction is<br />
seen it before, the allure of her deep<br />
as yesterday.<br />
only trying to find justifiable excuses to<br />
violet eyes. No, no. I had to look away.<br />
talk to her so you can rip that dress off<br />
Heart palpitations. Difficulty<br />
later on after a couple bottles of wine,<br />
I took a giant deep breath.<br />
swallowing and instant sweats ac-<br />
suckling on those delectable tits. Stop<br />
companied by an itch-sting sensation<br />
denying it.<br />
Then gruyere plopped in front of my<br />
shooting throughout my body. All<br />
face with a head nod from the waiter.<br />
symptoms of panic attacks potentially<br />
What does it matter? Why do I even<br />
related to PTSD. I was no stranger to<br />
try? Sex has been the most common<br />
Gruyere? What was I even<br />
either of these syndromes. Half my life<br />
addiction for the past two decades.<br />
saying? I don’t need any cheese. Who<br />
I dealt with images flashing through<br />
Around 80% are inflicted and everyone<br />
the fuck puts gruyere on a salad?<br />
my mind of that fat, slobby, cocksucker<br />
babysitter guy across the street from<br />
my parents’ house who molested my<br />
baby sister. Made her beg him for more<br />
while she choked on her mucousy<br />
makes a mockery of the issue. “There<br />
certainly could be worse problems!”<br />
But I know it makes me weak. There<br />
are still those few of us who recognize<br />
that.<br />
The Boston lettuce in my<br />
salad was not quite as crisp and light<br />
as it usually was. The leaves weren’t as<br />
I was bored of food. I stood<br />
up and walked toward her table. She<br />
was smoking a cigarette. Approaching<br />
her felt like I was in a movie.<br />
“Hi,” I said.<br />
MACHETE GIRL ISSUE <strong>8.4</strong>
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