MattMacBride

Ryder Kade, a boxing champion on the colonized planet Veron, is tempted by big money purses offered on the neighboring mining planet Dradus. On arrival, he discovers that the planet is owned, and ruled, by the tyrannical Tellurium Mining Corporation. Unable to recruit enough workers to replace those killed in the mines, the TMC have developed a serum that reanimates the dead to be exploited as feebleminded zombie slaves. Sickened at their treatment, Ryder tries to help a zombie woman being assaulted, but is fatally stabbed by her molesters. He wakes to find himself resurrected in a terrifying dystopian situation. He is forced to perform as a 'slugger' in vicious fights to the death. But Ryder was reanimated within seconds of dying, and his intellect still functions. He persuades his fellows to fight back against their evil oppressors to take control of their destiny. Can Ryder succeed against a powerful enemy with nothing but his army of damaged goods? ONC 2025. Prompts 46 / 136.…

MattMacBride

This short story is written in 'Easy English' for an international readership. The children of a small English town work together to keep Lucy the sheepdog where she belongs.…

MattMacBride

A struggling writer vows to make his father confess to his mother's murder ... but is stunned when he learns the truth.(#ONC 2024)Tormented by nightmares of his mother's violent death, and his father's part in it, Michael Lewis has avoided his past for three decades. But when a terminal illness draws his estranged father back into his life with one last wish, Michael sees a chance for justice. He agrees to take his father on a search for the rare Andalusian Hemipode, determined to use their time together to prove his darkest suspicions. As their quest for the elusive bird progresses, Michael's parents' heartrending love story comes to light and he starts to doubt his childhood memories. Can a shared passion for birdwatching heal their rift before time runs out?…

MattMacBride

A discredited biologist joins the fight to keep Earth safe when aliens reveal the shocking origins of mankind ... and their evil intentions are uncovered.Dr Toby Jardine's much-derided theory of 'Intelligent Design' is proven correct when he takes part in a clandestine meeting with extra-terrestrials. The encounter aboard the USA's Orbital Construction Facility results in a sensational disclosure; an ancient race of highly intelligent super-rodents played God to create and exploit life on Earth as a food source. With Darwinism debunked and the world's religions undermined, the danger of worldwide upheaval is extreme. A worried US President decides the revelations, and the very existence of the aliens must be kept secret at all costs. But when Toby discovers the seemingly benign visitors have an evil ulterior motive for their visit, he and his colleagues are forced to take drastic action. The unarmed team on the facility must find a way to eliminate the threat while maintaining complete secrecy ... or risk plunging the population of Earth into chaos.…

MattMacBride

A lonely old man's need to replace the love of his life leads to a heartbreaking final act.…

MattMacBride

Three uplifting stories to brighten your day. Meet a neighbour whose looks are deceiving, a remarkable Goth, and gamblers who are not what they seem.Note: All the stories are less than 10 minutes.…

MattMacBride

In 1966, a mid-air collision results in a bomb falling near the drought-stricken Spanish village of Palomares. Eduardo Garcia, the local mayor, considers the unexploded bomb a gift from the gods and makes a deal to return it to the USAF in exchange for a new well. Unfortunately, Basque separatists have different ideas. They steal the bomb to use in a plot to assassinate General Franco, unaware that it is a thermonuclear device. Eduardo, with the help of streetwise American sergeant John Delgado, sets out to recover the weapon needed to secure his community's water supply. Oh ... and avert a nuclear disaster.NOTE: This story is fictional but is based on a real event (see Author's Notes).…

MattMacBride

Meet the boy who turned Henry the 8th into a monster, the guardian angel of a Roman fishing village, and a warrior king with a magical sword.Note: All the stories are less than 10 minutes.…

MattMacBride

Your mind can fool you into thinking everything is fine ... until reality dawns, and you realize the awful truth.Note: All stories are less than 10 minutes.…

MattMacBride

Meet the last man on the doomed Earth, a starship captain with a terrible secret to hide, an artist on a lifelong quest to find a new color and a freedom fighter on the planet Vitu.Note: All stories are less than 10 minutes.…

MattMacBride

ONC 2021 Shortlister + Honorable Mention. Newly released from trad publishing agreement.Twenty years after losing touch, Flinty, Simmo and Spud meet up and set off on a road trip to find the Glasgow pub featured in the iconic movie 'Trainspotting'. Near the Scottish border, they run into dense fog and are trapped at a motorway service station. As they reminisce about their wild teenage years, Simmo begins to pick up clues about the tragic death of his younger brother ... and decides to take justice into his own hands.…

MattMacBride

When mythical beasts threaten the plague-ridden land of Gisia, the King must sacrifice the soul of the person most precious to him to save his kingdom.…

MattMacBride

A vision of the future convinces a SETI Investigator that any contact with aliens must be avoided.Winner of Sci-Fi contest / Time Machine / May 2021…

MattMacBride

A small fishing community is plagued by terrifying phenomena, but the villagers soon have reason to be grateful for their torment.Read, or listen to the audio version on my podcast channel (link in my profile).…

MattMacBride

Losing your shoes on the way to an important interview seems like a recipe for disaster ... unless, like Justin, you can think on your feet!…

MattMacBride

Things don't always go according to plan when you buy your dream Spanish villa, especially if the developer goes bust and you wind up living on a building site. This 'mezcla' (mixture) of the author's experiences during his first year on the beautiful Costa Blanca is sure to make you smile!…

MattMacBride

This short story is written in 'Easy English' for an international readership. Liz and Gary are shocked when they see their new neighbor. But is he really the ogre they think he is?You can also listen along on the podcast version!…

MattMacBride

Alexei is resigned to spending his few remaining days on Earth alone ... until an unexpected encounter brings him his greatest happiness.You can read and listen along on the podcast version.…

MattMacBride

If you saw someone burying a body in a forest, would you offer to help?You can read, or listen to the podcast version.…

MattMacBride

In the distant future, time-distorting faster-than-light travel causes a starship crew to meet themselves at an intergalactic waystation. And the Captain has a terrible secret he refuses to reveal ... even to himself.You can read, or listen to the podcast version.…