Virtualities: A Collection Of Virtual Reality Science Fiction Stories

by Rik Hunik

Overview

Winterland (5850 words) After Bryce's daughter tells him she can't remember last summer, or any summer, he starts to notice discrepancies in the world of his cozy little town. How long has this winter lasted? And why does he feel so cold all the time? (A slightly different version of this story appeared in Wild Violet, Feb. 2013.)
Vacation Violation (1050 words) Saul had a wonderful life for a twelve-year-old, with a loving family and a comfortable home, and summer vacation was coming, so why was he tormented by a recurring nightmare? (This dark science fiction short short story first appeared in Barbaric Yawp, volume 14, number 3, July 2010.)
Reality Check (1400 words) How can we tell what is real? We only know reality by what our senses tell us, but what if our senses are being manipulated or bypassed? Ted thought he had it figured, but he was wrong. Or was he? (A slightly different version of this story was first published in Barbaric Yawp, volume 12, number 13, July 2008.)
Capital Punishment (5100 words) Some crimes are truly despicable, but how much punishment is too much? Who is to judge? A story of unrelenting horror and cruelty. (A slightly different version of this story appeared in Cemetery Moon #11, Sept. 2014.)
Troubleshooter (2100 words) A science fiction ghost story. Abe Leonard didn't know how he came to be inhabiting his wife's computer but he adapted, though he could never think of her as a widow. He could watch her, but when he started interfering with the commands she entered she went for help. (This story first appeared in The Fifth Di... Sep. 2014.)
The Spirit Of The Game (4960 words) A Thanksgiving Day dinner with a dysfunctional family: the daughter, who has been away at University; the son that never grew up, who earns a living play-testing video games; the widowed mother, out of shape and out of touch; and, in spirit, the father, dead for thirty years, but it's not a happy reunion. (A slightly different version of this story appeared in Wild Violet Vol. 6 #2, Summer 2007.)
Levels (10,370 words) A science fiction novelette wherein Detective Frank and his rookie partner are confronted with a headless corpse in a locked motel room. When similar murders occur in other places it seems he will have to accept a supernatural aspect, but nothing is as it seems and he’s in for a wild trip that will take him places he never imagined. (This story originally appeared in Buzzy Mag.com, May 2012.)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940152943467
Publisher:	Rik Hunik
Publication date:	03/27/2016
Series:	Short Story Collections
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	182 KB

About the Author

Rik Hunik was born in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, in 1957, and has lived his entire life in BC, except for a few summers in Alberta, and a few days in Washington State climbing rocks. He has lived in Ymir, Wells, Quesnel, Prince George, Quesnel, North Vancouver, Quesnel, Burnaby, North Delta, and Quesnel. I live with my wife Jo and a blue-eyed, white cat named Mister. I mostly build houses and shops to earn a living but I'm also a writer, poet, artist, photographer, role playing game designer and independent e-book publisher. I’ve written dozens of stories, including fantasy, horror, sword & sorcery, mystery, humor, erotica, and science fiction, frequently combining genres. Forty have been published in small press magazines and e-zines, from the 200-word "The Hole" in Ascent Aspirations, to the 10,000-word novelette "Levels" in Buzzy Mag, published in May, 2012. Some of them are available now as ebooks at Smashwords. Contact me at: [e-mail]