October 23, 2114 2:01 am

Ping.

“Warning, Lunar dawn in three hours, four minutes,” sounded over Chelsea’s P.D.A.

Ping.

Chelsea stared at the lunar dark of her cabin wondering what kind of chaos infused the Earth on this new lunar day. In less than a year, the aliens had wiped out most of mankind either through savage warfare or brutal sacrifices to their demented gods. The lunar base remained either unknown or simply was not a concern.

She sat up, swung her feet to the floor. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, took a deep breath, and stretched her arms. Nothing, nothing she thought.

MONSTER, AWAKE
By A. J. French
Illustration by Steve Cartwright
There is a man who does not know he is a monster. He is a normal
man—average in every sense of the word. He contributes to society the
way society would like him to contribute. He pays his bills on time,
files for taxes early, deposits his paychecks into a bank [...]