For the third year in a row, the Baltimore Chapter is here at Balticon, the Baltimore Science Fiction Society’s annual celebration of science fiction, fantasy, and the allied arts. And once again, we’re doing our popular “story in the round” — in which we invite, beg, persuade, and bribe con attendees to add a sentence (or two or three, or … ) to a collaborative SF epic. This year, we’re blogging the story as it unfolds. Check back throughout the day to watch the story unfold!
And if you want to participate, leave your sentences in the comments and we’ll add them in to the live story at Balticon!
As always, Gary Lester provides the opening sentence…
As he approached the young woman, her smile grew; he hoped that it was genuine and that her fangs were not.
Having left the earth for the first time only a week ago, he had so much to learn about the universe.
“You missed a spot,” he said, gesturing to her chin. She casually brushed the scarlet trail from her pale smile and licked the finger suggestively.
“So, where are you from, big guy?” she queried.
“Nowhere of consequence,” he replied mischievously, his eyes merry behind his mask
“I always wanted to see that. Maybe you could take me there someday?” she asked while trying to size up the gentleman who came to the ball dressed as a super-deformed chibi Ozzie Osbourne.
“Henry? Did you take out the garbage?”
“Mom!” he yelled as she lifted the virtual helmet from his head. “I’ll do it after…”
“You’ll do it right now or I’m taking your new game back to the store.”
“But Mom, I just got started!” he whined loudly.
“Just do it!”
Defeated, he put on his vacuum suit and pushed the trashcan out into the void.
Keyboard in Hand 