Eleven short stories and a poem that show us what comes after the end of all we know.This is the fourth volume of the collected short stories of Joe Vasicek. It includes:The Manchurian ParadoxWe have met our timeline's enemy and he is us.A Fatal RebirthNothing in this world should live forever—not even civilization itself.The Final TurningThis is how the world ends: not with a bang, but with a whimper—thanks to me.The New CovenantTo restore a fallen America, an ancient and terrible covenant must be renewed.Hearken and Behold (by J.M. Wight)"e;Hearken, oh ye hypocrites, and behold the desolation that is already come upon you!"e;The End of ElysiumFor the promise of paradise, the last civilization will surrender to the apocalypse.The Promise of King WashingtonWhen the aliens came, it wasn't a military invasion: it was an economic one.(Again, Hazardous Imaginings, December 2020)Lord of the Slaves"e;Everyone secretly wants to be a slave. Those who deny it simply haven't found the right master."e;The Other Side of RealityWhat if your future self came back to give you advice, and all it did was confuse you?Schrödinger's Diaper"e;Stays clean and dry until you're free to change it!"e; …except not quite.(Bards and Sages Quarterly, April 2022)Two Hours AgoA time machine without paradoxes, so long as it's not abused.Welcome to Our Crazy FamilyTwo genderqueer lesbians and a tranny have a rebellious daughter who does the unthinkable and decides to marry a Christian.
