Spec The Halls: Volume 1

By Lesley L. Smith

A short story collection of speculative fiction holiday stories including aliens, time-travel, fairies and more! Happy holidays!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lesley L. Smith
• Release date: Nov 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781950198412

Lesley L. Smith

All right, I confess! I love physics. I blame my misspent youth reading science fiction by the likes of Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke. Not surprisingly, I also love science fiction. I grew up in Missouri, in a family of overeducated overachievers. Following in their footsteps, I've earned far too many degrees including an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Elementary Particle Physics and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction. Hmm? I may have a split personality. The evidence shows I've authored or co-authored many scientific articles, and am a longtime member of the American Physical Society. I'm also a founder and editor of the speculative fiction ezine http://www.electricspec.com and a longtime member of the Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America. Both sides of my personality live in Boulder, Colorado where I do physics by day and science fiction by night. Please visit me on the web at http://www.lesleylsmith.com.

Book preview

Spec The Halls

Volume1

Books by Lesley L. Smith

Temporal Dreams

Neutrino Warning

Kat Cubed

Conservation of Luck

Reality Alternatives

The Quantum Cop Series:

Book 1: The Quantum Cop

Book 2: Quantum Murder

Book 3: Quantum Mayhem

The Space Operetta Series

Book 1: A Jack By Any Oher Name

Book 2: A Jack In The Dark

Book 3: A Jack For All Seasons

Spec The Halls

Volume 1

By Lesley L. Smith

Quarky Media

Boulder Colorado

Spec The Halls: Volume 1

Published by Quarky Media, PO Box 3332, Boulder, CO 80307

www.quarkymedia.com

ISBN: 978-1-950198-41-2

Copyright © 2018 Lesley L. Smith

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability.

Contents

Introduction

Pilgrims

Temporal Turkey

Wonderful Life

Sugar Plum Fairies

Santa Baby

Vixen Alternatives

Quantum Christmas

A Christmas Miracle

Not Santa

Time for Turkey

New Year's Resolution

Baby New Year

Message from the Author

Introduction

I love the whole holiday season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, all the way to New Year's. It's a time when so many people are (uncharacteristically?) chock full of gratitude and kindness. During this time of year, people try to help their fellow man. They treat others with respect and basic human decency. Obviously, we should always treat other people this way… Somehow, the magic of the season helps us be our best selves. So, to me, all the holiday traditions are reminders that we have the potential to be amazing; we have the potential to make Earth wonderful for each and every human being.

Thus, I love classic holiday TV shows like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas and Frosty The Snowman. I also really enjoy holiday movies including old classics like It's a Wonderful Life and new classics like Holiday and Love, Actually.

There's a long tradition of holiday fiction--including speculative holiday stories--that's wonderful, as well. From Dickens's A Christmas Carol to Willis's All Seated on the Ground, you can't go wrong with holiday fiction!

This collection includes stories involving aliens, magic, time travel, superpowers and more--all set amidst Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's. Enjoy!

I sincerely wish, for you and yours: have a wonderful holiday season!

In modern times, Thanksgiving has become a time to welcome family, friends, and potential friends for a special meal. As a speculative fiction writer I couldn't help considering exactly how unusual those potential friends could be…

Pilgrims

Bad news, Cathy. We didn't succeed with our experiment. No life, my research assistant, Tawanda, said in my office doorway.

Still no peptides or anything? I asked.

She nodded.Sorry. Yeah. We've definitely got RNA molecules that can bond amino acids together, but we still can't seem to make peptides out of them.

I was worried about that. I forced a smile. Oh well, creating something that's alive out of something that's not alive is tough. We've just got to keep at it. You're doing a great job, by the way.

She flashed me a little smile, her teeth bright in her face, and took a step closer to my desk.

Come on in, I said.Sit down.

She did so, rearranging her lab coat.What if this isn't how life first started on earth?

How else could it start? I asked gently, knowing what she was going to say.

Some of us grad students have been talking...She looked at the floor in front of my desk.

Yes? I prompted.

What about that theory that life on earth came from outer space? She glanced up at me.

It's an interesting theory, but how would we test it?I smiled genuinely.At the moment, we're stuck on this planet. If you can come with a way to test the exogenesis theory, I'd love to hear it.

We sat in silence for a few moments.

The last thing I wanted to do was discourage a grad student.Don't get me wrong, I finally said.It'd be great if it was true. It'd mean we wouldn't have any trouble finding food when we finally get to Alpha Centauri or wherever.

What do you mean? Tawanda asked. Oh, wait. If we had a common ancestor with the life on Alpha Centauri, their plants and animals would be compatible with our stomachs, right?

I leaned toward her, grinning. Exactly.Tawanda was one of the best research assistants I'd ever had.

Speaking of food, it was getting to be lunchtime. My stomach rumbled.Say, since tomorrow's a holiday, why don't you go on home? I said. I don't think anyone besides us is around here anyway.

You're right about that. Thanks.She smiled and stood up. What time should I come over for dinner tomorrow?

We'll expect you at noon. And don't forget the rolls.

My son Chase stuck his tongue out of his mouth as he carefully put the finishing touches on his masterpiece. I'm done, mom! He held up the report and kicked the rung of the kitchen stool.

I was putting the finishing touches on my own masterpiece: home-made stuffing from scratch. I don't think I was sticking my tongue out, however. Chase must have learned that from his dad.

As a biologist, I found the whole nature versus nurture thing fascinating.

I stepped over to look at his report.Looks good, honey. Why don't you read it to me?I stepped back to the counter and finished spooning the stuffing into the baking dish. Besides the obvious bread, it contained sausage, apple, mushrooms, carrots, and several secret ingredients which my mom made me swear not to tell. My mouth started watering as the smell wafted up to my nose. Where was my husband Jeremy with that pizza?

The First Thanksgiving, Chase said.At the First Thanksgiving, the Native Americans welcomed the Pilgrims with open arms. They shared their natural bounty of turkey and yams and corn with the newcomers.

Newcomers--nice word, I said.

Please don't interrupt, Chase said.The Pilgrims left the old country to escape religious parsec, parsec-something.

Persecution? I asked.

Yeah. That's it. They wanted to be free to live life the way they wanted to. But they were not prepared for the trials they faced in their new country. They had trouble getting enough food, but the Native Americans helped them.

As I put foil over the baking dish of stuffing, I wondered what really happened at the first Thanksgiving-or if there even was such a thing. And would we be as generous today?

Chase continued on, but I must admit I wasn't totally paying attention. I opened the refrigerator, put the stuffing in, and surveyed our natural bounty: the stuffing was ready to go into the oven; the turkey was thawed and marinating; the candied yams were ready; the mashed potatoes were ready--I cheated a little there with instant--but I liked the instant better, less lumpy. Were likes and dislikes nature or nurture?

I smiled and closed the door.

Mom! Chase said.

Yes, honey. Sorry. Your report sounds very good. You did a good job. You should be proud.

Chase beamed at me. He was adorable, with his curly brown hair and smug smile-the spitting image of