44 Running Newman turned on his TV and in a moment there he was, in his face–Shallot’s great grandfather smiling grimly into the camera. Newman knew of this morning’s broadcast. The entire colony had heard about it. Almost everyone was watching. Anyone still remotely close to Newman texted and phoned, urging him to check out […]
Category: Lust, on Mars
Lust, On Mars Chapters 36-43
36 Hurricane At Your Door “Now what?” Madeline looked at Sally as they sat in her apartment. “Best guess? He’ll avoid the plants. For now. He’ll sit with the workers’ organizations, quietly feeding their fears and need for…him. Ugh.” “Ugh. Drink? Cuddle?” “Not yet. No time.” “So…what? Time for what?” Madeline shrugged. She liked this […]
Lust, On Mars Chapters 24-35
24 Power Play Before and during the last chapter, there was the early morning emergency Council meeting–the follow up to yesterday’s meeting; for the Councillors it led nowhere, for Newman it led to the final set-up before achieving power. Newman felt huge that morning. Powerful. A guiding light. He saw clear wonderful daylight through the […]
Lust, On Mars Chapters 19-24
19 Murder on Mars A murder in the colony was terrible–but had been usually limited to domestic violence: couples in love killing each other because they loved each other. But a random murder? Without love? Colonists were shocked. Four murders over the past two hundred years, all domestic disputes-this was the first without any clear […]
Lust, On Mars Chapters 12-18
12 Ready? Now? “I know who I am,” she told him. “No matter what’s screwed up outside, inside me the time is right. I don’t want to wait any longer. I’m ready. We’re ready.” “Children? Here? Now?” He gripped her shoulders, gently. “Let’s get married instead.” Peter looked at Wendy, at the back of her […]
Lust, On Mars Chaptters 6-11
6 Lust And Lost, On Mars So many felt unsettled. Something was wrong and thinking it was right was almost a crime. By that evening there were few people out, many staying home to play the game. Even colonists who never played computer games tried it—everyone said that, for the first time, the game was […]
Lust, On Mars First Five Chapters
Lust, On Mars By Victor Schwartzman Copyright 2024 Victor Schwartzman 906 Bowron Court North Vancouver BC V7H 2S7 vschwartzman@gmail.com 1 Lust, on Mars Below them her bed, above them the dome, sealing in the colony from the reality of Mars. Completed in 2225, today–a hundred years later—still the sole colony. The reality of Mars intervened […]
Lust, on Mars – Chapter 5 – Mars and Me
While George struggled with his situation, at the front desk of the Clinic Shallot and her two besties dropped off the rest of Alice’s chocolate. Alice had died before she could eat the rest. The woman smiled pleasantly, took the chocolate and told them George would get it. Then it was quiet. “I want to […]
Lust, on Mars – Chapter 6 – Lust and Lost, on Mars
So many felt unsettled. Something was wrong and thinking it was right was almost a crime. By that evening there were few people out, many staying home to play the game. Even colonists who never played computer games tried it—everyone said that, for the first time, the game was totally realistic about their lives. Sally […]
Lust, on Mars – Chapter 4 – What is Inside You
Earlier that morning, George left Shallot’s home willingly with the medics. It would be embarrassing and futile doing anything else—he would have preferred running, buying himself some time. Instead, he complied—he would be hunted–and quietly rode in the van to the Clinic. At the front desk he filled out a questionnaire, had blood taken, was […]
Lust, on Mars – Chapter 3 – Life Under the Dome
Shallot had never worn a protection suit. The suit felt thin, light, protecting against the cold and Martian air. Suits for underground use were far less bulky than those worn outside the dome—no solar radiation to deal with, no searing winds. Sealed into the suit, she breathed, cautiously at first, bottled air. It smelled and […]
Lust, on Mars – Chapter 2 – The Mayor of Mars
In the Mayor’s office there was no room for wavering about life or feeling alone. There was only reality. Which occasionally included wavering about life and feeling alone. Responsible, isolated. Madeline leaned back in the plush chair, kicked off her heels and grunted, tired. Her leg ached, arthritis, but she refused to use her cane […]
Lust, on Mars – Chapter 1 – Lust, on Mars
Below them her bed, above them the dome, sealing in the colony from the reality of Mars. Completed in 2225, today–a hundred years later—still the sole colony. The reality of Mars intervened in plans for the future. By now the clear dome had eroded to a light orange/brown, matching the endless barren landscape outside. Cracks […]