Short Stories

Here are some samples of my short fiction. Most of it is humorous. All of it will make you think. Or sleep. One of those.

The Secret of the Eternal City

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/1/1975 Posted: 12/11/2019		Page Views: 1819
Topics: #Writing #AdamStrange #FanFiction
My attempt at Adam Strange fan fiction.

One of my very favorite superheroes, even over Superman, is the DC character Adam Strange. This character, who was a normal-human archaeologist on Earth, each story would be teleported via "Zeta Beam", to the planet Rann in the Alpha Centauri star system, where he would have an adventure (in which he would save Rann from certain doom), before the Zeta Beam wore off and he was drawn back to earth, there to wait for the next Zeta Beam to take him back.

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A Tower of Babel

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 3/20/2023		Page Views: 389
Topics: #ShortStories #ArtificialIntelligence
Communication is key. But for what lock?

In the heart of Mesopotamia, in the city of Babyl, a mighty shape could be seen under construction rising above the horizon for many, many miles away. The Ziggarat, as it was called, was to be the tallest and most impressive structure the world had ever seen. Constructed under orders from the Babylonian's God King, Marduk, it had been a source of steady employment for many generations. Marduk was generous, and the people of Babyl spared no expense in training the best engineers, programmers, lawyers, architects, and other specialists to ensure its success. However, as years passed, construction slowed to a virtual halt, and Marduk demanded a top-level meeting to determine what the problem was, and find a solution.

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Before the Winter Comes

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/13/1973		Page Views: 2915
Topics: #ShortStories
What happens when the lifeguard is unable to save the girl?

He drops to the sand, liking the sensation produced by the sudden stiffening of the ground as his weight hits it, followed by its softening when he releases the pressure. Idly he traces the outline of a car with his toe, then stands back and inspects it and the rainbow reflecting on the wet sand around it.

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Brian and the Pot of Gold

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 3/13/1965		Page Views: 2980
Topics: #ReligiousPolitics #SpiritualityShortStories
I won my eighth grade writing contest with this tale!

Brian was startled. The leprechaun's pot of gold had been the thought farthest from his mind when he had helped Paddy. Obviously the little man had the wrong idea of humans. Perhaps he had met a few greedy people, and thought that they all were that way.

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Dandruff Of The Gods

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 12/9/2019		Page Views: 1465
Topics: #Writing #Parody #Comedy
A parody of 'Chariots of the Gods?' I wrote before I, too, became convinced that our creators were aliens. Still…funny is funny!

Do you believe the Earth was colonized by gods from outer space who came here from millions of light-years away to found a colony two-and-one-half miles northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas? Do you believe that mankind has been periodically aided by the advanced wisdom of humanoid aliens who have gifted us with some of their great knowledge, making possible such things as prehistoric electric batteries and ancient acoustic tile? If so, new evidence may have proven you wrong!

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Final Exam

By: Paul S. Cilwa			Page Views: 3740
Topics: #ReligiousPolitics #Spirituality #ShortStories
What if you got to Heaven…and found that you didn't like it?

Emily looked up. The light of God was so intense it could be seen through the ceiling. "'No one can look at the Face of God and live,'" she quoted. "But I'm dead. Someone needs to tell Jesus what's going on here before it's too late."

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Her Noon

By: Paul S. Cilwa			Page Views: 3767
Topics: #ShortStory #Humor
A gender-reversal send-up of the Gary Cooper classic.

Morning dawned fair and quiet…quieter than usual, since most of the townsfolk had moved away during the night. With their sheriff dead, Desolation wasn't going to be worth living in.

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My Favorite Pope

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 12/10/2019		Page Views: 1689
Topics: #Writing #Humor #Religion
What TV needs is a sitcom about a funny pontiff.

Isn't television fascinating? Through the years it has shown us greed, tragedy and illicit sex…and that's just on the evangelists' shows! But I've just had the most wonderful idea for a TV show. It truly has everything: romance, adventure, fantasy, religion, even doctors and police. It's called, "My Favorite Pope".

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Suited For The Job

By: Paul S. Cilwa			Page Views: 3075
Topics: #ShortStories #Humor
Carlos needed the job…but somehow, he just felt like a clown.

He had to admit he looked a little wild. It was his hair, basically. He had none on top, but the hair at the sides of his head was long and luxurious. It wasn't subtle hair, either; it was bright red and Carlo had always worn it brushed out for maximum effect. But, looking critically in the mirror, Carlo had to admit that it just made him look like all the other clowns who tried to compensate for baldness by growing it where it could be grown.

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The Fly and I

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 10/23/2023		Page Views: 2956
Topics: #Poetry
A fight to the finish.

Around the breakfast table On a cool September day, A common housefly buzzing —Buzzing, buzzing, buzzing— A common housefly buzzing, Where all the dishes lay.

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