Short stories | Lecturia

Robert Silverberg: Passengers

“Passengers” is a short story by Robert Silverberg, published in 1968 in the anthology Orbit 4. In a world invaded by entities that control people without warning, a man wakes up with a confused mind and his body marked by the traces of an unknown host. Not knowing what he has done during the last few days, he tries to reconstruct the lost time by observing his surroundings: the mess in the apartment, traces of a woman, signs of someone else’s life. While the city adapts to this disturbing form of slavery, the protagonist clings to the illusion of becoming himself again and regaining control of his destiny.

Alfred Bester: The Men Who Murdered Mohammed

“The Men Who Murdered Mohammed” is a science fiction short story written by Alfred Bester, published in 1958 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The story follows Professor Henry Hassel, who, after discovering his wife’s infidelity, builds a time machine with the intention of erasing her existence by altering historical events. However, as he murders key figures from the past, Hassel discovers that time is a much more complex matter than he had expected. With a mixture of dark humor and temporal paradoxes, Bester questions the nature of time and the consequences of manipulating it.

Ursula K. Le Guin: Mazes

“Mazes” is a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1975 in Epoch. It presents the testimony of a creature imprisoned by an unknown intelligence that subjects it to meticulous and cruel experiments. Forced to navigate mazes as part of an incomprehensible system of observation, the narrator attempts to preserve her lucidity and find meaning in her captor’s behavior. Amid hunger, weakness, and confusion, she searches for a way to communicate with that alien mind, while her confinement becomes a struggle to preserve her dignity and hope.

Ray Bradbury: Kaleidoscope

“Kaleidoscope” is a science fiction story written by Ray Bradbury, published in 1949 in Thrilling Wonder Stories magazine and later included in the collection The Illustrated Man (1951). The story follows a group of astronauts who, after their ship explodes, are left floating uncontrollably in space, doomed to imminent death. As they drift apart and their lives fall apart, their radio conversations become a reflection of their fears, regrets, and reflections on life and death.

J. G. Ballard: The Subliminal Man

The Subliminal Man is a short story by J. G. Ballard, first published in January 1963 in New Worlds Science Fiction and later included in The Terminal Beach (1964). Dr. Franklin lives in a society obsessed with consumerism, where standardization and the constant replacement of goods define everyday life. Hathaway, an old acquaintance known for his eccentric and conspiratorial ideas, tries to warn him about mysterious giant structures that, according to him, control people’s minds through subliminal messages. Initially skeptical, Franklin begins to suspect that Hathaway’s theories might not be so far-fetched after all.

Oscar Wilde: The Fisherman and His Soul

“The Fisherman and His Soul” is a short story by Oscar Wilde, published in 1891 in the book A House of Pomegranates. It tells the story of a young fisherman who one day catches a mermaid in his nets. Fascinated by her beauty and enchanting voice, he agrees to set her free on the condition that, whenever he calls her, she will return to sing for him. As time goes by, the fisherman falls deeply in love and becomes willing to make any sacrifice to live with her in the sea — even to give up his own soul.