By Chuck McKenzie
‘Holy shit!’
Jim switched off the projected quantum field surrounding the sealed plastic crate and checked the readings. Then he checked them again. Then, trembling slightly, he cleared his throat and turned to the nearest camera.
‘Schrödinger’s Stasis Wave, test number…uhm…five-seven-two. The, ah… subject inside the enclosure no longer demonstrates any accepted signs of life. No respiration. No heartbeat or pulse. Even cellular activity is rapidly slowing, according to the readings. And yet —’
Jim glanced towards the observation window. ‘And yet, we’re still registering movement. Quite significant movement. The subject is basically…pacing up and down inside the enclosure! Holy shit.’ He laughed nervously. ‘Sorry. Poor choice of words for the official record, but…I think we’ve done it! We’ve achieved a perfect state of quantum superposition! We have a subject that’s paradoxically both alive and dead simultaneously! Holy shit, the applications —’
Jim stopped and took a deep breath. ‘Ok, sorry — getting ahead of myself. Let’s get the physical exam done.’ He moved to the medical cart beside the door and picked up a pair of latex gloves, pulling them on as he entered the testing room. ‘This is amazing! Thank you, Erwin Schrödinger, for the inspiration..!’
Inside the crate the undead cat paced restlessly, glaring into darkness with milky eyes. Waiting for the crate to be opened. Waiting to feed.
About the Author
Chuck McKenzie
Chuck McKenzie was born in 1970, and still spends much of his time there.
He also runs the YouTube channel 'A Touch of the Terrors', where — as 'Uncle Charles' — he performs readings of his favourite horror tales in a manner that makes most ham actors look like Gielgud.
Our weekly podcast features the stories from recently published issues, often narrated by the authors themselves.
Timothy Gwyn is a professional pilot in Canada, where he flies to remote communities. During a lull in his flying career, he was a radio announcer for three years, and he is also an author.
Alistair Lloyd is a Melbourne based writer and narrator who has been consuming good quality science fiction and fantasy most of his life.
Sarah Jane Justice is an Adelaide-based fiction writer, poet, musician and spoken word artist.
Margaret lives the good life on a small piece of rural New South Wales Australia, with an amazing man, a couple of pets, and several rambunctious wombats.
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My time at Nambucca Valley Community Radio began back in 2016 after moving into the area from Sydney.
Ed lives with his wife plus a magical assortment of native animals in tropical North Queensland.
Mark is an astrophysicist and space scientist who worked on the Cassini/Huygens mission to Saturn. Following this he worked in computer consultancy, engineering, and high energy research (with a stint at the JET Fusion Torus).
Tim Borella is an Australian author, mainly of short speculative fiction published in anthologies, online and in podcasts.
Geraldine Borella writes fiction for children, young adults and adults. Her work has been published by Deadset Press, IFWG Publishing, Wombat Books/Rhiza Edge, AHWA/Midnight Echo, Antipodean SF, Shacklebound Books, Black Ink Fiction, Paramour Ink Fiction, House of Loki and Raven & Drake
Barry Yedvobnick is a recently retired Biology Professor. He performed molecular biology and genetic research, and taught, at Emory University in Atlanta for 34 years. He is new to fiction writing, and enjoys taking real science a step or two beyond its known boundaries in his
Emma Louise Gill (she/her) is a British-Australian spec fic writer and consumer of vast amounts of coffee. Brought up on a diet of English lit, she rebelled and now spends her time writing explosive space opera and other fantastical things in
Sarah Pratt is an avid fiction writer and a Marketing Consultant.
Juliette Cavendish was born in Liverpool UK and is of Welsh and Norwegian heritage. Juliette has an interest in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Science and writes in both Science Fiction and Contemporary Fiction genres. Juliette was fascinated with space as a