@mlbphd
14 hard sci-fi novels. Explore thrilling adventures & timeless human connections. Experience a meticulously crafted future where science & imagination collide! P.S. These stories are true, they just haven't happened yet. http://www.michaelbrachman.com
Rei stood at the front, watching Jalen close in on the far side of the pool. He dipped his goggles in the water, then slid them over his eyes. The biometric heads-up display flashed red.
“Stress levels rising. Cortisol spike detected.”
Rei didn’t care.
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The stories don’t knock politely. They pace. They echo. They keep me up.
So I write them.
Getting them out of my head and onto the page feels like setting them free. ✍️ #sciencefiction #booksky
Devon hung off the wall waiting for the touch then he extended out. He was solid but not spectacular. They had dropped to 3rd place. As soon as Jalen launched off the wall for the freestyle, the coach grabbed him.
“Bierak, you’re up. Get yourself right.”
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He stepped out. Found the team already huddled by their lane. Soon it was time. The simulated gun went off. Marco went first. He was sharp, clean, off the wall. Haverford’s split time put them in second place. Backstroke was next. Devon hung off the wall.
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Rei slathered on legal lotion that filled his pores for a short time, making his skin as hydrodynamic as possible. His pores tingled. He’d trained for this since junior high. Every drill, every lap, every practice meet. It was time to put it all together.
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In his locker, he kept a Speedo: 1 size too small. He never really had a frank discussion with himself as to why he owned it. But today the answer was clear. Every ounce of resistance mattered.
It was twenty minutes before the race.
Rei slathered on oil.
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When he wiped off the last of the stubble, he looked in the mirror and laughed.
He looked like an alien. He only wished he’d invited his parents but he never expected to be in this position.
He riffled through the equipment bag and found a too small cap.
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Can AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot develop true self awareness? #booksky #sciencefiction #artificialintelligence #ai
Rei sprinted inside. He depilated every hair on his body. He looked in the mirror and bid farewell to his eyebrows. It only took seconds to shave them off. He buzzed as much hair off his head as he could. He slathered depilation lotion all over his scalp.
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“What time is the race?” Rei asked.
“4 o’clock.”
Rei looked up. The main scoreboard read 3:30.
“Gimme ten minutes.” He squared his shoulders and dashed toward the locker room. Over his shoulder, he shouted, “Tell the polo team I’m not coming to warmups.”
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Rei looked over at the pool. On the far side, swimmers were either practicing or just fooling around.
“Sure,” he said. “I’ll do it. Of course, I’ll do it. In fact, I’m excited to do it.”
Jalen couldn’t help himself. “Woo-hoo,” he shouted. “That’s my boy.”
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Rei stared at them.
Devon stepped forward and jammed his thumb against his own chest. “If you don’t do it, we forfeit. We worked too hard to just give up. All you gotta do is promise us you’ll give it your all. No matter what happens, we’ll be thankful.”
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He continued: "Jalen’s freestyle but it still ends with the butterfly. None of us can swim the last leg. It’s the state finals, for god’s sake. The three of us will handle our part and keep us competitive. But you’re the only butterfly who can finish it.”
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Imagine a world where everything is free. What would you do?
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Rei added, "I mean, I think I am but I don’t want to let you guys down.” He rubbed the back of his neck, uneasy under their expectant stares.
Marco nudged Jalen. “Look. Rei. This is the Australian Medley Relay. I do breaststroke. Devon does backstroke."
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Rei blinked. “What about Randy? He’s number 2.”
Jalen added, “You know he pulled a pec in the Districts 2 weeks ago. He’s been pushing through rehab, but he’s not ready. He says he can’t go. So we’re out of options.”
Rei frowned. “Are you sure I’m ready?"
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“Uh, Tony’s been in an accident.”
Rei opened his mouth to speak but the coach held his hand up to stop him. “Nothing serious. He’ll be fine. But he’s not uh, not swimming today.”
Jalen stepped forward. “Rei, we need you swim the final leg.”
Rei blinked.
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By the diving board, the coach and 3 players were arguing. Jalen looked over at Rei & pointed. The whole group turned to stare at Rei like zombies. As a group, they pivoted & shambled toward him. Rei stood up.
“What?” he asked.
The coach stepped forward.
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March 15 was the day of the finals for the race. Rei stepped out of the locker room wearing a crimson and gold robe, the team’s colors. He was scheduled to warm up with the water polo team in the practice pool in 20 minutes and he didn’t want to be late.
#BookSky #scifi
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My newest book is a prequel, but if you haven't read the series yet - you'll be ready to dive right in!
Check it out on Amazon here: a.co/d/0iZdhCK1
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The natatorium was the finest Rei had ever seen.
As a sophomore he didn’t compete in any individual events. He was there as a cheerleader. The HHS men’s Australian Medley Relay team made the finals, and Rei felt just as proud as if he had swum it himself.
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They steadily made their way up the ladder to the Delco championship then to the PIAA District 1 Championships. They only made second but that still qualified them for States.
The State Championship took place in March of 2059 at Bucknell in Lewisburg, PA
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He had to put in the time. Earn his way onto the team.
The Haverford High men’s four-hundred-meter Australian Medley Relay team was one of the top squads in the state. That Rei could even practice with them felt like an honor.
His team excelled onward.
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I've been posting daily snippets from Rei's Road every day since it went live. Same universe as Rome's Revolution. You can read a free sample on Amazon. Here is the link to the Kindle edition: www.amazon.com/dp/B0GD8VRXKQ Available in paperback, hardback and audiobook as well.
For away meets, they took robobuses to the other schools. Rei got to swim some backup singles and relays, but those didn’t count. They weren’t logged. Still, being around the team mattered. The guys made it worth it. Rei told himself patience.
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They let Rei swim freestyle and backstroke to give the others a break. He wasn’t quite as fast with those strokes, but he was good enough to simulate a real race. Breaststroke was his weakest, but they let him try that too. The meets were fun.
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My favorite advice to give writers is to write what you know. It's so important to be authentically you! #booksky #sciencefiction
He ran drills with the relay team. Jalen, Marco, and Devon asked for him more than once. They’d push through their leg, then tag him in to finish the lap. It wasn’t glamorous, but it mattered. Rei kept the rhythm going. Sometimes they switched.
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That might not have meant much since there were only three guys who specialized, but it still felt good. Especially when he held his own against Tony and Randy. Not bad for a sophomore. But not good enough to bump anyone from the relay team.
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This story has lived in my head and heart for a long time. Rei’s journey is about courage, curiosity, resilience, and what it really means to chase something bigger than yourself.
You can grab your copy now and start the adventure here: a.co/d/0iVyNd3T
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