The Conclave

by Mark Coker

The year is 2360. Elysium Biodome V, an isolated poultry farming colony on Mars, has discovered the secret to human harmony.

The community gathers for its 280th annual Conclave, a celebration of love, community, and chickens.

Short story.

26 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2025

About the author

Writer of short science fiction. Also gardener, husband, founder of Smashwords, patent-holding inventor, and Chief Strategy Officer and board member of Draft2Digital, the leading distributor of indie ebooks.

Author of:

Science Fiction Shorts:

Drone Wars
- the future of drone warfare; the urge to look away
The Fish of Terran 19
- mmm...fish
The Conclave
- mmm...chicken
La Petite Mort (novella)
- learn french

Long Fiction:
Boob Tube
- novel of the behind-the-scenes of daytime Hollywood soap operas back in the day.

Non-fiction:
The Smashwords Style Guide (how to create and format an ebook); The Smashwords Book Marketing Guide (how to market any book); The 10-Minute PR Checklist (how to implement a strategic PR program)

Reviews

[Meenaz Lodhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but spiky!
OMGOODNESS! I was not expecting such dramatic ending!
The story began with a nice pace, depicting a utopian community on Mars, living inside domes, as small towns. It was all so pure, and lovely, people bestowing love on each other, caring, living in harmony that it felt too sweet and sticky. I did think it was too sweet to be that natural. lol.

[UP Hedgey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read about the only successful biodome on Mars. As the story concludes you find that success has a disturbing price. Like his last short this leaves me looking for more of Mark's shorts.

[Mandy White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deliciously dark

This deliciously dark tale contains all the ingredients I enjoy in a story. It's science fiction that gradually morphs into horror as the story develops. The twist at the end is one I started to suspect about two-thirds of the way through the read, and the ending did not disappoint. Also, there are chickens, and I do adore my little feathered friends.
I recommend you give this one a read. It's well worth the while, and for the price, you have nothing to lose!

[Gerald Sessions · Rating 5 out of 5]

obesity wins.

This is the book of the future of life in the biodome on Mars. Chickens are the ultimate recycling machine. Don't be a skinny vegan be plump and in a wheelchair. Very well written and was quite a bit of meaning.. I will not ruin the ending by telling you how the doctor was re-welcomed into his loving community

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrendously Stupid.

[Alan Loewen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Bizarre Short Story Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery

On Mars under a massive bio dome, a small village exists centered around chickens and the Conclave, an annual celebration of life under the dome and a personality contest of the most and least loved citizens.

[Scott Shjefte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dystopian asteroid of chicken raisers. Happiness is not godliness.
Book outcome is obvious and inbreeding also obvious. Self defeating behaviours.
Short story 26 pages.

Purchased for free from Amazon may 04, 2026. Read with Alexa reading audio application.

[Sally Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

You'll see the ending of this short story from a mile away. Same idea as a very classic story everyone's read in school or at least heard about the twist.

[Mandy Walkden-Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5* Well, that was quite some twist in the tale.

Good, very quick read well worth a look. I’ll definitely be checking out more, hopefully much longer, stories from this author.

[WILLIAM WEXLER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprise

Well told. The ending hits you over the head and scares the heck out of you. I recommend this to everyone except children