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Worst-Case Scenario
An asteroid larger than the one that decimated the dinosaurs was found to be on a collision course with planet Earth. Chichibu observatory in Japan had made the initial discovery and had been the first to release the horrific news that no one would ever want to hear. Ground Zero could not be predicted, yet. Not A lot of time remained. It spelled doom for everyone who had become accustomed to calling the blue planet home.
In a small town in Southern California the life of retired fireman Jim Stone had been uprooted. Up till now he’d led a peaceful coexistence in his small world with a loving son and if that wasn't enough, he’d been fortunate enough to meet the woman of his dreams. They had planned to be married in the near future. For the first time in his life he’d found true bliss. It seemed he couldn’t have asked for anything more, that is, until that dreadful day when society imploded.
In a small town in Southern California the life of retired fireman Jim Stone had been uprooted. Up till now he’d led a peaceful coexistence in his small world with a loving son and if that wasn't enough, he’d been fortunate enough to meet the woman of his dreams. They had planned to be married in the near future. For the first time in his life he’d found true bliss. It seemed he couldn’t have asked for anything more, that is, until that dreadful day when society imploded.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2018
5 people want to read
About the author
Paul Falk
9 books141 followersMy Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/paulfalk
Republished Reviews: Open Books Publisher (UK)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 13, 2018
James Stone, a model citizen, finds himself in an unprecedented situation that quickly turns into a matter of life and death as an asteroid threatens to annihilate the planet earth. Driven by survival instincts and the determination to save his family, James is forced to make some desperate decisions.
The fear of impending doom can take its toll on our judgment and emotions, pushing us towards boundaries that we would never cross otherwise. The author created a believable doomsday scenario for his protagonist (James) that made him highly relatable. I could imagine how it would feel to be in James' shoes; being caught in an undulating array of events leading to the worst.
This story greatly reminds me of Stephen King's "The Mist", and I found it just as chilling.
The switch from the first to third-person narrative seemed a bit off at the end, which, in my opinion, hurts the natural rhythm of the story. But, nonetheless, it was a good read.
I would highly recommend it to readers looking for a horror/thriller short story. Stephen King fans, you are in for a treat :)
The fear of impending doom can take its toll on our judgment and emotions, pushing us towards boundaries that we would never cross otherwise. The author created a believable doomsday scenario for his protagonist (James) that made him highly relatable. I could imagine how it would feel to be in James' shoes; being caught in an undulating array of events leading to the worst.
This story greatly reminds me of Stephen King's "The Mist", and I found it just as chilling.
The switch from the first to third-person narrative seemed a bit off at the end, which, in my opinion, hurts the natural rhythm of the story. But, nonetheless, it was a good read.
I would highly recommend it to readers looking for a horror/thriller short story. Stephen King fans, you are in for a treat :)
May 29, 2018
All life on earth is doomed to be destroyed by an approaching asteroid. This is the scenario depicted by Paul Falk and described mostly in the first person by narrator, James Stone. When the impending doom is announced by television media wholesale panic ensues and the frightening situation Stone finds himself in leads him to take desperate measures.
It is possible the story can be thought as an indictment of modern day gun carrying American society. I don't think the method used to switch to a different point of view at the end of the story worked. But I did sympathise with the central character and my concern for his welfare, and those closest to him, kept me absorbed to the end.
It is possible the story can be thought as an indictment of modern day gun carrying American society. I don't think the method used to switch to a different point of view at the end of the story worked. But I did sympathise with the central character and my concern for his welfare, and those closest to him, kept me absorbed to the end.
May 16, 2018
A fast moving, compelling story
Paul Falk has written another compelling story with an interesting twist at the end. As the world faces annihilation from a giant, fast-moving asteroid Jim Stone quickly acts to protect everything he loves, his son Eric and his girlfriend Lori. But things go wrong. Terribly wrong. Stone soon finds himself surrounded by catastrophic chaos.
Falk's characters are fully developed through well-placed detail. They are refreshing and likable. Jim Stone has a dry sense of humor, a clever matter-of-fact voice, and a determination to survive. It's this determination that takes him down a road no thinking person wants to go down. In the beginning he has a sort of quiet logic to his actions, given that the world is about to come to an end. As things escalate though, his logic turns disastrous.
This story was a lot of fun to read. Each time I read one of Falk's stories I really enjoy his characters, and the undercurrent of matter-of-fact thinking that they have, despite the dangers that they face. The details in this story underline what might really happen if civilization was about to come to an end, the storyline horrific and believable, as an "each man for himself" mentality takes over. I highly recommend Worst-Case Scenario to anyone looking for a compelling, quick read.
Paul Falk has written another compelling story with an interesting twist at the end. As the world faces annihilation from a giant, fast-moving asteroid Jim Stone quickly acts to protect everything he loves, his son Eric and his girlfriend Lori. But things go wrong. Terribly wrong. Stone soon finds himself surrounded by catastrophic chaos.
Falk's characters are fully developed through well-placed detail. They are refreshing and likable. Jim Stone has a dry sense of humor, a clever matter-of-fact voice, and a determination to survive. It's this determination that takes him down a road no thinking person wants to go down. In the beginning he has a sort of quiet logic to his actions, given that the world is about to come to an end. As things escalate though, his logic turns disastrous.
This story was a lot of fun to read. Each time I read one of Falk's stories I really enjoy his characters, and the undercurrent of matter-of-fact thinking that they have, despite the dangers that they face. The details in this story underline what might really happen if civilization was about to come to an end, the storyline horrific and believable, as an "each man for himself" mentality takes over. I highly recommend Worst-Case Scenario to anyone looking for a compelling, quick read.
June 12, 2018
Kept my interest all the way to the end!
In this short story, Mr. Falk describes a modern day Lord of the Flies tale of civilization falling apart.
A former fire fighter learns from his friend that an asteroid is headed for Earth. When he tunes into the TV news he finds that it's not just a rock, either, but a rock large enough to cause an extinction event within two months. Then everything starts going wrong—his son can't get home from the northern part of the state and after hearing a scuffle on the phone he fears his son has been attacked. His girlfriend is killed by a looter who Jim kills in self-defense. His neighbor tries to kill him in order to steal food. Everything he knew and trusted is gone. Does the asteroid hit…or could it possibly miss the planet? After his life is in tatters, does it really matter anymore?
Except for a bit of editing that would have straightened out some grammatical problems, I liked this story a lot. It kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
In this short story, Mr. Falk describes a modern day Lord of the Flies tale of civilization falling apart.
A former fire fighter learns from his friend that an asteroid is headed for Earth. When he tunes into the TV news he finds that it's not just a rock, either, but a rock large enough to cause an extinction event within two months. Then everything starts going wrong—his son can't get home from the northern part of the state and after hearing a scuffle on the phone he fears his son has been attacked. His girlfriend is killed by a looter who Jim kills in self-defense. His neighbor tries to kill him in order to steal food. Everything he knew and trusted is gone. Does the asteroid hit…or could it possibly miss the planet? After his life is in tatters, does it really matter anymore?
Except for a bit of editing that would have straightened out some grammatical problems, I liked this story a lot. It kept me engrossed from beginning to end.
June 16, 2018
A really fun short story, that is literally about everyone's worst case scenario. The story starts with the news that our little planet is about to be hit with a huge asteroid and there's nothing that can be done to save life on earth. This story follows James Stone's tale as he struggles to comprehend his fate and ensure his family stays safe. This is an action packed tale with a brutal ending. Another great story from Paul Falk!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews