Short Stories

Here is a collection of James Saint Simon's Short Stories 

Latest Addition:

Upon the Extinction of Man 

The human race has gone extinct and all that remain are super intelligent robots. What will they do now that their makers are gone? 

Portrait of a Dead Man 

A young nineteenth century painter with a growing reputation is commissioned by an eerie gentleman to paint a portrait in front of a live audience of aristocrats. If he successfully completes the painting before midnight, he inherits the gentleman's wealth, but it comes with a catch. 

Life in the Fishbowl

Imagine a steampunk world where fishing lines hang from the sky with temptations of all sorts attached to the hooks. Most people never return when they are reeled into the sky. The ones who do, never tell the same story about who or what is on the other side. A young man who has been dodging them for years is face with an impossible decision. 

Hidden in Clay

A potter, who always dreamed of being a sculpture finally takes a chance. When the reaction is not what he expects, the potter begins to question his motives for creating art and contemplates his self-worth.

Love in the Time of Simulation

He loves an AI software more than his actual family. He struggles with reconciling his feelings and reality. When the simulation begins to disrupt his perception of reality, he goes on a quest to discover the truth. But the truth is not always pleasant.

Liberty Gained, Freedom Lost 

During the time of revolution in France, two prisoners share a cell together and form a friendship. One will be there a very long time, but the other will be out in and out for many years. Who is truly free?

Where Crime Begins 

Dr. Hawthorne had never experienced a patient who turned himself in before committing the crime. There is clearly something wrong with him, but is it ethical to lock him away because of the potential for evil? Should he wait for something to go horribly wrong or prevent it?

The Door

Walking down the street, a family man encounters a monolithic door. Tempted to find out what is inside, he walks through for a moment and loses a decade of his life.

A Young Man and the Sea

Feeling rejected by the people on land, a young man sets off to sea for peace. He finds the ocean to be an unpredictable and dangerous place. Can he survive the tempests of the sea or the contempt of his fellow men?

The Vanishing of the Weeping Woman

Inspired by the true story of an encounter with an unexplainable phenomenon. As he was doing work in his room, a man hears a woman weeping outside the window. Being a skeptic, he pays no heed until strange things follow. What happens next will leave readers puzzled.  

The Fox and the Shrew 

A colony of shrew encounter a fox who offers them a deal. He will offer them protection for one shrew offering during the winter season. The colony is divided. What will they choose?

Joy-Bots

Two families purchase their own Joy-bot, designed to entertain and engage the family. One uses it regularly. The other does not. The results are radically different.

The Oak and the Fruit Tree

An Oak tree and a fruit tree are friends residing in the forest. One of the trees develops a knot on its head and complains of pain. His friend encourages him to seek help and treatment, but the advice is ignored. The problem gets worse.