How would we treat others, if they wore our face? In this work of absurdist philosophical fiction, the narrator walks three blocks each day from her car to her work. However, she has a unique situation whereby those in need “wear her face.” This makes it nearly impossible for her to ignore the plight of the homeless man selling flowers to make extra money, the beggar in front of the coffee shop asking for change, or the woman picking up her belongings in the rain. Ajmal, her coworker, doesn’t share her ability to see his face others, and, like most people, ignores the plight of others around him. He calls the narrator a saint, but she argues otherwise. She argues that, given what she sees, she really has no choice but to help. The story ends with the narrator being locked outside overnight, and another person with a similar skill, finds her and gives her a place to stay for the night.

Do desperate times justify desperate measures, or are some measures always off the table? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, Hank is the inheritor of House of Hope, a farm facility where elderly or unwanted pets are shipped to be euthanized. This has become increasingly common because of severe global shortages that have pushed the world into near chaos. Each day, wooden crates arrive with dogs, cats, rabbits, and a menagerie of pets to be euthanized. To simplify the process, the government no longer allows families to drop off pets personally or to be with them as they are euthanized. Furthermore, due to resource scarcity it is against the law for House of Hope to take in, or adopt out, the pets that come in. Hank hates the situation, but justifies his role in it by saying, at least, he treats the animals with dignity in their final moments. Things take a turn for the strange when we learn that the unwanted elderly are also shipped in boxes to House of Hope to be euthanized as well.

Is it possible to share a world changing discovery in an equitable way? If a new Galileo came forward today, would you be on his side? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, the Krish is a newspaper reporter reporting on Dr. Zhang’s alleged new discovery; the instantons and inexpensive transportation of matter to and from anywhere in the universe. NASA declares the invention a hoax, but is proven wrong when Dr. Zhang writes out in the Martian soil, “Believe me now?” Dr. Zhang, however, destroys the research for her work and refuses to tell the world the basis for her invention, fearing it will be shared based on a purely profit-driven motive rather than for the general good. In response, Dr. Zhang is taken into custody by the US government. She is later announced dead, from an apparent suicide.

Is there a difference between the right to end your own life quickly, vs slowly? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, Bill has decided it is time for a family intervention. His younger brother Tom gained 100 pounds after his wife died and it is affecting his health. His doctor’s have advised him to lose weight and proscribed him medication he refuses to take. Bill tells his plan to their sister, who opts out of the family intervention, arguing it’s his life, and if anyone should be having an intervention, it should be his daughters. Bill disagrees and, after a fishing trip, confronts Tom about his weight. Tom pushes back, arguing that eating makes him happy, that he doesn’t want to live to become an invalid, and that many cultures view obesity in a positive light. Eventually, Tom agrees he will consider making eating habit changes, but only if Bill and the rest of the family quit pestering him.

Who deserves to live the longest? How do you know if you should give or take extra time from others? In this philosophical short story fiction, Shelia gets a strange letter in the mail on her 69th birthday, along with a pamphlet from a strange company she has never heard of. She ignores the mailer, but a few weeks later, two salesmen arrive at her door. They explain to her that “everyone gets 70 years of life,” on average, but that it’s possible to give, or take, extra life from others. Life can be given, or taken, from those you know, or complete strangers. Perhaps some are more (artists, scientists) or less (criminals, drug addicts) deserving of the life they were naturally given. This is all too much for Shelia, who decides to simply put off the question for another day. Her 70th birthday eventually arrives, and the salesmen are back, asking for her decision. Should she give a few years to a loved one? If she does nothing, they explain to her, the community deficient will be taken from society as a whole. After due consideration, Shelia tears up the contracts, and decides to make no decision at all.

Is it moral to take on debts for the benefit of your unborn child that will carry over to your unborn child after you are dead? What if taking on those debts is the best way to ensure your child has the best chance for a successful life? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, a couple looking to have their first child goes to the medical clinic to discuss the cost of DNA selection packages for their yet-to-be-conceived child. How much do they want to fix the genetic lottery to help their child be smart, athletic, or driven? They have the budget to make minor improvements, but if they are willing to take out a loan, they can do more. The problem is the unpaid debt carries to their unborn child if they die before it is paid in full. In the end, through the high-pressure used-car-salesmanship of the company, they decide to leverage their child’s future and order the “Platinum” package.

What if the Devil were real and you could, and did, kill him? What, does the Devil stand for in society, and what might change about society in the event of his death? In this work of philosophical short story fiction, Simon is put on trial for having, literally, killed the devil. He did it through trickery, of course. He told the Devil that he (the Devil) was a cheap peddler of a product, fear. But, because he was immortal, he would never truly understand the product he pushed on others. The Devil asserts he fears nothing and, to prove it, he removes his immortality from his being. Simon kills him. And now Simon is on trial. It is unethical to kill a purely evil thing? And, if the Devil is dead, why are bad things still happening in the world?