SPOILER ALERT: Stephen S. Power‘s “Who Else Would Make a World Like This” (the first piece from our forthcoming Summer 2015 issue) takes place in a not-too-distant future during GAME OF THRONES’ series finale. Any similarities between this work of flash fiction and the show’s actual finale are purely coincidental. Any similarity between this story’s vision of our future and our actual future, however, is another matter entirely.

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ADAM AND HIS FRIENDS ERUPT IN CHEERS when, during the Game of Thrones finale, Jon Snow steps over Jaime’s body. Shots all around.

“Who’s got Jaime in the pool?” Adam says.

“I do,” Michael says. “Oh, wait. Damn.”

Bea laughs. “I can’t believe I’m still in it with Gendry.”

“Ssh!” Luce says.

Jon Snow picks up Oathkeeper and charges Aegon. Adam refills everyone’s glasses with Kilmagoon. He gives Bea hers. She kisses his hand. He kisses her neck.

The TV goes black.

“What the hell?” Michael says.

Adam waves. He snaps. Everyone claps. “Stop!” Adam says. He claps again. “TV, turn on,” he says. The TV doesn’t.

Adam’s phone buzzes. Luce looks over his arm. “You hit your viewing cap? It’s only the 13th.”

“I told you I binged the whole series.”

“Just pay for overage time,” Michael says. “Don’t you have escrow?”

“I blew it on the series,” Adam says.

“I’ll pay,” Bea says. She jabs the screen of her phone, entering the TV’s serial number.

The TV turns on. “Goddamn Samsung,” Adam says.

“Tell me your cable bill’s paid,” Michael says.

“Ssh!” Luce says.

Adam whispers to Bea, “Thank you.”

“Just watch,” she says, staring straight ahead.

Gendry’s Armies of the North, surprised after taking Duskendale, are being blasted by Dany’s dragons.

“And his dreams of spring die,” Luce says.

“I can’t believe I just paid to see that,” Bea says.

“You know, in the book–”

“Shut up, Michael,” Bea says.

The Brotherhood appears, it fires crossbows at Dany’s back, and the power in Adam’s apartment goes out.

“You cannot be serious,” Michael says.

Bea pulls away. “Should I break up with you now, Adam, or after I kill you?”

“I don’t know what the problem is,” Adam says. The city glows through the curtains. He goes to the door and cracks it because the peepscreen’s dead. “The hallway’s lit.”

His phone buzzes. “Unbelievable.” He turns it around.

“You hit your power cap too?” Luce says.

“Someone must be hacking my line again.”

“Now that you and Bea are done,” Luce says, “could we go out so I can dump you too?”

“I’m so sorry, guys.”

“Screw it,” Michael says, “I’ll use the app. Nothing like fifty-foot dragons on a 5-inch screen.” He taps his phone. Bea slides over to snuggle against Michael. He shakes her off. “This is crazy. ‘Due to reciprocal contracts with Consolidated Edison, CoxWarner cannot provide service to your location at this time.’”

Continue reading “Who Else Would Make a World Like This” – Fiction by Stephen S. Power →