Darren Johnson's Best Short Stories of 2019

Flying monuments. Quantum, time-traveling historians. Controllable back hair. Unidentified bussing objects. 14 separate tales plus one immense crossover bringing them together because why not: SPEEDING STEALTH BUS: Its attacks on pedestrians both terrorized and crippled the nation. Now it's back and just as stealthy — and violent — as ever. THE GREATEST LOVE STORY THAT ALMOST WAS: They had the perfect relationship until fate stepped in. You won't see *this* sappy story around the holidays. SINGLE ELIMINATION EARTH: Eight billion competitors forced to fight to the death against their will. One winner. THE LAST CHANCE: He's been unsuccessful for ages. It consumes his every thought. And now, as the last human on Earth, he has one more chance. SITUATIONAL: Even though their lives are the same, they don't feel quite right. Something is either wrong with them — or everyone else. A QUICK, NEIGHBORLY PROBLEM: The ride's over and your language skills suck. Let the insults fly! 5 YEARS THE VILLAIN: Kidnapped by aliens, he's been given five years to help humanity clean up their act. The catch? He's marooned in an alien spacecraft stuck in orbit. One can't save the human race without pissing a few billion of them off. THE LESSON: If you don't brainwash your kids, who will? Oh, Father O'Malley! Yay! THE UNWONTED 5: Five strangers with "useless" powers come together to form something more. Sorry, bad guys. THE REARRIVALS: The old gods are back and tearing things up, baby! You know, maybe someone *should* question them. INTERVIEW WITH A CANDIDATE: A HORROR STORY: Even the devil would be disgusted by this guy. Do they not care in Alabama, or what? STUR TRONK: Captain Alex Q.T. Pecks has been charged with maintaining the peace. I give it a week. LIMO RIDER: He's used to riding in limos. However, he's also used to being let out. TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE: As Written by a 12-year-old Purely for the Money: subtitle says it all. THE GREATEST CROSSOVER OF ALL TIME 2: All the bad guys from the stories above are teaming up to take over the world(s) and then some. All the good guys are trying to stop them. Note: knowledge of the first (2018's) Greatest Crossover is NOT required. Heck, it's not even recommended. You like crossovers? Well, this is crossover-er than any of them!