This novella was a Hugo and Nebula nominee twenty years ago. I lost both to Charles Sheffield -- whom I married five years later. Life sometimes really is just as strange as fiction.

***A Wattpad Featured Collection of Short Sci-Fi Stories*** Strange sentinels, forgotten Gods, regenerated aliens, frozen predators, tele- kinetic chess sets - all this and more in this collection of short SciFi stories. Each tale carries a devilish little twist at its end. Like a box of chocolates some are sweet ,some sour and some dark. All perhaps little allegories on the vagaries of human nature... From Readers on various stories- "WOW! I know its my second comment but it's the forth time I have visited it." "It's very sad to see this end, all be it an extraordinary end." "Bravo for such an uplifting, optimistic Finale" "This was awesome! I thoroughly enjoyed it, didn't want it to end." "Great twist, from a sinister beginning to a cheerful ending. It echoes the style of HG Wells." "Dude... just holy... !"