Civilization, for all intents and purposes, has ended. And for some stupid damned reason this stupid damned paper is still being published! What’s worse than that, though? I no longer have easy access to numb, tired minds to enslave.

My form, being incorporeal, was undamaged by the blasts, and the fallout didn’t harm me either. For weeks I stewed trying to find just one small mind to toy with. And do you think I could do that? NO!

All of those puny little humans went and died as if someone gave them permission or something! Well it certainly wasn’t me, I’ll tell you that. I despise the insipid race, yes, however without such easily molded little minions my plans to dominate the world have become so much harder to realize.

Theoretically the world is mine. I’m the highest form of life on it. But what do I get to rule over? Beetles and packaged cakes. Lucky me.

Almighty Glow Cloud

Republished from The Swill print edition, Volume 107, Issue 27, March 28, 2017.